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Out of the Wild: A Wilderness Survival Thriller

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Surviving is the only option. While on a trip into the backcountry, Henry Shaw, a veteran bush pilot is forced to depend on his estranged daughter to survive an unforgiving wilderness. Stranded miles from civilization, injured, and with winter bearing down, hope is bleak. After a terrifying turn of events reveal the plane crash may not have been an accident, tempers flare, secrets unravel, and a trauma from the past resurfaces. Facing overwhelming odds and nonstop danger, it’s now up to Kara to decide whether to remain or embark on a perilous trek across a harsh landscape to make it out alive. Don’t miss this riveting, father-daughter tale filled with danger, mystery, and courage.

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 22, 2020

351 people are currently reading
235 people want to read

About the author

Jack Hunt

116 books401 followers
Jack Hunt is the international bestselling author of over seventy thriller novels. He's been ranked #1 in the Amazon charts in multiple thriller, mystery, crime, and science fiction genres. He's also been named a Kindle Unlimited All-Star. He's married with two children. Jack lives on the East coast of North America.

Join Jack's spam-free readers list to stay alert to future releases, special offers, and reader only bonus content. The readers group are usually the first to hear about giveaways. http://jackhuntbooks.com/

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Website: http://jackhuntbooks.com

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5 stars
363 (54%)
4 stars
206 (31%)
3 stars
77 (11%)
2 stars
13 (1%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
Profile Image for Kara Gleave.
2 reviews
September 26, 2025
This is hands down one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, and definitely in my top 5 of all time. I don’t know if it’s because Kara and I have the same name, or the fact that she was very protective of her father like how I was when mine was still alive, but this brought me to tears of relieve, sadness, and happiness all at once!
Profile Image for Kristal.
40 reviews
January 19, 2022
This book starts with survival action in the first chapter. It is a father-daughter survival thriller and it kept my attention from the first page. My one question for the author is...why have Angela Stanton's character? It made me think you had a list of elements to have in the book, you couldn't check this one off; thus, Angela was created. You could have left her and anything to do with her out of the story and the book would have been just as good.

Great fast paced, wilderness thriller.
322 reviews5 followers
February 27, 2021
I like a good survival tale. I liked this book a little bit.
Possible Spoilers Ahead
It seemed to me that Mr Hunt had a checklist of dangerous things that could happen to someone in the Alaskan bush and crossed each of them off as he injected them into the story. Plane crash. Greedy capitalist entrepreneurs. Killer moose. Killer Grizzly. Snow. Freezing cold. Snow bridges. Backstabbing partners. Roiling, icy whitewater. It’s all there. Too much to believe. But not too much for Kara Shaw, a failed California advertiser that hasn’t been in a survival situation ever, or even in Alaska since she was 14 years old, to survive. I suppose it was a good thing that she was intensely stubborn, because that and a Leatherman pocket tool was all she needed to make it out (with her incapacitated father in tow), alive. I started this book because of all the scorching hot reviews. Am I missed something? Is reality getting in the way?
The book is rife with stereotypes. No characters are innovative. Kara’s boss is a joke. Straight out of ‘The Office”, even to his clothes. Her Dad, her conservationist Mom, the bloodsucking capitalists and his cruel henchman, the business partner, even the probable romantic interest. All cookie-cutter characters. Kara, herself, is a wonder woman. She was the leader from the start, although she had the least wilderness experience (summer camps as a kid). Luckily for the men she was stranded with, who lived in Alaska their entire lives, that they had her to follow. She was only one that could perform mouth to mouth, could fashion snowshoes from tree branches with only a Leatherman, who knew what to do in a bear attack, could transverse a crumbling snow bridge, could drag a grown man on a stretcher for four days, subsisting on berries and ‘shrooms. Not to mention canoeing down 30 miles in freezing class IV rapids. Alone, all the while negotiating swirling eddies, log jams, ice covered boulders and worse. And all this with comatose Dad in the boat. All of this just doesn’t come across as believable.
Each survival situation in the book by itself is pretty exciting. All of it together is too much. I like a good survival story. This isn’t one.
40 reviews1 follower
March 3, 2021
Just .... WOW!!!!

Edge of your seat......
Heart pounding....
Breath catching....
This is a read that will suck you in from the first chapter and keep you turning pages with a desperate need to know what happens next. It was unlike any of the previous Jack Hunt titles I’ve enjoyed over the years. While I always enjoy Hunt’s writing, this book set itself apart. Even now, after finishing the book and starting to read another I find my mind slipping back to this one, wondering about the characters and what the rest of their story is. I’d love a sequel! To know what Kara does with the business and the up and coming young pilot.
Profile Image for Hans Erdman.
Author 14 books4 followers
September 29, 2024
Riveting Thriller of Wilderness Survival

I'm a retired park ranger and former licensed wilderness guide. What a ride. They say your best tool in a survival situation is between your shoulders, and Kara, the main character, certainly proves that. Slogging through the snow, climbing a tree to get away from a grizzly, roaring down one of the toughest rivers in Alaska, Hunt's prose makes you feel every bump tear, and slide like you're there with Kara and her dad. Exceptional writing. The wilderness isn't for amateurs. Some amateurs don't know that. And some have wilderness thrust upon them. Kara is one of those.
Profile Image for Eva Kent.
16 reviews
December 18, 2024
Out of the Wild is a great fiction survival book about a daughter and father who has to fight for their survival. The characters are well-written and the environments and situations are well-described. The main protagonist, Kara, is definitely my favorite character with her character traits and the way she tackles various situations. She is definitely one I rooted for throughout the book. I enjoy the mix of aircraft knowledge as well, it is unexpected, but interesting at the same time. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in wilderness, wilderness survival, or any realistic-fiction book. 5/5
53 reviews1 follower
December 25, 2020
Riveting

Living near the area the story took place in and having hunted the area frequently over forty years, I was pleasantly surprised to see a very accurate description of the sudden catostrophic inncidents which can and often do happen in this part of backcountry Alaska. Survival in the bush if stranded, especially in winter, can be brutal. I highly reccomend this story as it is very entertaining and gives an accurate look at the absolute unforgivness of bush Alaska winter travel.
121 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2021
Out of the Wild

Out of the Wild: A Wilderness Survival Thriller is an exciting book by a very good author. Jack Hunt's writing starts off with a fabulous exciting prologue that introduces one of the main characters and ticlkes The readers interest. The next few chapters introduces the rest of the characters and establishes the sense of adventure, drama, mystery intrigue and setting. The book is wonderful to read. A page Turner
58 reviews
January 6, 2021
I was a little worried that this book being so different I wouldn't enjoy.

Was I wrong! I absolutely loved this story The characters were amazing just like all his previous books but I learned so many things about the Alaska wild which I probably would never learned. You also described everything so thouroghly I felt I could see and feel the coldness,darkness and the coldness of the creeks. Thank you for introducing me to a new style of Jack Hunt!
44 reviews
January 15, 2021
Breath Taking Trip

I have this book a five star rating. I t was an exciting page turned event. I am usually a chapter reader but this book lured me into the next chapter and then the one after begging me to read on and find out what was happening with the main characters. Every reader will enjoy reading about the relationship between father and daughter and delight in the adventures that they encounter.
57 reviews
January 22, 2021
A surprising find!

I am a fan of Jack Hunt's apocalyptic books and to be honest, grabbed this one figuring it was the same genre. But, it was not! A fast paced read that keeps you guessing ( incidentally, I guessed right) up until the end. Nature can be beautiful, but is also brutal...and who knows, maybe the Northern Lights really are animal's souls dancing! I'd sure like to think so!
1 review
March 24, 2024
Good wilderness survival book

This book reminded me of how much I enjoyed the Hatchet series as a young adult. The will to survive despite almost impossible odds ran throughout the book. The characters were believable, and the young lady's fierce love and determination to save her dad against all odds was both deeply moving and inspiring. One of the best wilderness books I've read.
33 reviews
January 9, 2021
Out of the Wild

Great story. If you like outdoor adventure stories with s fantastic backdrop you are in for a real treat. The story line keeps you on your toes and the harrowing episode the characters face are nearly overwhelming.. All in all a great read Force bleak dreary Illinois day. Keep up the good work Jack Hunt
12 reviews
January 10, 2021
A brilliant read!

