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Watch Eyes Trilogy #2
Arctic Shadow
Arctic storms bring arctic shadows. America's last frontier has become a battleground of spirits when this epic tale of heroism, endurance, and young love picks up again in the frozen North--where Call of the Wild meets Brother Bear .
*****
The 1909 All Alaska Sweepstakes is over. After three days of racing over icy crags, around bottomless crevasses, and through deepening snow, the spent Siberian huskies lay still. None complain. None sleep. Their watch eyes stay open. Drums of the ancestors' course through them and keep them silent when they want to howl to the Gatekeepers. One of their own is dead, their leader, Zellie. Something got her when she left the pack. The huskies instinctively know they are all prey.
The war of ghosts isn't over. Young guardians, ANYA and RUNE, both know it. They look for any place to hide. Xander and the surviving dogs must live .
The golem laughs at their upset. A fanatic born of inhuman evil, he's been able to spirit some of Anya and Rune's gods away, to his side. He rattles the iron bars of his cell, able to call on dark spirits to go after his enemies. Once free, he will crush all in Russia who dare stand in his way. No one can possess any means, any wealth. The Chukchi are kulaks , made so by their dogs. They will be the last to fall and so they must be liquidated first--the dogs, then the breeders, then the people--by any means conjured in this world or any other.
The ice storm is coming.
*****
The 1909 All Alaska Sweepstakes is over. After three days of racing over icy crags, around bottomless crevasses, and through deepening snow, the spent Siberian huskies lay still. None complain. None sleep. Their watch eyes stay open. Drums of the ancestors' course through them and keep them silent when they want to howl to the Gatekeepers. One of their own is dead, their leader, Zellie. Something got her when she left the pack. The huskies instinctively know they are all prey.
The war of ghosts isn't over. Young guardians, ANYA and RUNE, both know it. They look for any place to hide. Xander and the surviving dogs must live .
The golem laughs at their upset. A fanatic born of inhuman evil, he's been able to spirit some of Anya and Rune's gods away, to his side. He rattles the iron bars of his cell, able to call on dark spirits to go after his enemies. Once free, he will crush all in Russia who dare stand in his way. No one can possess any means, any wealth. The Chukchi are kulaks , made so by their dogs. They will be the last to fall and so they must be liquidated first--the dogs, then the breeders, then the people--by any means conjured in this world or any other.
The ice storm is coming.
277 pages, Hardcover
First published July 8, 2015
1 person is currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Sundell
10 books43 followersMy nine, published novels to date are with Five Star, Gale/Cengage. Number ten will be out August, 2019. What started as a pastime in my mountain writing spot turned into a realization of my dream to bring my own voice to my own fiction page in frontier history. My early novels reveal my love of historical romance, while later works uncover my bent for western spirits, in fact and fiction. The Old West (and sometimes the Arctic West of Alaska) is ever the star. I'm just here to record moments in time.
My husband and I raised our three children in the Colorado Rockies, and moved to southern California ten years ago.
My best to you, readers all,
Joanne Sundell
Memberships in WWA, WWW, RWA
My husband and I raised our three children in the Colorado Rockies, and moved to southern California ten years ago.
My best to you, readers all,
Joanne Sundell
Memberships in WWA, WWW, RWA
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 16, 2015
X I received a signed copy of this ARC March 25, 2015 from the author, Joanne Sundell. thank you, Ms. Sundell for allowing me to read this YA book!
Arctic Shadow is the second in a three part series. It is a good story, and one I am excited to see - Rick Riordan has some fantastic novels for teens and young adults that cover the Greek and Roman beliefs and backgrounds, and Ms. Sundell covers the aboriginal backgrounds and beliefs of the Siberian and Alaskan natives as well as ties to the Viking religion and mythology.
This story is set at the turn of the twentieth century, and the protagonists are a fourteen year old Siberian girl, Anya, and a seventeen year old Viking descendent and son of a wealthy merchant sea captain named Rune. Their trial - to protect - and race - nine Siberian Huskies that Anya's stepfather raised and sold in the Alaskan Iditarod . After a failed attempt to liberate the dogs prior to the sale, an act punishable by death in her village, Anya stowed away on Rune's father's ship in order to stay with the dogs she loves. A good tale, with lot's of action and more than a few tear jerker moments.
I would have rated this novel a four - but it is not a stand alone book. There is no sense of completion - the book simply stops, and will pick up again in book Three. Also, the language used by these teens in 1909 Alaska was much too modern. The historical facts are well researched and the setting is appropriate, and I look forward to finishing this story when book three is released.
Arctic Shadow is the second in a three part series. It is a good story, and one I am excited to see - Rick Riordan has some fantastic novels for teens and young adults that cover the Greek and Roman beliefs and backgrounds, and Ms. Sundell covers the aboriginal backgrounds and beliefs of the Siberian and Alaskan natives as well as ties to the Viking religion and mythology.
This story is set at the turn of the twentieth century, and the protagonists are a fourteen year old Siberian girl, Anya, and a seventeen year old Viking descendent and son of a wealthy merchant sea captain named Rune. Their trial - to protect - and race - nine Siberian Huskies that Anya's stepfather raised and sold in the Alaskan Iditarod . After a failed attempt to liberate the dogs prior to the sale, an act punishable by death in her village, Anya stowed away on Rune's father's ship in order to stay with the dogs she loves. A good tale, with lot's of action and more than a few tear jerker moments.
I would have rated this novel a four - but it is not a stand alone book. There is no sense of completion - the book simply stops, and will pick up again in book Three. Also, the language used by these teens in 1909 Alaska was much too modern. The historical facts are well researched and the setting is appropriate, and I look forward to finishing this story when book three is released.
September 16, 2020
Likes:
The author really captures your feelings as you read through this series
The book continues to stay fascinating all the way to the end
There is a much better cliffhanger in this book than in the first one
Artic Shadow, by Joanne Sundell, continues the story of Anya and Rune in their fight against good and evil. I felt like I was feeling all of Anya's heartbreak when the times came, and made me almost cry for her.
The author really captures your feelings as you read through this series
The book continues to stay fascinating all the way to the end
There is a much better cliffhanger in this book than in the first one
Artic Shadow, by Joanne Sundell, continues the story of Anya and Rune in their fight against good and evil. I felt like I was feeling all of Anya's heartbreak when the times came, and made me almost cry for her.
June 25, 2023
Wow, this book was surely something. Never get yourself in a love triangle. Anya should've told Rune. It was hard at times to tell who's POV was who's but, nonetheless, the book was good. Might read again sometime in the future. I loved that we got some original language. Love that the author did research.
February 24, 2021
Really punching us in the feels with all these dog deaths
May 4, 2015
Arctic Shadow provides Book Two of the Watch Eyes Trilogy and is set in 1909 Alaska, when the grueling three-day race is over and the Siberian huskies face deadly danger. Something has murdered one of their pack members: something or someone strong enough to threaten all of the Chukchi dogs imported to America’s last frontier.
It should be evident, by now, that Arctic Shadow comes from animal perceptions; but its unique blend of historical and fantasy genres is something few readers will anticipate, making its audience as mercurial and unique as its arctic setting.
Fans of history should be prepared for the feel of London's Call of the Wild, while fantasy readers will discover the book features many unexpected historical elements. Because this is Book Two of a series, it continues the story of the Siberian huskies and their young human guardians, Native-Chukchi, Anya and Viking-descended Rune.
It was a brilliant move adding these human elements to the huskies' story: by choosing this approach, Arctic Shadow comes from many perspectives; not just one, and holds the ability to involve a wider audience than those who seek stories told from animal viewpoints alone.
The origins of sled dog racing and its rich culture, the unexpected triumph of the Siberian husky over mixed-malamute teams, the coming-of-age story of a girl and a boy committed to saving their dogs, and the challenges of life in rugged Nome around the turn of the century: all these elements create an adventure story that weaves romance and courage into its mystic plot.
It would have been all too easy for Arctic Shadow's action and drama to have superseded its historical value. The fact that Sundell presents a good deal of Alaskan culture and history with her story of two young people who love their animals and each other sets it apart from others and adds value and depth to the events that unfold. Arctic Shadow will immerse readers in its white land of turmoil.
It should be evident, by now, that Arctic Shadow comes from animal perceptions; but its unique blend of historical and fantasy genres is something few readers will anticipate, making its audience as mercurial and unique as its arctic setting.
