Killer Storm

Everest Files #3

by Matt Dickinson, Sarah Darby (Illustrator)

Killer the third and final book in the Everest Files trilogy by Matt Dickinson. Teenage climber Ryan Hart is still in Nepal, working at a refugee centre with his Tibetan girlfriend, Tashi . His obsession with summiting Mount Everest is as strong as ever, but a climbing accident puts his plans on hold. As soon as Ryan recovers, he and Tashi journey deep into the Himalaya . Old friends have come back into their lives and invited them on the adventure. On the way they discover disturbing Nepal's summer rains have failed and the country is in chaos. There are riots in the cities. Bandits roam the hills. As they arrive at Base Camp, a violent terrorist attack kicks off. Ryan and his friends are held hostage. Escape is their only option, but all the trails are guarded. They must head for Everest's deadly slopes. The friends battle against the elements to keep one step ahead of the terror leader as the chase intensifies ... Storm clouds gather high on the mountain. The scene is set for the ultimate Everest adventure.

Genres: Young Adult

219 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 17, 2017

Reviews

[Germ Magazine]

"Although the characters fell flat, I found that the plot was actually very well structured and that the overall idea of the novel was something that I enjoyed. As an avid reader of violent and action-packed stories for teens, I thought the explosions on the mount, the lighting storms, and the overall intensity of the plot made me keep reading, despite my concerns." http://www.germmagazine.com/killer-st...

[Suntje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting. My favorite one from the everest files.

[Cat Strawberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an exciting and enjoyable conclusion to ‘The Everest Files’ trilogy. ‘Killer Storm’ is the third book in the series and can be read as a stand alone novel although there’s more enjoyment if you know some of the characters from the previous two books. The story begins with teenager Ryan, who’s in Nepal and heads for a climb with his girlfriend Tashi. It’s not long before something dramatic happens during their climb which begins a chain of exciting events.

I’d read the second book in the trilogy already, called ‘North Face’, so I was excited to see what’s happened to Ryan and Tashi after the exciting events of the previous book. ‘Killer Storm’ is set about a year later and like the previous book it’s told in the first person perspective, from Ryan’s point of view. I don’t want to go into the details of the plot but I found it harder to get into this than the previous book. Although there’s nothing wrong with the writing and I did enjoy the story in general, especially after a certain leader makes an appearance in Ryan’s tent, I think I found it harder to enjoy this book because of the characters that appear later in the story. Some of the characters from book one make an appearance here and although the book works well in explaining who they are, I didn’t really know them and I should have read the first book in the series before this one as I think that’s why I felt a little disconnected from them. I also wanted to see more of Tashi in this novel as I’d really enjoyed the story surrounding her and her family in the second book but a lot of the action in this book doesn’t directly involve her.

Despite what I said though I did get into this book after the attack happens at the Everest Base Camp. From then on the story really got exciting and felt a bit like a movie with all that was happening. The book was very exciting, after I got into it, and I ended up reading it in only a day! Every chapter begins with a lovely chapter header, an illustration which also shows the altitude the characters are at which is an added bonus. There’s nothing offensive in the story and it was nice to read a novel that once again showed some of the problems that are happening in the world of Tibet and Nepal.

I really liked the way this book ended. It was the perfect end to this book and also the whole trilogy. It’s made me want to read the first book in the series and then the whole trilogy again. I also really enjoyed the fact that this book takes place in a location that most teen novels don’t, at Everest. It’s made me want to visit the place even more and I can’t wait for more books by this author.
-Thanks to Vertebrate Publishing for a free copy.

[Julie Fielding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite this being the last book in the trilogy and the main character finally achieving his life long goal, I didn’t find this book quite as engaging as the others. The main plot seemed rather far fetched with a group of terrorists pursing the daughter of a Russian tycoon in the Himalayas. Fortunately the story ended on a positive note with a return to the main focus - climbing the highest mountain in the world.
The start of the book brought our main characters back together again and gave a synopsis of what had happened since we last met them in Book 2. Their stories were varied and interesting, and gave the reader enough detail to be able to imagine their experiences. The technical detail throughout the book is a strength but perhaps only if that is something the reader is interested in.
I am pleased to have been introduced to this series of novels and totally appreciate how the author’s relates his knowledge and experiences in the Himalayas through his stories. As far as I’m aware, there are very few books available for teens with an interest in outdoor pursuits so I would definitely recommend the trilogy to that particular audience as well as secondary schools as a valuable teaching resource.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much of this story was implausible for me to enjoy it. People climbing the Khumbu Icefall with no crampons, dodgy acclimatisation, suspect language from Tibetans and Nepalis. And of course a heroic summit by two kids on their own, one of whom had previously been paralysed and one who had been struck by lightning! Come on Mr Dickinson, surely teens don't need that level of implausibility!