As some of you may have noticed, I wasn't very impressed with the last book in this series "The Last Wilderness". The extreme preachiness seems toned down a bit in this newer novel, and the racial overtones are also muted although still present to a degree.
I was glad to see some good humans that actually are working to help the wildlife.
Some weaknesses in this book include the fact that I don't think that the brown bears Toklo and Ujurak or the black bear Lusa would be able to survive in Kallik's world as long as they do. They just don't have the right kind of fur or layer of fat to be able to stay warm there. Even with a warm snow den to crawl into when they sleep, the Arctic is just too cold for those types of bears to survive for long.
Christian parents might want to let their kids know that the spirituality in the book is not really compatible with their religion. It teaches about nature spirits which is more New Age in nature.
On to the strong points. This adventure was much more exciting than the last book. Ujurak's inner struggles with his power play an important role in the story. Lusa fights off a mysterious ailment which threatens to put the whole quest at risk, if not her life. Toklo has a hard time handing the reigns of leadership over to Kallik, which causes some tension with his usual grumpiness thrown in for good measure. Kallik struggles to protect and provide for her friends, and feels the weight of that burden with every step. Perhaps most menacing of all, Toklo receives an ominous prophecy.
On top of their inner struggles, the environment provides its own set of challenges, the cold and hunger being two of the least worrisome.
Overall I think this is a great addition to the series.Get more detail about Seekers #5: Fire in the Sky.
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