Following a serious neck injury which left him paralysed, Ed Jackson has defied the odds. Not only to walk again but to climb 'Himlung Himal', one of the Himalayan peaks which stands at just over 7000 feet high. Climbing can be a test of anyone's strength, endurance, & resilience, but especially if the climber has a physical disability. Jackson puts together a small group of climbers, including Ben who had also faced a terrible accident & injury. This particular peak had not been climbed for 2 years since Covid & this account details the journey & the hazards faced including treacherous hidden crevasses, altitude sickness, & sheer exhaustion.

Following Ben's earlier decision to turn back to altitude sickness, Ed also decides to turn around just meters from the top, but the descent can be as risky as the ascent. Unable to get down to one of the camps, the group face a night stranded out in the elements before rescue the next morning. With no shelter, & minimal food & water, all they have is each other & their determination to survive.

This was a really interesting read, both in what the author has overcome & the climb itself. It's written in a friendly accessible style & the reader feels as if they are actually on the journey with the group. In turns heartfelt & inspirational, it stresses the point that success is sometimes knowing when to walk away. 4.5 stars (rounded down)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HQ, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Well, I judged the book by its cover and I wasn't disappointed.
I was lured in by the word ‘mountain’ attracted by the cover picture and the blurb immediately had me at ‘Nepal’ one of my favourite destinations in the world, but none of this prepared me for such a spellbinding read.
The true story of Ed Jackson and his friends on a mission to summit Himlung Himal is a humbling and inspiring tale you genuinely won’t want to put down. I know because I foolishly started it at 10 p.m. on a ‘school’ night, and at midnight, I was halfway through. The brilliantly descriptive writing immerses you into the sights and sounds of beautiful Nepal, the splendour of the Himalayas, and the highs and despairing lows of the climb.
A real contender for the ‘if you read just one book this year’ award.

I love a good climbing book and this certainly hit the mark!

As a young man, Ed Jackson suffered a serious spinal injury that left him unable to walk. His great determination and inner strength, however, meant that he defied expectations and less than a year later he climbed Mount Snowdon. Spurred on by this, and having founded a charity to support people with similar injuries, this book recounts his expedition to Nepal to climb Himlung Himal.

The fact that Ed has written this book gives away that he survived (!) but it's a gripping read none the less. Beginning with Ed and his fellow climbers just a few hundred metres below the summit, exhausted and without water, shelter or food, we then go back to the start of the trip, discovering the hopes, fears, plans and expectations that each of the team had as they set off. And then we climb along with them, from the foothills of the Annapurna Circuit to the ice fields full of crevasses, to the various camps, to the summit attempt...

I enjoyed Ed's writing style - it was easy to read and felt very natural and 'chatty'; I learnt later that much of this book was put together from journal entries etc. and that certainly fits the style - it's reflective without being pretentious in any way.

Certainly inspired to watch the documentary film now!

Grateful to HQStories, Harper Collins and NetGalley for an e-ARC.

Channel 4 sports presenter Ed Jackson decides to climb Himlung Himal in Nepal, the first person with his disabilities to attempt it. He had previously broken his neck and has weakened arms and legs. Nearing the summit, he realises he can go no further, the appalling weather having weakened him A team-mate tings for help on satnav. They must wait til morning. They must not sleep or they may not awaken. The book charts their journey to this point and beyond. An engrossing tale of bravery, endurance and camaraderie.