title: The Hike: A Novel
author:  Drew Magary 
description: Drew Magarys new novel, <i>The Hike</i>, follows Ben, a dad trying to get home after wandering into a parallel universe on a business trip. . . . Buy it for all your friendseveryone loves a good dad odyssey.<br /><i><b>GQ</b></i><br /><br /><i>The Hike</i>just works. Its like early, good Chuck Palahniuk leeched of all bitterness and class warfareback when Chuck was still weird and tired and furious. Its like a story you tell yourself on a long drive alone in the dark. Its fun and fast and bizarre, familiar yet completely<i>other</i>. But the real kicker? Magary underhands a twist in at the end that hits you like a sharp jab at the bell. You'll see stars, I promise, but I don't want to come within a million miles of spoiling for you. Its just that good.<br /><b>NPR.org</b><br /><br />A page-turner. . . . A successful work of contemporary fantasy. It displays a writer in command of his voice and experimenting with more traditional forms of narrative, while being inventive, funny, and, by the end of the work, quietly profound and touching.<br /><b><i>BoingBoing</i></b><br /><br />Its kind of a more cynical version of<i>The Phantom Tollbooth</i>mixed with a game of Dungeons &amp; Dragons from<i>Community</i>creator Dan Harmons podcast<i>Harmontown</i>.<br /><b><i>Wired</i>, chosen as one of This Summers 14 Must-Read Books</b><br /><br />At once heartfelt, nerve-wracking, and soul-searching,<i>The Hike</i>is an emotional punch to the gut draped in the trappings of fantasy and psychological horror. Its a beautifully written novel with thoughtful characters, crunchy descriptions, and crisp action. I loved every single ounce of this book. Im already looking forward to re-reading it and I only finished it a few days ago. Easily a contender for a slot in my top five favorite books of 2016.<br /><b><i></i>Tor.com</b><br /><br />Often hilarious, as you would expect any book by Magary to be, but like <i>The Postmortal</i> there is a real darkness and thoughtfulness to Bens journey that will keep you engrossed.<br /><b><i></i>i09.coms Summer Reading Guide</b><br /><br />Agonzo fantasy adventure with a simple premise: a guy gets lost in the woods. Yet with Magary, getting lost means being chased by dog-faced murderers, crashing into an iceberg, almost getting eaten by a giant, and being forced to build a castle for the undead. In short, things get weird.<br /><b><i>Men's Journal</i></b><br /><br /><i>The Hike</i>does for casual hiking what<i>Jaws</i>did for swimming in the ocean. . . . An existential, metaphysical journey into what would happen if you ended up in an alternate universe that challenged everything you thought you knew about yourself.<br /><b><i></i>GeekDad.com</b><br /><br />A fun and funny book. <br /><b><i></i>PopMatters.com</b><br /><br /><i>The Hike</i>reads like a mix of<i>The Odyssey</i>and<i>The Phantom Tollbooth</i>, with the same humor Magary uses onDeadspin. . .. Along the way, Magarys hero hunts for an enigmatic mastermind, encounters man-eating giants and monsters, and teams up with a talking crab. What starts out as a saga of suburban ennui quickly turns into gripping tale of survival.<br /><b><i>Washington City Paper<br /><br /></i></b>Among the strangest books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. . . . True to its nature, the story stays unpredictable and weird right up to the climax. Magarys book is a love letter to fans of gaming, fantasy and adventure, but above all, to open minded readers who can relax and hang on for the ride.<br /><b><i>BookPage</i></b><br /><br />A road novel, a psychedelic <i>Pilgrims Progress</i> for the 21st Century, Cormac McCarthy after three scotches. . . . I loved every single page of it. . . . [This book] is very good. Tell your friends.<br /><b><i>The Free Lance-Star</i></b><br /><br />Magarys second novel (after <i>The Postmortal</i>) features elements reminiscent of Homers <i>Odyssey</i>, Stephen Kings Dark Tower series, Lewis Carrolls <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>, and the PC game<i> Kings Quest</i>. Mostly, it is a reminder of not only how easy it is to get lost but also how difficult it can be to find ones way back. Fast-paced and immensely entertaining, this is highly recommended for sf fans and adventurous literary readers. <br /><b><i><i></i>Library Journal</i> (starred review)</b><br /><br />In this literary odyssey, Magary combines fascinating dream imagery, assorted video game tropes, and a story structure thats deliberately predictable (with nods to many other tales of wandering through strange lands before returning home) but still surprising. <br /><b><i><i></i>Publishers Weekly</i></b><br /><br />Creepy. . . . Magary isn't shy about getting weird fast. . . . [He] even nails the ending with a <i>Twilight Zone</i> twist that would have Rod Serling nodding with approval. An eerie odyssey that would be right at home in the pages of the pulpy Warren comics.<br /><b><i>Kirkus Reviews<br /><br /></i></b><i>The Hike</i>is Cormac McCarthys<i>Alice in Wonderland</i>gritty and terrifying but with deliriously surreal twists and turns. Theres not a chapter that doesnt shock and surprise, and underneath it all is the levity and wit Ive come to expect of Drew Magarys writing.<b><i><br /></i><b>Jeffrey Cranor,<i>New York Times</i>bestselling cowriter of<i>Welcome to Night Vale</i><br /><br /></b></b><i>The Hike</i>is so much fun, has so much pure velocity, that I didn't realize until it was too latewhat I thought was a drumbeat of excitement was actually the novels secret, powerful heart. Magarys new book is a metaphysical thrill ride that will stay with me.<b><br /><b>Charles Yu, author of</b><i><b>How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe</b></i></b><u><br /><br />Praise for <i>The Postmortal</i></u><br /> An exciting page turner . . . Drew Magary is an excellent writer. This is his first novel but he tells the story masterfully. . . . The most frightening thing about <i>The Postmortal</i> is that this could really happenits not a supernatural story, but its even more terrifying than zombie apocalypse.<br /> <b>Mark Frauenfelder, <i>BoingBoing</i></b><br /> <br /> Unnerving. . . . An absorbing picture of dawning apocalypse . . . <i>The Postmortal</i> is a suitably chilling entry into the its-the-end-of-the-world canon.<br /> <b><i>The Austin Chronicle</i></b><br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <b>Ron Hogan, <i>Shelf Awareness</i></b><br /> <br /> <i>The Postmortal</i> surprised me in a good way.<br /> <b>Michelle West, <i>Fantasy &amp; Science Fiction</i> magazine</b><br /> <br /> Magarys vision of future technology and science is eerily realistic.<br /> <b><i>The New York Press</i></b>
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  The Rifle Rangers
  
  
    
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER ONE. THE LAND OF ANAHUAC.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER TWO. AN ADVENTURE AMONG THE CREOLES OF NEW ORLEANS.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER THREE. A VOLUNTEER RENDEZVOUS.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER FOUR. LIFE ON THE ISLAND OF LOBOS.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER FIVE. A SKELETON ADVENTURE.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER SIX. THE LANDING AT SACRIFICIOS.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER SEVEN. THE CITY OF THE TRUE CROSS.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER EIGHT. MAJOR BLOSSOM.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER NINE. SCOUTING IN THE CHAPARRAL.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER TEN. ADVENTURE WITH A CAYMAN.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER ELEVEN. DON COSME ROSALES.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER TWELVE. A MEXICAN DINNER.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER THIRTEEN. A SUBTERRANEAN DRAWING-ROOM.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER FOURTEEN. “The Norther.”  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER FIFTEEN. A LITTLE FAIR WEATHER AGAIN.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER SIXTEEN. THE SCOUT CONTINUED, WITH A VARIETY OF REFLECTIONS.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. ONE WAY OF TAMING A BULL.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. A BRUSH WITH THE GUERILLEROS.  
  
  
    
  [CHAPTER NINETEEN. A HERCULEAN 