ThistitlecomeswithanintroductionbyPhilippaGregory.DrowninginthefreezingNorthAtlantic,ChristopherHadleyMartin,temporarylieutenant,happensuponagrotesquerock,anislandthatappearsonlyonweathercharts.Todrinkthereisapoolofrainwater;toeatthereareweedsandseaanemones.Throughthelonghourswithonlyhimselftotalkto,Martinmusttrytoassemblethetruthofhisfate,piecebyterriblepiece.FromtheauthorofLordoftheFlies,PincherMartinisaterrifyingandunforgettablejourneyintooneman'smind."e;Theutmostinventiveness,assuranceandpower…Norreaderwillsoonforgettheworlditreveals"e;.(KingsleyAmis)."e;Likeacoldsweat,aday-mare,orgoingundergas…Prosemoretightlypacked,morejaggedlyconcrete,Ican'timagine;andtheshockending…istechnicalwizardryofthefirstorder"e;.(KennethTynan,Observer)."e;Remarkablysustainedimaginativeintensity"e;.(TLS).