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Brian's Saga #5
Brian's Hunt
Millions of readers of Hatchet, The River, Brian’s Winter , and Brian’s Return know that Brian Robeson is at home in the Canadian wilderness. He has stood up to the challenge of surviving alone in the woods. He prefers being on his own in the natural world to civilization.
When Brian finds a dog one night, a dog that is wounded and whimpering, he senses danger. The dog is badly hurt, and as Brian cares for it, he worries about his Cree friends who live north of his camp. His instincts tell him to head north, quickly. With his new companion at his side, and with a terrible, growing sense of unease, he sets out to learn what happened. He sets out on the hunt.
From the Hardcover edition.
When Brian finds a dog one night, a dog that is wounded and whimpering, he senses danger. The dog is badly hurt, and as Brian cares for it, he worries about his Cree friends who live north of his camp. His instincts tell him to head north, quickly. With his new companion at his side, and with a terrible, growing sense of unease, he sets out to learn what happened. He sets out on the hunt.
From the Hardcover edition.
112 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
782 people are currently reading
9291 people want to read
About the author
Gary Paulsen
408 books3,977 followersGary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 970 reviews
March 30, 2024
“He’d wanted to see if there was some way he could make the two worlds work together, but he could not; their world was ugly to him and was filled with awful tastes and smells and people who all wanted what he thought were the wrong things…”
✔️ Brian’s Saga is officially finished! How bittersweet !
In Brian’s Hunt, the final installment of the saga, Brian faces his biggest challenge yet… an unimaginable tragedy.
The story starts out a bit slow and repetitive until a dog stumbles upon Brian’s camp site, whimpering for help and wounded. Brian’s intuition never fails, and he knows something isn’t right. He must help the dog and discover where it came from. I loved the finale (if it is indeed the true finale haha! Seems like over the years the author keeps coming back to write more Brian!) But it was shocking and tense! A turn of events.
What else I loved:
↠There are some amazing hunting scenes described. Brian has some impressive skills and truly belongs in the wilderness.
↠The author's afterword was very powerful:
"We don’t like to think of ourselves as prey—it is a lessening thought—but the truth is that in our arrogance and so-called knowledge we forget that we are not unique. We are part of nature as much as other animals, and some animals—sharks, fever-bearing mosquitoes , wolves, and bear, to name but a few—perceive us a food source, a meat supply, and simply did not get the memo about how humans are superior."
✔️ Brian’s Saga is officially finished! How bittersweet !
In Brian’s Hunt, the final installment of the saga, Brian faces his biggest challenge yet… an unimaginable tragedy.
The story starts out a bit slow and repetitive until a dog stumbles upon Brian’s camp site, whimpering for help and wounded. Brian’s intuition never fails, and he knows something isn’t right. He must help the dog and discover where it came from. I loved the finale (if it is indeed the true finale haha! Seems like over the years the author keeps coming back to write more Brian!) But it was shocking and tense! A turn of events.
What else I loved:
↠There are some amazing hunting scenes described. Brian has some impressive skills and truly belongs in the wilderness.
↠The author's afterword was very powerful:
"We don’t like to think of ourselves as prey—it is a lessening thought—but the truth is that in our arrogance and so-called knowledge we forget that we are not unique. We are part of nature as much as other animals, and some animals—sharks, fever-bearing mosquitoes , wolves, and bear, to name but a few—perceive us a food source, a meat supply, and simply did not get the memo about how humans are superior."
June 25, 2012
First off, note the title of this book. I didn’t realize until I was about 60 pages in or so why the book is called Brian’s Hunt.
For myself, I’m an adult now. I read The Hatchet probably about 20 years ago, most likely when it was still a relatively new book. I was a real bookworm, but due to not having such things like internet and google, my only way of finding out if an author had new books was to go to my local bookstore or library and check.
Therefore it wasn’t until a few years ago I realized Mr. Paulsen was continuing The Hatchet series. I found out about The River, but then learned of the alternative ending to The Hatchet in Brian’s Winter.
The latter book is somewhat connected to this book. And to its predecessor, Brian’s Return.
In this book Brian is continuing his journey to visit the trapper family that helped him in Brian’s Winter.
I have to say I liked this one a little bit better than Brian’s Return. Okay, I admit it. It’s because Brian finds an injured sled dog, and I’m very partial to dogs.
Anyway, with that being said, the finding of this injured animal is connected to everything else in the story, ultimately leading to…Brian’s hunt.
I would caution any parents wanting to get this book for their children to read it first for themselves. Like The Hatchet, there’s nothing more gruesome than nature itself, however, the…situation that Brian finds himself might scare young children. I can’t say more or else it gives away the big climax at the end of the story.
As for the story itself, I want to say, although I can’t be sure, that the writing is slightly different in this one than it was in previous books. I can’t really put my finger on it, except to say I think Mr. Paulsen perhaps interjected into his writing style a more contemporary feel. I shall give an example.
At one point in the book, Brian contemplates shooting a deer. However, he opts not to do so. The dog, alongside him, looks over at him, as if to say, are you going to shoot or what?
Something to this affect. I didn’t’ quote that verbatim, but one gets the idea. To my best recollection, this is first time Mr. Paulsen has done something like this in his books, and in my opinion, I like it very much. Before it seemed Brian was very serious and everything was no-nonsense. Which is as it should be, I suppose, considering his age and the fact that he’s alone in wilderness with just a bow and quiver of arrows. But the tinge of…personality to this unnamed dog was a good touch.
I could say more, but being that it was such a short book I won’t. I will be curious to see if Mr. Paulsen continues Brian’s journey. At first he indicated he wouldn’t, but in this book he says he will stop saying that. So we shall see.
For myself, I’m an adult now. I read The Hatchet probably about 20 years ago, most likely when it was still a relatively new book. I was a real bookworm, but due to not having such things like internet and google, my only way of finding out if an author had new books was to go to my local bookstore or library and check.
Therefore it wasn’t until a few years ago I realized Mr. Paulsen was continuing The Hatchet series. I found out about The River, but then learned of the alternative ending to The Hatchet in Brian’s Winter.
