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East of Desolation
The wreckage of a private plane plunges charter pilot Joe Martin into deadly danger in the icy desert of Cape Desolation, Greenland...
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 1977
182 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Jack Higgins
480 books1,278 followersThere is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Jack Higgins was best known of the many pseudonyms of Henry Patterson. (See also Martin Fallon, Harry Patterson, Hugh Marlowe and James Graham.)
He was the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy thrillers, including The Eagle Has Landed and The Wolf at the Door. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Patterson grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a child, Patterson was a voracious reader and later credited his passion for reading with fueling his creative drive to be an author. His upbringing in Belfast also exposed him to the political and religious violence that characterized the city at the time. At seven years old, Patterson was caught in gunfire while riding a tram, and later was in a Belfast movie theater when it was bombed. Though he escaped from both attacks unharmed, the turmoil in Northern Ireland would later become a significant influence in his books, many of which prominently feature the Irish Republican Army. After attending grammar school and college in Leeds, England, Patterson joined the British Army and served two years in the Household Cavalry, from 1947 to 1949, stationed along the East German border. He was considered an expert sharpshooter.
Following his military service, Patterson earned a degree in sociology from the London School of Economics, which led to teaching jobs at two English colleges. In 1959, while teaching at James Graham College, Patterson began writing novels, including some under the alias James Graham. As his popularity grew, Patterson left teaching to write full time. With the 1975 publication of the international blockbuster The Eagle Has Landed, which was later made into a movie of the same name starring Michael Caine, Patterson became a regular fixture on bestseller lists. His books draw heavily from history and include prominent figures—such as John Dillinger—and often center around significant events from such conflicts as World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Patterson lived in Jersey, in the Channel Islands.
Jack Higgins was best known of the many pseudonyms of Henry Patterson. (See also Martin Fallon, Harry Patterson, Hugh Marlowe and James Graham.)
He was the New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy thrillers, including The Eagle Has Landed and The Wolf at the Door. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, Patterson grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. As a child, Patterson was a voracious reader and later credited his passion for reading with fueling his creative drive to be an author. His upbringing in Belfast also exposed him to the political and religious violence that characterized the city at the time. At seven years old, Patterson was caught in gunfire while riding a tram, and later was in a Belfast movie theater when it was bombed. Though he escaped from both attacks unharmed, the turmoil in Northern Ireland would later become a significant influence in his books, many of which prominently feature the Irish Republican Army. After attending grammar school and college in Leeds, England, Patterson joined the British Army and served two years in the Household Cavalry, from 1947 to 1949, stationed along the East German border. He was considered an expert sharpshooter.
Following his military service, Patterson earned a degree in sociology from the London School of Economics, which led to teaching jobs at two English colleges. In 1959, while teaching at James Graham College, Patterson began writing novels, including some under the alias James Graham. As his popularity grew, Patterson left teaching to write full time. With the 1975 publication of the international blockbuster The Eagle Has Landed, which was later made into a movie of the same name starring Michael Caine, Patterson became a regular fixture on bestseller lists. His books draw heavily from history and include prominent figures—such as John Dillinger—and often center around significant events from such conflicts as World War II, the Korean War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Patterson lived in Jersey, in the Channel Islands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
November 12, 2023
“Here was one of the last places on earth where the challenge was the greatest of all—survival.”
Both The Kufra Run and The Last Place God Made very much had a pulp feel to them, as though Higgins had been hold-up somewhere with nothing to do but devour copies of Spicy Adventure Magazine from the 1930s and watch robust adventure serials from the same era. East of Desolation, published in 1968, continues in that vein and is right up there with the best stuff he’s ever done. He’s doing a certain thing here, elevating the old adventure pulp style, and he’s done it to near perfection. He even gives the reader a wink to what he’s doing at one point:
“He pushed off and I watched him go, gliding effortlessly across the snow, a clever dangerous animal. I suppose I should have experienced some kind of fear as I went after him, but I didn’t. Instead I was filled with a strange kind of joy and my hands shook excitedly. It was like one of those Saturday serials I’d seen as a kid and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened in the next installment.”
The difference in East of Desolation is that it’s not a serial, but a fun and robust male adventure we get from beginning to its thrilling end. Set in rugged but cold and beautiful Greenland, the tale is rife with romanticized stereotypes, but that's part of the fun. The characters are so well done by Higgins that we can almost picture certain stars of yesteryear playing the various roles. Charter pilot Joe Martin is our main character, the voice and hero of East of Desolation, but no tale this vigorous would be complete without one larger-than-life character, and we certainly have that in war hero and legendary actor Jack Desforge. Down on his luck but living life to its Hemingway fullest, he’s the kind that things just happen around:
“There was a box of cartridges in the map compartment and I loaded the magazine with infinite care. After all, there’s nothing like being prepared for all eventualities and the girl was certainly right about one thing. Around Jack Desforge anything might happen and usually did.”
Because no tale such as this would be complete without planes and ariel derring-do, Joe Martin is pilot of the Otter. But Joe’s acquaintance Arnie is also a pilot:
“He roared across the harbor no more than twenty feet above the water and then his engine note deepened and he started to climb at just the right moment, banking into the sun, all for my benefit of course, nice and fast and showy and one of these days he was going to kill himself doing it.”