Fans of history should be prepared for the feel of London's Call of the Wild, while fantasy readers will discover the book features many unexpected historical elements. Because this is Book Two of a series, it continues the story of the Siberian huskies and their young human guardians, Native-Chukchi, Anya and Viking-descended Rune.
It was a brilliant move adding these human elements to the huskies' story: by choosing this approach, Arctic Shadow comes from many perspectives; not just one, and holds the ability to involve a wider audience than those who seek stories told from animal viewpoints alone.
The origins of sled dog racing and its rich culture, the unexpected triumph of the Siberian husky over mixed-malamute teams, the coming-of-age story of a girl and a boy committed to saving their dogs, and the challenges of life in rugged Nome around the turn of the century: all these elements create an adventure story that weaves romance and courage into its mystic plot.
It would have been all too easy for Arctic Shadow's action and drama to have superseded its historical value. The fact that Sundell presents a good deal of Alaskan culture and history with her story of two young people who love their animals and each other sets it apart from others and adds value and depth to the events that unfold. Arctic Shadow will immerse readers in its white land of turmoil.
August 27, 2015
Joanne has a brilliant story line going throughout her Watch Eyes series. Anya, a Chukchi girl from Siberia, is traded away from her tribe in Arctic Storm. Her beloved Huskies are also sold away. They are more than dogs to her, they are her family. She can’t live without them. And, so, she perseveres, risking her own health and safety to reunite with them and keep them safe. But, she’s only a 13-year-old girl up against the elements of nature and the spirit world, not to mention the evil men and women who turn on her. It is not an easy road for Anya. She meets Rune, a Norwegian American seaman, who helps her take care of the dogs and races them in Arctic Storm. In Arctic Shadow, the journey continues. Rune ends up back on the formidable seas, and Anya is left behind in frontier Alaska where she is tricked and tormented by his mother and sister.
Arctic Shadow is a fantastic blend of suspense, frontier life in Alaska, and mysticism. Anya is a shaman and just barely understanding her powers. Her beloved dog Zellie is dead, yet she is a strong spirit inside Anya. Rune also has connections with the spirit world and knows that the rages of storm and death come from a darker place where the evil spirits are trying to gain control. Joanne creates a fascinating blend of fantasy, history, and real life hardships. I keep rooting for Anya, and ache for her when cruel things happen to her and her Huskies. I’ll have to admit it was a little hard for me to read this book because of the physical cruelty towards the dogs, and the mental cruelty towards Anya. That’s also a good sign, because it means that Joanne did an excellent job of creating sympathy for her characters. I look forward to the third installment of Joanne Sundell's Watch Eyes Trilogy.
Arctic Shadow is a fantastic blend of suspense, frontier life in Alaska, and mysticism. Anya is a shaman and just barely understanding her powers. Her beloved dog Zellie is dead, yet she is a strong spirit inside Anya. Rune also has connections with the spirit world and knows that the rages of storm and death come from a darker place where the evil spirits are trying to gain control. Joanne creates a fascinating blend of fantasy, history, and real life hardships. I keep rooting for Anya, and ache for her when cruel things happen to her and her Huskies. I’ll have to admit it was a little hard for me to read this book because of the physical cruelty towards the dogs, and the mental cruelty towards Anya. That’s also a good sign, because it means that Joanne did an excellent job of creating sympathy for her characters. I look forward to the third installment of Joanne Sundell's Watch Eyes Trilogy.
February 25, 2015
In Book Two of the Watch Eyes Trilogy, Anya and Rune continue to battle evil forces that threaten their lives and that of Anya’s Siberian Huskies. Joanne Sundell crafts her fantasy fiction story with deft strokes. The story advances two steps and then retreats, like the persistent, grinding arctic storms that bring evil. Over and over we read about the Chukchi traditions, spiritual lore and the threats against the shaman girl charged by her ancestors with saving her dog breed against an ominous force—each repetition in a different context so that we are always seeing the story from fresh angles. This multiple omniscient viewpoint covers the reader with the dark illusion and looming gloom that hangs in the air after the last page is read. Spellbinding historical fantasy fiction, even for readers who don’t normally read fantasy.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews