Think James Dickey's DELIVERANCE. Think Kevin Bacon and Meryl Streep in THE RIVER WILD. Throw in a dash of Hitchcock's THE BIRDS, and maybe a bit of that fifties sci-fi horror flick, THEM. Got all that? Good. Then you've got a pretty damn good idea of the kind of wild ride you'll get when you dive into A PLACE YOU'LL NEVER BE, by Rick Hillis.

The novel follows a group of five Canadian convicts on a week-long canoe journey - a pre-release pilot project - down a wild river in northern Saskatchewan, accompanied by one prison guard. At the last minute the guard adds a woman and her twelve year-old son to the party. And there is an extra element - mysterious swarms and hanging nests of locust-like flesh-eating insects that are stripping the surrounding forests of all vegetation and wildlife. Like the giant ants of THEM, these mutant creatures give off a constant unsettling sound. They hang in the trees, cover bushes, brush, and even swarm on the river's surface, an eerie overriding presence like that of Hitchcock's menacing flocks of birds. And the prisoners have a sinister plan that does not include rehabilitation or their reintegration into polite society.

All but one of them. Quinn, a trustee, due for parole, who wants desperately to do the right thing, or at least whatever it takes for his lawful release. And Hillis laces the journey with multiple flashbacks to Quinn's earlier life, how he ended up in prison and the story behind the dreadful scar he bears.

But no spoilers here. In short, get ready to suspend your disbelief, and hang on tight, because Rick Hillis has delivered a page-turner of an adventure story with a cast of characters you will not soon forget. Very highly recommended for anyone who loves a good wilderness yarn with some unusual twists.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER ( )