TOOTH AND CLAW - Craig Johnson

After returning from Vietnam, now looking for work, Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear take a job in Alaska working for an oil company, riding shotgun with researchers and oilmen. They come upon a monster of a polar bear who appears to be badly injured, likely making him even more of a threat than a 'normal' polar bear.

About the same time they encounter the bear, a storm approaches and their journey back to the safety of a base is in danger if they don't get moving.  But the death of one of the party, from the dangerous ursus creates the delay they'd hoped to avoid.

From the storm, an old, abandoned ship, stuck in the ice flow, appears.  At first it seems like a godsend - a place for shelter and refuge - it also happens to be filled with highly valuable furs from ages past - but Walt and Henry's party aren't the only ones taking shelter from the storm in the ship. When Henry goes missing, Walt's mission takes on a whole new importance, but he's way out of his (literal) element here.

 After reading this short novel I've decided that Walt and Henry have achieved 'legend' status ... tales of their exploits will be told in many different cultures.  How else is it that we have a story of the pair of them in Alaska facing one of the most ferocious of beasts?

I enjoyed the story, but it didn't really feel like a Walt Longmire story.  Even trying to paint the duo as younger and hungry for work, this just didn't feel like the kind of story we'd see from the two?  I'd almost rather get a story of them in Vietnam, than this somewhat forced method of putting them in such a unique environment.

We're also just a little over the top with this extra aggressive polar bear (a regular, hungry polar isn't challenging enough for Walt?).  And if the bear is using a ship that miraculously appeared from the ocean ice as its home, where did the bear come from before the ship appeared?

Craig Johnson is a wonderful storyteller and Walt Longmire (and Henry Standing Bear) is a tremendous character, and I enjoyed the reading from this perspective.  But I'd almost rather have met a new character in this environment than force Walt into it.

Looking for a good book? Walt Longmire fans will rejoice at any new Longmire story (as I did), but Tooth and Claw puts Walt and Henry in the frozen tundra, early in their careers, which didn't work as well for me.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

3-1/2 stars

* * * * * *

Tooth and Claw

author: Craig Johnson

series: Walt Longmire #0.5

publisher: Viking

ISBN: 9780593834169

hardcover, 208 pages

 

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