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World's Scariest Places #5
Hora mrtvých
Uprostřed únorové noci roku 1959 vyběhne do mrazivé sněhové vánice na Sibiři skupina devíti ruských vysokoškoláků poté, co v panice rozpárají zevnitř stan postavený předchozího dne pod uralskou horou přezdívanou místními domorodci „Hora mrtvých“. Do svítání jsou všichni mrtví. Pátrací skupiny nalézají jejich těla ve spodním prádle, znetvořená a rozprostřená daleko od tábora. Brutální smrt těchto zkušených turistů zůstává stále záhadou i spoustu let po incidentu, teorií se však za tu dobu vyrojilo nespočet. Americký spisovatel, známý svou láskou k místům obestřeným tajemstvím, se vydává po stopách expedice odhodlaný nalézt odpovědi a zjistit, co bylo příčinou hrůzného neštěstí. Nic ho však nemůže připravit na to, co se chystá objevit.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2018
1177 people are currently reading
2161 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Bates
46 books1,838 followersUSA TODAY and #1 Amazon bestselling author Jeremy Bates has written over twenty novels and novellas, selling more than one million copies worldwide. His work has been translated into multiple languages and optioned for film and television by major studios. Midwest Book Review has likened his storytelling to that of Stephen King and Joe Lansdale, calling him a "master of the art." Bates is a KDP Select All-Star and the recipient of the Australian Shadows Award and the Canadian Arthur Ellis Award. He was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book honors chosen by readers.
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
Visit Amazon to get DENISOVANS for a special release-date price now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...
Also, MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD is currently only $0.99 in a limited-time deal.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KW3N72
Finally, visit Jeremy’s website to receive a free copy of *Black Canyon*, winner of the Lou Allin Memorial Award.
https://www.jeremybatesbooks.com
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
Visit Amazon to get DENISOVANS for a special release-date price now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...
Also, MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD is currently only $0.99 in a limited-time deal.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KW3N72
Finally, visit Jeremy’s website to receive a free copy of *Black Canyon*, winner of the Lou Allin Memorial Award.
https://www.jeremybatesbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
January 19, 2025
Gosh, this was quite an eerie winter horror! You get the story of the Dyatlov expedition re-told (including black and white photos) and that of a modern writer following their traces. What lead to the death of the previous expedition? What horror did they come across? Corey Smith and his fellow travelers try to find out what happened back then. They fly to Russia, Siberia and follow the steps of the Dyatlov group. Terrible weather, blizzards and some frightening encounters with what? This is the definite winter horror novel. Best read at home with some tea at hand. Eerie, brutal at parts and intriguing to the last page. A real page turner. Highly recommended!
July 16, 2019
Well, so I like Jeremy Bates’ tales of scary places. I got started with Suicide Forest and I have read every single one of them. I was thrilled to see he had a new one! This one did not disappoint me and like most of his scariest places tales this is an actual place where something dark and unexplained (as of yet) has happened. This is about the Dyaylov group and what happened to them on that cold night in Siberia. It has never been found out exactly what happened but I like the explanations Mr. Bates posited. There are photos of the crew. He did his research. 4
April 29, 2021
This started out as an exceptional book. The first 2 thirds were very well constructed, with inter-switching plot lines between the present day and events of 1959. However...when the big denouement came, the story becomes so ridiculous that it was almost laughable at times. I know with horror books it is necessary to suspend belief but it helps if the story at least has a fraction of credibility. The first segment was brilliant, the final segment just plain silly.
November 10, 2018
Mountain of the Dead is the 5th book in Bates' World Scariest Places series. This time around he takes us to the Dyatlov Pass in the Ural mountains in Russia. The story flips back and forth between the past Dyatlov Incident and the present group of hikers that are reliving and investigating the 1959 incident in effort to find out what happened to the group.
