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Summary: Kirkus Reviews 6/15/98
Review: "A thoughtful, elegant portrait of risky business, focusing on rock climber and leaper Dan Osman, and with much startling autobiographical material from Atlantic Monthly contributor Todhunter. Todhunter finds in Osman not just a fascinating sporting figure--a man who routinely climbs hellacious rock faces; puts up routes with what appear to be loopholes in the laws of gravity; ascends blue helixes of sheer ice, then frequently leaps from the top, secured by climbing ropes. He's a bit of an outlaw, but with a thirst for the beauty of a graceful line. He is also someone whose pursuit of fear Todhunter can relate to, a gauge by which he measures his own reckless youth and considers his options as fatherhood bears down on him. Todhunter deliberates upon the pursuit of risk, and questions whether extreme sport constitutes a betrayal of our emotional and economic dependents, where, in a curious turn, the ethics of the sport--to cut a fine mortal edge--becomes unethical ! ! behavior. But these deep ruminations never become ponderous. Todhunter is always brought back to the simple Zen beauty of hard climbing. He writes with unequaled skill about the art of making a one-finger lunge for a pocket with precisely enough force to match the apex of a jump. The aesthetics, etiquette, and pecking order of the climbing community; the sheer joy of climbing, of deploying a quiver of grips, exploring the nuances of the rock to score an artful ascent. Yet all through the story the question is raised of abusing the Fates' generosity, of whether the next challenge--a jump from a bridge, a bouldering problem that is ominously consequential--will be one too many. Classic participant-observer journalism--informed and heady--that brightly illuminates the strange, enthralling world of risk sports.
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Summary: Dan Osman, November 23, 1998
Review: Dan Osman died on a fall. Here is the National Park Service Report, posted on rec.climbingNovember 24, 1998 FATAL FALL IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK Daniel Eugene Osman, a 35 year old climber from Reno, Nevada, died yesterday after falling from the "Leaning Tower" in Yosemite National Park. Osman fell approximately 1200 feet while attempting a controlled free fall. Rangers responded to a 911 call at 6:30 p.m. yesterday evening and found Osman's body in an inaccessible area at the base of Leaning Tower. Efforts to recover the body are underway today. The cause of the accident is under investigation. Although a controlled free fall uses climbing equipment, it is not an activity traditionally associated with the sport of climbing. Due to the high risk nature of this activity, it is being evaluated for its appropriateness within a national park. This is the fifth accidental death in the park this year.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent.
Review: Dano and I climbed for years together . His ability to teach was untouched by any climber I had climbed with. In my days as a climber i have seen no other climber challenge Dans ethics and dedication ,Dan is the worlds best in my eyes . The book didnt go far enough . Dans life was much more than a book could ever hold . I miss him dearly, I love you dan , Keep the spirit and fly forever.
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Summary: can only give my brother dan the best posible review
Review: Dano and I climbed for years together . His ability to teach was untouched by any climber I had climbed with. In my days as a climber i have seen no other climber challenge Dans ethics and dedication ,Dan is the worlds best in my eyes . The book didnt go far enough . Dans life was much more than a book could ever hold . I miss him dearly, I love you dan , Keep the spirit and fly forever.
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Summary: It takes an arcane sport and makes it accessible
Review: Fall of the Phantom Lord is as real as any book I've read. Reading it, even this non-climber could practically feel his face pressed up against the face of the rock. Todhunter gets up close and personal on the subject of risk. He sees the lure of high risk climbing as a cross between a noble challenge and a dangerous personal addiction, especially for climbers with loved ones waiting at the foot of the mountain. He makes you wonder, as he puts it,"at what point do statatistically hazardous, entirely elective pastimes become unethical? To what degree do we owe our self-preservation to those whom we profess to love.And if we do hold back, do we then betray ourselves?" Grown-up questions all, with no easy answers.
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Summary: A fascinating, simple man worth reading about
Review: I became fascinated with mountain climbing after reading about the Everest climbs. This book was even better. Osman is a fascinating individual completely consumed with rock climbing. His feats of free-fall are bizarre and will leave you mezmerized. But if you test fate too much, bad things happen. While rock climbing is the center of this book, Osman was more than a climber. It's interesting to a guy who works at least 8 hours a day to read about a man who works only to support his "rock climbing habit". Osman was also a unique individual and I feel for his daughter having to grow up without this unique individual in her life.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating, simple man worth reading about
Review: I became fascinated with mountain climbing after reading about the Everest climbs. This book was even better. Osman is a fascinating individual completely consumed with rock climbing. His feats of free-fall are bizarre and will leave you mezmerized. But if you test fate too much, bad things happen. While rock climbing is the center of this book, Osman was more than a climber. It's interesting to a guy who works at least 8 hours a day to read about a man who works only to support his "rock climbing habit". Osman was also a unique individual and I feel for his daughter having to grow up without this unique individual in her life.
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Summary: It's all about the author.
Review: I bought this book thinking it would be about Dan Osman (after all, he is the Phantom Lord). But at least half the book is about Todhunter himself. Todhunter (accurately) explains that he is not a famous climber, nor even anything special as a climber. And it becomes clear that he's nothing special in ANY extreme sport, and yet he's basically the focus of his book. We learn about Todhunter's childhood and parents (we never learn about Osman's childhood). We hear about Todhunter's gripping tales of top-roping (he never seems to lead anything). I wanted to read more about Dan! But the good news is: Todhunter is good at writing. His writing style is very compelling and crisp. This saved the book, for me.
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Summary: Phantom Lord Falls Short
Review: I bought this book with a desire to learn more about the mind behind the man, Dan Osman. I read the book prior to Osman's accidental death rope jumping in Yosemite. I thought the book was an ok casual read, but as a long time climber, I was annoyed at the continual attempts by Todhunter to "educate" the reader with the basics of climbing and ropework. It takes away from the message the book professed to relay. I thought Todhunter delved too much into his own background to draw conclusions about Osman's motivation and life. As a reader, I wanted to hear the message from Osman himself as Todhunter was able to learn over a two year period. For people looking for GOOD writing about climbing, motivations, and feelings, go out and buy yourself any book written by David Roberts. He is a far better writer.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent.
Review: I had a hard time putting this book down and thought about nothing else for the few days I was reading it. Absolutely mesmerizing! As a newbie, I appreciated the intro to the lingo of the rock-climbing world. Todhunter's writing was excellent and I enjoyed the contrasting of his own life with his experiences with Dan Osman. Dano was pure inspiration to me. I was shocked when I found out he was dead. Although it is sad for his family and friends that he has died, strangely enough I don't feel sad for him because he died doing what he loved and living his life to the fullest (may we all live so fully!). I do feel sad that there is less beauty in the world now that he is gone. Read the book and you will see!
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