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- The Curse of the Viking Grave © 1966 (reprint: 1980)
- McClelland and Stewart
- 243 pages
It’s an old story. An author produces a singular work of genius that receives rave reviews and awards, only to follow it up with a weaker sequel.
The Curse of the Viking Grave is not a horrible book. It’s just can’t compare to the grandeur of its predecessor, Lost in the Barrens.
The biggest problem I found was the lack of singular direction in the plot. The first 70 pages tell a different story than that rest of the book. Combine that with a slower pace and a distracting romantic sub-narrative and you’re left with a decent-yet-unremarkable adventure story.
I should note that the charcoal illustrations by Charles Geer are stunning. He’s able to capture the movement and excitement of a canoe in rapids perfectly.
If you’ve read the first one, you should read this too—just don’t set your hopes too high.
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