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Island at the Top of the World
VANISHED!
A sea captain searches for his only son-who disappeared while seeking the legendary whale's graveyard. But in his search, the brave captain finds a puzzle far stranger than his son's disappearance. Caught in the mysteries of a bizarre civilization, a remnant of the ancient Vikings, the captain must battle both a strange people and the defiant forces of nature in his harrowing trek across frozen wastes and raging seas.
A sea captain searches for his only son-who disappeared while seeking the legendary whale's graveyard. But in his search, the brave captain finds a puzzle far stranger than his son's disappearance. Caught in the mysteries of a bizarre civilization, a remnant of the ancient Vikings, the captain must battle both a strange people and the defiant forces of nature in his harrowing trek across frozen wastes and raging seas.
190 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
7 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Ian Cameron
140 books10 followersPseudonym of Donald Gordon Payne.
Donald Gordon Payne was an English author of adventure novels and travel books.
Donald Gordon Payne was born in Denmark Hill in South East London in January 1924. His father, Francis, was a New Zealander, who served in the First World War with the ANZACS. His mother was Evelyn Rodgers, a nurse during the Great War.
He was educated at Dulwich College Preparatory School and then at Charterhouse School. As a child he travelled with his parents to New Zealand and parts of the East coast of Australia – an experience which left him with a lifelong affection for these countries.
Deferring his place at Corpus Christi College Oxford, he enlisted in the Fleet Air Arm in 1943. After training at Sealand, near Liverpool, and at Kingston, Ontario, Canada he was awarded his wings and joined Swordfish Squadron 811 and later 835. He took part in Atlantic and Russian convoys in 1944 and 1945 as a Swordfish pilot, mainly on anti-submarine duties.
After the war he studied at Oxford and became an editor and ghost writer for the London based publishing firm of Christopher Johnson. From there he moved into a full-time career as a writer.
Using James Vance Marshall as a pseudonym, Payne wrote such books as A River Ran Out of Eden (1962) and White-Out (1999). His most famous book is probably Walkabout (1959), first published as The Children and later made into a movie starring Jenny Agutter.
Payne has also used Ian Cameron and Donald Gordon as pseudonyms. As Donald Gordon, he published, among others, Riders of the Storm (2002), an official history of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. As Ian Cameron, he wrote The Lost Ones (1961), later dramatized by Disney as The Island at the Top of the World, as well as The Mountain at the Bottom of the World (1975) and The White Ship (1975).
He disliked publicity of any kind, preferring to stay out of the limelight. During his long and distinguished publishing career he made few author appearances, notably for the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Lifeboat Institution and the Reader's Digest.
He lived in Surrey, England, and had four sons and one daughter. He passed away on 22 August, 2018 at the age of 94.
Donald Gordon Payne was an English author of adventure novels and travel books.
Donald Gordon Payne was born in Denmark Hill in South East London in January 1924. His father, Francis, was a New Zealander, who served in the First World War with the ANZACS. His mother was Evelyn Rodgers, a nurse during the Great War.
He was educated at Dulwich College Preparatory School and then at Charterhouse School. As a child he travelled with his parents to New Zealand and parts of the East coast of Australia – an experience which left him with a lifelong affection for these countries.
Deferring his place at Corpus Christi College Oxford, he enlisted in the Fleet Air Arm in 1943. After training at Sealand, near Liverpool, and at Kingston, Ontario, Canada he was awarded his wings and joined Swordfish Squadron 811 and later 835. He took part in Atlantic and Russian convoys in 1944 and 1945 as a Swordfish pilot, mainly on anti-submarine duties.
After the war he studied at Oxford and became an editor and ghost writer for the London based publishing firm of Christopher Johnson. From there he moved into a full-time career as a writer.
Using James Vance Marshall as a pseudonym, Payne wrote such books as A River Ran Out of Eden (1962) and White-Out (1999). His most famous book is probably Walkabout (1959), first published as The Children and later made into a movie starring Jenny Agutter.
Payne has also used Ian Cameron and Donald Gordon as pseudonyms. As Donald Gordon, he published, among others, Riders of the Storm (2002), an official history of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. As Ian Cameron, he wrote The Lost Ones (1961), later dramatized by Disney as The Island at the Top of the World, as well as The Mountain at the Bottom of the World (1975) and The White Ship (1975).
He disliked publicity of any kind, preferring to stay out of the limelight. During his long and distinguished publishing career he made few author appearances, notably for the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Lifeboat Institution and the Reader's Digest.
He lived in Surrey, England, and had four sons and one daughter. He passed away on 22 August, 2018 at the age of 94.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
October 30, 2016
Rather odd mixture of realistic, detailed information about how to travel through and survive in Arctic terrain combined with fantastical "lost world" adventure. I was expecting, and would have appreciated, more about the latter, but I did enjoy the book overall, although I was unhappy with the ending. I can see why the film changed that.
March 25, 2011
British author Cameron delivers a good, solid example of the adventure fiction genre here, with an original concept, a well-paced plot with plenty of excitement and jeopardy, an unusual setting that he's clearly familiar with, and modern events that are deeply rooted in past history and influenced by research about the past (an element that appeals to the history major in me). He does this without any sex or significant bad language (if the book has any of the latter at all, I don't recall it, so it can't have been very bad or very frequent!). My appreciation of the book has grown over time, reflected by my upping the rating to four stars (from three); it's not a philosophically deep work, but in this genre it doesn't have to be to deliver the goods. :-) I haven't read any of Cameron's other work; but on this showing, I would conjecture that it has possibilities.
Our well-to-do protagonist is drawn to the Canadian Arctic, searching both for his missing grown son and for the legendary "graveyard of the whales" (which would be a treasure trove of the substance ambergris, from which perfumes are made), guided in the latter search only by an enigmatic passage in the journal of a Hudson Bay Company factor from the late 1600s. (Prince Patrick Island, where the main action of the novel takes place, is a real island --though as far as I know, it doesn't boast a whales' graveyard or a lost colony of Viking explorers!) Readers who are familiar with the Disney movie adapted from this book should be warned that the adaptation is quite loose.
Our well-to-do protagonist is drawn to the Canadian Arctic, searching both for his missing grown son and for the legendary "graveyard of the whales" (which would be a treasure trove of the substance ambergris, from which perfumes are made), guided in the latter search only by an enigmatic passage in the journal of a Hudson Bay Company factor from the late 1600s. (Prince Patrick Island, where the main action of the novel takes place, is a real island --though as far as I know, it doesn't boast a whales' graveyard or a lost colony of Viking explorers!) Readers who are familiar with the Disney movie adapted from this book should be warned that the adaptation is quite loose.
August 17, 2015
Brilliant, perfectly executed novel with very relatable characters in a very interesting setting: The Graveyard of the Whales. I hope to read more by Ian Cameron and now want to watch the movie AGAIN.
December 19, 2008
I read this book years after seeing the Disney movie as a child. I found the movie did no justice to the book and barely followed the plot. This is just your basic fun adventure story; readers today may find it suffers from too much detail to minor items at times, such as exhaustive lists of items they planned to take on the expidition. Despite that it's a good story with an interesting premise - an isolated group of people living in a warm volcanic valley surrounded by uninhabitable artic ice on all sides. They're thought to be an eskimo myth until one mans son goes looking for them and vanishes. The book is fairly short which makes it a perfect light adventerous read on vacation or when you've been reading too much "heavy" material and just need a break.
July 30, 2019
Having watched the Disney Studio's tragically underrated movie version long before ever finding the book, I can't help but compare their two different approaches to this adventure story. On its own, this book (formerly titled The Lost Ones) is a pretty good survival and adventure story with an interesting premise and some decent characters. I enjoyed the details of how they survived in the Arctic and what a challenging environment it really is to live in. Freyja was an interesting and quite believable character, if not as easily likable as her film counterpart. .
