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Outrider
Jack Dunne will do anything to save his son.
A violent civil war. An unstoppable enemy. One road to freedom.
In the wake of a global conflict, foreign forces occupy part of Australia, quashing all but a few pockets of local resistance. The tense stalemate ends in 2034, when Jack Dunne reignites the war.
Dunne is an Outrider, one of the last elite special operations soldiers in the Resistance. As the enemy prepare to eliminate the freedom fighters once and for all, he is tasked with his final mission.
If Dunne and his eleven-year-old son achieve the impossible, and survive, they'll secure their future across the border in Free Australia.
But the road to victory will be bloody.
A cinematic action-thriller from bestselling author and veteran Mark Wales. Explosive and exhilarating, Outrider is a heartfelt father-and-son story of survival, resistance and hope.
Praise for Outrider
'Outrider hit me like a spare tyre packed with C4 - action-packed, thrilling and utterly convincing' Jack Heath
A violent civil war. An unstoppable enemy. One road to freedom.
In the wake of a global conflict, foreign forces occupy part of Australia, quashing all but a few pockets of local resistance. The tense stalemate ends in 2034, when Jack Dunne reignites the war.
Dunne is an Outrider, one of the last elite special operations soldiers in the Resistance. As the enemy prepare to eliminate the freedom fighters once and for all, he is tasked with his final mission.
If Dunne and his eleven-year-old son achieve the impossible, and survive, they'll secure their future across the border in Free Australia.
But the road to victory will be bloody.
A cinematic action-thriller from bestselling author and veteran Mark Wales. Explosive and exhilarating, Outrider is a heartfelt father-and-son story of survival, resistance and hope.
Praise for Outrider
'Outrider hit me like a spare tyre packed with C4 - action-packed, thrilling and utterly convincing' Jack Heath
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2024
20 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Mark Wales
3 books16 followersMark Wales grew up in the red dirt of Western Australian mining towns in the Pilbara. While still in high school, he decided he wanted to join Australia's elite military unit, the Special Air Service Regiment (commonly referred to as the SAS), and embarked on a career that would eventually lead him to the battlefields of Afghanistan. There, as a troop commander in charge of 30 elite soldiers, Mark led combat missions deep behind enemy lines.
Like many who survived this unique and harsh environment, Mark's experiences made a searing impression, allowing him the chance to forge greater resilience and undergo personal growth. Today he is an accomplished corporate speaker, reality TV star, and CEO and founder of a tough luxury fashion label. He lives in the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria, with his wife and son.
Like many who survived this unique and harsh environment, Mark's experiences made a searing impression, allowing him the chance to forge greater resilience and undergo personal growth. Today he is an accomplished corporate speaker, reality TV star, and CEO and founder of a tough luxury fashion label. He lives in the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria, with his wife and son.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 11, 2024
Outrider takes us to a dystopian Australia, invaded and war ravaged, the local population rounded up and herded into gulags. It’s up to Jack Dunne and his fellow resistance fighters to come up with a workable road to restoring national security.
This is a fast-paced action thriller that provides the ultimate in literary escapism. You pretty much know the destination going in (winners, losers, survivors, etc.), so this is a story that’s all about the journey and the excitement generated along the way.
It’s 2034 and Australia has been invaded by foreign forces, namely China, the country is split between those who’ve joined with the invaders and those who’ve chosen to fight. The result is an increasing threat of all out war with the Resistance digging in and choosing to fight at an outpost known as The Hill. For those that are interested, The Hill is somewhere in Victoria’s Dandenongs.
Among the local resistance fighters were a group of elite special ops soldiers, known as Outriders. They were trained to be the best of the best. Jack Dunne is the last of the Outriders and his specialist skills means that he’s been given the task of carrying out one last important mission.
Jack, accompanied by his 11 year old son Harry, runs a vicious gauntlet of enemies determined to catch and kill as he makes his way west from Victoria into South Australia to pick up a crucial asset who had been dropped off by submarine off the coast. Stalking him are motivated squads of guards with orders to kill on sight. The ensuing mission involves high-octane chases, tense stand-offs and graphically described contact with the enemy.
While Jack Dunne is a killing machine, attempts are made to give him a caring human side. His main motivation for his actions is the protection and welfare of his son. But he continues to mourn his wife, seeking retribution for her death at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. We’re given brief moments of access inside his head on the rare occasions when he’s not fighting, giving him a small level of substance. But, ultimately, the interest lies in his actions rather than his motives.
The clipped sentences favoured by Wales ensures the pace is high and they help reflect the urgency of the action taking place in Victoria. The tight dialogue and the rapid deployment ensures that the plot unfolds in an unrelenting fashion.
Author Mark Wales appeared in Mad Max: Furiosa and there’s definitely a similar feel to Outrider, particularly the ravaged landscape in which it’s set. You also get a good sense of his SAS Regiment military background in which he saw action through the realistic jargon and tactical techniques so ably described in each battle scene.
The classic domain of most high action thrillers is the scenario where the hero (or heroes) are vastly outnumbered and outgunned, facing virtually insurmountable odds. With that in mind, Outrider ticks all of the boxes most action fans are looking for. For those with a military bent there’s the added bonus of great emphasis on descriptions of weaponry (including a few whizz bang inventions), intense combat sequences and graphic descriptions of violence. The more emotional sides of the story, while evident and given importance as far as motivation is concerned, is kept to a minimum.
So, as mentioned earlier, this is an action thriller that’s all about the journey and the fact is, the journey is a white-knuckled ride, filled with excitement and requiring you to hold on tight lest you lose your freaking mind. (3.5 stars)
This is a fast-paced action thriller that provides the ultimate in literary escapism. You pretty much know the destination going in (winners, losers, survivors, etc.), so this is a story that’s all about the journey and the excitement generated along the way.
It’s 2034 and Australia has been invaded by foreign forces, namely China, the country is split between those who’ve joined with the invaders and those who’ve chosen to fight. The result is an increasing threat of all out war with the Resistance digging in and choosing to fight at an outpost known as The Hill. For those that are interested, The Hill is somewhere in Victoria’s Dandenongs.
Among the local resistance fighters were a group of elite special ops soldiers, known as Outriders. They were trained to be the best of the best. Jack Dunne is the last of the Outriders and his specialist skills means that he’s been given the task of carrying out one last important mission.
Jack, accompanied by his 11 year old son Harry, runs a vicious gauntlet of enemies determined to catch and kill as he makes his way west from Victoria into South Australia to pick up a crucial asset who had been dropped off by submarine off the coast. Stalking him are motivated squads of guards with orders to kill on sight. The ensuing mission involves high-octane chases, tense stand-offs and graphically described contact with the enemy.
While Jack Dunne is a killing machine, attempts are made to give him a caring human side. His main motivation for his actions is the protection and welfare of his son. But he continues to mourn his wife, seeking retribution for her death at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. We’re given brief moments of access inside his head on the rare occasions when he’s not fighting, giving him a small level of substance. But, ultimately, the interest lies in his actions rather than his motives.
The clipped sentences favoured by Wales ensures the pace is high and they help reflect the urgency of the action taking place in Victoria. The tight dialogue and the rapid deployment ensures that the plot unfolds in an unrelenting fashion.
Author Mark Wales appeared in Mad Max: Furiosa and there’s definitely a similar feel to Outrider, particularly the ravaged landscape in which it’s set. You also get a good sense of his SAS Regiment military background in which he saw action through the realistic jargon and tactical techniques so ably described in each battle scene.
The classic domain of most high action thrillers is the scenario where the hero (or heroes) are vastly outnumbered and outgunned, facing virtually insurmountable odds. With that in mind, Outrider ticks all of the boxes most action fans are looking for. For those with a military bent there’s the added bonus of great emphasis on descriptions of weaponry (including a few whizz bang inventions), intense combat sequences and graphic descriptions of violence. The more emotional sides of the story, while evident and given importance as far as motivation is concerned, is kept to a minimum.
