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Hoofing It

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In 1996, just before university, Robert and his best friend Spud hedonistically set off around Europe in their neighbour’s stolen car, with the £28,000 they have `acquired,’ forged documents, no insurance and class A’s under the bonnet. On the way to the ferry in Hull, they save the life of a young suicidal woman, Naomi, who is about to jump off the Humber Bridge. All her immediate family have tragically died in a car crash one year previous. Robert is adamant he can help rehabilitate her; but Steven wants nothing of this `Captain Freedom’ talk. Along the way they meet a beautiful smack-head – dance like the rest of the world is watching – reach a higher state of consciousness - have gratuitous sex – perpetrate sweet criminal acts – meet madness and genius – open the door to hell – have perfect moments – cry in the Vatican – have scary liaisons – get mortally challenged – blow things up and see hope boil away. Robert is not looking for love, moral enlightenment or a sense of being, but he gets them anyway… well… What more could you want from a book? Hoofing It is the debut novel by Ian M Pindar, it is a rite of passage/coming of age story and the first in a series; the second being Hoofed (set around the millennium) will be out soon. As the main character Robert Knight travels through life, we will travel with him – hop on board!

292 pages, Paperback

First published March 9, 2013

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Ian M. Pindar

4 books84 followers

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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Darren Sant.
Author 26 books65 followers
June 1, 2013
Hoofing it was an entertaining read. It follows the adventures of Robert and his best friend Spud as they travel around Europe in the summer before they are due to start university. The book was well enough written but would have benefited from a closer edit. There were too many typos and grammatical errors that distracted me.

The characters are likeable enough but I also found it a little too hedonistic and repetitive for my tastes. The lads come across a new city, find girls, have sex, and take drugs – next. I suspect this is my fault not the author’s. I’d have probably enjoyed this book more ten years ago when I was younger and more hedonistic myself. There wasn’t enough emotional content to engage me fully. Yes, there was the plot line of Naomi who attempts suicide at the start of the book and comes back into the book later but this felt crammed in at the end and strained.

To end on a positive I never felt so disengaged with this book that I wanted to stop reading it. Twenty something’s and folk that feel nostalgic for the nineties will really enjoy this book. This child of the seventies felt a little past it to fully engage which was a shame.
4 reviews
March 25, 2013
This is an incredible book. This will be a cult classic when more people discover it. This book has all the big issues and more importantly has real soul. I felt like like I had made a secret discovery with this book. It made me laugh many times, not since Sue Townsend have I laughed as much, and made me cry twice! but at the same time there is real narrative arc to it. I thought it was going to be a series of interesting/amusing non-sequiturs, but there is real rite of passage (bildungsroman) to it. I felt I was along for the ride around Europe with them in the stolen car, and I really engaged with the main protagonist, Robert, as he matured morally - it is written in the first person, with some second person thrown in that works incredibly well, brave and clever. The end is brilliant, and not just because there is a modern believable love story. I loved it. It says it is a part of series, if the next one/s are as good as this, it will be a sensation.

I thoroughly recommend this book, it is a complete gem.

Enjoy, Chloe
Profile Image for Alina.
281 reviews2 followers
January 21, 2016

I will be honest.When I started to read "Hoofing it" I was about to drop it after 4 chapters.Meh, just another book about teen rebellion.But I never give up and I don't like to start a book and drop it if I don't like it (its challenging for me). I don't know when exactly it happened but the book got me!At the beginning I never believed that I will like it so much!


There were moments that made me laugh ,there were moments that shocked or embarrassed me , moments when I was worried for the characters (Robert's near-death experience because of an overdose), moments that made me sad (Naomi's death), moments when I hoped for a twist ( Becky/Spud , Naomi/Robert) . In few words , this book gives you all kinds of feelings and moods.


If I have the chance to read the second book "Hoofed" I would do it for sure!!I am curious to see if Taz and Jenny will stay around!


Profile Image for Sandy Costanza.
168 reviews2 followers
November 19, 2013
Although I was very excited to read Hoofing I must say I found it tiresome and lacking character. I think it would have been nice to see the two main characters find themselves in some trouble other than who they were going to sleep with or not sleep with and were they about to OD or not. This reads like a teenage diary...drugs...sex and alcohol....missing was the rock and roll. The suicide angle was interesting but I was left hanging with an underdeveloped plot. not my favorite read.
Profile Image for Jayne Charles.
1,045 reviews22 followers
June 5, 2013
Reading this novel is like being in the company of an undergraduate who has decided to cut lectures and spend the day in the Union Bar getting drunk and recounting the story of his mad trip across Europe in the summer holidays. A trip on which he and his friend nicked a car and proceeded to shag their way across the continent and experiment with a variety of drugs, leaving grass verges littered with CDs as they went.