No tale such as this would be complete without some lovely but very different women, and we get three of them, who all play strong parts in this old-style, elevated pulp adventure. There are hunts and planes and emeralds and double crosses, and near the end, a startling twist stretching credulity, but in a story as entertaining as this one, only a fool or someone full of literary pretension (while secretly devouring this) would object. If I gave details, the plot would seem filled with adventure pulp clichés, but as you read you just get lost in the fun, and don’t care. Higgins even manages to wax philosophic on occasion in the narrative, and when he does, he’s usually spot-on, as in this juicy observation:
“It’s unfortunate, but primitive races seem to acquire all the vices of our civilization,” I said, “never its virtues.” — Joe
This is a robust read for 2/3 of the book, then it becomes a runaway train, and we’re turning pages quickly to see who gets/doesn’t get those emeralds, who does/doesn’t survive doing it, and who gets/doesn’t get their girl. It ends like all great adventure tales of this type, but who does what I’ll have to leave for the reader to discover. Maybe four solid stars till we get that twist, then Higgins kicks it up a notch, and we can’t put it down. This is romantic adventure escapism, male-style, and it’s sublime. A must-read if you’re a fan of the author, those old-style pulp adventures, or both. Great fun!
Both The Kufra Run and The Last Place God Made very much had a pulp feel to them, as though Higgins had been hold-up somewhere with nothing to do but devour copies of Spicy Adventure Magazine from the 1930s and watch robust adventure serials from the same era. East of Desolation, published in 1968, continues in that vein and is right up there with the best stuff he’s ever done. He’s doing a certain thing here, elevating the old adventure pulp style, and he’s done it to near perfection. He even gives the reader a wink to what he’s doing at one point:
“He pushed off and I watched him go, gliding effortlessly across the snow, a clever dangerous animal. I suppose I should have experienced some kind of fear as I went after him, but I didn’t. Instead I was filled with a strange kind of joy and my hands shook excitedly. It was like one of those Saturday serials I’d seen as a kid and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened in the next installment.”
The difference in East of Desolation is that it’s not a serial, but a fun and robust male adventure we get from beginning to its thrilling end. Set in rugged but cold and beautiful Greenland, the tale is rife with romanticized stereotypes, but that's part of the fun. The characters are so well done by Higgins that we can almost picture certain stars of yesteryear playing the various roles. Charter pilot Joe Martin is our main character, the voice and hero of East of Desolation, but no tale this vigorous would be complete without one larger-than-life character, and we certainly have that in war hero and legendary actor Jack Desforge. Down on his luck but living life to its Hemingway fullest, he’s the kind that things just happen around:
“There was a box of cartridges in the map compartment and I loaded the magazine with infinite care. After all, there’s nothing like being prepared for all eventualities and the girl was certainly right about one thing. Around Jack Desforge anything might happen and usually did.”
Because no tale such as this would be complete without planes and ariel derring-do, Joe Martin is pilot of the Otter. But Joe’s acquaintance Arnie is also a pilot:
“He roared across the harbor no more than twenty feet above the water and then his engine note deepened and he started to climb at just the right moment, banking into the sun, all for my benefit of course, nice and fast and showy and one of these days he was going to kill himself doing it.”
No tale such as this would be complete without some lovely but very different women, and we get three of them, who all play strong parts in this old-style, elevated pulp adventure. There are hunts and planes and emeralds and double crosses, and near the end, a startling twist stretching credulity, but in a story as entertaining as this one, only a fool or someone full of literary pretension (while secretly devouring this) would object. If I gave details, the plot would seem filled with adventure pulp clichés, but as you read you just get lost in the fun, and don’t care. Higgins even manages to wax philosophic on occasion in the narrative, and when he does, he’s usually spot-on, as in this juicy observation:
“It’s unfortunate, but primitive races seem to acquire all the vices of our civilization,” I said, “never its virtues.” — Joe
This is a robust read for 2/3 of the book, then it becomes a runaway train, and we’re turning pages quickly to see who gets/doesn’t get those emeralds, who does/doesn’t survive doing it, and who gets/doesn’t get their girl. It ends like all great adventure tales of this type, but who does what I’ll have to leave for the reader to discover. Maybe four solid stars till we get that twist, then Higgins kicks it up a notch, and we can’t put it down. This is romantic adventure escapism, male-style, and it’s sublime. A must-read if you’re a fan of the author, those old-style pulp adventures, or both. Great fun!
May 13, 2017
Not all is as it seems in this arctic thriller. Pilot Joe Martin flies people to and fro over the vast wilderness of Greenland, anxious to make ends meet and possibly amass some savings along the way. He's settled in comfortably with the locals, and is satisfied with his life. When a group appears who seem to have a sinister air about them, Martin tries to turn away the fare, but it becomes a matter of government investigation and he's pressed into service. His way of life is threatened by this new group, but it seems Martin is a victim of circumstance...
This is a suspenseful tale that uses the beautiful backdrop of Greenland as contrast against the murky intentions of its visitors.
This is a suspenseful tale that uses the beautiful backdrop of Greenland as contrast against the murky intentions of its visitors.
August 14, 2016
What drives a person to the edge of the world, to go where every day is a challenge to merely survive? What motivates a human being to brave the extreme elements of the polar icecap, secluded and isolated from civilization and the daily comforts we are all accustomed to?
For Joe Martin, a bush pilot, without roots and reason, it is an escape from the daily pressures, obligations, and entanglements of that rat race known as civilization. He ferries passengers, equipment, and anything he can find to out-of-the-way places in his Otter, rigged for landings and takeoffs on land or water; easy enough for a land as Greenland, inundated with fjords and surrounded by sea. That is, however, when the fog isn’t too severe and the ice isn’t flowing.
