Jack Heath, Shockwave (Countdown to Danger #2), Scholastic Australia, May 2016, 144pp., $12.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760159634
Get ready for adventure when readers choose their fate in this new action series from best-selling author, Jack Heath. With 30 danger-filled paths and only 30 minutes to survive, Shockwave keeps young readers guessing as they pick from various scenarios deciding their fate.
Do you trust the woman who just landed on the beach with a gun in her hand? Do you lead her to or away from your friends at camp? Do you try to help or run away when you come face-to-face with dangerous criminals? From vicious sharks to hungry crocodiles and ticking bombs, this adventure book does not slow down. There is danger at every turn and survival is in the reader’s hands. In fact, in a few cases, readers meet their end (Chomp!), a point worth considering for very sensitive young readers.
Even after the first couple of scenarios, there are lots of alternate paths that lead to very different conclusions. It’s non-stop action, adventure and decision making in each time-sensitive story. With gripping text, a quick pace and the ability to create their own story, Shockwave will entertain adventurous young readers aged 8+.
Reviewed by Stephanie Ward