The River (Brians Saga, #2) by Gary Paulsen

The River (Brians Saga, #2) Reviews

• 
  karen

  brian is such a tool. only maybe it's not brian's fault, maybe it's gary paulsen's fault for really trying to determine the limits of a reader's tolerance. i am comfortable with suspending disbelief - i watched lost well past the comfort point because of some innate need to see something through to its end (thanks, dad!) that impulse applies here as well - i will read all the books in this damn series because, like kasia, i can't NOT read them. fortunately, these only take about an hour to read, and they do feed my greedy survivalist bug, so there's somewhat of a purpose to it all.
  
  however. i have to call "bullshit."
  Hatchet i can understand: small plane - pilot has heart attack - brian is stranded in the wilderness with nothing and must learn to live in the wild. awesome. this one: brian is in a different wilderness with a man who works for the government to re-enact the experiment for the benefit of psychology and its applications etc. etc. and then lightning strikes old government johnny and he goes into lightning coma (this is all on the back of the book, relax) but really?? lightning?? brian, there's a point where you have to stop and think that maybe you're the bad seed in these scenarios. maybe just being near you leads to disaster, and the wilderness is the best place for you, where you can't destroy anybody else. think about it.
  
  but at least there is this:
  
  

  Out here, in nature, in the world, food is everything. All the other parts of what we are, what everything is, don't matter without food. I read somewhere that all of what man is, everything man has always been or will be, all the thoughts and dreams and sex and hate and every little and big thing is dependent on six inches of topsoil and rain when you need it to make a crop grow - food ...that's all i did - think about food. You watch other animals, birds, fish, even down to ants - they spend all their time working at food. Getting something to eat.That's what nature is, really - getting food. And when you're out here, having to live, you look for food. Food first. Food. Food

  .
  
  and me, stuffed on french toast and grapefruit, would have to agree.
  
  
  come to my blog!
• 
  Calista

  So what gets Brian back out in the woods is somewhat silly, yet once he's there it gets pretty good and you feel much the same way as the first. Then all the sudden toward the end, it feels like he rushes all the way to the end and it's over.
  
  The book is not perfect and it's still worthy to be in this series.
  
  I think it's funny that a psychologist goes with him. He's trying to write down everything he says. So funny, I can totally see that happening. It's too bad he didn't get a better experience.
• 
  Peterpan23 Jeremy Perrault

  From Hatchet, Brian never thought he would see the woods again.
  
  When you become one with the woods, it is always calling to you! The last line of the book, ““Next time,” he read aloud, “it won’t be so hard to paddle. Thanks.” The simple humor of the game called life! Gary Paulsen is becoming my new lost love. My nostalgia from the first time I read Hatchet. I did not know about the series, but my journey awaits the adventure for book 3 of the 5 book series.
  
  It’s my bday month, so let’s finish the adventure of life 🌲🤙🏻!
• 
  Ilana

  Recommended to follow-up Books 1 & 2: Hatchet & The River with this one, then continue with the others in publishing order.
• 
  Mark Wilkerson

  Hatchet was one of my favorite books as a young boy; it fed my desire to travel far away from my suburban existence to face the unknown. And here was a boy forced into extraordinary circumstances who survived! I didn't care that it was fiction and highly unlikely at times. I teach Hatchet now to my 7th graders and they enjoy it (especially the boys) for the same reasons I did.
  
  I only recently discovered that Gary Paulsen wrote several sequels to Hatchet, three now to be exact. So I re-read Hatchet and then prepared to continue on new adventures into the wild with Brian Robeson; except that, from the first page, something about this story is not quite right.
  
  It starts with a ridiculous premise: A team of adults comes to Brian to admit that "we (being THE Army, THE astronauts, very vague here) pretend to survive. But nobody in our field has ever had to do it....We want you to teach us. Not from a book...but really teach us." This is just too much to believe. Having been in the U.S. Army, I can say that there is little here that Brian could actually teach a group of specially-trained adults about survival. But, I understand, it's a YA book, the premise can be silly (I guess, though I expect better from Paulsen); nevertheless, I soldiered on. Soon enough, Brian finds himself with an odd companion in the wild. I say "odd" because he is with a psychologist, you know, one with a PhD, but this man speaks with child-like wonder and follows Brian around writing down all of Brian's thoughts and actions, however trivial they might be...and they are trivial, believe me! Anyway, disaster soon strikes the extremely child-like pyschologist and Brian is left to save the day, in a plot that winds and weaves and rolls lazily by like the river that this story is appropriately named after.
  
