Trailblazer (Turbo Racers #1)
by Austin Aslan (Author)
In Turbo Racers: Trailblazer, twelve-year-old Mace Blazer gets the chance to pilot a state-of-the-art vehicle that transforms at the touch of a button from race car to jet plane to single-person sub, in the biggest race in the world.
The roar of the crowd, the glow of the spotlight, the thrill of the race--Mace Blazer dreams of going TURBO.
TURBOnauts thrive on the thrum of trimorphers's rocket engines as the vehicles morph from super-powered race cars to speeding jet aircrafts to torpedo-fast submarines, while they race full-throttle around every bend. And Mace believes he's got what it takes to join their ranks--he only needs the chance to prove it.
So when a reclusive retired racer chooses Mace to try out to be part of the next generation of TURBOnauts, Mace knows that this is his moment to show what he can do. But the path to his big shot means facing down the best and the brightest from around the world. Mace will have to live more fearlessly, hone quicker reflexes, be revolutionary--but will it be enough?
Mace quickly realizes that everything he's ever hoped for comes at a price. He'll have to decide between what is right and what is easy. Every morph counts in the first book in this exhilarating new adventure series by the acclaimed author of The Islands at the End of the World, Austin Aslan.
This is the first title in a high-stakes middle-grade two-book series!
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School Library Journal
Gr 4-7--Twelve-year-old Mace dreams of TURBO racing professionally, a sport where competitors drive crafts that transform between a roadster, a jet plane, and a submarine. When Mace sneaks from his house to the airport to visit one of the first TURBO crafts, Event Horizon, he can't resist climbing in. From there Mace is trapped inside and instructed to fly to Denver, where he's offered the chance to compete against three other kids for a spot in the Gauntlet Prix, where the winner will race on behalf of the long-lost TURBO legend, Qasar. When Mace meets his three competitors, Aya, Henryk, and Dex, they learn that Qasar is actually Tempest Hollande, owner of the TURBO sim company, Hollande Industries. Mace is eliminated from Tempest's competition, but realizes that Tempest is in favor of cheating and will risk the lives of her pupils to have fame and fortune. With the help of his family and friends, Mace is determined to win the Gauntlet Prix and show the world Tempest's true character. The plot sets a pace so quick that readers will speed through it, with twists and turns as intense as those on a racetrack. Aslan nicely incorporates diversity throughout, with characters from different cultural backgrounds, and, although it's not a major focus of the plot, Mace's parents are deaf, and the novel explains the difference between "small-d deaf" and "big-D Deaf." Some of the character development and arcs are a bit too pat: Mace acknowledges his misgivings in clichéd terms, his family unquestioningly teams up with him, his school enemy becomes a genuine friend, and rude Henryk apologizes for his behavior. Additionally, the rhyming of Mace and race can be a bit grating. VERDICT A good fit for large middle grade collections, particularly where books about racing are in high demand.--Liz Anderson, DC Public Library
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV041030 - Juvenile Fiction | Transportation | Cars & Trucks
JUV032100 - Juvenile Fiction | Sports & Recreation | Extreme Sports
