"Read this astonishing novel . . . The magic of his prose equals the horror of Johnston's story." -The Washington Post The Rocky Mountains have cast their spell over the Courtlands, who are taking a family vacation before their daughter leaves for college. But when Caitlin and her younger brother, Sean, go out for an early morning run and only Sean returns, the mountains become as terrifying as they are majestic. Written with a precision that captures every emotion, every moment of fear, as each member of the family searches for answers, Descent races like an avalanche toward its heart-pounding conclusion. "A compelling thriller that is both creepy and literary . . . Descent is not just a mystery. It is an emotional story of evil, fear, acceptance and irony."-The Denver Post "What makes the novel unforgettable is its sense of character, its deliberate, unadorned prose and Johnston's unflinching exploration of human endurance, physical and psychological." -Miami Herald "A super-charged, addictive read." -The Missourian "An original and psychologically deep thriller." -Outside magazine "Outstanding . . . The days when you had to choose between a great story and a great piece of writing? Gone." -Esquire "[A] dazzling debut . . . Exquisitely crafted." -The Dallas Morning News "Incredibly powerful, richly atmospheric." -Minneapolis Star Tribune "[An] engulfing thriller-cum-western." -The New York Times Book Review "Brilliant . . . As gripping as any Everest expedition." -Peter Heller, author of The Dog Stars
The Rocky Mountains have cast their spell over the Courtlands, a young family from the plains taking a last summer vacation before their daughter begins college. For eighteen-year-old Caitlin, the mountains loom as the ultimate test of her runner's heart, while her parents hope that so much beauty, so much grandeur, will somehow repair a damaged marriage. But when Caitlin and her younger brother, Sean, go out for an early morning run and only Sean returns, the mountains become as terrifying as they are majestic, as suddenly this family find themselves living the kind of nightmare they've only read about in headlines or seen on TV.About the AuthorTim Johnston is the author of the novels Descent, The Current, the story collection Irish Girl, and the young adult novel Never So Green. He holds degrees from the University of Iowa and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is the recipient of the 2015 Iowa Author Award and currently lives in Iowa City, Iowa.
Book InformationISBN 9781616204778
Author Tim JohnstonFormat Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Algonquin BooksPublisher Workman Publishing
Weight(grams) 323g
Dimensions(mm) 208mm * 140mm * 26mm