So, as mentioned earlier, this is an action thriller that’s all about the journey and the fact is, the journey is a white-knuckled ride, filled with excitement and requiring you to hold on tight lest you lose your freaking mind. (3.5 stars)
July 9, 2024
Australia has a new hero! Jack Dunne - Soldier, Father, Survivor.
I will start this review with a little insight into the author, Mark Wales. Mark is a former troop commander with the SAS and 2 x survivor contestant and 1 x winner of Survivor Australia. Great credentials to be writing a book that entails warfare and the fight to survive.
Outrider is a highly imaginative and gripping story featuring a dystopian Australia. It's 2034, Victoria and parts of SA, NT & WA have been invaded by the Chinese Communist Party. Jack Dunne is an Outrider, one of three highly trained operatives, and the Resistance's only hope of curtailing the Chinese invasion of the Hill. The Hill is an outposting in Victoria with Resistance fighters warding off the CCP's further invasion into Australia.
I found Outrider to be a powerful and haunting tale of a future Australia where a civil war has broken out between the resistance and those supporting the CCP.
The fighting scenes are quite graphic, so not for the squeamish. Wales' writing is very technical, he knows his weapons, and there are lots of initials, acronyms and armory details which may be a bit confusing if you haven't read military thrillers before.
Wales pulls on his experience as a former troop commander with the SAS to deliver a tense and atmospheric thriller rich in strategic military scenarios and weapons beyond my comprehension.
I raced through the last third of the book - that's what I want - fast paced and tense - edge of your seat stuff.
I would have liked more on what the Chinese were doing in Australia and how they breached our defenses.
An underlying theme of a loving father / son relationship was a nice sideline to the blood and gore.
After reading Mark's fictional debut 'Outrider' I am keen to read his memoir 'Survivor: life in the SAS published in 2021.
Recommended for readers of Tom Clancy.
I will start this review with a little insight into the author, Mark Wales. Mark is a former troop commander with the SAS and 2 x survivor contestant and 1 x winner of Survivor Australia. Great credentials to be writing a book that entails warfare and the fight to survive.
Outrider is a highly imaginative and gripping story featuring a dystopian Australia. It's 2034, Victoria and parts of SA, NT & WA have been invaded by the Chinese Communist Party. Jack Dunne is an Outrider, one of three highly trained operatives, and the Resistance's only hope of curtailing the Chinese invasion of the Hill. The Hill is an outposting in Victoria with Resistance fighters warding off the CCP's further invasion into Australia.
I found Outrider to be a powerful and haunting tale of a future Australia where a civil war has broken out between the resistance and those supporting the CCP.
The fighting scenes are quite graphic, so not for the squeamish. Wales' writing is very technical, he knows his weapons, and there are lots of initials, acronyms and armory details which may be a bit confusing if you haven't read military thrillers before.
Wales pulls on his experience as a former troop commander with the SAS to deliver a tense and atmospheric thriller rich in strategic military scenarios and weapons beyond my comprehension.
I raced through the last third of the book - that's what I want - fast paced and tense - edge of your seat stuff.
I would have liked more on what the Chinese were doing in Australia and how they breached our defenses.
An underlying theme of a loving father / son relationship was a nice sideline to the blood and gore.
After reading Mark's fictional debut 'Outrider' I am keen to read his memoir 'Survivor: life in the SAS published in 2021.
Recommended for readers of Tom Clancy.
June 30, 2024
Guest Review - by Tony Park
Mark Wales' 2021 biography, 'Survivor' soundly proved this multi-talented Australian could add 'author' to his action-filled and varied resumé which has so far included Special Air Service officer, Afghanistan veteran, reality TV and movie star, MBA graduate and fashion entrepreneur.
