Stone Rider

June 22, 2015
After 15-year-old Adam Stone loses his entire family to a parched and toxic environment where citizens rarely reach the age of 50, Adam decides that his only chance for survival is to ride his âbyke,â an intuitive âwonder-machineâ passed down through his family, in the Blackwater Race. The winner of the race is granted entrance to Sky-Base, a space station with fresh water and food. Hofmeyrâs dystopian debut, which may draw some Mad Max comparisons, moves at breakneck speed, pausing only for spare descriptions of the landscape. As Adam takes off on his byke through the âhell-desertâ of the Badland, the merciless, all-powerful Colonel Blood, who oversees the race, doesnât hesitate to âunplugâ (slaughter) his fellow riders. Joining Adam are Kane, a scarred fellow loner, and Sadie, an attractive byke fixer who is also the Colonelâs daughter. Hofmeyr constructs a bleak futuristic world and a landscape both sublime and unforgiving. Gory moments are balanced by majestic ones in a novel about self-preservation and reclaiming oneâs humanity amid brutality. A sequel is planned. Ages 12âup. Agent: Stephanie Thwaites, Curtis Brown.

June 1, 2015
A dangerous race is run with everything on the line in this gritty dystopian thrill ride. Adam Stone has lived his whole life in the run-down town of Blackwater. He spends his time riding his byke, dreaming of local beauty Sadie Blood and a life in Sky-Base, the luxurious city in the clouds. The only way for Adam to get to Sky-Base is to win the Blackwater Trail, a brutal race that attracts the best of the best and the lowest of the low. When mysterious outsider Kane shows up out of nowhere, all hell breaks loose and Adam finds himself racing for vengeance with Kane and Sadie at his side. No one will hold up this book as a prime example of originality, but few will deny its ability to entertain. The novel's first third is its biggest weakness: over-the-top prose veers dangerously close to dystopian parody, and the worldbuilding is remarkably thin. The latter section, which details the long, winding race, is far superior, filled with action and suspense and cool character reveals. Through it all, readers stick with Adam, a character Hofmeyr smartly draws as just a kid who wants to get somewhere. It's a simple character type, but there's something to be said for relying on an old favorite. Less exciting is Sadie, who never rises above her stock character type of love interest/damsel in distress. By novel's end, readers will be very familiar with her curves but not remotely aware of her emotions. An exciting, action-packed romp that hits a few bumps along the way. (Dystopian adventure. 12-16)

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June 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Fifteen-year-old Adam Stone inherited his biomechanical bike from his brother, who inherited it from his father. His family has escaped working in the mines by riding the race circuit, providing entertainment for the Watchers. The Blackwater Trail will be his first race, and unlike most of the other racers who ride with fellow gang members, Adam plans to do it alone. It is a vicious race over treacherous terrain, riddled with deadly booby traps and fellow competitors who'll stop at nothing to be among the first three across the finish line. The grand prize is a one-way ticket to Sky Base, the only refuge from the toxic planet they call home. Second and third place win cash and points toward buying their way into the sky. Shortly into the race, Adam is joined by three unlikely allies, whose presence helps and hinders his progress. From the privileged Watchers, who place bets on race participants to the catchphrase spoken to start the race, "May you live to see the sky," there are numerous undeniable parallels to Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games" (Scholastic). But there is also the feel of the old Westerns, but with bikes instead of horses, slingshots instead of guns, vigilante justice, and, of course, a beautiful girl. The gritty, nonstop action and violence will appeal especially to reluctant readers. VERDICT A dystopian title that is worth adding to already packed shelves.-Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA

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