3 out of 4 stars
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Alaska is the final frontier, the land where many have gone and not returned, where one lives according to Nature’s rules and whims, and this is the place where DC finds himself headed towards. The Last Bush Pilots written by Eric Auxier is a high paced adventure novel set in the Alaskan wilderness. The book is a fictional story, although it is based on the author’s experiences of living and flying as a Bush Pilot in Alaska which is perhaps why he is able to write about it with so much accuracy and passion. The Last Bush Pilots can be said to belong to the Other Fiction genre, as it has a bit of everything; romance, adventure, mystery and humor.
Daniel Christopher Alva, otherwise known as DC, is a pilot who is frustrated with giving rides to tourists over the Grand Canyon. He feels that his life and his career are going nowhere, and that he needs to do something to kick-start his career. In his field of work it is impossible to get a job without sufficient experience, but obviously he cannot get the experience unless he has a job. With this paradox he is stuck on the bottom rung of the ladder. So one day when Allen, his long-time friend and fellow pilot, tells DC to join him in Alaska, DC makes a decision he doesn't know if he will come to regret. Although unsure, DC leaves the relative safety and monotony of his job and wanders into the unknown, leaving his long-time girlfriend, Stephanie, behind as well.
He soon finds out that flying in Alaska is a lot different to flying elsewhere. Rules are broken and the element of danger is much more evident. Clear skies are a rarity and many times you find yourself flying in very low visibility just hoping that you don’t bump into something. Nature and especially the weather is a much more powerful and dominant force in their lives.
In the beginning DC is given the nickname cheechacko, because he is the newbie. But he is readily accepted by his other piloting buddies. He meets a bunch of guys that he quickly gets close to, including Ralph, Jake and the boss, Dusty Tucker. In addition, DC has to deal with many trials, including the changeable weather conditions, being the cheechacko, rescuing orphaned bear cubs to sorting out his complicated love life.
I would rate this book three out of four stars. The reason for this is that I really enjoyed this book, although I found it slightly difficult to read in the beginning with the many aviation terms that I was not familiar with, and that I’m sure most others would not be familiar with either unless they were a pilot themselves. Another thing to point out is that the book can seem quite long winded at first. The author seems to point out every minuscule detail about the weather and scenery. But I think that readers who like to read about adventure and exploration would enjoy this book very much. I found The Last Bush Pilots to be a pleasurable and entertaining read. From another point of view, you could say that this book is about having a dream and pursuing it even if you literally have to go to the ends of the earth.
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The Last Bush Pilots
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