In it and the two following sequels, The River and Brian's Winter , Brian is stranded alone in the woods after a plane crash. But in overcoming the tremendous obstacles he faces in the wilderness, he also comes to love and respect the outdoors. In this last sequel, he realizes that in this very wilderness that almost killed him is exactly where he belongs. The book begins when Brian is back at home and school, trying to fit back in to the life he had before. He can't get the feeling of being outdoors out of his head.
Life is now too wasteful and loud.
He knows what it is like without the constant drone of voices, music, and engines. A little more than half the book is devoted to his time back in the wild, and this will be the part of the book most enjoyed by young adult readers. Brian has learned more than most of us will ever learn about living out of doors and when he reaches the woods, the story seems to slow down and show us the details of what exactly he fell in love with before. Some readers may be turned off of the story due to the lack of characters, Brian and the counselor being the main ones. However, if they can see the wilderness as a character, and the central one at that, they may approve of it more.