With the recent discovery of the Endurance—which sunk 107 years ago and currently lies remarkably well preserved at the bottom of the Weddell Sea—now is the perfect time to discuss Alfred Lansing's classic book about the ship's last journey. Published in 1959, Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage tells the whole story in captivating detail. It follows the British explorer Ernest Shackleton as he launches his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, which aimed to send a group of adventurers across the Antarctic continent, from west to east, on foot. He, along with 27 crewmen and 69 sled dogs, left London on 1 August 1914. They arrived on South Georgia Island a few months later. On 18 January 1915, Endurance became hopelessly mired in thick polar ice. As the vessel slowly begin to sink into the frozen depths, the men were forced to abandon ship. As their vessel disappeared, they found themselves utterly alone in "a place where no man had ever been before, nor could they conceive that any man would ever want to be again" (104).

Knowing a cache of food and supplies had been left on Paulet Island, some 346 miles away, the men had little choice but to trek off to find it. Any chance of rescue was even farther afield. The journey that ensued was a remarkable one, fraught with danger of every kind. In spite of a constant battering by severe weather, lack of adequate food, physical exhaustion, and mental fatigue, remarakably, not one of the men perished. They all lived to tell the tale—and what an amazing one it is!

Lansing describes their entire journey in vivid prose, allowing the reader to trudge in the men's footsteps, feeling the excitement of discovery as well as the misery of being constantly wet, cold, dirty, overworked, bored, and tired. Although I would have liked to know more about Shackleton himself (his childhood and personal life are almost wholly ignored in the book), I found Endurance to be a riveting account of his Antarctic expedition. It's narrative non-fiction at its best, bringing history to life in a way that is not just fascinating, but also engrossing and impactful. I couldn't stop reading this iconic book.

Everyone who visits BBB regularly knows I love a gripping, immersive survival story. If it's true? Even better. As we all well know, not everyone in the infamous Donner Party lived to tell the group's grisly tale, but enough did that we have a pretty good idea of what happened that fateful winter in 1847

when they became stranded in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. While cannibalism is what they became known for, there is a lot more to their story. Who were the people in the Donner Party? Where were they headed? How did they lose their way and become perilously trapped in the snow? Why did they resort to eating the flesh of their family members and friends? If you can stomach the more macabre details, theirs is a truly fascinating story. Daniel James Brown tells it well in his engrossing account, The Indifferent Stars Above.

Brown became interested in researching the Donner Party when he discovered he was distantly related to one of its members, a young woman named Sarah Graves Fosdick. She accompanied her parents, her eight younger siblings, and her new husband on the journey from Illinois to California. Brown decided to use her viewpoint to tell the stories of a group of travelers whom he says "deserve better" than to be remembered only as clichéd pioneers who were forced to make a horrible, desperate choice in order to survive an utterly hopeless situation. Brown describes the whole tragedy from beginning to end in a manner that is sensitive, compelling, and illuminating. With all the elements that make for great fiction—an extreme setting, interesting characters, nail-biting tension, and constant conflict of multiple varieties—it's a riveting read. Narrative non-fiction at its best.

I've read a lot of books about World War II—a lot—and I don't remember ever hearing of the S.S. City of Benares before picking up Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood. This middle-grade verse novel tells the true story of 13-year-old Ken Sparks, who gained a coveted spot on the ocean liner, which was taking young war evacuees away from the bombing in London and delivering them to safe homes in Canada. At first, he and the other kids are having the time of their lives feasting on lobster and caviar, playing with piles of new toys, and exploring their posh floating digs. Just as they've been declared safe from the possibility of being torpedoed by the Germans, however, the City of Benares sustains a direct hit. Soon, Ken finds himself floating in the middle of the North Atlantic on a small lifeboat with 6 other boys, 5 British sailors, 32 Lascars (Asian sailors), 1 businessman, 1 priest, 1 female escort, and few supplies. As the days pass with no sign of rescue, things become increasingly desperate on Lifeboat 12. Who will live and who will die in the desperate fight for survival that ensues?

Ken's story is tense and gripping, interspersed with passages that illustrate the utter boredom of sitting in a boat waiting for rescue day after day after day. The verse format gives the tale an appealing you-are-there immediacy that makes it even more impactful. Lifeboat 12's passengers are sympathetic folks, people for whom you can't help but root. For those of us whose favorite part of a historical novel is the author's notes at the end, Lifeboat 12 has a wealth of backmatter that includes photos, an interview with Ken Sparks, and a factual recounting of the real-life event. All of these elements combine to create an exciting, compelling story that is perfect for reluctant readers as well as anyone who enjoys a gripping survival tale, especially those based on a true story.

