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Savage Mountain

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

"Smelcer clearly knows his way around Alaskan mountains."—David Roberts, author of The Mountain of My Fear

Praise for Edge of Nowhere:

"A survival story, but one with a strong heart."—ForeWord Reviews

"A thought-provoking and moving coming-of-age story."—Publishers Weekly

"Another gripping literary triumph for Smelcer."—Midwest Book Review

Praise for Lone Wolves:

"A beautiful and moving story of courage and love."—Ray Bradbury

"An engaging tale of survival, love, and courage."—School Library Journal

"[Smelcer] promises to further solidify his status as 'Alaska's modern day Jack London.'"—Suzanne Steinert, Mushing

"Powerful, eloquent, and fascinating, showcasing a vanishing way of life in rich detail."—Kirkus

"Combines good old-fashioned adventure . . . with heart-tugging moments of clarity and poignancy that recall Julie of the Wolves."—Booklist

"A compassionate and inspiring tale . . . highlights the importance of family, community, and heritage."—Midwest Book Review

Brothers Sebastian and James Savage decide to climb one of the highest Alaskan mountains to prove themselves to their father. Inspired by true events, Savage Mountain is not a story of father-son reconciliation, but a touching story of two brothers who test their limits and learn that no matter how different they might be, the strongest bond of all is brotherhood.

John Smelcer is poetry editor of Rosebud and the author of more than forty books. He is an Alaskan native of the Ahtna tribe, and a skilled mountaineer. He divides his time between Talkeetna, Alaska, and Kirksville, Missouri, where he teaches in the department of communications studies at Truman State University.

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    • School Library Journal

      June 1, 2015

      Gr 5-8-Brothers James and Sebastian react differently to their oppressive father's abuse. Sebastian tries to be the perfect son, achieving in school and personal life, while James is a rebel always getting in trouble. Neither approach works. So they decide to spend their summer climbing a mountain and prove they are "real men" to their Vietnam-vet, football-playing father. While they are not able to change their relationship with their dad, they are able to get to the summit and grow as people and brothers. Set in the interior of Alaska, this novel balances family dynamics, brother-bonding, and high-stakes adventure. Set in the 1980s, any possible technological solutions (such as a cell phone) are plausibly removed. The main characters are well developed and readers get good insights into their personalities and inner thoughts. The mountaineering and Alaskan drama is both realistic but also exotic, suspenseful, and exciting. The only drawback is that occasionally Smelcer tends toward the moralistic and didactic, relying on narration to prove a point instead of more natural plot or character development. That should not keep this book from appealing to reluctant readers, though. VERDICT Extreme adventure sequences and the strong brotherly relationship make this a solid general purchase.-Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

      Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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  • English

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