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Brian's Saga #2
The River
"We want you to do it again."
These words, spoken to Brian Robeson, will change his life. Two years earlier, Brian was stranded alone in the wilderness for 54 days with nothing but a small hatchet. Yet he survived.
Now the government wants him to go back into the wilderness so that astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept Brian alive. Soon the project backfires, though, leaving Brian with a wounded partner and a long river to navigate. His only hope is to build a raft and try to transport the injured man a hundred miles downstream to a trading post--if the map he has is accurate.
From the Paperback edition.
This is a previously published edition of ISBN 0307929612.
These words, spoken to Brian Robeson, will change his life. Two years earlier, Brian was stranded alone in the wilderness for 54 days with nothing but a small hatchet. Yet he survived.
Now the government wants him to go back into the wilderness so that astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept Brian alive. Soon the project backfires, though, leaving Brian with a wounded partner and a long river to navigate. His only hope is to build a raft and try to transport the injured man a hundred miles downstream to a trading post--if the map he has is accurate.
From the Paperback edition.
This is a previously published edition of ISBN 0307929612.
132 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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About the author
Gary Paulsen
412 books4,021 followersGary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,966 reviews
April 16, 2020
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:
and me, stuffed on french toast and grapefruit, would have to agree.
come to my blog!
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!
June 13, 2018
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.
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.
December 6, 2022
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 🌲🤙🏻!
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 🌲🤙🏻!
August 21, 2013
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...
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...
March 3, 2023
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!
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!
November 21, 2012
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.
(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.
Want to read
August 15, 2019Recommended to follow-up Books 1 & 2: Hatchet & The River with this one, then continue with the others in publishing order.
March 31, 2021
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.
November 11, 2020
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.
October 30, 2020
"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.
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.
February 6, 2026
One star taken away for language, but otherwise this was a great continuation of the Brian Saga!
Characters:
There is something about Brian that I've loved since the first moment of reading Hatchet and I think the charm of it is that he's a normal kid who becomes something more. He gets this deep connection with nature, one that you can only have from being immersed in it. I've never been in his situation, but I grew up roaming the Appalachians, and there is something that someone who's never been in the mountains can't begin to understand. I loved how well Paulsen represents that.
Derek was such a nice guy and wow...the story was a wild ride.
Language:
a couple of uses of d*mn, a couple of uses of h-e-double hockey stick.
Violence/Gore:
Character is struck by lightning, almost drowns, injured, and there are some mentions of a character messing themselves. It's nothing overall descriptive and handled well.
Overall:
This is a great survival story! Hatchet is still my favorite survival story and this is a great continuation of that story! Excited to read the next books in the series!
Recommend age 9+ with parental supervision for language.
Characters:
There is something about Brian that I've loved since the first moment of reading Hatchet and I think the charm of it is that he's a normal kid who becomes something more. He gets this deep connection with nature, one that you can only have from being immersed in it. I've never been in his situation, but I grew up roaming the Appalachians, and there is something that someone who's never been in the mountains can't begin to understand. I loved how well Paulsen represents that.
Derek was such a nice guy and wow...the story was a wild ride.
Language:
a couple of uses of d*mn, a couple of uses of h-e-double hockey stick.
Violence/Gore:
Character is struck by lightning, almost drowns, injured, and there are some mentions of a character messing themselves. It's nothing overall descriptive and handled well.
Overall:
This is a great survival story! Hatchet is still my favorite survival story and this is a great continuation of that story! Excited to read the next books in the series!
Recommend age 9+ with parental supervision for language.
October 14, 2018
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.
August 13, 2025
"Boy, I have such mixed feelings on this novel." is not the kind of thing I expected to say about this.
(They want him to go back. . . .
Two years after Brian Robeson survived fifty-four days alone in the Canadian wilderness, the government wants him to head back so they can learn what he did to stay alive. This time Derek Holtzer, a government psychologist, will accompany him. But a freak storm leaves Derek unconscious. Brian's only hope is to transport Derek a hundred miles down the river to a trading post. He's survived with only a hatchet before—now can Brian build a raft and navigate an unknown river?
