The White Road Hardcover – 4 May 2017

This is my first book by Sarah Lotz, and I doubt it will be my last. I found this to be a real page-turner, and I raced through it during a recent winter break.The story follows the main character, Simon Newman, not a likeable character, to be honest. It starts with him undertaking a caving expedition, and while he is down there we find out why. We next follow him climbing Everest once again with an ulterior motive in mind.I've never wanted to venture into a cave and steer well away from those places that advertise it, and where you know at some point, they are going to turn the lights off to show you just how dark it gets underground. So the start of this book was decidedly unpleasant and particularly claustrophobic - think small spaces, every possibility of getting trapped, darkness and the possibility of flooding. Oh, and by the way, your tour guide seems to be a psychopath! While underground Simon has to confront his fears and becomes aware of a voice - pushing him on, yet the voice is malevolent and not a friendly guardian angel.Next up, we encounter Simon trying to climb Everest, and once again, we become aware of the third man concept, told initially through the eyes of a female climber. This part of the book felt a little disjointed at first, but it all falls into place as you keep reading.Bad things happen on Everest. The tension builds nicely, and I enjoyed the supernatural style elements of the book.I've also read Thin Air by Michelle Paver and there are definite similarities between these books.Some other reviewers have found the ending unsatisfactory, but I thought it was in keeping with the plot.Overall, I found this a darn good yarn, and I'm looking forward to other books by this author.

Very atmospheric book, well written, with a great sense of place. The scenes depicting the claustrophobia of caving were exceptional, and the mountain scenes pretty great also, reminiscent to an extent of some of the tremendous non-fiction mountaineering genre.The characters were well painted, including the secondary characters, who aren't just scenery along the way, but add an extra dimension, particularly in the Everest section.I easily galloped through the second half in a single two hour sitting as the momentum built. But not five stars because that tension and momentum reached a crescendo on the high slopes of Everest but then somewhat petered out in a lacklustre final third.The actual ending, the last two pages, were fine. A satisfying conclusion. But much of the final third was a bit pointless and could have been edited out, perhaps to create bandwidth for a more thorough exploration of the climactic revelation.Probably worth a read for lovers of the supernatural. A creepy book, occasionally intensely so, rather than a full on horror, but all the better for it. Not dissimilar to Michelle Paver's "Dark Matter", which I also liked, although The White Road was for me probably more accessible.

Super creepy and thought provoking. Not quite up there with her two previous books, but its well worth a read.It'll still send a decent chill up your spine.

Sarah Lotz is fast becoming my favourite author of late! Her writing is always so powerfully atmospheric, I actually felt claustrophobic in the caving scenes & I really felt Simon's anxiety throughout the book. The Everest parts were actually really interesting & technical - obviously a lot of research went into it all for this book and it showed. So creepy & dark, I loved it. I can't wait for her to write more!

Another superb novel from Sarah Lotz. Well crafted with engaging characters and genuine unease during reading. The dark twisting caves will linger with you long after you finished...

This is a strange book. Structurally a little odd and uneven and I never felt fully immersed in the story. Possibly I read it too soon after Michelle Paver's Thin Air (which is excellent)

good

Loved the book!! At Times had to put the book down as I could not bear the tension!! Great bookThank you!!!