Fascinating addition to Everest Literature.
Strengths:
Kodas is a skilled story teller. He writes very well. Kodas does an excellent job critiquing Gustavo "The Scroundel" Lisi. Kodas interviewed Lisi in person, in which the snake tries to wiggle his way out of his web of lies. Kodas also offers an insider's account of the his organizer, George "The Mad Romanian" D, as well as the seedy aspects of Everest the industy. The "Mad Romanian" has a wife, a Sherparette, who is illeterate. The Mad Romanian, according to Kodas, abuses his wife, both physically and emotionally. Scary stuff indeed.
One moral of the stoy is, you are better off paying $65,000+ for top flight guide service like Russell Brice's Himex, instead of going the cheap route (1/5 or 1/6 of $65,000) and ending up dying.
The hardcover uses excellent and very readable font, and has nice sets of photos. The first set is in color, the second is in black and white.
Weakness:
The organization of the book (telling of Dr. N./the Scroundel, Kodas/the Mad Romanian) alternates somewhat suddenly. Nevertheless, the story remains utterly fascinating.
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High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed Books In Print, Audio Books.