The latter book is somewhat connected to this book. And to its predecessor, Brian’s Return.
In this book Brian is continuing his journey to visit the trapper family that helped him in Brian’s Winter.
I have to say I liked this one a little bit better than Brian’s Return. Okay, I admit it. It’s because Brian finds an injured sled dog, and I’m very partial to dogs.
Anyway, with that being said, the finding of this injured animal is connected to everything else in the story, ultimately leading to…Brian’s hunt.
I would caution any parents wanting to get this book for their children to read it first for themselves. Like The Hatchet, there’s nothing more gruesome than nature itself, however, the…situation that Brian finds himself might scare young children. I can’t say more or else it gives away the big climax at the end of the story.
As for the story itself, I want to say, although I can’t be sure, that the writing is slightly different in this one than it was in previous books. I can’t really put my finger on it, except to say I think Mr. Paulsen perhaps interjected into his writing style a more contemporary feel. I shall give an example.
At one point in the book, Brian contemplates shooting a deer. However, he opts not to do so. The dog, alongside him, looks over at him, as if to say, are you going to shoot or what?
Something to this affect. I didn’t’ quote that verbatim, but one gets the idea. To my best recollection, this is first time Mr. Paulsen has done something like this in his books, and in my opinion, I like it very much. Before it seemed Brian was very serious and everything was no-nonsense. Which is as it should be, I suppose, considering his age and the fact that he’s alone in wilderness with just a bow and quiver of arrows. But the tinge of…personality to this unnamed dog was a good touch.
I could say more, but being that it was such a short book I won’t. I will be curious to see if Mr. Paulsen continues Brian’s journey. At first he indicated he wouldn’t, but in this book he says he will stop saying that. So we shall see.
May 23, 2011
If you liked the earlier books, read this. It’s pleasant but I wanted it longer with more stuff.
STORY BRIEF:
This is book 5 in the series. Brian was 13 in the first book “Hatchet” when he survived a plane crash and the Canadian wilderness - alone for 54 days. In book 4, Brian is 15 and returns to the wilderness - with supplies to live there for a while. This book is later in that same trip or the next year. He is now 16. He catches fish and shoots game with a bow and arrow. He discovers an injured dog. He tends the dog’s wounds. The dog becomes his companion. Brian travels to discover where the dog came from and what happened. He learns it was a bear which Brian then hunts.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This wasn’t as good as the earlier books. I listened to all of the earlier books as audiobooks. When I felt this not to be as good, I wondered if the others would have been less good by reading as opposed to listening. I would hope my reaction would be consistent, but there is the possibility that all of these are better “heard” than “read.” I’m not sure. Anyway, this book was very short. It finished too soon. I wanted more. This book didn’t have as many events, things happening, and things I learned as in the earlier books. It was pleasant because I liked being in Brian’s wilderness world, but there was no “wow” the way earlier books were.
OTHER BOOKS:
The author wrote many books, but the Hatchet series consists of:
5 stars. Hatchet (read first)
5 stars. Brian’s Winter (read second or third but I prefer second)
3 stars. The River (read second or third)
4 stars. Brian’s Return
3 stars. Brian’s Hunt
DATA:
Story length: 103 pages. Swearing language: none. Sexual content: none. Setting: current day Canadian wilderness. Copyright: 2003. Genre: young adult adventure fiction.
STORY BRIEF:
This is book 5 in the series. Brian was 13 in the first book “Hatchet” when he survived a plane crash and the Canadian wilderness - alone for 54 days. In book 4, Brian is 15 and returns to the wilderness - with supplies to live there for a while. This book is later in that same trip or the next year. He is now 16. He catches fish and shoots game with a bow and arrow. He discovers an injured dog. He tends the dog’s wounds. The dog becomes his companion. Brian travels to discover where the dog came from and what happened. He learns it was a bear which Brian then hunts.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This wasn’t as good as the earlier books. I listened to all of the earlier books as audiobooks. When I felt this not to be as good, I wondered if the others would have been less good by reading as opposed to listening. I would hope my reaction would be consistent, but there is the possibility that all of these are better “heard” than “read.” I’m not sure. Anyway, this book was very short. It finished too soon. I wanted more. This book didn’t have as many events, things happening, and things I learned as in the earlier books. It was pleasant because I liked being in Brian’s wilderness world, but there was no “wow” the way earlier books were.
OTHER BOOKS:
The author wrote many books, but the Hatchet series consists of:
5 stars. Hatchet (read first)
5 stars. Brian’s Winter (read second or third but I prefer second)
3 stars. The River (read second or third)
4 stars. Brian’s Return
3 stars. Brian’s Hunt
DATA:
Story length: 103 pages. Swearing language: none. Sexual content: none. Setting: current day Canadian wilderness. Copyright: 2003. Genre: young adult adventure fiction.
February 23, 2020
If you liked the books before, you will like this book. Although I sometimes got tired of the mentioning of food all the time in the book. Also the end is different and dramafull, more then the other books in de serie. Good ending to a serie!
August 7, 2019
I'm done reading Gary Paulsen. Done.
It was a mercy that my grandkids were exhausted after Fair week. A mercy the two oldest fell asleep around the fifth chapter. A mercy that I broke covenant and kept reading silently. I read far enough to realize this book was not an appropriate read aloud.
There was a bear attack; there are gruesome details, unspeakable particulars, gut-wrenching awfulness. If you like nightmares, this is your book.
A series that began with Hatchet, an incredible survival story, ends with a whimpering dog. a traumatized orphan, and a boy who glories in isolation.
It was a mercy that my grandkids were exhausted after Fair week. A mercy the two oldest fell asleep around the fifth chapter. A mercy that I broke covenant and kept reading silently. I read far enough to realize this book was not an appropriate read aloud.
There was a bear attack; there are gruesome details, unspeakable particulars, gut-wrenching awfulness. If you like nightmares, this is your book.
A series that began with Hatchet, an incredible survival story, ends with a whimpering dog. a traumatized orphan, and a boy who glories in isolation.
