The Revenant

A Novel of Revenge

By: Michael Punke

Narrated by: Holter Graham

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A thrilling tale of betrayal and revenge set against the nineteenth-century American frontier, Michael Punke's The Revenant is the astonishing story of real-life trapper and frontiersman Hugh Glass

The year is 1823, and the trappers of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company live a brutal frontier life. Hugh Glass is among the company’s finest men, an experienced frontiersman and an expert tracker. But when a scouting mission puts him face-to-face with a grizzly bear, he is viciously mauled and not expected to survive. Two company men are dispatched to stay behind and tend to Glass before he dies. When the men abandon him instead, Glass is driven to survive by one desire: revenge. With shocking grit and determination, Glass sets out, crawling at first, across hundreds of miles of uncharted American frontier.

Based on a true story, The Revenant is a remarkable tale of obsession, the human will stretched to its limits, and the lengths that one man will go to for retribution.

Critic reviews

“A superb revenge story...Punke has added considerably to our understanding of human endurance and of the men who pushed west in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark--a significant feat.” —The Washington Post Book World

“A captivating tale of a singular individual....Authenticity is exactly what The Revenant provides, in abundance.” —The Denver Post

“One of the great tales of the nineteenth-century West.” —The Salt Lake Tribune

Great story of survival and revenge

Great book, even for a reader/listener usually drawn to stories set in the present-day or future. Reluctant to buy my first "western," I'm now very glad I gave it a chance. Here, the year is secondary and takes nothing away from the story about survival and revenge. I also enjoyed the narrator - which is critical. I often search for and choose books based, in part, on the narrator's identity. Thanks to both.

Wow. What a Ride

Any additional comments?

This story is interesting in and of itself. I mean a bear attacking a man in the wilderness who's buddies leave him for dead, but he's not. Interesting plot. I learned some history of the fur traders which I had known little about. Since the story is based on fact, it made reading more enjoyable. Really shows how hard life was for these men of the American West.
I thought the narrator was good.

Entertaining despite Oversensationalism.

The story is a fairly straightforward quest for revenge story. Hugh Glass (protagonist) is attacked and severely wounded. He's abandoned by a couple of men who remained behind to care for him. Thus begins the revenge story.
This fictionalized account of the real Hugh Glass is quite entertaining and well-researched. You feel as though you're back in the 1820s with the Rocky Mountain Fur Company and its men. The writing is vivid and well-paced.

A few knocks against the story is how often Hugh Glass falls into peril only to be miraculously rescued from that peril by some happenstance or another. It happens so often that these perils/salvations border on contrivances. At eight hours into the story, the author writes "first lucky turn" in describing Hugh Glass's fortunate escape from yet another peril and all I could do was laugh. First? Try tenth!
There are contradictions as well when Hugh Glass is afraid to build a campfire as it may be seen by enemies, but then is more than willing to build a huge pyre. What?? Of course, such action works in his favor, naturally.

The narrator is decent and brings different inflections and accents to the different characters. The narrator is especially good at invoking the shaky, tremulous voice of a young man and the broken, harsh voice of Hugh Glass. However, the narrator also can get a bit overdramatic at times suddenly invoking a rough growl at odd points in the narrative. I liked this narrator on No Easy Day. He's not as consistent in this telling.

Still, an entertaining story and I can see why it'll become a movie. Certainly recommended!

loved it

I loved it. easy to listen to. loved th voice. will listen to more of the author.

Great book - too bad the movie didn't follow it

What did you love best about The Revenant?

This amazing man's sad life

Who was your favorite character and why?

The main character as he showed endurance that seemed beyond normal

What about Holter Graham’s performance did you like?

Great reader

If you could rename The Revenant, what would you call it?

Indestructible

Any additional comments?

Great book lousy movie