Madhouse at the End of the Earth

Has it all: Idealism, ingenuity, ambition, explosives, flimflammery, a colourful cast, a blank map, a three-month-long night, penguins (and medicinal penguin meat). A riveting tale, splendidly told

Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of THE WITCHES and CLEOPATRA

One of the most enthralling-and harrowing-adventure stories in years... An unforgettable tale brilliantly told

Scott Anderson, bestselling author of LAWRENCE IN ARABIA

The next great contribution to polar literature. A wild tale, so well told and immersively researched

Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE

Artfully constructed, written with evenly-paced poise and with a kind of dread-filled assurance, it grips from first sentence to last

Lawrence Osborne, international bestselling author of THE FORGIVEN

A riveting true-life horror story ... an obscure but important history transformed by deep research and note-perfect storytelling into a classic thriller

Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of STEVE JOBS and LEONARDO DA VINCI

A mesmerizing, unputdownable read... an epic of Antarctic exploration

Nathaniel Philbrick, author of IN THE HEART OF THE SEA and VALIANT AMBITION

[A] riveting history... A rousing, suspenseful adventure tale

Kirkus Reviews

A riveting account...well-researched and enthralling

Publishers Weekly

The savage beauty of the antarctic landscape grips. The writing is exacting, compelling and compassionate.

The Literary Review

Exquisitely researched and deeply engrossing

New York Times

Utterly enthralling

Geoff Dyer, Guardian

The energy of the narrative never flags... Mr. Sancton has produced a thriller, and a welcome addition to the polar shelves

Sara Wheeler, Wall Street Journal

A "grade-A classic" that's feverishly compelling ... this story has everything

Sunday Times

An epic of survival. A mixture of chaos and great courage; part Monty Python sketch, part real-life heroics

Michael Palin

A brilliant, vivid piece of writing that should be read by all who care about heroism, courage, ingenuity and endurance... it is adventure to the max, and peopled by wonderful characters. As soon as you finish, you want to read it again

Roger Alton, Daily Mail

Considering that much of Madhouse at the End of the Earth is about moribundity, Sancton does well to make each page exciting - "murder, suicide, starvation, insanity, icy death and all the acts of the devil"

Roger Lewis, Telegraph *****

'A splendid, beautifully written book'

Owen Matthews, The Spectator

This is an epic of exploration, a brilliantly vivid piece of writing told by a natural storyteller

Daily Mail

Julian Sancton's impressive research and incisive writing style ensures that this lockdown story grips like the pack ice

Yachting Monthly

The story of the Belgica has been told before, but never so brilliantly. Madhouse at the End of the Earth belongs at the heights of polar literature

The Times