The Abominable

A Novel

By: Dan Simmons

Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins

Length: 29 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

A thrilling tale of high-altitude death and survival set on the snowy summits of Mount Everest, from the best-selling author of The Terror.

The year is 1924 and the race to summit the world's highest mountain has been brought to a terrified pause by the shocking disappearance of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine, high on the shoulder of Mt. Everest. By the following year, three climbers - a British poet and veteran of the Great War, a young French Chamonix guide, and an idealistic young American - find a way to take their shot at the top. They arrange funding from the grieving Lady Bromley, whose son also disappeared on Mt. Everest in 1924. Young Bromley must be dead, but his mother refuses to believe it and pays the trio to bring him home.

Deep in Tibet and high on Everest, the three climbers - joined by the missing boy's female cousin - find themselves being pursued through the night by someone…or something. This nightmare becomes a matter of life and death at 28,000 feet - but what is pursuing them? And what is the truth behind the 1924 disappearances on Everest? As they fight their way to the top of the world, the friends uncover a secret far more abominable than any mythical creature could ever be. A pulse-pounding story of adventure and suspense, The Abominable is Dan Simmons at his spine-chilling best.

©2013 Dan Simmons (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Good, but long

People usually critiques this book for being too long before the actual story begins, I can understand that, I lost track a few times in all the planning, but most of the time I found it interesting hearing about all the different gear and techniques used when climbing in the nineteen twenties. The story in general is quite exciting.
The narrator Kevin T. Collins does a great job here, managing to differentiate the voices even if it is an Englishman with a slight German accent, or if it is a Frenchman talking English. Full score for him.

Unfulfilling

After reading The Terror, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on another Dan Simmons novel, especially one ostensibly about the legend of the yeti on Mt Everest. But the book summary is about as exciting as this story gets. If you want to read about monsters, don’t get this; there’s no yeti. And the reveal as to who the “true monsters” are is about as flat and unsatisfactory as it gets.

It’s hard to say where exactly the novel goes wrong and how it could have been saved. The beginning was exciting enough and made me anticipate what would ultimately become the anticlimax of the remaining two thirds of the book. I will admit, it takes talent to make climbing Mt Everest boring, but Simmons manages it by making his main character as entitled and clueless and unfit as possible, and reading about the climb from that perspective is tedious and mind-numbing. An editor with a backbone would not have let this novel see the light of day without a serious threshing. But the framing device allows Dan Simmons to deflect accusations of laziness or failure to polish his story.

So, is this story a failure of its framing device, from an otherwise talented author? Was the quality The Terror or Simmons’ other novel Carrion Comfort a fluke? A better audio narrator might have made the audiobook less of a chore to get through as well, but even the best narrator could not save a story that reads like a second draft coming from an author who has proven himself and set up expectations for the quality of his work.

Tl;dr: save your credit. Reread Carrion Comfort or The Terror.

Dan Simmons at his best!

What did you love best about The Abominable?

The story, the narration, overall effect

What other book might you compare The Abominable to and why?

None. I never expected to love a book about mountaineering!

Which scene was your favorite?

They all worked to form a moving, cohesive, tightly told narrative.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted it to last because it is finite.

Any additional comments?

I have loved most of Dan Simmons' work. His Hyperion trilogy is among the best literature. It is unforgettable. With this latest book, Simmons has authored another unforgettable book. I have read and listened to so many books over the years. This one moved me so much I had to write a review!

Not Simmons' Best

I've read just about all of Simmons' books and read half of them multiple times because they are so great. I love how his books manage to be so suspenseful but so full of knowledge, like of mountaineering in this case. The story of this one fell flat for me though, and the "surprises" near the end were quite predictable. Unless you have a passionate interest in the early days of mountaineering, I recommend one of his other books instead. The Terror is fantastic, for example.

LOVED this book

I have listened to many MANY audible books and this one is in the top 10 for sure. I enjoyed learning about mountaineering and the historical connections and details. Good Job Mr Simmons and to you Mr. Collins - a wonderful listen on my drive to/from work and in the shower! I am looking for more books from this author. And on aside, this is the first review I have written I liked it so much. kuddo's galore!

one of the best historical fiction stories

I was hooked from the first meeting of the author and Jacob. Truly the best historical fiction that I have ever read or listened to. So much so in fact that I regretted that the commute was only 45 minutes each way. If you get into the story as much as I did, you will even subconsciously dress warmer and be grateful for breathable air.

Dense material, long build up

Great plot and twists along the way. In my humble opinion the build up was difficult to weather through. The ending leaves answers to be desired.

The mountains

Remarkably creative and believable. The characters and story read like non-fiction. I loved the book!!

Interesting description of the rigors of mountain climbing.

Not my usual type of book but good nonetheless. I did find my mind wandering a bit in parts so I had to back up and listen again. I expect I will try another of his works.

Hard at first

I'm not really into climbing or hiking mountains so it took a while for me to get into this book. I am happy I stuck with it as it proved very good listen.