Ice Station Zebra - Alaistair MacLean

When a fuel oil fire destroys Drift Ice Station Zebra, a UK meteorological research facility in the Arctic, killing many of the crew and stranding the remainder, the US Navy submarine Dolphin is sent to save the survivors. Much to the commander's displeasure Dr Carpenter, a Brit with expert knowledge of frostbite and other deep cold medical conditions, is thrust upon him. Despite an order for the Chief of Naval Operations instructing him to offer Carpenter every assistance, Captain Swanson is suspicious, and Carpenter reveals that Zebra is a listening post, the first line in detecting a missile attack from Russia.
The remaining plot is convoluted, and detailing it is impossible without revealing key plot points. The first-person narration allows the reader access to knowledge the crew are unaware of, including Carpenter's relationship with the Zebra leader, and the fact that the fire was deliberate. He does not, however, disclose all and the true role he plays, as well as the nature of the ice station, are not revealed until the end.
MacLean is far better known than my favourite action author, Bagley. This is only the second of his works that I've read, and I can't tell how much of my diminished involvement with this (in comparison to my depth of involvement with the Bagley oeuvre) is because Bagley's better and how much is because my enjoyment is coloured by fond and prolonged previous exposure.
I found the journey to the Arctic unnecessarily drawn out, primarily showcasing MacLean's naval experience rather than substantially advancing the plot. The station is variously referred to as "drift ice station," "ice station" and "drift station," for no reason I could see bnut that may be unnecessarily petty, as is my observation that alcohol is usually contraindicated for both cold exposure and shock (a fact Carpenter doesn't seem aware of).
Published in 1963, the novel is necessarily dated - not just because of technological changes and Cold War mentality but also because of changes in word use like "to-day" and "damn'" (to indicate that it's a contraction of 'damned').
This may make it sounds as though I didn't enjoy Ice Station Zebra; despite these flaws, and though I suspected the villain from the start, the twists and turns kept my interest, the plot was involving, and the narrator was enigmatic and engaging. I doubt I've found an adequate replacement for the redoubtable Bagley but I'll give MacLean another go. - Alex