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Zodiac Station #1
Stacja Zodiak
Stacja Zodiak to lektura tak przejmująca i nieprzewidywalna, jak surowy klimat Arktyki.
Lodołamacz Straży Przybrzeżnej Terra Nova przedziera się przez zamarznięty Ocean Arktyczny, gdzie w promieniu setek kilometrów nie powinno być żywego ducha. Nagle z mgły wyłania się wychłodzony i skrajnie wyczerpany człowiek, który samotnie przemierza na nartach lodową pustynię.
Nazywa się Tom Anderson i jest jedynym pozostałym przy życiu członkiem załogi Stacji Zodiak, położonej daleko za kręgiem polarnym bazy naukowej. Snuje niewiarygodną opowieść o paranoicznej atmosferze w stacji, naukowcach i szpiegach, chciwości i rywalizacji, które prowadzą do chaosu i zbrodni. W jego historii nie wszystko jest jednak do końca jasne. Czyją krwią jest poplamione jego ubranie? Dlaczego w kurtce, którą miał na sobie, znajduje się dziura po pocisku, a na naszywce widnieje nazwisko kogoś innego? Kto dopuścił się morderstwa? Czy zabije znowu?
To oczywiste, że Anderson nie opowiedział o wszystkim, co wydarzyło się w Stacji Zodiak. Gdy odnajdują się inni ocaleni, w swoich relacjach odsłaniają podstępne praktyki spółek naftowych, knowania rosyjskiego wywiadu, katastrofalną wizję globalnego ocieplenia, a także zwykłą ludzką zawiść i pazerność. Jednak oblicze prawdy przerasta wszelkie wyobrażenia…
Lodołamacz Straży Przybrzeżnej Terra Nova przedziera się przez zamarznięty Ocean Arktyczny, gdzie w promieniu setek kilometrów nie powinno być żywego ducha. Nagle z mgły wyłania się wychłodzony i skrajnie wyczerpany człowiek, który samotnie przemierza na nartach lodową pustynię.
Nazywa się Tom Anderson i jest jedynym pozostałym przy życiu członkiem załogi Stacji Zodiak, położonej daleko za kręgiem polarnym bazy naukowej. Snuje niewiarygodną opowieść o paranoicznej atmosferze w stacji, naukowcach i szpiegach, chciwości i rywalizacji, które prowadzą do chaosu i zbrodni. W jego historii nie wszystko jest jednak do końca jasne. Czyją krwią jest poplamione jego ubranie? Dlaczego w kurtce, którą miał na sobie, znajduje się dziura po pocisku, a na naszywce widnieje nazwisko kogoś innego? Kto dopuścił się morderstwa? Czy zabije znowu?
To oczywiste, że Anderson nie opowiedział o wszystkim, co wydarzyło się w Stacji Zodiak. Gdy odnajdują się inni ocaleni, w swoich relacjach odsłaniają podstępne praktyki spółek naftowych, knowania rosyjskiego wywiadu, katastrofalną wizję globalnego ocieplenia, a także zwykłą ludzką zawiść i pazerność. Jednak oblicze prawdy przerasta wszelkie wyobrażenia…
384 pages, Paperback
First published June 19, 2014
89 people are currently reading
1020 people want to read
About the author
Tom Harper
56 books197 followersTom Harper was born in West Germany in 1977 and grew up in Germany, Belgium and America; he now lives in England. He is chair of the Crime Writers' Association and also a member of the Historical Novels Society and the Society of Authors.
Tom Harper also writes historical adventures as Edwin Thomas.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Tom Harper also writes historical adventures as Edwin Thomas.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
November 28, 2017
You’d think the biggest danger in the Arctic Circle would be freezing to death or being eaten by a polar bear, but as always it turns out that people are worse than anything Mother Nature can throw at us.
It starts out with a Coast Guard ship on patrol in the Arctic when a man on skis approach the ship over the ice. He says his name is Thomas Anderson, and he’s the only survivor of a disaster at a research outpost called Zodiac Station. Anderson tells a story of how he was a lowly lab tech whose once promising career had been derailed when he gets a sudden offer to come to Zodiac and work with his old mentor on a project. Unfortunately, right after he gets to the station they find his mentor dead after apparently falling into an ice crevasse, but the circumstances and several of the people at the station seem suspicious to Anderson. After the Coast Guard discovers other survivors at the station they hear other viewpoints that cast doubts on Anderson’s version, but when the tale involves possible conspiracies that might be related to climate change, oil companies, and Russian espionage it becomes impossible to know who to believe about what.
Overall, I was impressed with how well written this was. I thought it might be a pure airport bookstore type, but this is solid writing that builds up interesting characters and an increasingly puzzling scenario. The descriptive stuff about living and working at an Arctic research station was exceptionally well done, and it showed what a hard and dreary existence that would be spiced up with the dangers of living in such a harsh environment. So it’s a very solid thriller told in a unique way with an ending I never saw coming.
However, I very nearly didn’t read it.
This book popped up as a recommendation from Amazon after I read another cold weather tale of survival recently, and since I’m fascinated by the idea of scenarios involving polar research stations I thought I’d give it a try. (I blame The Thing for biting me with that particular bug in my teens.)
It was a quick skim of reviews I did before getting it nearly waved me off. A whole lot of people on Goodreads complained about an ambiguous ending that doesn’t resolve anything and some other problems. So I had doubts, but tried it anyhow since I already had it reserved at the library. I'm glad I did. Frankly, I thought the ultimate wrap up was very clever, and if I was a different kind of asshole I might say that those people who hated the ending missed the point.
In fact, I’m kind of shocked that not one of the reviews I read mentioned a key point, and I think it’s this factor that is going to shift your perspective a lot as to how you view the ending. Here it is.
Having said all that I understand if a reader knew all this and still was angry at the end because it does take a spectacular leap that might leave someone feeling blindsided. Or if you didn’t catch what I discussed in the spoilers it’s still understandable that you’d feel like you got bait-and-switched by this book. Those are legitimate views that I wouldn’t argue with if you felt like you had been burned.
Yet I find a lot of what’s done in genre fiction cliched at this point, and to be completely surprised by something coming out of left field like that was a pleasant surprise that I enjoyed. So if the setup sounds like something you’d be interested in I’d just say that you should be ready for the story to go off in a wild direction at the end.
Comments referencing the ending that aren’t hidden by a spoiler tag will be deleted.
It starts out with a Coast Guard ship on patrol in the Arctic when a man on skis approach the ship over the ice. He says his name is Thomas Anderson, and he’s the only survivor of a disaster at a research outpost called Zodiac Station. Anderson tells a story of how he was a lowly lab tech whose once promising career had been derailed when he gets a sudden offer to come to Zodiac and work with his old mentor on a project. Unfortunately, right after he gets to the station they find his mentor dead after apparently falling into an ice crevasse, but the circumstances and several of the people at the station seem suspicious to Anderson. After the Coast Guard discovers other survivors at the station they hear other viewpoints that cast doubts on Anderson’s version, but when the tale involves possible conspiracies that might be related to climate change, oil companies, and Russian espionage it becomes impossible to know who to believe about what.
Overall, I was impressed with how well written this was. I thought it might be a pure airport bookstore type, but this is solid writing that builds up interesting characters and an increasingly puzzling scenario. The descriptive stuff about living and working at an Arctic research station was exceptionally well done, and it showed what a hard and dreary existence that would be spiced up with the dangers of living in such a harsh environment. So it’s a very solid thriller told in a unique way with an ending I never saw coming.
However, I very nearly didn’t read it.
This book popped up as a recommendation from Amazon after I read another cold weather tale of survival recently, and since I’m fascinated by the idea of scenarios involving polar research stations I thought I’d give it a try. (I blame The Thing for biting me with that particular bug in my teens.)
It was a quick skim of reviews I did before getting it nearly waved me off. A whole lot of people on Goodreads complained about an ambiguous ending that doesn’t resolve anything and some other problems. So I had doubts, but tried it anyhow since I already had it reserved at the library. I'm glad I did. Frankly, I thought the ultimate wrap up was very clever, and if I was a different kind of asshole I might say that those people who hated the ending missed the point.
In fact, I’m kind of shocked that not one of the reviews I read mentioned a key point, and I think it’s this factor that is going to shift your perspective a lot as to how you view the ending. Here it is.
