Jared,
I can’t help myself. There’s something about these books that draw me in. I really need to get around to finding more survival books because I’m running out.
Title: Brian’s Return
Series: Brian’s Saga; Book 4
Author: Gary Paulsen
Genre: Fiction, Survival
Audience: Teen
ROTS Setting: CU, Canada
Synopsis: Brian is having trouble integrating into “normal” life after his ordeals in the Canadian wilderness. His thoughts are continually pulled to the events he’s experienced and a sense of something miss. Something he left behind out there.
Recommendation: Perfect for Teens. Highly recommend this book, but note that this book assumes that the events of all 3 previous books took place.
There’s honestly not much to say about this one. It does make the assumption that both The River and Brian’s Winter actually took place. That’s a bit of a contradiction in the strictest sense but not insurmountable.
Brian returning to the wilderness this time has a very different feel to it than in The River. He’s older, more mature, but also more troubled. It felt……melancholy. The whole book was this mix of longing, hope, sadness, loss and bitter sweet relief. This was also the second time reading it and my feelings from both times match. The feelings are so intense that I was convinced he just went off into the wilderness never to be heard from or seen again.
Either way I can finally read the 5th and newest addition to the saga now. I was surprised to find it had been written at all because this book had a finality to it that the others lacked. I’m not complaining, mind you. Just pleasantly surprised.
Robert
Reading Over The Shoulder 