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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
Finished this one quickly—I loved the combo of literature and thriller. Head and shoulders above a Jack Reacher story but super-fast paced and engrossing. Don’t worry even if you aren’t a fly fisher you will be “hooked!”
Same author as another thriller with apocalyptic overtones that I also loved: “The Dog Stars.” If you loved that one you’ll enjoy this one as well.
Same author as another thriller with apocalyptic overtones that I also loved: “The Dog Stars.” If you loved that one you’ll enjoy this one as well.
I really liked the setting of the book, and the plot was very interesting
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Significantly worse than The River.
I really like the descriptive prose Heller uses to describe a back country ranch that specializes in flyfishing trips. It's the first book I've read that references the virus that is plaguing our world. When the main character pulls out a cloth mask from their back pocket it was such a pivotal moment that starkly illustrated the before and the after. I continue to wonder if movies, books, television shows will carry on like COVID doesn't exist or if they will acknowledge it from time to time. Back to the book… I liked parts, I liked the characters, I liked the setting, but the mystery at the end didn't do it for me.
medium-paced
Guess what I know about fly-fishing? Zip. Nada. Diddly squat. But it didn’t matter because Peter Heller told me all about it. Have I been to a fancy resort for the uber-wealthy in the Colorado wilderness? Nope, but Peter Heller told me all about it. Kingfisher Lodge, boutique fishing at its finest, is nestled in a canyon along the most pristine river water on the planet, and locked behind a heavy gate. Sandwiched between barbed wire and a meadow with a sign that reads Don’t Get Shot! Kingfisher offers a respite from Covid for wealthy clients and for newly arrived fishing guide, Jack, a return to normalcy. Jack has lost both his mother and his best friend and blames himself for both deaths, heavy emotional baggage for a young man to carry. When he is assigned to guide a well-known singer, his only job is to rig her line, carry her gear, and steer her to the best trout he can find. Then a scream pierces the night.
“And a spiderweb’s gleamings in the exposed roots of a cut bank. And in a tailwater pool: the spreading rings of rising trout, dapping silently like slow rain.” Peter Heller, The Guide.
The Guide is intricately plotted, with a lush, lyrical, poetic style. Heller’s vivid descriptions of the gorgeous setting made me feel as if I was there, not reading about it here on the flat plains of Minnesota. It’s an unconventional, fast-paced thriller without the gore factor, which is always a plus. Another bonus? It is about Covid three years in the future, but the virus is not a major plot point. Other novels I’ve recently read dwell on it, as if we don’t hear enough about it in our everyday lives. By the way, although The Guide is a follow-up to The River, it works as a standalone. I didn’t think I’d like the novel at first because it was about a fly-fishing—sheesh, I don’t even like trout—but by the time I finished the book, I thought standing in a cold river flicking a fly rod sounded like a great idea. This was my first book by Peter Heller, and it won’t be my last.
Publication Date: August 2021
Genre: Thriller and Suspense
Read-alikes: A Solitude of Wolverines by Alice Henderson, Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin, Hunters in the Dark by Lawrence Osborne
• I received a digital review copy from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest feedback.
• I supplemented the book with audio, narrated by the talented Mark Deakins, whose credits include novels by John Grisham, Jodi Picoult, Gillian Flynn, and Pat Conroy.
“And a spiderweb’s gleamings in the exposed roots of a cut bank. And in a tailwater pool: the spreading rings of rising trout, dapping silently like slow rain.” Peter Heller, The Guide.
The Guide is intricately plotted, with a lush, lyrical, poetic style. Heller’s vivid descriptions of the gorgeous setting made me feel as if I was there, not reading about it here on the flat plains of Minnesota. It’s an unconventional, fast-paced thriller without the gore factor, which is always a plus. Another bonus? It is about Covid three years in the future, but the virus is not a major plot point. Other novels I’ve recently read dwell on it, as if we don’t hear enough about it in our everyday lives. By the way, although The Guide is a follow-up to The River, it works as a standalone. I didn’t think I’d like the novel at first because it was about a fly-fishing—sheesh, I don’t even like trout—but by the time I finished the book, I thought standing in a cold river flicking a fly rod sounded like a great idea. This was my first book by Peter Heller, and it won’t be my last.
Publication Date: August 2021
Genre: Thriller and Suspense
Read-alikes: A Solitude of Wolverines by Alice Henderson, Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin, Hunters in the Dark by Lawrence Osborne
• I received a digital review copy from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest feedback.
• I supplemented the book with audio, narrated by the talented Mark Deakins, whose credits include novels by John Grisham, Jodi Picoult, Gillian Flynn, and Pat Conroy.
Hold on to the edge of your seats for this breathtaking adventure! This book hits the gas from the beginning and doesn't let up. It's my definition of a true suspense/thriller, with just hints along the way of the dangers lurking just around the corner. Be prepared to read it in one sitting because you won't want to put it down. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a galley of this book for review.
This one is not as good as the River. The “plot twist” seemed way too unrealistic for me. As a Coloradan I loved the local representation but the plot became too far-fetched.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes