*A big thank-you to Buddy Levy, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.*
This book will definitely become a must-read for everybody, like myself, interested in the exploration of the Arctic. Having read earlier about two most famous attempts by John Franklin and George De Long to explore the only then uncharted and most mysterious part of our planet, I was delighted to have received a book that covers yet another polar expedition. Lt. Adolphus Greely undertook in 1881 the mission to collect the meteorological and geographical data of the Arctic. The expedition was well planned and prepared, however, the severe climate and unexpected events forced Lt. Greenly and his crew of 24 to leave Fort Conger, their base, when they realized that ships which were meant to take them back home would not arrive.
Buddy Levy drew on personal letters, diaries and all authentic mateirlas wile writing his book, and the effect is remarkable. His talent to tell the story of the brave men who fought against the nature makes this non-fiction a book that can only generate awe and admiration for the explorers and their will to survive till the very end.
The exploration ended in 1884, unfortunately, several of Lt. Greely's men paid the highest price for their courage.
Labirynth of Ice is definitely one of the best non-fiction I have read this year. It is a story of courage, survival and mutual support in the most inhospitable environment.

Would you be willing to join or lead an expedition to the polar ice caps for the betterment of mankind? If you knew that your chance of survival was 50% would you still go? What if it were a competition against others or a personal challenge? Would you do it?

In 1881, 1st Lt. A.W. Greely did. A professional soldier and signal officer in the US Army, he led a team of 24 explorers and scientists into the Arctic to go further north than anyone had gone before and record weather related information to be used by scientists around the world.

To say that he and his team were successful is highly accurate, but at what cost? The environment was inhospitable to say the least. Greely knew the consequences of the harsh environment. He also knew he had food and supply resources to stay a year and then be relieved. Labyrinth of Ice tells the true story of the heroic efforts of Greely and his men to survive and explore the Arctic Circle.

The author Buddy Levy became interested in Arctic exploration beginning with his love of the stories of Jack London. His dedicated in-depth research for this book is undeniable. His writing style is not typical of historical works as the book reads like a novel, which keeps the reader focused on the story.

I highly recommend this epic history of exploration. Who knows? You may be planning your own expedition.

Thank you author Buddy Levy, St. Martins Press and Netgally for the ARC of Labyrinth of Ice in exchange for an honest review.

In 1881, American Lt. A. W. Greely and a team of scientists went on a journey to pass the record of reaching furthest North. Buddy Levy's new book Labyrinth of Ice takes readers on their journey of glory and horror. The men accomplished their mission of reaching furthest North and contributing important scientific data. They were also stranded over two winters with dwindling supplies.

Before the astronauts and space exploration, men of courage and vision took on the vast frozen spaces of ice, seeking fame, glory, short-cut passages, and scientific knowledge. They were the heroes of their day.

Labyrinth of Ice was a bone-chilling read. I felt I knew these men and suffered with them. The bravery and selflessness of some were offset by a self-seeking thief. Madness and despair were found alongside clear-thinking and innovative thinkers. When their supply and rescue ships failed to arrive, Greely struggled to keep the team disciplined, in good spirits--and alive as they suffered life-threatening conditions and starvation. Lady Greely, extremely self-educated in Arctic literature, pressured the government to send out rescue ships.

Eleven men had died before they were finally found. Public opinion turned from adulation to revulsion when rumors of cannibalism circulated the newspapers. The survivors went on to illustrious careers.

I was given access to a free ebook by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

Labyrinth of Ice tells the story of Lt. Adolph Greely and his crew of twenty four men and their quest to venture into the Arctic to both collect weather data as well as break the record for “farthest North” in the process. Despite extensive planning and preparation, what would unfold is a story of strength, courage and ultimately survival.

I was given an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Buddy Levy’s recounting of the famed 1881 Lady Franklin Bay Expedition is nothing short of remarkable. Levy drew on extensive records from the crew that are, surprisingly, freely available through the US National Archives and Records Administration given that it was considered a military mission. Lt Greely’s handwritten notes alone comprised two volumes totaling over thirteen hundred pages! Also, where the primary goal of the venture dealt with collecting environmental data, the detailed records helped Levy build atmosphere accurately in knowing the exact weather the entire time the team was stranded.

Arriving in what would eventually be classified as Northern Nunavut much later, the crew would set up Fort Conger and remain there for two years before heading three hundred and seventy nine kilometers south to Cape Sabine where they would be left stranded until 1884 battling unimaginable hardships. Levy takes great care to immerse the reader right in alongside the crew fighting against the elements and the threat of starvation. I would put this right up with Cormac MacCarthy’s The Road in terms of a survivalist page turner. Like The Man and The Boy’s frantic search for food in the aforementioned post apocalyptic novel, Levy’s explanation of the suffering the men had to endure just to see another day had me needing to know how they would find a way to continue.

