This is the book the 2011 movie of the same name was based on.

An ecocentric story, it contemplates the nature of mankind, wild animals and the wilderness. The writer doesn't 'develop' the main character as many stories do, but pulls you into his feelings, and detachment from the human world.

The subsequent movie and the book are very different, with different endings. ( )

I like how the Tasmanian backdrop is authentic without being overpowering. I recognise home in this.
The writing is good. The words flow with the smoothness of a slow, deep river.
The central character however? For a book so concentrated on one person, it gives little insight into his inner workings. Motivations and emotions are so lightly touched on that his actions are merely that. We watch him go about his task, and that's it. I was interested in seeing what would eventuate, but I didn't connect with him. ( )

I picked this up after seeing it mentioned in the context of "what if thylacines weren't extinct," which was a cool concept, and because I wanted to add more non-American writers to my reading list.

Halfway through the book, I turned to my wife and said "the main character kind of sucks, but I think that's the point." If this had been written by a man, I would have chalked the whole thing up to a misogynist creating a mouthpiece in M and putting him through some macho fantasy about killing the last thylacine and expecting us to cheer along with him. Instead, I ended up feeling a sense of loss and disappointment at the end, with the thylacine's death almost parallel to the Armstrong family's accident. (I gather that this is a common book for Australian students to read, so I'll let them analyze it further.)

I really liked the language. The plot had a lot of loose ends, but there was a general sense of resolution, if not a happy one. I keep wavering between 3 and 4 stars, but because it was such an immersive read I think 4 does it justice. ( )

The Hunter, known as M in this book, is on a quest. This is what he does, this is who he is. He is the natural man, the hunter, the predator. Human relationships are meaningless compared to the thrill of tracking an elusive beast. He has been born in the wrong century. By some ill-fated timing, he has been born at a time when the preservation of endangered species has more value than the sport and the skill of a kill.

The hunter is well written and a page turner. There is a modicum of human interaction with others in this short novel, just enough to know what is going on inside of M's head. The story is disturbing and tense, bringing with it a whole host of questions and judgments inside of the reader's head as we see the workings of M's thoughts.

Yes, this novel is depressing. The brevity of it and the wonderful prose enabled me to finish it. I have not seen this movie and am not sure I could see it but I am curious how such a psychological novel could be made into a film. ( )

Every man is an island. It's a dog-eat-dog world. Can you step into the same river twice? If you consider these things and throw in a bit of Bear Grylls then you have the gist of the book. From about mid-way the film and the book part company, if my memory serves me correctly. ( )