Listen free for 30 days

  • Over the Edge

  • The True Story of Four American Climbers' Kidnap and Escape in the Mountains of Central Asia
  • Written by: Greg Child
  • Narrated by: Armand Schultz
  • Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars (4 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Over the Edge cover art

Over the Edge

Written by: Greg Child
Narrated by: Armand Schultz
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $21.93

Buy Now for $21.93

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Before dawn on August 12, 2000, four of America's best young rock climbers were sleeping in their portaledges high on the Yellow Wall, in the Pamir-Alai mountain range of Kyrgyzstan, in central Asia. By daybreak, they would be taken at gunpoint by militants of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), which operates out of secret bases in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, and which is linked to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network. The desperadoes intended to use their hostages as human shields and for ransom as they moved across Kyrgyzstan. In a remarkable life-and-death crucible over six terrifying days, they would be forced to choose between saving their own lives and committing an act none of them thought they ever could.

In Over the Edge, the four climbers-Jason "Singer" Smith, John Dickey, Tommy Caldwell, and Beth Rodden-finally tell the complete story of their nightmarish ordeal. In riveting detail, author Greg Child re-creates the entire hour-by-hour drama, from the first ricocheting bullets to the climactic and agonizing decision the climbers had to make in order to gain their freedom and survival. Set in a powder-keg region of narcotics trafficking and terrorism, this is a deeply compelling book about loyalty and the unshakeable human will to survive.

©2002 Greg Child and

What the critics say

"A charged and unforgettable look into the many faces of international terrorism and human nature itself." (Amazon.com)

What listeners say about Over the Edge

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    0
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    0
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Unexpected drama

Four mountain climbers plan a trip to far-off lands, to climb rock faces new to them. It's a place where others have been, but not many. It's away from everything, a quiet escape, to challenge themselves, to do what they love.

Aside of a missing bag of gear, all is going well until, when sleeping in tents up a cliff face, someone starts shooting at them.

If you wonder how people get kidnapped abroad, it can happen like this.

The story of their kidnapping, their dramatic escape, and the fallout that left them estranged from each other are story enough. But there's more, when one of their captors, presumed dead, unbelievably turns up alive.

It's a stunning turn of events that's hard for anyone to understand.
A true story with an ending that changed while the book was being written. Definitely lots of unexpected drama.

I enjoyed the book, and Greg Child's approach. The only problem I had was keeping the three male climbers separate in my mind.... I find that happens with non-fiction books where everyone is referred to by their last name.

Overall, Arnold Schultz's narration was good, but sadly he just couldn't pull off the Australian woman's voice... perhaps he overplayed it, and it may have been ok if he just toned it down a bit.

I'm not a mountain climber, but suggest that anyone who is would find this book very compelling.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!