Author: Craig Johnson
Published: November 19, 2024 by Viking
Format: Kindle, 205 Pages
Genre: Fiction
Series: Walt Longmire #.5
First Sentence: “What was that?” Henry Standing Bear looked at me and smiled. “My move.”
Blurb: Tooth and Claw follows Walt and Henry up to Alaska as they look for work after they both returned from serving in Vietnam. While working for an oil company in the bitter cold of winter, they soon encounter a ferocious polar bear who seems hell-bent on their destruction. But it’s not too long until they realize the danger does not lurk outside in the frozen Alaskan tundra, but with their co-workers who are after priceless treasure and will stop at nothing to get it.(GoodReads)
My Opinion: Tooth and Claw by Craig Johnson was, unfortunately, a major letdown. This novella, intended as a prequel to the Walt and Henry saga, stretched a single idea way past its breaking point. Despite my hopes for an engaging read, I found myself wandering through the first 50 pages, then skimming the middle section, before finally reading the last 25 pages in a last-ditch effort to find some redemption. It was an idea that went on way too long and should have been a DNF.
The premise seemed promising: a dark, blizzard-stricken adventure featuring a man-eating polar bear. Sounds like a normal Tuesday for Walt and Henry Standing Bear, right? But the story quickly gets bogged down with overly descriptive filler and a history lesson. Instead of the thrilling and immersive experience I'd hoped for, I was left wading through unnecessary details that diluted the excitement.
This isn't my first disappointment with Johnson's prequels. First Frost, which wasn’t numbered as a prequel, but explored Walt and Henry's pre-Vietnam days, also failed to impress. And now, Tooth and Claw attempts to chronicle their time after the war and Walt’s work on the Alaskan North Slope, but it too falls short. I sincerely hope this is the final prequel, as this seems to have run its course.
Going forward, I would much prefer future stories to incorporate any necessary background as subplots within the main, contemporary adventures. Craig Johnson excels at crafting humorous, zigzagging tales of Walt and his crew of do-gooders, and that's where the real magic of the series lies. Filling in the gaps with prequels simply detracts from what makes the series truly enjoyable.
In summary, Tooth and Claw strayed too far from the essence of what makes the Walt Longmire series a hit. Craig Johnson should refocus on the action-packed, humorous adventures in his future works, leaving the prequels behind.
Blurb: Tooth and Claw follows Walt and Henry up to Alaska as they look for work after they both returned from serving in Vietnam. While working for an oil company in the bitter cold of winter, they soon encounter a ferocious polar bear who seems hell-bent on their destruction. But it’s not too long until they realize the danger does not lurk outside in the frozen Alaskan tundra, but with their co-workers who are after priceless treasure and will stop at nothing to get it.(GoodReads)
My Opinion: Tooth and Claw by Craig Johnson was, unfortunately, a major letdown. This novella, intended as a prequel to the Walt and Henry saga, stretched a single idea way past its breaking point. Despite my hopes for an engaging read, I found myself wandering through the first 50 pages, then skimming the middle section, before finally reading the last 25 pages in a last-ditch effort to find some redemption. It was an idea that went on way too long and should have been a DNF.
The premise seemed promising: a dark, blizzard-stricken adventure featuring a man-eating polar bear. Sounds like a normal Tuesday for Walt and Henry Standing Bear, right? But the story quickly gets bogged down with overly descriptive filler and a history lesson. Instead of the thrilling and immersive experience I'd hoped for, I was left wading through unnecessary details that diluted the excitement.
This isn't my first disappointment with Johnson's prequels. First Frost, which wasn’t numbered as a prequel, but explored Walt and Henry's pre-Vietnam days, also failed to impress. And now, Tooth and Claw attempts to chronicle their time after the war and Walt’s work on the Alaskan North Slope, but it too falls short. I sincerely hope this is the final prequel, as this seems to have run its course.
Going forward, I would much prefer future stories to incorporate any necessary background as subplots within the main, contemporary adventures. Craig Johnson excels at crafting humorous, zigzagging tales of Walt and his crew of do-gooders, and that's where the real magic of the series lies. Filling in the gaps with prequels simply detracts from what makes the series truly enjoyable.
In summary, Tooth and Claw strayed too far from the essence of what makes the Walt Longmire series a hit. Craig Johnson should refocus on the action-packed, humorous adventures in his future works, leaving the prequels behind.
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