Ghosts of the Pacific

I've read the entire Submarine Outlaw series with my children, and Ghosts of the Pacific, the fourth novel in the series, just might be our favourite. But it's hard to say, and that's because Roy's fifth book in the series (Outlaw in India) is a real contender, too. So what makes this novel so special? Well, for one thing, Philip Roy's love for animals and his concern for the environment is palpable. My kids (and I) really identify with this. And it's also filled with adventure. And history, too, lots of fascinating details about World War II. Then Roy also created this terrific character named Cinnamon, who is a trapeze artist. Cinnamon is Al's age, and she's part of a travelling (floating!) circus. My girls loved how strong and resilient Cinnamon was as a character. And then, how many world explorers get to have face-to-face encounters with polar bears, and also spend time with Inuits? (Al travels to the South Pacific vis-a-vis the Northwest Passage, so that's a really interesting part of the book, too!) This book has rightfully been nominated for the Hackamatack Award in Atlantic Canada. (Alright, it probably is my favourite in the series--but again, it's hard to say!)

“Roy’s writing keeps getting better and better. He has a fun, original concept. Ghosts of the Pacific is a page-turning adventure with depth. Roy has done his research, and he has a brilliant plot device with which to work. Alfred is a thoughtful, practical, sympathetic narrator. The book is packed with information—geographical, historical, political—but it never feels didactic….an excellent series to have in the classroom. Suspenseful, exciting, thought-provoking and fun…for any age. Highly recommended!” –CM Magazine

“This is an award-winning series that will appeal to young readers, particularly boys who are drawn to adventure stories and the technical elements of sea travel….Readers who follow the entire series will see real growth in Alfred as a character —from a single-minded fourteen-year-old who just wants to explore to a sixteen-year-old world traveler who has learned the beauty and dangers of the sea, witnessed firsthand man’s destruction of the oceans, and pledges to do something about it by becoming an environmentalist.” —VOYA Magazine

“Like a great adventure, Ghosts of the Pacific does not allow the reader the opportunity to be distracted or bored….The plot is relentless, always enriched with unexpected subplots, steeped in a multifaceted landscape of cold and warmth, hardness and softness.” —CanLit for Little Canadians

“[Ghosts of the Pacific] will draw in boys as well as girls, and perhaps even reluctant readers as Roy’s writing is clean and simple while the story is gripping and full of adventure.” —Resource Links

I loved this book, particularly for its environmental themes. I also really enjoyed how Alfred is becoming more and more aware of the problems in the world. Al's new friend, Cinnamon, also added a dash of "spice" to the series. The series just gets better and better!

It has been two years and four gripping novels since our intrepid, 16-year-old adventurer, Alfred, set out to explore the world in his submarine with a faithful dog and seagull crew. Departing from Newfoundland on this latest journey, his fascination with investigating “the dead and ghostly things” of the Pacific Ocean leads him through Canada’s icy Northwest Passage and then to the World War II areas of the South Pacific. An Inuit elder’s warning that, “The sea is dying”, foreshadows horrifying encounters with the massive Pacific floating island of plastic garbage and as nuclear bomb debris, as well as shrimp trawlers that violently ravage the sea. Fortunately, Alfred gains inspiration from the crew of an environmental protection vessel and adopts a new mission to help save the oceans.

This is the fourth story in the author’s Submarine Outlaw Series, which has won two Canadian awards.