The “hoofing” thing was quite impressive – from the title I assumed this would be a walking tour, but it wasn’t. I’m not sure whether this is a colloquialism I have not met before, or whether it is made up by the author. If the latter, bravo to him. What a versatile term it is, capable of being noun, adjective, verb, you name it. It even sounded like something the Famous Five might have come out with (“...I say, Dick, this ginger beer is simply hoofing...”)

Where I take issue with this book is in the proofreading, or lack of it. Poor spelling and grammar are the things I dread most when reading an independently published book, and finding a typo in the very first paragraph made my heart sink*. A spate of spelling and grammar errors followed, and though the spelling improved as the novel progressed, in terms of crimes against the apostrophe the charge sheet was, well, hoofingly long. Though I admit to being a pedant in such matters, there were at least two occasions when a grammar/spelling error changed the whole meaning of a sentence, and I believe diligent proofreading is a courtesy to which a reader is entitled.

Then there are the exclamation marks. Used here like they are going out of fashion, you would be hard pressed to find a paragraph that did not contain one. Around the halfway stage they started appearing in twos and I feared they might be breeding. Acting like canned laughter, they flag up witticisms as though the reader needs to be told when something is funny but it wasn’t necessary and I would personally have rounded up and shot the hoofing lot of them. They made me think of an overexcited puppy rolling over, desperate to have its tummy tickled, and having worked up such an atmosphere of frenetic jocularity, it made the gear change to more serious topics difficult to achieve. By and large the jokes in this novel are easy to spot without help, and in some cases the humour is top drawer. I liked the “holiday part of the brain”, and as for the dog who swallowed the bluebottle etc, I’m still laughing about that one now. Like a box of Quality Streets it demanded to be handed round so everyone else in the room could chew it over, and I think everyone agreed: very very funny.

I think to not read this novel would be to miss out on a particular world view and some observations which are thought provoking, as well as little facts (thinking about the supermarket carrier bag) that I might never have picked up anywhere else. And I absolutely loved the character Jacko with his “unauthorised use of the C-word”. It’s not one to read for its dense plot. For example it is clear from an early stage that the focus will be on the journey taken by the characters and not on the fact that they are taking it in a stolen car. As it is the first of a planned series, who’s to say the next won’t be “My hoofing time in Wormwood Scrubs” but I doubt it. This is effectively travel literature with a lot of sex and drugs thrown in. Perhaps it’s one for readers who like Eric Newby but wish he was a bit more street. If such a reader exists, their perfect novel might be right here.


* Referring to "taxing" which I assumed should have been "taking". The author has contacted me and tells me "taxing" is a colloquial term for "taking" and it's not in fact a typo. Not one I'd heard of, but happy to make that clear.
Profile Image for Jake Hainey.
64 reviews4 followers
January 6, 2014
It’s appropriate that I find myself reviewing this book at the start of the new year. A time when we’re all coming down from our turkey highs and vowing to lose weight. It’s appropriate because, if ever a book needed to lose weight…it would be this one.

Here’s my main problem with Hoofing It, once you’ve read through the first quarter of the book, you’ve basically read the whole thing. It feels incredibly padded out, each chapter falling into pretty much the same pattern of events.
Our two main characters, Robert and Spud turn up in a new town in their stolen car, book into some grotty, cheap accommodation, snort some coke, take some E’s and head out to the club, pick up girls, sleep with girls, return to accommodation, jump into car and head off to the next town.
That’s not to say there’s some variations on this formula, there are, the most interesting of which are the only moments in the novel that seem to suggest that this lifestyle may not be the best of choices as Rob and Spud witness a girl they’ve fallen in with shoot heroin and another where a character suffers an overdose.
For the most part though, it’s just the same thing over and over again, the book just feels over long and over padded. A good few chapters of the book could have been excised completely without affecting the plot at all.

Those rare chapters that don’t fall into this rinse and repeat narrative aren’t much better. There are several, smaller chapters in which nothing happens at all. Even the main characters themselves reflect on this with sentences along the line of “Not much happened in Barcelona, we just stayed in”.
I guess these were included to break up the monotony but sadly they just further pad out the book and could do with trimming down.

