Ascend the Nile: A Kiwi-Brit Journey of Discovery, Adventure and Tragedy

Some shelf wear. Some previously dog-eared pages.

In just under two months New Zealanders Garth MacIntyre and Cam McLeay (who lives in Uganda) and Brit Neil McGrigor had travelled 5311 km up the world's largest river, and their expedition to find the source of the Nile was going as well as could be expected. But that all changed when they wrecked both a motorised craft and a support aircraft while battling heavy rapids in the Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda.

When British friend Steve Willis rescued them in his Landrover - McGrigor having badly broken and burned his leg - they were ambushed by the RLA, a rebel group notorious for abducting and enslaving children. This ambush resulted in one of the group being killed.

Grieving and traumatised, the men abandoned the expedition. Six months later they returned to complete it. They'd endured fear and fire, air accidents and toxic mushrooms, guerrillas and bullets and their comradeship had only strengthened.

This is an epic adventure story that combines curiosity, geography and history with the dangers of a wild river, wildlife, disease and guerrillas. Excellently told by writer John McCrystal, this is a ripping yarn.