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Against All Odds: The Inside Account of the Thai Cave Rescue and the Courageous Australians at the Heart of It
‘I just want to warn you. You’re going to dive to the end of the cave. You’re going to see these kids. They’re all looking healthy and happy and smiley. Then, you’re going to swim away, and they’re probably all going to die.’
In June 2018, for seventeen days, the world watched and held its breath as the Wild Boar soccer team were trapped deep in a cave in Thailand. Marooned beyond flooded cave passages after unexpected rains, they were finally rescued, one-by-one, against almost impossible odds, by an international cave-diving team which included Australians Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen.
These two men were chosen for their medical expertise and cave diving knowledge, but this dangerous rescue asked so much more of them. They had to remain calm under extreme pressure and intense scrutiny, adapt to constantly changing circumstances and importantly, build trust among the rescue team and with the young boys and their coach, whose lives were in their hands.
Here is the story of these two Australian men who became international heroes – it is a story of determination, cunning and triumph that will long be remembered.
In June 2018, for seventeen days, the world watched and held its breath as the Wild Boar soccer team were trapped deep in a cave in Thailand. Marooned beyond flooded cave passages after unexpected rains, they were finally rescued, one-by-one, against almost impossible odds, by an international cave-diving team which included Australians Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen.
These two men were chosen for their medical expertise and cave diving knowledge, but this dangerous rescue asked so much more of them. They had to remain calm under extreme pressure and intense scrutiny, adapt to constantly changing circumstances and importantly, build trust among the rescue team and with the young boys and their coach, whose lives were in their hands.
Here is the story of these two Australian men who became international heroes – it is a story of determination, cunning and triumph that will long be remembered.
336 pages, Paperback
Published November 5, 2019
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December 15, 2019What a great read! I can confidently say I will NEVER cave dive in my life! The story behind the news was very interesting. I struggled to put the book down and spent quite a bit of the weekend ignoring my family to get this finished!
January 1, 2021
What a great read. It shows you a perspective from Dr. Harris and Dr. Craig, which you will never know by watching news. The emotions are raw. I laughed and cried while reading it.
December 8, 2019
Read this from start to finish in a day and really struggled to put it down! Two great men telling an incredible story. I still can't believe it ended so perfectly.
January 31, 2020
This book was fascinating. I read it in a day because I couldn’t put it down.
They were very lucky that they had an anesthetist who cave dives on their team. I had no idea they sedated the kids to get them out.
Great read!
They were very lucky that they had an anesthetist who cave dives on their team. I had no idea they sedated the kids to get them out.
Great read!
December 22, 2021
An exciting and engaging read. The two men – Richard Harris and Craig Challen loved the challenge of helping the boys trapped in that cave. I could kind of relate to this book having been an intensive care ambulance paramedic for a number of years (but certainly not a diver!). You really don't want anything bad to happen to people but you want to be the one who is around on shift to help if it does. It is the challenge of stretching yourself through difficult circumstances. Against the Odds is well written and it makes you feel you have the air tanks on and you are squeezing through the ever-narrowing gaps! Surprisingly, there were a few parts with unnecessary confronting language. Most unexpected and out of place. But an inspiring read.
April 29, 2022
There are heroes aplenty in this tale of adventure and self sacrifice which I enjoyed as an audio book through Indyreads.
December 14, 2022
What a beautiful book .. unputdownable ! After reading this I got to know so much about cave diving , the risks associated with it. The authors penned all the nitty gritty of Cave diving . It is logistically complicated , physically gruelling and potentially dangerous.
The rescue operation started at Tham Luang cave in Thailand , From a deep flooded mountain cave , where 12 boys and one captain of a soccer team were trapped inside over a week.
The coach , Ekk, who is an orphan, displayed indefatigable courage , calmness and perseverance, to keep the boys calm and positive in the adverse inhumane conditions . Before joining the team as an assistant coach, he had joined the Buddhist temple and became a monk and learnt many Tibetan and Buddhist texts , which helped him to teach the kids meditation and live without food and help for 10 days .
The world’s best cave divers from all the world and Thai naval SEAL people and doctors and paramedics , rescued these kids , risking their lives and taking the most nail biting decisions of their lives . These people showed unprecedented courage and Valiance and proved their mettle ! All were rescued and saved ! What a book , highly recommended!
The rescue operation started at Tham Luang cave in Thailand , From a deep flooded mountain cave , where 12 boys and one captain of a soccer team were trapped inside over a week.
The coach , Ekk, who is an orphan, displayed indefatigable courage , calmness and perseverance, to keep the boys calm and positive in the adverse inhumane conditions . Before joining the team as an assistant coach, he had joined the Buddhist temple and became a monk and learnt many Tibetan and Buddhist texts , which helped him to teach the kids meditation and live without food and help for 10 days .
The world’s best cave divers from all the world and Thai naval SEAL people and doctors and paramedics , rescued these kids , risking their lives and taking the most nail biting decisions of their lives . These people showed unprecedented courage and Valiance and proved their mettle ! All were rescued and saved ! What a book , highly recommended!
April 27, 2025
What a story! What incredibly brave boys, what inspiring men who came to their aid. Highly recommend.
December 28, 2019
Riveting - I couldn't put it down!
March 31, 2020
4.5 - hard to put down, told with humour & detail. Got to know the authors so much better than through all the media coverage & built even more respect for them. Incredible story - and still tense even though I knew the ending.
April 9, 2022
The story of the Thai cave rescue is remarkable. Recreational cave diving experts Craig Challen (a retired vet) and Richard Harris (an anaesthetist) were drawn into the rescue of 13 Thai kids and their soccer coach and this is their account of what unfolded.
Having just read “Train Dreams” it’s a jolt to find myself in the midst of such pedestrian - yet adequate - prose. The guys have an incredible story. They are heroes, no question. I guess the ghost writer (Ellis Henican) has done his best but I can’t help getting a distracting taste of the MSG (a little too much use of the “will I?” “There’s still so much that could go wrong” etc. to keep the tension up.)
You’ve got what these men and their co rescuers did. Utterly amazing. Then you have this book. Not quite so amazing.
[I should say I did watch the National Geographic doco on the rescue (“The Rescue”.) Now that was a piece of masterful storytelling. It shows that achievements like this can be mediated and crafted into art. Highly recommended.]
I don’t think you’d regret reading this book. I think it’s a 3.5. It probably lands right where it needs to and lots of people should hear Challen and Harris’ story. The fact that those lads survived can be credited to hundreds of rescuers, but ultimately without these two it’s highly likely those kids would have perished.
Lucky for them that when Challen and Harris chose their hobby it was cave diving and not model railways.
January 13, 2021
This book was utterly gripping. As a caver and a diver (but not a cave diver) it provided a fascinating glimpse into a world I knew little about. Written by a medico and a veterinarian it also provided a more technical look at the rescue than is expected from the lay media, which made for a much more satisfying read. But it was the account of the lead up and the actual rescue itself that had me totally rivetted. We are afforded a privileged glimpse into the workings and thoughts of the man whose cunning plan brought the whole thing to fruition. His hopes, his fears, his uncertainties. The tension was relentless as the first boy was painstakingly delivered from his potential doom. Written in a very straightforward style it did an excellent job of conveying the high degree of pressure and stress behind the rescue. The only improvement I can suggest is the inclusion of a map of the cave, which would really have brought chamber 9 and the difficult squeeze between chambers 3 and 4 to life.
August 18, 2020
Amazing to read an account of the Thai cave rescue from the point of view of two of the rescuers who were instrumental in its success!! There are so many things that had to be considered and overcome!
I remember when it was happening, and thinking it seemed like such an impossible situation to decide what was the best option. Well done to Richard Harris and Craig Challen for their courage (especially when told they may end up in the Thai judicial system if things went wrong!) and hard work.
I remember when it was happening, and thinking it seemed like such an impossible situation to decide what was the best option. Well done to Richard Harris and Craig Challen for their courage (especially when told they may end up in the Thai judicial system if things went wrong!) and hard work.
April 1, 2023
This is a fascinating recount of the story of the Thai soccer kids who were trapped in an underground cave for weeks. Many people were involved in the rescue process but 2 of the key players were an Australian anesthesiologist and an Australian veterinarian. They worked out the details and coordinated the process of sedating each of the boys and the soccer coach to enable their underwater journey to eventual safety.