Jack Desforge (Harry Wells) long-time star of the silver screen and leading man in a multitude of films, the story is vastly different. Now, in his mid-fifties, his public is starting to forget him and the studios that once begged him to star in their films, aren’t returning his calls. He is a man that has fallen from the pedestal on which he once stood and sinking into oblivion. Deep in the bottle and even deeper in debt, he is now searching for a fitting last act.
Ilana Eytan (Myra Grossman), a young and beautiful starlet that owes her success to Jack, knows his plight and feels duty bound to save him from himself. For Sarah Kelso, the mother of two and widow is trying to make sense of the loss of her husband and try to continue her life with her children.
Nothing is what it seems…..
This is a gripping adventure/mystery that is sure to have you wearing a sweater or coat as you’re perched on the edge of your chair, digesting each page ravenously. Once more Jack Higgins has proven his talent by taking the reader to the isolated wastelands of Greenland and serving up a smorgasbord of suspense, romance, and danger. To those readers that have read and enjoyed his other works, this is a must read. For those of you new to this author, this book is a great way to begin.
For Joe Martin, a bush pilot, without roots and reason, it is an escape from the daily pressures, obligations, and entanglements of that rat race known as civilization. He ferries passengers, equipment, and anything he can find to out-of-the-way places in his Otter, rigged for landings and takeoffs on land or water; easy enough for a land as Greenland, inundated with fjords and surrounded by sea. That is, however, when the fog isn’t too severe and the ice isn’t flowing.
Jack Desforge (Harry Wells) long-time star of the silver screen and leading man in a multitude of films, the story is vastly different. Now, in his mid-fifties, his public is starting to forget him and the studios that once begged him to star in their films, aren’t returning his calls. He is a man that has fallen from the pedestal on which he once stood and sinking into oblivion. Deep in the bottle and even deeper in debt, he is now searching for a fitting last act.
Ilana Eytan (Myra Grossman), a young and beautiful starlet that owes her success to Jack, knows his plight and feels duty bound to save him from himself. For Sarah Kelso, the mother of two and widow is trying to make sense of the loss of her husband and try to continue her life with her children.
Nothing is what it seems…..
This is a gripping adventure/mystery that is sure to have you wearing a sweater or coat as you’re perched on the edge of your chair, digesting each page ravenously. Once more Jack Higgins has proven his talent by taking the reader to the isolated wastelands of Greenland and serving up a smorgasbord of suspense, romance, and danger. To those readers that have read and enjoyed his other works, this is a must read. For those of you new to this author, this book is a great way to begin.
March 16, 2020
“Bobby’s” review from 2018 summarizes a lot of my feelings from this book, so I won’t repeat them. Another good weekend read - the kind you stay up to finish, even if you’ve read it before!
February 15, 2019
This book is a re-write of the original 1968 novel, which the author and publisher decided to bring back to life. I think it was a good decision. The story-line could easily fit into any 19th or 20th century decade. It's got drama, suspense, intrigue, action, a bit of romance, and even a couple twists to keep you thinking.
I found the setting interesting, the far north, beyond what most of us call the civilized world. The characters are strong, some likable and some not. The plot involves a bit of a treasure hunt with the usual alliances and double-crosses to see who will end up with the booty.
The author, Jack Higgins, gained notoriety with his war/spy thriller 'The Eagle has Landed."
East of Desolation is just as well-written and I have no problem recommending the read to anyone who enjoys those types of novels.
I found the setting interesting, the far north, beyond what most of us call the civilized world. The characters are strong, some likable and some not. The plot involves a bit of a treasure hunt with the usual alliances and double-crosses to see who will end up with the booty.
The author, Jack Higgins, gained notoriety with his war/spy thriller 'The Eagle has Landed."
East of Desolation is just as well-written and I have no problem recommending the read to anyone who enjoys those types of novels.
May 11, 2014
For a quick and easy diversion, Jack Higgins has just what you need. I really enjoyed being with these characters, and in Greenland to boot. The settings are unique and the story doesn't bog down with a lot of needless detail. It is enough to know all the characters have dubious backgrounds and they are all watching out for number one. The characters, plot, action, and twists in the tale make it interesting and engaging. But, my favorite thing about it was Greenland, both as a place and a character. I have not encountered Greenland much in my readings and I enjoyed Higgins taking me there. This is a really good read.(less)
August 8, 2019
I enjoyed this novel about Greenland during my trip there although this tale takes place on the west coast while we were on the east coast...sort of...but that is a story for another day.
Read
September 2, 2021It was a great book and I loved the suspense of what happens next after each chapter.
August 10, 2010
Joe is a charter pilot working in Greenland for the money. He flies in supplies to remote areas, mechanical parts to oil rigs and drilling operations, charters for tourists who want to see the parts unreachable by commercial airlines. The story sort of dithers for a bit, about a famous actor named Jack who is currently hunting polar bears in some remote part of Greenland. Joe makes weekly supply runs to his boat for cash and when a mysterious woman arrives, asking to be taken to Jack, Joe flies her out too. She’s ‘a lot of woman’ to quote the book (several times) and Joe is attracted. It seems she is too, but things hit a bump when she splashes vodka into his virgin Bloody Mary and makes him vomit everywhere. Joe’s an alcoholic who had therapy that makes it impossible for him to drink now – it causes immediate upchucking.
