Titans

Starred review from November 23, 2015
NASCAR meets National Velvet in this exciting tale of a 17-year-old girl who risks everything to save her family from financial disaster. Like everyone else in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan is fascinated by the Titans, powerful mechanical horses who race on hazard-filled courses; when her father’s gambling addiction and recent job loss make it impossible for the family to keep their home, Astrid is determined to make things right. After Astrid unexpectedly gains a mentor, an obsolete first-generation Titan, and a chance to ride in this year’s Titan Derby, she throws herself into training and preparation, her eye on the $2 million prize. Right from the start, Scott (Fire & Flood) commands attention with the simple yet compelling premise, which tackles topics of privilege and class as it entertains. Astrid is a resourceful heroine, her relationship with her feisty best friend Magnolia is vividly depicted, and her mechanical Titan, Padlock, steals the show. Cinematic, but with real heart at its core, it’s a thrilling SF update to the classic “girl and her horse” tale. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger.

December 1, 2015
A girl rides a mechanical racehorse to save her family. Seventeen-year-old Astrid has long been fascinated with the Titans, automated steel horses that race on a clandestine track near her Detroit home. Now, as her father searches for work and eviction looms, she gets a chance to ride in the races--on a Titan 1.0, the original, never-raced version. Astrid's Titan, named Padlock, has an EvoBox that allows him to express emotions the way a real horse would. He even comes equipped with an autopilot mode that allows him to supersede her commands. Astrid, however, can't bring herself to relinquish control--too much depends upon her success. Why she believes herself a more competent racer than the equine computer is unclear--as are several points in this story, including why the updated Titans don't have EvoBoxes and what exactly the point of the EvoBox is. Readers who know horses will find the story's details are off. However, Scott's pacing and prose are first-rate, and if her characters are sometimes inconsistent, they express themselves forcefully and well. The story, told through Astrid's eyes, proceeds at breakneck pace to the final, sadly somewhat predictable, dramatic conclusion. It's hard not to wonder whether the book started as Scorpio Races fanfiction, yet in the end Scott makes it into something better--not brilliant, but better. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

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December 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-Seventeen-year-old Astrid Sullivan lives in Detroit with her family. Her grandfather lost their home in Wisconsin, and now her father is close to losing their home in Warren County. Betting on mechanical horses called "Titans" during the summer racing circuit is the vice that cripples families, including her own and her best friend's. Unemployed factory workers struggle, and betting seems to be their only way to survive. Astrid hates the racing circuit, but she can't help but be fascinated by the Titans. After a second chance encounter with an old man, Astrid is given the opportunity to race a Titan in the summer circuit and try to win the grand prize, something that would save her family from homelessness. This is a fun, fast-paced read. Astrid is a strong character anyone can identify with: she's headstrong and has trouble trusting those around her. But she has a can-do attitude that stems from her struggle to keep her family from falling apart. The races are very lively and action-packed. Perfect for fans of Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races (Scholastic, 2011) and Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games." VERDICT A fun addition to any library.-Faythe Arredondo, Tulare County Library, CA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2016
Grades 8-11 In depressed, near-future Detroit, Astrid Sullivan lives with her struggling family. Their poor town is made poorer by rampant gambling: many have lost everything at the racetrack, where the rich and powerful race mechanical horses, known as Titans. After a chance encounter and a moment of kindness, Astrid finds herself presented with the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to ride a Titan in the dangerous races and a shot at prize money that could save her family from an increasingly desperate existence. But first she will have to learn how to handle the half-horse, half-machine Titan. Though similar themesand higher stakeswere explored to greater effect in Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races (2011), Astrid is a brassy, likable hero whom readers will cheer for. The refreshing lack of a romantic subplot allows for greater focus on Astrid's goals, as well as her relationship with family and friends, and the end result is a solid, exciting story about a determined girl faced with difficult circumstances.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)