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Tom and Liz Austen #17
The Inuk Mountie Adventure
What is the sinister conspiracy code-named CanSell, and how does it threaten Canada? Is the nation's handsome Prime Minister really what he seems? The truth is on a micro-cassette that Tom Austen must somehow find before a crucial vote by Canadians on the future of the country.
While on a school trip to Gjoa Haven in the high Arctic, Tom unexpectedly learns the cassette might be closer than he thought. Between drum dances and snowmobile chases across the tundra, Tom searches for the cassette and learns a valuable lesson from the Inuit about the futility of violence.
While on a school trip to Gjoa Haven in the high Arctic, Tom unexpectedly learns the cassette might be closer than he thought. Between drum dances and snowmobile chases across the tundra, Tom searches for the cassette and learns a valuable lesson from the Inuit about the futility of violence.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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About the author
Eric Wilson
37 books59 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Eric Wilson is a Canadian children's author and now living in Victoria, British Columbia.
Eric Wilson is a Canadian children's author and now living in Victoria, British Columbia.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 14, 2016
Eric Wilson is from 1940, older than my parents. He is a teacher first published in the 1970s. He exaggerates negative speech and comportment of villains, deliberate caricatures, to show children the right attitudes. I have observed Tom, Liz, even Dietmar Oban, and the author growing. Some consisted of generically exciting, clichéd scenarios tossed into a pot. Eric visited Nunavut and planned this mystery. It shows. "The Inuk Mountie Adventure" is very well done! The axis is creatively fantastic: a movie star-like prime minister is corrupt, which Tom discovers plausibly.
The leader's Father is an Arctic lecturer at the University Of Manitoba, a trip Tom's class makes. He overhears disturbing things that he reports to Winnipeg police. There is a recording that will avert a bad political referendum: melting our country with the United States!!!! This tape goes where Tom is headed and what a dazzling tableau for an adventure! Aside from uncovering successful twists and turns of this mystery, the remainder of the novel is about experiencing the high north. It is a world unto itself that I knew little about and was glad to acquaint.
Eric did it justice: the calm of the people, the way sunset and daylight work so differently, that children are not admonished to stop playing and visiting at certain hours. I visualized the vast snow of the community, flush with the frozen Arctic Ocean; one unbroken white horizon. I learned briskly building an igloo protects you from blizzards that arise while you are "out on the land". The professor longing for cigarettes while they were killing him made a stark point. I loved an unanticipated character turn: sarcastic, fearful Dietmar enchanted with the life of the north. Everything about this story was educational in a sensitive, insightful way and the friendships are beautiful.
The leader's Father is an Arctic lecturer at the University Of Manitoba, a trip Tom's class makes. He overhears disturbing things that he reports to Winnipeg police. There is a recording that will avert a bad political referendum: melting our country with the United States!!!! This tape goes where Tom is headed and what a dazzling tableau for an adventure! Aside from uncovering successful twists and turns of this mystery, the remainder of the novel is about experiencing the high north. It is a world unto itself that I knew little about and was glad to acquaint.
Eric did it justice: the calm of the people, the way sunset and daylight work so differently, that children are not admonished to stop playing and visiting at certain hours. I visualized the vast snow of the community, flush with the frozen Arctic Ocean; one unbroken white horizon. I learned briskly building an igloo protects you from blizzards that arise while you are "out on the land". The professor longing for cigarettes while they were killing him made a stark point. I loved an unanticipated character turn: sarcastic, fearful Dietmar enchanted with the life of the north. Everything about this story was educational in a sensitive, insightful way and the friendships are beautiful.
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March 19, 2013Not so much a review as a reminiscence...
I don't remember if I actually did read this book, but I do remember the author coming to one of the schools in my city and travelling to see him give a talk there shortly after reading one of his other books (The Unmasking of 'Ksan). I answered a question correctly, and got a signed postcard or promotional card of some sort with this cover on it. I guess that was the fall/winter of '96/'97, so I would have been 12 at the time. I remember thinking afterwards, "Forget singing or playing an instrument... I want to be a writer!". Soon after I began writing a comic and several novels. I'm still writing even now, over 15 years later. Hopefully once I'm done with my current manuscript I can publish it at the very least for friends and family, and maybe make a bit of money on the side.
I don't remember if I actually did read this book, but I do remember the author coming to one of the schools in my city and travelling to see him give a talk there shortly after reading one of his other books (The Unmasking of 'Ksan). I answered a question correctly, and got a signed postcard or promotional card of some sort with this cover on it. I guess that was the fall/winter of '96/'97, so I would have been 12 at the time. I remember thinking afterwards, "Forget singing or playing an instrument... I want to be a writer!". Soon after I began writing a comic and several novels. I'm still writing even now, over 15 years later. Hopefully once I'm done with my current manuscript I can publish it at the very least for friends and family, and maybe make a bit of money on the side.
June 18, 2012
I saw Eric Wilson speak at the Word on the Lake conference in Salmon Arm, BC, and what a pleasure it was! I loved hearing about his writing experiences and how he came to write Canadian mysteries for reluctant readers. Wilson has a knack for combining action and adventure with Canadian history, geography, and politics in order to create fast paced and exciting books that kids will want to read. I know that combination may sound preachy and unappealing, but it's not.
In The Inuk Mountie Adventure, Tom Austin gets caught up in looking for a micro cassette that will lead him to a killer and save Canada from the underhanded plans of a corrupt Prime Minister.
Wilson paints a vivid picture of life in the far north and the culture of the people, as well as creates tension and mystery about who the killer is. I like how Tom is clever and curious and is able to think on his feet. I like that Tom makes mistakes, but is still able to move on.
There is a richness and a straightforwardness to this book that I think kids will love and will have them turning the pages to find out what will happen next. I can see both boys and girls liking this book, as well as reluctant and non reluctant readers.
In The Inuk Mountie Adventure, Tom Austin gets caught up in looking for a micro cassette that will lead him to a killer and save Canada from the underhanded plans of a corrupt Prime Minister.
Wilson paints a vivid picture of life in the far north and the culture of the people, as well as creates tension and mystery about who the killer is. I like how Tom is clever and curious and is able to think on his feet. I like that Tom makes mistakes, but is still able to move on.
There is a richness and a straightforwardness to this book that I think kids will love and will have them turning the pages to find out what will happen next. I can see both boys and girls liking this book, as well as reluctant and non reluctant readers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews