Jerrit Schramm
9/30/08
8-1 L.A.

I really liked this book because it talked about a young boy who left the bustling city life to live amongst the animals and nature. My by far favorite part of the book is when he finds a wounded animal (cant say what animal because it will ruin the rest of the book for the people who haven’t read it). I think the book was made to influence opinion on saving the wilderness that is still left out there. It also talks about how there are still native Americans who live in the wilderness on reservations who have lived off the land and animals for survival for many generations.
The main character in the book is a young boy named Brian. He has lived in the wilderness for his 3rd year in the book after he moved out of the city. In the book it talks about him befriending a Native American family. His life in the wilderness is going pretty well until he finds a wounded dog. That is when the story really twists. If I said anymore I would give the whole ending away.
I think this book is for people who like books about the great outdoors with a lot of suspense.

This was a very good book. It continues the story of Brian very well. It is like all the other books. I will warn you though, that this book does contain content, in chapters 9 to the end, that might not be suitable for younger readers. It contains a rogue bear that attacks a couple, their dogs and even Brian as well. Death is involved. But it does portray the reality of how man is not always superior, and that nature and wildlife can be brutal.
As I said this was another great book, but it did open more up to another side of the wilderness that he hasn’t not yet portrayed. But overall, well written and an enjoyable story.

Millions of readers of" Hatchet, The River, Brian's Winter," and "Brian's Return" know that Brian Robeson is at home in the Canadian wilderness. He has stood up to the challenge of surviving alone in the woods. He prefers being on his own in the natural world to civilization.
When Brian finds a dog one night, a dog that is wounded and whimpering, he senses danger. The dog is badly hurt, and as Brian cares for it, he worries about his Cree friends who live north of his camp. His instincts tell him to head north, quickly. With his new companion at his side, and with a terrible, growing sense of unease, he sets out to learn what happened. He sets out on the hunt.
Elements that I liked:
This is by far my favorite book of this amazing series! It had the missing link; a dog. It really pulled the whole story together. Also, there was loss. That added an amazing touch to the last book of the series. It had action, adventure, and companionship. My three favorite qualities in a book. A must read for everyone.

A thrilling end to a nostalgic ride! I completely forgot how this series ended, and I was pleasantly surprised and shocked!

This was a great book (and I hope not last book) in the hatchet series! Little kids might be scared of the part when the bear kills the people but other than that its AMAZING!!

This was a pretty good book. I'm glad I chose to read this book because of the real life things Gary puts in to this book. I read the Book Brian's winter that came before this book and I was able to get a lot of the reasons why Brian wanted to be a lone and by himself. I liked the way Gary put the dog into the story making that friendship between a boy and his dog. Gary did a great part of capturing me as a reader in the part when Brian is trying to track the bear but soon realized that he was the one being tracked and had to figure out a plan. I liked the way Gary put in the dog as something that Brian saved in the beginning. Then in the end though it ended up as the dog was saving Brian. I also liked how Gary showed that the wilderness is not a safe place. He showed that nothing is at the top of the food chain in the wild. He showed that animals don't care if you are a human they just want to survive and get food. I would suggest this to many nature lovers out there and people that have read the other Gary Paulson books.

While it has all the classic and feel good Brian elements, this has to be the most anticlimactic ending to a well developed series. I wish there had been full closure and maybe a look to the future. I think Paulsen was trying to leave it open for future writing, but this book could have been the perfect conclusion to the series…

I abandoned this book because this book does not show dialogue, the author is just narrating the whole entire book.

This book is a great book that I think is perfect for people that like survival and action books.

Brian hunts a killer

In Brian's Return our hero Brian Robeson bought himself a bunch of cool gear and went off to camp in the Canadian wilderness and to visit his Cree friends the Smallhorns. At the end of Brian's Return Brian had paddled within, he thought, about 30 miles of the Smallhorn camp. There he decided he wasn't really ready for humans yet and thought he would spend a little more time wandering around on his lonesome. Brian's Hunt begins shortly after that.

A wounded dog shows up unexpectedly at Brian's camp. She is obviously domesticated, making it a mystery why she would have left her humans. She also appears to view Brian as a friend. Her wounds look like the claws of a bear. Brian succors her, and finding that he enjoys the company of a dog, allows her to accompany him. Feeling a sense of urgency he can't explain, he heads post-haste for the Smallhorn camp. There, as the publisher's blurb informs us "horror ... awaits him". He sets out to hunt the killer.

Brian's Hunt has the feel of a mystery/thriller. It works well. Brian's Return disappointed because nothing much happened. Brian's Hunt is perhaps the most action-oriented of all the books of Brian's Saga. It is also the most suspenseful.

Gary Paulsen ends with an afterword beginning as follows

I can almost hear the voices: “You said the last Brian book was the last Brian book,” and I did say that. But the response from readers is still profoundly overwhelming, hundreds of letters a day, all wanting more of Brian, and so this book, and I will no longer say that I will write no more about Brian and the north woods….In some way he has become real to many, many people and they want to see more of him and so, and so…we shall see.

In fact, Brian's Hunt contains a clear hook to a sequel. Brian rescues Susan, the daughter of the murdered Smallhorn parents. They exchange addresses and agree to meet up after Brian has done what he needs to do. That meet up doesn't happen in Brian's Hunt. Brian is 16 and Susan 14, so it's easy to imagine that sparks will fly. Alas, Paulsen died in 2021 without writing that sequel.

Summing up,

★★★★★ Hatchet
★★★☆☆ The River
★★★★☆ Brian's Winter
★★★☆☆ Brian's Return
★★★★☆ Brian's Hunt

A very good middle grade/young adult series altogether.

Blog review.

The fifth edition of Brian's story came in with an unexpected turn of events. The story began with the usual, Brian living his way of life in the wilderness. We get to experience the techniques and knowledge of Brian once again on how to effectively survive in the middle of nowhere. The story was moving at a slow pace until the story suddenly takes a sharp turn into more of an action-packed story. For some people, this sudden turn of events may be too horrific for their taste but for people who do want to experience the horrors of living in the wilderness, this book may be able to help you do so.

If I could give it 2.5 stars, I would. Oddly enough - my main critique is its length - too short. The beginning was lovely: descriptions of Brian settling into his life in the woods, finding the dog, journeying together. However, once the "action" starts it moves pretty quickly. Also some cliched use of the "it's personal" trope. Also - Brian comes off a bit of a braggart - assuming that everyone - park rangers to native peoples - doesn't know as much about life "in the bush" as he does. For example, opting not to use a firearm because he is a purist, etc. he is also fairly dismissive of his home life - mom and dad - and seems to lack some basic empathy that his reckless behavior might affect others. Regardless, still a fun story to follow.