When he arrives back from that trip out to Jack’s boat, the story moves up a notch. Joe has more people waiting to see him, insurance agents who paid out on the death of two pilots in a wreck in (yet another) remote part of Greenland. They want to fly up to the wreck and ascertain that the dead pilots are actually the ones they paid out sums on. Joe it seems, is reluctant to charter them up there, claiming he can’t put down his plane as he can only land on water or tarmac, not ice, as he doesn’t have ski’s on, and at this stage of the year, it’s all still frozen up there. He recommends a pilot friend, who still has ski’s on his plane to do the job and that friend flies up for a brief look but comes back reporting unable to land, that there was no where he could put down. Unfortunately for Joe, someone mentions that the ice has broken up and he can land on the lake, so he’s forced to fly the group up there.
From there the book kicks up another gear as it becomes obvious that pretty much no one is what they seem. The insurance people are satisfied that the people they paid out on are the people in the plane, but it’s obvious they’re looking for something in the wreck. Joe finds ski marks from a plane, so he knows that his friend was obviously able to put his plane down close to the wreck, despite claiming otherwise. What is the big mystery and what does it have to do with the stunningly beautiful ‘widow’ of one of the dead pilots from the wreck?
All in all, this wasn’t a bad little afternoon read. The characters were a bit two-dimensional though: the aging screen star, the beautiful stranger, the sinister insurance agents, the 'grieving widow' and it was a bit slow in the beginning but once everything got going it was suitably fast enough with plenty of action peppering the last third of the book. There’s some foreshadowing in the very first page of the book but somehow when it all comes out, it’s still interesting and you can kind of believe the coincidence.
When he arrives back from that trip out to Jack’s boat, the story moves up a notch. Joe has more people waiting to see him, insurance agents who paid out on the death of two pilots in a wreck in (yet another) remote part of Greenland. They want to fly up to the wreck and ascertain that the dead pilots are actually the ones they paid out sums on. Joe it seems, is reluctant to charter them up there, claiming he can’t put down his plane as he can only land on water or tarmac, not ice, as he doesn’t have ski’s on, and at this stage of the year, it’s all still frozen up there. He recommends a pilot friend, who still has ski’s on his plane to do the job and that friend flies up for a brief look but comes back reporting unable to land, that there was no where he could put down. Unfortunately for Joe, someone mentions that the ice has broken up and he can land on the lake, so he’s forced to fly the group up there.
From there the book kicks up another gear as it becomes obvious that pretty much no one is what they seem. The insurance people are satisfied that the people they paid out on are the people in the plane, but it’s obvious they’re looking for something in the wreck. Joe finds ski marks from a plane, so he knows that his friend was obviously able to put his plane down close to the wreck, despite claiming otherwise. What is the big mystery and what does it have to do with the stunningly beautiful ‘widow’ of one of the dead pilots from the wreck?
All in all, this wasn’t a bad little afternoon read. The characters were a bit two-dimensional though: the aging screen star, the beautiful stranger, the sinister insurance agents, the 'grieving widow' and it was a bit slow in the beginning but once everything got going it was suitably fast enough with plenty of action peppering the last third of the book. There’s some foreshadowing in the very first page of the book but somehow when it all comes out, it’s still interesting and you can kind of believe the coincidence.
December 22, 2023
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Jack Higgins has written over 80 thrillers since 1959, including A Prayer For The Dying and his most successful, The Eagle Has Landed (his 36th novel). Actually, he's an Englishman named Harry Patterson and he is still going strong. East of Desolation is one of his better received novels (it's about his 23rd, written in 1968). But if you are reading a Jack Higgins novel you don't care about any of that. You've come for action, intrigue, beautiful women and adventure and you won't be disappointed.
East of Desolation takes place against the harsh backdrop of Greenland, where daily life is man against nature. Joe Martin flies a freight Otter on routes to Canada, Iceland and Denmark, stationed out of Fredericksborg and Sandvig. Several others in the small community also do cargo flights to the small outposts along Greenland's southwest coast. A small Heron plane has crash landed on a barren icy fjord months ago with two known passengers, presumed deceased. An insurance company has sent two men to determine if a payout was warranted. Along with them is the pilot's beautiful widow, to postiviely identify whatever has remained.
Joe had been busy with his friends, the aging action film star Jack Desforge and his beautiful actress friend Ilana, but as he has the only seaplane capable of landing on Lake Sule near the crash site, they all head out to find it. They discover the wreck at the bottom of a deep crevasse, flown off course and sporting false identification, and the ulterior motives of all the characters becomes exposed. The mystery turns to plain skullduggery when it's discovered the package of raw emeralds hidden on board have disappeared. No one is who they seem as a game of deception begins.
This is a classic, old school adventure, where man battles the odds against a harsh landscape and freak weather storms to eek out a living. In a community of Greenlanders, Icelanders, Danes and Americans, tempers run high and drinking - and whatever women are available - are the frequent entertainments. Joe Martin is a great character, who sees the corruption and machinations of those around him, yet remains honourable and forthright. As he's slowly ensnared in the murky business, the real purpose of his involvement becomes clear - no one is who they say they are!
Not just a solid thriller, but a solidly written novel, with great characters, twists, action. There is plenty of old Viking legend, great descriptions of the rough terrain and a terrific bang up finale.