It may sound like I’m being overly critical, and I may be, but it’s because I really wanted to love this book.
I really liked the characters of Robert and Spud. The best scenes in the book where the calm moments where the two characters are driving alone, joking, reminiscing and tossing crap CDs out the window. When Pinder let’s the excess wear off and let the characters get talking, the book’s a delight. It’s just a shame these calm moments come so infrequently.

This book is the first in a trilogy which Pinder says will follow Robert throughout his life, the idea being that as he goes through life, his character changes making him essentially a different character in each novel.
I actually really like this idea, and if the next book can tone down the excess as Robert matures I think the series could really have something. I’ve a feeling that this might end up working better as a trilogy than as a single story and I’ve faith enough in the good elements of the novel to pick up book two in the series.

(for more reviews check out talesfromideath.blogspot.com)
Profile Image for Şeyma.
6 reviews
January 24, 2014
Hello! I guess i should first say that i got this book from a giveaway on Goodreads. As for the book, i should admit that it is a well-written book that might even be turned into a movie in the near future. I gave it a four star because the topic was a little bit away from my expectations. I was hoping for a thriller kind of novel. Also, i think i was not able to feel empaty for the characters because i come from a different cultural background. However, this does not change the fact that this book is written in a well-planned way. This book is based on an a real-life adventure of two characters, Robert and Spud, from Manchester. The author speaks to us, to the readers sincerely. He tells us his bitter-sweet secrets, and he does not refrain from depicting his quite personal experiences in great detail and vividly. When i was reading the novel, i was like watching a movie with all the picturesque and sound effects at the same time. As a speaker of English as a foreign language, i was also able to learn some useful British idiomatic expressions and slang vocabulary. :) I was an Exchange/Erasmus student in the UK last semester in a small town that was 40 minutes away from Manchester by train. Thus, i was able to experince British culture enough to appreciate the way of life and feelings of the novel's characters. I miss UK a lot, and i am hoping that the second book of the triology will be set in the UK. As last words, i liked turning every single page of this book and wondering what will happen next to the characters. Thank you a lot for this lovely book! Big love- Şeyma :)
Profile Image for Magda.
546 reviews27 followers
August 27, 2014
The book was at times fun at times serious.
At the beginning one of the main characters gives a speech as to why they need to do some crazy things and the way he presents his point made me want to do some myself, he convinced me. The reader can find a lot of references for example ones to Wonderful Wizard of Oz or Grease, which were well implemented into the text.
I really liked the 'interruption' in the story during which characters reflected for example on happiness in life (here in connection to drugs).
Sometimes the book made me uncomfortable, but it can come as the good thing as it makes the reader go out of their comfort zones.
At times it seemed as if the characters the main heroes met were way more interesting than they are and the fact that they quickly disappeared from the story was a bit disappointing.
The book touches upon many important issues, but they are not fully developed. However, the fact that the book is the first in the trilogy allows for the assumption that some of the points raised here will be looked at in detail in later books.
The ending of the book was surprising and I loved it, especially the part in which the main character ponders on how our life could be different if someone's tragedy was ours- the way one event can shape our future.
Although the book had many merits I couldn't get engaged and because of that I liked it far less that I could have.
144 reviews1 follower
January 13, 2014
I received this in a First Reads giveaway, this has not influenced my review in any way.
This is the story of final year school students, Robert & Spud. This is a hedonistic journey - beginning with stolen funds, a stolen car, an exorbitant amount of "personal use" narcotics, & the doorstep of Europe just a ferry ride away.
It is a rip roaring adventure of boyhood dreams.
Or so I imagine.
It may be due to my normal upbringing, my moral code when it comes to drugs, or just being raised in suburban/rural Australia - but it all just seemed too much.
While I enjoyed the story & the adventure, I felt a little like I do when I watch a Jim Carrey movie - anything that can happen, does, forcefully. It wasn't enough to steal the funds to facilitate the adventure, but the neighbour's Merc too. It wasn't enough to be heading to Amsterdam, but the car air filter needed to be packed with any & all party drugs Cap'n Bob could get his grotty little mits on.
The story continues to escalate in this fashion & you are left feeling that the absurdity makes up for the lack of substance. The main characters bounce from one country to the next, go clubbing & get out of their trees on chemical substances, screw any woman that complys, without any repercussions for the thieving that got them there.
That said, it is still enjoyable. Maybe because you think "thank f $^& thats not me!"
Very few editing errors, mostly just capital letters missing.
Profile Image for Jason.
27 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2014
I love reading debut novels and this is one of the better ones I have stumbled across. The concept is amazing but the execution falls somewhat short. I have to say that the story is regrettably somewhat repetitive. I would have liked to see more interesting scenes and characters as the two main guys travel Europe.

