Savage Mountain

Smelcer clearly knows his way around Alaskan mountains.–David Roberts, author of The Mountain of My Fear

Praise for Edge of Nowhere:

A survival story, but one with a strong heart.–ForeWord Reviews

A thought-provoking and moving coming-of-age story.–Publishers Weekly

Another gripping literary triumph for Smelcer.–Midwest Book Review

Praise for Lone Wolves:

A beautiful and moving story of courage and love.–Ray Bradbury

An engaging tale of survival, love, and courage.–School Library Journal

[Smelcer] promises to further solidify his status as ‘Alaska’s modern day Jack London.’–Suzanne Steinert, Mushing

Powerful, eloquent, and fascinating, showcasing a vanishing way of life in rich detail.–Kirkus

Combines good old-fashioned adventure … with heart-tugging moments of clarity and poignancy that recall Julie of the Wolves.–Booklist

A compassionate and inspiring tale … highlights the importance of family, community, and heritage.–Midwest Book Review

Brothers Sebastian and James Savage decide to climb one of the highest Alaskan mountains to prove themselves to their father. Inspired by true events, Savage Mountain is not a story of father-son reconciliation, but a touching story of two brothers who test their limits and learn that no matter how different they might be, the strongest bond of all is brotherhood.

John Smelcer is poetry editor of Rosebud and the author of more than forty books. He is an Alaskan native of the Ahtna tribe, and a skilled mountaineer. He divides his time between Talkeetna, Alaska, and Kirksville, Missouri, where he teaches in the department of communications studies at Truman State University.