Status
Available
Call number
Library's review
Arktis, pakisen, ca 1963
Den kolde krig er lige ved at blive varm. Sovjet og Vesten kappes. En britisk vejrstation, Zebra, er etableret på en stor isflade, men rammes af en brand og de overlevende skal reddes hurtigt, hvis de ikke skal fryse ihjel. En amerikansk atomdrevet U-båd, the Dolphin, med
Den første tredjedel af bogen går med at de af og til får en meget svag melding fra Zebra sendt ad omveje til dem. Til sidst får de en nogenlunde pejling og dykker ned under isen, finder en våge og kommer op til overfladen. Det fryser minus tredive grader og blæser 25 m/s, så det er ikke vejr til at brede badehåndklædet ud og slikke sol. Carpenter tager en virkelig god vinterudrustning inklusive en pistol og to magasiner ud fra sin kuffert og har tænkt sig helt alene at gå de 5 sømil over til de nødstedte. Kaptajn Swanson udpeger John Hansen og to andre Rawlings og Zabrinski som frivillige til at følge med og de fire går op på isen i den hylende snestorm. De når frem i live, men Zabrinski brækker anklen. Carpenter og Hansen skynder sig tilbage til ubåden for den er ved at dykke ned, ismaskinen er under reparation og både Zebras og Zabrinskis sender er ude af drift.
Det lykkes at komme ombord på Dolphin og de gør klar til at lade torpedorørene, da de på den dårlige måde opdager at der er åbent ud til havet. Ubåden tager vand ind og begynder at synke hurtigt. De når at slå dybderekorden, inden de kommer op igen. En af gasterne, Mills, døde da vandet trængte ind, men det var billigt sluppet. Ubåden sprænger sig op i en våge meget tæt på Zebra og får mad og medicin til de overlevende her. Carpenters bror er blandt de syv døde. Brændstoflageret på basen er eksploderet og brændt og i vindretningen er alt brændt og væk.
Carpenter undersøger de syv døde, men bliver afbrudt af Swanson, der ikke synes at Carpenters historie passer med hvad de har fundet på basen. Carpenter fortæller at han er fra efterretningstjenesten og har vidtgående beføjelser. Han viser også Swanson og Hansen at to af de dræbte er blevet skudt med en Mauser-pistol før de døde. Og fortæller at det hele drejer sig om et tophemmeligt lytteapparat, der var forbundet med en brintballon ti kilometer oppe. Swanson og Hansent tror på historien, der da også er så god at Carpenter selv er lige ved at tro på den. De sårede på nær to bliver bragt ombord på ubåden. Dr Benson falder ned fra ubådens tårn og rammer Jolly. Carpenter og Henry Baker går ned i medicindepotet, men Carpenter er ved at få lugen i hovedet, da de går op. Det koster ham brugen af et par fingre på venstre hånd.
Swanson er ikke begejstet over at have en morder eller to ombord, men Carpenter vil netop giver morderen tilpas med snor til at han kan fanges og give oplysninger om andre i sammensværgelsen. Under gulvet i den hytte, hvor de forbrændte lig blev samlet efter branden, finder Carpenter skjulte forsyninger, så hvem mon der foreslog at det lige skulle være den hytte? De to sidste sårede Brownell og Bolton bliver flyttet til ubåden og der gøres klar til afgang. Swanson og Carpenter havde fundet Mauser-pistolen og et par magasiner gemt i en benzintank på en traktor og inden afrejsen checker Carpenter det lige. Nogen har taget dem.
Ubåden dykker ned under isen og er på vej hjem, da der udbryder brand i maskinrummet. Luften bliver hurtigt dårlig og Bolton dør. Det er oliemættet isolering, der brænder og kuren er at få dem af rørene i maskinrummet og slukke den med brandslukkere, men det tager tid og de er alle tæt ved at dø, inden isoleringen er slukket og de kan starte reaktoren igen.
Det lykkes ved at starte dieselmotorerne selv om de er under isen, for udstødningsgassen ryger ud i vandet og trækker kulilte og kultveilte med sig, så de kan blæse ren luft ind. Efterfølgende samler Carpenter nogle af folkene til en lille konfrontation og afslører dr Jolly og Kinnaird som skurkene. Målet har været en lille pakke med negativer af billeder taget fra en russisk satellit. På grund af en fejlfyring kom satellitten ind i en bane, hvor den ikke kunne droppe filmpakken over russisk territorie. Filmen har af dr Jolly været skjult i Zabrinski's gipsbandage, men det har Carpenter opdaget og skiftet den med en optagelse af disney plakater.
Jolly og Kinnaird kan overgives til myndigheder og får sikkert dødsstraf for højforræderi, dvs ret summarisk rettergang og henrettelse kort efter ved hængning. Carpenter fortæller at hans rigtige navn er Halliwell og at en af de mænd, Jolly og Kinnaird myrdede, var hans storebror. Carpenter håber at bøddelen kludrer med rebet, så Jolly og Kinnaird får lov at sprælle i lang tid.
Ganske kompetent spion-thriller.
Den kolde krig er lige ved at blive varm. Sovjet og Vesten kappes. En britisk vejrstation, Zebra, er etableret på en stor isflade, men rammes af en brand og de overlevende skal reddes hurtigt, hvis de ikke skal fryse ihjel. En amerikansk atomdrevet U-båd, the Dolphin, med
Show More
orlogskaptajn James D. Swanson som kaptajn, får en dr Carpenter ombord og sætter kurs mod dem. Swanson har en løjtnant Hansen som næstkommanderende og checker Carpenters papirer grundigt inden han kommer med i varmen. Carpenter fortæller på tomandshånd Swanson at chefen på Zebra er hans bror. Men Carpenter omgås lidt skødesløst med sandheden på andre punkter, så gad vide om det også er løgn?Den første tredjedel af bogen går med at de af og til får en meget svag melding fra Zebra sendt ad omveje til dem. Til sidst får de en nogenlunde pejling og dykker ned under isen, finder en våge og kommer op til overfladen. Det fryser minus tredive grader og blæser 25 m/s, så det er ikke vejr til at brede badehåndklædet ud og slikke sol. Carpenter tager en virkelig god vinterudrustning inklusive en pistol og to magasiner ud fra sin kuffert og har tænkt sig helt alene at gå de 5 sømil over til de nødstedte. Kaptajn Swanson udpeger John Hansen og to andre Rawlings og Zabrinski som frivillige til at følge med og de fire går op på isen i den hylende snestorm. De når frem i live, men Zabrinski brækker anklen. Carpenter og Hansen skynder sig tilbage til ubåden for den er ved at dykke ned, ismaskinen er under reparation og både Zebras og Zabrinskis sender er ude af drift.
Det lykkes at komme ombord på Dolphin og de gør klar til at lade torpedorørene, da de på den dårlige måde opdager at der er åbent ud til havet. Ubåden tager vand ind og begynder at synke hurtigt. De når at slå dybderekorden, inden de kommer op igen. En af gasterne, Mills, døde da vandet trængte ind, men det var billigt sluppet. Ubåden sprænger sig op i en våge meget tæt på Zebra og får mad og medicin til de overlevende her. Carpenters bror er blandt de syv døde. Brændstoflageret på basen er eksploderet og brændt og i vindretningen er alt brændt og væk.
Carpenter undersøger de syv døde, men bliver afbrudt af Swanson, der ikke synes at Carpenters historie passer med hvad de har fundet på basen. Carpenter fortæller at han er fra efterretningstjenesten og har vidtgående beføjelser. Han viser også Swanson og Hansen at to af de dræbte er blevet skudt med en Mauser-pistol før de døde. Og fortæller at det hele drejer sig om et tophemmeligt lytteapparat, der var forbundet med en brintballon ti kilometer oppe. Swanson og Hansent tror på historien, der da også er så god at Carpenter selv er lige ved at tro på den. De sårede på nær to bliver bragt ombord på ubåden. Dr Benson falder ned fra ubådens tårn og rammer Jolly. Carpenter og Henry Baker går ned i medicindepotet, men Carpenter er ved at få lugen i hovedet, da de går op. Det koster ham brugen af et par fingre på venstre hånd.
Swanson er ikke begejstet over at have en morder eller to ombord, men Carpenter vil netop giver morderen tilpas med snor til at han kan fanges og give oplysninger om andre i sammensværgelsen. Under gulvet i den hytte, hvor de forbrændte lig blev samlet efter branden, finder Carpenter skjulte forsyninger, så hvem mon der foreslog at det lige skulle være den hytte? De to sidste sårede Brownell og Bolton bliver flyttet til ubåden og der gøres klar til afgang. Swanson og Carpenter havde fundet Mauser-pistolen og et par magasiner gemt i en benzintank på en traktor og inden afrejsen checker Carpenter det lige. Nogen har taget dem.