I'm intrigued by the events and mystique surrounding that horrific expedition so I've been reading as much non-fic and fic as I can find on it, including this story. Bates presented an interesting 'fictional' theory similar to J. H. Moncrieff's fic account in Return to Dyatlov Pass. Both were very good but I enjoyed the added suspense and thrill in Moncrieff's account. I think Bates intention in Mountain of the Dead was to add suspense by alternating the storylines and counting down to the day of the incident but unfortunately he didn't quite pull it off so the constant flip-flopping had the exact opposite effect on me.
*Read for 2018 AMMP Bairn Bingo- Deer
I'm intrigued by the events and mystique surrounding that horrific expedition so I've been reading as much non-fic and fic as I can find on it, including this story. Bates presented an interesting 'fictional' theory similar to J. H. Moncrieff's fic account in Return to Dyatlov Pass. Both were very good but I enjoyed the added suspense and thrill in Moncrieff's account. I think Bates intention in Mountain of the Dead was to add suspense by alternating the storylines and counting down to the day of the incident but unfortunately he didn't quite pull it off so the constant flip-flopping had the exact opposite effect on me.
*Read for 2018 AMMP Bairn Bingo- Deer
April 19, 2018
I am a little disappointed with Jeremy Bate's new book in the series World's Scariest Places. I loved this series so much and I love the way he writes. However in this book he takes a different alternate route than what he usually writes. Bates talked about how humanity is the real monster and how humans can be pushed to do terrible acts to living things. I loved the idea and I honestly don't have a problem with it. What I have a problem with this book is the Yetis? Are you kidding me Jeremy Bates? I was really excited to see what the antagonists were going to be but I was just so disappointed and ridiculous. It was through page 300 that I thought no this cannot be true. I did like how the Yetis were created which was experimentation from when Stalin was in power. I found the history interesting but I hated that I didn't fall in love with the characters. There was no one I absolutely loved and the flashbacks were uninteresting. I felt bored through some of it and it felt like it dragged on forever. I just thought it could have been used a lot more interesting but I felt left down by it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2022
A superior, part factual mystery!
This book was a mixture of fact, conjecture and fiction. The story was based upon the famous Dyatlov Pass mystery of 1959, when 9 experienced Russian hikers disappeared on a trip to the Ural mountains in Siberia. Their semi naked bodies, severely damaged, were eventually discovered by rescue parties. The victims were found lying in deep snow with temperatures well below freezing. Just what had killed them? Many conspiracy theories have circulated since then but nothing has been proved. This book attempts, in a unique way, to offer a solution to the mystery. It may seem far fetched and fanciful but, who really knows. The Russian authorities perhaps, but they are not saying. An excellent read!
This book was a mixture of fact, conjecture and fiction. The story was based upon the famous Dyatlov Pass mystery of 1959, when 9 experienced Russian hikers disappeared on a trip to the Ural mountains in Siberia. Their semi naked bodies, severely damaged, were eventually discovered by rescue parties. The victims were found lying in deep snow with temperatures well below freezing. Just what had killed them? Many conspiracy theories have circulated since then but nothing has been proved. This book attempts, in a unique way, to offer a solution to the mystery. It may seem far fetched and fanciful but, who really knows. The Russian authorities perhaps, but they are not saying. An excellent read!
February 6, 2024
Like the other books in Bates' series the strength of this one lies in the elements of the real tragedy that are weaved in to the fictional scenarios the author crafts. At times I was hooked, but I think the story is very bogged down by a lot of repeated scenes of the same "spooky noises" and the pace really drops around 100 pages in. I'd reccommend this if you have heard of the real life tragedy, but you may have to work a bit to really enjoy.
A widowed journalist travels to Russia to investigate the famous dyatlov pass incident where 10 hikers mysteriously vanished in the 50s. The narrative also follows the original hikers and the horrors they encountered. Has cisco and his friends discovered more than he bargained for.
A widowed journalist travels to Russia to investigate the famous dyatlov pass incident where 10 hikers mysteriously vanished in the 50s. The narrative also follows the original hikers and the horrors they encountered. Has cisco and his friends discovered more than he bargained for.
dnf
August 3, 2024It has taken me DAAAYYYSSSSS to get 20% in on this book. Dead boring, and I hate every character except the Cajun, but even that annoyed me because he believes in voodoo dolls. STAHP.
