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Wanderer
Here in a vast lost valley, society has split into the Wanderers, who team together to battle against the elements and each other in the harsh world of the desert, and those who live in the pyramid-city of Arcone, whose closed environment and tightly controlled society enable them to maintain a more civilized existence in the face of an environmentally devastated planet. Conflict is inevitable . . .
Kean is a Wanderer, adopted into a team that has protected him since he was a child. Essa lives with her parents in the pyramid, and chafes at the mental and physical restrictions the government enforces to protect its people. But when a rogue Wanderer plans an attack on the city to gain its resources for his people, Kean and Essa's paths collide with an impact that will alter their lives forever.
The next in a line of postapocalyptic coming-of-age stories that began with Lois Lowry's masterpiece The Giver and moved on through the Hunger Games series, Wanderer is a journey of danger, growth, friendship, and hope for a new generation.
Kean is a Wanderer, adopted into a team that has protected him since he was a child. Essa lives with her parents in the pyramid, and chafes at the mental and physical restrictions the government enforces to protect its people. But when a rogue Wanderer plans an attack on the city to gain its resources for his people, Kean and Essa's paths collide with an impact that will alter their lives forever.
The next in a line of postapocalyptic coming-of-age stories that began with Lois Lowry's masterpiece The Giver and moved on through the Hunger Games series, Wanderer is a journey of danger, growth, friendship, and hope for a new generation.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Roger Davenport
11 books5 followersI started my working life as an actor after training at LAMDA, and became an established writer only after further careers in advertising and theatre management. My first radio play, 'Eddie and Miss Simpson', was broadcast by BBC Radio 4 as a Saturday Night Theatre presentation in 1984. Thereafter, I've written other dramas for radio, and have dramatised stories by Saki and P.G. Wodehouse for radio series. As a TV scriptwriter, I have created scripts for such British series as 'All Creatures Great and Small', 'Bergerac', 'The Bill' and 'Growing Pains'. I've also written various television documentaries - including 'The Double Life of Saki' (BBC) in which I played the title role.
My first book for young adults, 'Onlooker', was published by the Bodley Head in 1989, and the YA author Anthony Masters wrote of it in the Birmingham Post, “Every so often, and it is not that often, I come across a new writer who moves me so much that I feel as if I have entirely entered his or her world. This is the case with the haunting new talent of Roger Davenport, whose ONLOOKER (Bodley Head) is riveting reading … A wonderfully evocative book.”
My father was the critic and writer John Davenport, and I am married to the actress Joanna McCallum.
My first book for young adults, 'Onlooker', was published by the Bodley Head in 1989, and the YA author Anthony Masters wrote of it in the Birmingham Post, “Every so often, and it is not that often, I come across a new writer who moves me so much that I feel as if I have entirely entered his or her world. This is the case with the haunting new talent of Roger Davenport, whose ONLOOKER (Bodley Head) is riveting reading … A wonderfully evocative book.”
My father was the critic and writer John Davenport, and I am married to the actress Joanna McCallum.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 30, 2016
Title: Wanderer
Author: Roger Davenport
Publisher: Sky Pony Press, 2013
Genre: YA Dystopian
*I received a copy of this book free from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This review can be found on my Blog, TeacherofYA's Tumblr, or my Goodreads page
My Review:
So this is the cover I saw when I first signed up for Edelweiss, way back when, and it was a Read Now title...I figured, just like Netgalley, I should start with something that is already available (and maybe that's why I haven't gotten approved for much on there...so I am reading my Edelweiss books to get them reviewed). The cover was pretty (as you know, I'm a coverwhore) and the blurb was interesting.
So...hmm.
This is the cover I received when I actually downloaded the book was WAY different. I should've known then:
I mean, eww. Gross. But I tried not to judge a book by its cover, and I started reading. I had some time in-between book due dates, and I felt it was time to get this read.
I was not impressed. And I know, I love everything. It's taken me days just to write this. It's been difficult and I have anxiety just writing this review now.
Let me tell you about Wanderer...
