The Surfacing - Softcover

James, Cormac

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1908737980 ISBN 13: 9781908737984

Publisher: Sandstone Press Ltd, 2014

Synopsis

THE SURFACING is set largely on board a ship in the 1850s, searching for Franklin's lost expedition. It's a challenging and dangerous endeavour in a very male world - that is until Morgan, the second-in-command of the Impetus, realises there is a pregnant stowaway on board and that he is the father. It is too late to turn back, the ice is closing in, and the child will have to be born into the vast and icy wilderness of the Arctic. The men, especially the ship's doctor, DeHaven, and the second in command, Lieutenant Morgan, have doubts about the judgement of their captain, and soon their own vessel becomes trapped in the remote Arctic. THE SURFACING is in places quite literally breathtaking. It is a powerful novel of isolation and impasse, resilience and resistance, exploring the battle between man and an unforgiving environment, and the struggle between the sexes. The power of ambition, what drives human beings to take outrageous physical risks, the nature of courage, and of love - in an unforgettable setting, often bleak, sometimes beautiful, always conveyed in brilliant, keenly pared prose.
And in addition to Kitty and Morgan and the rest of the crew, the ice itself forms an extraordinary character in its own right - sometimes shifting, sometimes stubborn, mostly treacherous.

About this title

About the Author

Cormac James was born in Cork, Ireland. A graduate of the UEA Creative Writing MA, he has published short fiction in Columbia, Phoenix Irish Short Stories, and The Dublin Review. His first novel, Track and Field, was published in 2000. He lives in Montpellier, France, with his wife and son

Edition details

• Publisher: Sandstone Press Ltd
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1908737980
• ISBN 13: 9781908737984
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352