East of Desolation [Paperback]

Jack Higgins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

The wreckage of a private plane plunges charter pilot Joe Martin into deadly danger in the icy desert of Cape Desolation, Greenland...

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Jack Higgin's: 'Open a Jack Higgins novel and you'll encounter a master craftsman at the peak of his powers!first-rate tales of intrigue, suspense and full-on action.' Sunday Express 'Higgins is a master of his craft.' Daily Telegraph 'A thriller writer in a class of his own.' Financial Times 'The master craftsman of good, clean adventure.' Daily Mail --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

6 1-hour cassettes --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425161021
• ISBN-13: 978-0425161029
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,067,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jack Higgins is among the world's most popular authors. Since the publication of The Eagle Has Landed--one of the biggest-selling thrillers of all time--every novel he has written has become an international bestseller, including The White House Connection and Day of Reckoning. He has had simultaneous number-one bestsellers in hardcover and paperback, and has been published in thirty-eight languages worldwide. Many of his books have been made into successful movies, among them The Eagle Has Landed, To Catch A King, and The Valhalla Exchange. He lives with his wife on Jersey in the Channel Islands.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A most magnificent thriller in the genre of Alistair Maclean, December 9, 2001

By 

snowy "Lorne Vallen" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: East of Desolation (Paperback)

Told from the view of the narrator, charter pilot Joe Martin, the tale was unfolded, introducing the desolation of remote communities in Greenland and how it affected the so-called civilised people when they left the exile of urbanisation and returned to nature.

What was it about Cape Desolation, one of the most challenging places in the world to survive, that attracted various folks who had been born and bred in the big cities? Movie stars, insurance agents, beautiful women all combined to produce volatile tension when an abandoned plane was discovered in the middle of nowhere with 2 dead bodies. A supposed griefing widow, an overly solicitious insurance agent, Joe discovered that greed can rear its ugly head in the most unexpected quarters.

In a fashion, this book followed the style of Alistair Maclean when the narrator described everything that he saw, heard and felt, but refrained from revealing all the knowledge available.
A good mix of mystery and turns, even if the excitement of the wilderness and artic aviation failed to rouse you, the superb drama between lively characters, with all the human failings and foibles would serve to delight and entertain, making this book hard to put down.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Early Higgins that gives his newer work a run for the money., May 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: East of Desolation (Paperback)

I was pleasantly surprised to read this. After immersing myself in the exploits of Sean Dillion, this was a breath of fresh air. Generally, Higgins novels are a quick read, but this lent itself to something different. Being that this is an earlier work, the plot was more imaginative and at times you could almost feel the cold. It's a shame that no one will film this because it is an intelligent thriller that is missing in today's market. Since his characters didn't seem to be based on characters from his other novels, ie. Dillion vs Devlin, it was a joy to read the development and how they interact. Too bad 'ole Jack can't go back to writing more original works like this, but he brings him the $'s, so I doubt that'll change.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reluctant Hero, July 3, 2005

By 

Jesse B Ellyson (Dale City, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: East of Desolation (Hardcover)

Joe Martin doesn't want to be the leading man. He's quite content to leave that to his good friend, the famous actor Jack Desforge. All Joe wants to do is fly his plane, take what jobs come to him, and make his way as best he can. But when Joe is hired to take some insurance men and the widow Mrs. Kelso up to a Greenland ice cap to investigate and identify the remains of a wrecked plane, his nightmares come to life.

If suspense is what you're looking for you'll find it here in East Of Desolation. Jack Higgins weaves a tale of twists and turns which will keep you guessing. Like the best roler coaster ride you won't see the next twist in the track till it takes your breath away. A fast paced story and a quick read, this is suspense adventure writing at it's best.