May 6, 2018
I hate hate hate to not give Jeremy Bates 5 stars. Since I discovered him, I've loved his books and his writing. But, this book I just didn't like. I wanted to like it, I tried to like, I really tried to like it. But, in the end, I didn't. I couldn't even make myself finish reading it. It started out pretty good. It was reasonably suspenseful up until.....the Yeti's. Suspense gone. I'm not really sure what I was hoping for, but I am sure, it wasn't Yeti's. I wanted the usual dose of narliness to happen. I didn't expect anyone to make friends with the "killers" who actually end up not being bad guys at all, because the real bad guys are the Russians who created and experimented on them. >.< Which is just sad, not scary. I will forever love reading novels by Jeremy Bates and this book will not stop my love for his books and writing, but this is just a no no no. Once the Yeti saves the group in the present, you find out everyone was lying for Corey....I lost interest. Caput! Honestly, I don't know how the Dyatlov group died...I'd like to pick back up the book and find out what Jeremy Bates has to say about it, but I'm a bit too disappointed at the moment to continue on with it. Maybe later. Keep Writing Mr. Bates. I look forward to your next book!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2018
Two things to say first. One, I haven't read any of the other books in the series and I know it isn't necessary but I can't judge this book based on the quality of the others. Two, I won this in a GR giveaway. Free things are always nice.
So that being said, I didn't much care for this book. The opening segment made me think this could be a nice creepy read. Snow, ice, and a monster, what's not to like? Then the book nose-dived into endless, pointless backstory. Didn't care about any of it. Just tell me what happened to the group killed in 1959. Had to skim a bit through some sections to get to the end.
So that being said, I didn't much care for this book. The opening segment made me think this could be a nice creepy read. Snow, ice, and a monster, what's not to like? Then the book nose-dived into endless, pointless backstory. Didn't care about any of it. Just tell me what happened to the group killed in 1959. Had to skim a bit through some sections to get to the end.
August 5, 2021
The only book of Jeremy Bates that I haven't liked so far. I was born in Russia and reading this book I found it very difficult to understand some of the words in the book now don't get me wrong my English is fluent. But the incorrect pronunciation of some of these words really put me off the story
September 14, 2018
Mountain of the Dead is the 5th installment of Jeremy Bates' World's Scariest Places books. While these are all standalone books, they follow a similar pattern. Except for this one. This one was a bit of a departure, but I really liked how he handled it.
The Dyatlov Pass Incident, as it is later known, is an actual mystery occurring in the Ural Mountains of the then Soviet Union. During the night of February 1, 1959, in the Siberian wilderness, nine experienced Russian hikers slash open their tent from the inside and run into a blizzard without proper attire. Interestingly enough, not all of the hikers died of hypothermia. One of the hikers was actually missing her tongue. An investigation by the Russian government concluded that an "unknown compelling force" had caused the deaths. But what was the force? Theories include animal attacks, hypothermia, avalanche, attack by Mansi people (indigenous folk of the region), or some type of military accident. The place where they died is called Kholat Syakhl by the Mansi - Mountain of the Dead.
True-crime writer Corey Smith and his friend, movie star Disco Brady, have traveled from Los Angeles to Russia to literally walk in the footsteps of the Russian hikers. They are even hiking at the same time of the year - starting at the end of January to reach Kholat Syakhl by February 1st. They meet up with Vasily Popov, a friend of deceased group leader Igor Dyatlov, who runs the Dyatlov Memorial Foundation. Corey has been in contact with Vasily, discussing theories and sharing information about the incident. Vasily has arranged the entire trek, as he has hiked it before along with guide, Fyodor. Before they leave, a friend of Vasily's named Olivia shows up and says she intends to go with them.
The chapters bump back and forth between the original group in 1959 and Vasily's group in 2018. The 2018 group attempts to follow the same path as Dyatlov's as closely as they. They pick up Fyodor and move out with snowmobiles, while Fyodor and Vasily traverse the terrain on a dogsled. Stopping in a Mansi village, the group meets with Raya. When asked her thoughts on what killed the missing hikers, she relates a story about a forest giant that she claims she saw as a child. So now we have another theory - is the abominable snowman living in the Siberian mountains? The theory seems implausible until the group spends the night in Sector 9, a prison in the wilderness. Then there are the mysterious noises in the forest and the extremely large footsteps in the snow…
The group finally reaches Boot Rock, where some of the bodies were placed when found by rescuers. There is a memorial in place that Corey insists upon seeing. But the blizzard is getting worse and the group can’t find their way back to the camp.
I really like what Bates did with this book. The mirroring between the 1959 hikers and the present-day hikers gives us a good idea what that group went through in 1959. Bates also peppers the Dyatlov group story with captioned pictures of their final hike in the wilderness – real pictures taken by the actual hikers and found during the subsequent rescue mission. I love how he merges the truth in his story. We know, based on their journal, where the hikers spent each day and Bates uses this information to place us with them on their journey. The Dyatlov Pass Incident is a real tragedy with no real answers, so Bates supplies us with one possibility. Perhaps it’s not the most probable, but it was surely entertaining. And he has encouraged me to research the incident, which for me is always proof of an intriguing concept. Definitely recommended.
The Dyatlov Pass Incident, as it is later known, is an actual mystery occurring in the Ural Mountains of the then Soviet Union. During the night of February 1, 1959, in the Siberian wilderness, nine experienced Russian hikers slash open their tent from the inside and run into a blizzard without proper attire. Interestingly enough, not all of the hikers died of hypothermia. One of the hikers was actually missing her tongue. An investigation by the Russian government concluded that an "unknown compelling force" had caused the deaths. But what was the force? Theories include animal attacks, hypothermia, avalanche, attack by Mansi people (indigenous folk of the region), or some type of military accident. The place where they died is called Kholat Syakhl by the Mansi - Mountain of the Dead.
True-crime writer Corey Smith and his friend, movie star Disco Brady, have traveled from Los Angeles to Russia to literally walk in the footsteps of the Russian hikers. They are even hiking at the same time of the year - starting at the end of January to reach Kholat Syakhl by February 1st. They meet up with Vasily Popov, a friend of deceased group leader Igor Dyatlov, who runs the Dyatlov Memorial Foundation. Corey has been in contact with Vasily, discussing theories and sharing information about the incident. Vasily has arranged the entire trek, as he has hiked it before along with guide, Fyodor. Before they leave, a friend of Vasily's named Olivia shows up and says she intends to go with them.
The chapters bump back and forth between the original group in 1959 and Vasily's group in 2018. The 2018 group attempts to follow the same path as Dyatlov's as closely as they. They pick up Fyodor and move out with snowmobiles, while Fyodor and Vasily traverse the terrain on a dogsled. Stopping in a Mansi village, the group meets with Raya. When asked her thoughts on what killed the missing hikers, she relates a story about a forest giant that she claims she saw as a child. So now we have another theory - is the abominable snowman living in the Siberian mountains? The theory seems implausible until the group spends the night in Sector 9, a prison in the wilderness. Then there are the mysterious noises in the forest and the extremely large footsteps in the snow…
The group finally reaches Boot Rock, where some of the bodies were placed when found by rescuers. There is a memorial in place that Corey insists upon seeing. But the blizzard is getting worse and the group can’t find their way back to the camp.
I really like what Bates did with this book. The mirroring between the 1959 hikers and the present-day hikers gives us a good idea what that group went through in 1959. Bates also peppers the Dyatlov group story with captioned pictures of their final hike in the wilderness – real pictures taken by the actual hikers and found during the subsequent rescue mission. I love how he merges the truth in his story. We know, based on their journal, where the hikers spent each day and Bates uses this information to place us with them on their journey. The Dyatlov Pass Incident is a real tragedy with no real answers, so Bates supplies us with one possibility. Perhaps it’s not the most probable, but it was surely entertaining. And he has encouraged me to research the incident, which for me is always proof of an intriguing concept. Definitely recommended.
