The North Water cover art

The North Water

A major BBC TV series starring Colin Farrell, Jack O'Connell and Stephen Graham

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The North Water

By: Ian McGuire
Narrated by: John Keating
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About this listen

 A MAJOR BBC TV SERIES STARRING COLIN FARRELL, JACK O'CONNELL AND STEPHEN GRAHAM

A ship sets sail with a killer on board . . .

1859. A man joins a whaling ship bound for the Arctic Circle. Having left the British Army with his reputation in tatters, Patrick Sumner has little option but to accept the position of ship's surgeon on this ill-fated voyage. But when, deep into the journey, a cabin boy is discovered brutally killed, Sumner finds himself forced to act. Soon he will face an evil even greater than he had encountered at the siege of Delhi, in the shape of Henry Drax: harpooner, murderer, monster . . .

'A tour de force' Hilary Mantel

'Riveting and darkly brilliant' Colm Tóibín

'One of my favourite books ever' Richard Osman Drama & Plays European Genre Fiction Historical Literary Fiction Suspense Thriller & Suspense World Literature Fiction Adventure Polar Region Scary Sailing

Critic Reviews

'A stunning achievement, by turns great fun and shocking, thrilling and provocative. Behold: one of the finest books of the year' (James Kidd, Independent on The North Water)
'McGuire delivers one bravura set-piece after another . . . The North Water has, in places, a Conrad–Melville undercurrent, but for the most part it is Dickens’s influence that is most keenly felt . . . This is a stunning novel, one that snares the reader from the outset and keeps the tightest grip until its bitter end' (Financial Times on The North Water)
'Horrifically gripping. Such fine writing might have been lifted from the pages of Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick’ (Independent on Sunday on The North Water)
'Terrific, seamed with pitch black humour and possessed of a momentum that's kept up to the final, unexpected but resoundingly satisfying scene ... Inspired' (Stephanie Cross, Daily Mail on The North Water)
'As a storyteller, McGuire has a sure and unwavering touch, and he has engineered a superbly compelling suspense narrative . . . As a stylist, too, McGuire is never less than assured . . . a writer of exceptional craft and confidence' (Paraic O'Connell, Irish times on The North Water)
'Raw and compulsively readable . . . think The Revenant for the Arctic Circle' (The Millions on The North Water)
'Terse, grisly...Henry Drax, chief harpooner on board the Volunteer, is the dark presence around whom the novel revolves and what a presence. One thing’s for certain: like Moby Dick, this book is not about the fish.'
'This book is quite a ride . . . The powerful story and the riches of the setting do not romanticise the past' (Erica Wagner, New Statesman on The North Water)
'The North Water has exceptional power and energy' (Nick Rennison, Sunday Times on The North Water)
'A vivid read, full of twists, turns, period detail and strong characters . . . An enjoyable contrast to most literary fiction' (Robbie Millen, The Times on The North Water)
'Brilliant, fast-paced, gripping. A tour de force of narrative tension and a masterful reconstruction of a lost world' (Hilary Mantel on The North Water)
‘Riveting and darkly brilliant . . . The North Water feels like the result of an encounter between Joseph Conrad and Cormac McCarthy in some run-down port as they offer each other a long, sour nod of recognition. McGuire has an extraordinary talent’ (Colm Toibin, New York Times on The North Water)
'A novel that takes us to the limits of flesh and blood. Utterly convincing and compelling, remorselessly vivid and insidiously witty. A startling achievement' (Martin Amis on The North Water)
All stars
Most relevant
Fast paced, briliantly constructed and written. Every scene dripping with gore and all aspects of what man will do to survive their circumstanes. Well done

So good!

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Good story although the ending seemed a little rushed. Overall well worth the purchase as an enjoyable yarn!!

Great performance, absolutely superb

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Excellent novel about the harsh whaling trade and some of the overlooked behaviors aboard these old vessels. This novel won’t be for everyone as some content is harsh (sexual violence against a minor) however the story is exceptionally engrossing and aside from that, was quite an enjoyable read.

Brutal and driving story

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A refreshing, clever story. It has some interesting details about whale fishing. Humans can really be barbaric so be prepared for some ugly scenes. Overall I enjoyed it. It had a satisfying ending.

Gruesome

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Take themes right up there with Melville, the mastery pros of Hemingway, and mash with Bear Grills and you get The North Water. I cant describe how much I enjoyed this work of literature. By now I usually delete a finished audio book off my phone and move on to the next, but this time Iam starting The North Water a second time. Don't read about it in case you spoil the plot, as there are tons of turns and twists. Just get it and try to tell me that its not the best book so far in 2016. Anyone can enjoy this, those that like serious literature, those who like quick fun reads, and those of course that are fans of Moby Dick will especially be delighted. As you can guess Iam all three!!

Fantastic historical fiction

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