Gr 9 Up—Arriving in Alaska to seek his fortune in 1893, 17-year-old Jack London sets out for Dawson with two men, but their small craft is unable to navigate the treacherous ice flows and they must camp in the wilderness during the harshest part of winter. When Jack becomes lost in the snow, he discovers that supernatural forces are observing and influencing him; a wolf covers his freezing body with rabbits and a mysterious woman gives him exotic food and shelter in the middle of the tundra. In a final battle against a wendigo, Jack faces questions about who he is and who he will become. Golden and Lebbon jump on the revisionist bandwagon and bring London to life as a teen adventurer. His story seems solid and historical, despite the brief interludes with the supernatural, but there's not much in the way of character development. The authors have taken a generic teen archetype and pasted London's name on it without developing his personality any further. Unfortunately, the supernatural element seems shoehorned in and allows for too many unflattering comparisons to Rick Yancey's much more successful The Curse of the Wendigo (S & S, 2010). Action is continuous but unexciting. Ruth's black-and-white sketches suit the general tone of the novel, but would seem more at home in Waldman Publishing's "Great Illustrated Classics" novels. This is a secret journey that could have remained a lost journal.—Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library
Seventeen-year-old Jack London heads to the Yukon Territory in search of riches and adventure. He encounters friends, foes, and supernatural forces that complicate his journey, all the while battling nature, humankind, and self to return home a new man. It's not deep, but adventure seekers will enjoy the tale's frozen North action. Occasional full-page black-and-white illustrations help set the scenes.
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