“feel the earth beneath [your] bare feet. The beach and bush beckon…”New Zealand is a country synonymous with epic adventure. Over the years, countless sea kayakers, climbers and alpine trampers have attempted journeys across its stunning landscape, and many more dream of following in their tracks.

In Epic, the stories of a dozen memorable Kiwi explorers are brought together to form a tribute to the spirit of adventure. It is difficult to comprehend the scale of the journeys of the featured explorers, but author Ray Salisbury brings them to life with detailed maps, backstories, and narratives that fail to hide his own passion for adventure. From Graeme Dingle and Jill Tremain attempting the first traverse of the Southern Alps, to the nineteen-year-old ‘wildboy’ who lived off the land as he paddled, walked and swam 8000km of coastline, this is a showcase of the intrepid.

Seasoned explorer or armchair traveller, prepare to be awed and inspired by Epic. It doesn’t shy away from the realities of boundary-pushing adventure, with accounts of physical and mental battles, near-disasters, and sadly several mentions of those lost their lives in the wild. But with deep lows come impossible highs, in this exploration of what makes an epic adventurer.

In a world full of distractions, Epic is a reminder to get out there and experience the wild, stunning places of our planet – they are waiting.