Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"The Last Ranger" by Peter Heller is a novel that immerses readers in the rugged beauty and perilous life of a Yellowstone National Park ranger.

Heller, known for his richly descriptive prose and deep understanding of the natural world, delivers a story that is both a thrilling adventure and a profound exploration of the human spirit.

The protagonist, Ren Hopper, is a park ranger whose solitary existence in a rustic cabin is punctuated by the diverse challenges of park life. From confronting belligerent tourists to rescuing wildlife, Ren's days are far from mundane. However, the novel's core revolves around Ren's pursuit of a poacher decimating the park's wolf population—a pursuit that becomes personal when Ren's friend, a wolf biologist, is nearly killed.

Heller's narrative is a tapestry woven with threads of suspense, the stark realities of nature, and the complexities of human-nature interactions. The author's background in adventurous outdoor pursuits shines through in the authentic portrayal of Ren's experiences, which are as educational as they are entertaining. The novel's pace is relentless, much like the untamed wilderness it depicts, driving the reader forward with a sense of urgency and anticipation.

The character of Ren is particularly well-crafted, a man shaped by loss and love for the natural world. His internal struggles mirror the external conflicts he faces, creating a character that is relatable and real. The supporting cast is equally compelling, each bringing their own motivations and desires to the story, enriching the narrative tapestry.

Heller's writing style is evocative and lyrical, capturing the majesty of Yellowstone with a painter's precision. The novel is not just a story but an experience, one that transports the reader into the heart of the wild. The climax is a testament to Heller's skill as a storyteller, delivering a conclusion that is both satisfying and thought-provoking.

"The Last Ranger" is a testament to Peter Heller's proven ability to blend action with introspection, creating a novel that is as much about the journey of the soul as it is a journey through the wilderness.

This book will resonate with those who cherish nature, thrill-seekers, and anyone who appreciates a story well told.

Heller has once again proven his mastery of the literary wilderness, making "The Last Ranger" a must-read for fans of both nature and mystery novels.

Peter Heller is among my favorite authors; he has a wonderful talent for combining two of my most-valued hobbies, my appreciation of nature and of well-written, captivating stories

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Peter Heller is always a favorite for me, and The Last Ranger did not disappoint. I loved the Yellowstone setting, and the way he develops both characters and mystery is superb. Peter Heller is an auto-read author for me.

I loved the balance between the tight plot and the more leisurely exploration of the landscape—something about it was perfect for me to keep the pages turning yet savoring each one. Like in The River, Heller's prose makes the land come alive so richly it's almost another character ... layered and complicated and unpredictable. You really feel Ren's connection to the land as much as his connection to Hilly, and his desperation to save both. Some of the logistics (going here, there, etc) got a little murky for me but it didn't interrupt the storyline enough to be bothersome. I could really see this one being optioned for film!

The first half of this book was so good! I ended up feeling like the story was kind of bogged down and slow. I love Peter Heller for his nature writing and literary thrillers. This just wasn’t my favorite of his.

“The best-selling author of The River returns with a lush and vivid mystery set in Yellowstone National Park where a skirmish between a local hunter and a wolf biologist turns violent, and a park ranger, facing his own personal demons, sets out to determine what really happened.”

This is my third by this author, and even though the timing for this one is very different from The River and the Guide, it was still fantastic. While it was a bit of a mishmash, the slow build to the story’s summit, then the frenetic roll back down the hill, was super-satisfying.

I’m not much of an outdoors person, I mean, I love a good hike, but I am not at all interested in hunting, fishing, or interior camping, so it’s always amazing to read people’s descriptions of things I’ll likely never experience first hand. I’m the person who wants to you inundate me with all the minutia of your niche interest, so I loved learning about national parks, ranger duties, fly fishing, and wolves (the wolves!).

I’m not quite prepared to give Heller a Season Pass, but I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for his future works.

Thanks to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for this ARC.

Peter Heller, best-selling author of The Dog Stars, The River, and The Guide is among the best at writing tension. It's visceral. You can feel it from the first page. There are predators and prey, both animal and human. But, there is also a pervasive sense of peacefulness in Heller's masterful descriptions of the magnificence of Yellowstone. His nuanced descriptions of nature, hiking, and fly-fishing are meditative and I loved every word of it. Wolf packs are central to the story and Heller clearly did his research, bringing to mind Barry Lopez's Of Wolves and Men. I wanted to know everything about Ren, the park ranger for whom nature is a salve, and the secondary characters, each amply eccentric and wounded in their own ways.

I loved The Park Ranger and though I received a drc from the publisher via NetGalley, I have also purchased a personal copy and bought extras to give as gifts this Christmas. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. Peter Heller is back, packing a huge punch within a short amount of pages. He winds tales through the .natural elements of the US. This story is about the life of a Yellowstone ranger. Truly fascinating!

