5 YAs for Mad Max Fans
Less than two months ago, Mad Max was just a slightly dusty (yet still awesome) franchise from the 1980s. But now that our world has been rocked by the action movie perfection that is Mad Max: Fury Road, the postapocalyptic franchise is back and better than ever. It combines a wasteland setting, women tired of the patriarchy, and high-octane vehicles made almost entirely of junk to give us one of the most satisfying female-led action movies in recent memory. And Fury Road is almost ridiculously action-packed—it hits the throttle and never lets up; races out of the gate; leaves the rest of the box office in the dust; and various other bad speed-related puns. So, if like me, you can’t get enough Mad Max: Fury Road, here are 5 fast and furious YA reads to help you out until you can get to the theater again.
Stone Rider, by David Hofmeyr
Adam Stone lives in a dust bowl reminiscent of Mad Max‘s, and, unsurprisingly, he wants out of there. His family has so far escaped working in the mines thanks to some mad skills on their biochemical motorbike, which they race for the entertainment of the Watchers. Now Adam is facing his first race, grand prize: a one-way trip off the toxic planet. When he sets off across the wasteland, he fights against not only deadly competitors, but also an environment that pretty much wants to kill him. (This debut hits shelves July 14.)
Blood Red Road, by Moira Young
Constant dust storms and deserted wastelands are the norm in this postapocalyptic tale about a girl who leaves behind the comfort of the landfills to go on a quest to get her brother back. Much like Fury Road‘s Furiosa, Saba will team up with a handsome man and a gang of girl revolutionaries to change the course of her civilization’s history—and there are, of course, the requisite number of strange vehicles made almost entirely of junk. Told through a minimal and haunting prose style, this fast-paced story is a must for all the Furiosa fans out there.
Ashfall, by Mike Mullin
When the Yellowstone super-volcano erupts, much of North America is covered in ash and plunged into a terrible winter. While Ashfall might lack the dry heat of Mad Max, it makes up for it with a 140-mile journey across what amounts to an uninhabitable wasteland. Alex’s journey is aided by Darla, a lady with some impressive automotive and technical prowess. Together the duo must face this new and horrifying world, where the setting and the people are equally threatening.
Life As We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer
After an asteroid hits the moon and throws the Earth into a wintry chaos, everything about Miranda’s life changes. Concerns about school fall to the wayside, replaced with the very real day-to-day struggles to find basic food and water supplies—never mind the tidal waves and earthquakes and mounting death toll. It’s a nail-biting tale of survival told through diary entries conveying the horror and fear of preparing for the unimaginable.
Tracked, by Jenny Martin
And for those of you who are just obsessed with fast cars and need all your action stories with a high-octane kick, Tracked is the perfect pick. On corporate-controlled planet Castra, rally-racing is a big deal. Think “live or die” type of a big deal. Phoebe’s a street rat who has gained unwanted attention from the people behind the licensed racing circuit, thanks to her ability to drive like a character from Furious 7. When she gets drafted into the corporate world of racing, Phee sets out to dominate the race track with the help of her team, until she discovers dangerous secrets about her world.