SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3030, 17 March 1917, Page 13

SOME RECENT FICTION

"The Grizzly," by James Oliver Curwood (Cassell and Co.; per Whitcombo and Tombs, I/to'.').

When I remind_ my readers that Mr. Curwood's story is from the same pon which gave lis that wonderful study of canine psychology, "Kazan, tho SVWF Dog," those who read and remember that excellent story will need no advice of mine to make a point of buying and enjoying "The Grizzly." Its hero is a, gigantic grizzly boar, "Tyr, King of the Mountains." of whoso chase by tho banter and liaturfdisl. .Tim Longdon. Bruce- Olio, his !ruide and comrade, and Meloosiu, an Indian trapper and servant, tho author gives a most fascinating description. Mr. Curwood as-

wires his readers that, just h« in "Kazan" ho gavo a. picture of his years of experience among the wild sledgedogs of the far Canadian North, ho has, in "Tho Grizzly," scrupulously adhered to truth in his descriptions of Iho animals whoso habits ho studied all ono summer and autumn in iho Canadian Rockies. Tho principal characters in tho story, men and animals alike, havo boon drawn from nature. The author makes open confession (hat for years ho "bunted and killed" before ho learned tluit "tho wild offered a moTo thrilling sport than slaughter." In his new boolc, which is totally devoid of that nature "faking" to which Colonel Roosevelt ouco so contemptuously alluded, Mr. Gurwood many at times seem to endow his animal heroes with a positivoly nicrodiblo intelligence, but he assures us that ho has not overdrawn his pictures in any wav. Tho book makes most fascinating" reading. In particular llicro is a study of .the baby, fan-faced, bear cub, Muska, which is quite delightfully humorous and convincing. A very charming story, but the illustrations had been better omitted. The griraly runs at times to a big size, hut in some of these pictures ho is more, than olepha-nlino.

[Reviews of several other novels are held over.]