'Outrider' promises a new career path for Wales as a successful novelist. Set in the near future with China invading and occupying half of Australia (Victoria was the first state to capitulate...) the story sees Special Forces veteran Jack Dunne having to link up with a female CIA agent who will bring much-needed fire-support to a beleaguered outpost of Australian resistance fighters.
Wales is an actor in the new Mad Max movie and that series' inspiration is clear in the story which is full of high speed pursuits as Jack and his son, and their American charge, scream across Australia in a succession of running-and-gunning battles.
But it's not just an action shoot-em-up. Jack's recently widowed and his grief, guilt, love for his son, and the promise of a new love are deftly handled by Wales. I'm a slow reader, but I devoured 'Outrider' in double time.
Wales' personal experience of war makes this a gritty and chillingly believable thriller. An absolute page-turner. Hopefully he's working on his next novel.
Five from five!!!
September 7, 2024
" My name is Jack Dunne. You killed my wife! Prepare to Die!"
I was expecting Mark Wales' hero to utter these immortal words as he confronted the Boss Villain 'The Principal' in the final scene of this near future 'thriller'. After all, the authorial thumb has been on the scales for the last 300 pages assuring that, whatever perils and scrapes our Jack encounters, he is able to attend this last battle. As a consequence, virtually all tension is sucked out of the narrative. We readers never need fear for Jack (or his son Happy for that matter). There is no 'Red Wedding' surprise twist.
'Outrider' makes decent beach or holiday reading if you don't take it too seriously. But it could have been so much better. The worldbuilding is sloppy, and the backstory thin. And plenty of logistic inconsistencies. If I was planning an assault on the Hill, I think I'd favour it with a couple of major artillery attacks to soften up the defenders, rather than make a frontal assault in an apocalyptic storm. Better research would have helped. Mark Wales seems knowlegeable about soldiering and about weapons and their use. And about surfing. Maybe a bit too keen on gory dismemberment of his hero's enemies. Not so much about geopolitics though. At least he gets that AUKUS is useless since all the imaginary submarines were sunk by China within hours of the beginning of the invasion of Taiwan. Minor nit pick - none of the submarines would have been ready to deploy and be sunk by 2029 though.
But why would China make its base on Great Australian Bight? Why bother with Victoria - even if it surrendered. Has the Iron ore resources it needs by occupying the North west. Why site a resistance base on Mt Dandenong - so easy to lay siege and reduce. I'd have preferred the Wombat Ranges around Glenrowan for preference.
A very anglo and male Australia (Jimbo, Horse etc) is depicted - no sign of the multicultural nation I know (though there is a token Sri Lankan). And only the Chinese 'Principal'(who does not get an actual name) mentions First Nations peoples. And rather too much of the male gaze on the few female characters. Creepy. Other than Dunne, no character is much fleshed out. And even he is barely 3 dimensional. His motivation, other than protection of his son runs to ' you hurt my people and I'll hurt yours worse'. He does question Australia's involvement in every war the US starts, but inexplicably still trusts the Americans, even after they left Australia to its fate when invaded by China.
Big fail on geography though. Author forgets where Vic/SA border is on p167. Hint, it is nowhere near the Great Australian Bight. And the coastline is fertile (not much saltbush), has lots of sandy beaches interspersed with rocky headlands - but not huge cliffs like along the Bight.
Also can't spell 'Lilydale'. Multiple times. Train tracks don't come within a kilometre of Lilydale Lake. I guess they were only mentioned so the cattle cars to the gulag could be mentioned once more. And they don't head in the direction of Mt Dandenong either. But there is indeed a Five Ways on Mt Dandenong, and a Pig and Whistle Hotel. But no raging river just off the ridge.
Likewise, cruise missiles launched from 300 miles west of Tasmania are not going to overfly Phillip Island en route to Mt Dandenong. Straight through the Port Phillip Heads more like it.
