Alex, Li, Paulo, Hex and Amber are five teenagers on board the
sail-training ship Phoenix, somewhere in the Indonesian
Archipelago. Their constant bickering and horseplay whilst on watch
leads to them being sent to their cabins by their exasperated team
leader. The five do not take their punishment on the chin but sneak
food out of the galley and have a picnic in a little boat tied to
the back of the ship. After a post-feast snooze they wake to
discover that they are adrift and that the Phoenix is nowhere in
sight. They endeavour to find dry land, but when they arrive at a
remote island their troubles are only just beginning.... This is a
great adventure novel. Never mind that the teenaged characters are
a collection of 'types' - the Anglo-Chinese martial arts expert and
the Latin smoothie for example - because this story is about
teamwork not individuals. The group's difficulties arise because
they defy authority and are unable to get along with each other.
Their survival at sea and on land depends on their being able to
put aside their differences and pool their various skills for the
common good. Ryan never lets us imagine that this transformation
will be easy; all through their ordeal the team ethic is shown to
be fragile, able to be fractured by the whims of any one of the
group. The author drops these kids into a world full of harsh
realities where hostility, whether that of the natural environment
or of men, is never far away. It is a violent book but,
refreshingly, that violence is not trivialized. If a character is
bitten by a komodo dragon or shot, then painful death is a very
real possibility unless help can be obtained quickly. The book is
at its best when the battles fought by the youngsters are with
themselves, each other and their unforgiving environment. For this
reason the encounter with pirates (no romantic, yo-hoing figures
these, but cold killers), although undoubtedly exciting, detracts
slightly from the rest of the tale. Ryan closes this breathless
book with his ten tips for surviving in the tropics. Take note -
you never know when you might need them! Ages 10+ (Kirkus UK)
The first in an exciting new series for children from ex-SAS officer and bestselling adult author Chris Ryan. Five kids: Alex, Li, Paulo, Hex and Amber, are marooned on a desert island where they must face the ultimate test - survival! Killer komodo dragons, sharks and modern day pirates are amongst the dangers they face. Can the five bond as a team - and stay alive?
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