The Hike: The Sunday Times bestseller and brand new crime thriller novel for 2023 from the author of One of the Girls

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To be fantasy, you must have magic. To have magic, you must have the mundane (that which is not magic). This book does not have the mundane. Therefore it does not have magic and is not fantasy; I would probably describe it as surrealist. Not a complaint, really, just an observation. We'll get to the complaints in a minute. 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. 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

All in all, a solid popcorn thriller that was different than the usual "is my husband secretly a killer?" books. The final showdown was ... le cringe, but again, popcorn thriller. The end may not be what you expect it to be. I expected an analogy. I did not get one, not exactly anyway. Yeah well, expecting is like assuming, and we all know that little saying about the word assume. One more thing to share: There came a point, near the end, that I couldn’t help but picture George Bailey running down the street of Bedford Falls yelling, ”Hello Emporium! Hello, you old Building and Loan!” Happy button engaged. Enough said. If I had to name my absolute favorite part of this book, however, it would have to be the relationships at the center of the plot. A tale of reconnecting friends and life’s unexpected turns, it was heartwarming but also filled with true-to-life problems that occur when you put more than two people together in a friendship. And, ultimately, this led to plenty of plot charging drama that put the thrills in thriller. I loved the idyllic Swiss Alps setting in this story. Somewhere so beautiful but can also be so dangerous. Cat, Ginny and their husbands aren’t experienced hikers but the route they take should be a fairly easy one.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.” Because while I think this is quite clever, even rather brilliant at times, I didn't enjoy reading this that much. And I can't tell you why. I really don't know. I found myself wondering how much I have left in the book, rather early on and it kept recurring. I didn't connect much to the characters, which I don't think has much to do with the character building, but simply with my likes and quirks. So basically, while in theory this should have been at least a 4 Star book for me, I don't think I would have finished it if I didn't get the ARC. Saying that, I was thinking that it would make a fantastic movie, I totally would love it.. I think. It's a fun ride, I love hiking in the great outdoors, especially in more isolated areas on multi day hikes so for me this book was a show in. Brilliantly written, lots of red herrings and a twist I was not expecting. If you love a character driven thriller in an eerie claustrophobic atmosphere definitely give this one a go. 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

This is a story about 4 friends who decide to take a hiking/camping trip on the Blafjell Mountain in Norway. And here is the crux when it comes to my rating of the Hike. I kinda didn't care that much for it actually. Edit: looking over this, I'm kinda super spoilery in this review so honestly, don't read the spoiler tags. Go into this without knowing. Resist the urge. It will be so much better that way.) 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! Imagine asking a three year old to tell you a story. The beginning makes since when the kid starts with "Once upon a time..." and the ending is logically tied to the beginning, "They lived happily ever after", but everything in between in nonsense and has no rhyme or reason.Drew Magary’s new novel, The Hike, follows Ben, a dad trying to get home after wandering into a parallel universe on a business trip. . . . Buy it for all your friends—everyone loves a good dad odyssey.” Well, let me explain. This is well written. Really well written. Magary is brilliant at descriptions, I love his sense of humor and I like his writing style. There are some "Oh WTH" meoments and the ending is CARRRAZY, never thought the story would go in that direction for a minute. In all it was a good story, just not a psychological read like I was expecting.