I've long been a fan of Peter Heller, beginning with the amazing Dog Stars. This book was a riveting immersion into Yellowstone where a lonely park ranger, Ren, who loves the wildlife and unspoiled wilderness, comes up against those who would spoil it all in the name of freedom to hunt and basically not respect the sacredness of life. After a couple of violent incidences involving park wildlife, things begin to hit too close to home and Ren is determined to investigate.

We gradually learn more about Ren's past as the mystery unfolds, which allows a deeper look into his psyche. Then, things get really personal when a reclusive biologist, his neighbor and friend, who is deeply immersed in the wolf packs she monitors and knows intimately becomes involved. The setting was described so vividly that all of my senses were engaged as I devoured this book. I could not put it down and cannot wait for another novel by Peter Heller.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and eARC of this beautiful story.

I read this quite a while ago (must have missed it when I logged on to do reviews!) so don't remember specifics, but I know we did get this for our collection.

The Last Ranger by Peter Heller is a beautiful story of survival, both human and animal, in Yellowstone National Park.

Ren Hopper is a game warden who has suffered loss and bears the scars of that loss. Surrounding him are other wardens, biologists, park rangers who form his pack. They watch out for each other just as the wolves who were introduced back to the park in 1995 do.

But like the wolves, there are human predators who are threatening Ren. As Ren unravels the mystery of who is out to hurt him, we learn about Ren’s past and see him confront his future.

The Last Ranger is a slow, character driven story interspersed with alot of nature description. This book will not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it. I liked learning about Ren, and I especially loved his neighbor, biologist Hilly. But the nature scenes were a little long and drew me from the story so that when we got back to the humans, I had to back up and refresh my memory.

Overall, though, I would recommend this for nature lovers and those who enjoy a story that burns very slowly.

Thank you to @netgalley and @aaknopf for the e-copy of #thelastranger. This book is now available.

I wanted to like this one so badly, but I just could not connect. I have visited Yellowstone so was familiar with some of the scenery and spots described, but again - this one was just not for me.

I have loved Peter Heller’s previous novels and this is a nice addition. He has a unique genre I would call “nature thriller:/adventure/mystery”. I really liked the Yellowstone setting and Heller’s descriptions make you feel like you’re there. Ren’s backstory helped him become a fully fleshed out character and the other people in the story added a lot of color. The plot wasn’t as fast-paced as The River but I stayed interested and read this in a short amount of time.

Always reliable - Peter Heller gives us another wild adventure of the west. He was a special ability to introduce the reader to the environment and the complex narrator from the very beginning! Enjoy this escape to the Wild West.

Peter Heller is my new favorite. This title checked all the boxes - great suspense, a bit of romance, and an existential crisis...the trifecta! There wasn't anything about this I didn't love from the wolves to the crisis of conscience to the descriptions of the views. I can't wait for his next title and I just bought all his titles for my library!

I find Peter Heller’s quiet, contemplative writing incredibly engaging. His books work particularly well on audio, with the incredibly talented and multiple award-winning narrator, Mark Deakins, narrating of all of Heller’s books.

Heller writes well-developed characters with the theme of man vs nature. Ren is a park ranger at Yellowstone who spends his days patrolling the park and often saving humans from themselves.

How many innocent lives have been lost in service to Instagram?”

And he’s not just talking about human lives.

Along with the beautiful descriptions of Yellowstone and Ren’s musings about man and nature, there’s a mystery when an investigation into local poaching begins. Both human and animal lives are at stake. As always, Heller’s characters are well-developed and nuanced, and the author is able to maintain the tension while deftly inserting his message without coming across as preachy.

Heller is one of my favorite authors. A simple but deceptively powerful novel, and highly recommended!

I requested this book because Peter Heller’s book The River was very well written. This book however felt like a documentary on the Yellowstone wolves that had been turned into a novel. I was not engaged in the plot or the characters.

I've read all of Peter Heller's books and liked them. This one, not so much. The story is suffering from an identity crisis. One moment it's "Dances with Wolves," then it becomes "Smoky Mountain Park Rangers." Ren, our erstwhile ranger/Marlboro Man, embodies this confusion. As usual, Heller does a fine job with his descriptive passages of flora and fauna, but the so-called dramatic scenes have no drama. And, btw, the title makes no sense. He's not the last. Was the lone ranger taken?

Thanks to Netgalley I received an advanced reader copy of Heller's newest book. I don't think I've read one of his books yet that I didn't like.

The Last Ranger is most definitely a slow burn. There is action yes, but majority of the book takes place in simpler and quiet moments, full of vivid description and in heartfelt flashbacks and gentle conversations. Heller is an expert at making you want to sit back and let the story unfold in front of you. I can imagine that some might find this story boring, or that not enough of the conflict is fully resolved, but if you've liked his other books then you will already understand the way his stories progress with a slow creeping dread that ends in a quick and intense climax.

The parts that were about Ren's job as an enforcement ranger and the different characters were a little interesting. My biggest hitch with book was the pacing. There were too many reminiscing scenes of Ren's past that really slowed down the story. I frequently had to remind myself what was going on in the present day part of the story. The ending was rushed and the overall story...unmemorable.