The North Line

In Matt Riordan's debut novel, a college student in need of quick money finds work on an Alaskan fishing boat in the unforgiving Bering Sea."The North Line is a ruggedly erudite story that combines the best of the individualism of Jack London with the introspective ruminations of Raymond Carver . . . not to be missed."-S.A. Cosby New York Times bestselling author of All the Sinners Bleed"A frightening story of tough men pushed to the brink. The novel is captivating, occasionally funny, and startling. I couldn't put it down." -David SedarisEven at the ragged edge of civilization, some lines should not be crossed.Everyone believes Adam to be something he's not. Sometimes that's because he's told them a story. Sometimes he's told himself one. But when Adam joins an Alaskan fishing crew that's promising quick money, the dangerous work and harsh lifestyle strip away all fabrications and force a dark-hearted exploration of who he really is.On the unforgiving Bering Sea, Adam finds the adventure and authenticity of a fisherman's life revelatory. The labour required to seize bounty from the ocean invigorates him, and the often crude comradery accompanies a welcome, hard-earned wisdom. But when a strike threatens the entire season and violence stalks the waves, Adam is thrust into a struggle for survival at the edge of the world, where evolutionary and social forces collide for outcomes beyond anyone's control.In his riveting debut novel, Matt Riordan pairs personal experiences with a master storyteller's eye in a piercing examination of the quest for identity in the face of tempests within and without.