Brian's Return by Gary Paulsen Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Brian's Return
Book Review: Milking It For All It's Worth
Summary: 3 Stars
First of all, you should not read this book if you have not read "Hatchet," which comes earlier in the series. If you like that book enough, you should go straight on to "Brian's Winter," and if you're still interested, read "The River." This will bring you up to where "Brian's Return" begins.I loved "Hatchet" and "Brian's Winter"-- but after that, author Gary Paulsen added two more books to the series, which he shouldn't have. I was quite disappointed, and feel that this book tainted the series: It's filled with a great deal of one-sentence (and even one-word) paragraphs--I believe that Mr. Paulsen was trying to fill up enough space to publish what qualified as another "book." You should note that this watered- down story fills 115 tiny pages--and the book went straight to paperback. I don't think that Mr. Paulsen took this book so seriously as the earlier ones.
However, there's plenty to satisfy fans of the series: For example, short portraits of how Brian reacted when he got back home and his trouble fitting back into school. Even better is an interaction between Brian and an adult who sees things his way--a fellow man of the woods.
If you're an ardent fan of the series (as I was and still am), you probably can't resist buying this book anyway. But if you're not sure, you aren't missing much by passing it up.
Book Review: More Brian
Summary: 4 Stars
If you like this series you will enjoy the book. Unlike my expectations, the book does not dwell on his immediate return and reunion with his mom and dad. But except for that one negative, the book is very interesting and enjoyable.Book Review: Peace from Yokota
Summary: 4 Stars
I agree with A reader from Danville because from the reading that I have personally done with this book I can say that it is completely true. In the Beginning of the book he mentions that the things around him doesn't mean anything to him, or he doesn't care for it. He has a hard time because he fells that he doesn't belong there, as if that he what was once home is foreign to him. Also in the beginning of the book he gets into a fight and then is sent to go see counseling. Brian then becomes attach with the counselor and then is convinced that sense he feels that where he lives is so foreign to him then he is to return to "home"Ein witch in his case was the northern woods here his plane had crashed. He then gets prepared to go back for his summer between school. He also prepares some extra stuff to take with him to the trip (stuff that he didn't have when he was in the crash that could make struggles a little easier). He finalize his dates to go , discuss it with his mother , and then goes to come back when the summer ended to tell more stories to his counselor that help him so much.Book Review: The Disapointer
Summary: 2 Stars
Have you ever read a great book and then had been very disappointed with the sequel? That's exactly what will happen if you read Gary Paulsen's series of books starting out with Hatchet. All of his books are great until you read Brian's Return. Brian, the kid who was lost in the Northern Canadian Woods for the whole fall and winter, is having trouble in high school. His life was chanced ever since his small plane crash into the woods. Now, he's confused because he doesn't understand why some people live the way they do. For example, his old friends always wanting to ride there bikes or play video games at the mall. He gets in a fight with another teenager in his school. The police make him get a little help from an old blind man that helps teenagers with there problems. Brian tells him why he got in a fight, and why he's so different. He thinks Brian should take a visit back to the woods. Of course, he does, but once he goes there isn't really an ending. I didn't like this book because when Brian goes back to the woods, there's no conflict or problem like there is in almost every story. Also, the story focuses on very stupid things like Brian loving tea and Shakespeare' s plays. This book will be disappointing if you read Gary Paulsen's other books, but boring and confusing if you don't read the other books. I wouldn't recommend reading this book for fun.Book Review: This is what happens when an author runs out of ideas.
Summary: 1 Stars
First of all, Gary Paulsen is a great author. He's written many great books, including "Hatchet." The best way to sum of "Brian's Return" would be to say that if "Hatchet" were to be made into a movie of the same name (or something called, "A Cry in the Wild"), it would be seen in theaters everywhere. If "Brian's Return" were to be made into a movie, it would go straight to DVD, and would probably ruin the careers of any director or potential actor/actress trying to make a breakout film. It's just that terrible.
The problem with the book is that it just doesn't have a point. There's really no plot. There's no purpose. And really, there's no ending. One gets the feeling that the author was out of ideas, his publisher was pushing for one more book, and this is the end result. A half-hearted (even that is more than I feel the author put into it) attempt at making one last book in the series.
The characters are extremely weak and cliche. Like Carl, the bully who's jealous of Brian. And Susan, the girl who likes Brian. And Haley, who is thrown into the story just to get a bloody nose and get Brian to see red and attack Carl. Then Susan twists her knee yet somehow is able to walk to the police car to talk to Brian and no mention of her knee is ever brought back up in the story. Hmmm. And Haley with the broken nose is never mentioned again. It is terrible writing, which is horrible to say of an author who has written tremendous books.
And then there is Caleb the blind Counselor, which is another weak element to the story. The irony of a blind counselor being able to see what Brian sees, and guiding him back to finding himself. You, the unblind reader, would never see this coming. And what really strikes me about Caleb, the blind counselor, is that he is telling Brian (a minor) to go back to the woods. Not only is this unethical from a counseling stand-point, but he also didn't get parental permission, and he broke confidentiality by telling Brian's mother what went on during these counseling sessions that weren't really counseling sessions.
Brian must have the coolest mom in the world if she lets him go back into the woods all by himself, never to return.
And then there is Billy, the random woodsmen who would appear to be an older version of Brian. Or the same person as Brian. This is a paradox. And just like Billy disappeared, so we are left to assume that Brian disappeared to find his "medicine."
I can honestly say this is the worst book I've read by Gary Paulsen. It's extremely disappointing. Not only as a book, but it's also disappointing that the series had to end with such a flop. I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone, because it is a literary disaster. I could go on, but I think you get the point...