Everything you'd want in a thriller. Highly enjoyable.
Jack Higgins has written over 80 thrillers since 1959, including A Prayer For The Dying and his most successful, The Eagle Has Landed (his 36th novel). Actually, he's an Englishman named Harry Patterson and he is still going strong. East of Desolation is one of his better received novels (it's about his 23rd, written in 1968). But if you are reading a Jack Higgins novel you don't care about any of that. You've come for action, intrigue, beautiful women and adventure and you won't be disappointed.
East of Desolation takes place against the harsh backdrop of Greenland, where daily life is man against nature. Joe Martin flies a freight Otter on routes to Canada, Iceland and Denmark, stationed out of Fredericksborg and Sandvig. Several others in the small community also do cargo flights to the small outposts along Greenland's southwest coast. A small Heron plane has crash landed on a barren icy fjord months ago with two known passengers, presumed deceased. An insurance company has sent two men to determine if a payout was warranted. Along with them is the pilot's beautiful widow, to postiviely identify whatever has remained.
Joe had been busy with his friends, the aging action film star Jack Desforge and his beautiful actress friend Ilana, but as he has the only seaplane capable of landing on Lake Sule near the crash site, they all head out to find it. They discover the wreck at the bottom of a deep crevasse, flown off course and sporting false identification, and the ulterior motives of all the characters becomes exposed. The mystery turns to plain skullduggery when it's discovered the package of raw emeralds hidden on board have disappeared. No one is who they seem as a game of deception begins.
This is a classic, old school adventure, where man battles the odds against a harsh landscape and freak weather storms to eek out a living. In a community of Greenlanders, Icelanders, Danes and Americans, tempers run high and drinking - and whatever women are available - are the frequent entertainments. Joe Martin is a great character, who sees the corruption and machinations of those around him, yet remains honourable and forthright. As he's slowly ensnared in the murky business, the real purpose of his involvement becomes clear - no one is who they say they are!
Not just a solid thriller, but a solidly written novel, with great characters, twists, action. There is plenty of old Viking legend, great descriptions of the rough terrain and a terrific bang up finale.
Everything you'd want in a thriller. Highly enjoyable.
April 12, 2014
Wow.
Perhaps it was because I had really low expectations or perhaps because I dismissed it in the beginning as a light novel, but it blew me away, to a certain degree, in the end.
Sure it wasn't a blizzard, but it was a pretty hi strung storm.
Meeting Jack Kelso was such a surprise I didn't expect at all. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the whole novel. I did not expect it. Definitely out of the blue.
The ending was great, off not with a fizzle but with a bang.
There were a few things that I would have liked to know more about, exhibit A being the life of Ilana Eytan.
And I'd sure as hell want to know what happened to Joe Martin and his badassery.
Perhaps it was because I had really low expectations or perhaps because I dismissed it in the beginning as a light novel, but it blew me away, to a certain degree, in the end.
Sure it wasn't a blizzard, but it was a pretty hi strung storm.
Meeting Jack Kelso was such a surprise I didn't expect at all. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the whole novel. I did not expect it. Definitely out of the blue.
The ending was great, off not with a fizzle but with a bang.
There were a few things that I would have liked to know more about, exhibit A being the life of Ilana Eytan.
And I'd sure as hell want to know what happened to Joe Martin and his badassery.
June 24, 2008
This book is rather short with about 250 pages. It was given to me by my great neighbor Bill. I have never read any books of Jack Higgins. I will let you know how it is.
SO, not bad. I am told his later work is much much better. I would hope so. This would be a good book to take on vacation. light, simple and if you left it behind on accident, who cares.
SO, not bad. I am told his later work is much much better. I would hope so. This would be a good book to take on vacation. light, simple and if you left it behind on accident, who cares.
August 5, 2011
Interesting characters, action packed, sex, booze, floatplanes, murder... I enjoyed this easy classic!
March 26, 2021
Jack Higgins is one of a few "go to" authors when I need a break for pure recreational reading. His novels are very tightly constructed, almost always short at something like 80-90,000 words and move along quickly with nary a dead page among them.
East of Desolation is a very familiar Higgins story in a very unfamiliar setting. While most of his stories are set in the Caribbean, in World War II or in various places around the world in service of the British government, this one was set in Greenland, a quite interesting change.
It also has the very familiar Higgins protagonist--a cynical (always) man who has been hard-used by life but with a tinge of compassion for the oppressed (but not at all for the antagonists) that comes from the cards life has dealt him. Though most of his lead characters are steady drinkers, this one is a recovered alcoholic and teetotaler, an interesting change for Higgins (though I must say that every other character in this book drinks what would normally be the protagonist's share). Like all--or nearly all--of his heroes, this one is a flier, a necessary role in this tale.
The story is of a crashed airplane out on Greenland's ice cap and the mystery about who lies dead at the scene. Higgins' hero, Joe Martin, becomes swept up in the mystery against his will and better judgment (another common Higgins theme), meets and deals with a half dozen colorful characters out of Higgins' fertile mind and ultimately solves the mystery of who is dead and, more importantly, why.
One reason I love Higgins' stories is the colorful way he describes people and situations. An example from East of Desolation, describing one of the character's introduction to the others: "He introduced Ilana to the others and Arnie brought her a chair. Their reactions were interesting. Vogel gazed at her in frank admiration, the oldest message in the world in his eyes...Sarah Kelso managed the fixed half smile that most women seem to pull out of nowhere when faced with something they know they're going to have difficulty in competing with. Her eyes did the sort of price job on the dress and accessories that wouldn't have disgraced a computer and reluctantly admitted the final total."
Great read. Fun story.
East of Desolation is a very familiar Higgins story in a very unfamiliar setting. While most of his stories are set in the Caribbean, in World War II or in various places around the world in service of the British government, this one was set in Greenland, a quite interesting change.
It also has the very familiar Higgins protagonist--a cynical (always) man who has been hard-used by life but with a tinge of compassion for the oppressed (but not at all for the antagonists) that comes from the cards life has dealt him. Though most of his lead characters are steady drinkers, this one is a recovered alcoholic and teetotaler, an interesting change for Higgins (though I must say that every other character in this book drinks what would normally be the protagonist's share). Like all--or nearly all--of his heroes, this one is a flier, a necessary role in this tale.
The story is of a crashed airplane out on Greenland's ice cap and the mystery about who lies dead at the scene. Higgins' hero, Joe Martin, becomes swept up in the mystery against his will and better judgment (another common Higgins theme), meets and deals with a half dozen colorful characters out of Higgins' fertile mind and ultimately solves the mystery of who is dead and, more importantly, why.
One reason I love Higgins' stories is the colorful way he describes people and situations. An example from East of Desolation, describing one of the character's introduction to the others: "He introduced Ilana to the others and Arnie brought her a chair. Their reactions were interesting. Vogel gazed at her in frank admiration, the oldest message in the world in his eyes...Sarah Kelso managed the fixed half smile that most women seem to pull out of nowhere when faced with something they know they're going to have difficulty in competing with. Her eyes did the sort of price job on the dress and accessories that wouldn't have disgraced a computer and reluctantly admitted the final total."
Great read. Fun story.
March 16, 2020
I have been a long-time fan of Jack Higgins. Recently I have taken on some of his earlier novels and, while entertaining, they are (as would be expected) not as well done as his later stories. Obviously he has matured as a writer over the years. That being said, East of Desolation was overall a good read and provided me with some "a-ha moments". While much of the overall story is somewhat predictable, there is a turn at the end which I had not seen coming. This jarred me somewhat in the end and put a smile on my face as I completed the end of the book.
Joe Martin, the main character, is in many ways like so many of the genre. He is tough, independent, somewhat misogynistic (very 60's writing), and a bit of a loner. I found it hard to relate in many ways with this character, but I was able to follow along because I was allowing for the very different time in which this story was written. This was like watching old Humphrey Bogart and James Bond movies or reading early Clive Cussler stories. With this in mind, I was able to read from a standpoint of understanding life as a bush pilot in Greenland must have been like. It seems very realistic, like many of Higgins' stories I have read in the past. The characters, mostly, were somewhat typical. Bad guys are either physical and dumb or smart and erudite.
In the end, it was a fun read, but not one I recommend as highly readable or worthy of a "must-read" designation. I will surely consider reading more of Higgins' early work, but I must keep the above review in mind and not take anything too seriously.
Joe Martin, the main character, is in many ways like so many of the genre. He is tough, independent, somewhat misogynistic (very 60's writing), and a bit of a loner. I found it hard to relate in many ways with this character, but I was able to follow along because I was allowing for the very different time in which this story was written. This was like watching old Humphrey Bogart and James Bond movies or reading early Clive Cussler stories. With this in mind, I was able to read from a standpoint of understanding life as a bush pilot in Greenland must have been like. It seems very realistic, like many of Higgins' stories I have read in the past. The characters, mostly, were somewhat typical. Bad guys are either physical and dumb or smart and erudite.
In the end, it was a fun read, but not one I recommend as highly readable or worthy of a "must-read" designation. I will surely consider reading more of Higgins' early work, but I must keep the above review in mind and not take anything too seriously.
April 30, 2025
Joe Martin, Grönland'de uçak uçurup geçimini sağlamaktadır. Arnie adında başka bir pilotla arkadaştır. Bir gün bulunduğu yere Ilana adında bir kadın gelir. Grönland'de bulunan ve Joe'nun arkadaşı olan meşhur yönetmen Jack Desforge'u görmek istediğini söyler. Joe onu uçurur. Jack onu görmeyi kabul eder. Bu arada Sarah Kelso, Bay Vogel ve Stratton gelir. Grönland'de bir uçağın düştüğünü düşündüklerini, Sarah'nın kocası Jack Kelso'nun onun içinde ise sigortadan para alacağını, bu yüzden uçağı bulmaları gerektiğini söyler. Joe bunun zor olduğunu ama Arnie'nin uçabileceğini söyler. Sarah Arnie ile görüşür. Ama Arnie ertesi gün uçakta sorun olduğunu söyler. Joe onları uçurunca uçağı bulurlar. Ceset de bulunur. Ama Vogel ve Stratton sinirlidir. Arnie ise mutludur. Joe Ilana ile sevgili olur. Arnie ise ona bir taş fırlatır. Bu zümrüttür ve uçaktan alınmıştır. Vogel de onun peşindedir. Jack'e gelen mektupta ise iflas ettiği yazmaktadır. Joe, Sarah'ya gerçek Kelso olmadığını söyler. Çünkü aslında Jack Kelso Joe'dur ve o uçağın oraya düşmesini o sağlamıştır. Uçağın içindekiler birbirini öldürmüştür. Otomatik pilotta onu uçurmuştur. Vogel, Joe ve diğerlerini ele geçirir. Arnie öldürülmüştür. Sevgilisi Gulrid de zümrütleri, dedesine göndermiştir bilmeden. Bundan sonra ne olacaktır? Jack Arnie'yi öldürdüğünü söyleyip Joe'nun uçağını uçuracağını Söyleyip Vogel ile gidecektir. Peki zümrütler ne olacaktır? Joe ve Ilana ne yapacaktır? Keyifle okunan bir roman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2025
Sometimes, ya just gotta turn off that brain, ignore the politics, kick back, and watch a stupid dated action movie. That was my goal, anyway, and Higgins threw down the gauntlet. Ten pages in: the misogynistic protagonist's lusting after an "Israeli". He describes the Inuit as "Mongolian" and says this other dude's dark skin makes him seem untrustworthy. Bechdel test? Pfft, do you even gotta ask?