  This story is smaller in scope, covering a mere couple of days, one week at the most, whereas the first novel covered a span of nearly two months. Prepare yourself for that, readers, and be prepared for a let-down.
  
  There are some issues that I'm not used to experiencing in a Gary Paulsen story; there is no real tension in the story; no real build-up to a climax; no real character development of Brian or any at all from his companion.
  
  Part of what made Hatchet so readable was that Brian discovered something new about himself and about his environment every moment he was in the wild. Here, Brian just states words along the likes of 'I've been here before." So have I, the reader, and I expected more. This feels like a cash-grab by Paulsen; there was no reason for this book to be written. I hope for better from the other sequels, and, again, I expect better from Gary Paulsen...
• 
  drowningmermaid

  A sequel so disappointing it actually takes away from my enjoyment of the original. The premise here is so implausible as to be laughable, if it weren't so painful.
  
  (spoiler alert)
  
  Seriously? The government has nothing better to do than enlist a CHILD to RELIVE his most harrowing life event, from which he very nearly didn't survive, and whose survival HE HIMSELF attributes to luck? They couldn't just, you know, ask about it? And, of course, the plot is moved along by... lightning. Right. And, of course, survivalist boy has to save the day! Of course he would never think to toss old coma-pants to the raging surf below! He can construct a raft in a single day! He can go without food or sleep for a week! He can remain good and caring and not a bit cranky! And, of course, no harm done in the end.
  
  The writing style, which is repetitious and a little silly even in Hatchet, now makes exactly NO SENSE since hero-boy HAS SOMEONE TO TALK TO. It was forgivable in Hatchet, since it gave a sort of stream-of-consciousness effect that worked for me.
• 
  ClaireG

  How would you feel if you were to survive in the wilderness with a person in a coma? Would it make you depressed? Scared and hopeless? Even wanting to give up forever? I suppose I would. But Brian, a teenager who had been stranded before, is not like us. He has experience, determination, and a strong sense of purpose. He's not, and never will be the type of person to ditch a person needing saving. In this case, Derek, who fell into a coma after being struck by lightning. In The River, we can see how much Brian has grown. He went from a small cub to a majestic lion. He will rip apart any obstacles facing him just to save Derek. All he wants is for Derek to stay alive. He does not care about any hardships. Any rapids or lightning. Anything except for the wellness of Derek.
• 
  Suhailah

  The River is the first of a few sequels to the book Hatchet. Brian finds himself back in survival mode once again, and it’s an intense new journey. The story starts out a bit questionable and slow but right around the 40% mark, I was completely traumatized by the turn of events because up until then you are waiting and wondering what is going to go wrong. Then it was a complete race to the end.
  
  Since this was one of the series my husband recommended I read I asked him how he managed during this particular turn of events, and he admitted he stopped reading the book after that lol. So feeling betrayed, I pushed myself along into perusing through the rest of the book, so I could finally fill him in on how the story actually ended.
  
  “Out here, in nature, in the world, food is everything. All the other parts of what we are, what everything is, don’t matter without food. I read somewhere that all of what man is, everything man has always been or will be, all the thoughts and dreams and sex and hate and every little and big thing is dependent on six inches of topsoil and rain when you need it to make a crop grow—food.”
  —Brian
  
  Brian may have left the woods but the woods never left him. The imprint of survival instincts have lurked in the back of his mind since his experiences in Hatchet. We really get to see how he has matured as a character since then. I suppose once you feel true hunger though, it’s impossible to forget. You are forever changed. Everything about survival is food.
  
  Immediately when plunged back into the wilderness, an innate way of existing demands control over Brian. He is instantly in tune with the sounds of nature and the impending weather forecast. He is intuitive and focused on the fundamental human core needs. It’s pretty amazing to read about and ponder how you would react yourself in such a situation. I’m pretty sure I’d totally let a teenage boy outdo me and just lay down and wait for death to take me haha! The mosquitoes alone would destroy my mental strength.
  