(Readalikes: Reminds me of the Titanic series by Gordon Korman, the I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis, and books by Alan Gratz) 

I love a beautiful nature scene, even if I'm more of an indoorsy person than an outdoorsy one.  Book covers often feature lovely landscapes, showcasing sparkling seas, vibrant flowers, lush forests, and so on, but I still couldn't come up with enough to make a decent list for today's TTT prompt, Top Ten Books With Nature on the Cover.  Even though I'm pretty wimpy, especially when it comes to nature-y things like hiking and camping, I do love me a tense, gripping survival story.  (Hu)man vs. nature tales, especially true ones, always captivate and inspire me.  So, for today's list I'm going to feature Top Ten (Hu)man vs. Nature Survival Books.  I'm going to start with five favorites (in no particular order), then five I am looking forward to reading.

If you want to join in the Top Ten Tuesday fun (and you do!), just hop on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

Top Ten (Hu)man vs. Nature Survival Books 

1.  Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer—This popular account chronicles the author's climbing of Mt. Everest in 1996 during a terrible storm that led to the deaths of five climbers.  He uses his own harrowing experience as a framework to discuss the history of mountain climbing, famous climbers, what it takes to scale Everest, survival techniques, and so on.  It's an epic, unparalleled book that is can't-look-away compelling.

2.  My Last Continent by Midge Raymond—In this slow burn of a novel, a marine biologist is in Antarctica studying penguins.  Her boyfriend, whom she only sees on these annual expeditions, has not arrived as expected.  When she learns he is on a nearby ship that is sending out a frantic distress signal, she panics.  How can she save the man she loves in such a harsh, unforgiving landscape?

3.  The Watch That Ends the Night by Allan Wolf—I've read tons of books about the Titanic tragedy, but this one is the most unique and memorable.  Told in verse, the novel is lyrical and haunting.

4.  I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall—This YA novel concerns a teenage girl who's living with her estranged survivalist father in Canada after her mother's death.  When he's shot by intruders, she runs into the wilderness, where she's forced to both hide and survive.

5.  The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling—Another novel in verse, this middle-grade offering revolves around a grieving father and daughter who go for a rock climbing adventure in the Arizona desert.  Things go awry, the two get separated, and a young girl is left alone to save both herself and her dad.  It's a riveting, fast-paced read.

6.  To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey—This historical novel stars Colonel Allan Forrester, who's charged with leading an expedition into the uncharted wilderness of Alaska Territory in the winter of 1885.  He keeps a journal of his adventure that he hopes will reach his pregnant wife in the likely event that he does not return.  

7.  A Map for Wrecked Girls by Jessica Taylor—Also a YA novel, this one is about a trio of troubled teenagers who get stuck on a deserted island.  It's been on my radar for awhile, I just haven't gotten around to reading it.  Yet.

8.  Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood—Based on a true, Titanic-like event, this middle-grade novel tells the story of the doomed SS City of Benares, a ship full of children being evacuated from England to Canada during World War II.

9.  Avalanche by Melinda Braun—This YA offering features two sets of teenagers.  One group is trapped in a remote cabin during a snowstorm.  The other is their only hope of rescue.

10.  Instructions for the End of the World by Jamie Kain—Yet another teen book, this one is about Nicole, a girl whose prepper father moves his family to a remote area in the Sierra Foothills.  When living like a pioneer becomes too much for Nicole's mother, she leaves, prompting Nicole's father to chase after her.  When neither one returns, Nicole is left to figure out how she and her younger sister will survive in the wilderness.

There you go, ten books about surviving in the wild in the wake of disaster.  Have you read any of these?  Which books in the genre would you recommend?  Which nature covers did you choose for your list today?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT!    

As the sons of an avid survivalist, 13-year-old John Lockwood and his younger brother, Stewart, know how to cope with any doomsday scenario.  Not that they'll really need their father's advice about boiling toilet water and using yucca leaves to wash their clothes.  After all, Dad has stocked their home with enough supplies to last for two apocalypses.  The three of them can ride out any disaster in their isolated desert house, no problem.  

