Rating: 
Summary: Relax
Review: This is a pretty good book. Not great, but a good read.I see people on here complaining that the protagonist is not realistic, too liberal, too new age, blah, blah, blah. He is Matheson. Bob Henson, the star of the book, is Richard Matheson. All his ideas and politics and actions are those of Matheson. As he ages, Matheson is trying to promote his ideas of life in books like The Path and the Primer of Reality. This time he's done itin the style he does best, horror. If you are looking for a fast, easy read and can handle the use of curse words and a few graphic scenes (and a few too many animal encounters to be realistic) read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Still a force
Review: This is not Richard Matheson's best book. Yet in an era where many of my favorite authors have either burned out or faded into obscurity, Matheson is still delivering. His prose is still tight and gripping, and the book plows forward delivering a readable plot and interesting twists. It's no I Am Legend, but what is? If you like Matheson, this is a fine read. If you haven't read him before, start with his more famous books. But this still is worth a rainy afternoon.
Rating: 
Summary: May Be the Worst Book I've Ever Read
Review: This may be the worst book I've ever read. A friend of mine bought it for me to take on an 8 day backpacking trip because the events take place on a backpacking trip - 'field research' for a novel the protagonist is to write. The writing is simply horrible - I've read other works by Matheson but this one seems as if it were churned out as a grammar school writing assignment and penned by a rather dim student. The plot, boiled down to a single sentence, might sound suspenseful but the execution is so extraordinarily bad (and not, unfortunately, in a bad way in which you can find humor) that reading the book is sheer mental torture - having this book as my only reading material almost made me want to cancel my trek the first night out. As other reviews here have offered a synopsis (and - shudder - praise), I'll not go into an actual review of the book. But one example of a semi-major theme - and how terribly it's handled - might help to illustrate just how bad the book is: the main character knows nothing about backpacking (or, it seems, anything having to do with flora or fauna beyond his driveway or that found in restaurants) but, for some reason, he's writing a book in which backpacking is the theme. He's deathly afraid of encountering bears, snakes, coyote, mountain lions, (and, one would assume, squirrels), etc, on this trip so, naturally, he encounters more bears, snakes, coyote, mountain lions, etc., on a three night trip than one would normally encounter in three months in the wild. And although he's quivering in his boots at each encounter he finds that he has a sort of mystical communion with these creatures due, we're led to believe, to his highly developed spiritual awareness and general good karma. Generally I'd say that a book this bad demands to be read - but, in this case, it's such a painful read that it should be reserved for those with only the most uncontrollable masochistic tendencies.
Rating:
Summary: Spend Your Cash Elsewhere
Review: This was the first book I have ever read by Matheson. I have noticed that many people say he is a very good writer, but this book certainly dispelled that allegation. The writing in this book is mediocre at best and the story itself is completely stupid. Anyone who has ever backpacked knows that the chances of seeing 3 mountain lions, I believe 5 bears and a plethora of other wildlife over the course of what, 3 days, is just not realistic. The story is so transparent that i wanted to grab the supposed hero of the book and choke him for being so terribly stupid. If a madman is chasing you and you manage to knock him down, Make Sure He Stays DOWN. This happened I think 4 times in the story. In addition, if the madman gives you a compass and tells you to go in a certain direction, Go a Different Way. There were so many plot holes and contradictions it was astounding. Everything was so improbable. Really a terrible read. Spend your money on anything but this book.
Rating:
Summary: the west nile virus of fiction
Review: what happened to richard matheson? fine short story writer turns to what john d. macdonald called "irving books." bloated, badly written and just plain stupid. this book gets one star only because it cannot get none. thank god for libraries - i didn't have to waste money on what might be the worst book i've ever read. please encourage your local libraries not to waste theirs. absolutely dreadful.
Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2 stars
Review: When Bob Hansen, a successful author, and Doug Crowley, a middle of the road actor, set out on a hike, Bob begins to realize that he doesn't know Doug as well as he thought.
With a narrative that draws you in, Matheson's latest is a highly suspenseful novel that will make you read non-stop till the thrilling end. You'll be reminded very much of the movie 'Deliverance' when you come to certain spots. Gruesome visuals and intense action make this a thriller you won't soon forget. Recommended.
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