Empire of Ice and Stone is just, wow! The grit and determination of the crew and scientists on the Karluk, Arctic expedition, is astounding. The author illuminates the ingenuity and leadership that led to their rescue. I find it amazing that anyone survived. A harrowing and groping true story.

**Thank you NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this novel.

What a tour de force of determination and perseverance! The Karluk, a ship exploring the Arctic Ocean in 1913, becomes icebound and eventually sinks. I so enjoyed getting to know the men and one woman, Auntie, on that ill-fated ship. At first I was confused as so many were introduced, but then they all were brought to life within these pages. As I would not have been able to live given their harrowing stories, I was, at times, crying and sobbing for them, especially Mamen.
I so appreciate the wealth of knowledge Buddy Levy has about polar expeditions and can only imagine the time he spent poring over the diaries these men kept in order to so seamlessly tell their story. The suffering they endured made me feel so guilty throwing any scrap of food away.
The original head of this particular expedition, in my humble opinion, should have gone directly to jail instead of receiving awards and leading future expeditions. His life was all about himself. His successor, Bartlett, was the polar opposite leader and never gave up, even faced with insurmountable odds, eventually finding those stalwart survivors.
Many many thanks to Buddy Levy for sharing the crew of the Karluk’s incredible fate, St. Martin’s Press for publishing this tome, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just published book.

Gripping and mesmerizing!

I absolutely LOVED this book! The artic exploration undertaken by Vilhjalmur Stefansson was doomed from the start. Although Captain Bob Bartlett had some misgivings about how things were being done, he continued through with the commitment that he had made - not only to the trip, but to the men that were along on the fated voyage.

As the Karluk became encased in ice, Stefansson departed, taking the cowards way out of the situation, and leaving the men on the ship to their fate. He never thought about going back for them, or looking for survivors. He was only thinking of himself and the glory that he was so fleetingly chasing. Bartlett saw the mission through, although he spent months worrying about the people he had left behind in the ice. He had to find help, and fast. If he was not able to get help, then everyone would perish.

This book was amazing from start to finish. The compelling story gave an inside account of the men, their thoughts, and the occurrences that happened as they waited for rescue. The amazing fortitude and will to survive their predicament was palpable, and you could almost feel their desperation as you read through the pages.

5 captivating epic stars

I had not heard of the Karluk, its crew, or the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1913. Empire of Ice and Stone was a fascinating read/ listen. Non-stop adventure and problems, fighting for one’s life in the unforgiving arctic, hunger, travel, cold and pain: Buddy Levy’s extensively researched account captivated and entertained. Though details from diaries and first-person accounts abound, the narrative remains lively throughout. Like the best books, it made me want to learn more – and I looked for photos of the ill-fated voyage and survivors. (I wish a few had been included in the book.) I particularly appreciated the follow-up on what happened to the main protagonists.

I appreciated the author’s list of resources, the index, NOTES, etc. Buddy Levy has outstanding writing and organizational skills. A huge amount of resourced material flows into a superb narrative. Highly recommended for men and women who enjoy well-told tales. I hope they make a documentary of this.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for accepting my request to read and review Empire of Ice and Stone.

Author: Buddy Levy
Published: 12/06/22
Genre: History -- Nonfiction (Adult)

Ice versus ego, okay the book involves a bit more than that. More than one hundred years later, we can sit back with hindsight and judge men and their thirst for discovery.

The Karluk and its crew was one of a few ships who set off for the Arctic Ocean. The results are devastating. By today's standards their equipment was less than primitive. Surprisingly, not everyone dies. The cold, ice, food supplies, clothing and accommodations are so bad, at times it's embarrassingly awkward to read. And yet, as a reader, like the men I forged on. Scientists were able to collect data under these extreme circumstances that is used today. There are heartbreaking details of illness and the primitive medicine they had at their disposal.

I found the battle of their minds the cruelest parts of the journey. The ice plays tricks on them, their own brains scatter what they know to be true. Inside the men on the Karluk, as well as other ships around that time, was a strength to be respected and never forgotten.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for accepting my request to read and review Empire of Ice and Stone.

