Book review: Longmire takes on the Arctic Circle in Craig Johnson’s latest ‘Tooth and Claw’
In Craig Johnson’s newest novella set in the Longmire universe, “Tooth and Claw,” we follow Walt Longmire’s thrilling adventure in the desolate wilderness of the Arctic Circle. It’s John Carpenter’s “The Thing” crossed with Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” as Walt and the geographical survey crew he’s supposed to protect finds itself stranded on glaciers near the northernmost point of Alaska, fighting to survive.
The book is narratively framed as Longmire retelling the events of the novel to Lucian Connally and Hank “Henry” Standing Bear, two established characters in the Longmire series. While their relationships are known to fans of the series, it’s largely unnecessary to the larger story, making it a perfect entry point for new readers or those unfamiliar with his work. The meat of the story is told in past tense, with Johnson providing contextual information from Walt’s perspective and recollection of the events.
The true plot begins with Walt meeting Henry at a remote oil rig in Nuiqsut, Alaska, where Walt is the head security officer on the rig. While Henry is originally there to visit his friend, it quickly becomes much more, as circumstances cause them to join a USGS geological survey on a nearby glacier. As with all Longmire adventures, it only spirals from there. Upon arrival at the glacier, the surveying crew encounters a polar bear of legendary proportions, which quickly changes the goal of the mission from extracting core ice samples, to merely surviving the night.
While their first encounter with the bear was from a distance, Johnson makes quick work rectifying that as the group is ambushed several times by the monstrous bear, all the while dealing with the worst hand of cards that mother nature has ever dealt. A sudden storm forces the group to shelter in place for the night, but the storm’s high winds tear through the plane they used to get to the glacier.
Oh, and it’s the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. So, with no daylight, bitter cold, limited supplies and no way to contact the rig they left from, it’s up to Walt and his crew to defend themselves from the largest land carnivore and apex predator of the northern Alaskan wildlife, until they can somehow contact help.
While the bestselling author is known for his take on a modernWestern , Johnson uses this novella as an opportunity to stretch his writing talents, as “Tooth and Claw” is a bona fide thriller, through and through. Previous readers of his work may expect this book to fall within his usual pacing, something more character-driven with a steady tempo. However, Johnson takes advantage of the shorter length of a novella, as he immediately throws readers into the action and lets the heart-racing tale set the pace. Johnson refuses to let any of the characters get settled, giving the plot a sense of urgency and a snowballing effect (pun-intended) where the story builds momentum all the way to the final twist and then some.
In the acknowledgements, Johnson points toward Alistair MacLean’s style of writing, specifically his “Thrillers,” as a source of inspiration for how he decided to style this story. MacLean’s impact is found throughout, especially towards the climax of the novella. Johnson himself mentions, that MacLean’s style has been described as “Hit ’em with everything but the kitchen sink, then give ‘em the sink, and when they raise their head drop the plumber on ‘em.”
“Tooth and Claw” is a brilliant bite-sized thriller, with Johnson’s signature Western twang and twisting path on which the plot follows. He delivers on yet another addition to Longmire’s story, one wreathed in forgotten legends, dangerous enemies, and exotic environments. Whether a longtime fan of the series or a first-time Longmire reader, “Tooth and Claw” deserves a place on your shelf.