Formula Q - Alexander Charalambides

Description

A ruthless dictator, an ambitious driver and a race neither can afford to lose.

Vittoria Tarno lives for the speed that only Hyper Q, Earth’s most intense racing sport, can give her, but Vittoria and her team, Goofé Troupé, have been banned from the major league.
Determined to barge back into the spotlight, Vittoria jumps at the chance to be reinstated, but there’s one big catch: she has to accept the challenge of Admiral Suresh, the famously deranged dictator of distant, forbidding Mars.
On Mars Formula Q isn’t bloodless as it is on Earth. With no support, no time to prepare and no hope of winning, Goofé Troupé are thrown into race after race against competitors determined to win the trophy, a giant metal pizza slice known as the Spearhead of Ares.
When Vittoria breaks the speed record held by one of Mars’ great racing heroes, Goofé Troupé are soon racing for more than the honor of their home planet. With a new and dangerous opponent, a regime determined to bring them down and tracks more treacherous than any they’ve seen before, Vittoria and her team face a choice. Will they return home, safe and sound but defeated, or will Goofé Troupé remain on Mars and literally race for their lives?

Review

I had previously read one of the short stories which this book follows on from and was keen to read more. Overall I enjoyed the book but for me it stretched an idea a little too far for a full novel. I must admit I am not one for reading action - I prefer to see it , so the book centres around describing a lot of racing and for me that was not the best part of the book. I did like the politics behind the racing and reading about how team Goofe Troupe get themselves out of scrapes on Mars.

This book is aimed at YA and I am sure they will enjoy it for its quirkiness and the heroine Vittoria and her love of cold pizza. I certainly liked it when she got one over on everyone else but remained true to herself.

I'm giving this book four out of five stars.

My thanks to the author for a copy of the book to review.

Comments

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