In fact, the character interactions are just one point which was done far better in the Disney movie than in the original book. The pacing of the film is also better, whereas things in the book drag on much more(I have trouble believing that an isolated and barely explored island is huge enough that it would take them five whole days just to cross that one area with all the volcanoes). Also, I had forgotten how disappointing and anticlimactic the original ending is. It feels unpleasantly mercenary and colonialist, especially in comparison to the movie's bittersweet but satisfying conclusion.
This book does have some things to recommend it: an interesting setting, some good characters, and an unusual story. But the movie has all of these things too, and they are done a thousand times better there. So although I enjoyed the original book, the book is not always better than the movie. I will keep my copy as a bit of a curiosity, since it has the movie promo cover, but now that I've read it twice I would prefer to just enjoy the film from now on.
In fact, the character interactions are just one point which was done far better in the Disney movie than in the original book. The pacing of the film is also better, whereas things in the book drag on much more(I have trouble believing that an isolated and barely explored island is huge enough that it would take them five whole days just to cross that one area with all the volcanoes). Also, I had forgotten how disappointing and anticlimactic the original ending is. It feels unpleasantly mercenary and colonialist, especially in comparison to the movie's bittersweet but satisfying conclusion.
This book does have some things to recommend it: an interesting setting, some good characters, and an unusual story. But the movie has all of these things too, and they are done a thousand times better there. So although I enjoyed the original book, the book is not always better than the movie. I will keep my copy as a bit of a curiosity, since it has the movie promo cover, but now that I've read it twice I would prefer to just enjoy the film from now on.
June 20, 2021
So I’m staying at a boutique hotel in San Francisco. Quaint, eclectic decorations, fireplaces everywhere - all lovely. There are books scattered throughout the room, some on the mantle, some next to the bed, etc, all in nondescript covers. I grab the first book on the mantle, a green fabric one with no title on the outside. Open it and see “The Lost Ones”. Sure, I’ll give it a go.
And give it a freakin go we did! What a great fantastic little weird book in a green nondescript cover! It’s part outdoor adventure, part spooky stuff, part touchy feely stuff, and part treasure hunting and when ya add up all the parts ya get a winner. It’s a quick read but I almost didn’t finish it in time before checkout. For a brief moment I thought about taking the book when I left and finishing it on the plane but then nobody else would get to read the fantastic little weird book in the green nondescript cover!! So I buckled up my bronco and cruised through it, just delightful. Also, if I learned anything from this book, it’s that if you steal shit, killer whales will try and eat you. So there’s that.
Next time you check into a hotel and you see a wall of books used as decorations and you wonder to yourself “are those real books? I wonder if any of them are any good?” - take the little weird book with the green nondescript cover.
And give it a freakin go we did! What a great fantastic little weird book in a green nondescript cover! It’s part outdoor adventure, part spooky stuff, part touchy feely stuff, and part treasure hunting and when ya add up all the parts ya get a winner. It’s a quick read but I almost didn’t finish it in time before checkout. For a brief moment I thought about taking the book when I left and finishing it on the plane but then nobody else would get to read the fantastic little weird book in the green nondescript cover!! So I buckled up my bronco and cruised through it, just delightful. Also, if I learned anything from this book, it’s that if you steal shit, killer whales will try and eat you. So there’s that.
Next time you check into a hotel and you see a wall of books used as decorations and you wonder to yourself “are those real books? I wonder if any of them are any good?” - take the little weird book with the green nondescript cover.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2008
I really love a good adventure kind of book and was surprised at how much I like this. I remembered watching the movie as a kid although the only thing I really remember is the elephant graveyard. Not exactly a thought provoker but a great way to pass the time.
October 1, 2024
I would never have know about this book were it not for my appreciation of the Disney movie (which in itself has become a somewhat forgotten film). This was a well-written adventure story very much in the vein of Jules Verne. I question if this book is readily available / in print as I found my copy (printed back in 1970) through eBay but if you can find a copy it is an enjoyable read.
May 31, 2015
A great yarn from a time, which was really the final period of the 'Adventure-Exploration' story. With today's technology, the Earth is now too small to slip in a fiction of this form any more. A quick look on Google Maps and Prince Patrick Island can be viewed in amazing detail.
