Top Russian oceanographer, Michael Gorov, flees from his Soviet base to hand to the West secrets which would neutralise the East's potential stranglehold His escape is across the grimmest terrain on earth, the empty wastes of the frozen Arctic Keith Beaumont is sent to bring Gorov to safety, but Moscow despatches Colonel Igor Papanin to seize him first Exposed to traitors and worsening weather, Beaumont struggles to outwit a whole Soviet fleet and to help Gorov to reach the Western base, Target 5