A review by manic_bibliophile
The River by Gary Paulsen

2.0

However much I wanted a sequel that was meatier than the first, this was the exact opposite of my expectations. I would definitely categorize it as a short story rather than a novel. I didn't dislike it, I just found myself wondering why it was important for Gary Paulsen to put Brian through an unnecessary amount of trauma under the guise of 'teaching' readers about the survival experience if there was absolutely nothing new to learn that hadn't already been covered by the first book. There was opportunity for something new with Brian's survival drive extended to a second party, but then it was clotheslined by rendering the secondary character unconscious for the actual survival part and letting Brian struggle for a couple pages before getting rescued. I just didn't get it.