The whole story was really incredible and the fact that all of the kids survived is against all odds.
The whole story was really incredible and the fact that all of the kids survived is against all odds.
January 7, 2023
Thank heavens I knew how this story ended! Otherwise I might not have been able to go on. Such high stakes. Such incredible deftness, care, determination, blind faith, and a bit of luck (& all of the prayers worldwide) for all those involved in this rescue. What an effort!! What a result!! What extraordinary commitment and teamwork. A truly miraculous achievement. Well done to the rescuers and those amazing boys all awaiting their fate whilst trapped in that cave. May they all be happy and flourishing now.
January 12, 2021
This was an engaging book. It wouldn't normally be something I would pick, but after it was recommended to me I decided to give it a go. Well written, although repetitive at times, it was easy to lose time while reading. I would recommend this book to others.
April 5, 2025
There’s not really much more I can add to other reviews other than echoing what a truly amazing and inspiring story this is. Two brave Australians alongside a world-class cave diving team achieved the near impossible. Thank you Harry and Craig for sharing your experiences.
March 13, 2020
Brilliantly told. What a story!!!! Champions
August 27, 2023
Just read (listened) to this non-stop. Even though I knew the outcome I couldn’t stop. Very well written and a very humbling story.
November 27, 2020
Such a great read! I didn't know much about the Thai cave rescue and this book was so interesting. It was such a complex and risky mission and to hear about it from two normal Aussie guys who were so down to earth was amazing. They didn't make out like they were heroes and they shared their vulnerabilities. You really could feel all the emotions they were going through.
August 23, 2025
1. When things aren't going so well in life... say 'it's character building' and laugh about it
Exceptionally story telling, highlights some of the interesting things diving and a the need for a trusted dive buddy.
Exceptionally story telling, highlights some of the interesting things diving and a the need for a trusted dive buddy.
June 20, 2021
So much admiration for Craig Challen and Richard Harris- along with all the British/European/ American divers and support staff- being claustrophobic the intricacies of navigating through tiny passages underwater was nightmare material! And the Thai Seals- staying with the group for days on end - not knowing if they would exit safely also. Amazing. These people lead extraordinary lives.
Not the type of book you read in bed before you "nod off" - you won't sleep!!
Not the type of book you read in bed before you "nod off" - you won't sleep!!
August 26, 2024
Very interesting read, kinda tempted to try cave diving now…. Would probably get claustrophobic though.
Time for a movie version
Thanks
Time for a movie version
Thanks
June 21, 2020
In June 2018, 12 boys and their junior soccer coach wandered into a cave in Thailand - something they had doing many times before. It wasn’t yet flood season. None of them expected they wouldn’t make it home that night.
The whole world watched and waited for the boys to be found. When they were all found alive, it was a miracle celebrated the world over. But then came the anxious wait while the powers at be debated how to get them out, and get them out alive.
Against All Odds is the story of this miraculous cave rescue, told by the two Australian divers who were called in to help once it was deemed that the most likely chance of survival was to drug the boys and dive them out while unconscious. Why not wait until the water subsided and just have them walk out? Because flood season would come any day now - the situation was a literal ticking time bomb.
Craig Challen and Richard “Harry” Harris were called upon due to their extensive cave diving experience as well as being experienced in the use of anaesthesia (Harry as a surgeon, Craig as a veterinarian).
Although we know how the story ends, it doesn’t make the book any less suspenseful. There were many agencies and people involved in the rescue mission and right from the start, we are faced with all the life or death decisions they are faced with. For Craig and Harry, there is also the ethical decision that comes with binding and drugging children, and the personal sacrifices they make for what seems like a very slim chance of succeeding in their mission.
This book is a fantastic insight into an event which had the whole world holding its breath, told from two very real human voices. It reveals facts we didn’t know and corrects mistruths we read in the media. This book will leave you feeling like you experienced the rescue first-hand.
The whole world watched and waited for the boys to be found. When they were all found alive, it was a miracle celebrated the world over. But then came the anxious wait while the powers at be debated how to get them out, and get them out alive.
