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Brian's Saga #2

The River

gary paulsen

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"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 fifty-four days with nothing but a small hatchet. Yet he survived. Now the government wants him to do it again—to go back into the wilderness so that astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept Brian alive.

This time he won't be alone: Derek Holtzer, a government psychologist, will accompany him to observe and take notes. But during a freak storm, Derek is hit by lightning and falls into a coma. Their radio transmitter is dead. Brian is afraid that Derek will die of dehydration unless he can get him to a doctor. His only hope is to build a raft and try to transport Derek a hundred miles down the river to a trading post if the map he has is accurate.

160 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1,1991
Series
Brian/s Saga
Literary awards
flicker tale childrens book award, 

This edition

Format
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published
January 12, 1998 by Laurel Leaf
ISBN
9780440227502
ASIN
044022750X
Language
English
Characters More characters

More editions

About the author

Profile Image for gary paulsen

gary paulsen

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Gary 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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Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
43(43%)
4 stars
25(25%)
3 stars
32(32%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
old-creepy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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The book Im reading is The River I think it's a good book so far. In the beginning I learned that Brian was Trapped in the wilderness and becomes famous for being trapped there. With all his fame he got I would feel the same way because I wouldn't want all the press following me either I would try to stay hidden. I also think that Brian made a big mistake because it was during the night and three men came up to his door looking for him, if you ask me or my opinion I would say that you better not answer that door, but guess what Brian did. I mean why would you want to open the door if they are looking for you, I know I wouldn't and then he lets them into his house that's one other thing I wouldn't do. I mean they know who you are they could just kill you and take the money he has been getting from being famous.
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
Mugen-co
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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The River is insane. Like if you ever got thrown in the situation Brian went through in this book you would go insane. He was sent by the government to again go get lost in the woods and survive, but this Brian would have a buddy with him named Derek. Things going as Gary Pualsen does so though Derek gets in a coma. So that sets up the insane adventure. Thats why i give this story 5 stars because its totally crazy and unbelievable. All the river scenes (hints the name) get more miserable and intense everyday he is on the boat. The River will make you never want to get lost in the woods. Brian just accomplished a huge human feat and that's just cool on its own right.
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Devil_Dante8000
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Brian has to overcome another adventure to challenge him when Derek is struck by lightning. This shows how Brian is a fighter and can overcome obstacles that are put in front of him. Brian shows that he is a survivor.
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
solarzenith
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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A contrived story about Brian

Gary Paulsen explains that he wrote The River because it was demanded of him
I received literally thousands of letters (sometimes fifty or sixty a day) from readers interested in Brian, who did not want him to end with Hatchet.
In response Paulsen contrived this story of Brian's further adventures in the Canadian wilderness.

I say "contrived" because that's the way it feels. Both the excuse for getting Brian back into the wilderness and the event that leaves him "with a wounded partner and a long river to navigate", as the publisher's blurb summarizes it -- both of them feel contrived. In fact, fairly early in the book there is a point where Brian looks at what he and his partner Derek are doing and thinks, "It was all wrong."

Well, that feeling of Brian's is essentially my feeling about this whole story.

Now, I will say, I still enjoyed it quite a lot. All fiction is contrivance, and The River is certainly better than most. I think Hatchet spoiled me. I intend to continue with the series.

Blog review.
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
Ashy_asriel
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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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.

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Profile Image for Kimberly .
RaveNAA
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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All my reviews can be found at: http://jessicasreadingroom.com
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This review will appear on my site on May 25, 2021.
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As a part of May’s prompt for #Diverseathon2021 I am continuing the Brian’s Saga series by Gary Paulsen.

It’s been two years since Brian survived living in the Canadian wilderness and now the government wants him to do it again but his time showing someone how he managed to survive. Brian decides to do this as he couldn’t NOT help.

So begins Brian’s second adventure in the wilderness, but this time he is not alone. This time should have been different but things do not always go according to plan. Brian’s associate is injured and Brian is basically forced to fend for himself and the injured man. Should Brian wait for help to eventually come or should they travel down the river? Brian decides to go down the river as he believes the injured man will not survive.

Very similar to Hatchet, yet also different, The River is also another survival story. There are some things that you may have to suspend disbelief ( getting struck by lightning and very quickly building a boat, let alone how much traveling was done on the river) but remember the target audience of this series is middle grades boys, so this really should not be an issue. I really enjoyed The River and I am looking forward to what may happen next in the series, but will Brian really agree to go out in the wilderness again??? After this second trip I would say “NO MORE!” I doubt that I myself would have agreed to go on another trip after surviving nearly two months in the wilderness… alone.

Like Hatchet,The River was also narrated by Peter Coyote. I had the same issue with The River as I did with Hatchet with the accompanying music.

The River is recommended!
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Profile Image for Kimberly .
Cryptodess
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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PERSONAL RESPONSE
After reading Hatchet I had high expectations on this book and Gary Paulsen wrote a book that crushed them. This book is so well written and inspiring it´s insane. I honestly love this book. just like Hatchet this book shows that i am lucky to live in a house and not have to live off the land for myself.
PLOT SUMMARY
Brian is asked to go back out into the wild for a man named Derek and he goes. After a couple days out they encounter a massive thunderstorm and Derek ends up being struck by lightning and is knocked unconscious. Know Brian needs to get him to safety. Brian finds a map and sees that there is a house down river. Brian makes a raft from logs, and drags it down to the river. Then he has to pull Derek down to the raft and he begins his journey on the river. It is a hard journey, because of Derek's weight plus the eight of the raft. Derek will also die of dehydration if Brian cant make it down the river.
RECOMMENDATION
Anyone who has read Hatchet needs to read this book. It is just as good as Hatchet and shows Brian going through more trouble in the wild. Its is easy to read and an easy plot to follow, so it is a good book for middle schoolers.
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