NATIONAL BESTSELLER “Gripping.” —New York Times Book Review (Editor’s Choice) * “A page-turner that will rip your heart out.” —Jon Krakauer * “Destined to become an adventure classic.” —Anchorage Daily NewsAn instant classic of outdoor literature, The Adventurer’s Son is Roman Dial’s extraordinary account of his two-year quest to unravel the mystery of his son’s disappearance in the jungles of … two-year quest to unravel the mystery of his son’s disappearance in the jungles of Costa Rica.
In the predawn hours of July 10, 2014, the twenty-seven-year-old son of preeminent Alaskan scientist and National Geographic Explorer Roman Dial, walked alone into Corcovado National Park, an untracked rainforest along Costa Rica’s remote Pacific Coast that shelters miners, poachers, and drug smugglers. He carried a light backpack and machete. Before he left, Cody Roman Dial emailed his father: “I am not sure how long it will take me, but I’m planning on doing 4 days in the jungle and a day to walk out. I’ll be bounded by a trail to the west and the coast everywhere else, so it should be difficult to get lost forever.”
They were the last words Dial received from his son.
As soon as he realized Cody Roman’s return date had passed, Dial set off for Costa Rica. As he trekked through the dense jungle, interviewing locals and searching for clues—the authorities suspected murder—the desperate father was forced to confront the deepest questions about himself and his own role in the events. Roman had raised his son to be fearless, to be at home in earth’s wildest places, travelling together through rugged Alaska to remote Borneo and Bhutan. Was he responsible for his son’s fate? Or, as he hoped, was Cody Roman safe and using his wilderness skills on a solo adventure from which he would emerge at any moment?
Part detective story set in the most beautiful yet dangerous reaches of the planet, The Adventurer’s Son emerges as a far deeper tale of discovery—a journey to understand the truth about those we love the most.
The Adventurer’s Son includes fifty black-and-white photographs.
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How do you begin to search for a man who vanished into the jungle in a foreign country? With guts and determination, that’s how. Like Jon Krakauer wrote in his blub on the cover of this book, this true story “will rip your heart out.” It’s a gripping account of a father’s nearly impossible quest to find his son.
Roman Dial has written a brave and marvelous book. It’s a page-turner that will rip your heart out.
An explorer at heart, a scientist by profession, and a parent above all else, Dial guides readers on a suspenseful and heart-wrenching journey from the windswept Alaskan tundra to the impenetrable Costa Rican jungle. The Adventurer’s Son is a poignant story about loss, but also about a father’s passion for adventure, his love for his son, and the bonds forged through their experiences in the natural world.
A most unusual memoir. Love of nature expressed on both grand & microscopic levels. Join the Dial family by sharing a tragic death & its agonizing sequel. Explore the heights & deep crevasses of love.
Hard to fathom losing a son to the wilderness after raising him to respect, explore and rise to the challenges the environment can provide.
This is a harrowing account of a father’s search for his son. The details of their early adventuring lifestyle was very interesting. The family roughed it in wildernesses and gave their kids an invaluable upbringing. A very worthwhile read.
Wonderful portrait of a son who , heartbreakingly, perished on a solo adventure in Costa Rica.
A parent’s worst nightmare! A heartbreaking story of a parent giving a child the gift of travel, adventure and life learning only to have a child disappear in the jungle in Costa Rica.
Loved the book. Excellent writer made me feel I was right beside them traveling along. Enjoyed the time line from little boy to grown man on his own travels.
Wonderful relationship of father and son.
From the beginning autobiographical details of WHY Roman Dial became the adventure/scientist/naturalist/teacher/climber/daredevil/father he was, you already know his son will die on a 5 day trip from the cover of the book, that Dial will expend enormous energy and effort trying to find him. The appeal of the book is why do some people want to live on this edge of adventure so much knowing it might kill them, and knowing it might kill people they love. Well written as a biography for the topic of Roman Dial.
Been hoping to run across a book, like this one, that’s hard to put down. A tragic story that makes one take stock in what’s important, while sharing incredible adventures along the way. In his short 27 years Roman Cody Dial experienced more than most of us do in a lifetime. Vicariously i got to experience his adventures and they leave me inspired. He was remarkable because of his parents who went beyond to find answers and closure. Peace be with the Dials.
Truly a heart wrenching story of a father’s search to the end for his lost son who followed in his footsteps in living life to its fullest. The loving dad endured many lies and dead ends in finding the real truth to his son’s disappearance, but never wavered in his steadfast knowledge of who his son really was!
Extremely well written. Draws you in from the “get go”
Out of an unbearable personal tragedy, Roman Dial has fashioned an unbearably powerful memoir. The Adventurer’s Sonis at once the narrative of a desperate search for a lost son, a poignant meditation on the depths of paternal love, and, in the end, a reaffirmation of the glory of exploration and adventure in the teeth of sorrow and loss.