Review Detail

Honestly, I didn't think I'd like this book much. I keep an open mind, but I am not a surfer, I'm not a teenage boy, and I feel silly saying words like "stoked" or "primo."

Instead, I found myself tearing through the first book in Todd Strasser's new series like...well, like a surfboard through water. Kai, the main character, is a true individual with a past, some sadness, and a surprising sense of morals.

We meet him as he, his father, and his half-brother are essentially stealing away in the night. We soon see that Kai is the one with not only the good looks, but also the brains in the family.

The family's new location is a beach town and it is Kai's first chance to surf since living in Hawaii with his mother (lots of tragedy there, but I won't dish everything). He also runs into the local surf mafia, led by Lucas Frank, the son of an old surf pro.

There's a lot of posturing, a lot of testosterone, and a lot of machismo in this book, but you have to like Kai despite all of that (and I imagine some people will love the story because of those elements).

This is a very fast read and a great book for teen boys. Even if they aren't big readers, there's a lot to draw them into this book and it might even make them think about a few things.

My only complaint is that the author threw in some random encounters with a sex-crazed local that didn't really seem necessary and didn't really add to the story. Of course, that could just be me.

I recommend this book for teens 14 and up. Be sure to check out the next book in the series as well, Impact Zone: Cut Back. It picks up where the first book lets off.