Carla Helfferich

This is a fine, compellingly readable book. McGuire brings to life a fully realized, believable Alaska of the early 20th century, peopling it with well-rounded and morally complex characters. Almost as an aside, he also sketches how a callow if smart young man takes early steps toward becoming a scientist, without ever breaking away from the pace of the adventure and the question that forms the heart of the narrative. Passions of different sorts, hairbreadth escapes, murder--who'd think botany could be so exciting? Thomas McGuire did, and readers should be grateful. "Steller's Orchid" is great fun and impressively informative both.