Having said all that I understand if a reader knew all this and still was angry at the end because it does take a spectacular leap that might leave someone feeling blindsided. Or if you didn’t catch what I discussed in the spoilers it’s still understandable that you’d feel like you got bait-and-switched by this book. Those are legitimate views that I wouldn’t argue with if you felt like you had been burned.
Yet I find a lot of what’s done in genre fiction cliched at this point, and to be completely surprised by something coming out of left field like that was a pleasant surprise that I enjoyed. So if the setup sounds like something you’d be interested in I’d just say that you should be ready for the story to go off in a wild direction at the end.
Comments referencing the ending that aren’t hidden by a spoiler tag will be deleted.
December 23, 2019
I expected Zodiac Station by Tom Harper to be a fast-paced thriller that set my heart pounding, but unfortunately it left me wanting more. The plot was good and the characters complex. I enjoyed Harper's writing style, but the story didn't move as fast as I'd hoped. It also jumped around from several different points of view that at times made it hard to follow along. This book had a lot of promise and potential starting out but fell a little flat for me.
March 4, 2022
The topic of reading "trash" or "fluff", presumably when you should be reading the latest Literary Fiction Hot Title instead, has come up a lot lately at work, mainly due to the fondness of one coworker (who shall remain nameless) for books about hot fae warriors who are all very attractive and have adventures but are always okay by the end of the book. Personally I say no guilty pleasures, only pleasures, and so it was with this book, which was goofy, incomprehensible, and fun in spite of or because of all that.
March 16, 2023
‘If you tip over, don’t put your leg down. The snowmobile will crush it.’ (Greta) pulled the starter cord. If she had any more advice, the engine drowned it. I moved to get on, but she waved me away. Standing behind the snowmobile, she put her hands under the back and hoisted the rear end off the ground. She held it for a few moments, then put it down. ‘The tracks freeze to the ground when it’s parked,’ she shouted in my ear. ‘If you don’t get them loose, you burn out the engine…
By page 28 of Zodiac Station, set in the icy wastes of Utgard, in the Arctic Ocean along the disputed border between Norway and Russia, I felt the chill in my bones. Cambridge University academic Thomas Anderson has been given a once-in-a lifetime chance to work in the Arctic with his former supervisor Martin Hagger and arrives to a “frosty” reception from the research scientists funded by various institutes. Hagger is missing (found dead) and the only friendly face is the Irish medic Kennedy.
But the story opens with the USS Coastguard icebreaker, pushing through sea ice to a point where it can drop scientists when a lone skier emerges from the gloom. Taken on board his story appears at first fanciful, but then the helicopter arrives at the burned out shell of Zodiac Station, finding two survivors – the medic and an American who were outside when the main building exploded - with two others unaccounted for. Then there’s the faint signal of an emergency beacon.
Full marks for the living conditions and research facility at Zodiac. I admit being entranced by the surroundings: the crevasses of Helbreensfjord, the whole hydrogeology of glaciers, the deserted Soviet coalmine at Vitangelsk with the mysterious shooter, the tenacity of Greta and confusion shown by Anderson as he pieces together Hagger’s research and experiments, to explain why he had been brought there.
I remembered what Greta had said and called up the weather forecast. It didn’t look good. A polar low was heading our way from Greenland: I could see the comma cloud coming together in the satellite, the long tail starting to turn. Those things move almost as fast as a hurricane. When it hit, it was going to get ugly.
“Ugly” is a fairly tame word for what is going on here, and two-thirds the way through it took on a completely different twist. . Little wonder the captain of the icebreaker had trouble figuring it out. After that the story was predictable but the ending so abrupt it left many questions unanswered.
I had read the author’s Black River before this one, and enjoyed it more. Overall an interesting read, but not one for those who prefer science without the fiction.
By page 28 of Zodiac Station, set in the icy wastes of Utgard, in the Arctic Ocean along the disputed border between Norway and Russia, I felt the chill in my bones. Cambridge University academic Thomas Anderson has been given a once-in-a lifetime chance to work in the Arctic with his former supervisor Martin Hagger and arrives to a “frosty” reception from the research scientists funded by various institutes. Hagger is missing (found dead) and the only friendly face is the Irish medic Kennedy.
But the story opens with the USS Coastguard icebreaker, pushing through sea ice to a point where it can drop scientists when a lone skier emerges from the gloom. Taken on board his story appears at first fanciful, but then the helicopter arrives at the burned out shell of Zodiac Station, finding two survivors – the medic and an American who were outside when the main building exploded - with two others unaccounted for. Then there’s the faint signal of an emergency beacon.
