Peter Heller is one of my most favorites - mostly because of Dog Stars but I also loved The Painter. I am ALWAYS excited to see something new from him. I really enjoyed The River, it was just what I expected it to be: two friends on a river running from a fire and a suspicious man. I loved the way he wrote about the river but the two men/boys I found a little hard to really dig into as characters.

LOVED it. I can't recall reading an adventure novel that also has so much tension, emotional truth, AND gear talk! If you like outdoor/adventure novels or stories about friendship, definitely check out The River.

This is a gripping wilderness adventure story about two college friends who take a canoe trip in the Canadian boundary waters. They are skilled outdoorsmen, but things don’t go as planned. They encounter an arguing couple, two nasty drunken men from Texas, and they have to out paddle a forest fire while trying to get an injured person to the nearest town. There are references to the "Big Two" river stories: Deliverance and Heart of Darkness. Can any trip down a river _not_ give a nod to either of those tales? No, and for good reason. (Note: read both if you haven’t already!) The River is intense and **SPOILER ALERT** although there is the threat of rape, it doesn’t happen.

My Book Cougars co-host, Emily Fine and I sang The River's praises on Episode 69 of the podcast.

Quick moving adventure of two friends on a canoe trip in the wilds of Canada. The forces of nature and the evils of men make this a suspenseful novel.

When two young college friends and lifelong outdoorsmen, Jack and Wynn, set off on a month-long canoe expedition through remote Canadian waterways, they’re looking forward to the trip of a lifetime. But their dream rapidly turns into a nightmare, first when they smell smoke and realize that a massive forest fire is bearing down on them, and then when their good deed for some fellow canoeists puts them in the crosshairs of someone who will stop at nothing to make sure they don’t finish the trip alive.

I am not at all “outdoorsy,” have zero interest in fishing and would never voluntarily get into a canoe. And yet I really enjoyed this book, in which fishing, canoe paddling and outdoor survival are central themes. Outdoor writer Peter Heller really made the wilderness setting come alive for me; it was fascinating to read about the practicalities involved in venturing on such a trip, and I liked the easy partnership between Jack and Wynn. (The intricacies of fishing and paddling, which are often described at length, were less interesting to me but were easy to skim through.) The sense of menace from the oncoming fire builds nicely, and the scenes where Jack and Wynn are finally facing it are spectacular and explosive. The human menace, however, was not quite fleshed out—I never fully bought into this storyline, which I think wrapped up a little too quickly and less believably than other aspects of the story. Still, a fast, fun and propulsive read that reminded me a bit of Jane Harper’s Force of Nature.

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for providing me an ARC of The River in return for my honest review.

The River will deliver excitement and a shiver. I was over the river and through the woods without leaving my chair. Another fine story from Peter Heller.

This book, Like all of Peter Heller's, was a fantastic read. It is a survival story that keeps you in a state of panic ( in a good way) throughout the entire read

Although I'm not a total outdoor enthusiast, books with canoes, hiking, nature all draw me in. Some fail to keep my attention, not the case with Peter Heller's The River. Wonderful storytelling with thoughtful characters.

A bit slow to start. I almost didn’t finish it but I’m glad I did. The action picked up quickly, much like the raging rapids of the river. Vivid storytelling.

This book was alright. I wanted a thriller, but it fell short, with too-long descriptions and too little action/adventure. I found myself skimming parts of the book where the author over-explained the characters' fishing styles, for example. I never felt myself fully connect to the characters, so it was harder for me to root for them. I was really let down by how it all played out in the end, and that really ruined the book for me.

The River starts out and you can just picture the beautiful, untamed wilderness. College friends Wynne, who hails from Vermont, and Jack, a rancher's son from Colorado met on a Freshman orientation trip at Dartmouth, and discovered a mutual love of hiking, fishing, and reading. The trip in Canada was planned to last several weeks, and the boys opted to do it old school - no cell phones, and bringing provisions and basics in their canoe. The trip takes a turn for the worse when they discover a forest fire raging in the distance. What once was a pleasure trip has taken on a level of urgency. More suspense is added when Wynne and Jack meet up with two unsavory characters from Texas, and then overhear a couple arguing in the fog after a stop. Wynne thinks they should warn the couple about the fire, so they double back - but find nothing on the island where they heard the argument. Later, at yet another rest stop, they encounter a man in a canoe, who claims his wife is "missing". The boys leave to find her, and the real suspense begins. Not only are they trying to escape a growing blaze, but they must decide whom to trust, and whom to fear in the small group of people they have encountered on the trip. I could not stop reading this book. The descriptions of the fire, and the behavior of the fleeing birds and animals is something I will always remember. My only complaint is I thought the end wrapped up too quickly, and I was almost a bit confused trying to follow along. A great read for people who enjoy wilderness/survival stories. I received a kindle edition of the book though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another solid novel by Peter Heller although I didn't enjoy it as much as the Dog Stars. Sort of a survivalist story meets murder mystery. Strong characters and descriptive passages (sometimes too descriptive so I had to skim) make this a must-read for Heller fans.

I have yet to read a book by Heller that wasn't fantastic, and this is no exception. I love the writing style that Heller uses and his stories are second to none.

This novel is so well-written and descriptive that the reader feels like they are experiencing the canoe journey along with Jack and Wynn. When the trip encounters some unexpected obstacles, well-learnt survival techniques are relied on. A friendship is tested and circumstances call for impromptu decisions. Be prepared for a wild ride..

Heller doesn't fail to grip his readers. The River is a wilderness thriller that will make you look behind you when you are on your next hiking trip.

Lush writing transports you into the wilderness with Jack and Wynn, and the beautiful nature and their strong friendship becomes more and more interspersed with a sense of unease and danger.

Peter Heller's characters are original and at the same time people you know. After a slow start, much like a meandering river, the story finally hit the rapids and it was hard to put down.

I have always felt that Peter Heller is one of the best writers out there. He proved it once again in this superb story of the power of friendship.

Two friends on a river journey find themselves in the midst of a raging forest fire and the savior of a badly injured woman. Some scenes are creepy with a ominous feeling of malevolence in the air and you will feel the fire descending on them like you are there. Descriptions are exquisite and you will not be sorry to read this one.

Due to be published in March, 2019.

Beautifully written, heartbreaking story. I don't know anything about canoes or fishing, but this book, I just couldn't put it down. Cannot wait for this to be on the shelf, I'll be recommending it to everyone.