While the men continued to fight for their lives, Levy also places a spotlight on the many attempts to reach and rescue the crew. Just as the constant buildup of ice kept the men from sailing home, it also prevented further caches of supplies and relief from reaching them. It’s particularly surprising to know that there were several within the US government that considered Greely and his men a lost cause and had been against any subsequent attempts to reach them following the failure of the initial rescue mission which saw the sinking of a ship and near loss of life.

I’m not sure how well known this story is, so I will refrain from spoiling how everything ends but there was a great deal of controversy arising out of what was found at Cape Sabine when US relief ships would eventually arrive. Levy approaches it with care and does not get bogged down in the salacious nature of it all like many journalists did at the time. He presents the evidence against the testimonies of those of Greely’s crew that were there and doesn’t try to theorize on what he believed happened.

With Labyrinth of Ice, Buddy Levy has written an informative and engrossing story about the strength of the human spirit in the face of extraordinary adversity. This is hands-down one of the best books I’ve read in 2019.

Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition is due to be released on December 03rd, 2019

Labyrinth of Ice by Buddy Levy

This gripping story of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition in the 1880s will have you on edge from beginning to end. The harrowing tale of Adolphus Greely and his intrepid crew of twenty five men exploring the Arctic had me turning pages faster than I ever have for any book. Ever!

Survival is at the core, and later, while awaiting rescue, this group led by Lieutenant Greely will experience the highs and lows of Arctic exploration and endurance. How did anyone survive the below zero temperatures day after day? The darkness of winter? The eventual lack of food and water? The tedium in the wait for and uncertainty of rescue?

Secondary to Greely’s expedition in the Arctic are the rescue missions set to find Greely and his crew, eventually spurred on by Henrietta, Greely’s wife. Nothing is easy in this polar region. Will the rescue teams find Greely and his team in time to bring home survivors?

For lovers of well-told real life adventure stories, Labyrinth of Ice is a five star read you won’t easily forget.

A huge thanks to St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley.
I believe this is the book I've been waiting for! I've always been compelled to read about The Greely Expedition, but every book I've ever started was bogged down in facts. Facts are great, but I also need heart. The heart of the story isn't just facts, but it's the people. These crazy, brave men who had no experience of the Arctic, yet they somehow wanted to explore and leave their mark. I love reading about the Franklin Expedition, but there's that point where nothing else is known. They came, they saw and they all died. No research, only a few caches and no resolution. The Jeanette is my favorite Arctic story. Man, that's one hair raising tale! This book and real life story is just as hair raising and heartbreaking. I know this happened back in 1881 to 1884, but this author brought everyone alive for me. I will always admire these brave people who risked everything to discover what lies at the top of the world. The will to survive is astounding to me. Sadly, all this deadly beauty is disappearing. I don't know about others, but for me, it actually hurts my heart.
Excellent book.

5 stars

This book is the story of the 1881 – 1883 journey of the twenty-six brave men who undertook the journey to make the farthest North trek. For 300 years, the British have held the record. Now the determined Americans, led by Army officer Lieutenant Adolphus W. Greely have set out to break the record. They sail to the Arctic beginning in July 1881.

Lt. Greely's service so far has been in the West, building telegraph lines and suppressing Indian uprisings. He has never been to the Arctic, but has always been fascinated with it and has read everything published on the subject. He is excited to go. The twenty-five men of his team are comprised of a photographer, scientists, hunters, dog handlers, a doctor and regular military men.

The journey is arduous, but at first, they make good time and discover many fascinating things. They build a solid structure for their first winter and call it Fort Conger. The men have sufficient food and warmth to winter over the 120 days of darkness that are coming. They have managed to make the furthest North, but then things begin to go wrong. The camp is threatened by hungry wolves and the weather is extremely cold.

The following summer, the relief ship fails to show. The team sets out from Fort Conger and tries to head South. The rumblings among the men begin to show. Lt. Greely is a firm commander who believes in loyalty and discipline. He will tolerate no attempts to distract or foster the men to mutiny.

After numerous dangerous attempts to move South, the men wash up on a deserted beach to face their second winter. There they construct a makeshift tent and are very low on food. They will not make it unless they can catch some game or fish. The men are industrious though, and one devises a way to catch shrimp. Some of the men start stealing the precious dwindling stores making it even tougher on the rest.

This book is not a dry recitation of historical facts, but rather Levy infuses some personality into the men who undertook this perilous journey. Greely, while rather stern at first comes to realize that he must include the men in discussions prior to making decisions. Most of the time, the men come to realize that Greely's point of view is best, but some underlying grumbling continues. The descriptions of Levy's real-life characters infuse them with color and personality. The reader can see Brainard's thought processes, or Henry's, or the two native Greenlander's. Mr. Levy does a very good job at this.

The book also shows the copious research that the author put into this book. He also has an extensive bibliography at the end of the book for those who want to explore this subject further. This book is very interesting and very well written. This is my first Buddy Levy book, and I immediately went to Amazon to look at his other books.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable history of an Arctic exploration to read, enjoy and review.