37 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
3 1/2 Stars -- Interesting But Easy To Put Down!, March 16, 2009
This review is from: Paths of Glory (Hardcover)
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Paths Of Glory is Archer's attempt to fictionalize the story of George Mallory and his dream of being the first person to climb to the top of Mt. Everest. It covers a thirty-two year period ranging from Mallory's childhood to his third attempt to climb Everest in 1924, at age thirty-seven. In real life, it remains a mystery as to whether Mallory ever achieved his goal, as he was last seen four hundred feet from the top. Archer does a decent job in "covering all the bases" of Mallory's life. However, in trying to pack all of the major historical events in his life in just an average length book, Archer, in my opinion, doesn't provide sufficient depth in most of these areas to create a full sense of who Mallory was and what motivated him. Further, Archer provides, at best, only superficial characterizations of the key people in Mallory's life (e.g., his wife, his children, his climbing partners, etc.). Overall, Paths Of Glory is an entertaining read -- particularly if you have an interest in mountain-climbing -- but it is not one that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat to find out what happens next. Given Jeffrey Archer's successful career as a novelist it will not be surprising to find Paths Of Glory on major bestseller lists, although be forewarned that it doesn't deserve to reach the summit of these lists.
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39 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This was an extraordinary read, March 7, 2009
This review is from: Paths of Glory (Hardcover)
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The story of George Leigh Mallory, a novel based on history. I had never been drawn to read about Mr Mallory prior to this. I had never read anything by Jeffrey Archer either. For some reason, when given the opportunity to read this book, I enthusiastically took it.
The story begins when George Mallory was a child living in his fathers house. His father was a conservative clergyman of limited means who wanted to provide the best possible life for his three children. For George, this included the best education he could manage.
From a young age, Gorge showed a lack of fear, and a love of climbing. His father encouraged his sons sense of adventure, even to the point of accompanying him on ever more rigorous climbs, at least accompanying his as best he could. This trust and encouragement surely contributed to the self confident young man George became.
During his years at school, he knew that his mountain climbing had to take a backseat to his education, and so it did. TO his satisfaction, there were others who shared his interests, thus enabling him to continue with what brought joy to his life, scaling mountains.
I became so invested in the people portrayed in this book, I had a hard time putting it down. I had a vague and passing knowledge of Mallory and his Everest climbs, but nothing more than that. After reading about his life and family, as well as his dreams. I am searching for more information on this clearly incredible man.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read, or is interested in mountaineering. I will be reading more books by this author very soon, as well as more books about George Mallory and Everest. A book that inspires a new interest is the very best kind of book.
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28 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Identity Theft in a Fairy Tale Setting, December 30, 2009
Is this a new trend? A recent blockbuster film--"Sherlock Holmes"--in which Holmes is not the prissy gentleman detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but a slovenly 1960's hippy, and Dr Watson is no longer a bumbling senior citizen, but a very dapper younger man. The two trade snarky insults with all the fervor of a friendship that cannot say its name.
But at least Sherlock Holmes was fictional! Now along comes Jeffery Archer and recreates a revered historical figure, George Mallory of Everest, that also bares no resemblance to the personality and career of the actual figure. This artistic license might work if he had painted an interesting portrait of this complicated man and his tragic drive to conquer the world's highest peak, but the portrait that results is a complete soap opera rewrite. His detailed descriptions of Mallory's teammates, their camp site palaver, even the geography of the mountain, will make anyone cringe who has even a passing acquaintance with this famous saga.
Mallory was an earnest Boy Scout riding the social coattails of his Alpine and literary acquaintances. He was too personally disorganized ever to be a leader of men, nor did he have the interpersonal toughness for the job. The Alpinists respected him for his astonishingly skill at rock and mountain climbing; the literati adored his physique and fey demeanor. And he was a good guy. Yet Archer has Mallory boldly taking over the Royal Geographic Society's Everest Committee selection process with the commanding forcefulness of a Sergeant Major--qualities he wholly lacked--and boldly leading two Everest expeditions once on the mountain (he was on three). It is true that Mallory was appointed "climbing leader" in 1924, but that position was a mere pat on the back and tightly supervised by Colonel Norton, who was a true leader of men.
While he has Mallory issuing ultimatums to the august governing board left and right, Archer completely leaves out one of Mallory's greatest achievements-- discovering the primary route to the top from the Tibetan side and then being the first human to set foot on Everest's mighty flanks. This first expedition to Mt. Everest--the Reconnaissance Expedition of 1921--is not on Archer's path to glory. This was when Mallory and Guy Bullock almost circumnavigated Everest seeking the best approach to its steep slopes. After five months of the most arduous exploration, Mallory and Bullock finally discovered the hidden eastern side of the North Col at the head of the East Rongbuk Glacier. And it was at the beginning of this expedition, when absolutely nothing was known about the mountain's geography, that Mallory wrote to his wife that "we are about to walk off the map." Of course that phrase is far too evocative to leave out, so Archer merely lifts it to plug into another made-up expedition.
Archer is so enamored with the politically correct Tibetan name for Mt. Everest--"Chomolungma"--that he stuffs it into all the climbers' mouths. But the term was never used by them, and first appeared on Wheeler's 1925 map entitled "Mount Everest and the Chomo-lungma Group." His tin ear is on loudest display when he repeatedly has the taciturn Noel Odell call leader Mallory "skipper."
Probably the most egregious display of political correctness (Does that help sell books nowadays?) is Archer's assertion that his Mallory had actually planned to select as his summit partner not one of the proven RGS climbers, but one of their Sherpa porters with amazing natural climbing abilities! This decision taken when even Australian RGS member George Finch was denied a place on the expedition because he was not English enough. Of course the historical realities were that while Sherpas are genetically endowed with the ability to work hard at high altitude, none of them had climbed mountains before the arrival of the English explorers and their "English air" (oxygen), and they were later taught the skill as ever more expeditions required their services.
The final description of the Mallory and Irvine's climb into history lacks even the faintest patina of reality. They leave their high camp (given as at 27,300-ft--it was actually at 26,800ft) at 5AM carrying eight hours of oxygen. 10-1/2 hours later, they are still breathing the precious gas with presumably some still remaining for their descent. The description of the summit pyramid--available in scores of Everest chronicles, is also a hash. There is no knife-edged ridge after the Second Step, and there is no "vertical rock covered with ice that never melts from year to year" with "112-ft left to climb." And, of course, both men make it to the top before perishing on the descent.
What is the point of this? It is called a novel, but uses actual names, places, and events all twisted into a Disneyesque cartoon. There is no other suggestion that this entire tale is desperately false. To further the deception, Archer prominently credits Audrey Salkeld, a real Everest historian, with "special thanks." Oh how Mrs. Salkeld must feel used!
Finally, a prominent blurb on the jacket of "Paths of Glory" reads "`A storyteller in the class of Alexander Dumas'--The Washington Post." A Google search and a search of the Washington Post's archives could find no such quotation.
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