This novel is hilarious at times and it does raise some good social questions but there was not enough substance in my opinion.

The writing style itself is unique and I say this in a good way. It was fun to read through. I did feel as though the two characters were relatable and their journey something within the realm of plausibility.

I felt that there were a few plot holes and unanswered questions. The book seemed a bit rushed and as if it is not the entire story. I wanted more from just about every aspect other than the characters reactions and activities in each city. I also felt that the characterization was inconsistent. The characters do kind of grow but they seem to switch roles early in the book. I found that to be a little troublesome.

Overall this one is a good read and I look forward to more Pindar in the future.
Profile Image for Tom Sylva.
7 reviews1 follower
March 24, 2014
Well Ian, here is your review as promised... if a little belated.

This novel had a promising care free start, but after a short while felt a little directionless and the abundance of exclamations points became a little irritating. However, as the narrative develops and we see the main character Robert develop himself, the story takes a whole new direction and concludes rather brilliantly.

I don't want to say too much, I don't want to ruin the story for anybody who would actually bother to read my reviews, but I will say that I will definitely read any subsequent novels in the series.

Thanks Ian for handing me this on a plate. You'll be pleased to hear I didn't spend the amazon gift certificate on christmas socks, however tempting it was.
53 reviews1 follower
June 12, 2013
I received this book a giveaway on Goodreads. I really tried to get into the book but couldn't get more than half way before quitting. I found the format, font and the number of "...." and explanation marks really distracted me. I found that I didn't really connect with any of the characters, I wanted to stop reading it and finally did. On another note, possibly another type of reader would enjoy this book. I gave this book two stars because I didn't finish it and I wanted to be fair (I really wanted to give it one star). Possibly the book gets better, but I will never know.
Profile Image for Marci.
212 reviews34 followers
March 5, 2014
I received a copy from a Goodreads giveaway. Robert and Spud are two friends trying to find their way. A rite of passage? This certainly isn't that poetic, but this is still a good story about the realistic chaos and beauty of teenage rebellion.

It was a great read, particularly in the hectic student life I am living, but I will say that there were some mildly narrative and formatting issues. There's that, but this is still a cult classic: it will speak to some and moderately annoy others.

Profile Image for Denny Ardhianto.
222 reviews24 followers
November 10, 2013
okay, this is a good comedy-travelling book. written with a humorous writing style, fun, with lot of great curses. Hahaha. But the book is interspersed with the morals of life.

Like the quote, "She will not thank you for saving her life now, but in a few months time, or a few years, when she realizes that life is worth living, she will ... Time is a great healer!"
Profile Image for Margreet Heer.
Author 28 books76 followers
December 2, 2013
A roller coaster read of a book that paints a picture of an era I've lived myself: young and all over Europe in the nineties. Lots of recognition there.

I'm not giving full five stars because the book still needs some thorough editing. There's spelling mistakes on every page, without them the book would read, as we say in Holland, "like a train".
Profile Image for Laimonas Vijūnas.
2 reviews6 followers
August 3, 2016
Something between Kerouac and Bukowski. Insanely trip with stolen car, drugs, sex, a lot of fun stories and deep emotional accidents. You could find everything here. I must confess that I found some monotony and wanted to stop reading it, but after beginning to carry on reading I didn’t disappointed and was stunned by the ending.
Profile Image for Kristen.
285 reviews246 followers
January 22, 2014
I adored this book, and I devoured it with every free second presented to me. As others have noted, the chapters can get repetitive. But I found the characters and writing well enough to dismiss this and still become easily engrossed in this book.

**I was gifted this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the author and/or publisher.
Profile Image for James Emilian.
4 reviews
August 26, 2014

I won this book on GoodReads giveaway.I won't get into details , I will keep it short and let the others read it.



"Hoofing it" is an easy to read book filled with adventure and funny moments. Well written ,entertaining and easy to get into it.

2 reviews1 follower
April 30, 2013
I loved this book, I howled my head of with laughter. I can't wait for the next one. Mr Pinder is one to look out for.
11 reviews1 follower
September 1, 2013
The description of a entire book in one sentence hint is mind blowing.The only question obsessed in my mind is when will i get this book in my hand.
Profile Image for Zoë Rani.
1 review
June 21, 2016
Very entertaining book, can't wait to read the next 2 to see what happens!! Thoroughly enjoyed.
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