SCOTT, Victoria Fire & Flood Scholastic, 2014 369pp $17.99 ISBN 9781909489622 SCIS 1652349
Fire & Flood is the first book in a series set in a near future where things are not happy and bright. A young woman has enjoyed a life of relative ease when she is forced to move with her family to a new home. As with many teenagers, she is kept in the dark about what is actually going on in the family, only to discover her brother has a life threatening condition. Right on cue, a mysterious package arrives with an offer to join the Brimstone Blood competition in return for a cure. Without too much thought about whether the cure is real and only a little bit of teen angst, she jumps in head first. This is a race of sorts, which involves joining a group of other young folk from around the country. They have to hunt, move and survive in order to make it to the next stage of the competition. Other are eliminated in some not very nice ways and our heroine discovers qualities and strengths to get her through. Joining them on their trek are Pandoras, animal companions, adding a nice amount of pathos and charm to the story.
There are some innovations which add to the enjoyment of the book. The group is diverse, each with their own agenda and goals. The technology is close enough to our own to be believable and not requiring the suspension of too much disbelief. It is well written, fast paced and would be suitable for readers in upper primary and up.
reviewed by David Murphy