Then the power goes out—and stays out—while Mr. Lockwood is out of town.  No one knows what's going on, but it soon becomes clear to John that he and Stew are on their own.  Although John is concerned, he doesn't start to panic until a group of strangers invades his home, robbing the boys of all their food, water, and emergency supplies.  With no other choice, Johan and Stew are forced to stuff what little they have left into into their backpacks and set off across the desolate Nevada desert.  Help lies 96 miles away at the ranch of some family friends who will surely come to their aid.  It's a long journey, fraught with danger.  If they can survive the blistering heat, gnawing hunger, rabid thirst, feral animals, and desperate people they encounter, maybe just maybe, they can make it there in one piece.  As the grim days wear on, however, their chances of living through their ordeal grow slimmer and slimmer...

Growing up with a Secret Service agent who was obsessed with emergency preparedness, J.L. Esplin was born to write this kind of debut novel.  96 Miles is infused with real survival strategies that will fascinate anyone who's ever wondered what to do in a disaster scenario.  These tips add an intriguing element to the story, which is already taut, tense, and compelling.  John is a sympathetic character who's brave and resolute, even while he struggles under the pressure of making decisions in a brutal situation where the consequences of every choice can be dire.  He's determined to save his brother no matter what the cost, which makes him an appealing, root-worthy hero.  Although 96 Miles is a pretty straightforward dystopian/survival novel, there is a story swerve toward the end that caught me by surprise (although it really shouldn't have, considering...) and upped the ante for the boys considerably.  With an engrossing plot, likable characters, and skilled storytelling, 96 Miles is a riveting, immersive read.  Not only is it entertaining, but it's also thought-provoking, asking intriguing questions like:  How would I handle a crisis situation?  How would I act as things became increasingly desperate?  Would I keep my carefully-stocked supplies to myself or share them with others?  What decisions would I be forced to make and would I be able to live with myself afterward?  These discussion-worthy themes are just one more element that makes 96 Miles an excellent read.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Alone by Megan E. Freeman, Dry by Neal Shusterman, and other middle-grade/YA dystopian/survival novels)

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

(Image from author's website)

Maddie Harrison loves her little stepbrothers, but sometimes a girl needs a break.  That's why the 12-year-old decides to spend a night away, secretly having a sleepover in her grandparents' condo while they're away.  Her friends bail on the idea, but Maddie perseveres—and it's glorious.  Until she wakes up and finds that her entire town has been emptied while she sleeps.  Everyone she's ever known and loved is gone, leaving their cell phones behind.  What could possibly have triggered the exodus?  Is she the only one who's been left behind?  With no way to contact her parents, how is she ever going to find them?  And how will she survive without them?

As the days and weeks pass, it becomes apparent that no one is coming to rescue Maddie.  The more she explores, the more she realizes that the emptiness goes beyond just her suburb.  It's apparent that, somehow, Maddie will have to find a way to keep herself healthy and safe for the foreseeable future.  With only George, her neighbor's abandoned rottweiler, by her side, she has to forage for food and water, figure out how to stay warm during the upcoming winter, and keep them both safe from the threats all around them.  With boredom and loneliness weighing heavily on her, Maddie must keep dark thoughts at bay and keep going.  But for how long?  What really happened to her parents, siblings, and friends?  Are they ever coming back?  How many more months can Maddie survive all on her own?

Alone, a debut novel by Megan E. Freeman, tells a tense, harrowing story that will appeal to anyone who loves taut survival tales.  While its premise—a young girl sleeps blissfully on while a fairly large town is completely evacuated around her—seems awfully far-fetched, the rest of the plot feels disturbingly realistic.  Told in verse, it's a fast-moving, absorbing book that I buzzed through in one sitting.  It's easy to root for Maddie, who's brave, resourceful, and likable.  Kids will find her determination both admirable and empowering.  Although the story is scary in places and does get pretty bleak for a middle grade novel, it ends on a hopeful note.  Hand this one to reluctant readers, Hatchet fans, and kids who want a soft introduction to dystopian/post-apocalyptic type literature.  They'll eat it up, just like I did.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and other MG survival stories like The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling and Storm Blown by Nick Courage)

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

After witnessing the shooting that killed her mom and left her dad with a hole in his leg, Nora's life has changed irrevocably.  Suffering from acute PTSD, her dad has become obsessed with safety, barely letting his only child out of his sight.  On the first anniversary of the shooting, Nora and her dad decide to spend the difficult day doing what they love best—hiking and rock climbing in their beloved Sonoran Desert.  When a flash flood sweeps in out of nowhere, however, what started out as a typical excursion soon turns into a desperate fight for survival.  Separated from her dad in the chaos, Nora is on her own to battle the desert's unrelenting heat, deadly wildlife, and barren landscape.  With little food and water, she has to find her dad and get them both to safety before it's too late.  They survived one tragedy, will either of them make it through this one?