Author: Buddy Levy
Published: 12/06/22
Genre: History -- Nonfiction (Adult)

Ice versus ego, okay the book involves a bit more than that. More than one hundred years later, we can sit back with hindsight and judge men and their thirst for discovery.

The Karluk and its crew was one of a few ships who set off for the Arctic Ocean. The results are devastating. By today's standards their equipment was less than primitive. Surprisingly, not everyone dies. The cold, ice, food supplies, clothing and accommodations are so bad, at times it's embarrassingly awkward to read. And yet, as a reader, like the men I forged on. Scientists were able to collect data under these extreme circumstances that is used today. There are heartbreaking details of illness and the primitive medicine they had at their disposal.

I found the battle of their minds the cruelest parts of the journey. The ice plays tricks on them, their own brains scatter what they know to be true. Inside the men on the Karluk, as well as other ships around that time, was a strength to be respected and never forgotten.

This is not a novel. This is well-researched and documented account of history. The historical era is one of personal interest to me; the author mentions Madhouse at the End of the Earth by Julian Sancton (My best read of 2020.) this shows the mental fight as well. Both are impressive reads given what they knew, what they had, and what they hoped to achieve.

What would prompt grown men to want to sail into the Arctic poorly clothed! This book reminds me of the adventures of Ernest Shackleton! Captain Bartlett is a true hero. He led his crew to safety. Unfortunately some of the members wanted to have their own way and this resulted in their deaths. Bartlett’s journey across the ice saved the remainder of the crew. What A great read! and a must read... fascinating, harrowing, and truly one of the greatest adventures I had Never! heard of. It's an education, reading this story, for anyone who loves true life tales! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the arc. I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Buddy Levy delivers a well-crafted true story that reads like an action-adventure novel. This meticulously researched book follows Captain Bob Bartlett and the scientists and crew of the Karluk, part of the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1913, under the leadership of the entrepreneurial explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson. As with many early Arctic adventures, things did not go to plan.

The Expedition set off, in part, to explore the Arctic waters north of Canada in search of potential new lands between the mainland and the north pole. As envisioned by Stefansson, the Expedition would split into two parts. The Karluk would support the Northern Party exploring the seas and ice. Other ships would support a Southern Party that would mostly do anthropological and geological research among the northern islands of Canada’s Coronation Gulf (off the northern coast of today’s Nunavit).

Six weeks after launching from Victoria, with Stefansson aboard, the Karluk was caught in converging ice floes and beset. Trapped in the ice and unable to steer or maneuver on her own, she was subject to the movement of the ice floes.

At that point Stefansson decided, despite protest, that he should take a small group of men (including two of the best hunters, and the cameramen meant to record the Northern Party), and twelve of the best sled dogs on board, and set off. He headed landward, purportedly to hunt caribou to provide meat for the beset ship. The very next day a storm came up and pushed the ice surrounding the Karluk out to sea, putting an ever-widening gap between the ship and Stefansson. This was not an altogether unexpected result. By leaving when he did, Stefansson essentially abandoned the ship to its fate.

From that point the author tells the story of the heroism of Bartlett, the peril of those aboard the Karluk, and the cavalier carelessness of Stefansson. It is an extraordinary story.

Bartlett kept the people aboard the ship alive (all men except for one Inuit woman and her two children) and delivered all he could to landfall on Wrangel Island. He and Kataktovik (an Inuit hired to the crew as a hunter) then ventured back on to the ice to cross the sea in an attempt to communicate their peril to the world and find rescue.

Stefansson on the other hand, reasoned that the lost ship and all aboard were already dead, or if not then beyond rescue. Once on land he reunited with the Southern Party and chartered a new boat and crew to reconstitute his Northern Party. He made no attempt to determine the fate of the Karluk and did nothing to initiate a search or rescue operation.

Levy has done his research, and that includes scouring the diaries and written accounts of many of the Karluk survivors. Reading this book, you really feel as if you are right there alongside them as they adapt to conditions in order to survive - at first on the Arctic ice, and later on Wrangel Island. Some did not make it, and the fate of at least one crewman is still a subject of controversy to this day.

This is a fascinating account offering a clear contrast between the heroism of the captain and the selfish carelessness of the Expedition Leader. Even those who are not typically nonfiction fans will find a lot to like about this book.

RATING: I’ve read a diverse set of nonfiction books this year, and this one is near the top of my favorites. Five Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

NOTE: I received an advanced copy of this book from St Martin’s Press and NetGalley, and am voluntarily providing this review. The book goes on sale December 6, 2022.

Wow! A nonfiction book, that to me read like a suspenseful adventure fiction book. I kept wondering what would happen next to this group of people. The biggest mistake happened at the beginning with the head of the expedition. From that mistake things just snowballed.

Well researched and very interesting. I liked that Levy wrote in away that made me feel like I was there on the journey. His description of the ice and snow was amazing. I literally felt cold to the bone at times.

If you like nonfiction, this is a must read. If you like suspenseful adventure genre, I think you would enjoy this book.

Published December 6, 2022

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press and McMillan Books for the Kindle Version ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#netgalley
#stmartinspress
#mcmillian

😊 Happy Reading 📚😊

Title: Empire of Ice and Stone
Author: Buddy Levy
Release Date: December 6th, 2022
Page Count: 426
Start Date: November 24th, 2022
Finish Date: December 5th, 2022

Review:

I was actually surprised to find that this book was nonfiction. I was expecting a fantasy novel of some kind. Or something similar at the least. I really enjoyed the book anyway. I feel like I learned a lot about an expedition that I had never heard about until now. There was only one part of the book that I didn't really care for. I won't get into the details, but it was a very gory thing that happens in a pack of dogs. I really wish I could unread it and get it out of my brain. Because of this and other things that happen through the book, I do caution being aware of triggers before getting into it. There are references of violent incidents that happen through the entire expedition. This includes animal violence.

Empire of Ice and Stone retells the story of the failed Karluk expedition to the Artic. The Karluk was captained by Bob Bartlett. The expedition leader was Vilhjalmur Stefansson. Both men were famous artic explorers of the early 1900s. In the beginning of the journey Stefansson was separated permanently from the group leaving Captain Bartlett to deal with a snowball of calamities that would leave several of the crew stranded on a remote Siberian island and cost others their lives. Once Stefansson was separated, he essentially abandoned the Karluk and made no move to rescue them assuming everyone was lost at sea.

Most of the book spans about one year from the time the Karluk gets trapped in the polar ice to the rescue of what remained of the crew a year later after they endured a frigid polar winter. At first, they were able to exist on the frozen ship, but it eventually sunk. Then they were able to camp near the shipwreck, but had to leave the camp in order to find land or they would not have survived the winter. After the crew made it to land they contended with lack of resources and growing mental degradation of the crew members.

Captain Bartlett, the hero of the story, provides an interesting study in leadership. As the crew’s situation gets more dire, he tries to stay one step ahead of problems he knew would be on the horizon. This includes being constantly prepared to abandon the Karluk at any moment in case it sunk, storing supplies in strategic places as they journeyed to the island, carefully deploying crew members to scout, and embarking on his own dangerous journey across hundreds of miles of the Artic to try to find a ship to go back and rescue the stranded crew.

Not only is the content substantive, but the story is superbly told by Buddy Levy. There are no boring moments in the book and he injects enough dry humor to make what could be a very depressing story a little lighter. This is a difficult trick for authors to pull off, but Levy does it well. Empire of Ice and Stone would make any excellent addition to any library and perfect holiday gift. This review is based on receipt of an advanced review copy.

This non-fiction book tells the story of one of the last Arctic explorations in 1913. It is a harrowing account of survival against all odds. The vivid description made me feel the extreme cold, hunger and deprivation of this group. Captain Bartlett is a heroic leader who won’t give up until he sees most of his team rescued.

This book is about the Arctic exploration lead by the famous and greatest navigator Captain Bob Bartlett. Although this book is based on non fiction, the writing made me picture the situations. Writing style is amazing and it captures one of the disastrous expeditions in great details

An Ill Fated Arctic Expedition

In 1913 looking for fame and fortune, Vihjalmur Stefansson decided that being an explorer was the route he would take. At first he thought of an African expedition, but when an Arctic adventure became available he jumper at it. He hired a well known Arctic explorer, Captain Robert Bartlett, to head the expedition. They left Canada on the Karluk. The ship had seen better days, but Stefansson decided that she would do well enough.

