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Rating: 
Summary: Trial by Ice by Richard Parry
Review: Four stars for the research and the history, one star for the author's attempt to describe their environement. This is an interesting account of the Hall North Pole attempt. For me, the major problem is the flowery descriptions of the weather and landscape he throws in: "The icy breath of the iceberg chilled their lungs.." "The only signs of light consisted of scattered ribbons of violet and purple fluttering briefly behind the sable mountains."Come on, this is history. The descriptions the author has chosen to add to spice up the book were very hard for me to wade through. I almost gave up because of them, but instead, decided to skip-over and ignore the flowery descriptions and concentrate on what the crew went through and survived!
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable reading
Review: I am a avid reader of Non-fiction only so when I find a book that can combine fact with good reading i highly recommend it. The author did an excellent job presenting the facts while adding interest in the use of his words. Good riviting story that i couldn't put down.
Rating:
Summary: Astonishing work by Richard Parry
Review: I did not expect to find "Trial by Ice" so good.
Using very colorful and vivid writing style, author presents events during the ill-fated polar expedition. Action takes place on the deck of steamer Polaris, along the north/west Greenland's shore and on the ice floes of Baffin Bay.
This is a classic tale of survival describing international motley crew of officers, seamen, scientists and Inuits fighting for their lives after Polaris destruction.
Without leadership and teamwork all efforts are difficult and dramatic. Dark human nature and low morality quite often prevails, hardship creates lack of loyalty, national partiality and racism.
This book has an extra flavor - elements of crime and detective story.
Writing and explanations are enhanced by author's scientific and medical knowledge combined with his experience of living in a harsh climate of Alaska. He knows what he is writing about.
The story of Polaris is just another example of how little we usually know about causes and reality of current political, criminal and social events. True facts and motives stay hidden and masked to be fully exposed and published at much later time.
I rank this book in the same category as "Wreck of the Medusa", "In the Heart of the Sea" and "South".
If Dr. Parry was as good surgeon as he is now a writer, then many patients must be missing his medical practice.
Rating:
Summary: Great True Crime Book
Review: It was a great book written by Richard Parry. The decription from the book was very well written and it felt as if you were there on the ship. It was full of surprises and it was amazing to see what the crew went through. Also, how the Captain Hall's murder was very unexpected. I would say this is one of the best books I have read this year. It is so addicting to read so you finish it in a short period. At the beginging it is slow because of the introduction but, it gets better after that.
Rating:
Summary: Historical True-crime
Review: Trial by Ice is very well written and gives you a history lesson you can't forget. Extremely well documented! If you liked The Alienist by Caleb Carr you will love this book.
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