I'm "cyced" (see what I did there?!) to have the Stone Rider Blog Tour stopping by today! Below you can read my review of David Hofmeyr's thrilling debut and enter to win a copy...
Stone Rider
(The Stone Rider Series #1)
by David Hofmeyr
July 14, 2015
Delacorte
In the vein of The Outsiders and the early Western novels of Elmore Leonard, this inventive debut novel, a cross between the cult classic Mad Max movie series and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, blends adrenaline-fueled action with an improbable yet tender romance to offer a rich and vivid portrayal of misfits and loners forced together in their struggle for a better life.
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.
Amazon / B&N / Indiebound
PRAISE FOR STONE RIDER
“Intense, original, compelling . . . bristles with attitude. So cool. Just read it.”–Michael Grant, New York Times bestselling author
“A dangerous race is run with everything on the line in this gritty dystopian thrill ride.”–Kirkus Reviews“Hofmeyr constructs a bleak futuristic world and a landscape both sublime and unforgiving…[in his] novel about self-preservation and reclaiming one’s humanity amid brutality.”–Publishers Weekly
“. . . gritty nonstop action.”–School Library Journal
“. . . a truly gripping dystopian novel.”–VOYA
“A dangerous race is run with everything on the line in this gritty dystopian thrill ride.”–Kirkus Reviews“Hofmeyr constructs a bleak futuristic world and a landscape both sublime and unforgiving…[in his] novel about self-preservation and reclaiming one’s humanity amid brutality.”–Publishers Weekly
“. . . gritty nonstop action.”–School Library Journal
“. . . a truly gripping dystopian novel.”–VOYA
Fifteen year old Adam Stone lives in the harsh desert town of Blackwater and wants nothing more than to get out. His one chance of earning a one-way ticket to the luxurious world of Sky-Base is also a potentially deadly one: win the brutal Blackwater Trail byke race. Adam, along with the mysterious Kane and tough, gorgeous Sadie Blood, set out to ride this hellish race and find themselves pushed to their limits, hunted by dangerous foes, and faced with cruel truths.
David Hofmeyr’s Stone Rider is an entertaining, wonderfully crafted Young Adult novel that is part dystopian, part western, and all kinds of thrilling! While reminiscent of The Hunger Games, in its razor-sharp, thought-provoking look at class; humanity; and survival, and its unabashed brutality, Stone Rider offers its own unique and complex premise. Hofmeyr creates a bleak, yet entirely enthralling setting with his harsh desert landscapes and almost otherworldly seeming Sky-Base. Adam’s world is a gritty, unforgiving, and, at times, bloody, one. From the saloons selling surprising offerings and the sparse, broken feel of Blackwater to the high-tech world of bykes and Riders, drones, and space civilizations, I loved the cool mix of old-time western and futuristic sci-fi elements within Stone Rider.
What I like most about the characters in Stone Rider, is that they aren’t necessarily likable in a traditional sense. These aren’t characters I would want to be friends with, but I found them utterly engrossing and engaging. From earnest Adam, to mysterious Kane, capable Sadie, and a handful of nasty baddies, readers will be captivated by their stories.
Wickedly fast-paced, Stone Rider takes its characters and readers on an edge of your seat (or byke!) ride. Hofmeyr does an excellent job of creating suspense off all kinds, from explosive to quiet. Adam, Kane, and Sadie are definitely put through the hellish, bloody ringer and readers won’t be able to look away for a second of it.
my final thoughts: With its smart concept, exhilarating storytelling, and memorable characters, Stone Rider is an awesome debut and exciting Young Adult read. I can’t wait for the sequel!
MY RATING
5/5 yummy cupcakes
DAVID HOFMEYR was born in South Africa and lives in London and Paris. In 2012 he was a finalist in the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices competition, and in 2013 he graduated with distinction from Bath Spa University with an MA in Writing for Young People. He works as a Planner for Ogilvy & Mather in the UK. Stone Rider is David Hofmeyr’s first novel. He also wrote the companion novel, Blood Rider.
Win a copy of Stone Rider!
Thanks to Penguin-Random House, I have one brand new copy of Stone Rider for one winner.
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