We have two POVs...one is from Kean, a Wanderer, and the other is from Essa, a pyramid dweller in the city of Arcone. Essa's life is tightly-controlled: she picks a job as an apprentice to her father, the pyramid's maintenance man, who is in charge of making sure the structure is patched to perfection over the years. Art and beauty are totally objective, and if it's not something that glorifies Arcone in some way, it gets recycled. If you question the history of the pyramid, you are sent to "contemplation," a series of cells. It's bleak, but that's our typical dystopian world, right?
Then there's Kean: a Wanderer with six fingers who was kicked out of Arcone long ago, as only perfect specimens get to live in the pyramid. All Wanderers were, at some point, kicked out of Arcone. He is abnormally pale, and he can see extremely far. He helps his group of Wanderers stay clear of carnivorous beasts and the Cruisers, a gang of people that use the precious water as fuel for their vehicles.
Oh, I forgot to mention, water is scarce. Like, super hard to find. Some sort of cataclysmic apocalyptic event caused desert landscapes everywhere, and the Wanderers like at The Lakes, a place ironically named because all the water is underground.
Yeah, something like that.
The POV was the biggest problem for me. Davenport writes as third-person omniscient, so we jump into different character's minds without warning. This gave me a major sense of disconnect from our two main protagonists.
Here's an example of a sudden POV shift, and we are in Kean's head, then Essa's all of a sudden:
Okayyyy...that's weird, right?
You know at some point Kean and Essa are going to meet up, and they do. We think there'll be romance. There is, to an extent. Here we go:
How romantic.
So let's get on with this, then...
Is It Classroom-Appropriate?
Yes, it is, and I could see some people possibly liking this story. I would recommend for middle grade. It's honestly not a bad story, but it didn't have the elements in it that I enjoy. I'd say it could be a good read for younger readers who like adventure stories.
It was hailed as "The next in a line of post apocalyptic coming-of-age stories that began with Lois Lowry's The Giver and moved on through The Hunger Games series."
Umm, no. Just no. Maybe a nice story for a reader interested in desert tales with fighting and survival. Just not for me.
Age Range
I would say 11-14. It's not difficult. It's too indie to be listed on Lexile.com. It looks like Davenport's other books have been aimed more towards a younger audience to begin with. I'd keep it with a younger audience and wish I knew some younger readers to see how they feel about this one. I know my niece is too advanced for this: she's reading some regular YA like Peregrine's and H20. So she wouldn't like this. I think young boys would like this, like Paulsen books (i.e. Hatchet)
End Result:
You guys are going to be shocked, as I am giving out my first ★★☆☆☆ rating I think ever. Now, I used to feel that this rating would be for books that had tons of errors in it (back then I was reading a LOT of self-published books that did not have good editing jobs), so I will have to change my rating meanings now that I've encountered a two star book. It just never came up before!
This book was structurally sound, and Davenport writes well. It's just the plot, the lackluster characters, and the pitiful attempt at romance. I think Kean and Essa might have held hands. That's it. For me, I am a fan of romance in my books. The constant shift between being in Kean's head to being in Essa's to being in both was just jarring.
So my goal is to redo my ratings before I rate another book. So please disregard what my current two star rating says and I'll say two stars means, "The book was readable, but just barely. Plot was lacking, characters flat, would not recommend."
So, that's my rating. Are you shocked now?
I had to DIG for this rating...I've never uploaded it before!
Author: Roger Davenport
Publisher: Sky Pony Press, 2013
Genre: YA Dystopian
*I received a copy of this book free from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This review can be found on my Blog, TeacherofYA's Tumblr, or my Goodreads page
My Review:
So this is the cover I saw when I first signed up for Edelweiss, way back when, and it was a Read Now title...I figured, just like Netgalley, I should start with something that is already available (and maybe that's why I haven't gotten approved for much on there...so I am reading my Edelweiss books to get them reviewed). The cover was pretty (as you know, I'm a coverwhore) and the blurb was interesting.
So...hmm.
This is the cover I received when I actually downloaded the book was WAY different. I should've known then:
I mean, eww. Gross. But I tried not to judge a book by its cover, and I started reading. I had some time in-between book due dates, and I felt it was time to get this read.
I was not impressed. And I know, I love everything. It's taken me days just to write this. It's been difficult and I have anxiety just writing this review now.
Let me tell you about Wanderer...
We have two POVs...one is from Kean, a Wanderer, and the other is from Essa, a pyramid dweller in the city of Arcone. Essa's life is tightly-controlled: she picks a job as an apprentice to her father, the pyramid's maintenance man, who is in charge of making sure the structure is patched to perfection over the years. Art and beauty are totally objective, and if it's not something that glorifies Arcone in some way, it gets recycled. If you question the history of the pyramid, you are sent to "contemplation," a series of cells. It's bleak, but that's our typical dystopian world, right?
Then there's Kean: a Wanderer with six fingers who was kicked out of Arcone long ago, as only perfect specimens get to live in the pyramid. All Wanderers were, at some point, kicked out of Arcone. He is abnormally pale, and he can see extremely far. He helps his group of Wanderers stay clear of carnivorous beasts and the Cruisers, a gang of people that use the precious water as fuel for their vehicles.
Oh, I forgot to mention, water is scarce. Like, super hard to find. Some sort of cataclysmic apocalyptic event caused desert landscapes everywhere, and the Wanderers like at The Lakes, a place ironically named because all the water is underground.
Yeah, something like that.
The POV was the biggest problem for me. Davenport writes as third-person omniscient, so we jump into different character's minds without warning. This gave me a major sense of disconnect from our two main protagonists.
Here's an example of a sudden POV shift, and we are in Kean's head, then Essa's all of a sudden:
It confused Kean. He had felt protective about Essa, and now she had the respect of a kind he had always wished for himself. For there was no doubt she was a Waterboy. She had the gift. Hawkerman had set her a series of tests, letting her guide the team when water began to run short, and she led them to it every time, often across great distances. They were all empowered by the talent she had; with water no longer a problem, they were truly a great team, invulnerable.
She asked herself why and how, and she found no answers. It was an affinity she had with an essential element, and that was all you could say about it.
Okayyyy...that's weird, right?
You know at some point Kean and Essa are going to meet up, and they do. We think there'll be romance. There is, to an extent. Here we go:
That was all it took—someone else to make the first move. He began telling her about the skis, and how after his headlong dash in the attack wagon, he had seen a way of making a fast start on a trek over the Big White. Then of course he had to tell her of the others who had tried to get out of the valley over the many years, and how no one knew for sure if anyone had been successful—except maybe that man who’d ridden the bizarre animal . . . and . . . and there was no way he could avoid speaking of the essential condition for attempting such a journey: you had to have a Waterboy.
The rest of the team had gone back to the trailer. They were alone out here.
"You thought—what? I’d come with you?”
“I thought . . . I thought I could ask you.”
“And are you asking me?”
“Yes. I am.”
“But you haven’t.”
“I did—just now.”
“I could die, most like, if I do what you want me to—and you can’t even say, ‘Will you please come with me across the Big White?’”
“‘Please’?”
“Certainly ‘please.’ You’d have to say please.”
It was absurd. He couldn’t do it.
She said, “I’m cold out here. Just say it.”
Well, put that way . . . They couldn’t stay out here forever, and she did look like she was getting very cold.
“Yes . . . um . . . Essa. Would you—please—come with me and go across the Big White? If we can, that is.”
“Yes,” she said.
How romantic.
So let's get on with this, then...
Is It Classroom-Appropriate?
Yes, it is, and I could see some people possibly liking this story. I would recommend for middle grade. It's honestly not a bad story, but it didn't have the elements in it that I enjoy. I'd say it could be a good read for younger readers who like adventure stories.
It was hailed as "The next in a line of post apocalyptic coming-of-age stories that began with Lois Lowry's The Giver and moved on through The Hunger Games series."
Umm, no. Just no. Maybe a nice story for a reader interested in desert tales with fighting and survival. Just not for me.
Age Range
I would say 11-14. It's not difficult. It's too indie to be listed on Lexile.com. It looks like Davenport's other books have been aimed more towards a younger audience to begin with. I'd keep it with a younger audience and wish I knew some younger readers to see how they feel about this one. I know my niece is too advanced for this: she's reading some regular YA like Peregrine's and H20. So she wouldn't like this. I think young boys would like this, like Paulsen books (i.e. Hatchet)
End Result:
You guys are going to be shocked, as I am giving out my first ★★☆☆☆ rating I think ever. Now, I used to feel that this rating would be for books that had tons of errors in it (back then I was reading a LOT of self-published books that did not have good editing jobs), so I will have to change my rating meanings now that I've encountered a two star book. It just never came up before!
This book was structurally sound, and Davenport writes well. It's just the plot, the lackluster characters, and the pitiful attempt at romance. I think Kean and Essa might have held hands. That's it. For me, I am a fan of romance in my books. The constant shift between being in Kean's head to being in Essa's to being in both was just jarring.
So my goal is to redo my ratings before I rate another book. So please disregard what my current two star rating says and I'll say two stars means, "The book was readable, but just barely. Plot was lacking, characters flat, would not recommend."
So, that's my rating. Are you shocked now?
I had to DIG for this rating...I've never uploaded it before!
August 21, 2016
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
I wish I could say that Wanderer added something new to the dystopian YA genre; but I have to admit that I felt that I had read variations of this story several times now. Sheltered but rebellious girl in safe utopian society meets rough and tumble dystopian apocalypse survivor and they fight corruption inside and out. I could create a list of novels that meet that criteria in the last five years alone (e.g., Under the Never Sky series by Veronica Rossi and the Dust Chronicles by Maureen McGowan). Even the name and the cover are bland and generic.Story: the world is dry and devastated except in a pyramid city where water is carefully welled. Essa lives in the pyramid and its tightly controlled society. Kean scrapes a living with the Wanderers who move between watering holes. When a 'season' occurs - heavy rain and hurricane-like winds - the rebellious Essa and valiant Kean will meet and have to work together to survive.
The writing is straightforward and the plot moves decently, though it takes too long for the characters' backstories to develop and the situation finally causes them to cross paths. Unfortunately, this hits too many tropes: Essa being rebellious against society (for no reason), the utopian society being as rotten as the outside lawlessness, heavily constricted/ruled citizens to induce ignorance (for no apparent reason), a dustbowl outside (I'd like a dystopian where the plants take over!), girl/boy saving each other and enacting revolution together despite not really being very effective/knowledgeable/useful other than having a special gift suitable for saving the world, and the bad guy pouring out all his nefarious plans and/or protagonists sneaking around and chancing upon the perfect conversation to reveal the dastardly plot. About the only good thing here is that at least one of the 'bad guys' didn't appear to be evil or bear any malice. But yeah, the other bad guys were stinky, evil, greedy, ugly - because inside ugliness has to be on the outside too.
Something just didn't connect with Wanderer. Not the terrible covers, not the tired plot, and not the rehashed characters. But that isn't to say this is terribly written or can't be enjoyed. Those that have read the aforementioned Rossi or McGowan books will likely find Wanderer a decent read as well. For me, I want something more original and distinct. Reviewed as an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
September 22, 2013
Book review will be published on my blog first http://mrripleysenchantedbooks.blogsp...
The best introduction that I can come up with for this book is that it is a big time story with lots of heart and soul. It is published by Sky Pony Press in New York who sent me this review copy. I'd like to thank them for sending it over and giving me the opportunity to read it.
I was very keen to read this book when I found that the story portrayed a post-apocalyptic world. I have to say that this theme is difficult to get right when it is featured in books, but when it works it is amazing. So did this book and story live up to my expectations? Well, I have to say yes, in the main it did. This book has a great vision - the author paints the picture in full colour with some great fantasy elements that work particularly well.