January 7, 2022
Mountain of The Dead is my 5th book by Jeremy Bates and I have yet to be disappointed. His writing style and pace are easy to read with characters that you can connect to. I was invested by the 3rd chapter and the last 80 pages had me working through EVERY emotion.
November 8, 2020
Di Jeremy Bates avevo già letto Suicide Forest e non ero rimasta particolarmente colpita.
Ma, in questo quinto volume della serie World's Scariest Places, ha tirato in ballo l'incidente del Passo Dyatlov e mi sono lasciata convincere (il costo zero dell'ebook ha influito notevolmente sulla cosa).
Rispetto ai libri dedicati al mistero che ho letto fino ad ora, dove il racconto dei fatti conosciuti sul viaggio dei nove ragazzi è affiancato alla lista delle possibili cause della loro morte (ogni autore ha la sua preferita), il libro di Bates romanza le vicende dei ragazzi, attribuendo loro atteggiamenti e sentimenti non provati e non fondamentali per la storia.
In parallelo la storia del protagonista (alterego dell'autore) e del suo gruppo, diretti in pieno inverno lungo la strada percorsa da Igor Dyatlov e destinati a replicarne la sorte.
La soluzione trovata per spiegare il mistero sembra presa da Devil's Pass, modificandone alcuni dettagli, ma con lo stesso spirito da horror b-movie.
Lo stile dell'autore non sembra progredito dal primo libro letto e i personaggi restano particolarmente antipatici, anche se meno bidimensionali, riuscendo però ad eccedere inserendo un background eccessivo e inutile alla storia per il protagonista.
Il gruppo è inverosimile. Nessuno degli stranieri sembra essersi addestrato per la missione (trekking negli Urali, simpaticamente a - 40 sotto zero) e gli autoctoni sono due giovani di una settantina d'anni l'uno.
Una lettura dovuta, vista la mia passione per il mistero legato al Passo Dyatlov, ma del tutto superflua.
Però, conoscendomi, so che ci ricascherò e mi troverete a lamentarmi di nuovo per le prodezze di mr Bates.
Ma, in questo quinto volume della serie World's Scariest Places, ha tirato in ballo l'incidente del Passo Dyatlov e mi sono lasciata convincere (il costo zero dell'ebook ha influito notevolmente sulla cosa).
Rispetto ai libri dedicati al mistero che ho letto fino ad ora, dove il racconto dei fatti conosciuti sul viaggio dei nove ragazzi è affiancato alla lista delle possibili cause della loro morte (ogni autore ha la sua preferita), il libro di Bates romanza le vicende dei ragazzi, attribuendo loro atteggiamenti e sentimenti non provati e non fondamentali per la storia.
In parallelo la storia del protagonista (alterego dell'autore) e del suo gruppo, diretti in pieno inverno lungo la strada percorsa da Igor Dyatlov e destinati a replicarne la sorte.
La soluzione trovata per spiegare il mistero sembra presa da Devil's Pass, modificandone alcuni dettagli, ma con lo stesso spirito da horror b-movie.
Lo stile dell'autore non sembra progredito dal primo libro letto e i personaggi restano particolarmente antipatici, anche se meno bidimensionali, riuscendo però ad eccedere inserendo un background eccessivo e inutile alla storia per il protagonista.
Il gruppo è inverosimile. Nessuno degli stranieri sembra essersi addestrato per la missione (trekking negli Urali, simpaticamente a - 40 sotto zero) e gli autoctoni sono due giovani di una settantina d'anni l'uno.
Una lettura dovuta, vista la mia passione per il mistero legato al Passo Dyatlov, ma del tutto superflua.
Però, conoscendomi, so che ci ricascherò e mi troverete a lamentarmi di nuovo per le prodezze di mr Bates.
October 26, 2024
Having read books from this series prior, I dove into this one blind. Via two timelines the book details the journey of two groups of people through the mountains of Siberia. After the first group is found to be killed aside from one member, the actual story is brushed under the rug and Russian authorities clearly know more than they are letting on. Was there a government coverup? Was the group followed by a killer or did animals get them? Some years later the MC (a true crime writer) loses his lover two drugs and suicide and deems it imperative he complete the trip the couple planed together and if possible find out what secrets are lurking in the mountain of the dead. Parts of the book were rather slow and took some time to get interesting as well as differentiating between the timelines as there are quite a few characters in both. The villain took me by surprise and I'm a little disappointed in myself as I never even thought of this circumstance which in retrospect should have been obvious. Not my favorite of the series but still a good read and the audio made it easier to get through the slower parts!
May 26, 2018
Unfortunately, it's more of a 2.5, which may be unfair, because I definitely compared it to his other "World's Scariest Places" series. I did enjoy this one, but it moved pretty slowly, and then at some point-and if you've read it, you know which point-I just thought what the? Seriously? If you've read this book, and weren't impressed, don't let it put you off from reading his others in the series.
May 10, 2018
A Very CHILLING Tale
This clever author mixes a large collection of facts about a baffling mystery and his own creative ideas to craft a jarring tale, which includes intrigue, terror, love and sorrow. I was riveted by this book from the beginning. Anyone who is interested in the 1959 DYATLOV Russian mystery will want to read Mr. Bates fictional take on the events. His writing is good, and in many places, poetical.
This clever author mixes a large collection of facts about a baffling mystery and his own creative ideas to craft a jarring tale, which includes intrigue, terror, love and sorrow. I was riveted by this book from the beginning. Anyone who is interested in the 1959 DYATLOV Russian mystery will want to read Mr. Bates fictional take on the events. His writing is good, and in many places, poetical.
May 21, 2018
Obsession about a mysterious past event turns into an unexpected horror. I enjoy and appreciate the writing style of Jeremy Bates, like his descriptive narrative, his casual voice, and I have read most of his novels, but this story leaps ahead of the others in the Scariest Places series due to the intense historical background that was cleverly added as a thread against the current day's story plot.
The true historical event that happened in the Russian mountains back in 1959 that was named the Dyatlov Pass Incident, was well researched and smoothly intertwined that tale (which Bates totally expanded creatively) with the main story of the protagonist's search for answers. It was more than a search though, the protagonist was obsessed with the original mystery, compelled to do the trip.
More important, the old mystery was intriguing by itself, then add the current story of an obsessive man trying to come to grips with demons by throwing his all into a crazy expedition, dragging his BFF along, meeting up with unlikely climbing mates, who of course all have a reason for being there as well, and it makes for a stew of explosive scenes. There were moments I felt sorry for his dearest friend who faithfully followed Whitey and hoped things hadn't turned out the way they did for him, but .... it is a horror story.I could not have predicted the action scenes with the racing for your life kind of momentum, literally the story took me by surprise. As original and unseemly the characters who banded together were, the last few scenes were even more unexpected.
There were extra horrors added to the story when the main character and friends stumbled across additional mysterious and deadly places, while on their way to the final peak/pass.
I enjoyed reading this story very much and highly recommend this novel.
The true historical event that happened in the Russian mountains back in 1959 that was named the Dyatlov Pass Incident, was well researched and smoothly intertwined that tale (which Bates totally expanded creatively) with the main story of the protagonist's search for answers. It was more than a search though, the protagonist was obsessed with the original mystery, compelled to do the trip.
More important, the old mystery was intriguing by itself, then add the current story of an obsessive man trying to come to grips with demons by throwing his all into a crazy expedition, dragging his BFF along, meeting up with unlikely climbing mates, who of course all have a reason for being there as well, and it makes for a stew of explosive scenes. There were moments I felt sorry for his dearest friend who faithfully followed Whitey and hoped things hadn't turned out the way they did for him, but .... it is a horror story.I could not have predicted the action scenes with the racing for your life kind of momentum, literally the story took me by surprise. As original and unseemly the characters who banded together were, the last few scenes were even more unexpected.
There were extra horrors added to the story when the main character and friends stumbled across additional mysterious and deadly places, while on their way to the final peak/pass.
I enjoyed reading this story very much and highly recommend this novel.
