I enjoyed this! I’ve read a fair bit about the Mallory expeditions so there wasn’t a ton of new data but there was some, particularly with additional details from the last few years. I found how he laid out all the expeditions and the information to be very different and it really helps call out what “is known” and what “is speculation”. I also loved the artist rendering of so many of the photographs and images. I’ve not seen that used before.

If you are new to a fascination about Mallory/Irvine and Everest or just looking for a new overview, this is the rare book that could cover both!

NetGalley, Jennifer Ruth

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I have a lot of mountaineering books, and this has to rate as one of the best ones.

Meticulously researched and beautifully written Mr Edwards has gone to extreme lengths to detail what he thinks mathematically happened to Irvine and Mallory.

This is absolutely fascinating and will have pride of place on my bookshelf.

NetGalley, Jay Freer

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I’ve grown up fascinated by mountains (this, perhaps, is inherited from my father, who happens to be a retired climber) and have held an obsession with Everest for as long as I can remember. Something I am not alone in.

Everest has held a long-standing fascination with people since its discovery in the late 1800s as the world’s tallest mountain, it's summit the highest place on earth. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay have been accredited with being the first climbers to reach its top in 1953 on the ninth British expedition to take place. But one question remains: were they really the first?

Several decades earlier, another British expedition took place in 1924, in which George Mallory and Andrew Irvine attempted to be the first people on earth to summit the great Mount Everest. As anyone with any mountaineering experience or knowledge knows, tragedy befell them both. But for exactly 100 years, the same questions remain. Did they make it to the top? Did they die on their ascent or descent? What clues remain on the mountain? Edwards seeks not to answer this categorically (for no one as of yet truly can) but to eliminate certain lines of inquiry and expose what was probable and improbable, therefore divulging what was likely to have happened.

Edwards’ research is extensive and meticulous, and it was fascinating to see so many details of that expedition revealed, from letters and photographs, to sketches and maps. The facts of the 1924 expedition are so vast that any text on the subject could easily become a tangled web, but Edwards’ narration is measured, factual, and straightforward. His lack of bias towards the events that might or might not have taken place is also refreshing. It is a great addition to companion pieces about Mallory and the great mystery of 1924.

All in all, this was a deeply fascinating read. For those interested in Everest, particularly the early expeditions, this book is a must read, for it only deals in facts, and they really do speak for themselves.

NetGalley, Sophie L

This book is a great read if you love history, especially adventure history. Mt. Everest has held a place in my heart for years and I love reading about the great climbers. If you love mountain lore, history, and how Everest impacted Mallory, Irvine, the British Empire, and everyone around it, you'll love this story.

NetGalley, Katherine McCrea