  I am really looking forward to completing the Hatchet series in the future!
• 
  Chantal

  A great sequel to part 1. A read it on a Saturday evening. However, in the beginning I found some things a little over the top like that they only wanted Brian for the job. Still, this made a good read for a couple of hours and I enjoyed it. I would be happy to read part 3 of this series.
  
  
• 
  Daniel Bastian

  "Well, to make it short, we want you to do it again."
  
  When last we left Brian, he had just come out the other end of a harrowing survivathon in the woods: fifty-four days, alone with only a hatchet, of channeling his inner hunter-gatherer. It came to be known in Brian's mind as The Time—the experience that changed him, molded him, transformed him. His conception of food, of time, of nature, the way he approaches the luxuries of modern life—all had taken on a different tint from before.
  
  Brian, now fifteen, is just beginning to adjust to his previous life when a government research group solicits him to replicate his experience for scientific study, in particular to help illuminate the psychological component behind the human will to survive that was surely in play during Brian's extemporized escapade. He would be accompanied by one other person, an amanuensis of sorts to chronicle Brian's thoughts and emotions in real time. This time, however, they would have supplies, including a two-way radio, but for emergency purposes only.
  
  Brian registers a note of incredulity, not to mention trepidation, at having to relive the horrors he can't forget, but which shortly gives way to sincere interest. His mother objects, of course, on grounds of common sense and basic parental concern, but eventually comes around as well. If anyone could help others survive in similar situations, it's Brian. And so begins Part Deux of The Time.
  
  Truth be told, there's really not much that sets The River apart from
  Hatchet. Mishaps occur, things go from worse to horribly worse, instincts kick into sixth gear and Brian does what needs to be done. Sure, there's Derek, Brian's companion this time around, but for reasons that present themselves almost upon arrival, he brings little to the companionship side of the equation. Like the first, details are scarce; how Brian manages to build a sustainable raft is rushed through, as is the rest of the truncated misadventure.
  
  Other than to cash in a crowd-pleasing sequel to a popular predecessor, there was no reason for this book to be written. This is a token case of 'been there, done that', and Paulsen should have pumped the brakes. But as I'm just now seeing, he didn't stop here, either; he churned out no less than three more clones for Brian and his readers to traipse through. While his teenage audience may derive some nourishment for their survivalist bug in these endless spinoffs, Paulsen would have done well to quit while he was ahead, or for that matter, behind.
  
  Note: This review is republished from my
  official website.
• 
  Janet

  Mixed feelings on this one. The plot was somewhat repetitive from the first book of the series(Hatchet) and the primary plot mover was implausible. However, for the primary audience of this book, boys who are about 10 - 12 years old who like adventure/survival books, it again featured the value of self-reliance and ingenuity. As an aside - I do not ever plan to go into the Canadian Northwoods with Brian. Seems to be hazardous to one's health.
• 
  BJ Rose

  In
  Hatchet, 13-year-old Brian Robeson was forced to spend 54 days alone in the Canadian wilderness when the bush-plane pilot had a fatal heart attack and crash-landed in a lake, leaving Brian with nothing but his hatchet.
  
  Now a government survivalist organization wants him to do it again, so they can improve the way they teach survival techniques. Things are going fairly smoothly - well, Brian learned a lot in his ordeal - but lightning strikes the government man through their 2-way radio, sending him into a coma and frying the radio. This time he doesn't even have his hatchet -just two pocket knives, a map, and the clothes they're wearing. But somehow Brian must get an unconscious, injured man 100 miles downriver to a trading post before Derek dies of dehydration.
  
