Breakheart pass is a thrilling
suspense novel by
Alistair MacLean , which is arguably one of his best works. It was published in 1975 by Ballantine.
Set in the late 1800's
gold rush period, the entire story occurs onboard a train, carrying a
governer and his
niece, accompanied by troops and a
US marshal escorting a
dangerous outlaw, all heading for
Fort Humboldt , a military outpost deep within the
Rocky Mountains.
The plot involves
Red Indians,
dangerous desperadoes, train roof
fight sequences and gentle
romance.
The book is a real
pageturner and there are all the classic MacLean elements -
sarcastic wit,
extreme hyperbole,
plot twists, hyper
action scenes and completely clean ( good enough for 8 year olds )
storyline and
dialogue.
Reading the book, you actually feel like you're on a train, winding through the snowy rockies, across wild,
hostile Red Indian territory.
MacLean at his very best - If you read only one MacLean book other than
HMS Ulysses, let it be this one.