For the first time it's not only Brian's survival that's at stake. . . .) ~ Blurb from Goodreads
I liked how the novel showed the aftermath of Brian's experience trying to survive in the wild. While Brian survived, he didn't come away from it unscathed. He had to visit the mall a few times to readjust to city living, he regularly overate, he was reluctant to go back to the wild with Derek, and so on and so forth. It adds a layer of believability and shows that, while Brian may be resilient and resourceful, he's not at all invincible.
I also loved how it explored the pros and cons of having someone with you in a survival situation. On the one hand, you're less lonely and you have someone to split the work with. On the other hand, you need to gather more resources, you need to build or find a shelter large enough to accommodate two people, and you need to be more vigilant to keep you both safe. I also think that having a companion allows Brian to utilize the skills he's gained in the last entry while throwing enough new challenges at him to keep him on his toes.
That being said, the pacing was just a mess. Sometimes it's a tad bit too slow (like with the first fifteen chapters or so) and other times, it's just way too fast (like with the parts where Brian and Derek go down the river and the ending). I think part of the problem is that Brian and Derek don't actually face that many major setbacks on the river. The raft doesn't break and need repairing, no wildlife tries to pull them under or anything, and Brian doesn't even have to dodge gunfire from crazy forest hermits. It's... kind of strange really. I mean, in Hatchet, Brian was basically put through the ringer in every conceivable way possible and he really had to use his wits and every ounce of determination just to survive in the wild. It was awesome and inspiring to see someone triumph in the face of all that adversity, so it really sucks to see that kind of thing not present here.
In regards to the ending itself... well... let's just say I will not be using spoiler tags for this section. So Brian and Derek make it to the trading post and then the novel cuts to months later where Brian is gifted a canoe by a truck driver on Derek's behalf. Yes, that is the whole ending I shit you not. Like, it's such a nothing kind of ending, like the author just ran out of time and had to submit whatever he had and as a result, I felt nothing. Honestly, I think this ending could've really benefited from a deeper exploration of the character's feelings about this incident. Like, how do Brian's mom and dad feel about all this? Does Brian want to become a survival instructor in the future, with the canoe being a part of a lesson on navigating bodies of water and stuff? Did the media get a hold of the story? If so, is Brian better equipped to handle the media circus this time around?
Overall, The River wasn't super awful or anything, but it's a far cry from Hatchet that could've used a little more meat on its bones.
Overall Grade: C
(They want him to go back. . . .
Two years after Brian Robeson survived fifty-four days alone in the Canadian wilderness, the government wants him to head back so they can learn what he did to stay alive. This time Derek Holtzer, a government psychologist, will accompany him. But a freak storm leaves Derek unconscious. Brian's only hope is to transport Derek a hundred miles down the river to a trading post. He's survived with only a hatchet before—now can Brian build a raft and navigate an unknown river?
For the first time it's not only Brian's survival that's at stake. . . .) ~ Blurb from Goodreads
I liked how the novel showed the aftermath of Brian's experience trying to survive in the wild. While Brian survived, he didn't come away from it unscathed. He had to visit the mall a few times to readjust to city living, he regularly overate, he was reluctant to go back to the wild with Derek, and so on and so forth. It adds a layer of believability and shows that, while Brian may be resilient and resourceful, he's not at all invincible.
I also loved how it explored the pros and cons of having someone with you in a survival situation. On the one hand, you're less lonely and you have someone to split the work with. On the other hand, you need to gather more resources, you need to build or find a shelter large enough to accommodate two people, and you need to be more vigilant to keep you both safe. I also think that having a companion allows Brian to utilize the skills he's gained in the last entry while throwing enough new challenges at him to keep him on his toes.
That being said, the pacing was just a mess. Sometimes it's a tad bit too slow (like with the first fifteen chapters or so) and other times, it's just way too fast (like with the parts where Brian and Derek go down the river and the ending). I think part of the problem is that Brian and Derek don't actually face that many major setbacks on the river. The raft doesn't break and need repairing, no wildlife tries to pull them under or anything, and Brian doesn't even have to dodge gunfire from crazy forest hermits. It's... kind of strange really. I mean, in Hatchet, Brian was basically put through the ringer in every conceivable way possible and he really had to use his wits and every ounce of determination just to survive in the wild. It was awesome and inspiring to see someone triumph in the face of all that adversity, so it really sucks to see that kind of thing not present here.
In regards to the ending itself... well... let's just say I will not be using spoiler tags for this section. So Brian and Derek make it to the trading post and then the novel cuts to months later where Brian is gifted a canoe by a truck driver on Derek's behalf. Yes, that is the whole ending I shit you not. Like, it's such a nothing kind of ending, like the author just ran out of time and had to submit whatever he had and as a result, I felt nothing. Honestly, I think this ending could've really benefited from a deeper exploration of the character's feelings about this incident. Like, how do Brian's mom and dad feel about all this? Does Brian want to become a survival instructor in the future, with the canoe being a part of a lesson on navigating bodies of water and stuff? Did the media get a hold of the story? If so, is Brian better equipped to handle the media circus this time around?
Overall, The River wasn't super awful or anything, but it's a far cry from Hatchet that could've used a little more meat on its bones.
Overall Grade: C
February 15, 2010
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.
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.
June 4, 2008
People compare this book to Hatchet I personally think Hatchet worse than this book. For people who think it is just one "misadventure" after another must not have great taste in books. This book consists of all the fundamentals of a great book; action, adventure, love, humor. It isn't as much as getting into the "mishaps" but how he gets out of them. Brian having save someone while also having to survive the harsh conditions of the Candadian wilderness was intriging. Paddling down the river was awfully slow. various other things were slow, too. Altogether this book was desent but deffinently not the best.
October 9, 2018
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.
February 23, 2022
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.
February 16, 2021
I like that Derek was still alive and that Brian was being very strong.
December 26, 2021
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!
January 1, 2022
Kind of a let down if I am being honest. I really enjoyed Hatchet, but this one just seemed rushed.
July 20, 2022
Another excellent tale, but could have been longer.
January 23, 2025
It's essentially the same book as the first, but now he does it for money 🤷♀️
April 13, 2020
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!
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!
May 18, 2025
I read this book in the course of an hour.
Brian, traumatized from surviving in the Canadian wilderness for 45 days is asked to do it again…for science.
He hates that it’s so easy and when the adult with him ends up in a coma he sends them down a river.
This was so unnecessary and boring. And there’s 3 more more books >_>
Brian, traumatized from surviving in the Canadian wilderness for 45 days is asked to do it again…for science.
He hates that it’s so easy and when the adult with him ends up in a coma he sends them down a river.
This was so unnecessary and boring. And there’s 3 more more books >_>
March 9, 2017
First of all, I never really liked reading books until I read the book "Hatchet". This book really peaked my interest do to all the action and mystery involved. This series is pretty much based on the outdoors which I really enjoy. A basic rundown on the entire book, try not without any spoilers, is basically that Brian opened his door one day to 3 men at the door. They wanted to know if it was okay that he go back and try to survive in the wilderness under a semi-controlled survival. They all work in a military survival school and one of them wants to go with Brian to figure out his thoughts and how he did it, the man, Derek, is a psychologist. When Brian's mom comes home, they all discuss about whether or not Brian should accept. They then all agree. When they are packing the plane to leave, Brian decides it would be a good idea to leave all the emergency gear behind, which his mom requested be brought, but a radio because Brian didn't have all this fancy gear, only a hatchet and a pocket knife, to survive so it would be more accurate. Derek, agrees and when they land it reminds Brian from "The Time". They are very successful for the next week or so until one day really catches Brian off guard. It was showing signs of a major storm. All the fool-birds stopped singing which made Brian realize he should've brought more supplies. There is lots of lightning and Brian tells Derek to phone in for an emergency for a plane or helicopter and at that moment....... BAMMMM! Derek gets struck by lightning!! Brian has to figure out how to get an UNCONSCIOUS 200 lb man to safety so he uses the map found in Derek's briefcase and finds an old trade-shop so Brian prepares for the next few days and some bad things happen to Derek that Brian didn't expect he would cause (I don't want to spoil it) but he manages to build a raft and goes on a "trip" down "The River" (hens the name of the book......), on a very scary and possibly dangerous trip. Read the book to find out the rest! This is a very good book though.
May 23, 2014
This sequel to the classic book "Hatchet" has an interesting story. With people wanting to shoot a documentary for Brian's famous story, a man named Derek comes and asks him if He and Derek, would go back into the eastern Canada wilderness, with Derek taking notes for military survival techniques. Once both Brian and Derek make it to the vast Canadian wilderness, a few days after arriving a freak lightning storm causes major conflict, and causes them to lose their communication with the rescue squad.
I chose to read his book because I absolutely loved the book "Hatchet", although I didn't think the sequel wasn't all that great, it was pretty good though.
I thought that Gary Paulsen made a good storyline for this second book though, I mean for a sequel book, it wasn't that bad, I am really excited to read the third and fourth book in this series.
I didn't really like the character Derek, if you read the book, you'll see what I mean, but I also didn't like the ending of the book, it could have ended with a better storyline, again, if you read it, you'll see what I mean
Overall, this was a really good book, I could have been better, but it was a nice book. I am really interested if they will make movies for this series, but I'm not sure if they already have made movies for this series.
I feel that just about anyone can read this book, it is a PG book you could say. There is no swearing, or anything bad, it really is a book that a school teacher could read to her elementary students, if she wanted too.
There in nothing potentially offensive in this book at all! It has a very fun storyline for just about anyone! I really enjoyed this book.
I chose to read his book because I absolutely loved the book "Hatchet", although I didn't think the sequel wasn't all that great, it was pretty good though.
I thought that Gary Paulsen made a good storyline for this second book though, I mean for a sequel book, it wasn't that bad, I am really excited to read the third and fourth book in this series.
I didn't really like the character Derek, if you read the book, you'll see what I mean, but I also didn't like the ending of the book, it could have ended with a better storyline, again, if you read it, you'll see what I mean
Overall, this was a really good book, I could have been better, but it was a nice book. I am really interested if they will make movies for this series, but I'm not sure if they already have made movies for this series.
I feel that just about anyone can read this book, it is a PG book you could say. There is no swearing, or anything bad, it really is a book that a school teacher could read to her elementary students, if she wanted too.
There in nothing potentially offensive in this book at all! It has a very fun storyline for just about anyone! I really enjoyed this book.
May 17, 2018
I really liked all the emotions that the author showed Brian having in the book. It really portrayed how hard it was for Brian to overcome hunger and sleep. I thought it was really impressive how Brian made a raft out of logs and his jacket without any tools. I thought it was clever and stupid at the same time that Brian left almost all the supplies on the plane to make him and Derek truly feel the emotions of being stranded. At first I thought it was stupid for Brian to even go be stranded in a remote forest again just for learning purposes. Especially when he could've just told Derek at home all that he learned from the trip. After reading this book I really reflected on how difficult it must've have been for Brian and how I bet nobody of his age in the real life could overcome the obstacles he did. I wish I could've went on a trip with Brian because it sounds pretty fun, except the coma and hunger parts. I thought it was also cool how Brian could tell if there was a storm coming just by looking at the sky and how it felt. Overall, this book really opened my eyes to what it would take to survive on your own and how careful and conservative I should be on a regular basis just in case.
July 19, 2013
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.
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.
April 6, 2018
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.
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.
December 4, 2022
“He realized that he was not always right, was, indeed, often not right, and at the same time he found that others were not always wrong.” The book I read is The River by Gary Paulsen. The River is a realistic fiction novel. First, I like when Brian has to take on the challenge of going back into the woods and surviving for a second time. Secondly, I like when Brian is trying to teach how he survived but Derek is suddenly struck by lightning. This tests Brian’s survival skills because he has to survive and get Derek help. Next, I like when Brian is paddling for a long time, he is exhausted and falls asleep on the raft. Brian wakes up and spots a roof of a house and paddles there, he is then saved and gets Derek to safety. Lastly, I didn’t like that Brian went back and tried to teach Derek how he survived in the woods. It was a bad idea because he knew it was a very traumatic experience for him and he still went. It didn’t work out well because Derek was struck by lightning.
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