It's okay but you may want to skip a chapter
356403
Lots of great tips in this book and I believe it's worth reading. Understand that it's more about a mindset than a step by step packing list. The author explains this up front and I do believe it's the only way such a book could be written. Otherwise it's one page that simply states "If you don't absolutely have to have it, don't take it".

Today's newest, greatest, lightest gizmo will be replaced in a few months or years down the road, rendering the book obsolete (or requiring an update). Therefore the author retrains your thinking to question everything you're planning on taking and leaves the gear choices up to you. You don't need this book to tell you these things, but it's good to know how real "gram counters" think. His illustrations are quite good as well.

So why only 3 stars? The chapter on personal hygiene techniques (going without toilet paper) was not only unnecessary, it left me with an unforgettable and disgusting image of the author scooting his buttocks across a wet mound of grass. And I paid for this!!?? I believe Clelland when he says he packs out other peoples garbage (including spent TP left on the ground by clueless hikers), but the last thing I would want to do is wind up in this guy's campsite the day after he left, only to stumble on that mound of grass. Hey, I have an ultralight trowel and no one will ever find where I've been.

Secondly, the section dedicated to his metaphysical zen diet preferences was useless to me. There are many books on how to prepare and dehydrate fabulous backpacking meals. Lastly, as others have mentioned, I strongly disagree with the notion - or even the suggestion of going into the wilderness without a knife. That's something I would never do.

Don't get me wrong, there are many great pointers and tips in this book. I just don't need an entire chapter on how to wipe.
1981675
There were a lot of chapters that just had a lot of description or discussion of history or culture or stuff like that. It did make you feel like you were really in that world but there was just too much for me. Sometimes I would just skip a few pages to get to parts where stuff was actually happening. But besides the fact that I would occasionally skip entire pages, I really liked the characters and the story.
2393496
I wish this had been a bit longer because if it had been I think I would have connected more with the characters and the story.  As it was though I found myself not connected and I felt like the author left so much out to keep things short and to the point.  Sometimes I like this but for the most part I don't because I can't grasp what I need to from the story.  This story really could have used the extra pages.

The story as it stands was okay.  I've seen others that are stronger in this particular story line, but the author did a pretty okay job with the subject manner.  As far as characters I just didn't feel connected.  I didn't agree with a lot of the actions that were taken and I again feel like if there were a few extra pages I could have understood things better.
2355956
I have to read the chapters a couple of times, as I would read any other book the same way. Not bad Michael, I like more visual illustrations though. As I am more of a visual learner.
2143828
I like the idea of the storyline, however after awhile I was skipping parts of it to get back to the story.
1795355
I love the two main characters in the story so far. Four or five stars worth of enjoyment.
But I hate it when an author uses the end of a chapter to end the book in mid story, forcing you to buy their next book to find out what comes next. Minus two stars for that.
The sneak peek included in this edition simply confirms that this has occurred; it continues the story seamlessly, as if you had simply turned the page to the next chapter, rather than beginning a new book. Someone who started with "book" 2 would have no clue whatsoever what was going on.
Don't play games this way. Put the entire story in one book. And then, if you want, write a second book in the series that focuses on one of the characters who were secondary in the first book.
631204
This could easily have been 100 pages shorter. At points it felt like I was reading chapters worth of filler. It wasn't bad, it was just too long.
276055
The chapters last enough in order for you to finish them in a short time, with out loosing attention
4601363
Like many of Knaak's other entries in the World Of Warcraft cannon, the story is ok. However, I find that my issues with his writing are exacerbated by the format of this book forced by the publisher: 5 parts, released a month apart. Generally, I find Knaak's writing to be ok. Not extremely gripping, but not unapproachable. In this case, because the story is broken into pieces, I don't feel like the author is ever able to get into a swing. Each part needs a mini-climax, and you never really warm up to the characters. I'd highly recommend waiting for all five parts to be released before getting started here.
1321042
I'm middle of the road about this book. On one hand the author's style doesn't bother me in terms of structure, but I do find the overuse of vocabulary words (so called because they feel like them in context) to be a bit distracting. The humor is present for those who want it, but it isn't a knee slapping kind...it's more like the having a conversation with someone and they say something and you point and clap and chuckle a bit because they are so right kind to me. I liked it. I would have liked it to have been more refined throughout the book, but as it is...the book is okay
3276443
Books are available in chapters. That would be fine if they were available all together and not on separate dates. Future dates! Done with waiting, not worth it.
1285566
I have not finished reading this book in its entirety, but the only remark I have is that I have had to skip alot of pages because of them being to repetitive  in some other chapter that I have read.  I find that very redundant.  The main character does not flow with each chapter and I have gotten very confused with what is happening at that time.
2719652
Be aware you are really buying chapters of an unfinished book.  Kind of a rip off.  The content itself was well done and interesting.  But, you have no idea how many 'episodes' ther will be or when they will be done.  I might consider buying the book when it is complete but I will NOT buy any more 'episodes'.
785608
I stopped reading the book at 50%.
The story is probably alright but I don't feel as involved as with the books of John Ringo, Jay Allen, Jack Campbell, etc... . The book is written like a transcript - for example I feel like I'm just wasting time reading stuff like "Good night Commander. Good night, Admiral".
I tried to hold through hoping that this will change later in the book, but I'm stopping now as the user reviews of part #2 are again similar.
1078938
I'm reading this at work just to pass the time and after three days I am about 215 pages in. It's not bad and has some ideas that are fabulous. But then other parts kind of trail off into mere "fill." Parts of it seem copied verbatim from manuals or other books or Google.

It is very convenient to read this book at work. I can attend to customers, then read a paragraph or two at a time, and then go back to my customers. The short chapters are great. For this kind of book it is not bad at all.

I will reserve the right to edit this post once I finish it
687758
This is not a book. It is a chapter.

It appears to be becoming a good story but this volume does not have time to develop either the characters or the story.
Both were better defined in part I.

The plan here is to sell you then book one chapter at at a time.
I don't like that.
If they offer a complete volume and a reasonable price, I might try it again
4111938
I am on chapter 13 (that's 50% through the book according to my Kindle) and I have read enough to know how my review will go, because there is a major glaring problem with this book that is simply ruining the reading experience for me - it's not a problem with the story, or the characters - it's a problem with the structure.

This book tells a great story, with some really good characters - actually it tells 2 great stories.  The problem is that the author has molded these two stories together into a single book with the chapters alternating between past and present events.

This single thing kills the pacing, continuity and intrigue of the story for me.  When a read a present day chapter, I find out what characters are still alive, so, when danger comes in the flashback chapters, I already know that certain characters will survive them, no matter what happens.  I want to believe that any of the characters might die in the "past" to keep me on the edge of my seat, but I already know who will live and who will die.

Also, the individual chapters in this book are great - filled with great character archs, storyline and conflict, but, as I hit the end and am setup for the continuation of the story, I am always dropped back into the other story (either the past or the present) and I lose all of that momentum and anticipation that I just built up throughout the previous chapter - and by the time I get to the next chapter in that story line, it's like I am start anew because the other story line has encroached.

The stories are great.  The characters are great.  I just wish that the author had written this as either two novellas, or as a single book, but with two parts (the past and the present) so that the stories ran consecutive with each other - not broken up by the other story line.

If it weren't for this, I would give the book a 5 star review based on the story and the characters, but the structure of the two stories breaking each other up is sapping the enjoyment from the book for me, but put together like it is, I have to give it a 3 star - I truly hope that this was addressed in the sequel.