July 16, 2025
This poor kid Brian is more used to living in the Canadian Wilderness than in his suburban surroundings. He’s a bit done with the adults in his life so he uses his hunting and survival skills and escapes to the wilderness. He discovers things are not perfect there! Will he survive?
January 8, 2014
Concluding the events that began with a plane crash and fight for survival, Gary Paulsen went out with a crazy blow.
Brian was a young kid when he was forced to survive alone in the wildness of Canada four books back, but now in this last installment of his life, he is a much older youth. He even has his eye on a girl. We met her and her family at the ending of the third book, when we see what would have happened if Brian had been left to survive in the winter. He meets an Inuit family and they take him in until he is rescued, then when Brian feels that he just has to go out and be in the wilderness again, he ventures out to see them.
That is where the shocking devastation comes in. Brian encounters the dog, injured and clearly been attacked by something big. When Brian finally makes it to the family home, he finds to his horror the slaughtered remains of the father. The cabin is in ruins, the dogs are dead, the place trashed and ripped apart. Further in the woods Brian finds the remains of the mother.
The children re no where to be seen and Brian fears the worst.
He takes it on himself to find and destroy the beast that did this, which turns out to be a very large bear.
The battle is brutal, bloody and scary, but in the end, Brian defeats the bear and slays it. He then finds the children and goes off with the girl he likes to tell the authorities.
Life will be hard for the children now that they are orphans, but Brain will be there now and things will eventually be okay.
I salute Brian and hope the rest of his life is well lived.
Brian was a young kid when he was forced to survive alone in the wildness of Canada four books back, but now in this last installment of his life, he is a much older youth. He even has his eye on a girl. We met her and her family at the ending of the third book, when we see what would have happened if Brian had been left to survive in the winter. He meets an Inuit family and they take him in until he is rescued, then when Brian feels that he just has to go out and be in the wilderness again, he ventures out to see them.
That is where the shocking devastation comes in. Brian encounters the dog, injured and clearly been attacked by something big. When Brian finally makes it to the family home, he finds to his horror the slaughtered remains of the father. The cabin is in ruins, the dogs are dead, the place trashed and ripped apart. Further in the woods Brian finds the remains of the mother.
The children re no where to be seen and Brian fears the worst.
He takes it on himself to find and destroy the beast that did this, which turns out to be a very large bear.
The battle is brutal, bloody and scary, but in the end, Brian defeats the bear and slays it. He then finds the children and goes off with the girl he likes to tell the authorities.
Life will be hard for the children now that they are orphans, but Brain will be there now and things will eventually be okay.
I salute Brian and hope the rest of his life is well lived.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2015
Brian returns to the wild. His parents have allowed him to in a way of being homeschooled.
He befriends a dog, and finds that his Cree friends have been killed by a bear. He then tracks and finds their daughter, Susan (a love interest?) who has fled from the bear attack.
He tracks and kills the bear.
Apart from the bear attack - which does fight back, I have the same criticism, everything comes too easily for him. He even stitches up the dog well despite it being his first time, and the dog doesn't mind, then the dog is a great tracking dog!! He kills everything he hunts, with only 1 slight arrow deflection!
His emotionally state is permanently totally chilled - nothing really fases him, apart from finding the dead bobies.
This is unbelievable and irritating.
He befriends a dog, and finds that his Cree friends have been killed by a bear. He then tracks and finds their daughter, Susan (a love interest?) who has fled from the bear attack.
He tracks and kills the bear.
Apart from the bear attack - which does fight back, I have the same criticism, everything comes too easily for him. He even stitches up the dog well despite it being his first time, and the dog doesn't mind, then the dog is a great tracking dog!! He kills everything he hunts, with only 1 slight arrow deflection!
His emotionally state is permanently totally chilled - nothing really fases him, apart from finding the dead bobies.
This is unbelievable and irritating.
April 23, 2021
Brian’s Hunt is the 4th book in a 5 book adventure series which is written by Gary Paulsen. Brian, who is 16 years old and the main character, is camping out in the Canadian wilderness. One night while he was sleeping he heard a dog whimpering and thought it belonged to another camp. The next day he decided to return the dog, so he got in his canoe and went down stream to the camp. Upon arrival Brian was shocked to see several dead bodies and luckily one survivor. After searching the grounds he discovered bear tracks EVERYWHERE! So the journey begins searching for the man eating bear. Brian’s hunt is an easy read because it has many interesting adventures and Brian is a courageous person. This book has taught me to never give up despite my challenges.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2021
There's no emotional depth despite there being some intense plot points. Brian is weirdly obsessed with a girl he's never met. He's a Marty Sue in that everything comes so easily too him. I find it ironic that there's a dig about Jack London being ill-informed yet Brian feeds the dog fish bones which could kill it and goes after a ginormous bear with only a 45-lb draw bow, which he doesnt end up using and instead kills it by stabbing it with arrows instead....of which it only takes two and Brian walks away relatively unscathed. *rolls eyes* There's very little point to this story and Im glad it was so short or I definitely wouldn't have finished it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2023
I enjoyed this book! I definitely found myself wondering alongside Brian about whether or not the bear is good. I liked the author coming to a conclusion that it’s just…a bear lol It seems like such a simple conclusion, but we assign these “bad” behaviors to animals attacking/eating others, but are we as humans really all that different??? We hunt and eat other animals as a way to survive and that bear was doing the same thing!
This book definitely inspires me to read the other books in the series! :)
This book definitely inspires me to read the other books in the series! :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2023
Well, that was a fast read; I read it all in just about one sitting! This is the fifth book in Brian's Saga by Gary Paulsen ( 1939-2021), published in 2003. Yes, it's a Young Adult book and, ideally, it's for middle school readers (young teens). But I like the character of Brian and the first book of the series, "Hatchet" (1986), is just a fantastic book. So I've read other books by Paulsen, including other Brian books, and have finally gotten to this one.
Brian has returned to the Canadian wilderness and is now very skilled at survival, no--more than survival, he makes himself at home there. However, he discovers that his connection to nature has been incomplete--he finds a dog there in the wilderness and learns how much a dog adds to his ability to survive. The dog has been hurt and Brian sets out to find out what happened to the dog..
3/5 stars, as the book was much too short. I wanted more ( and I believe this is the last story of Brian's Saga...?).
Brian has returned to the Canadian wilderness and is now very skilled at survival, no--more than survival, he makes himself at home there. However, he discovers that his connection to nature has been incomplete--he finds a dog there in the wilderness and learns how much a dog adds to his ability to survive. The dog has been hurt and Brian sets out to find out what happened to the dog..
3/5 stars, as the book was much too short. I wanted more ( and I believe this is the last story of Brian's Saga...?).
February 22, 2012
Brian Robertson was once stuck in the wilderness for 45 days. He was rescued by a outdoors man and his family. Brian thought it would be nice to pay him and his family a visit. After heading down stream Brian found an injured dog come from the direction that he was heading. The dog was injured and had a huge gash on its left side. Using some fishing wire he stitched up the dog. Brian couldn’t let the dog go, he could tell that it was a house dog. Brian decided to take it along with him. Once he arrived at the house, Brian realized something was wrong. As he entered the house he found out that the owner of the house and his wife had been mauled by a huge bear. Using his instincts, Brian was able to find the survivor. Once at the house Brian radioed for help and the survivor was taken to her aunt and uncles house. Brian knew what he had to do. He and the dog set out to kill the bear. After about 7 hours of searching they found the bear. Brian stabbed the bear in the chest two times before it died. I think this book is the best in the Brian sequel. It kept me guessing what would happen next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2011
The reason why i chose this book is because i have read the other two books befor it. It book is realleistif ficshon. The teting of the book is out in the north woods of Canada. The mane character lived in the city for most of his life but he was in two different plane crashes and now he calles the north woods his home. The plot of the book is that Brian wants to go see his friends that he spent his three months of his winter with and they are natovamaricans. The conflict of the book is that a dog is wonded and he is trying to find out whos dog it and he thinks he friends will know the answer to his queston. The way the problum is solved is he gets to the island that his friends stay on dering the summer and they are dead so that is another problum and he knows that a baer has killed them. The way he solves that problum is by killing the baer. If someone ha read the two books befor this then i would say yes this would be a good book for them.
October 11, 2009
The river and wilderness belong to Brian and his new companion, until he discovers a terrifying scene at a campground nearby his hunting grounds. His closest friend may be in danger, and he is willing to risk his own life in order to protect her.
I have never read a "Brian book" before, although I had read excerpts from Gary Paulsen's various works many times. I liked that Paulsen's style mirrored the situation in the woods--bare-boned and raw.
I recommend this to anyone, especially those kids in my class who really liked reading Hatchet in fifth grade.
I have never read a "Brian book" before, although I had read excerpts from Gary Paulsen's various works many times. I liked that Paulsen's style mirrored the situation in the woods--bare-boned and raw.
I recommend this to anyone, especially those kids in my class who really liked reading Hatchet in fifth grade.
May 11, 2022
This story was really short! 100 pages vs 140-200 for all the other books! This felt more like a bonus story than a book and I am a little bit disappointed because I believe it could have benefited from another 40 pages. It felt a bit rushed.
However, it was nice to read about Brian again. When I was a child I read the first books and was absolutely intrigued by it for years! Part of that because I couldn’t remember the name of the book and I wanted to reread, and when I finally did I liked it as much as I remembered. Good memories!
However, it was nice to read about Brian again. When I was a child I read the first books and was absolutely intrigued by it for years! Part of that because I couldn’t remember the name of the book and I wanted to reread, and when I finally did I liked it as much as I remembered. Good memories!
January 16, 2022
The last of the Hatchet series was a good one once again. They are short and sweet with enough to keep you interested and surprised at parts. I’m glad I finally read all of these books. Now I’m ready to recommend them to certain readers in my class.
May 11, 2021
Terrible ending, just the part before "The Hunt" section.
May 17, 2022
Yeeees
December 20, 2020
Interesting. Whereas the previous book of this series, Brian's Return, picks up the story at the end of The River (the first sequel to 1988 Newbery Honoree Hatchet), Brian's Hunt instead follows Brian's Winter, the alternate sequel to Hatchet. Rather than Brian serendipitously releasing a radio signal from the airplane's communicator at the bottom of the lake adjacent to where he was stranded in the Canadian wilderness and subsequently being rescued, he had to bunker down and withstand the ungodly winter of the extreme American north. After making it through the worst of winter, he found refuge with a Cree trapper named David Smallhorn and his family, who contacted the authorities and arranged to reunite Brian with his parents. Whether or not the events of The River and Brian's Return can be finessed to fit with this alternative plot that leads to Brian's Hunt, our now sixteen-year-old protagonist has all the connections and bonus knowledge of the outdoors he accrued in Brian's Winter, and his ties to the Smallhorn family are key to what happens next as he returns to the wilderness life with his parents' consent. After beating the odds to survive his first stint in the wild, Brian has found it difficult to reintegrate with his former life. His instincts are honed to such a sharp edge that he reverts to fight-or-flight response too easily, and that makes him do inappropriate things in urbane society. Brian finds that he's happier living isolated in the woods, at least for periods of time. He's not planning to forsake his parents and modern existence completely, but the new Brian needs plenty of alone time if he's to live up to social expectations when he's back in civilization. The vast Canadian bush is his home now, as much as the house he shares with his mother, and he grows more comfortable with that reality each time he ventures into the forest and reconnects with the part of his soul he left there.
The ability to hunt from a canoe is Brian's decisive advantage over his woodland prey. Birds, fish, moose, and bears mentally register the small, drifting boat as a log, giving Brian opportunity to get a close shot with his bow and arrow. Brian had to develop proper hunting technique right away to survive his first go-round with the wild, and his skills rarely fail him now. More often than not, however, he passes up open shots at large animals that would provide plentiful game, unwilling to kill anything he can't cook and consume before most of the meat spoils. But Brian's focus changes when a big dog seeks him out along the riverbank, badly injured and crying for help. As Brian tends to the Malamute's serious wounds, he tries to figure what could have caused the deep, slashing cuts in the animal's magnificent fur. The nature of the damage points to a wolf or bear, but this dog is clearly domesticated, so why would she have left her master after a ferocious animal hurt her? Wouldn't it make sense to seek treatment from her master for the bloody lacerations she sustained? Every avenue of speculation leads to a dead end for Brian, but his instincts urge him to follow the river immediately in his canoe with the dog, toward the island inhabited by David Smallhorn and his wife and children, to find out if they can shed light on the disquieting mystery. Heading north as quickly as possible, Brian can't shake the dread filling his stomach, the primal apprehension that something awful beyond description awaits up north even as he knows he must go there and confront it.
In the same spirit of unrestricted frontier warfare that defined Brian's Return, Brian's Hunt winds rapidly toward its whirlwind climax, a battle of wilderness savvy between man and beast that both cannot survive. Brian has sought sanctuary in the bush not because he enjoys slaughtering animals for food or in self-defense, but because his kinship with the wild is as natural and sublime as man's reflexive breathing. He doesn't derive any thrill from killing animals, but recognizes that feeding on them is necessary for autonomous sustenance out here away from convenience stores and banks. Killing is sometimes required to stop a predatory threat, as well, or to right a wrong when a savage animal crosses the line and perpetrates violence against humans that can't be ignored or tolerated. Brian understands these rules of nature as well as anyone, but he's also starting to discover a wilderness concept that's new to him: Man, even should he desire to be by himself, needs the company of others. He needs someone to share his thoughts between extended silences, to help bear his existential burden by kindling a fire of friendship to ward off the dismal cold of aloneness as surely as a campfire emits lifesaving heat on deathly winter nights. Without fire, man can't survive long in the bush, but without a friend he can't truly live, and for the first time since his airplane crashed in the wilderness when he was thirteen, Brian feels the benefits of kinship when he takes the injured dog under his wing and they team up to face the horror that chased the dog from home. Their journey will change everything for boy and dog.
The fourth and fifth Brian's Saga novels aren't as captivating as Hatchet, The River, and Brian's Winter, but they make their own valuable contribution to the series. Brian's Return has been described as Henry David Thoreau for the junior set, and there's some of that naturalistic philosophy in Brian's Hunt, the acceptance and espousal of harsh realities about man living as part of nature and the footprint he leaves regardless of how conscientious he is to limit it. Aside from the excitement of the climactic pursuit, Brian's Hunt makes salient points about our need for relationships, the validation we find in the presence of others no matter how much a loner we fancy ourselves. People need each other, there's no getting around that. The question is, what will we do to address that need? I might consider giving Brian's Hunt two and a half stars, and I never tire of being transported by Gary Paulsen to settings of wilderness intrigue beyond anything I've imagined, that can be found right here in our contemporary world. We're better off for having been influenced by Brian's Saga, and I hope the series helps readers discover truths about themselves and the wondrous world surrounding them forever. That's a legacy befitting Gary Paulsen, and I have little doubt it will come to fulfillment.
The ability to hunt from a canoe is Brian's decisive advantage over his woodland prey. Birds, fish, moose, and bears mentally register the small, drifting boat as a log, giving Brian opportunity to get a close shot with his bow and arrow. Brian had to develop proper hunting technique right away to survive his first go-round with the wild, and his skills rarely fail him now. More often than not, however, he passes up open shots at large animals that would provide plentiful game, unwilling to kill anything he can't cook and consume before most of the meat spoils. But Brian's focus changes when a big dog seeks him out along the riverbank, badly injured and crying for help. As Brian tends to the Malamute's serious wounds, he tries to figure what could have caused the deep, slashing cuts in the animal's magnificent fur. The nature of the damage points to a wolf or bear, but this dog is clearly domesticated, so why would she have left her master after a ferocious animal hurt her? Wouldn't it make sense to seek treatment from her master for the bloody lacerations she sustained? Every avenue of speculation leads to a dead end for Brian, but his instincts urge him to follow the river immediately in his canoe with the dog, toward the island inhabited by David Smallhorn and his wife and children, to find out if they can shed light on the disquieting mystery. Heading north as quickly as possible, Brian can't shake the dread filling his stomach, the primal apprehension that something awful beyond description awaits up north even as he knows he must go there and confront it.
In the same spirit of unrestricted frontier warfare that defined Brian's Return, Brian's Hunt winds rapidly toward its whirlwind climax, a battle of wilderness savvy between man and beast that both cannot survive. Brian has sought sanctuary in the bush not because he enjoys slaughtering animals for food or in self-defense, but because his kinship with the wild is as natural and sublime as man's reflexive breathing. He doesn't derive any thrill from killing animals, but recognizes that feeding on them is necessary for autonomous sustenance out here away from convenience stores and banks. Killing is sometimes required to stop a predatory threat, as well, or to right a wrong when a savage animal crosses the line and perpetrates violence against humans that can't be ignored or tolerated. Brian understands these rules of nature as well as anyone, but he's also starting to discover a wilderness concept that's new to him: Man, even should he desire to be by himself, needs the company of others. He needs someone to share his thoughts between extended silences, to help bear his existential burden by kindling a fire of friendship to ward off the dismal cold of aloneness as surely as a campfire emits lifesaving heat on deathly winter nights. Without fire, man can't survive long in the bush, but without a friend he can't truly live, and for the first time since his airplane crashed in the wilderness when he was thirteen, Brian feels the benefits of kinship when he takes the injured dog under his wing and they team up to face the horror that chased the dog from home. Their journey will change everything for boy and dog.
The fourth and fifth Brian's Saga novels aren't as captivating as Hatchet, The River, and Brian's Winter, but they make their own valuable contribution to the series. Brian's Return has been described as Henry David Thoreau for the junior set, and there's some of that naturalistic philosophy in Brian's Hunt, the acceptance and espousal of harsh realities about man living as part of nature and the footprint he leaves regardless of how conscientious he is to limit it. Aside from the excitement of the climactic pursuit, Brian's Hunt makes salient points about our need for relationships, the validation we find in the presence of others no matter how much a loner we fancy ourselves. People need each other, there's no getting around that. The question is, what will we do to address that need? I might consider giving Brian's Hunt two and a half stars, and I never tire of being transported by Gary Paulsen to settings of wilderness intrigue beyond anything I've imagined, that can be found right here in our contemporary world. We're better off for having been influenced by Brian's Saga, and I hope the series helps readers discover truths about themselves and the wondrous world surrounding them forever. That's a legacy befitting Gary Paulsen, and I have little doubt it will come to fulfillment.
