Customer Reviews

Czar of Alaska: The Cross of Charlemagne (MacGregor Family Adventure Series)

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Richard Trout is a great writer and this is his best book yet. This book takes place in an Alaskan mountain range. They ride on dog sleds in a blizzard and get chased by bears. My favorite part was when they get trapped in the cabin and a bear breaks in and tries to kill them.

This book was greatly written. With great detail, the plot takes you all the way around the world to explore and discover new things. The adventure is one you would be glad to experience. I invite you to read this astounding book. My favorite part is when R.O. attempts to climb to the top of the totem pole.

Author Richard Trout, also an environmental biologist, consultant and college professor, is back in full gale force with his fourth novel in the MacGregor Family Adventure Series. High adventure in the Alaskan wilderness takes us bounding through an obstacle course of environmental, political and historical intrigue with the exuberance of huskies.

We join in the adventures with Trout's invitation into an icy wilderness, 788 A.D. In the Alps, we meet Charlemagne, his scout, the Duke of Bavaria and an old priest. What is the Cross of Charlemagne and why are his scout and the old priest so willing to protect it with their lives? The Prologue ends in a blizzard of snow and ice, obscuring events that will take another 1,000 years to reveal.

Enter the MacGregor kids: Chris, Ryan and Heather. The year is 1999 and they've hitting the ground running, or rather dog sledding, as the novel opens. Fighting off angry grizzlies, discovering an unusual, vacant cabin, crashing into a whaler, the kids set the pace of the novel. Who are the three Russian Orthodox priests that Ryan befriends and what are they doing in the Alaskan wilderness? An elegant, elderly lady might have some interesting information for them, if they can find her alive.

Meanwhile, Drs. Jack and Mavis MacGregor have their own grizzlies to tackle in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge: a highly skilled, highly paid group of eco-terrorists. Sprinkle a few special agents around and add a cold-hearted killer with a personal political agenda into the mix and the dangers of working in Alaska are realized in full. Will the MacGregors and the FBI stop the eco-terrorists in time?

This novel is rich with facts, which Trout expertly weaves in with fiction. An Alutiq tribe member befriends the MacGregor family, offering cultural history. We meet characters throughout the Alaskan escapades that teach us about the environmental and political challenges dear to the wilderness. We learn historical history from the three Russian Orthodox priests. Trout offers an Alaskan tapestry of tales.

Written for young adults, adults too will enjoy this romp through the frozen wilderness. After all, I've got the first four books on my shelf and look forward to more.

October 16, 2005
5 out of 5 dogsleds
Reviewed by True North
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This book is a great adventure story that will keep your attention. It is highly recommendended for young adults by one.I like this book because there is alot of suspense and thrills. I'm not much of a reader but this book was awesome. You won't be able to put the book down. Jacob Miller