Ubåden dykker ned under isen og er på vej hjem, da der udbryder brand i maskinrummet. Luften bliver hurtigt dårlig og Bolton dør. Det er oliemættet isolering, der brænder og kuren er at få dem af rørene i maskinrummet og slukke den med brandslukkere, men det tager tid og de er alle tæt ved at dø, inden isoleringen er slukket og de kan starte reaktoren igen.
Det lykkes ved at starte dieselmotorerne selv om de er under isen, for udstødningsgassen ryger ud i vandet og trækker kulilte og kultveilte med sig, så de kan blæse ren luft ind. Efterfølgende samler Carpenter nogle af folkene til en lille konfrontation og afslører dr Jolly og Kinnaird som skurkene. Målet har været en lille pakke med negativer af billeder taget fra en russisk satellit. På grund af en fejlfyring kom satellitten ind i en bane, hvor den ikke kunne droppe filmpakken over russisk territorie. Filmen har af dr Jolly været skjult i Zabrinski's gipsbandage, men det har Carpenter opdaget og skiftet den med en optagelse af disney plakater.
Jolly og Kinnaird kan overgives til myndigheder og får sikkert dødsstraf for højforræderi, dvs ret summarisk rettergang og henrettelse kort efter ved hængning. Carpenter fortæller at hans rigtige navn er Halliwell og at en af de mænd, Jolly og Kinnaird myrdede, var hans storebror. Carpenter håber at bøddelen kludrer med rebet, så Jolly og Kinnaird får lov at sprælle i lang tid.
Ganske kompetent spion-thriller.
Show Less
Genres
Publication
[Kbh. ] : Gyldendal, 1977.
Description
A classic thriller from the bestselling master of action and suspense. The atomic submarine Dolphin has impossible orders: to sail beneath the ice-floes of the Arctic Ocean to locate and rescue the men of weather-station Zebra, gutted by fire and drifting with the ice-pack somewhere north of the Arctic Circle. But the orders do not say what the Dolphin will find if she succeeds - that the fire at Ice Station Zebra was sabotage, and that one of the survivors is a killer...
Media reviews
10 of the Greatest Cold War Spy Novels
“Scottish adventure specialist McLean offers up one of the best Cold War thrillers in the nuclear submarine sub-genre. About to depart on a supposed mission of mercy, Captain Swanson of the USS Dolphin is ordered to take along a British doctor to aid
“Scottish adventure specialist McLean offers up one of the best Cold War thrillers in the nuclear submarine sub-genre. About to depart on a supposed mission of mercy, Captain Swanson of the USS Dolphin is ordered to take along a British doctor to aid
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survivors of a fire-ravaged weather station on an Arctic ice floe. Though the conflict with the Soviets is subtler here than in the well-known 1968 film version, the Cold War is the real engine of the sub’s mission, the frostbite ‘doctor’ a British Intelligence agent, with Russian spies coming into play. Few could write the men-on-a-dangerous-mission adventure yarn better than McLean (The Guns of Navarone, 1957); this one is suggested by real events.” Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member thequestingvole
Ice Station Zebra by Alistair MacLean
I've always had a fondness for Alistair MacLean. My father would return home from work in Dublin City centre and leave his wool coat steaming in the hall. There was a second hand bookshop near the train station and he would stop off on Fridays and special
If reports were bad, these might mysteriously disappear. A little personal reconnaissance before the appointed hour was acceptable, but woe betide the Kinch minor that tried to snaffle one before his time. MacLean, Captain W.E. Johns, Richard Jeffries, Rosemary Sutcliff and a variety of boy detectives features a great deal. Henty was bigger and only came solo, as there was a limit to what Dad's pockets would hold. Curiously enough, I don't recall ever getting Ice Station Zebra.
The tale on the face of it is simple enough, there has been an accident at a British Antarctic Base and a US Navy Nuclear Submarine is dispatched to help. On board is Dr Carpenter, a mysterious Englishman, who is tasked with discovering what exactly occurred at the station.
As is traditional in an Alistair MacLean nothing is quite as it seems. Dr Carpenter, who is also a narrator, is revealed as steely eyed secret agent demonstrates the typical MacLean virtues of immense physical endurance, dogged determination and deeply cynical humour. There is no sex or romance in the story and comparatively little violence as the most brutal struggles of the book are pit man against the landscape. The nuclear submarine USS Dolphin is a prominent character in the action, this is not a techno-thriller in the Clancy mould. MacLean is far more interested in men than machines. This is a relatively short book, I read it over a day. It is also an old fashioned story in that it is one where things happen. There is precious little time for reflection or character development, not when there are Reds to outwit and icy tundras to cross.
In a strange way Ice Station Zebra has more in common with classic Christie mysteries like "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Ten Little Indians" then the bullet laced thrillers of our own day. The hero must solve a puzzle against the clock while trapped with his array of suspects. Ultimately despite his brute strength, weapons and the exotic locale, Dr Carpenter must resolve things the old fashioned way, by thinking.
And for those of you who like that sort of thing, this is exactly the sort of thing that you like.
I've always had a fondness for Alistair MacLean. My father would return home from work in Dublin City centre and leave his wool coat steaming in the hall. There was a second hand bookshop near the train station and he would stop off on Fridays and special
Show More
occasions and buy a handful of paperbacks. The rules of the game were as follows, if I'd been good, I would be directed after dinner that "You might find something interesting, if you look in my coat."If reports were bad, these might mysteriously disappear. A little personal reconnaissance before the appointed hour was acceptable, but woe betide the Kinch minor that tried to snaffle one before his time. MacLean, Captain W.E. Johns, Richard Jeffries, Rosemary Sutcliff and a variety of boy detectives features a great deal. Henty was bigger and only came solo, as there was a limit to what Dad's pockets would hold. Curiously enough, I don't recall ever getting Ice Station Zebra.
The tale on the face of it is simple enough, there has been an accident at a British Antarctic Base and a US Navy Nuclear Submarine is dispatched to help. On board is Dr Carpenter, a mysterious Englishman, who is tasked with discovering what exactly occurred at the station.
As is traditional in an Alistair MacLean nothing is quite as it seems. Dr Carpenter, who is also a narrator, is revealed as steely eyed secret agent demonstrates the typical MacLean virtues of immense physical endurance, dogged determination and deeply cynical humour. There is no sex or romance in the story and comparatively little violence as the most brutal struggles of the book are pit man against the landscape. The nuclear submarine USS Dolphin is a prominent character in the action, this is not a techno-thriller in the Clancy mould. MacLean is far more interested in men than machines. This is a relatively short book, I read it over a day. It is also an old fashioned story in that it is one where things happen. There is precious little time for reflection or character development, not when there are Reds to outwit and icy tundras to cross.
In a strange way Ice Station Zebra has more in common with classic Christie mysteries like "Murder on the Orient Express" and "Ten Little Indians" then the bullet laced thrillers of our own day. The hero must solve a puzzle against the clock while trapped with his array of suspects. Ultimately despite his brute strength, weapons and the exotic locale, Dr Carpenter must resolve things the old fashioned way, by thinking.
And for those of you who like that sort of thing, this is exactly the sort of thing that you like.
Show Less
LibraryThing member reading_fox
Fairly straightforward thriller set in the Arctic.
A british special forces Dr. manages to get onboard a US submarine going to the rescue of a Arctic research station that has run into difficulties. Supposedly a metrological research station special forces are interested because the real purpose is
Average but fun. The characters are all a bit thin, especially the stereotypical americans and the russian agents, but there is enough accidents, and drama to keep the plot rolling along. The clues are there for you to work out in advance who is the russian agent - but until the grand denoucement at the end you are unlikely to do so.
A british special forces Dr. manages to get onboard a US submarine going to the rescue of a Arctic research station that has run into difficulties. Supposedly a metrological research station special forces are interested because the real purpose is
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spying against russian intercontinental missile launches. Several acts of carelessness or maybe sabotage seem to indicate that maybe the russians are aware of it's true nature and that of the rescue attempt. It's all down to the Dr. to save the day.Average but fun. The characters are all a bit thin, especially the stereotypical americans and the russian agents, but there is enough accidents, and drama to keep the plot rolling along. The clues are there for you to work out in advance who is the russian agent - but until the grand denoucement at the end you are unlikely to do so.
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LibraryThing member CynDaVaz
Ice Station Zebra was pretty good - once you got halfway or more into it. Before that time, it felt quite plodding ... far from engaging. This is the reason I knocked off one star from the review. It also didn't help that the narrator was a bit on the dull side. Otherwise, I'd have given it four
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stars because when everything came together it was fairly solid.However, I also have to add that when the bad guy was 'revealed' at the end, it wasn't surprising, as I'd already pegged who the villain was - not necessarily because of anything particular I picked up on, but merely because I think I've seen enough movies, and read enough whodunit books, to be able to figure out with a fair amount of consistency who the bad guy is. This was one of those times. IMO, this story would be more entertaining as a movie - and because there is a movie based on the book I plan to see it, even though I've heard that the book is far better. At any rate, after having read this (which was my first Alistair MacLean book), I'm definitely interested in picking some of his other writings Show Less
LibraryThing member Shimmin
An excellent book and probably his finest. It's extremely tense, with the danger of the situation always obvious, and the sense of treachery everywhere. I feel MacLean does a really good job of portraying both the characters and the situation, and the plot is tight, without the handwavery and
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fantastical elements that characterise some later works. Possibly the best thriller I have read. Show Less
LibraryThing member .Monkey.
Just like all of MacLean's books, this is a wild ride with plenty of humorous witty lines from the characters and lots of suspenseful moments. And like many of them, it's also a bit of a whodunnit. If you enjoy MacLean/this style, there's nothing not to love.
LibraryThing member martinhughharvey
Saw the movie about 45 years or so ago and for some reason was compelled to read the book. Glad I did. The only other McLean bok I read was "HMS Ulysses" about 50+ years ago!
Anyway, most enjoyable. Plot dense enough but followable, set mainly on a submarine (great for me), clever rather than lots
Anyway, most enjoyable. Plot dense enough but followable, set mainly on a submarine (great for me), clever rather than lots
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of violence. a few twists and turns, and an interrogation in the closest stages of the book reminicent of the table turing talk by Richard Burto and Client Eastwood in "The Guns of Navarone" (another McLean book). Show Less
LibraryThing member EmpressReece
Wow that was a really great read! It had just the right amount of action and suspense, the pacing was great, there wasnt any redundancy and the ending was perfect. I thought it was excellent!! Must read if you like artic action!!
LibraryThing member jeffome
Pretty exciting ride here. A little slow to get going....could not figure out what the main character was about.....but i realized eventually that that was the point....neither did the other characters! Much of this takes place on a U.S. military nuclear submarine.....and in the Arctic. I recently
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had the privilege of touring a U.S. nuclear submarine at a base in Georgia by a 'chief of boat' and it is an experience i am likely never to forget! So this added a whole dimension of familiarity that I would usually be lacking, and i could so very clearly visualize all of this book. Fascinating concept and much of it was rather gripping. Startling displays of courage and much cleverness as the mystery of the weather station fire and its cause slowly get solved....at a great expense. Have loved most of MacLean and this is no exception. Just bundle up before reading!!! Show Less
LibraryThing member fuzzi
A slow-starting but very satisfying tale of rescue and espionage in the Arctic. While slightly dated, the Cold War references shouldn't keep the reader from enjoying this adventure.
LibraryThing member Petroglyph
The highly-advanced atomic submarine Dolphin is dispatched to the Arctic on a rescue mission: a weather station somewhere on the ice pack has lost radio contact after broadcasting an SOS. A civilian, Dr. Carpenter, is sent along to assist the military crew with his expertise. Of course, as these
This was a tight little Cold War thriller that uses its settings to great effect: tense underwater conditions as the submarine dives underneath the arctic sea ice, and high-tech survivalist porn in the scenes set on top of the ice. The end drags a little, but at that point the novel has built up enough goodwill.
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things go, Carpenter turns out to be rather more than a medical doctor (he helped design the weather station, for a start). It won’t come as a surprise, either, that the weather station is really a front for top secret shenanigans. This was a tight little Cold War thriller that uses its settings to great effect: tense underwater conditions as the submarine dives underneath the arctic sea ice, and high-tech survivalist porn in the scenes set on top of the ice. The end drags a little, but at that point the novel has built up enough goodwill.
Show Less
LibraryThing member breic
I read this after learning about early American spy satellites. Quite a fun thriller, somewhat less interesting as a mystery.
LibraryThing member kslade
Good adventure story. Read it after seeing the film.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1963
Physical description
303 p.; 20 cm
ISBN
8701557211 / 9788701557214
Local notes
Omslag: Eric Palmquist
Omslaget viser to mænd på vej over is. I baggrunden ses en ubåd ved iskanten
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "Ice Station Zebra" af Knud Müller
Side 133: De er ikke i form til at lade et hagl i en luftbøsse, og da slet ikke til at køre en torpedo på plads i røret.
Side 227: Jeg undlod at gå nærmere ind på mine særlige grunde til at erklære mig enig med ham.
Omslaget viser to mænd på vej over is. I baggrunden ses en ubåd ved iskanten
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "Ice Station Zebra" af Knud Müller
Side 133: De er ikke i form til at lade et hagl i en luftbøsse, og da slet ikke til at køre en torpedo på plads i røret.
Side 227: Jeg undlod at gå nærmere ind på mine særlige grunde til at erklære mig enig med ham.
Similar in this library
Pages
303
DDC/MDS
| 813 |