First published in July 2015
Adam Stone wants freedom and peace. He wants a chance to escape Blackwater, the dust-bowl desert town he grew up in. Most of all, he wants the beautiful Sadie Blood. Alongside Sadie and the dangerous outsider Kane, Adam will ride the Blackwater Trail in a brutal race that will test them all, body and soul. Only the strongest will survive.
The prize? A one-way ticket to Sky-Base and unimaginable luxury.
And for a chance at this new life, Adam will risk everything.
Stone Rider is a little like a mix between Death Race, Mad Max and with a dash of Elysium thrown in for good measure.
It features bikes (though the spelling "bykes" was probably unnecessary) and plenty of bloodshed, and is the kind of YA novel that I wish I had thought up. Right up my street!
Hofmeyr's writing style is simple - the sentences are short and the descriptions are fairly minimal. It took me a little while to get used to this, but eventually the short sentences lend themselves to quick and brutal action scenes that keep the pages turning.
I wasn't keen on Adam as a main protagonist - he is a modest and shy orphan, with exceptional riding skills that don't really come across as well as they probably could in the book. He blacks out whenever there is a hint of danger and avoids violence at all costs. The only female in the book is drawn to him despite him being characterless - I like Sadie though, she's very well represented. Kane has to be my favourite character however, and Hofmeyr has really put some thought and understanding into the background of this strange teenager; given him plenty of grit.
Overall a great read that I would recommend without any reservations. Full of friendship, action and full on racing!
(Thank you to Penguin Random House for the proof copy)
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