June 17, 2025
Mountain of the Dead by, Jeremy Bates is a gripping blend of horror, thriller, and historical mystery inspired by the real-life Dyatlov Pass incident, where nine hikers mysteriously perished in the Ural Mountains in 1959. Bates is known for his World’s Scariest Places series, and this novel effectively blends true events with supernatural and psychological horror elements.
Bates masterfully builds tension with eerie, isolated settings and an unsettling feeling of being watched. The harsh, snowy environment adds to the dread. The incorporation of real historical elements makes the story even more chilling. He mixes fact with fiction in a way that keeps you engaged. The novel maintains a good balance between action, mystery, and horror, gradually peeling back layers of the mystery surrounding Dyatlov Pass. The descent into paranoia and fear keeps you questioning what’s real and what’s imagined.
While the main characters serve their purpose, some might find them a bit stereotypical or underdeveloped compared to the compelling plot like I did. The supernatural/horror twist might not sit well with those hoping for a more grounded or purely historical approach. Fans of horror fiction like myself might recognize some familiar survival horror tropes, which could make parts of the book predictable.
If you enjoy horror-thrillers with a mix of historical mystery, Mountain of the Dead is an entertaining, fast-paced read. It’s especially great for fans of Jeremy Bates' other books or those intrigued by real-life unsolved mysteries. While it may not be the most original take on the Dyatlov Pass incident, it delivers suspense and chilling moments effectively.
Bates masterfully builds tension with eerie, isolated settings and an unsettling feeling of being watched. The harsh, snowy environment adds to the dread. The incorporation of real historical elements makes the story even more chilling. He mixes fact with fiction in a way that keeps you engaged. The novel maintains a good balance between action, mystery, and horror, gradually peeling back layers of the mystery surrounding Dyatlov Pass. The descent into paranoia and fear keeps you questioning what’s real and what’s imagined.
While the main characters serve their purpose, some might find them a bit stereotypical or underdeveloped compared to the compelling plot like I did. The supernatural/horror twist might not sit well with those hoping for a more grounded or purely historical approach. Fans of horror fiction like myself might recognize some familiar survival horror tropes, which could make parts of the book predictable.
If you enjoy horror-thrillers with a mix of historical mystery, Mountain of the Dead is an entertaining, fast-paced read. It’s especially great for fans of Jeremy Bates' other books or those intrigued by real-life unsolved mysteries. While it may not be the most original take on the Dyatlov Pass incident, it delivers suspense and chilling moments effectively.
August 18, 2018
I've enjoyed many of Bates' books, but Mountain of the Dead is his best yet. If you are obsessed with the Dyatlov Pass Incident, read this book. If you've never heard of the incident, read this book; you'll learn a lot about the mystery even as Bates' imagination begins to displace the facts. And let me tell you--there is a moment of claustrophobia in this book so powerful, so vivid, and so well done that I almost had to put the book down. I felt it, in the way I rarely have with fiction. Just an excellent piece of horror.
January 6, 2020
Not what I've come to expect of Jeremy Bates' books. I liked the story, the back and forth of time was done well. I am intrigued by the story of the Dyatlov group, how their end came about and all.
I think the whole thing with the creatures and cover up in the end is where it lost my interest. I don't mind creature stories but I think it's much scarier when it's not in your face. When it's a shadow that moves in the periphery, or a noise heard from nearby.
I think the whole thing with the creatures and cover up in the end is where it lost my interest. I don't mind creature stories but I think it's much scarier when it's not in your face. When it's a shadow that moves in the periphery, or a noise heard from nearby.
August 10, 2020
This book is fantastic. It starts slowly with a true crime author writing about the Dyatlov pass incident and builds a gripping story from that point. Conspiracy theories aside;the book’s protagonist sets out to the Ural Mountains in Siberia to gather information and solve the mystery of the 9 missing hikers deaths once and for all.
July 28, 2022
Exciting adventure story
I first learned about the tragedy of the Dyatlov Pass incident on a cryptozoology site describing the hairy hominid theory for what happened to those poor people in 1959. My interest was immediately piqued, and I’ve read a lot about the doomed hiking expedition since.
