The Hike

A Novel

By: Drew Magary

Narrated by: Christopher Lane

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

"The Hike just works. It's like early, good Chuck Palahniuk. . . . Magary underhands a twist in at the end that hits you like a sharp jab at the bell. . . . It’s just that good." —NPR.org

“Inventive, funny. . . . Quietly profound and touching.”—BoingBoing

From the author of The Postmortal, a fantasy saga unlike any you’ve read before, weaving elements of folk tales and video games into a riveting, unforgettable adventure of what a man will endure to return to his family

When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects.

On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the "Producer," the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path.

At once bitingly funny and emotionally absorbing, Magary’s novel is a remarkably unique addition to the contemporary fantasy genre, one that draws as easily from the world of classic folk tales as it does from video games. In The Hike, Magary takes readers on a daring odyssey away from our day-to-day grind and transports them into an enthralling world propelled by heart, imagination, and survival.

©2016 Drew Magary (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Magary's second novel (after The Postmortal) features elements reminiscent of Homer's Odyssey, Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series, Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, and the PC game King's Quest. Mostly, it is a reminder of not only how easy it is to get lost but also how difficult it can be to find one's way back. Fast-paced and immensely entertaining, this is highly recommended for sf fans and adventurous literary readers." --Library Journal, starred review

"In this literary odyssey, Magary combines fascinating dream imagery, assorted video game tropes, and a story structure that's deliberately predictable (with nods to many other tales of wandering through strange lands before returning home) but still surprising." --Publishers Weekly

"Creepy.... Magary isn't shy about getting weird fast.... [He] even nails the ending with a Twilight Zone twist that would have Rod Serling nodding with approval. An eerie odyssey that would be right at home in the pages of the pulpy Warren comics." --Kirkus Reviews

Kafkaesque certainly and my new favorite

The book is a Kafkaesque contemporary telling of the Odyssey myth. The protagonist is a bit whiney at times but he is going through a process of growth and the whiney character at the beginning of the story hardens into a much wiser character by the end of the book. I enjoyed the book and was sorry to see it come to an end.

The narration was very well done.

750 books and this is my first review!

Think Alice in wonderland, but darker and more comedic. Then combine that with some self analysis and a dash of the meaning of life. Interesting thought provoking and entertaining, so glad I chose to take this hike!

Half Baked

I say this with great hesitation because all of the ingredients for what I consider the makings for an epic great book are here. First of all you have a character who does not know where he is or what is going on in a Kafka/Castle setting. Secondly, you have this surreal landscape that at times is insanely interesting. Third, you have a quest. A quest that is unclear.

I think the book falls apart on one critical point. The protagonist is not very likeable. He whines through the entire story. He doesn't evolve. Its hard to get behind him even though the path he is on is incredible.

Its worth picking this book up if you like Borges, PK Dick, Kafka, Murakami.
Its also worth listening to for the performance by Christopher Lane. Wow. I hardly ever call out narrators. But this is above and beyond good.

I really enjoyed this

fun and entertaining.
I really like light heart fiction
if you are looking for more humor than Tolkien this is a good book for you

still thinking about this one

Throughout this entire book I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. it's not that I struggled to finish it, but I kept wondering what it was that kept me listening. it seems to be well written, and was well performed, and in the end I found myself continuing to think about it. I guess that's the mark of a good book, if it compels you to thought.
I would recommend the book, but maybe not to the Casual listener who's looking for a little bit of fiction to escape from reality with.

Amazing Story!

Amazing story, its Alice In Wonderland for adults, with a witty sarcastic main character! Amazing!!!

Brilliant

Wow. I listened to this book while traveling overseas, and I am so glad I did. Wonderfully narrated, heartfelt story.. out of the 200+ audiobooks I own, this is one of the best.

Inconceivable

It's like Princess Bride, Gulliver's Travels, and Army of Darkness rolled into one. Great Story!!!

Great look at Life

I've read many of the reviews... from 1 star to 5 stars! This book is dark! It is weird! It is longer than it had to be! But... It's about life!

If you start it, you've got to finish it! The story and narration are great! It's a book that deserves reflection and introspection! Some people have trouble figuring out this book! And some people have trouble figuring out life! I wish each of you well on "your" path! There's only one! No second chances in real life!

Adult Alice in Wonderland

I almost quit this book. I started listening to it on my commute to work, and the way it began, I thought it would probably be pretty boring and hard to get into. I didn’t have anything else downloaded, though, so I had to listen some more, including during my commute home. By the time I got home, I was totally hooked! I sat in the garage listening; I was late to work a couple of days, because this story had me unable to get out of the car. It had a definite flow, but it was also very much like a dream, where bizarre things happen and long periods of time (as told in the story) go by and then reverse. Old longings and fears crop up for the protagonist, just as in our own dreams. It’s hard to tell what, if anything, is real, or if this guy is dreaming, in a coma, or possibly even dead. I loved this book. It kept me intrigued and guessing, and in the end, rewarded me with a big a-ha moment. That was over a year ago. I’ve only re-listened to one other book, and it’s a reference book. I’m ready to listen to The Hike again.