โFast in the Iceโ follows the tale of a group of Arctic explorers, whose ship โHopeโ is caught fast in the winter ice of the Arctic. The group must wait out the worst of the cold in the most inhospitable of terrains, learning how to adapt and survive whilst they pray for a thaw and a release from their icy captivity. They face dangers including polar bears, unpredictable weather, and huge walruses in this atmospheric Arctic tale by the much-loved childrenโs author R.M. Ballantyne. R.M. Ballantyne (1825-1894) was a Scottish artist and prolific author of mostly childrenโs fiction. Born in Edinburgh, Ballantyne was the ninth of ten children. At the age of 16 Ballantyne moved to Canada, where he worked for the Hudsonโs Bay Company, travelling all over the country to trade for fur. He returned to Scotland in 1847 following the death of his father, and it was then that he began his literary career in earnest, writing over 100 childrenโs adventure books over the course of his life. Stories such as โThe Coral Islandโ and โThe Young Fur Tradersโ were hugely popular, and many of them drew on his own experiences of travelling throughout Canada. A stickler for detail, Ballantyne continued to travel widely to research the backgrounds and settings for his exciting stories. His tales became an inspiration for authors of the future, including โTreasure Islandโ novelist Robert Louis Stevenson. Ballantyne spent the latter period of his life living in London and Italy for the sake of his health. He died in Rome in 1894 at the age of 68.