Another in Orca's Rapid Reads series, Wagamese delivers a novella drawing from his own rich Ojibwa heritage, this time sketching the story of a wood carver commissioned to carve a mask. The story which unfolds is a classic power-play between dark and light, good and evil, in this case of a dark shaman who wishes to resurrect an evil shaman of old.

Guided by an Ojibwa elder, the carver discovers the power of his own ancestors, and a way to defeat the emergence of an ancient and destructive power.

Again, a bit naive in its delivery, and with a definite feeling of being rushed through the story, I felt Wagamese was unable to deliver his usual rich world-building and story-telling ability.

Still, a good read, and one which would certainly appeal to a younger audience. ( )

Him Standing is definitely more of a novella or a fairly long short story as opposed to a novel. It's only 129 pages long and the margins/print are HUGE so the page count is misleading. This, of course, doesn't impact the quality of the work; it's only a statement about the book itself.

Simply put, (and without spoilers) this story details the misadventures of a young woodcarver when he is taken advantage of by an evil shaman. Him Standing reads almost like a myth/fable providing a nice (but brief) glimpse into the richness of the folklore and mythology of the Ojibwe people. The writing style is very straightforward and the pacing is quick providing an easy, easy read. However, Wagamase's simple prose should not be mistaken as being stunted or overly-simplistic. His words seem to accurately reflect the gritty/simple lives of his characters and he does still manage to fit some beautiful passages/imagery into this work.

Because the time commitment to read this book is so low and because this story provides a window into a culture that has not received the largest of audiences, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a nice story. ( )

I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. Him Standing is part of Orca Books "Rapid Reads" line, which is an awesome concept. The stories are for a more mature audience (think teens and up) but at a lower reading level for struggling readers. I think they're really great and respectful. I think the Rapid Reads program recognizes that just because your reading level is below the average for your age range doesn't mean that you don't still want to read interesting and engaging stories.

Richard Wagamese is an incredible writer, and I was left wanting more—because this is a Rapid Reads story, there are some simplifications to the background and detail provided. The story is heavily based on action, whereas Wagamese excels at the atmospheric, especially when dipping into magical realism.

Him Standing is a story with First Nations characters dealing with contemporary issues, as well as a legend involving good versus evil. Lucas learned to carve from his Ojibway grandfather, but his grandfather died before being able to impart valuable wisdom of an elder. Due to the urbanization of his family and culture, Lucas does not fully understand the power of his talent. Lured into a gig by a weird stranger, Lucas and his girlfriend are pulled into a struggle of good versus evil.

An interesting and quick read. Lucas is at the center of a basic good-versus-evil tale that nonetheless has the feel of legend. Mixed in is the nice irony of Knight’s evil dreams slowly introducing Lucas to his own heritage. What the story lacks in depth and detail, it makes up for with a concisely simple but strong narrative told in Lucas’s engaging voice. ( )

A woodcarver finds himself pulled into the world of spirits after being comissioned to bring a legend to life. An intriguing quick read. ( )