  Too often, a sequel doesn't live up to the original story, but this one definitely does. Once the lightning struck, I could not put this down.
• 
  isabel nixon

  i hated this book. it felt like trudging through water in heavy shoes. it can be done, but it’s not fun at all. the whole thing was short and easy to read, but SO. BORING. i’ve read stories from my english textbook that are more interesting than this. it’s just cheesy and the way they try to mimic teenage thought is hilarious. the only reason why it was so easy to get through was because skipping whole pages didn’t change anything. i could probably skip chapters at a time and still know what was going on.
• 
  Maxim

  Pure nostalgie naar mijn kindertijd waarin ik met Brian op avontuur ging in de wildernis. Nu leest het iets te snel en de personages en situaties zijn iets te weinig uitgewerkt. Toch wel weer van genoten.
• 
  Lev

  I like that Derek was still alive and that Brian was being very strong.
• 
  Alexa

  All I remember is the freakin terrifying stalker bear trying to kill him. Still lives in my nightmares
• 
  Ry

  This was a quick read, and a very good book!! I love the storyline and I will definitely be reading the next few in the series!
• 
  Ashley Bishop

  Kind of a let down if I am being honest. I really enjoyed Hatchet, but this one just seemed rushed.
• 
  Robyn

  So, again an overdrive pick from an author that I had not heard of prior to this, Gary Paulsen.
  
  I listened to this book in a single sitting and it was just about 2.5 hours, so it must be a short book indeed. The audio was a bit dramatic, but I did enjoy it.. Peter Coyote has a very nice voice and he sounds very clam and serious which was fitting. He reminded me of the guy that narrates Robert Parker's books... Joe Mantegna. The cadence is about the same.. so always a good listen.
  
  The story is about a 15-year-old boy that was lost in an airplane crash in a previous book. He was able to walk out of the where ever he was downed, a feat that has not gone unnoticed by just about everyone. Now, for the good of everyone that might actually need survival skills, and the blurp says, "Brian Robeson, a 15-year-old boy who spent 54 days surviving alone in the Canadian wilderness the previous summer, is hired by the government to again live in the woods with only two knives and surviving only by his wits, so the military can learn his survival techniques" hinting of course that the military sends a guy to observe and record what Brian does.
  
  This doesn't work too well for the government guy who is struck by lightning and the hero, our 15-year-old pulls it all out of the shitter and rescues them both. I really enjoyed the listen, the story was well written, you can tell the author spent a great deal of time in the wilderness, but not to the point of being a show-off.
  
  I liked Brian and think he is the starter for an adventurer. He was respectful and polite and seemed like a serious kid... one you would want to know if you are going to get lost in the wood for more than a couple of hours.
  
  It was a 4-star read and I recommend it. You can, like I, read it without the first book HATCHET, but I intend to find that book and check it out as well.
  
  Happy Reading!
• 
  Allison

  I was sincerely disappointed in this sequel to Hatchet especially in consideration of the fact that Hatchet was far better than I'd imagined it would be. I find it hard to believe that many 15-year-old American kids would possess the driving character traits Paulsen has endowed the main character, Brian Robeson, within The River.
  
  In the interest of preserving the details of the content and storyline, I will not give away the essence of the plot to substantiate my review. I can say this, the only part of the tale that is truly believable in this time and culture occurs when Brian wrestles with his conscience over whether to continue to help the other person with him or to abandon him and continue alone.
  
  Western society of the 21st Century practically revolves around the preservation and success of self even at the cost of others. It is this fact that makes the entire premise of The River not only hard to imagine, much less believe, but even more than that - it borders on the absolutely ridiculous.
• 
  Nancy

  Meh. This book is great as a children's book. Filled with quick action. Easy to read. Not too many characters. A simple adventure that the reader can easily enjoy and place themselves in the action. I like how Brian makes the point that he has changed after his initial adventure. It was not something that was easy or fun. He became more introverted, felt he saw the world in a different way, and even reacted differently when he was next in the woods. He kind of exhibits slight symptoms of PTSD, which is understandable from the viewpoint of an adult reader, but perhaps not something that a child reader would have expected.
  
  Perhaps I'm being unfair in starting this review with "meh," but I guess I was hoping for more. More introspection. More character development. More details. More like an adult book. So I guess I should have picked up an adult book, huh? My bad..... But this was still an enjoyable read.
• 
  Siena Kim

  It was really good. I thought that Hatchet was a bit... well... unfinished. It was very sudden. I'm so happy that the author decided to make Hatchet a series and answered out "What if..?" questions. In this book, Derek gets struck by lightning and goes in a coma. He has to sail to the post station, which is 200 miles away. 10/10 recommend, but first, read "Hatchet."
• 
  Jamie

  2.5 stars
• 
  Megan Ferguson

  Another excellent tale, but could have been longer.