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The North Water

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The North Water

By: Ian McGuire
Narrated by: John Keating
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About this listen

A 19th-century whaling ship sets sail for the Arctic with a killer aboard in this dark, sharp, and highly original tale that grips like a thriller.

Behold the man: Stinking, drunk, brutal and bloodthirsty, Henry Drax is a harpooner on the Volunteer, a Yorkshire whaling ship bound for the hunting waters of the Arctic Circle. Also aboard is Patrick Sumner, an ex-army surgeon with a shattered reputation, no money, and no better option than to embark as ship's medic on this ill-fated voyage.

In India during the Siege of Delhi, Sumner thought he had experienced the depths to which a man can stoop and imagined he'd find respite on the Volunteer, but now, trapped in the wooden belly of the ship with Drax, he encounters pure evil and is forced to act. As the true purposes of the expedition become clear, the confrontation between the two men plays out in the freezing darkness of an Arctic winter.

©2016 Ian McGuire (P)2016 Simon & Schuster Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Sea Adventures Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Transportation Polar Region Adventure Scary Exciting Sailing Mystery

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Critic reviews

"Fast-paced, gripping. A tour de force of narrative tension and a masterful reconstruction of a lost world." (Hilary Mantel)
"Utterly convincing and compelling, remorselessly vivid and insidiously witty. A startling achievement." (Martin Amis)
All stars
Most relevant
This is a brutal but magnificent tale set on a whaling ship in the 1850's and telling the tale of Patrick Sumner, an Irish surgeon with a dubious past, who plans to spend his voyage reading Homer and feeding his laudanum habit. His plans quickly unravel when a cabin boy is raped and murdered during the voyage. Sumner is not prepared to allow the wrong man hang for the crime and thus finds himself pitched against the harpoon man Henry Drax who must be by far the most honest and unrelentingly evil depiction of a psychopath ever described in fiction.
This book however, is not merely a thriller but is something that completely engulfs your senses. Not only do you see and hear the characters but you are also able to smell and taste the foul and corrupt stenches that emit from the wholesale butchery of animals and from the men themselves. It depicts the overwhelming desire to survive, where even a broken barrel will be reconstructed, rather than squandered, but also the despair of men who begin to realise there is no longer any hope. The hero of this story is not a brooding macho character but is nonetheless somebody who thrills you with the sheer tenacity of his spirit and the humanity of his actions. It is possible to compare this to the Revenant; however I think this book far surpasses that simple tale of suffering and revenge.
The narration of John Keating was perfect, skilfully bringing out the nuances of each character and enabling me to listen without confusion.
I have just finished listening book and at the moment feel a little breathless and melancholy that the experience has ended. This is a sure sign I have been completely immersed in this stunning tale.
This gets a 100% recommendation from me - truly my book of the year and probably the last decade.

A glorious and disturbing assault on the senses

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Raw and disturbing in parts but thoroughly gripping and entertaining great character descriptions and very well narrated

Gripping story

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super story, bringing a whaling ship to life. the sights and smells of a dirty industry

brilliant narration

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A superb and visceral book with fantastic narration. Keating's performance is tremendous and his accents show a wonderful range, helping to make this harrowing tale immersive and entertaining in equal measure. Highly recommended.

Brutal, chilling, beautiful

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The book is good, do not doubt it. The performance was ok, accents were ok, definitely can drag a little and some funny accents. However, if you’re in the mood for a short nautical themed adventure, this’ll hit the spot, but don’t expect to remember too much of it a month after.

It’s alright...

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loved it salty, very descriptive wonderful narration not for the easiy offended as the language is appropriately matched to seafarers I give it 5. would listen to another book by this author.

Very atmospheric

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if you're not a fan of harsh language then this book is not for you But I have to say this book was fascinating, definitely helped by the narrator who is excellent, the gritty Realism is both off-putting and totally engrossing, odd details like tongues are described in depth and wounds are always full of puss, you need a strong stomach for this one, but it really puts you there, on a whale boat full with the dirt and filth and a murder, well worth a listen

Well

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A gripping and atmospheric tale. I loved John Keating's narration, especially the carefully enunciated profanities! Highly recommended.

Gripping story - excellent narration

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There is much to disgust here but also to enthral. Excellent atmospheric narration. Very good.

Disgusted and enthralled

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Great, with many twists and turns. Brilliant narration. I'll definitely look for more like this.

A jolly good yarn

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