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By K. V. Flynn On The Move (On The Move Books) (Volume 1) [Paperback]
Callum Vicente and his four best middle school buddies live in a Southern California beach town, and narrowly miss being grounded for life after they sneak on the bus for a skateboard Sunday just before promotion from 8th grade. Their pal Justice ends up with a wicked broken leg, but their parents soon forget about it because weird, tense things are happening in the news. So Callum, Levi and his bff Apollo are soon deep into their best summer ever, at PEAK skateboard camp where they learn tricks from the pros, grind on endless street courses, and ca-reen off one ramp straight into the lake. It is awesome fun, until a war breaks they watch major cities blown up on TV, have no idea what’s happened to their parents, and then all communication is lost. Stranded, the boarders strike out on their own to find their families, travelling north through all of California and Oregon. They catch a ride with their Native buddy Obbie, who was headed towards his dad's reservation near Spokane when things went insane. And they pick up their friends Mateo and Emma Beltran, who've been separated from their mom. They follow a network of underground message boards and savvy riders who are holed up in skate parks all along the way through Cali and Oregon. And even get some surprising secret messages that lead them towards as a possible safe haven where the boys can sort out a world gone crazy while they are on the move.
Paperback
First published September 2, 2014
25 people want to read
About the author
K.V. Flynn
2 books16 followersK.V. Flynn lives kind of near Manhattan-Huntington-Malibu Beach in Southern California. His favorite ride is an 8.25" Krooked deck, Indie trucks, and 53 mm Spitfire wheels. He's half Spanish and half Irish, and has a dog. He and his bros regularly cruise Venice, Stoner, Skatelab, and Van’s.
Talk back: KVFlynnOntheMove@Gmail.com.
Talk back: KVFlynnOntheMove@Gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 6, 2014
I would like to thank the author for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Doing so does not sway my review in any way.
This has to be one of my harder reviews to write in a long time. I want to give the book 3 stars, but that would be a disservice not only to the author, but to the intended audience. I am not the audience this book is for, so I had to sit back, mull it over and after thinking about the teen boys and girls who will be reading this book, I find that the author has really nailed it on the head.
This book is considered dystopia, but honestly, it's more about the hardcore teen skaters, their love for the sport, the search for the perfect park and how family is more than blood alone. Yes, there is a catastrophic event, which unfortunately the author builds up but that story itself falls flat. Get over that part and the reader will see the Ollie's, the half-pipes,etc and feel the camaraderie of the skaters.
The author places popular songs, movies and other pop culture items in this book and they fit perfectly in their place. Readers years from now will not be lost on references, because the author picked classics that flow over generations and feel just as special with the next. Any reader, no matter if you are in the skate culture or not, will be able to follow along.
Back to the dystopia story-line. This is where the book itself is weak. There is no real who, what, where or why covered. There are some areas put in context, but not to the depth that there should be. Also, the fact that these group got from point A to wherever their point B is without much interference from other individuals is a bit of a stretch. The group detailed hardly ever sees other people unless it's at the skate refuges and unless there was a huge nuclear disaster, they would have had to deal with a whole lot more people on the road and in the towns. Also, the end wraps up way to happily for all. Maybe the author didn't want to scare his readers, but there was a lack of believability to the book throughout the entirety of it.
I recommend this book to any teen looking for an action-adventure read. They can be skaters themselves or just have an interest in the subject. The book is told from a single POV, but the author provides enough insight to the other characters that it almost feels like multiple POV's at times. This book is for teens of any genre, cultural background and economic background. There's no romance, no sex, nothing that gets in the way of the ultimate theme that friends have each others backs through the good and the bad times.
This has to be one of my harder reviews to write in a long time. I want to give the book 3 stars, but that would be a disservice not only to the author, but to the intended audience. I am not the audience this book is for, so I had to sit back, mull it over and after thinking about the teen boys and girls who will be reading this book, I find that the author has really nailed it on the head.
This book is considered dystopia, but honestly, it's more about the hardcore teen skaters, their love for the sport, the search for the perfect park and how family is more than blood alone. Yes, there is a catastrophic event, which unfortunately the author builds up but that story itself falls flat. Get over that part and the reader will see the Ollie's, the half-pipes,etc and feel the camaraderie of the skaters.
The author places popular songs, movies and other pop culture items in this book and they fit perfectly in their place. Readers years from now will not be lost on references, because the author picked classics that flow over generations and feel just as special with the next. Any reader, no matter if you are in the skate culture or not, will be able to follow along.
Back to the dystopia story-line. This is where the book itself is weak. There is no real who, what, where or why covered. There are some areas put in context, but not to the depth that there should be. Also, the fact that these group got from point A to wherever their point B is without much interference from other individuals is a bit of a stretch. The group detailed hardly ever sees other people unless it's at the skate refuges and unless there was a huge nuclear disaster, they would have had to deal with a whole lot more people on the road and in the towns. Also, the end wraps up way to happily for all. Maybe the author didn't want to scare his readers, but there was a lack of believability to the book throughout the entirety of it.