That said, whatever lol. Once I'd violently lobotomized my anachronistic reflexes, I found a neat enough thriller? The setting's engaging, although sometimes it feels like Higgins pulled out a map of Greenland and, like, shoved fifty proper nouns into the first couple chapters. That's hardly an immersive methos, until Joe pilots the Otter. It would've been nice to glean more about Greenland's Indigenous culture, rather than superficial aesthetics filtered through the eyes of an ignorant white dude in the 60s.
The prose was decently whimsical, sometimes provocative (but in a jarring sorta way, viz., no foreplay!). Everyone has their own agenda, but the intrigue's abraded away by Joe Martin's semi-omniscience. The only character this guy can't read like a book is the "mysterious Jewess." But what's Joe hiding about himself? A lot, it turns out, and those revelations help to pick up the pace.
Idk. I don't not recommend this? I liked the weird evil gay guy.
That said, whatever lol. Once I'd violently lobotomized my anachronistic reflexes, I found a neat enough thriller? The setting's engaging, although sometimes it feels like Higgins pulled out a map of Greenland and, like, shoved fifty proper nouns into the first couple chapters. That's hardly an immersive methos, until Joe pilots the Otter. It would've been nice to glean more about Greenland's Indigenous culture, rather than superficial aesthetics filtered through the eyes of an ignorant white dude in the 60s.
The prose was decently whimsical, sometimes provocative (but in a jarring sorta way, viz., no foreplay!). Everyone has their own agenda, but the intrigue's abraded away by Joe Martin's semi-omniscience. The only character this guy can't read like a book is the "mysterious Jewess." But what's Joe hiding about himself? A lot, it turns out, and those revelations help to pick up the pace.
Idk. I don't not recommend this? I liked the weird evil gay guy.
May 26, 2021
It's always good to find a book by one of all time favourite authors that's new to me.
East of Desolation takes place on Greenland. It centres round the main character of Jim Martin, a pilot and recovering alcoholic who flies supplies to various settlements on Greenland.
Jim is approached by an insurance investigator, to locate an old plane wreck, on the premise of confirming the identity of one of the corpses.
Jim takes the job somewhat reluctantly. There's the usual threat of violence and danger, which sometimes spills over into more than a threat. There's the usual love interest, in the form of a wannabe actress who has come to personally deliver a letter to an ageing, hard drinking, washed up old movie star. The 'insurance investigator' turns out to be not quite what he seems, as do his partner and their client.
The plot twists and turns so many times during the story and the characters, who seem to have little to do with each other, are, as usual, interlinked as the story reaches its climax.
Plenty of action, violence and excitement. I love Jack Higgins/Harry Patterson books. For me, they're page turners and difficult to put down until I've finished them.
East of Desolation takes place on Greenland. It centres round the main character of Jim Martin, a pilot and recovering alcoholic who flies supplies to various settlements on Greenland.
Jim is approached by an insurance investigator, to locate an old plane wreck, on the premise of confirming the identity of one of the corpses.
Jim takes the job somewhat reluctantly. There's the usual threat of violence and danger, which sometimes spills over into more than a threat. There's the usual love interest, in the form of a wannabe actress who has come to personally deliver a letter to an ageing, hard drinking, washed up old movie star. The 'insurance investigator' turns out to be not quite what he seems, as do his partner and their client.
The plot twists and turns so many times during the story and the characters, who seem to have little to do with each other, are, as usual, interlinked as the story reaches its climax.
Plenty of action, violence and excitement. I love Jack Higgins/Harry Patterson books. For me, they're page turners and difficult to put down until I've finished them.
July 15, 2022
I really like the spare writing without immense amounts of background for each and every character. I liked the unique, seldom-used setting. The story is set in Greenland and features the usage of small aircraft to travel around. I liked the way the characters were written, each of them felt lively and significant in their rôle. I liked that they were all daring and interesting and perfectly written for this sort of novel. They all had motives and some were rogues and most had shadowy pasts.
Feels like a fresh, crisp breath of Greenland air instead of the smoggy mush I have read lately.
The plot is perfect for a thriller story. Excellent for a July summer read. The novel is filled out with liquor, crashed planes, gemstones, gunplay, bar fights, skiing and hunting, and sexy ladies. 1960s thriller fiction at its best. I recommend this for most readers, particularly those who are sick of over-written and overly-gruesome “thrillers” of the last few years.
Feels like a fresh, crisp breath of Greenland air instead of the smoggy mush I have read lately.