Then again, at the time this book was being written, reviewers were probably lamenting that writers could no longer drop fictional states such as Ruritania into the map of Europe. So perhaps nothing has changed.
So, to the novel...
I have been wanting to get my hands on a copy of this book since seeing the film "The Island at the Top of the World", which was based on it, back in 1971. This novel was originally called "The Lost Ones", not referring to a tribe of lost Vikings from Greenland, but the name which the tribe gave to the whales who were travelling to the graveyard to die.
Whereas the film placed the story back in the Edwardian period and employed an airship for the adventurers to get to the island, the novel is a contemporary work which is set at the date it was written. So this isn't a story of Airships and Arctic-Whalers, but Helicopters and Huskies.
It is written in a first-person, memoir style, with a great deal of information (that some would find supurfluous) but which gives the story, its necessary verisimilitude. In truth, the description of the journey to Prince Patrick's Island, could have been shorter, and more time spent on the 'Fair Haired Eskimos' and the build-up of their belief system. The description of the Shaman's hold on the tribe was too succinctly and dismissively described, it could have been more drawn-out and analysed.
With regard to the novel's story, there was one large and irritating plot problem:
SPOILER...
If the 'Fair Haired Eskimos' had indeed been a lost portion of the Greenland Viking colony, who after the massacre at their Newfoundland settlement, had sworn a perpetual war on the Eskimos until Ragnarok... And, giving that this story supported this view by the tribe being fair, not dark haired, which proportedly indicated that they had not mixed with the natives in the area, then how come the tribe were speaking a form of Eskimo that Rodgers could understand?
Had they been lost Vikings then... þeir hefðu verið að tala í gamla íslenska, ekki Eskimo... They should have been speaking a form of Old Icelandic, not Eskimo.
Regardless of this, the book was a very enjoyable read, written with an ease of style that made it very approachable.
As I said at the start, we just don't get this kind of novel any more and it is a joy to rediscover such a good book... I would recommend it to anyone as a good piece of entertainment.
Then again, at the time this book was being written, reviewers were probably lamenting that writers could no longer drop fictional states such as Ruritania into the map of Europe. So perhaps nothing has changed.
So, to the novel...
I have been wanting to get my hands on a copy of this book since seeing the film "The Island at the Top of the World", which was based on it, back in 1971. This novel was originally called "The Lost Ones", not referring to a tribe of lost Vikings from Greenland, but the name which the tribe gave to the whales who were travelling to the graveyard to die.
Whereas the film placed the story back in the Edwardian period and employed an airship for the adventurers to get to the island, the novel is a contemporary work which is set at the date it was written. So this isn't a story of Airships and Arctic-Whalers, but Helicopters and Huskies.
It is written in a first-person, memoir style, with a great deal of information (that some would find supurfluous) but which gives the story, its necessary verisimilitude. In truth, the description of the journey to Prince Patrick's Island, could have been shorter, and more time spent on the 'Fair Haired Eskimos' and the build-up of their belief system. The description of the Shaman's hold on the tribe was too succinctly and dismissively described, it could have been more drawn-out and analysed.
With regard to the novel's story, there was one large and irritating plot problem:
SPOILER...
If the 'Fair Haired Eskimos' had indeed been a lost portion of the Greenland Viking colony, who after the massacre at their Newfoundland settlement, had sworn a perpetual war on the Eskimos until Ragnarok... And, giving that this story supported this view by the tribe being fair, not dark haired, which proportedly indicated that they had not mixed with the natives in the area, then how come the tribe were speaking a form of Eskimo that Rodgers could understand?
Had they been lost Vikings then... þeir hefðu verið að tala í gamla íslenska, ekki Eskimo... They should have been speaking a form of Old Icelandic, not Eskimo.
Regardless of this, the book was a very enjoyable read, written with an ease of style that made it very approachable.
As I said at the start, we just don't get this kind of novel any more and it is a joy to rediscover such a good book... I would recommend it to anyone as a good piece of entertainment.
June 6, 2011
this is an old fashioned adventure story from the ground up; just the kind I like. A sea captain enlists the help of a professor and a whaler to find his son:lost in the arctic while searching for the whale's grave yard.
The trio make extensive preparations purchasing all the things they need and set out by plane and then by dog sled to the arctic, far beyond where has been properly explored. they face danger and certain death at every turn but always press on to the end; even when they lose the sled and all their supplies. I love this kind of story, It reminds me of King Solomon's Mines with lost tribes and mythical treasure to be found.
The trio make extensive preparations purchasing all the things they need and set out by plane and then by dog sled to the arctic, far beyond where has been properly explored. they face danger and certain death at every turn but always press on to the end; even when they lose the sled and all their supplies. I love this kind of story, It reminds me of King Solomon's Mines with lost tribes and mythical treasure to be found.
January 31, 2010
This book was a fantastic adventure! There is magic in a book, when it makes you feel as eager as a child to reach its ending. I found that rare magic while reading this work.
It came as a matter of surprise, upon reaching chapter four, that this story was so familiar to me. I remembered seeing the Disney movie when I was about eight or nine. If you love an old-fasioned adventure I strongly recommend this book!
It came as a matter of surprise, upon reaching chapter four, that this story was so familiar to me. I remembered seeing the Disney movie when I was about eight or nine. If you love an old-fasioned adventure I strongly recommend this book!
August 19, 2020
A very old school adventure yarn about some people going to find the sea's version of the Elephants Grave Yard.
I love these old stories, very simply written but you may need to keep a theasaurus to hand.
Saying that the style of writing can be alittle frustrating here. You get four pages of the characters making some plan to escape which is then scuppered in a two line scentance and never refered to again.
I love these old stories, very simply written but you may need to keep a theasaurus to hand.
Saying that the style of writing can be alittle frustrating here. You get four pages of the characters making some plan to escape which is then scuppered in a two line scentance and never refered to again.
January 22, 2022
This is one of those rare books whose movie adaptation is better than the original.
It's a quick and easy read, with occasional repetitions of phrase which suggest that the the author was typing it up very quickly to meet a deadline—and then has hastily added an introduction to reassure the reader that this was the work of an amateur writer, which thus explains the writing. Fair enough, I suppose. I can't control what he writes.
Anyway, three adventurers, who owe very much to the characters from The Lost World, journey off to the islands north of Hudson Bay to find both the whales' graveyard and the son of the man who is sponsoring the expedition. They do this in 1959, when I would've thoguht whaling had pretty much ended, so it is a bit dated. It's also implausible that anywhere would go undiscovered as late as 1959, but the narrator kind of explains that.
The initial premise of a lost tribe of Vikings which has somehow made it's way to a secret island 800 miles north of the Arctic circle is one of these 'lost tribe' stories that I find really enjoyable. But it was all much more plausibly handled in the movie. The book's Vikings speak 'Eskimo', the movie ones speak a much more plausible Old Norse; these Vikings live on a perfectly discoverable and photographable island in 1959, the move ones live in the early 20th century somewhere in the much more reachable north Atlantic.
But this book won't take more than a day to read, and at least you can see how the movie takes the initial idea and improves on it. The movie also has Agneta Eckemyr, to which the author does justice in the character of Freya.
It's a quick and easy read, with occasional repetitions of phrase which suggest that the the author was typing it up very quickly to meet a deadline—and then has hastily added an introduction to reassure the reader that this was the work of an amateur writer, which thus explains the writing. Fair enough, I suppose. I can't control what he writes.
Anyway, three adventurers, who owe very much to the characters from The Lost World, journey off to the islands north of Hudson Bay to find both the whales' graveyard and the son of the man who is sponsoring the expedition. They do this in 1959, when I would've thoguht whaling had pretty much ended, so it is a bit dated. It's also implausible that anywhere would go undiscovered as late as 1959, but the narrator kind of explains that.
The initial premise of a lost tribe of Vikings which has somehow made it's way to a secret island 800 miles north of the Arctic circle is one of these 'lost tribe' stories that I find really enjoyable. But it was all much more plausibly handled in the movie. The book's Vikings speak 'Eskimo', the movie ones speak a much more plausible Old Norse; these Vikings live on a perfectly discoverable and photographable island in 1959, the move ones live in the early 20th century somewhere in the much more reachable north Atlantic.
But this book won't take more than a day to read, and at least you can see how the movie takes the initial idea and improves on it. The movie also has Agneta Eckemyr, to which the author does justice in the character of Freya.
October 15, 2023
Gosh its been quite a long time since I have read a straight adventure yarn and then I am handed this one, and what a solid tale!
I'm not surprised the Disney had made it into a movie — even though it barely has anything to do with the actual book. Both begin with a mysterious disappearance of a young man, a distraught father in search of him, and myth of a graveyard of whales where untold treasure can be found. But the film is set at the turn of the century, rather than 1960 like the book, and the names have been changed for many of the characters. I will watch the movie but I don't think it can have quite the impact that the book does.
In the book, we are in modern times when Keith Rogers is approached by Captain Anthony Ross and Professor Somerville to join them in this wild adventure to a strange land. There are plenty of challenges as the trio prepare for and begin their journey to Prince Patrick Island in the Arctic Ocean. The island, by the way, is indeed real: its part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands in Canada.
A great tale and a good read. I kept checking to see if things they mentioned (places, plants, etc.) and it just adds to how exciting this book was to read. This is a good read I would say for all ages.
I'm not surprised the Disney had made it into a movie — even though it barely has anything to do with the actual book. Both begin with a mysterious disappearance of a young man, a distraught father in search of him, and myth of a graveyard of whales where untold treasure can be found. But the film is set at the turn of the century, rather than 1960 like the book, and the names have been changed for many of the characters. I will watch the movie but I don't think it can have quite the impact that the book does.
In the book, we are in modern times when Keith Rogers is approached by Captain Anthony Ross and Professor Somerville to join them in this wild adventure to a strange land. There are plenty of challenges as the trio prepare for and begin their journey to Prince Patrick Island in the Arctic Ocean. The island, by the way, is indeed real: its part of the Queen Elizabeth Islands in Canada.
A great tale and a good read. I kept checking to see if things they mentioned (places, plants, etc.) and it just adds to how exciting this book was to read. This is a good read I would say for all ages.
May 3, 2023
Ian Cameron was the pen name of Donald Gordon Payne. His novel, "The Lost Ones" was retitled "Island at the Top of the World" once the Disney film version of his novel was released in 1968 is an action, adventure, and fantasy tale. It has elements of the novels of H. Rider Haggard, Jules Verne, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Edison Marshall but lacks the depth of the mentioned authors classic novels.
Cameron's novel tells the tale of a heart-broken and determined sea captain whose son sought out a legendary civilization, a lost viking colony. The vikings hide several truths, including a legendary graveyard that holds a fortune in ivory. Mixing myth, legend, and natural facts, the author does present a harrowing adventure. There is heroism and tragedy is this strange and engrossing novel. The ending reminded me of Hilton's novel, "Lost Horizon."
Overall, the novel was entertaining but needed more development.
Cameron's novel tells the tale of a heart-broken and determined sea captain whose son sought out a legendary civilization, a lost viking colony. The vikings hide several truths, including a legendary graveyard that holds a fortune in ivory. Mixing myth, legend, and natural facts, the author does present a harrowing adventure. There is heroism and tragedy is this strange and engrossing novel. The ending reminded me of Hilton's novel, "Lost Horizon."
Overall, the novel was entertaining but needed more development.
February 13, 2020
Picked this up as a curiosity, having loved the film as a child (more to do with it being a rare trip to the cinema than the quality of the film) and was pleasantly surprised to find that this is a largely realistic and detailed adventure romp set in the time of its publication (the 1960s) rather than the Edwardian setting of the film (and minus the airship, which is a shame).
Nonetheless, an affable read, though the pacing needs a bit of evening out, and the ending - minus a affectingly bittersweet moment and a heart-warming coda - verges on anticlimax.
That all said, I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Nonetheless, an affable read, though the pacing needs a bit of evening out, and the ending - minus a affectingly bittersweet moment and a heart-warming coda - verges on anticlimax.
That all said, I thoroughly enjoyed this.
August 7, 2017
I hate to say it, but the disney movie I felt had a better story, campy yes... but more entertaining. However, I give the book credit for being a pretty good narrative adventure story. Book is vastly different than movie and I would go as far to say the only similarity is the basic plot of Father heads off looking for the Whale Graveyard in hopes of finding his lost son. Fast past story in some parts and others seemed to drag on, but over all not a bad read.
July 15, 2020
I really give this book 2.75 stars. I didn't realize it was a straight adventure story and expected something more when they got to the island. I would never reread this book, unlike most of my books. This one will be sold.
August 20, 2020
It is, as advertised, “a topnotch adventure story.” The Disney movie is still better, though — and different enough that readers might wonder why both the front and the back covers feature an airship that doesn’t show up anywhere in the book.
March 30, 2020
It's a good story for those-like me-who loves Jules Verne's-style fantasy fiction.
June 9, 2023
A bit wordy but that's to be expected in older books like these. But better than I expected.
January 18, 2025
I read this book when I was around 12 when I borrowed it from my school. I think that was the first time where I did not want to go to bed because I wanted to read. Pretty sure it's the book who made me love reading. This book will always have a special place in my heart 💜
November 14, 2012
This was a fun little adventure book that was an entertaining, easy read. It was my first time ever reading anything set in the Arctic, and, I believe, my first foray into Eskimo lore. It made for an interesting read with a good amount of entertainment and suspense. Of course, the thing I most love about the book is that it introduced me to a new, very odd word, which I really enjoy. When I first saw "cwm" I thought it was a typo, then I saw it again, and again. A cwm, pronounced koom, is a bowl-shaped, steep-walled mountain basin carved by glaciation, often containing a small, round lake. Cool, huh? And it works in hanging with friends, haha! (well if you pluralize it, since you need four letter words, aka cwms) but I haven't had the opportunity to try it in words with friends. Something to look forward too...I lost track of what I was doing here... Oh yeah... Book review... Fun little read, enjoyed it!
July 19, 2012
A very good adventure novel. It has a Jules Verne type flavor to it, but it never feels derivative.
This book is almost impossible to find, and it took quite a bit of ingenuity for me to acquire one of the 3 library copies in the state of Minnesota. And that's a shame, because it is pretty well written. In a world full of good books, it doesn't rise to the top of the list, but neither does it deserve to be forgotten.
So if you can get your hands on it, and you want a good exploration and adventure story, pick it up.
This book is almost impossible to find, and it took quite a bit of ingenuity for me to acquire one of the 3 library copies in the state of Minnesota. And that's a shame, because it is pretty well written. In a world full of good books, it doesn't rise to the top of the list, but neither does it deserve to be forgotten.
So if you can get your hands on it, and you want a good exploration and adventure story, pick it up.
December 31, 2013
I enjoyed this quick read. I was expecting something a bit more fantastical, but it was still fun. It's really well written, a good template for how books should be formatted. And the Eskimos were quite intriguing, almost had me asking the librarian on where I could find some nonfiction Eskimo books.
I recommend this book, yes.
I recommend this book, yes.
January 6, 2022
Surprisingly well written Lost World novel. It avoids the fantastical and sticks with what is entirely possible. By modern standards the characters are a bit stiff, but that’s only because modern novels tend to make all the characters hyper dramatic and imbued with inevitably clashing personalities.
August 17, 2008
Jules Verne in the northern wastes with a mythical graveyard of the whales and ambergris mining. Also a lost tribe of Norse. I left it in a park in New York City. If you found it and read it, I'm truly sorry.
September 23, 2009
A fun adventure, even as preposterous as it may be. I have read these a few times over thirty years and find myself wanting more. The lost Viking colony gets very little time as the protagonists race to the Graveyard of the Whales. Good reading while in the waiting room.
August 19, 2011
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, always liking adventure and survival stories... But the second half seemed a bit over the top and ridiculous.
January 1, 2017
I've read this book over 15 times. My favorite book when I was young and an old friend I revisit from time to time.
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