I recommend this book to any teen looking for an action-adventure read. They can be skaters themselves or just have an interest in the subject. The book is told from a single POV, but the author provides enough insight to the other characters that it almost feels like multiple POV's at times. This book is for teens of any genre, cultural background and economic background. There's no romance, no sex, nothing that gets in the way of the ultimate theme that friends have each others backs through the good and the bad times.
February 9, 2015
Callum and his skater buddies are enjoying their summer vacation in seaside California - skating at old favorite locations and on the lookout for new ones, and looking forward to heading off to skate camp. Their good times are cut short when a close friend dies in a car accident. The boys mourn, then go to skate camp in the foothills of central California. There they have a fantastic time learning new tricks with some pro skaters, meeting new people and solidifying old friendships.
And then all hell breaks loose.
Bombs explode over many American cities, slowly moving across the country until California is hit, as well. Callum and his friends can't reach their parents or their friends left at home, and so they take it upon themselves to sneak away from the evacuation bus and head out on their own.
The boys skate down the foothills and make their way north toward supposed safety. They meet new people, some scary and some helpful, along with way. They even reunite with old friends and family in random cities and refugee camps. Will Callum and his buds find their families in the government refugee camps in Northern Cali? Check out K.V. Flynn's ON THE MOVE, the first book in a post-apocalyptic series, to find out.
While the premise was what drew me to this title, the execution is seriously lacking. I was excited to read about a group of teen boys on skateboards riding for their lives in a post-apocalyptic California!
Unfortunately, the skater jargon and endless descriptions of skating tricks really threw me off. The boys have exciting adventures, but the likelihood of their using skateboards to do things like ride down mountains, escape government refugee camps, and travel hundreds of miles is just not believable.
The boys themselves were diverse and interesting - they ranged from age 10 to 18. Some of the boys came from rich backgrounds, while others were poor, and one even grew up on a Native American reservation with his father and sister. I really liked the interesting cast of characters, but they went through very little development and weren't enough to keep me interested.
ON THE MOVE will appeal to a very small subset of teen readers. I would recommend it to boys who are obsessed with skating and looking for a book they can relate to.
And then all hell breaks loose.
Bombs explode over many American cities, slowly moving across the country until California is hit, as well. Callum and his friends can't reach their parents or their friends left at home, and so they take it upon themselves to sneak away from the evacuation bus and head out on their own.
The boys skate down the foothills and make their way north toward supposed safety. They meet new people, some scary and some helpful, along with way. They even reunite with old friends and family in random cities and refugee camps. Will Callum and his buds find their families in the government refugee camps in Northern Cali? Check out K.V. Flynn's ON THE MOVE, the first book in a post-apocalyptic series, to find out.
While the premise was what drew me to this title, the execution is seriously lacking. I was excited to read about a group of teen boys on skateboards riding for their lives in a post-apocalyptic California!
Unfortunately, the skater jargon and endless descriptions of skating tricks really threw me off. The boys have exciting adventures, but the likelihood of their using skateboards to do things like ride down mountains, escape government refugee camps, and travel hundreds of miles is just not believable.
The boys themselves were diverse and interesting - they ranged from age 10 to 18. Some of the boys came from rich backgrounds, while others were poor, and one even grew up on a Native American reservation with his father and sister. I really liked the interesting cast of characters, but they went through very little development and weren't enough to keep me interested.
ON THE MOVE will appeal to a very small subset of teen readers. I would recommend it to boys who are obsessed with skating and looking for a book they can relate to.
November 30, 2014
Can a transplanted New Yorker and not-so-young adult relate to K.D. Flynn's YA skater tale, ON THE MOVE? Right from the get-go I was caught up in this fast-paced story of plucky SoCal skate boarders forced to use their skater skills and street smarts when war breaks out and China attacks the USA. The kids in question are a resilient bunch, a diverse, dirty half-dozen determined to be reunited with their scattered families yet taking time to enjoy the awesome skate parks and the adult-sized challenges they face along the way. While boarders will savor Flynn's impressive knowledge of their sport and culture, the main plot of kids coping with disaster will appeal to all teens and adults. The gang encounters some gnarly post-conflict hurdles but nothing too scary or depressing for even younger readers. Much YA fare targets the feelings and drama of those emotional teen years. While ON THE MOVE takes us inside the lives of the young heroes and heroines - yes, there are girls in the crew! - it also serves up weightier themes and subjects in an accessible, entertaining style. When I finished the book I had two regrets: that I don't skate, and that the sequel isn't out yet.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews