Thin Air

By: Michelle Paver

Narrated by: Daniel Weyman

Chosen for Simon Mayo's Radio 2 Book Club, this is the chilling new ghost story from the best-selling author of Dark Matter.

The Himalayas, 1935.

Kangchenjunga. Third-highest peak on earth. Greatest killer of them all.

Five Englishmen set off from Darjeeling, determined to conquer the sacred summit. But courage can only take them so far - and the mountain is not their only foe.

As the wind dies, the dread grows. Mountain sickness. The horrors of extreme altitude. A past that will not stay buried.

And sometimes, the truth does not set you free.

©2016 Michelle Paver (P)2016 Orion Publishing Group Limited

A Triumph

Every review said this one was good, but not as good as Dark Matter. Maybe it’s different strokes for different folks, but I felt Thin Air was the more frightening of the two.

The story was horrifying, the setting was bleak, and the atmosphere gave me an unsettled feeling that I won’t shake immediately.

I listen to a lot of horror, and I am almost unshakable. This shook me.

Bone Chilling

Bone chilling atmospheric book. Similar to Dark Matter by Paver but still would recommend. Makes you feel like you are there.

Intense Story Brought to Life by Narrator

This was a fabulous read. Michelle Paver's a genuinely talented writer who writes such a tight yet compelling story. And the way she describes the isolation, the fear, and frost of this expedition is superb - I found myself squinting my eyes against the harsh, snowy winds whenever mentioned. Her writing of the psychological horror was well done as well, as I felt like I was losing my mind with Steven towards the end of the story.
While Michelle Paver's writing is powerful, Daniel Weyman's narration of this story only elevates it. He made me believe he was Steven and every thought and word from Steven was his own. And that ending? Heartbreaking - Daniel Weyman's narration left me feeling every bit as bereft and broken as his character.

Atmospheric and Wonderful

Paver does winter horror so well!! Loved this even more than Dark Matter (which I also loved). Narration is perfect!

One of my favorite listens so far…

The story is so intense and immersive. The guy reading this makes you feel like you’re inside the story. He reads with the perfect tension and expression. He brings each character to life so well!

Gripping

I was worried this would be a cookie cutter story to match how great Dark Matter was. the synopsis sounded somewhat copy and paste. I'm so glad I chose to listen to Thin Air. It stand up well by itself and while yes it has matching themes to Dark Matter, it was wonderfully written and greatly enjoyable. I am adding this book to my favorites shelf.

Amazing I just wish it was longer

I binged through this and was very happy. I could have listened for twice as long and still he enthralled

Thoroughly enjoyed the story

I just finished this audible book on a long drive; it was thoroughly entertaining and the final chapters demanded your attention as the story came to a climax.

An truly great ghost story

Thin Air was a very well written ghost story. Like with Dark Matter, Paver did an excellent job of writing an origional ghost story that was spooky, engaging, and though provoking while avoiding cheap tropes. She also did a great job of steering clear of cheesy storytelling that is so common in Horror fiction in an attempt to make their story more frightening. While scary things do occur in Thin Air, Paver did a great job of using the atmosphere to build an evergrowing sense of dread and despair.

Like many of my favorite stories it is written in such a way that it sounds like a true story. You can even follow along on the map as it all takes place in real places. While not as scary as Dark Matter, this was truly a great ghost story.

Good run-up to Halloween

As an example of the fantastique, this is a great recent contribution. Could be a psycho thriller, or did that bag really move? At first I was worried that I was too rational to feel pulled in to the horror. Once the narrator is on his own, the tension ramps up.

The setup chapters kept reminding me of Rudyard Kipling's "Kim" - both in style and detail.