Full marks for the living conditions and research facility at Zodiac. I admit being entranced by the surroundings: the crevasses of Helbreensfjord, the whole hydrogeology of glaciers, the deserted Soviet coalmine at Vitangelsk with the mysterious shooter, the tenacity of Greta and confusion shown by Anderson as he pieces together Hagger’s research and experiments, to explain why he had been brought there.
I remembered what Greta had said and called up the weather forecast. It didn’t look good. A polar low was heading our way from Greenland: I could see the comma cloud coming together in the satellite, the long tail starting to turn. Those things move almost as fast as a hurricane. When it hit, it was going to get ugly.
“Ugly” is a fairly tame word for what is going on here, and two-thirds the way through it took on a completely different twist. . Little wonder the captain of the icebreaker had trouble figuring it out. After that the story was predictable but the ending so abrupt it left many questions unanswered.
I had read the author’s Black River before this one, and enjoyed it more. Overall an interesting read, but not one for those who prefer science without the fiction.
June 25, 2015
I felt like I was playing Arctic Clue and each chapter was another role of the dice and a card reveal.
Except that when I made it to the end and looked in that little envelope, there were cards that I didn't even know were in the game. I call foul. Author cheated.
Except that when I made it to the end and looked in that little envelope, there were cards that I didn't even know were in the game. I call foul. Author cheated.
September 6, 2015
I loved about 80% of this book. Multiple, conflicting POVS, a healthy list of three-dimensional suspects, the "locked room" of the Arctic...
And then it all went down the rabbit hole.
I like crime novels where you can guess how and who and why. This is not one of those books. The ending is always a deal-breaker for me, and this one totally broke. Disappointing.
But a brilliantly crafted book, no doubt. I would definitely read more by the author.
And then it all went down the rabbit hole.
I like crime novels where you can guess how and who and why. This is not one of those books. The ending is always a deal-breaker for me, and this one totally broke. Disappointing.
But a brilliantly crafted book, no doubt. I would definitely read more by the author.
September 11, 2015
I am so angry!! I enjoyed the book, and became very invested in the characters and their situation. And then.... there is not even a tiny modicum of closure at the end! Never read Tom Harper before, and I was thinking I should check out his other stuff. NOT NOW. Hell will freeze over before I pick up one of his books again. When I say no closure, I mean ABSOLUTELY NO CLOSURE. Not one plot line or subplot was resolved. Grrrr. It was like the author just got up and walked away at a random point. When I first started the book I asked a question to the general community about whether it ended with adequate resolution of the plot. No one answered me. Hopefully lots of folks who are thinking about reading this book will read this review first. DON'T DO IT!! I am so let down and so disgusted. Obviously not recommended.
January 3, 2018
Not published til June, I read my review copy far too early simply because it's by Tom Harper, a writer of superb, clever thrillers. Zodiac Station is completely different from the last, The Orpheus Descent. This time the novel is set in the Arctic and presents a science station's path to disaster and tragedy through the words (often teasingly conflicting) of the few survivors. This is a great story and puzzle, set in such a hostile environment, told in the most compelling and intriguing manner and if it isn't one of my very top reads of 2014 I'll be most surprised.
December 13, 2015
A solid way to spend an afternoon, though the slow pace of the writing bogs down the thriller element, and the ending, which comes up in a rush, is best described as ridiculous.
Want to read
April 15, 2014Negalley, y u no want US readers? I want.
June 10, 2017
ARGH. This book is so clever... but the ending is frustrating, as many other reviews cautioned.
It's like a Dan Brown book (I think he even wrote a thriller that focuses on water/ice bergs, if I'm not mistaken) but smarter. There are five main perspectives: 1) the captain of the USCGC Terra Nova, Carl Franklin, and his search for the truth upon their discovering Tom Franklin in the snow one day, 2) Tom Franklin's account of what happened in the days leading up to the explosion at Zodiac Station, 3) scientist Bob Eastman's story, 4) doctor Sean Kennedy's perspective and 5) Tom Franklin's journal that is mostly written post-explosion (which also doesn't read like a journal AT ALL, but that's my own personal gripe - journals in books are always full of dialogue and exposition; that's never how I wrote my own journals back in the day and I'm sure I'm not the only one who shorthands things).
Chapters don't alternate between these men, but rather we are with each character 75-100 pages at a time. This makes it fairly easy to keep track of who is narrating and I think it keeps the momentum building at a good clip.
It's also fun to read the same scene but in different voices - like, oh, now we know why Eastman is behaving strangely, for example. It's also interesting to note any discrepancies. (I always think with these styles of books, authors could go crazy with one character's lies and deception, though that might make for a confusing book in the grand scheme of things).
I don't know much about the Arctic, but the scientists are Zodiac Station are learning about glaciers and ice melt, and Tom Harper (the author) seems to have done a good amount of research. The sense of the cold and lonely plains of the polar region is conveyed well. Tom Franklin is mysteriously summoned to Zodiac to work with his old professor, Martin Hagger, but Hagger turns up dead, and Tom thinks it's murder. Other clues lead him to believe someone is a mole and trading information to a drilling company working on the same Arctic island. As things unfold, other people at Zodiac also find some strange things - Eastman discovers
However:
Overall, this had a great set-up, but I'm not sure the ending was resolved very well. I know a lot of readers were pissed by the ending in that there were threads we didn't know were a factor that had an impact on what happened, but that didn't bother me so much as other things that didn't make sense. I'm still glad I read it, though, because it was entertaining and kept me guessing.
"I want to help, but I'm petrified of being thought intrusive. A very English problem. I've always envied the people who can just throw their arms around complete strangers without analysing it from twenty different angles."
It's like a Dan Brown book (I think he even wrote a thriller that focuses on water/ice bergs, if I'm not mistaken) but smarter. There are five main perspectives: 1) the captain of the USCGC Terra Nova, Carl Franklin, and his search for the truth upon their discovering Tom Franklin in the snow one day, 2) Tom Franklin's account of what happened in the days leading up to the explosion at Zodiac Station, 3) scientist Bob Eastman's story, 4) doctor Sean Kennedy's perspective and 5) Tom Franklin's journal that is mostly written post-explosion (which also doesn't read like a journal AT ALL, but that's my own personal gripe - journals in books are always full of dialogue and exposition; that's never how I wrote my own journals back in the day and I'm sure I'm not the only one who shorthands things).
Chapters don't alternate between these men, but rather we are with each character 75-100 pages at a time. This makes it fairly easy to keep track of who is narrating and I think it keeps the momentum building at a good clip.
It's also fun to read the same scene but in different voices - like, oh, now we know why Eastman is behaving strangely, for example. It's also interesting to note any discrepancies. (I always think with these styles of books, authors could go crazy with one character's lies and deception, though that might make for a confusing book in the grand scheme of things).
I don't know much about the Arctic, but the scientists are Zodiac Station are learning about glaciers and ice melt, and Tom Harper (the author) seems to have done a good amount of research. The sense of the cold and lonely plains of the polar region is conveyed well. Tom Franklin is mysteriously summoned to Zodiac to work with his old professor, Martin Hagger, but Hagger turns up dead, and Tom thinks it's murder. Other clues lead him to believe someone is a mole and trading information to a drilling company working on the same Arctic island. As things unfold, other people at Zodiac also find some strange things - Eastman discovers
However:
Overall, this had a great set-up, but I'm not sure the ending was resolved very well. I know a lot of readers were pissed by the ending in that there were threads we didn't know were a factor that had an impact on what happened, but that didn't bother me so much as other things that didn't make sense. I'm still glad I read it, though, because it was entertaining and kept me guessing.
"I want to help, but I'm petrified of being thought intrusive. A very English problem. I've always envied the people who can just throw their arms around complete strangers without analysing it from twenty different angles."
June 12, 2016
Very well researched and written. I am excited to have found this author. Well-paced, plenty of plot twists, high suspense that pulls you through the story, thoroughly woven plot threads. The quality of writing is first-class. I enjoyed the beautiful, creative metaphors, aptly fitted.
If it weren't for the acknowledgements, I would have thought this author was a genetic biologist that had spent a lot of time in the Arctic. Tom, you did a great job on this one. I look forward to reading more of your work.
If it weren't for the acknowledgements, I would have thought this author was a genetic biologist that had spent a lot of time in the Arctic. Tom, you did a great job on this one. I look forward to reading more of your work.
August 6, 2014
I listened to this book, and found myself sitting in the driveway or parking garage at work just a few moments longer... I was intrigued from the beginning and it kept me interested the entire time. This is the first book I have read by this author, and will most likely look at some of his other works.
January 9, 2019
Zodiac Station, a scientific research station at the frozen end of nowhere
"The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by oceans. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents."
I am a sucker for adventure/thriller books that take place in the Arctic or Antarctica. This scientific thriller takes place on the fictional island Utgard, an island in the Arctic Ocean.
Part of the story takes place in or around Zodiac Station, a scientific research station on the island and part takes place on the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker cutter Terra Nova near the island in the Arctic Ocean.
I enjoyed most of the book very much, with a possible murder, freezing cold, and all kinds of side action going on - in a deserted Russian coal mining camp, a drilling operation, and more.
But, as the book heads into the home stretch, it just becomes too fantastical for me and too abrupt.
So I liked most of the book but the ending - not so much.
"The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by oceans. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents."
I am a sucker for adventure/thriller books that take place in the Arctic or Antarctica. This scientific thriller takes place on the fictional island Utgard, an island in the Arctic Ocean.
Part of the story takes place in or around Zodiac Station, a scientific research station on the island and part takes place on the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker cutter Terra Nova near the island in the Arctic Ocean.
I enjoyed most of the book very much, with a possible murder, freezing cold, and all kinds of side action going on - in a deserted Russian coal mining camp, a drilling operation, and more.
But, as the book heads into the home stretch, it just becomes too fantastical for me and too abrupt.
So I liked most of the book but the ending - not so much.
September 25, 2021
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3766044.html
Decent thriller set in a slightly fictional Arctic research centre, where our protagonist arrives to find his boss mysteriously dead and everything in increasing disarray. Like a lot of these books, the plot depends a bit on crucial coincidence and lucky escape, and there is an sfnal McGuffin at the end which justifies the means and motivation of the bad guys, but it's entertaining enough.
Decent thriller set in a slightly fictional Arctic research centre, where our protagonist arrives to find his boss mysteriously dead and everything in increasing disarray. Like a lot of these books, the plot depends a bit on crucial coincidence and lucky escape, and there is an sfnal McGuffin at the end which justifies the means and motivation of the bad guys, but it's entertaining enough.
November 12, 2017
This was a great fast read. I didn't figure out the mystery until the very end! I'm excited to read some more of his work.
December 31, 2022
Let down by a rushed and maybe Too Much feeling final 30 pages, but very good until that point; you get the sense of the cold, the isolation; the mysteries mount and slowly connect, but it's always a page turner. One of the rare modern thriller writers I've found so far who can also write vivid descriptions of (say) how beautiful the inside of Arctic ice is hit by daylight.
February 20, 2019
Tom arrives at the arctic research station to be assistant to a man he hasn't had contact with in years. Martin has specifically requested Tom for the job but before he can find out why or what exactly he is to do, what appears to be a tragic accident causes Martin's death as he is found dead at the bottom of a crevasse. Or was it an accident? Evidence from the scene suggests that foul play could have occured and with Martin not being very popular amongst his peers, did someone decide to kill him? Tom wonders if the motive could be something that Martin was working on or someone outside the camp that he was in contact with, but the more he looks into it, the more questions and suspects seem to come up.
The story begins with the arrival of Tom at the camp and Martin's death. Greta is concerned when Martin is late back from a camp excursion and takes Tom out to look for him. They find his body but see no sign of bear tracks to explain why he fell which is what base commander Quam thinks is the reason for the tragedy. It seems that Quam and his friends are more concerned about avoiding blame than finding the truth of what really happened. Tom's services are no longer required but before he can get to the plane he is attacked. Is there a connection to what happened to Martin? Tom is concerned that he might be killed before he gets the chance to find out.
The first part of the book focuses on what Tom is doing and we see and hear all the events through his eyes. We see the interactions between characters and try to work out who is working to their own agenda and what it might be. It was like a puzzle that I was trying to decode but just not quite getting there! This was when the story changed, to my surprise and we got events from the view of a different person at the camp. I liked this development as we got to see more things happening, different interactions, new events and more about each of the characters. It certainly gave me more to think about than just Tom's story. We then get events from a third person's viewpoint which was also really interesting. I was really loving the book and trying to answer the questions I had in my own mind. It is at this point that the book changes again and not every reader liked this final change of direction.
This is a book that has divided a lot of reviewers and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. A good number of reviewers really didn't like the final section of the book. Having read it now I can understand exactly what everyone was talking about and why the end section had readers screaming at times. Personally, I wasn't that happy with the way the story turned out as I felt it was something that the reader could not have guessed at. It totally changed the whole plot surrounding Martin's death and I sort of felt cheated in a way. It wasn't what I expected at all and it really threw me. My other bugbear is that things for me were not fully resolved and I do find that a bit annoying.
I did love the setting for the book. These remote outposts are a great location for books with a thriller or horror plot as there as so many options. I love reading about how remote the area is and the struggles that the people have in dealing with the boredom and isolation. I liked the threat of the weather that hovers over everything they do and the fear of being trapped if their transport is damaged. It is just a great setting to read about. I did enjoy most of the book, just not convinced by the ending.
Here is the spoiler as to who the killer was and why it made me mad!
The story begins with the arrival of Tom at the camp and Martin's death. Greta is concerned when Martin is late back from a camp excursion and takes Tom out to look for him. They find his body but see no sign of bear tracks to explain why he fell which is what base commander Quam thinks is the reason for the tragedy. It seems that Quam and his friends are more concerned about avoiding blame than finding the truth of what really happened. Tom's services are no longer required but before he can get to the plane he is attacked. Is there a connection to what happened to Martin? Tom is concerned that he might be killed before he gets the chance to find out.
The first part of the book focuses on what Tom is doing and we see and hear all the events through his eyes. We see the interactions between characters and try to work out who is working to their own agenda and what it might be. It was like a puzzle that I was trying to decode but just not quite getting there! This was when the story changed, to my surprise and we got events from the view of a different person at the camp. I liked this development as we got to see more things happening, different interactions, new events and more about each of the characters. It certainly gave me more to think about than just Tom's story. We then get events from a third person's viewpoint which was also really interesting. I was really loving the book and trying to answer the questions I had in my own mind. It is at this point that the book changes again and not every reader liked this final change of direction.
This is a book that has divided a lot of reviewers and I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. A good number of reviewers really didn't like the final section of the book. Having read it now I can understand exactly what everyone was talking about and why the end section had readers screaming at times. Personally, I wasn't that happy with the way the story turned out as I felt it was something that the reader could not have guessed at. It totally changed the whole plot surrounding Martin's death and I sort of felt cheated in a way. It wasn't what I expected at all and it really threw me. My other bugbear is that things for me were not fully resolved and I do find that a bit annoying.
I did love the setting for the book. These remote outposts are a great location for books with a thriller or horror plot as there as so many options. I love reading about how remote the area is and the struggles that the people have in dealing with the boredom and isolation. I liked the threat of the weather that hovers over everything they do and the fear of being trapped if their transport is damaged. It is just a great setting to read about. I did enjoy most of the book, just not convinced by the ending.
Here is the spoiler as to who the killer was and why it made me mad!
May 4, 2015
This book is told in alternating chapters by the survivors of a disastrous event at an Arctic scientific exploration station. Each has a slightly different perspective and may or may not be a reliable witness. It is reminiscent of both Michael Crichton's thrillers and also of classic whodunits set in a closed or isolated community.
The author seems to have done a lot of research on the Arctic and also on the various scientific disciplines represented by the inhabitants of Zodiac Station. I thought that he explained the science well and I didn't have a problem following it. This was a suspenseful and intelligent thriller. I liked the characters, ordinary men and women thrown into extreme circumstances.
The solution to the mystery was a little abrupt and I would have preferred more closure at the end of the book. It's possible that the author is setting things up for a sequel but that isn't necessary. Everything is answered in this book. Things just are not tied up as neatly as I expected. However I enjoyed this book and I also liked The Orpheus Descent by the same author. I'll probably read more by him.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The author seems to have done a lot of research on the Arctic and also on the various scientific disciplines represented by the inhabitants of Zodiac Station. I thought that he explained the science well and I didn't have a problem following it. This was a suspenseful and intelligent thriller. I liked the characters, ordinary men and women thrown into extreme circumstances.
The solution to the mystery was a little abrupt and I would have preferred more closure at the end of the book. It's possible that the author is setting things up for a sequel but that isn't necessary. Everything is answered in this book. Things just are not tied up as neatly as I expected. However I enjoyed this book and I also liked The Orpheus Descent by the same author. I'll probably read more by him.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
October 10, 2014
*I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley*
Terra Nova, a US Coast Guard icebreaker is making its way through the frozen sea of the Arctic Circle when they come across a man on skis, a man who claims to be the only survivor of a scientific research station - Zodiac Station. Why did Zodiac Station blow up? Is Anderson telling the truth? Are there any other survivors?
This book is essentially a whodunit set in the arctic.
We find out parts of the story from different characters which was interesting as you could try and piece together what had happened.
As someone with a scientific background I found the science intriguing.
While I wasn't gripped by the writing or plot I did want to find out what had happened.
Overall this was a unique read that I enjoyed.
Terra Nova, a US Coast Guard icebreaker is making its way through the frozen sea of the Arctic Circle when they come across a man on skis, a man who claims to be the only survivor of a scientific research station - Zodiac Station. Why did Zodiac Station blow up? Is Anderson telling the truth? Are there any other survivors?
This book is essentially a whodunit set in the arctic.
We find out parts of the story from different characters which was interesting as you could try and piece together what had happened.
As someone with a scientific background I found the science intriguing.
While I wasn't gripped by the writing or plot I did want to find out what had happened.
Overall this was a unique read that I enjoyed.
August 30, 2015
A tragic accident, or was it, at an arctic research station. Cut to a Coast Guard Cutter on a research mission that is startled by a survivor that comes wandering out of the snow with a fantastic story. When rescue efforts ensue two more survivors are found, all with similar but differing stories. So just who has this Coast Guard ship picked up?
Sorry, but you will have to read the book to find out. I really liked this Arctic thriller and am excited to see what develops in the next book. Of note, this book did start to flag a bit like it was running low towards the end. However the author salvaged the story and was able to tweak this reader spurring me on towards a satisfying finish that left me wanting more.
Sorry, but you will have to read the book to find out. I really liked this Arctic thriller and am excited to see what develops in the next book. Of note, this book did start to flag a bit like it was running low towards the end. However the author salvaged the story and was able to tweak this reader spurring me on towards a satisfying finish that left me wanting more.
May 27, 2016
This is a fairly good murder mystery, and having a science background, I liked the subject material and setting.
The story drew me in, and the concept of changing the narrators would suit this story, EXCEPT that I found it very difficult to find differences in the voice and style used by each character, which made for a confusing read and made it hard to keep track of who was who, where, etc. as the story progressed (which is pivotal to this story).
The ending and conclusion were crafty, but felt rushed, and thus, not as satisfying as it could have been.
The story drew me in, and the concept of changing the narrators would suit this story, EXCEPT that I found it very difficult to find differences in the voice and style used by each character, which made for a confusing read and made it hard to keep track of who was who, where, etc. as the story progressed (which is pivotal to this story).
The ending and conclusion were crafty, but felt rushed, and thus, not as satisfying as it could have been.
June 29, 2015
Derring do and mysterious deaths abound at an Arctic research station. Wanna bet it doesn't have much to do with arctic research and more to do with the hunt for mineral wealth?
The shift in narrators about seventy pages in is discioncerting, as is the wait for explanations, but I'm a sucker for arctic settings.
The shift in narrators about seventy pages in is discioncerting, as is the wait for explanations, but I'm a sucker for arctic settings.
October 2, 2015
It started out really promising, but it took me way too long to finish this one. I ended up just skimming through the last 100 pages or so. After all of that, the twist and the ending were both very underwhelming.
September 4, 2016
This is a book which promises a lot and continues briskly just to fizz out in the end. The author does a really good job of painting a picture of the harsh nature of Arctic. Very disappointing towards the end. Think twice before picking it up.
January 19, 2015
I got the feeling that this book never really came together ... Detached and cold.... maybe like the Arctic it's set into???
May 12, 2015
This was really gripping but fizzled out towards the end.
September 29, 2015
I did not care for this. Please, don't read it.
March 12, 2015
Murder mystery at a science center in the Arctic. It will keep you guessing and turning the pages.
April 20, 2015
Ending sucked.
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