Amazon Extreme

April 8, 2002
If the word "ordinary" in the subtitle was changed to "irresponsible," it would be a more precise description of this wild tale of three young adventurers who decide to become "the first to extreme raft the Amazon." Beginning with a description of the team's disastrous dehydrating hike to the river, just "three gringos in a foreign desert, slowly dying," first-time author—and one of the trio—Angus presents himself as a none-too-intellectual buccaneer, "a doer, not a couch potato or an Internet geek." But a little time on the Internet would have helped Angus, since the entire trip is marked by the trio's inability to correctly calculate how much food and water they need, their almost total lack of mapping or directional information, a somewhat condescending attitude toward the poverty-ridden locals they meet on the river and a complete disregard for the dangers of the trip itself, especially the possibility of running into the members of the revolutionary Shining Path, who don't take kindly to strangers. Angus's "Wow, isn't this weird!" journalism is strangely undercut by knowledgeable factoids and historical descriptions of the Amazon's people and landscape that suggest Angus has more "geek" in him than he's let on. But if the adventuring naïf conceit doesn't quite hold up, the well-paced, hair-raising tale should still please outdoor adventure junkies—if they don't get fed up with the lunatic arrogance of its heroes.

Starred review from March 15, 2002
Tales of dangerous sea trips, hostile desert treks, impossible escapes from doomed aircraft, and other stories of derring-do generally hold armchair travelers' interest. Those that manage to rise above the rest seem to have one thing in common: the personalities of the adventurers become just as important as their quests. In this unforgettable journey, three young, reckless, and rambunctious men including Angus, who sailed around the world at age 19 and writes this work with Vancouver Sun journalist Mulgrew set out to find the source of the Amazon River and then sail their raft all the way to where the river empties into the Atlantic Ocean with incredible force. From the first page, we are caught up in their wild travels: our throats are dry when dehydration threatens their lives, we feel a trickle of fear when the men hide from terrorists, and we are witnesses to constant bickering, personality clashes, and plain old testosterone eruptions. Sure, the information about the Amazon is fascinating, but what lingers is the sensation that we have completed the voyage with the authors. This is adventure writing at its best. Recommended for all public libraries and especially for young adult sections. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 12/01.] Joseph L. Carlson, Lompoc P.L., CA

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.