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Cover of Polar Star by Martin Cruz SmithPolar Star
Classic · Fiction, Mystery, Adventure

Polar Star

by Martin Cruz Smith
1989 · 402 pages · Fiction
61.8Must-Read
Score Classic
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 10 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Exiled to Siberia for 'psychiatric rehabilitation,' Arkady Renko works on the Polar Star, a Soviet factory ship trawling the freezing waters between Siberia and Alaska. People who know his past are watching him, and then he's given a chance to win back his freedom.

Why it's worth reading

It was a #1 New York Times bestseller. It's a tense Cold War thriller.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of Gorky Park by Martin Cruz SmithGorky Park
Gorky ParkMartin Cruz Smith
Cover of Child 44 by Tom Rob SmithChild 44
Child 44Tom Rob Smith
Cover of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le CarréThe Spy Who Came in From the Cold
The Spy Who Came in From the ColdJohn le Carré

Good to know

Arkady Renko is also the detective of Gorky Park.

By the numbers

61.8Must-Read Score
  • Readers48 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller25 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (2 weeks at #1)

Reads as

Adventurous, Gripping

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Martin Cruz Smith

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Gorky ParkMartin Cruz Smith

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
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Quick answers

Is Polar Star worth reading?

Yes. It was a #1 New York Times bestseller. It ranks #2,351 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.8 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Polar Star about?

Exiled to Siberia for 'psychiatric rehabilitation,' Arkady Renko works on the Polar Star, a Soviet factory ship trawling the freezing waters between Siberia and Alaska. People who know his past are watching him, and then he's given a chance to win back his freedom.

How long does it take to read Polar Star?

About 10 hours (402 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Polar Star?

If you liked it, try Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith, Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith or The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carré.