A well-written story of Stark's 14-day kayak journey down the Lugenda river in Mozambique in the company of four other kayakers. Before leaving, he considered many of the risks in such a trip in an uncharted area. In reality the hazards were more numerous: relationship with others on the team, the lesser skills of some members, health problems, conditions, and even being scared. Stark is contemplative throughout the journey and his honesty is refreshing without being navel-gazing. The journal is interspersed with accounts of historical exploration in Africa that adds interest and comparisons. In some respects, little has changed in this area. Recommended. ( )

I have always been in awe of people that can set out upon the unknown, take themselves into the wilderness and survive, and At The Mercy of the River delivered all these things and then some. Peter Stark writes of the fifteen day expedition when he and four others set out upon Mozambique’s Lugenda River on a kayaking trip. Their goal was to be the first party to make the first descent of this unpaddled river.

They succeeded in their goal, and his written account relates both the good and the bad. His descriptions of this unspoiled wilderness and the wildlife they encountered along the way painted a picture that brought this land to vivid life. The river itself was a force to be reckoned with as they contended with rapids, waterfalls, and gorges that would try all of their strength and endurance. Travelling with five strong personalities meant that there were clashes, and the author battled with both control issues and his own insecurities.

Being aware that they were caught up in an adventure much like the African explorers that went before them, the author often found himself contemplating on the stories of some of the greatest African explorers. Throughout the book, he sprinkled tales of Vasco de Gama, Mungo Park and David Livingstone along with others which helped both himself and the reader to better understand the “hows and the whys” of exploration.

At The Mercy Of The River is a well written adventure story that is riveting and informative. This was a life changing fifteen days for all members of the party and is a book I highly recommend. ( )

This book is the log of the author's two-week excursion down the Lugenda river in the company of four other Caucasians. There are some suspenseful encounters with rapids, waterfalls, crocodiles, hippos, snakes and finally illness. His writing style reminds me a lot of Jon Krakauer. He is introspective, constantly rationalizing his reasons for making the trip and analyzing the impact that he and civilization are making on these relatively uncharted areas. What is especially poignant are the many parallels that he intersperses throughout the book recounting the historical precedents for what he is experiencing on this trip. He harkens back to the the great explorers who all had their various reasons for confronting the wilderness; the Portuguese, James Bruce, Stanley, Livingstone, Speke, Thoreau, and Ibn Battuta among many others. The book offers some very good arguments for why we need to preserve wilderness areas in our modern world. ( )