Set during the Klondike Gold Rush, like several of Jack London’s stories including probably his two most famous; Call of the Wild and White Fang, The Odyssey of the North tells the tale of a Native retrieving his wife back from being stolen. The story was more than likely marketed as an adventure tale but like all of London’s work, if one only digs a bit deeper many other themes are present beyond that of simple entertainment. I would not classify this work as an entertainment or an adventure story simply because the action is all but limited and the brunt of the story is a long winded meandering dialog.
Jack London was a known socialist and sympathetic to Natives and understood imperialism and colonialism (although opposing imperialism and colonialism certainly does not make a person a socialist). Many of his stories speak of the plight of natives because of colonial actions and the Klondike Gold Rush was an apparent display of imperialism for the sake of riches. He wrote “adventure” stories but those where only the backdrop to his tales that held much deeper meanings.
More so than the adventure label London should be praised for his ability to describe and create an atmosphere. Reading London I could feel the cold of the Alaskan landscape and the desolation of limitless snow. His descriptions of his characters are top notch as well. Describing a large white man known as Alex Gunderson London say’s “a man such as the gods have almost forgotten how to fashion,” referring to his large and imposing status. He goes on to describe Gunderson as being crafted when the world was young and gods walked the earth, referencing mythology. The aspect of the story I found most interesting was the Stockholm Syndrome description of Naas’ wife not wanting to come back to him and fighting like a “she-cat” like on the night she was taken from him. The Odyssey of the North is a well written and engaging read. This story will not hold every person’s interest especially if they are looking for an adventure novel or quest or hero story.
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