The voyage took place late enough in the season that before they reached their destination, ice enclosed the ship making further progress impossible. Stefansson took most of the able bodied men and the dogs saying that he was going for help, but instead when he reached safety he said the others had probably gotten out also and sent no rescue parties. This left Bartlett and the remaining crew to fend for themselves on a boat mired in ice

This is a very well researched and beautifully written book telling a true story of courage and also one of self-serving connivance. The story is historically accurate and filled with detail. The use of diaries from the members of the expedition was particularly helpful in understanding who the members of the expedition were and how they reacted to the way the expedition ended.

Although the book is an historical adventure, the best part is the character development. Captain Bartlett and Stefansson were quite different leaders. The book is a much a case study of leadership as it is of Arctic exploration. I highly recommend this book.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

As someone who can't seem to get enough of reading about polar expeditions and stories of exploration in general (in any climate), I knew Empire of Ice and Stone would be a must-read for me as soon as I saw it. This is an incredible account of the Karluk's 1913 expedition to the Arctic and the many trials that plagued the men on this journey, along with successes and triumphs in a variety of forms.

What I liked: Buddy Levy's research for Empire of Ice and Stone is impeccable and he includes an incredibly thorough accounting of all components of the story, from backgrounds of prominent figures to the planning stages to the long, arduous journey itself. I thought Levy wove all of this information into a very coherent and engaging narrative that I found easy to follow along with. No matter how many polar or general exploration expeditions I read about, I will never fail to be dumbfounded by either the lack of planning or the response to the discovery of a problem as "eh, we'll be fine" that seems so common among these leaders (looking at you, Vilhjalmur Stefansson). I really enjoyed learning about Captain Bob Bartlett, and since I always love observing various leadership styles I was pleased to see that Levy highlighted this throughout the book. I also found myself fully invested in many of the people involved in these expedition because of how well Levy portrayed their personalities and actions while out on the ice, and this is part of what really made this book such a captivating story that made me feel as though I were out on the ice with them all (but not really, because that would suck, let's be honest).

What I didn't like: I don't really have any complaints! I thought this was really compelling, well-written and researched, and because of that I'm not sure what to say as a negative. The expedition itself is pretty long and not always the most exciting, so I could see things maybe dragging a little bit at times, but I didn't find this to be much of an issue.

This is a book you didn't know you needed to read.
A book that reads like fiction, but is 100% true [which, as you read, is often terrifying to realize].
A book of adventure, exploration, daring, and amazing courage in the face of extraordinary conditions no one should survived.
A book that will make you queasy and uncomfortable.
A book that will 100% piss you off [All the absolutely horrific decisions that [the so-called] CAPTAIN Stefansson {WHO is a real piece a work and who IMO can be blamed for all that happens} makes and continues to make while people are suffering and dying would make a dead person angry].
A book that will make you ugly cry [and if you don't, you might actually be the dead person mentioned before] at so many points [so many unneeded deaths].
And a book that will absolutely make you believe in the strength and courage and the deep abiding love and friendship that grows between people who are in the most direst of straights and wish and hope that you have men [and one amazing woman who I am in complete and total awe of] of this caliber on your side if and when you encounter the worse that life can throw at you.

Thank you for writing this Mr. Levy and bringing this story to light - people need to know about this and the amazing men that survived this horrific ordeal. Well done.

I was grateful to receive an audiobook ARC for this book as well. Will Damron is one of my favorite narrators at the moment and he tells this story superbly. I highly recommend listening to this outstanding audiobook when picking up this book to read. You will absolutely not be sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley, Buddy Levy, Will Damron - Narrator, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fascinating story of another ill-fated Arctic exploration expedition who should probably have known better. The year is 1912-1913, and this time a few of the men involved in the trip have actually been to either the Arctic and/or the Antarctic before. They've read about the doomed Jeannette and the Greely expedition that went looking for it. But this group of scientists decided it's a good idea to go off with the highly persuasive Stefansson to perform a wide range of scientific studies even though Stefansson is making a very hurried trip and not really planning things the way he should be. Ship's captain Bartlett has the experience to handle almost anything the ice and winters of the Arctic can throw at him, but his crew is mostly young and inexperienced, not of his own choosing. Between the flaky, dreamy Stefansson and the determined realist Bartlett, the fate of the crew of the Karluk depends.