As a Sonoran Desert dweller myself, I'm very well aware of the dangers posed by our unique climate and landscape.  Our local news is always full of warnings about excessive heat, staying hydrated, hiking alone, flash flooding, etc.  Many people have been hurt, even killed, by these dangers.  In fact, Dusti Bowling—who lives here in Arizona—wrote The Canyon's Edge partially in response to the tragic 2017 deaths of nine family members who were caught in a flash flood outside of nearby Payson.  These very real stories make Bowling's fictional one feel all the more harrowing and real.  The Canyon's Edge is a tense, exciting page-turner that's so compelling it's impossible to put down.  It's written in verse, using text art to create a story that is as visually interesting as it is engrossing.  I raced through the book in one sitting because it truly is that immersive and unputdownable.  The book teaches some invaluable lessons about outdoor survival while also examining intriguing themes like grief, resilience, the struggle to move on after tragedy, and rebirth.  It's an impactful novel that should appeal to even reluctant readers.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other survival novels like Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Be Not Far From Me by Mindy McGinnis, When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall, etc.)

Ashley Hawkins' single father doesn't have the money to provide her with much more than her basic needs, but he did teach her how to survive in the Tennessee wilderness.  She's perfectly at home in the Smoky Mountains, more comfortable there than inside the walls of her drama-filled high school. So, when she catches her boyfriend making out with another girl while they're all on a group campout, she takes off in a fit of anger, seeking solace among the trees that have always cocooned her.  In her drunken rage, she wanders farther than she intended and injures herself.  When she wakes, Ashley's shocked to realize she's lost and alone.  She's not expected home for a couple of days.  Barely able to walk, she's got no supplies and no choice—she has to get out of the forest.  Battling infection, fatigue, hunger, thirst, wild animals, and more, Ashley's in for the fight of her life.

Be Not Far From Me is another raw, gritty tale from YA veteran Mindy McGinnis.  She pulls no punches in this survival tale, so be prepared.  It's brutal and unflinching.  Ashley is the perfect heroine for this story.  She's smart, tough, and determined.  Her vulnerability, though, is what makes her authentic and relatable.  It's impossibly not to root for her success, even as it becomes less and less likely.  While Be Not Far From Me is a intense, straightforward survival story, it does offer some interesting ruminations on how the things (nature) and people (family and friends) we love can both shelter and harm us.  I've enjoyed all of McGinnis' books; this one is no exception.  If you enjoy stark survival tales, you're going to love Be Not Far From Me.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other YA and MG survival stories like The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling, I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall, When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall, The Wild Lands by Paul Greci, etc.)

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

Tasia "Sia" Gianopoulos has spent so much time in the water over the last 17 years of her life that it seems she was born with gills.  These days, she's diving not just for fun but because, with her dad in prison, she and her mom desperately need the money.  Their charter scuba diving business allows them to do what they love and pay the bills.  

Leading diving expeditions to shipwrecks in the Florida Keys is second nature to Sia, but she has an odd, unsettling feeling about visiting the U.S.S. Andrew.  Something about the trip just feels off.  When one of the divers die, the whole group desperately tries to get back to land.  An attack by a horrifying sea monster leaves divers dead, the Gianopoulos' boats in ruins, and four kids stranded on a remote island.  With a thick jungle at their backs and a sea of deadly water in front, there is no escape route.  As the days wear on with no rescue in sight, Sia, her younger brother, and two kids who are virtually strangers to them must learn how to survive on an island where nothing is as it seems.  Can they learn its strange ways?  Can they defeat the sea monster that guards the terrifying secret that may be their only way home?  

When a book is described as LOST meets Stranger Things, it leads the reader to expect a certain level of greatness.  Did Fractured Tide, a debut YA sci fi/horror novel by Leslie Lutz, deliver?  I'm not sure it's possible to totally meet the expectations of such an illustrious billing, but the book offers a story that is tense, tightly-plotted, and exciting.  Told through letters Sia writes to her father, the tale has an intimate feel that just adds to the plot's intensity.  With the urgency of LOST and the eeriness of Stranger Things, it uses classic sci fi/horror elements to keep the reader on the edge of their seat while they burn through the pages to see what happens next.  Entertaining and satisfying, Fractured Tide is simply a good read.  Despite some violence and gore, it's also a mostly clean read that I can hand to my 15-year-old LOST lover without reservation.  I love that.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall)

  

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Felicity "Flick" Lloyd is a 28-year-old glaciologist happily ensconced on the remote Antarctic island of South Georgia.  When the last boat of the season leaves, she always breathes a sigh of relief.  She's safe—at least temporarily—from her murderous ex-husband.