Against All Odds is the story of this miraculous cave rescue, told by the two Australian divers who were called in to help once it was deemed that the most likely chance of survival was to drug the boys and dive them out while unconscious. Why not wait until the water subsided and just have them walk out? Because flood season would come any day now - the situation was a literal ticking time bomb.
Craig Challen and Richard “Harry” Harris were called upon due to their extensive cave diving experience as well as being experienced in the use of anaesthesia (Harry as a surgeon, Craig as a veterinarian).
Although we know how the story ends, it doesn’t make the book any less suspenseful. There were many agencies and people involved in the rescue mission and right from the start, we are faced with all the life or death decisions they are faced with. For Craig and Harry, there is also the ethical decision that comes with binding and drugging children, and the personal sacrifices they make for what seems like a very slim chance of succeeding in their mission.
This book is a fantastic insight into an event which had the whole world holding its breath, told from two very real human voices. It reveals facts we didn’t know and corrects mistruths we read in the media. This book will leave you feeling like you experienced the rescue first-hand.
January 25, 2020
This book would have been a very difficult read had I not known the outcome. Even knowing that all the boys were rescued from the cave the book still had me ‘sweating it out’ at times. An interesting read given it was narrated by two authors, one of who was responsible for sedating the boys which initially was against his personal ethics. He, along with the others, realised the boys had ‘no hope’ and any idea, even a bad idea was worthy of consideration. The book delves into the details of what was required and emphasises the power of a collaborative approach - in this case multiple countries sending their best people.
January 14, 2020
Against All Odds is not just a story of a couple of middle-aged Australian cave divers having fun in another country. It tells the warts and all story of two caring doctors whose medical and diving experiences placed them at the forefront of saving a Thai boys' soccer team and their coach from deep in a flooded cave system.
While others believed the boys' fate was sealed once the cave's river began to flood Drs Craig Challen Richard Harris fought for a seat at the table to rescue the teens.
What they did had never been done before. One slip and their names would be blackened forever and the lives of each of the boys snuffed out.
A good read and a book that can only heap praise on the two Australian doctors.
While others believed the boys' fate was sealed once the cave's river began to flood Drs Craig Challen Richard Harris fought for a seat at the table to rescue the teens.
What they did had never been done before. One slip and their names would be blackened forever and the lives of each of the boys snuffed out.
A good read and a book that can only heap praise on the two Australian doctors.
November 14, 2020
An amazing true story depicted with humour and humility. It was a privilege to learn about the background of the authors/ rescuers, their thought processes throughout the rescue and exploring the details of the rescue itself. Highlights included the Q&A with the boys regarding the media speculation and the follow up with the boys and coach Ekk in the return trip to Thailand. My only criticism was it was repetitive at times - did not however detract from the amazing story and I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
March 6, 2020
Amazingly well-written especially given that the authors are doctors not writers, and a truly great read. Hard to put down, even though you know the outcome, and Harris and Challen manage to keep it nail-bitingly edgy. There's buckets of humour, tragedy, near-tragedy, and raw human emotion, but the book never gets maudlin, or over-hyped and there is not the slightest attempt at self-aggrandisement. The best book of its type that I've read in a long, long time
May 9, 2020
Really riveting real life drama
We all saw the news every day waiting for the wild bores to be rescued . As each day past most thought there was no hope. Until our two Australian men had no choice but the solution offered.
Reading this rescue moment by moment made you feel you were in the cave with them. Gripping and riveting I couldn’t put the book down. Loved it. A happy ending that took courage to believe in the end result.
We all saw the news every day waiting for the wild bores to be rescued . As each day past most thought there was no hope. Until our two Australian men had no choice but the solution offered.
Reading this rescue moment by moment made you feel you were in the cave with them. Gripping and riveting I couldn’t put the book down. Loved it. A happy ending that took courage to believe in the end result.
June 20, 2020
from the moment I started reading this book I couldn't put it down and finished it within two days...it was very close to home to me about the risks and dangers of diving as my partner loves scuba diving .these two men put their lives on the line as well as the rest of the crew .I couldn't imagine anything more terrifying .I can only imagine how the familes of all who were involved felt …..absolutely amazing tru story read ….braveness,heroes
Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews