The Snow Tiger

The Snow Tiger

2008 paperback edition
Author	Desmond Bagley
Language	English
Genre	Thriller Novel
Publisher	House of Stratus
Publication date	1975
Publication place	United Kingdom
Media type	Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
Pages	296 pgs
ISBN	0-385-04841-6
Preceded by	The Tightrope Men
Followed by	The Enemy

The Snow Tiger is a novel written by English author Desmond Bagley, and was first published in 1975.

Plot introduction

This story revolves around the protagonist, Ian Ballard, who works as a mine manager. He is the grandson of Ben Ballard, owner of the Ballard Holdings Limited, a giant financial group based in London specializing in mining operations around the world. Ben had four sons including Ian’s father. Ian’s father and Ben had fell apart when Ian’s father left him to settle in the town of Hukahoronui (a.k.a Huka) located on the South Island of New Zealand in the late 1930’s. Ian was born in 1939 and his father died very shortly afterwards in an avalanche there. After his father’s death Ian and his mother continued to live in Huka till he is 16 years old. During this time he develops enmity with a local kid, Charlie Peterson, who is of his age group. It is revealed later in the story that when Ian was about 12 years old Charlie’s twin brother (Alec) had drowned in the town river. Since Ian was present at the riverside Charlie held Ian responsible for Alec’s death, even though in reality Ian was innocent.

At the start of the story Ian is about 35 years old and is injured when he gets trapped in a small avalanche while skiing in Switzerland along with his friend Mike McGill (who is an expert in the study of ‘snow’). Ian injures a leg during that accident. While recuperating in London at his mother’s home he is visited by his grandfather, Ben, who offers him the job of managing director of a gold mine located in Huka which is indirectly controlled by Ballard Holdings. Although Ian’s initial reaction is to decline the offer (due to his past history at Huka with the Petersons), eventually he decides to take up the offer keeping in mind that Ben had supported him during all his education.

The story from this point onwards is told in a flashback format hinged around a courtroom government-inquiry into the cause of an avalanche that took place in Huka. This avalanche occurred in July (of some year), about six weeks after Ian had arrived in Huka, and the courtroom proceedings take place in December of the same year. Witnesses are called in this inquiry who recall their experience before, during and after the avalanche and the story is presented through these explanations, at the same time alternating between June/July and December.

Back in June once Ian had arrived in Huka, he discovers that the gold mine was barely making profit. Moreover he is confronted by the Petersons brothers (John, Eric and Charlie) who have grown up with the small town and now own a big supermarket and hotel and are quite influential in the town council. Ian notices that Huka had changed a lot since he last visited this place – the town had grew bigger and the mountain slopes near the town were stripped of the tree cover and now lay bare covered completely with snow. Finding himself alone in this place Ian invites Mike McGill (who is planning to go to Antarctica soon) to visit him in Huka for a little time. As soon as McGill arrives in Huka he is extremely worried by several things and feels that the town is in imminent danger of being destroyed by an avalanche. However both the mine management (who distrust Ian due to his age) and the town council (which is controlled by the Peterson brothers and they too distrust Ian) refuse to believe anything that Ian and McGill tell them about the danger from an avalanche. In spite of this, McGill takes samples of snow from the nearby mountain slopes and concludes that the danger is very real and imminent. As soon as he tries to convey this to the outside (New Zealand authorities in Christchurch) the town is cutoff from the outside when the road to the town is blocked by snow and the electricity and telephone wires are cut off by a very minor avalanche. After witnessing these events John and Eric Petersons begin to believe what McGill told them and start to mobilize the town resources to prepare for an avalanche. While the whole town is making preparations the avalanche hit them and about 50 people die as a result.

During the government inquiry some surprising evidence is presented which shows that Charlie Peterson had actually deliberately started the avalanche by skiing very aggressively at the top of the mountain slopes. His motive was to destroy the gold mine ad extract revenge on Ian. He is immediately arrested and faces charges for the deaths of several people (including his brother John) in the avalanche. Also, during the hearings in December Ian receives the news that his grandfather (Ben) had died and had left the control of Ballard Holding in Ian’s hand which makes him a very rich person. Also, he had been romantically linked to Liz Peterson (sister of the Petersons) and marries her at the end, once she learns of Charlie’s behavior.