The story takes place in a lost valley in which society has been split into two: the Wanderers and the people who live in the pyramid city of Arcone. The Wanderes, by in large, have a very difficult and turbulent life - they have to battle against the elements, the arid desert landscape and each other. Whilst the people, who live in the pyramid city of Arcone, have a closed environment with a tightly controlled society which enables them to maintain a more civilized basic existence in the face of an environmentally devastated planet. I really did enjoy reading this book; it's highly imaginative and very well written. It is a fast-paced easy to follow story aimed at the 13-17 year old market but it also has a strong pull to older readers, just like myself!
The characters are varied and very interesting; they are mostly likeable and take you along on a hair raising adventure. One of my favourite parts of the story involved the gas propelled balloon journey which took me on a breathtaking ride. It was really engrossing and set up the vision for the rest of the book. I loved the small attention to detail that you will find throughout this book - it really does make the story stand out from some of the other books within this genre.
The action intensifies the further that you travel into the story. However, it then very abruptly stops leaving the outcome, for me, to end too early. Perhaps the author took a little too long to set up the story for the next book and then made the story feel like two adventures in one book. That was my only gripe about this book really - I would have liked a stronger ending.
I really would like more people to find a copy of this book as it had a really good pace and rhythm to it. It has a gripping, fantastical world element that will have you engaged by following the characters' hardships, friendships and survival. There were some particularly great scenes and epic battles involving the survival of the main characters that will keep you immersed in the story. I really did enjoy reading this book as it was easy to follow, well written and really engaging from the start. The story included many great ideas which were well thought out and all told with a twist of mystery and a sense of adrenaline. I would recommend reading this book, so track down a copy if you can......
The best introduction that I can come up with for this book is that it is a big time story with lots of heart and soul. It is published by Sky Pony Press in New York who sent me this review copy. I'd like to thank them for sending it over and giving me the opportunity to read it.
I was very keen to read this book when I found that the story portrayed a post-apocalyptic world. I have to say that this theme is difficult to get right when it is featured in books, but when it works it is amazing. So did this book and story live up to my expectations? Well, I have to say yes, in the main it did. This book has a great vision - the author paints the picture in full colour with some great fantasy elements that work particularly well.
The story takes place in a lost valley in which society has been split into two: the Wanderers and the people who live in the pyramid city of Arcone. The Wanderes, by in large, have a very difficult and turbulent life - they have to battle against the elements, the arid desert landscape and each other. Whilst the people, who live in the pyramid city of Arcone, have a closed environment with a tightly controlled society which enables them to maintain a more civilized basic existence in the face of an environmentally devastated planet. I really did enjoy reading this book; it's highly imaginative and very well written. It is a fast-paced easy to follow story aimed at the 13-17 year old market but it also has a strong pull to older readers, just like myself!
The characters are varied and very interesting; they are mostly likeable and take you along on a hair raising adventure. One of my favourite parts of the story involved the gas propelled balloon journey which took me on a breathtaking ride. It was really engrossing and set up the vision for the rest of the book. I loved the small attention to detail that you will find throughout this book - it really does make the story stand out from some of the other books within this genre.
The action intensifies the further that you travel into the story. However, it then very abruptly stops leaving the outcome, for me, to end too early. Perhaps the author took a little too long to set up the story for the next book and then made the story feel like two adventures in one book. That was my only gripe about this book really - I would have liked a stronger ending.
I really would like more people to find a copy of this book as it had a really good pace and rhythm to it. It has a gripping, fantastical world element that will have you engaged by following the characters' hardships, friendships and survival. There were some particularly great scenes and epic battles involving the survival of the main characters that will keep you immersed in the story. I really did enjoy reading this book as it was easy to follow, well written and really engaging from the start. The story included many great ideas which were well thought out and all told with a twist of mystery and a sense of adrenaline. I would recommend reading this book, so track down a copy if you can......
Read
February 28, 2017DNF @ 35%
I have tried for quite a few months to read this novel. It's not that it's bad or boring, it just fails to keep my attention. Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to continue reading Wanderer.
I have tried for quite a few months to read this novel. It's not that it's bad or boring, it just fails to keep my attention. Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to continue reading Wanderer.
July 25, 2018
Has an odd change of pace about halfway through
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews