Northern Lights, Frozen Nights: A Collection of Previously Unpublished Short Stories by Russell Annabel

Rusty Annabel is a great writer, Jeff Davis separately wrote a fine biography of Annabel and compiled a nice group of stories for Vol. VII of the Safari Press Series. This is a very 'little book' about 90 pages. Three of the ten stories were published in Vol VI of the Safari Press Series--the best 3 in my view. Another was published in Vol VII. The last was published in Alaska Magazine in shorter form in 2000, not clear by whom or how it got there. Some of the others, war correspondent stories, seemed familiar. The ones not reprinted already in Vol VI Safari Press aren't as good as Rusty's usual work. The newspaper stories had nothing to do with hunting or fishing and aren't "yarns." It's not clear if the others were actually written by Rusty--or 'based on his outlines' and bits and pieces of his writing and notes and pieced together with parts written by the editor. They don't have the cachet or the polish. I was really psyched to think I was getting 7 new real Rusty Annabel "yarns." This is the only Rusty Annabel book or story I have ever put down before finishing even a single yarn. Yawn--don't buy it. I've had it 3 days and tried to pick it up twice more. In 2003 I'd have said buy it for the three yarns later put in the Vol. VI Safari Press. There are enough of the war correspondent stories spread about the Safari Press series. There was was a reason Rusty left most of these in the Anchorage garage and never picked them up. Great expectations unmet--Nice try but missed the net. Darn, sure wish these were like the 3 in Vol VI.

Was not the typical Annabell stories

Another great addition to the Rusty Annabel series. Jeff Davis' work at bringing the stories together and painting a background for them just whets my appatite to read more by and about Russell.

It was great to read Russel Annabel stories again after too many years of not having his stories available. They were the first things I read when I was a youth and read these magazines ( instead of doing my homework)

Not as good as others

great book

I enjoy reading Russell Annabelle's stories and stories about him. The book was great.

I first read some of his stores in the about 1952, and all of his stores are great. Roberts