This dystopian thriller is set about 100 years in a future with eco-problems and almost no oil. Our teen hero is a small scavenger with a vicious speed freak father. His friends eventually include other teens, swanks, and a halfman. Once started the action slides along as rapidly as a carbon fiber clipper with a jet stream kite in a city killer storm. The meaning of family be it blood, friendship or work crew is examined and the moral issues of this desperate environment are explored. This may become as popular among teens as The Hunger Games (although this is a self-contained story). Adults could find this an interesting read too. There is considerable character delineation and development. I agree with panaura that the second half is not the equal of the first.

An absolutley amazing book! I could not put it down for an instant. If you are interested in something original, I highly recomend you read "Ship Breaker."

Based on the first half, I would have given this a 5 out of 5. But the second half wasn't quite as good.

A very good young adult science fiction book. Set in the same world as "The Wind-up Girl", it is a really interesting universe. And you don't need at all to have read that other book. The lead characters are interesting and can be related to, and it was interesting reading about the winners and losers of essentially the collapse of western civilization. Even adults would like this book, although the main characters are mostly teenagers.

Excellent story! Couldn't put it down!! Warning: There are graphic fighting/killing scenes involving the boy.

Really Good. Enough Said.

Nailer, a teen living on the beach of the Gulf Coast near New Orleans in the near future, makes his living taking out copper wire and other valuable metal parts from rusting freighters and oil tankers. When a super-hurricane stops work and wrecks the flying yacht of a super-wealthy family, Nailer and his friend Pima start to salvage the best bits, until they find a dying girl whose wealth tempts them (and other, more dangerous people) to help her find her family. Nailer is a strong, conflicted boy who is not sure he has done the right thing, whether it's saving Nita, the rich girl, or fighting certain enemies to the death. The setting of an environmentally compromised Gulf Coast, especially the series of cities known as the Orleans, is intriguing, but a little sketchy: I wanted more detail! But apparently there's a sequel on the way. Great characters, great setting, solid plot with just a few predictable points, if not always outcomes. This is a great adventure for at least 7th grade on up.

I liked it but its not my favorite nor is it better than the Hunger Games but good nonetheless.

IMHO, this is a good choice for 8th graders who loved Hunger Games and are looking for a similar book.

Really great book, original idea. his style of writing is really good and I enjoyed the characters. The ending was good but I thought it had a lot more potential, as in he could of made it a trilogy and really dug into Nita and her life and the adventures her and Nailer would've had. But overall, worth your read.