Flick isn't as secure as she thinks.  Unbeknownst to her, a man disembarked from the boat and now he's searching for her with dogged determination.  Despite the hostile landscape, he is closing in on Flick.  How will she survive alone in the empty, treacherous wilderness with worsening weather and a target on her back?

The Split, the newest thriller from Sharon Bolton, revolves around a simple premise.  Too simple.  It's Bolton, the queen of I-didn't-see-that-coming plot twists, so you know there's more to this tale than meets the eye!  I've read all of Bolton's books, so I wasn't blindsided by every swerve in the story, but The Split still kept me guessing and speeding through the pages.  I read the book in almost one sitting because I literally could not look away from it.  From its unique, chilling setting to its complex, intriguing characters to its tense, propulsive plot, this novel just plain swept me away.  It may, in fact, have unseated Little Black Lies as my favorite Bolton book.  Needless to say, I loved it.

(Readalikes:  Um, I can't think of anything.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, disturbing subject matter, and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Split from the generous folks at Minotaur Books (a division of St. Martin's Publishing Group/Macmillan) in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Tom Calloway's not a big fan of spending more time than necessary with his classmates.  Normally, going on a long trip to do an ecological project in a foreign country with a whole group of them would not be his thing.  Too bad he didn't really get a choice.  It's ironic, then, that his plane crashes on the way to Costa Rica.  Only 19 people survive, all teens like Tom.  

After realizing they are stranded in the middle of a rainforest, with no signs of civilization anywhere, and that help is not on its way, the students have to figure out how to survive.  Everything in the unfamiliar jungle is a threat—from insects to prowling beasts to the unforgiving sun to the strange plant life.  As the classmates argue over who should lead them, who can be relied on to make wise decisions, and who can't be trusted at all, it soon becomes apparent that their worst enemies might not be lurking in the jungle, but hiding within themselves.  With danger all around, can Tom and his classmates find their way to safety?  Or will the teens be picked off one by one until no one's left to tell their tale?

I'm a big LOST fan, so when I saw the cover of When We Were Lost, a YA novel by Kevin Wignall, it definitely caught my eye.  I admit to being a little disappointed when I realized there's no woo-woo in the book's plot; it's a straight-up survival story.  Still, it tells an exciting, action-packed tale that kept me turning pages.  As far as characters go, there are too many to really get to know any of them well.  I wanted more depth and development from them.  Although the book's plot is engaging, I felt like there was a little something missing from it as well.  Overall, though, I enjoyed this quick, entertaining read.

(Readalikes:  Um, nothing is really coming to mind.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

With floodwaters rising steadily over the last 100 years, the world has dwindled to a string of small colonies perched on the mountain peaks that used to soar far above civilization.  Oceans of dark, impenetrable water are all around, forcing many to live solely on the water, stepping on land rarely and only to gather news and supplies.  Ever since the floods swallowed what was left of Nebraska, Myra has lived on a 15-foot long, 5-foot wide boat with her 7-year-old daughter, Pearl.  Although her life is focused mainly on keeping Pearl fed and out of danger, Myra has another purpose guiding her actions.  She's desperate to find her older daughter, Row, who was stolen from Myra by her husband seven years ago.  

Just when Myra is giving up hope of ever finding Row, a stranger claims to have spotted her in a remote Arctic Circle colony.  Is it true?  Even if it is, can Myra really make the long, arduous journey to such a far-flung spot?  Regardless, she has to try.  But such an undertaking will require getting help from strangers and she stopped trusting other human beings long ago.  Desperate, she throws her lot in with a group of pilgrims looking for the perfect place to create a utopian society.  Even in a bigger ship, with a crew of people who seem trustworthy, Myra feels anxious.  Can she keep herself and Pearl safe all the way to the Arctic Circle?  What if Row isn't there?  With the trip becoming more dangerous with each mile, Myra has to decide what is more important—keeping Pearl safe or finding Row—because the farther she travels, the more apparent it's becoming that she can't do both ...