Levy wrote "Labyrinth of Ice" and is now back in terrifying waters for another expedition. This trip wasn't as claustrophobically horrific as I've found other icebound voyages, for which I thank Captain Bartlett, but Levy brings the challenges, tragedies, and triumphs of the Karluk's crew to life in gripping ways. Well written, I definitely recommend "Empire of Ice and Stone" for those fascinated with Polar exploration and ill fated voyages.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A nail-biting recounting of a doomed Arctic expedition at the turn of the 20th century, and this dark but inspiring tale of a group of sailors and scientists takes us deep into the Arctic and across the icy expanse. The tale is infuriating, but Levy tempers it with engaging details and piercing personal experience.

WOW.... How did anyone survive this journey?!

Performing extensive research, gathering notes from diaries, news files, and investigations, Buddy Levy does an absolutely amazing job of piecing together the story of the sinking of the Karluk during an Arctic Expedition. Rather than merely reporting facts, he focuses on the bravery, self-sacrifice, and the life-or-death importance of the decisions made by the main characters.

He also documents the difference between the leadership of the crew (Captain Bartlett) and the leader of the scientific team (Vilhjalmur Stefansson) could not be more pronounced. Bartlett leads by example, and takes his responsibility for the ship and each soul aboard her very seriously. Stefansson leads by title only, and is concerned for his own safety and glory, leaving the ship as soon as possible when things get rough.

Though the writing at the beginning struck me as dry, Levy is so adept at depicting the conditions, the characters of the individuals making up the crew and scientific team, and the fateful decisions that were made at each step of the journey, that I soon found myself quite captivated. It was easy to imagine myself on board, feeling that blasted cold and damp with them.

An outstanding book, worth more than the five star limit available.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for allowing me to rean ARC of the book via NetGalley. All opinions expressed here are my own and are given freely.

Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Journey of the Karluk by Buddy Levy is the true and harrowing story of the ill-fated 1913 Canadian Arctic Expedition and the two men who would define it. It was the summer of 1913 when Captain Bob Bartlett, the world’s greatest living ice navigator, took the wooden-hulled Karluk and its crew to the Arctic Ocean. The expedition was fueled by the flamboyant Vihjalmur Stefansson, a man who had vision, ambition and hunger for fame. After six weeks, giant ice formed about the ship, trapping her and her crew, Stefansson would leave for a hunting trip, only to never return. Twenty-two men and an Inuit woman with two small daughters were left on board. They would look to Captain Bartlett and his leadership for their survival. He would make a difficult and courageous decision. Would his plan work? Will they survive the harsh Polar environment?
I don’t know much about the expeditions to the icy regions of Earth but I have heard of some of the men made famous from these adventures. The expedition of the Karluk and the men in charge was a story I hadn’t heard before. Set at a time of great expeditions and discoveries, as well as historical events like the Titanic disaster and World War I, Empire of Ice and Stone is the story of two men and their very different leadership ideas. One would be selfless, the other self-serving. One would be remembered as a hero and the other would be vilified. From bad decisions and hurried organization, in the search for fame and glory, the journey of the Karluk and her crew were truly doomed from the start. Empire of Ice and Stone is a very interesting historical book filled with the words of the men who were there. I highly recommend Empire of Ice and Stone.

Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Journey of the Karluk
is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

If you are looking for a story that has all the suspense of a thrilling novel yet is a gripping account of an actual event, look no further. Author Buddy Levi’s “Empire of Ice and Stone” will fulfill all your expectations.

This is a story that will pull you in, and as the author reveals the chain of events one can sense future danger hang over the expedition right from the very start. This is Nature at its strongest, and at times the expedition could do nothing but make an educated guess when each problem arose and then wait for the answer from the ice and cold. From the beginning there is no doubt who the antagonist is, and it is scary that this faceless force with the benign name could wreak so much havoc on a small group. Over and over I kept telling myself that it couldn’t get any worse…and then it did.

Taken from the accounts of the people who endured this ordeal, “Empire of Ice and Stone” is a book that I devoured in just a few days. There is always something going on or a new danger around the bend to keep readers glued to its pages. Highly recommended. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.