IDITAROD a novel of The Greatest Race on Earth [Kindle Edition]

André Jute (Author)

Book Description

Marchez! -- A race for survival

When Rhodes Delaney challenged James Alderston Whitbury III to a grudge match she chose the most grueling of all tests -- the Iditarod: a lethal dogsled race across the perilous wastelands of barren Alaska.

Through life-sapping storms, howling blizzards, and deadly sub-zero temperatures, the racers must struggle over treacherous mountain passes where the sun's rays never reach, cross frozen rivers risking the icy torrents below, and pass enraged bull moose, ravenous bears -- and the world's largest, hungriest wolf pack.

In Iditarod, André Jute puts the reader's feet on the ice and on the runners for twelve hundred hazardous miles of the last great race across the last dangerous frontier as the exhausted bodies and hallucinating minds of the contestants battle towards the moment of truth -- when Man and Nature exact the ultimate reckoning from each other.

Iditarod is at once a love story, a great adventure, and a brilliant word portrait of the world's most spectacular and least-known land.

First published in the UK by Grafton Books 1990, Iditarod is fully revised for this 20th anniversary 2010 edition by CoolMain Press.

Now with a map of the race especially drawn to work with e-book tablets.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Iditarod is fully revised for this 20th anniversary reissue. A very special new feature is a map of the race specifically drawn by Andy Jenkinson to be perfectly readable on e-book tablets.

From the Inside Flap

Books by André Jute

Novels
Reverse Negative
Festival
Eight Days in Washington
The Zaharoff Commission
Sinkhole
Iditarod 

Creative Writing
Writing a Thriller
Start Writing Today!
Keep on Writing!
Writing Proposals & Synopses that Sell

Graphic Design
Grids: The Structure of Graphic Design
Publications for Professional Communicators
Colour for Professional Communicators

Automobile Design
Designing and Building Special Cars

Computers
The Epson PX8

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 617 KB
• Print Length: 337 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1908369000
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: CoolMain Press; 2 edition (December 16, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004GKMQE8
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #240,446 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 10 Bright Shiny Gold Stars! February 29, 2012

By ?wazithinkin

Format:Kindle Edition

I picked up this book because I had read an interview with Andre' Jute at Cookie's Book Club and he sounded fascinating. Although, this is not the genre of book that I normally read, the Iditarod sounded interesting.

The research and facts in this book are outstanding. You can tell the author took great pride in getting all of his facts right. The history and side stories about some of the Iditarod heroes are fascinating.

I never realized reading a book could be so emotionally exhausting, this story will never let you go! The elements that the participants endure, the foreshadowing of things to come literally scared me to death.

The relationship that grows as we learn about the two main human characters is realistic, fascinating and encompassing and a far cry from what this book is really about.

This book is truly worth more than 5 stars. This is an adventure of a lifetime that I will highly recommend no matter what genre you read, you will not be disappointed. The editing and formatting are pristine.

BRAVO, Andre'! You would be welcome at my dinner table anytime. You will have to excuse me now; I need to go read something light and fluffy. :)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Intense, riveting, wonderful book.............. January 5, 2011

By kindle addict

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a couple of other reviewers said, this is not the type of book I normally read. But when the author promoted his book on the Kindle Forum, it sounded good and I decided to purchase it. I am so glad that I did. This was an excellent story. It was so interesting, and it seems like a lot of research went into it. In addition, the book was well-formatted for the Kindle, well-written, and well-edited. I didn't notice any errors, which is very unusual and wonderful.

The details of the Iditarod were fascinating, and I feel as though I learned a lot about something I had only heard of. The race is so long, grueling and dangerous. The dogs are incredible, and their care prior to and during the race is fully explained. There were various wild animals the racers had to contend with, especially wolves, and the information about the wolves and other animals was educational. The interactions between the racers and wild animals was intense and frightening. The weather, land and water conditions were so challenging to the racers and the dogs. The intensity and suspense could be felt, not like mystery suspense, but the suspense if the racers could possibly survive the various life-threatening situations in which they found themselves. There were short bursts of humor woven into the story.

I liked the two main characters, Rhodes and James, who were developed as the race progressed. It was impossible to root for one over the other. But, in a way, the characters were secondary to the Iditarod itself. It was the race that was riveting and the descriptions that made me feel I was there, feeling the cold, the exhaustion, the isolation, the pain, and the fear. I just can't say enough good about this book and the author's ability to write.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful tale of the natural human instinct to prevail. October 30, 2011

By SJM (aka Cookie's Mom)

Format:Kindle Edition

When I picked up this book I expected to learn something about the Iditarod, the Alaskan terrain and it's people. I was not disappointed there. What I was surprised to find inside was a beautiful tale of the natural human instinct to prevail and a budding love story to boot.

IDITAROD A Novel of the Greatest Race was originally released in 1990 and recently re-released in electronic format. This book is a real gem. It's no wonder it stands the test of time.

I learned a great deal about Iditarod race itself and the people who breathe life into it. I now understand a little more about the nature of Alaska and it's inhabitants. In particular, I learned something of the complex interplay between species of animals, man, the landscape and the elements along the Iditarod route. Fascinating stuff.

That would have been enough for me, but I also enjoyed an extremely well-written story that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Most chapters end with a cliffhanger as the story then moves to an alternate view, forcing us to wait a little longer to know what will happen next. In this way, the author takes us on a ride nearly as wild as the Iditarod itself.

I became a part of this story as I braved the elements and adapted to the challenges that faced the drivers along the Iditarod. I couldn't help but ride the roller coaster with them as they triumphed and failed and rose again and again to meet the next challenge.

If that wasn't enough, I was also treated to a warm romance between two of the story's characters.

I'm happy to recommend this book to all readers. Due to its sometimes graphic nature, parental discretion is advised.

Please note that a version of this review first appeared on my blog on August 14th, along with an interview with the author.

More About the Author

Andre Jute writes novels, literary criticism, and non-fiction. His non-ficiton includes books on creative writing, graphic design and typography, and automobile design. There are over three hundred editions of his books in English and a dozen other languages. Visit his netsite at
http://coolmainpress.com/andrejute.html
and his blog at
http://coolmainpress.com/ajwriting/

Andre Jute was educated in Australia, South Africa and the United States. He has been an intelligence officer, racing driver, advertising executive, management consultant, performing arts critic and professional gambler. His hobbies include old Bentleys, classical music (on which for fifteen years he wrote a syndicated weekly column), cycling, hill walking, cooking and wine. He designs and builds his own tube (valve) audio amplifiers. He is married to Rosalind Pain-Hayman and they have a son, Charles. They live on a hill over a salmon river in County Cork, Eire.