Hunted (CL)

I've been to Alaska a number of times, dropped off, almost everytime, just me and one other person, in the absolute wilderness. So the tale was gripping. I've always been fascinated by these big bears, coupled with a huge dose of respect. I eagerly read every page--was totally enthralled. And I was impressed with certain aspects of the author's wilderness and mountaineering skills. But on a whole different level, I just had to wonder if it was real. He's such an outdoorsman, but makes such blundering errors. Everyone knows, even if they've never ventured into the wilderness, that a she bear grizzly is ferocious when it comes to her cubs. Imagine killing a cub and surviving the fist 15 minutes. And instead of skidadling, you hike up a ridge, and the next morning roll boulders down the slope and announce to the world where you are. And imagine not looking over your shoulder every fifteen minutes. And imagine camping at the end of a box canyon, with not much escape. And imagine hearing a bear on the glacier and not putting two and two together. And imagine crawling down into a crevasse where you've made your base camp, smelling a bear, seeing that she's strewn the rock slide everywhere in her rage. Imagine slinking down into that hole. Oh, and by the way, you really don't starve in several days, so any degree of hunger would not drive me down that hole. So, I did really, really, enjoy it. But there's alot that just doesn't make sense to me. I'd like to see a picture of the author, before and after, without and then with white hair.

Fletcher knows that anyone with any knowledge about bears will see he's pulling their leg. He also knows that a lot of people will believe his story. But let's get serious. A 1200 pound female grizzly found in the interior of Alaska in May, after a long winter's fast? Not bloody likely. And verification of his story? If I had the adventure he describes with a 1200 pound grizzly, male or female, I would have someone fly me back to the scene for verification. Very easy to do. Fletcher, of course, did not do this. No pictures, no nothing.Fletcher wrote the book tongue in cheek to make money, and I hope it does make money, because it is a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down. It's a great tall tale, and like the best tall tales, it will fool a lot of people.

This book leaves me with mixed emotions.First off, it's an amazing story. The last 60 pages, especially, are a gripping page-turner as author David Fletcher battles for his life against a grizzly bear. (True, you might find the story dragging a bit midway through, but just hold on -- it gets better). .Still, two issues put some shadows over this book. First, Fletcher was at least partly to blame for his troubles. He ventured off on his climb of Alaska's Mt. Hess alone, by itself a risky move. Further, he had purposely avoided learning much about the climbing route beforehand so he could have a "pure" climbing experience. And he seemed to have little awareness going in about the possibility of a bear encounter. When you combine these elements with the natural perils of the Alaska wilderness you have a recipe for things going wrong. Second, a voice in the back of my mind is saying that Fletcher's story is just TOO amazing to be true. The escalating battles with the bear grow in intensity and build to a big climax -- just like in a movie. I can't help but wonder if parts of this story are made up, or at least exaggerated. The fact that he waited 22 years to put this story to paper also make you wonder about how much can be accurately remembered. And where are the pictures? There are no photos in the book and Fletcher makes no mention of a taking a camera. But wouldn't you think that someone who had long planned this kind of trip would have brought one, if only to record the view from the summit?It's impossible, really, to know if this is fact or fiction. Fletcher was alone, so we have to go by his word. In his defense, I would point out that he includes a lot of odd details in the story -- random changes in the weather, quirky equipment problems, even litter in a glacier lake -- that you wouldn't think would just be made up. I wish Fletcher had put in more personal background. The book gives no clue how old he was when he did this climb. He gives no information about his family or loved ones. Those sort of details would have helped round out a fuller picture of him and why he was undertaking this adventure.Readers should also be aware that while the bear encounters dominate the title and cover descriptions of this book, at least half of the book is about mountain climbing. Climbers may enjoy these parts; others may wish to skim through. I want to believe this story is true. Perhaps it's best to just suspend disbelief and go along for the thrill ride. I just wish I could know for sure.

The book is a suspense thriller between the author and his encounter with a mother grizzly bear seeking revenge for the life of her only offspring of the year. I found I could not put the book down. I was kept glued to my seat wanting to find out what next occurs. I cannot say whether the account is entirely truthful or not, but I would recommend the book to fellow outdoor enthusiasts.

This is one of the few books in the last few years I can honestly say that I read cover to cover in one sitting. It is very well written and very exciting, the pace never slows and the denouement is very tense and exciting. Do I believe all this really happened? Well, probably not. For a person supposedly somewhat experienced with hiking and climbing in Alaska and who has friends in Alaska to advise him, Fletcher is woefully uninformed as to even rudimentary precautions to hike in bear country. And, his descriptions of how he and the bear ended up in a life and death struggle seem not real likely. Also the vengeful bear seems awfully anthromorphic and Fletchers actions in several parts of the trek, when he is fully aware that the bear is hunting him seem pretty cavalier, such as camping at the end of a dead end creek, stashing food in a cairn, instead of something more secure and then blithly going to sleep after he has already seen the enraged bear trailing him. But, maybe it all happened as written. Even if it didn't, it should have because it is a great story and a great read whether it is fiction or truth.