From the author of "The Restraint Of Beasts", this brilliant new novel follows two teams of explorers at the beginning of the century, as they race across a cold, deserted land to reach the furthest point from civilisation. One team take a route along a rocky scree, gossiping and bickering as they go, the other follow a dry riverbed and are better organised than their rivals. But which team will get there first? 'A demented, deadpan comic writer' - Thomas Pynchon.