Fresh from watching Liam Le Guillou’s documentary, An Unknown Compelling Force, I started reading Mountain of the Dead. After the documentary the ten hikers of the Dyatlov party were fresh in my mind, so I loved that Bates included photographs of their trip and even some real excerpts from their journal. I found their chapters the most compelling in the book and I was interested how he explained their deaths.
While I loved the story revolving around the modern day expedition- it gave me exactly what I was looking for - I found the characters hard to like. Corey, Disco and Olivia seemed like grotesque caricatures rather than real people, and even Corey’s tragic backstory rang hollow. However, I really enjoyed what happened to them in the Urals and I loved the world building around their experiences.
I first learned about the tragedy of the Dyatlov Pass incident on a cryptozoology site describing the hairy hominid theory for what happened to those poor people in 1959. My interest was immediately piqued, and I’ve read a lot about the doomed hiking expedition since.
Fresh from watching Liam Le Guillou’s documentary, An Unknown Compelling Force, I started reading Mountain of the Dead. After the documentary the ten hikers of the Dyatlov party were fresh in my mind, so I loved that Bates included photographs of their trip and even some real excerpts from their journal. I found their chapters the most compelling in the book and I was interested how he explained their deaths.
While I loved the story revolving around the modern day expedition- it gave me exactly what I was looking for - I found the characters hard to like. Corey, Disco and Olivia seemed like grotesque caricatures rather than real people, and even Corey’s tragic backstory rang hollow. However, I really enjoyed what happened to them in the Urals and I loved the world building around their experiences.
March 10, 2023
This book is quite different from the others in the series so far. It tells a fictional story about the true events of the Dyatlov Pass Expedition in 1959 adding a horror element similar to Alma Katsu. These chapters alternate with the book's main plot in which a true crime author with a small group sets out to follow in the expedition's footsteps. The first half of the book is horror free and then there is a slow build to the horror element. I enjoyed the story all right. However, it is my least favourite which I've read so far in the series. The story is very interesting from an historical point and the proposed solution was intriguing. A decent read but certainly not as creepy as the others.
August 18, 2025
2.75 ⭐️ I wouldn’t recommend this book. No where near as good as Shadow of the Sasquatch (J.H. Moncrieff). Wasn’t even as good as Return to Dyatlov Pass. If this book had been 1/2 as good as it’s advertising then it would have been worth it. This story was longer than it needed to be; too many asides and embellishments. It’s and amalgamation of 1 part historical documentary, 1 part Jules Verne adventure, 1 part wilderness survival, 1 part mad scientist, 1 part monster thriller. But it can be hard to find a good monster book.
June 1, 2018
I've long been fascinated with the Dyatlov pass incident and I absolutely loved the first 3/4 of this book but I am disappointed at the ending. I won't say more because of spoilers though. I did like the juxtaposition between the current day and the past, where we see both timelines as they progress to their goal. The doomed hikers in the past, and the author searching for the truth. I did like that. I liked how we get to see insights into who they were. Still a decent read, but I just feel like the ending was a let down of sorts.
September 30, 2021
The first chapter (the prologue) was great and had me waiting for monsters
But the writing was boring, repetitive and too much Russian that was badly written and mispronounced.
And the dreaded evil thing… Laughable and silly.
But the writing was boring, repetitive and too much Russian that was badly written and mispronounced.
And the dreaded evil thing… Laughable and silly.
December 16, 2020
Freezing. Merciless. Terrifying. Deadly. Brutal. Like the Siberian winter. And its secrets.
September 10, 2022
I managed to read it in two days. I didn't want to put it down.
May 21, 2018
Ridiculous Russians!
I have read all Jeremy Bates books and enjoyed them, but this book was the craziest one I've read. I had a hard time getting through this book, but I kept on reading hoping it would improve.The ending was so stupid, I should have quit while I was ahead.
I have read all Jeremy Bates books and enjoyed them, but this book was the craziest one I've read. I had a hard time getting through this book, but I kept on reading hoping it would improve.The ending was so stupid, I should have quit while I was ahead.
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