Official Review: The Last Bush Pilots by Eric Auxier

AliceofX · Post by **AliceofX** » 02 Feb 2018, 11:45

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Last Bush Pilots" by Eric Auxier.]

3 out of 4 stars

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The Last Bush Pilots is a novel by Eric Auxier about Alaskan pilots. The central character of the book is a young pilot by the name of DC Alva. When we first meet him he is living in Arizona and flying tourists over the Grand Canyon, but he has dreams of something bigger than this. After getting a call from his old friend Allen he decides to go to Alaska, the last frontier left.

DC meets many colorful characters there, but the biggest of them all is Mother Nature herself. She is a cruel mistress that can turn on you at any moment. There’s a saying in the book that’s repeated by many characters, “There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots.” It really illustrates the danger of their lives.

What I really liked about the book was that it didn’t waste time and very quickly established characters. It tells you who they are and what they want as early as possible. It goes into their past and how they all ended up in Alaska. I could always see a clear picture of them in my head and they always felt like real people, each with their strengths and weaknesses.

A big theme of the book is anti-authoritarianism. All the major characters are united in their disdain for the laws that bind their lives. They want to live free and by their own rules, not those set by some faraway bureaucrats. Inspector Bruner, the closest thing the book has to an antagonist, is a petty man obsessed with enforcing even the smallest rules. He is a symbol of everything the book’s characters hate.

You could really feel the author’s love for the subject matter. He delves deeply into the lives of pilots and all the challenges they have to face. It painted a portrait of Alaska. Not just of the geography, but of the people that live there and their spirit. The book felt very life-like in that at times it was funny and at times it was sad. The characters all spoke in a casual language with occasional swearing and other bad words. It's definitely not a book for people who like their stories without any bad language.

Overall, The Last Bush Pilots was a well-written book that I enjoyed reading. However, it had one big weakness in that the plot was all over the place. I thought at first that the book would be about DC and him growing as a character. We sort of see that, but that’s not really the book’s main focus. Instead, it jumps from one minor story to another and they don’t feel like part of a single narrative. Because of that, I give this book 3 out of 4 stars.

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The Last Bush Pilots
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Sahani Nimandra · Post by **Sahani Nimandra** » 11 Feb 2018, 01:15

I like a book that gives a good picture, it's very encouraging! Besides the author putting his heart and soul to his work reflects on the success and the quality of the book. Thank you!

Mercelle · Post by **Mercelle** » 11 Feb 2018, 05:03

Besides the drawbacks, I like that the story is captivating and informative. For the author to paint such a vivid picture of Alaska's climate is a plus.

jailucy1 · Post by **jailucy1** » 11 Feb 2018, 10:20

I love this book because it's vividly bringing out pictures of how determined and hardworking this pilot was. Despite being working as a pilot, he still have a clear vision of becoming even better than how he is at the moment...i really like that book.... Thank you

Post by **kandscreeley** » 11 Feb 2018, 14:59

It's too bad that this isn't quite what you are expecting. The lack of cohesion in the plot is kind if turning me off. I'm glad you were able to find some enjoymentin this one. Thanks.

Kalin Adi · Post by **Kalin Adi** » 11 Feb 2018, 20:48

This author must be very knowledgeable regarding pilots in Alaska when the characters, job and setting are well described and they feel like real. I love when I can transport to places when reading, and this story seems to have that power. Too bad the plot was all over the place, though. Thanks for the review!

NL Hartje · Post by **NL Hartje** » 12 Feb 2018, 05:05

AliceofX wrote: ↑02 Feb 2018, 11:45 There’s a saying in the book that’s repeated by many characters, “There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots.”

Not having read the book, my imagination pictures an old, grizzled man sitting at the end of the bar mumbling this and sporadically shouting it to anyone who'll listen. Does this make me nuts?

prettysmart · Post by **prettysmart** » 02 Mar 2018, 16:36

This is a good read for liberals and centrists but may be a bit upsetting for conservatives...lovely review!

Aan Granados · Post by **Aan Granados** » 09 Jan 2019, 12:02

This sounds like a book where you can imagine yourself experiencing the scenery and culture of Alaska. Too bad about the scattered storyline though. Thanks for your review!

ajayi_wale · Post by **ajayi_wale** » 09 Jan 2019, 14:04

The last bush pilots.
Still can't believe it was written by a pilot. It is thrilling from the beginning. The part that touched me most in the book is this that No job without the experience,
and no flight time without the job.
This is what I am going through now.

SherHus · Post by **SherHus** » 16 Feb 2019, 22:14

I have the book 3 out 4 and can agree with the main reviewer's assessment. The author really did a wonderful thing with his descriptive prose but the story really meandered sometimes.

SherHus · Post by **SherHus** » 17 May 2019, 19:04

I also read the book and can agree with this review. The author did indeed paint a vivid picture of the Alaskan life. But the plot was all over the place and seemed meandering at times.

Fahad Afroz · Post by **Fahad Afroz** » 29 Jul 2021, 05:27

You know I would say the book was about the last of the bush pilots and DC wasn't the protagonist, he might be the main character but he certainly wasn't the last bush pilot the author is referring to.