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The River  By  cover art

The River

By: Gary Paulsen
Narrated by: Peter Coyote
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Publisher's summary

"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 54 days with nothing but a small hatchet. Yet he survived.

Now the government wants him to go back into the wilderness so that astronauts and the military can learn the survival techniques that kept Brian alive. Soon the project backfires, though, leaving Brian with a wounded partner and a long river to navigate. His only hope is to build a raft and try to transport the injured man a hundred miles downstream to a trading post - if the map he has is accurate.

©2001 Gary Paulsen (P)2012 Listening Library

What listeners say about The River

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    1,861
  • 4 Stars
    378
  • 3 Stars
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    23
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  • 5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,532
  • 4 Stars
    322
  • 3 Stars
    101
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    14

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Terrific!!

Loved this book! I had no idea there was a sequel to Hatchet. Simply great!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

10 y.o. boy gives 2 thumbs up

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

10 y.o.: Yes, it was great. Read/listen to Hatchet first.
Mom: A great listen in the car for the whole family. A little harrowing with clear danger to the main characters

What other book might you compare The River to and why?

Hatchet, the prequel. Also excellent

What about Peter Coyote’s performance did you like?

Wonderful voice - expressive, made it easy to follow

Any additional comments?

10 y.o. boy: Good stuff, camping and survival and danger and no girls.

Mom: fun listen for the whole family

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Not just for teen boys, but for ANYONE who values Life!

This sequel to The Hatchet is so well-crafted and just as suspenseful as the first book. Just like The River that Brian paddles down, this story also has many twists & turns that keeps you riveted & inside Brian's head. You truly get a sense of his angst, even if you haven't spent time in The Backcountry. If you have (as I have) you get a true sense of his desperation & struggle to acclimatize when returning home that few understand who haven't experienced the struggle. After many days in true wilderness, I remember how mesmerized I was by running tap water & lights that went on with the flip of a switch. This cognitive dissonance is what drives Brian to return and what moves the plot so beautifully.
My only gripe is that the overly dramatic music is completely unnecessary! The excellent reader is all that is needed.
This book is NOT just for teen boys, but ANYONE who appreciates The Wilderness & wants to understand what is truly important in life.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved the story and the storyteller!

This storyteller is easy to listen to and the story is adventurous! Recommending to all!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great book that will make you feel like going for a walk in the woods .

Heartfelt,exciting and one to listen to again . Gary Paulsen is one of my favorite author he has you wondering what will happen next.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Second book in the Brian Robeson saga

Like most of Paulsen's book, this is directed at young boys, although I must admit I like them too. This is the second story of Brian Robeson from Hatchet, my favorite Paulsen book. Brian has turned into quite the rugged survivalist.

Coyote is a good narrator. I enjoyed him very much.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story and good production!

We enjoyed this book. Good for kids to listen too as well. Highly recommend. Listen to the hatchet first

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good casual listen

Narrator didn’t announce new chapters which made it difficult for school assignments. Good everywhere else, maybe a bit fast at times.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Violet

I liked the reading, but the music was too distracting, but overall, the I liked it.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Weak.

I bought this one on nostalgia, pretty sure I read it in 2nd grade after Hatchet. I'm bad at these reviews, but the story was formulaic, predictable and boring. Save your money/credit for something else.

Voice actor was solid.

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