I love everything you write and usually dive on a new book as soon as it comes out, but I wasn’t going to read this one because it was so different. I am glad I reconsidered, it was edge of the seat drama and I was sad to see it end. It would be wonderful if you could write a further book or two to continue the story!
291 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2021
Good story

I sort of figured out the culprit for the crash and everything before the author revealed it but the journey getting there was a really good read. Greed and wrong doing are bad motivators for life but family and determination can see you thru a lot of adversity. Great plot and good survival details.
20 reviews
January 24, 2021
Scary to imagine this happening.


The 5 star rating was because I am always reading a book. This storyline was fantastic. Most of the books nowadays are reinvented military heroes or murder mysteries. This was a nice change of pace for me. From start to finish it was an edge of your seat thriller. Loved it!




Profile Image for Jan Komrska.
179 reviews15 followers
January 27, 2021
After their plane crashes in Alaskan backcountry Kara leads a group of survivors on an arduous journey back to civilization. Tensions among the group's naturalist and entrepreneurs as well as attacks by predatory wild life and unpredictable elements disrupt their progress towards the safety. Well written, trilling to read.
7 reviews
February 6, 2021
The thrills keep on coming

I enjoyed reading this book. I could identify with Kara and her reaction to the big city. Once she was forced by circumstances to fight predators, some human, some not she grows in forcing herself through extreme weather. The descriptions of Alaska’s wild country are amazing. I need to plan a trip there!!!
5 reviews
February 11, 2021
Catastrophes Galore!!

This is my favorite kind of story, man against nature. This book doesn't disappoint as it has a plethora of catastrophic events! Every event is totally believable as it takes place in the wilds of Alaska. If you enjoy this kind of story, you will enjoy this one.
12 reviews2 followers
February 19, 2021
Great Story!

I really loved this story. It didn't hurt that I have a love for Alaska!
It's an amazing place to live and I did for 10 years. Stories of gold
and lost adventurers are told around campfires, along with moose
and beat close encounters. Jack did a great job of rolling all of it
together along with.the personal struggles of a young woman!
8 reviews
September 12, 2024
Honestly I was disappointed by this book, especially after hearing good reviews. I did not really care too much for the characters I felt they were flawed and lacked depth so I really didn’t connect with them. The author tried too hard to put action at the end of every chapter which after awhile made it redundant and a bit predictable for me.
Profile Image for Donna J. Murphy.
531 reviews6 followers
March 23, 2025
Well I read it. Wilderness, yep. Plane crash, yep. Grizzlies, yep. Crazy moose, yep. Freezing water, raging rivers, sink holes, yep. You name it our little heroine takes it on and does it all while dragging her 180 pound dad behind her on a homemade stretcher. What a girl. Realism…..nope. But a fun ride. Even without an earthquake and avalanche. Sigh
Profile Image for Doug Lind.
49 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2021
Great book

I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Couldn't put it down. Really believable characters and quite an adventure. I've worked in the wilderness and wouldn't want to crash out there. Few survive.
95 reviews3 followers
January 4, 2021
Quick enjoyable read

The storyline was intriguing, diligent development, great character definition, and nice presentation of life choices and consequences. Very enjoyable especially if you have ever spent time in our natural resources.
1 review
January 15, 2021
Interesting read

I liked the facts about survival in such an unforgiving area. The characters were realistic. Alaska is always interesting. I was compelled to find out who survived.
34 reviews
January 20, 2021
My Favorite Jack Hunt to Date

I loved this book and read through it as fast as a canoe caught in rapids. The language was sharp and very descriptive and the last bit had my stomach clenched tight, as though I could help them through the ordeal. Great read!
159 reviews
January 24, 2021
Too many holes

What kind of an idiot would head off into the bush for a week with no food, gun or supplies? Sure, the trip was sabotaged, but nothing rang true. Sorry I wasted my time on this one.
13 reviews
January 25, 2021
Great Alaskan Adventure Book

As reading great Alaska adventure books happens
to be one of my favorite genres this book keep up my excitement and couldn't put it down tell I finished! Jack Hunt never ceases to captive and put me in the book !Great read!
4 reviews
February 3, 2021
Loved it!

I hope there's another book just like this. I liked the facts about back country survival skills. The charchters were real to me. I didn't want to put it down and then it was over:(
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews

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