Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Adventure Book
Review: The best way to summarize the way I felt after reading this book is jealous! The concept seemed so simple: to voyage the complete length of the world's fifth longest river, yet it is unbelievable that in the 21st century no one had done it before them. I thought all the firsts had been done! This book isn't just about rapids, waterfalls, and man against the elements, it is also very insightful and Angus does a wonderful job of portraying the varied characters that the team encounters in remotest Mongolia and Siberia. This book is a Bryson meets Hyerdhal: it is humorous, interesting and very exciting. Definite thumbs up!
Rating: 
Summary: A badly written tale of a faux adventure
Review: This book, and the film that Banff Film Festival actually accepted (much to their discredit) are the result of the absolute worst pretensions of idle first-world youth cooking up an "adventure" so they can capitalize on the instant fame attendant with convincing some publisher and several gear companies to front the money for an exercise in hubris. Think of "Huckelberry Finn" acted out by a bunch of spoiled frat boys and you come close to the ethos of this story. The protagonists portray their own ineptitude in planning and sheer good luck at not drowning as some sort of virtue. Had they done any kind of research they would have realized that at least through Mongolia, their route was very well worn. The only thing that made their float on the Selenge (upper Yenisey) interesting was that they were stupid enough to try to float it at flood stage. Even the most novice boater knows that is an purely unforgivable thing to do, particularly when a cursory glance at a map would have shown the braiding of the river which resulted in their near-death experience wrapped in the willows. These guys, and their supporting gear companies (who would sponosor a cannibal feast if it meant product placement), are exactly the reason why term "adventure" is a hackneyed joke. This entire enterprise confirms the notion that 'truth is for losers'. Why bother with the facts when some glib editing and even more glib writing can transform the three stooges into modern day "explorers". Don't buy this book. If you value integrity, if you are sick of the commercialization of "adventure" as something to slot into the Thursday TV lineup, please, don't buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: One Really Hair-Raising Adventure
Review: While Colin Angus is hardly Shakespeare in the writing department, and the voyage he describes was spotted with ineptitude and a lot of luck, this has to be one of the most exciting and hair-raising adventure diaries of recent years. Note that the title is not really representative of the book, as "Lost in Mongolia" merely describes one aspect of the journey. Only the upper headwaters are in Mongolia, while the expedition down the Yenisey River mostly takes place in Siberia. Regardless, Angus and his mates had a perilous adventure through unforgiving landscapes with friendly people, surrounded by corrupt government officials and the depressing leftovers of Stalinism. The voyagers made some unbelievably stupid decisions along the way, like rafting the river at flood stage, which got them shipwrecked in a forest. Angus then went off on his own in a kayak in search of a lost camera bag, with no supplies and wearing nothing but a pair of pants. He presently got "Lost in Mongolia" for several days, and without the help of some friendly locals and a huge amount of luck, it's amazing that he lived to tell the tale. After the team reunited, more ineptitude ensued when they bought a small rowboat to traverse down the now large and tumultuous Yenisey, dealing with supertankers, dams, and disgustingly cramped living quarters. In Siberia, they met many interesting people who really make this book a great read, from mafia dons who offered huge amounts of assistance and supplies in return for a little intelligent conversation, to friendly and helpful villagers who gave from their hearts and asked nothing in return. The human side of this adventure is the most revealing, as Angus and the team would have surely been unable to complete the voyage without help from the people of Mongolia and Siberia, assuming that they would even get out alive. This book is both an exciting tale of a real seat-of-the-pants expedition, and an enjoyable showcase of interesting cultures and landscapes hidden behind the decayed Iron Curtain. [~doomsdayer520~]
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