Sue Harrison Off Key In ‘Song’

It’s back to the tundra for Sue Harrison, who hit prehistoric paydirt with her Ivory Carver trilogy, including “My Sister the Moon.”

“Song of the River” (Avon Books, $24) is promised as the start of a new trio of books. Like the others, it’s set among the people of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

This time the hero is a man, Chakliux, a hunter and storyteller. Because of his clubfoot and because his origin was uncertain since he was found abandoned as an infant, he has never fit in with his village. He is sent to a neighboring village to claim a bride and to bring peace to the clans, but a double murder puts both his plans and a fragile peace in jeopardy.

Once again, Harrison displays a fascinating range of facts about daily life in that place and time, 9,000 years ago. But this time the story is a little thin. The murder mystery at its heart isn’t especially compelling, and when the true killer is revealed, it comes out of left field. Chakliux himself and some other characters are vivid, but others are sketchy and easy to confuse.

Even so, as the depleted band sets out for its next adventure, I want a place in the kayak.