A catastrophic, unexplainable plane crash leaves three hundred and thirty dead -- no survivors. Among the victims are the wife and two daughters of Joe Carpenter, a Los Angeles Post crime reporter.
A year after the crash, still gripped by an almost paralyzing grief, Joe encounters a woman named Rose, who claims to have survived the crash. She holds out the possibility of a secret that will bring Joe peace of mind. But before he can ask any questions, she slips away.
Driven now by rage (have the authorities withheld information?) and a hope almost as unbearable as his grief (if there is one survivor, are there others?), Joe sets out to find the mysterious woman. His search immediately leads him into the path of a powerful and shadowy organization hell-bent on stopping Rose before she can reveal what she knows about the crash.
Sole Survivor unfolds at a heart-stopping pace, as a desperate chase and a shattering emotional odyssey lead Joe to a truth that will force him to reassess everything he thought he knew about life and death -- a truth that, given the chance, will rock the world and redefine the destiny of humanity.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
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"A Chinese man is the sole survivor of a torpedoed boat in World War II. It is the amazing true story of how he survived for 133 days alone on a raft in the sea. It is well-written and easy to read"
— Ruby (5 out of 5 stars)
“Inviting reading…[Sole Survivor] rings with truth as well as excitement."
— San Francisco ChronicleKoontz at his haunting, page-turning best.
— The Philadelphia InquirerDean Koontz is one of the best suspense writers operating today, with unfailing narrative drive.
— The Dallas Morning News[A] fast-paced masterpiece . . . impossible to put down.
— Lansing State JournalTaut plotting, stark terror, and sweet redemption.
— The Atlanta Journal-Constitution“A book of major interest and importance by an American-Chinese author of remarkable talent.”
— Dallas Times“[McCunn] shows us a meek, dependent person who is suddenly thrown on his own resources to remain alive…Through tortuous trial and error, Poon…learns to fish with a nail, to collect rainwater and to keep alert despite storms, blazing sun and nighttime cold. Five months later, when he washes ashore in Brazil, he is a matured man. Poon’s experience makes for a dignified, uplifting adventure tale.”
— Publishers Weekly“The tale of Poon Lim’s ordeal, including his thoughts and dreams, are told in Johanna Ward’s soft, pleasant voice, as though she were reading a child’s bedtime story. Her taciturn descriptions of the taste of fish eyes and the intestinal contents of sea birds are not for the squeamish and would be a good awakening for youngsters who won’t eat their vegetables.”
— AudioFile“A vivid account of how one man used his intelligence and ingenuity to survive against incredible odds.”
— School Library Journal“A classic saga of ordeal and survival that reminds us of the courage, strength, and resourceful intelligence of which human beings are capable.”
— Tillie Olsen, author of Tell Me a Riddle" Amazing story of determination, desperation, and endurance. I did not really care for Poon Lim's personality or helplessness at first, but he eventually reached deep inside himself for the will to survive and creative ways to do so. "
— Becky, 5/15/2013" Talk about survival and endurance! "
— tbears, 8/5/2012" great book. Read it 15 years or more ago and think of it many times. Each chapter is one story of the sole survivor of a ship wreck "
— David, 3/9/2011" Parts of the story were interesting, but I felt as though I was on the raftf or 133 days with this guy. It would be a good one to have if you become stranded at sea, but otherwise I'd skip it. "
— Don, 2/19/2011" I read this probably about 17 years ago as a pre teen and I have never forgotten it. A riveting read of a man's survival on a raft for 5 months. "
— Steph, 2/2/2009" A fascinating story of human fortitude against overwhelming odds. "
— Nancy, 6/22/2007" I think this one is about an airplane crash? "
— Cynmo, 2/27/2005Ruthanne Lum McCunn was born in San Francisco’s Chinatown and grew up in Hong Kong. She has published seven books on the experiences of Chinese people in America, including Thousand Pieces of Gold. She currently resides in San Francisco.
Johanna Ward (a.k.a. Kate Reading) is an Audie Award–winning narrator and has received numerous Earphones Awards from AudioFile magazine. She is also a theater actor in the Washington, DC, area and has been a member of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company since 1987. Her work onstage has been recognized by the Helen Hayes Awards Society, among others. She and her husband live in Hyattsville, Maryland, with their two children.