March 25, 2017
The saga is over and this book hung.
March 21, 2023
I loved the way that this was written! I was gulping down this book like the dog was gulping down the meat! I HIGHLY reccomend this book to anybody who wants to have the shock of their life! TAKE DOWN THE BEAR (and he did)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2024
only one last book about Brian to read- I can't believe I never read them when I was a child. I was obsessed. If you like survival stories and books about nature you should read these.
November 8, 2025
This is a shorter book, so a quick read, but the story of a boy and a dog in the woods (whom Brian quickly bonds with) is so heartwarming. Yes, there is some sadness, but that's the reality of nature, as Gary Paulsen has shown us time and time again in his stories.
July 25, 2025
Brian hunts a killer
In Brian's Return our hero Brian Robeson bought himself a bunch of cool gear and went off to camp in the Canadian wilderness and to visit his Cree friends the Smallhorns. At the end of Brian's Return Brian had paddled within, he thought, about 30 miles of the Smallhorn camp. There he decided he wasn't really ready for humans yet and thought he would spend a little more time wandering around on his lonesome. Brian's Hunt begins shortly after that.
A wounded dog shows up unexpectedly at Brian's camp. She is obviously domesticated, making it a mystery why she would have left her humans. She also appears to view Brian as a friend. Her wounds look like the claws of a bear. Brian succors her, and finding that he enjoys the company of a dog, allows her to accompany him. Feeling a sense of urgency he can't explain, he heads post-haste for the Smallhorn camp. There, as the publisher's blurb informs us "horror ... awaits him". He sets out to hunt the killer.
Brian's Hunt has the feel of a mystery/thriller. It works well. Brian's Return disappointed because nothing much happened. Brian's Hunt is perhaps the most action-oriented of all the books of Brian's Saga. It is also the most suspenseful.
Gary Paulsen ends with an afterword beginning as follows
Summing up,
????? Hatchet
????? The River
????? Brian's Winter
????? Brian's Return
????? Brian's Hunt
A very good middle grade/young adult series altogether.
Blog review.
In Brian's Return our hero Brian Robeson bought himself a bunch of cool gear and went off to camp in the Canadian wilderness and to visit his Cree friends the Smallhorns. At the end of Brian's Return Brian had paddled within, he thought, about 30 miles of the Smallhorn camp. There he decided he wasn't really ready for humans yet and thought he would spend a little more time wandering around on his lonesome. Brian's Hunt begins shortly after that.
A wounded dog shows up unexpectedly at Brian's camp. She is obviously domesticated, making it a mystery why she would have left her humans. She also appears to view Brian as a friend. Her wounds look like the claws of a bear. Brian succors her, and finding that he enjoys the company of a dog, allows her to accompany him. Feeling a sense of urgency he can't explain, he heads post-haste for the Smallhorn camp. There, as the publisher's blurb informs us "horror ... awaits him". He sets out to hunt the killer.
Brian's Hunt has the feel of a mystery/thriller. It works well. Brian's Return disappointed because nothing much happened. Brian's Hunt is perhaps the most action-oriented of all the books of Brian's Saga. It is also the most suspenseful.
Gary Paulsen ends with an afterword beginning as follows
I can almost hear the voices: “You said the last Brian book was the last Brian book,” and I did say that. But the response from readers is still profoundly overwhelming, hundreds of letters a day, all wanting more of Brian, and so this book, and I will no longer say that I will write no more about Brian and the north woods….In some way he has become real to many, many people and they want to see more of him and so, and so…we shall see.In fact, Brian's Hunt contains a clear hook to a sequel. Alas, Paulsen died in 2021 without writing that sequel.
Summing up,
????? Hatchet
????? The River
????? Brian's Winter
????? Brian's Return
????? Brian's Hunt
A very good middle grade/young adult series altogether.
Blog review.
January 20, 2014
This book by Gary Paulsen entitled “Brian’s Hunt”, is the fifth and final book in his series. This is a book that I feel will catch the reader’s attention. It is about Brian, the main character, and his continued journey spending his time in the wild fishing and hunting. Brian previously survived on an island for 56 days where he learned how to survive by living off the land. After this life changing experience, Brian no longer feels that he can live in the current society.
Brian starts thinking a lot about the Cree family that had rescued him, especially their daughter, Susan, who he never met but saw a picture of. They told him about her and that she was daring and very independent, which Brian finds intriguing.
While Brian is sleeping, he hears a whimper and he finds an injured dog. He is able to stitch up the dog’s wounds and bring him back to health. The dog was very tame which led Brian to believe that she was someone’s pet. Brian begins to think that possibly her owners had been in danger. This makes him think about the Cree family and he decides he wants to go and check on them to make sure they were alright.
Brian reaches an island that is very quiet and there doesn’t seem to be anyone around. He sees a cabin and the door is wide open but no one around. He is scared but knows he needs to go inside. Brian is horrified when he found Susan’s dad is dead. He started calling for her mom but no one answered. He started walking around and found her and three other dogs dead. He figures that a bear had killed them all.
Brian goes down to the lakeshore to try and find Susan. He notices marks from a boat but the boat is gone. He eventually finds Susan in the boat. Brian informs her that a bear has killed her family. They went back to the cabin and he cleaned up while he let her rest.
They called for help and Susan left with the park ranger who was taking her to her grandparents. Brian is determined to find the bear that killed her family. He set out with the dog to hunt the bear. While on their journey, the dog begins to growl and her fur sticks up. Brian can see bear paw prints and suddenly sees the bear. The bear attacks him and hurts his shoulder. Brian is able to fight back and stabs the bear twice with the arrows that he brought with. Brian is overcome from the fight and is awoken by the dog licking his face.
The main character is Brian Roberson, a sixteen year old outdoorsman. He shows that he is very caring when he takes in the very injured dog and brings her back to good health. Even though he is scared he showed his determination and bravery when he tries hunting the bear that killed Susan’s family. Not many teens would be that brave.
I enjoyed the book and found it exciting. It made me think when he found the dead bodies and what was going to happen next. It kept me in suspense and wanting to read more.
I would recommend this book to any age group but I feel that this book would probably be read and liked by teens because he is a teen himself. I think this book would also be enjoyed by anyone who loves the outdoors because that is where the story takes place. I think males can relate more to the book because of him being a hunter and outdoorsman.
Brian starts thinking a lot about the Cree family that had rescued him, especially their daughter, Susan, who he never met but saw a picture of. They told him about her and that she was daring and very independent, which Brian finds intriguing.
While Brian is sleeping, he hears a whimper and he finds an injured dog. He is able to stitch up the dog’s wounds and bring him back to health. The dog was very tame which led Brian to believe that she was someone’s pet. Brian begins to think that possibly her owners had been in danger. This makes him think about the Cree family and he decides he wants to go and check on them to make sure they were alright.
Brian reaches an island that is very quiet and there doesn’t seem to be anyone around. He sees a cabin and the door is wide open but no one around. He is scared but knows he needs to go inside. Brian is horrified when he found Susan’s dad is dead. He started calling for her mom but no one answered. He started walking around and found her and three other dogs dead. He figures that a bear had killed them all.
Brian goes down to the lakeshore to try and find Susan. He notices marks from a boat but the boat is gone. He eventually finds Susan in the boat. Brian informs her that a bear has killed her family. They went back to the cabin and he cleaned up while he let her rest.
They called for help and Susan left with the park ranger who was taking her to her grandparents. Brian is determined to find the bear that killed her family. He set out with the dog to hunt the bear. While on their journey, the dog begins to growl and her fur sticks up. Brian can see bear paw prints and suddenly sees the bear. The bear attacks him and hurts his shoulder. Brian is able to fight back and stabs the bear twice with the arrows that he brought with. Brian is overcome from the fight and is awoken by the dog licking his face.
The main character is Brian Roberson, a sixteen year old outdoorsman. He shows that he is very caring when he takes in the very injured dog and brings her back to good health. Even though he is scared he showed his determination and bravery when he tries hunting the bear that killed Susan’s family. Not many teens would be that brave.
I enjoyed the book and found it exciting. It made me think when he found the dead bodies and what was going to happen next. It kept me in suspense and wanting to read more.
I would recommend this book to any age group but I feel that this book would probably be read and liked by teens because he is a teen himself. I think this book would also be enjoyed by anyone who loves the outdoors because that is where the story takes place. I think males can relate more to the book because of him being a hunter and outdoorsman.
Read
January 18, 2021Personal response: I really enjoyed Brian’s Hunt by Gary Paulson, because I like survival books. The book tells me about surviving in the wild. It also deals with what Brian had to do for hunting and shelter out in the wild. He gets more knowledge as he lives out there longer.
Plot: Brian is a 16 year old boy who is canoeing through the Canadian wilderness. He realizes that the woods are his home. He is happy without the modern things. Brian quits school but still learns on his own with his school books. He reads the books because he wants as much knowledge as possible. He went back to the wilderness again, (this is the fifth book in the series), because he sees it as home now and studies his books out there. One night when Brian was sleeping he heard the crying of an animal near the lake. He then finds out that it is a dog that is badly wounded. He takes care of it by sews his wound and wraps the domestic dog's leg. He packs his stuff in his canoe and takes the dog with him.
Characters: This book is told through Brian's point of view. He changes a lot through his experiences in the wilderness. Brian is a very outdoorsy type of guy. He likes the wilderness and the quietness of woods. He is a reader in the wilderness. Protagonist: Brian and the Malamute dog Antagonist: Devil Bear.
The old dog that Brian found and had to sew up. The dog was scared of Brian at first and after he sewed him up the dog became friendlier. Together they became inseparable.
Setting:This takes place in Canada’s green and lush wilderness. He is away from his parents and civilization. He is in the woods away from modern things, noise and people. The time period could be present day because anyone could go live out in the wilderness if they chose.
Thematic connection: Human vs. Nature, Brian has to have the ability to survive in nature. He also has to realize that this is not a natural habitat for someone that comes from the city to beagle to survive in. He needs the courage to be able to hunt. This is evident when Brian has to kill to survive for food. He also has to cut wood for shelter to stay warm.
Recommendation: I would recommend Brian’s Hunt to eighth grade and beyond because some of the survival techniques may be hard to understand. Both males and females will enjoy this book especially if you are a nature person.
Plot: Brian is a 16 year old boy who is canoeing through the Canadian wilderness. He realizes that the woods are his home. He is happy without the modern things. Brian quits school but still learns on his own with his school books. He reads the books because he wants as much knowledge as possible. He went back to the wilderness again, (this is the fifth book in the series), because he sees it as home now and studies his books out there. One night when Brian was sleeping he heard the crying of an animal near the lake. He then finds out that it is a dog that is badly wounded. He takes care of it by sews his wound and wraps the domestic dog's leg. He packs his stuff in his canoe and takes the dog with him.
Characters: This book is told through Brian's point of view. He changes a lot through his experiences in the wilderness. Brian is a very outdoorsy type of guy. He likes the wilderness and the quietness of woods. He is a reader in the wilderness. Protagonist: Brian and the Malamute dog Antagonist: Devil Bear.
The old dog that Brian found and had to sew up. The dog was scared of Brian at first and after he sewed him up the dog became friendlier. Together they became inseparable.
Setting:This takes place in Canada’s green and lush wilderness. He is away from his parents and civilization. He is in the woods away from modern things, noise and people. The time period could be present day because anyone could go live out in the wilderness if they chose.
Thematic connection: Human vs. Nature, Brian has to have the ability to survive in nature. He also has to realize that this is not a natural habitat for someone that comes from the city to beagle to survive in. He needs the courage to be able to hunt. This is evident when Brian has to kill to survive for food. He also has to cut wood for shelter to stay warm.
Recommendation: I would recommend Brian’s Hunt to eighth grade and beyond because some of the survival techniques may be hard to understand. Both males and females will enjoy this book especially if you are a nature person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2021
All my reviews can be found at: http://jessicasreadingroom.com
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This review will appear on my site on May 28, 2021.
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As a part of May’s prompt for #Diverseathon2021 I listened to the Brian’s Saga series by Gary Paulsen and I have finally reached the last in the series: Brian’s Hunt.
Brian’s Hunt seems to pick up where Brian’s Return left off. This time Brian has a friend with him: He finds a severely injured dog that he takes care of. He begins to worry over the Cree Indian family who he has become friends with. In the ‘what if’ novel Brian’s Winter Brian comes across this family and they ‘rescue’ him and take care of him for several weeks before being able to go home. I still have confusion on if Brian’s Winter is actually not a what if scenario and did actually happen since the next books reference things that happen in that novel.
This is a bit of spoiler, but this novel will not be for the sensitive or younger readers as to what happens to the Cree family. They meet their untimely fate at the hands of a bear and the novel is descriptive in how Brian finds the family. Because of this Brian becomes determined to find the bear and he goes on his hunt.
I did enjoy listening to this series. I do recommend it for teenage boys, as our protagonist is a boy and we don’t get many of those in middle grade/ YA novels. Those novels tend to have female leads. I did not know it was a series until I decided I was going to read Hatchet for Diverseathon, and seeing they were all of a shorter length, I decided to ‘go all out’ and listen to the whole series as all were available through the Libby App. The only thing I was not a ‘fan’ of was the music added to try and enhance the suspenseful parts. I can see how the music would work for some but not others such as myself since I listen to these books while driving and the music was distracting at times.
The Brian’s Saga is recommended!
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This review will appear on my site on May 28, 2021.
~~~~
As a part of May’s prompt for #Diverseathon2021 I listened to the Brian’s Saga series by Gary Paulsen and I have finally reached the last in the series: Brian’s Hunt.
Brian’s Hunt seems to pick up where Brian’s Return left off. This time Brian has a friend with him: He finds a severely injured dog that he takes care of. He begins to worry over the Cree Indian family who he has become friends with. In the ‘what if’ novel Brian’s Winter Brian comes across this family and they ‘rescue’ him and take care of him for several weeks before being able to go home. I still have confusion on if Brian’s Winter is actually not a what if scenario and did actually happen since the next books reference things that happen in that novel.
This is a bit of spoiler, but this novel will not be for the sensitive or younger readers as to what happens to the Cree family. They meet their untimely fate at the hands of a bear and the novel is descriptive in how Brian finds the family. Because of this Brian becomes determined to find the bear and he goes on his hunt.
I did enjoy listening to this series. I do recommend it for teenage boys, as our protagonist is a boy and we don’t get many of those in middle grade/ YA novels. Those novels tend to have female leads. I did not know it was a series until I decided I was going to read Hatchet for Diverseathon, and seeing they were all of a shorter length, I decided to ‘go all out’ and listen to the whole series as all were available through the Libby App. The only thing I was not a ‘fan’ of was the music added to try and enhance the suspenseful parts. I can see how the music would work for some but not others such as myself since I listen to these books while driving and the music was distracting at times.
The Brian’s Saga is recommended!
April 5, 2012
I liked this book. It was OK but it wasn't the greatest mainly because for homework I had to fill out a story map about it. I started it a while ago, when I was first assigned to read a independant reading book around my lexile. And this was it. I picked it because it was my lexile reading range and it was only 100 pages so I thought I could fly through it. I started it, then never got around to reading it, even though I was telling myself to read it. I just wanted to read Stephen King. But I finally picked it up again this morning and it was pretty good. I had read hatchet, but I never read any of the other books that came before Brian's hunt but I knew what was going to happen; he was in the woods and he would be hunting, and find things to survive. And indeed he did. He found a dog and that was his companion throughout half the book. I think the ending was pretty exciting, and it was a fast read, with rather large font, and 100 pages. I thought though that some of the sentences in the book were run-on. For example, one of the sentences near the end of the book was most of a paragraph, following a short sentence, and that was kind of annoying. I do like Gary Paulson as a writer because he is good, and pretty informative about the stuff that you are too find in the woods. All in all it earns a 3/5 stars. Recommended for anybody who has read hatchet, or anybody who likes the works of Gary Paulsen. A fairly light read.
March 22, 2016
In the book Brian's Hunt, the main character is a sixteen year old boy named Brian. The book is set in the Canadian wilderness during current times. The main conflict is that a dog shows up from somewhere with a slash down it's side and some other wounds. He then decides to go north and take the dog with him, and ask his Cree friends if they know if anyone has lost a dog. But, when he gets to their camp, he finds the mother and father dead, mauled by a bear, and one of their daughters, Susan, who was chased by, and escaped, the bear. He also finds that all the dogs are killed and that the one that he has with him is the only one that broke from its leash and escaped.
One thing that I liked about this book was that it was a quick interesting read. Another thing that I liked was that Gary Paulsen talked about Brian's gear, which wasn't much, and how Brian hunted for all of his meat, and didn't waste any, if at all possible, even if that meant giving up a deer or moose. Something else that I really liked was how it made you think about how for him, out there, food was life or death, and that at the end of the book, he went from the predator to the prey (weird to think about). I didn't like how Gary Paulsen went into detail on some things and left some things vague. I also didn't like how choppy his writing was and how many of his sentences were very short. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a short reads, and/or (wilderness) adventure.
One thing that I liked about this book was that it was a quick interesting read. Another thing that I liked was that Gary Paulsen talked about Brian's gear, which wasn't much, and how Brian hunted for all of his meat, and didn't waste any, if at all possible, even if that meant giving up a deer or moose. Something else that I really liked was how it made you think about how for him, out there, food was life or death, and that at the end of the book, he went from the predator to the prey (weird to think about). I didn't like how Gary Paulsen went into detail on some things and left some things vague. I also didn't like how choppy his writing was and how many of his sentences were very short. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a short reads, and/or (wilderness) adventure.
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