Customer Reviews

Ascent To Hell

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a story of our time, compelling and topical as today's headlines -- about a group of men and women from divergent and disparae backgrounds who pit their climbing skills, stamina and ambitions against a towering mountain range in the Middle East. What makes this story unique, as the expedition's men and women encounter the stress of high-altitude climbing, is the challenge faced by their own inner demons affecting marriage, romantic relationships and even basic self-esteem. Also fascinating is the combination of contemporary tensions, international intrigue and clashes of personal conflicts all tempered by modern humor yet intertwined with the powerful legend of an extraordinary mountain.

This book is a waste of time. I have bought one of Peggy Phillips' books before and should have known better. This one is as bad as the last one I read. Better used for lighting the fire than reading. A thin plot, poor characters and generally bad writing all around.

This is a fascinating story with scenes and characters that leap from the pages into riveting reality. Quite apart from the excitement of the read itself, this would make a fantastic film. The writing is compact, taut and moves with the lean absorbing swiftness of a quality screenplay. "Vertical Limit" pales by comparison, mainly because of the carefully crafted plot of "Ascent To Hell", including its explosive climax, and highly credible characters.

Compact and compelling, this story captured my interest from the moment I began to read. I couldn't put it down. The story and characters were totally captivating. Indeed, I was so absorbed that at the climax, when the ice-axe hit wood, I literally got chills all over my body. I have read all of Peggy Phillips' books, and found them to be not only rich, thought-provoking,intriguing and satisfying, they are also wonderfully brief. As with a Hemingway story, it is impossible to remove one single word without significantly changing the meaning.I recommend this book to all who believe this taut yet powerful literary style is a talent worth encountering.