Author: Bradley Caffee
Recommended Age: 15+
Genre: Dystopian
Books in Series:
- The Chase (2021)
- The Choice (2022)
- The Change (2022)
Summary: Willis Thompson has only ever been trained to be the world’s champion racer at the annual Chase, the single event that allows a commoner to make one change to the Law. But when betrayal, threats, and questions begin to arise, Willis must decide for himself what the future holds before he too ends up dead.
Notes from The Radical Reader:
- Noble Characters: The winner of The Chase. That’s all that nineteen year old Willis Thompson has been taught his entire existence. He doesn’t remember his parents, his life before training, or have any idea of what life will hold after he wins the largest global event, The Chase. But Willis does understand injustice. And when a girl named Perryn begins to awaken his eyes to the danger and darkness around him, Willis starts to take action in the only way he knows how.
- Captivating Plots: It’s hard to find stories for older children that are appropriate, edifying, and strengthening. The Chase Runner Series by Bradley Caffee will captivate teen readers with its betrayals, intrigue, and heroic risks. In a world where one hundred re-codings will kill you and where failure means death, runners will do anything to survive… even kill.
- Elaborate Worlds: After The Collapse, the world was struck by anarchy and confusion. Then came the Law, and with it affluence, prosperity, and peace. Or so that’s what the Chairman teaches. Bradley Caffee’s dystopian society will delight and fascinate you. Written in a style that is intense but not gory, readers will find themselves captivated by this epic dystopian saga. I highly recommend this series to any reader, boy or girl, who loves adventurous characters, high-stakes risks, and dangerous sacrifices.
Noteworthy Elements:
- Profanity: No explicit swearwords are used, but slang terms like crap, heck, and geez are touched upon throughout the stories.
- Sexual Tension: There are no explicit sexual or romantic scenes. The main character, Willis, is referred to as “hot” and “the pretty boy” by a flirtatious girl.
- Other: Though not “Christian” in a typical sense, some characters use expressions like “Oh, God”, “Dear God”, and “Thank God”. Some of them are parts of prayers and others are merely exclamations. The phrase “God-knows-what” also appears a few times. A few trainees use various alternatives to the term “kick some butt”. All of these references are minimal.
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