Of all the dystopian worlds I've encountered in books and movies, I'm most creeped out by the watery ones.  There's just something about the fathoms below ... With its unsettling setting and sad, introspective vibe, After the Flood, a debut novel by Kassandra Montag, is a haunting read in more ways than one.  It's not a page-turner by any means; in fact, there are only occasional spurts of action.  This made the story a bit of a slog for me.  I also had a little trouble with the characters.  I found them an interesting lot, but they were written in a way that felt removed, which made it tough to connect with them.  Nevertheless, I found Montag's prose assured, the world she created fascinating, and her heroine intriguing.  I finished the book because I wanted to know what was going to happen to Myra and her daughters.  In the end, though, After the Flood turned out to be just an okay read for me.  Bummer.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, sexual content, blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of After the Flood from the generous folks at William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins).  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Three years ago, amidst chaos created by climate change and natural disasters, the United States drained Alaska of oil, then withdrew statehood to the cut-off land.  Residents who desired to leave were removed to Maine.  Those who refused were left to fend for themselves in the newly-designated "Sacrifice Area."  

Travis' prepper father saw no reason to flee Alaska then, but he does now.  With almost no food left and none to be found in the wild, his family is in danger of starving—and that's if they don't get killed first by the bands of hungry, half-feral people who roam the land, ready to kill for a can of soup.  Their trek toward the Arctic ends too soon, leaving 17-year-old Travis and Jess, his 10-year-old sister, on their own.  Determined to travel the 300+ miles to Anchorage, the pair sets out across the lonely wasteland.  Along the way, they encounter dangers of every kind, from wild beasts to treacherous weather to impossible roadblocks to people who will help them to those who would just as soon eat them.  With everything against them, can they make it all the way to Anchorage?  What will they find if they get there?  Will they ever be able to feel safe and at peace again?

The Wild Lands by Paul Greci is a taut, tense story that combines action/adventure, survival, and dystopian themes to create an exciting tale that should appeal to even reluctant readers.  Greci is an experienced outdoorsman, which shows as he details the inventive methods Travis' family uses to survive in a harsh, unyielding environment.  He's also a long-time Alaskan, which explains the vivid way he describes the land.  The setting is so atmospheric that I could see, hear, and smell it as well as feel the desperation cloying the air.  The characters are interesting, the prose strong, and the plot action-packed.  True, there's nothing really fresh or original about the story.  It's also a bit far-fetched, as the kids deal with literally every kind of survival/dystopian scenario there is on their journey.  Still, though, it's a pulse-pounding thriller that I enjoyed.  The ending is infuriating, yes, but also satisfying enough.  I'm just hoping Greci has a sequel in the works.

(Readalikes:  I'm trying to think of other novels that combine wilderness survival and dystopian elements, but no specific titles are coming to mind.  Ideas?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a few F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, mild innuendo, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Wild Lands from the generous folks at Macmillan for the purpose of Cybils Award judging.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Every summer, the Crows and the Hoebeeks trek out to their remote, neighboring cabins in the wilderness of northern Ontario.  The same age, Nate Crow and Dodge Hoebeek have spent happy days together swimming, fishing, exploring, and canoeing.  Then, four months ago, Dodge and his father took a trip into the mountains alone; neither one came home.  Although Mr. Hoebeek's body was recovered, Dodge's has never been found.  Nate has made it his mission to find Dodge.  Something in him can't help but hope that maybe his old buddy is alive, just holed up somewhere awaiting aid.

Nate finally convinces his father he's skilled enough in wilderness survival to trek to the cabin without adult supervision.  When the friend who was supposed to accompany him gets grounded, Nate decides to make the trip alone without telling his parents he'll be going solo.  As soon as he arrives, he realizes he's in for more than he bargained for.  Several rough-looking men, whom he recognizes from the news as escaped convicts, have taken over his family's cabin.  Paralyzed with indecision, Nate can't fathom what to do next.  With an incoming blizzard making everything worse, he must rely on his instincts and the survival skills he's learned over the years to escape the mountain alive.

The Starlight Claim by Tim Wynne-Jones is an action-packed adventure/survival novel that will appeal to even reluctant readers.  There's enough going on to keep anyone's interest, although the flashback sections do slow down the story's forward momentum.  They humanize Dodge, who still seems like a jerk, but I'm not sure how much they actually add to the story.  The other chapters, though, are exciting enough to make up for the slow parts.  I saw the big reveal coming from a mile away, so that was a little disappointing.  Overall, though, The Starlight Claim is a decent action/adventure story that kept me (mostly) riveted to the page.

(Readalikes:  Um, nothing is coming to mind.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Starlight Claim from Candlewick Press for the purpose of Cybils Award judging.  Thank you!