Helpful Score: 2
Two old friends, Bob (a novelist) and Doug (an actor), head off into the woods for a short hiking trip. Bob wants some hands-on experience for a novel he's working on; Doug is an expert in woodsmanship. From the get-go, there is tension between them: Doug seems excessively demanding; Bob reacts a little too sharply to his friend's criticisms of his stamina and abilities. Soon the mood turns dark, transforming the story into a psychological thriller, a variation of Richard Connell's much-imitated Most Dangerous Game (1924). Matheson effectively translates the basic story (man hunts man) into modern psycho-thriller terms
Helpful Score: 1
Matheson writes well but this was a more suited to a short story. At about 300 pages it was way too long and drawn out. Some parts were exciting but most was boring and it took too long to get to the "action."
