Ice Ghosts
The Epic Hunt for the Lost Franklin Expedition

Name: Ice Ghosts
Brand: Blackstone Audiobooks
Availability: InStock
Author: Paul Watson
ISBN: 9781470811341

Author: Paul Watson

Narrator: Malcolm Hillgartner

Unabridged: 12 hr 23 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Published: 03/21/2017

Categories: Nonfiction, History, Polar Regions

Synopsis

Ice Ghosts weaves together the epic story of the Lost Franklin Expedition of 1845―whose two ships and crew of 129 were lost to the Arctic ice―with the modern tale of the scientists, divers, and local Inuit behind the incredible discovery of the flagship’s wreck in 2014.Paul Watson, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist who was on the icebreaker that led the discovery expedition, tells a fast-paced historical adventure story: Sir John Franklin and the crew of the HMS Erebus and Terror setting off in search of the fabled Northwest Passage, the hazards they encountered, the reasons they were forced to abandon ship hundreds of miles from the nearest outpost of Western civilization, and the decades of searching that turned up only rumors of cannibalism and a few scattered papers and bones―until a combination of faith in Inuit lore and the latest science yielded a discovery for the ages.

About Paul Watson

Paul Watson is the author of Where War Lives and the recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Headliner Award, the George Polk Award, and the Robert Capa Gold Medal.

About Malcolm Hillgartner

Malcolm Hillgartner is an accomplished actor, writer, and musician. Named an AudioFile Best Voice of 2013 and the recipient of several Earphones Awards, he has narrated over 250 audiobooks.

Reviews

Goodreads review by David on December 05, 2020

In 1845, at the age of 59, Captain Sir John Franklin set out to discover the Northwest Passage. A veteran of multiple Arctic explorations, he was considered to be an old man, and not considered a good candidate for the rigors of multi-year adventures in the Arctic. He set out with 134 sailors office......more

Goodreads review by Nancy on March 14, 2017

In 1847 Sir John Franklin left England and his adoring wife Lady Jane to seek the fabled Northwest Passage. He was 59 years old and it was his fourth journey to the Arctic. He had survived starvation on his second journey. This expedition was prepared with three years of food, included new-fangled c......more

Goodreads review by Krista on November 17, 2017

No chain of islands on Earth is more vicious than the Arctic Archipelago. Like teeth lining colossal jaws, some ninety-four large islands, and 36, 469 smaller ones, stretch across a territory about half the size of the contiguous United States. They can bite down and swallow ships whole. Even the ea......more

Goodreads review by Jean on March 05, 2017

The oceans always have some great unsolved mystery disappearances. In the mid- 1840s the Royal Navy bomb ketches, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror disappeared in the Arctic of Canada. Paul Watson tells the story of their loss and discovery in his book “Ice Ghosts: The Epic Hunt for the Lost Franklin Expedi......more

Goodreads review by Jordan on March 27, 2018

Maybe 2.5 Stars. Fascinating story, but this telling left me disappointed. The best section is the first part of Part III, but the author digresses back to his tendencies to over-dramatize, speculate, and repeat himself (perhaps to make up for the at times scattershot/tangential story telling). Prob......more

Quotes

“Narrator Malcolm Hillgartner has a rich voice and a keen ability to evoke an atmosphere of endless winter, deprivation, and mystery. He also rolls through the Inuit names and places without hesitation…Watson is also sympathetic to Franklin’s wife Jane’s famous intensity and grit, and Hillgartner faithfully renders her unusual viewpoint.” AudioFile

“Hillgartner provides a crisp and authoritative reading. He lures listeners into this danger-filled adventure and the obsessive search in a smoky baritone that matches the bleak landscape and outcome of this ill-fated voyage of discovery. Information from Inuit oral history figures prominently, and Hillgartner fluently pronounces Inuit names and phrases. His lively reading calls attention to the interesting personalities and historical details that should intrigue fans of true adventure stories." Booklist (audio review)

“The notable originality of Ice Ghosts lies in the fact that it brings the story right up-to-date, covering not only the discovery of the Erebus in 2014 but also the discovery of the Terror, about forty miles to the north, in 2016…A great story…quick, enjoyable, and…gripping reading.” New York Times Book Review

“[A] thrilling tale of science’s hunt to solve one of naval history’s greatest riddles…[Watson’s] intimate familiarity with key players and places gives the reader an insider’s view of the operations.” Discover

“Fascinating.” Dallas Morning News

“A splendid achievement.” Globe and Mail (Toronto)

“An incredible yarn.” Boston Globe

“Intriguing…A keen, entertaining chronicle of the various attempts to locate a sensationally doomed expedition.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Watson’s meticulously researched tale finely weaves together the many voices and experiences of those who sought Franklin’s long-missing ships.” Publishers Weekly

“Riveting…An engrossing chronicle of a legendary doomed naval voyage and the nearly two-hundred-year effort to bring the Franklin expedition to a close.” Booklist