The plot is perfect for a thriller story. Excellent for a July summer read. The novel is filled out with liquor, crashed planes, gemstones, gunplay, bar fights, skiing and hunting, and sexy ladies. 1960s thriller fiction at its best. I recommend this for most readers, particularly those who are sick of over-written and overly-gruesome “thrillers” of the last few years.
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April 9, 2022“His eyes had the same sort of shine that you get when light gleams on the edge of a cut-throat razor”
The twenty-second jack higgins / martin fallon / hugh marlowe / harry patterson / henry patterson novel east of desolation published in 1968. A very different setting compared to his usual locations. This time in Greenland. Atmosphere is well done as always. The First person narration is uncommon for Higgins as well. The protagonist is an interesting character: a pilot, divorced, former alcoholic using drugs to prevent him from drinking, not the toughest one of the group of characters nor the most successful with women. Intriguing plot. Some wit. None of the usual higgins tropes. Very enjoyable. The first half sets up the characters and their relationships. The main plot kicks into high gear approximately halfway through. Plenty of twists and turns in the third act.
The twenty-second jack higgins / martin fallon / hugh marlowe / harry patterson / henry patterson novel east of desolation published in 1968. A very different setting compared to his usual locations. This time in Greenland. Atmosphere is well done as always. The First person narration is uncommon for Higgins as well. The protagonist is an interesting character: a pilot, divorced, former alcoholic using drugs to prevent him from drinking, not the toughest one of the group of characters nor the most successful with women. Intriguing plot. Some wit. None of the usual higgins tropes. Very enjoyable. The first half sets up the characters and their relationships. The main plot kicks into high gear approximately halfway through. Plenty of twists and turns in the third act.
February 27, 2020
If possible, I would've given this 2.5 stars.
After a slow start and what seems like fairly stock characters albeit in a unique setting--near the Arctic Circle in Greenland, this quietly intense thriller picks up speed nicely and provides several clever twists along the way. The great ones, like Higgins, make it look easy but the craftsmanship shows throughout the book. He sets a great mood, doesn't waste words, and writes believable dialogue. Because it's a shorter than average story, the characters aren't deeply drawn. But Higgins still shares enough of them with us to make us care about the outcome.
An old school thriller (from 1968) but still instructive for modern genre writers.
After a slow start and what seems like fairly stock characters albeit in a unique setting--near the Arctic Circle in Greenland, this quietly intense thriller picks up speed nicely and provides several clever twists along the way. The great ones, like Higgins, make it look easy but the craftsmanship shows throughout the book. He sets a great mood, doesn't waste words, and writes believable dialogue. Because it's a shorter than average story, the characters aren't deeply drawn. But Higgins still shares enough of them with us to make us care about the outcome.
An old school thriller (from 1968) but still instructive for modern genre writers.
July 20, 2022
Easy to read book. Good character development and interactions. In story tells of crash of a four engine aircraft yet on cover of book shows crashed single engine aircraft - I know - minor item but it stands out so much! Very good technical descriptions of flying, aircraft and those who fly them - typical Jack Higgins. Your interest is kept as characters turn out to be different people than they are named. Though he wasn't the primary character I found Jack Desforge the most interesting character. He is a professional actor with many movies to his name but his struggle with who he really is drew my attention.
December 8, 2017
Jack Higgins' early books are pretty decent adventures. I liked this one pretty well. The sense of Greenland comes through very strongly (as far as I can tell, never having been there). The story is pretty well told, and I didn't guess the ending. The hero is an ordinary man, neither more intelligent nor braver nor more virtuous (or more vicious) than most. It is very cinematic - very easy to imagine the movie that could be made from this book) - which I certainly prefer to being very TV-ish. All in all a very good few hours' diversion.
May 19, 2024
My first Jack Higgins read. It definitely is a macho male type of adventure book that was written in the late 1960s. The emerald heist plot, story, and characters took a while to grow on me, but the last half picked up in speed. I didn’t see a few things coming (though my husband did), but it ended satisfactorily.
June 6, 2020
This had such a man's man adventurer savor to it.
It was quick and good, and I was fooled up to the finish.
Listened to the audio, and don't want to criticize the reader
as narrating a novel seems a mammoth task....but this voice
would serve better in a different venue.
It was quick and good, and I was fooled up to the finish.
Listened to the audio, and don't want to criticize the reader
as narrating a novel seems a mammoth task....but this voice
would serve better in a different venue.
October 29, 2021
Excitement in the far north
Greenland is a sight for the last frontier, flying people and parts everywhere, or just hiding from the past. Am interesting story that keeps you guessing
Greenland is a sight for the last frontier, flying people and parts everywhere, or just hiding from the past. Am interesting story that keeps you guessing
January 4, 2023
The first 2/3rds of the book was more like a Geography lesson, a meteorological lesson, tied up with the author’s knowledge of aircraft. The story was then rushed and squeezed into the last 3rd.
February 24, 2024
Phew, back to the basics with Higgins! Here a morally ambiguous charter pilot must take a group of passengers out to examine a plane wreckage. Some of the passengers are typically shady Higgins folks, a fair amount of double crosses happen, and no one is who they appear to be. Fun airport reading
March 18, 2025
I was operating under the assumption that this will be a bare bones survival thriller, and that it partly true. But where it really shines is the consistent unraveling on the characters. I had no idea where this book was going and I was slightly confused at times, but I sure enjoyed the ride.
May 30, 2017
Great little adventure book. Worth a read.
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