What if hell really existed? The premise of The Descent is just that. We first meet the protagonist of the story, Ike Crockett, as he guides a group of tourists on a Tibetan walkabout. Trapped on a mountain during a blizzard, Ike leads the group into a cave that just happens to be a gateway to hell. More hellish evidence soon emerges at sites as far-flung as Bosnia and the Kalahari Desert. While some sex appears in the novel violence is a greater concern, though it does further the plot. The story is complex, with some surprising twists near the end.