“Set against the icy terrain of an Alaskan village and Portland’s seamy underworld, C. B. Bernard’s latest novel is both an unexpected detective story and, truly, a shattering exploration of what we struggle to do to save others—and to redeem and save ourselves. Ordinary Bear is, well…extraordinary.”

“From its opening pages, Ordinary Bear grips readers so tightly they’re barely able to breathe. Bernard has built a ferocious yet tender story on the stark allure of the Alaskan landscape; Portland, Oregon’s eclectic energy; the mythology of bears; and the profound depths of the human soul. Rich, dense, and beautifully written, Ordinary Bear is a testament to the power of storytelling…and Bernard’s immense talent.”

“This is no ordinary bear. It is more of a teddy bear of a book that you want to curl up with, racing through the pages as the characters struggle to save a child.”

“A hero’s journey unlike any I’ve ever read—strange, harrowing, and funnier than it has any right to be. In Ordinary Bear, you’ll follow grief-laden Farley through the seedy underbelly of Portland, rooting for him to complete his redemptive quest and, in the process, find a way to forgive himself. A heartfelt page-turner I can’t recommend highly enough.”

“Ordinary Bear is a masterful tapestry of resilience and atonement, skillfully intertwining its characters’ lives. It plunges the reader into the tumultuous sea of grief, its destructive force as surprising in its course as it is poignant in its impact. This book is as immediate, painful, and tender as a fresh wound. It hurt to put it down. Also great is the sharp and precise prose that makes up every paragraph of this book. It’s written with a blend of wit, vulnerability, and danger that makes the experience of reading it as exhilarating as it is profound. Bernard possesses a remarkable flair for writing characters with whom we’d travel to hell and back, which is great because that’s exactly where he sends them. If any of Richard Russo’s characters had cracked ribs and chipped teeth, they’d be C. B. Bernard’s characters.”

“There’s nothing ordinary about Ordinary Bear. In this propulsive novel, C. B. Bernard pits some of the fiercest things around—famished polar bears, ecological collapse, savage inequality—against the awesome power of a father’s love. This timely novel kept me up late, made me laugh, and broke my heart. I can’t wait to see what Bernard does next.”

“Ordinary Bear is a dark, comic, and soulful crime story. C. B. Bernard has a keen eye for the details of misery and redemption, whether in the far-flung villages of the Arctic or the eccentric backstreets of Portland, Oregon. This novel is deeply moving and exciting to read.”