From the author of The Night the Lights Went Out and 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 Also, this book reinforced that sitting on your couch and reading about hiking is much better than actual hiking. The thought of wearing three-day old clothes and not showering is disturbing. I was barely surviving this weekend when the power went out for 13 hours LOL. Ain't no way I'm trekking through some unknown mountain eating dried food and shitting in the woods. I'm more of a beach gal LOL.

Now, I'm usually not one to jump at a survivalist thriller, but I'm trying to dibble dabble in a few different tropes because the plain ole domestic ones are letting me down. I need something different. And this definitely fit the bill. It's the first of its kind that I've read, and I have to say I enjoyed it. Was it a literary masterpiece? No. But was it a solid popcorn thriller? Yes (bar the ending going a lil too Charlie's Angels).I’ve never been so sure of my not being a rugged, outdoor kinda gal as I was while reading this book. I guess you could call me a glamping princess, as I’d rather have access to at least some conveniences, but after reading this book I can argue with my husband that it’s just safer overall. 😇 These women are wearing the same crusty clothes for days, eating dried/preserved foods, etc and YOU DO YOU GIRLS. 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻 Often hilarious, as you would expect any book by Magary to be, but like The Postmortal there is a real darkness and thoughtfulness to Ben’s journey that will keep you engrossed.” This is a story where you don't really have a character you like, they are all selfish or vengeful to the exptreem. So as the story goes along and things start to happen, I'm not at all sadden but think it's getting to be a better world. I know, I'm depraved. The Hike was astonishing, dramatic and tense. Lucy Clarke is definitely at her optimum with this one. More than a week later and I'm still trying to figure what exactly I read here. Here's what I know:

Two couples (sisters and their husbands) plan a vacation in the Swiss Alps after being cooped up for a year and a half of not going anywhere during the pandemic. But the hike takes a tragic turn and only two of them survive. Something sinister is afoot, but who is behind it all? Because every single character is abominably detestable.

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A gonzo fantasy adventure with a simple premise: a guy gets lost in the woods. Yet with Magary, getting lost means being chased by dog-faced murderers, crashing into an iceberg, almost getting eaten by a giant, and being forced to build a castle for the undead. In short, things get weird.”

It is very hard to pull off any kind of story where the entire plot is built on doing things the reader does not expect. Because eventually you're going to find a rhythm and start anticipating the surprises, right? But somehow Magary manages to gradually explain the structure of his book to you and still catch you off guard on a regular basis. The first novel from a popular sports blogger and humorist puts a darkly comic spin on a science fiction premise and hits the sweet spot between Margaret Atwood and Kurt Vonnegut.” It's amazing how much Clarke was able to take on in The Hike. In short chapters from alternating viewpoints, she explores themes like marriage, motherhood, the complexities of female friendship, and drug addiction, while also telling a propulsive, suspenseful, atmospheric survival story. Each of the four friends at the center of this novel is thoughtfully crafted, with unique traits and viewpoints that made it easy to differentiate among them. Their internal conflicts and their conflicts with each other, even as they were dealing with the external challenge of being inexperienced hikers and potentially being stalked through the wilderness, made for a tense, engaging reading experience. In an interview, the author shared how she had been on a hike in Norway, when she started to think about writing this novel. She said… I was a bit disappointed that the areas where various plants and such are found is never mentioned or pointed out. While the illustrations hint that it covers a wide range (forests to mountain tops), it'd help young readers/listeners to know exactly what they might keep an eye out for in their own areas when they go hiking. On another note, the glossary does mention that several plants are edible...which is simply dangerous, since the illustrations are not exact and kids really might go out and think they see one of the mentioned plants and try 'cooking' it or eating it themselves. Mine would if not warned.In fact, none of them really get on with each other. There's a real spark of hate and distrust that flashes throughout the group, often covered by fake smiles and a little compassion, but more often than not, revealing itself in pointed remarks and insults, especially between the two sisters. Not one of these people are likeable, but they are all very well drawn. I'm fond of the obnoxious character and often think that they are far more interesting than the nice guys out there .... well, in fiction anyway! It’s kind of a more cynical version of The Phantom Tollbooth mixed with a game of Dungeons & Dragons from Community creator Dan Harmon’s podcast Harmontown.” This is quite interesting, because basically I like a lot about this book, but I didn't particularly enjoy reading it...