The quick Hollywood pitch is "Indiana Jones vs. the Predator in the snow." The more literary take is H.P. Lovecraft meets H. Rider Haggard. But in either event, this novel was far more fun and way more interesting than I could have ever expected, a true triumph and a must for enthusiasts of hi/low literature.

The action was ample and superb: thrilling swordfights, mystical martial arts, giant avalanches, horse chases, precarious rope bridges, vicious blizzards, hellish hallucinations, insane mountain-climbing... not to mention the hulking snow demon who gruesomely destroys men a dozen at a time. The author does a great job of creating the most treacherous environments possible, where grave danger threatens everyone at all times. There were so many scenes where the cast of heroes and villains are performing near superhuman feats of athleticism and courage which ratcheted up the excitement to the highest degree. I often found myself smiling widely at the vivid language I read.

The characters were all terrifically rendered. A pair of swashbuckling protagonists are the heart of the story, surrounded by a wide cast of dastardly enemies. But while the heroes' roles are familiar ones for old-fashioned pulp adventures, the story eventually creates a beautiful and modern depth to each man, showing that they are flawed but noble humans struggling on the inside as well against the outside world.

Anybody should be quite happy with the relentless "thrills and chills" of the book, the splashes of roguish humor and various crosses and turns of what's ultimately a caper plot wrapped in a monster movie. However, the book goes beyond the call of duty with its intelligent themes and poetic imagery ( )