Another major failing is of course the tight timeframe of the (actually unnessessary)mission to collect an American asset dropped from a submarine and return them to 'the Hill' in just 72 hrs. Round trip of 3300km through hostile occupied territory. Crossing and recrossing a no doubt heavily guarded train line (which does not get a mention). Just not going to happen. Oh, and Jack Dunne brings his 11 YO son with him, rather than trained backup who could continue mission if anything happened to him!
And if they had a steath ship (as they do), then why on earth did they not use it to transfer the 'asset' closer to 'The Hill' rather than allowing this risky 3300km cross country expedition.
The thin backstory lacks insight into the 'traitors' of Victoria - why did Victoria surrender to China? Perhaps infrastructure and governance in Australia was failing due to excessive military expenditure on AUKUS, leading to massive opposition to US alliance? Also fails to examine Chinese perspective - what is the motivation and purpose of the enemy? The fantasy of 'Havanna Syndrome' weapons and the Chinese Gulag at 'The Yard' is a crude attempt to depict the Chinese as inhuman. It is just not credible or even sensible - better to use existing shipyards in Melbourne and Adelaide than build a new on with slave labour. And the citizens of Victoria are the ones who may be at least sympathetic to the Chinese cause. It seems unlikely that an occupying administration would make slave labour of a community which might support it. The construction of 'The Yard' in just 5 years seems very much a stretch. Oh and why strip the occupied lands of metals, leaving a Mad Max wasteland when you have the Iron Ore resorces of the Pilbara under your control. Another piece of the worldbuilding which collapses under cursory inspection. Doesn't make sense or represent a logical extrapolation.
What could have been a thoughtful thriller, imagining a near future conflict between the US and China, instead becomes another contibution to the current fashion for Sinophobia.
July 19, 2024
Was hoping for 'tomorrow when the war began', but got Andy Mcnab/super hero style. The kind of book where you can guess the ending and the main character walks away from every fight. This book followed the traditional hollywood action movie style. Not for me, but giving 3 stars as Im sure it would interest some young adults.
June 23, 2024
“Jess flinched at the very mention. Outrider. Rare. Highly trained. All combat experienced, with multiple tours. Extremely high IQs. Their capabilities could turn battles. Storms. Earthquakes. Tactical nukes. Outriders were the most elite troops AUKUS ever created, and they’d been hunted since the occupation began in 2029.”
Background: When you are asked to be the Reading Officer of Brothers and Books you get some pretty nifty perks, such as receiving Advanced Reader Copies of books. Thank you Mark Wales and his team at Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a copy of Outrider for review.
Lessons: Can we learn from a Fiction in the same way that we can learn lessons from Non-Fiction? Absolutely.
“What if there’s no hope?”
“There’s always hope. There’s always a way,” said Harry.
“That’s the truth,” said Jack.
The theme of Hope is central to this book. Hope has the profound ability to inspire, motivate and sustain individuals through challenges and adversity. Jack Dunne harnesses and models this Hope to his young son throughout the book and we can see the positive effects this has on the 12 year old boy who has known nothing but war.
Conclusions: Mark has created a vast and interesting new world for his creation Jack Dunne to play in. This story brings the visceral writing of Matthew Reilly together with the cinematic action of George Miller’s Mad Max Saga. But don’t be fooled into thinking you're in for mindless action because beneath the chaos that is occupied Victoria this is a story of a father and son that is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.
Background: When you are asked to be the Reading Officer of Brothers and Books you get some pretty nifty perks, such as receiving Advanced Reader Copies of books. Thank you Mark Wales and his team at Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a copy of Outrider for review.
Lessons: Can we learn from a Fiction in the same way that we can learn lessons from Non-Fiction? Absolutely.
“What if there’s no hope?”
“There’s always hope. There’s always a way,” said Harry.
“That’s the truth,” said Jack.
The theme of Hope is central to this book. Hope has the profound ability to inspire, motivate and sustain individuals through challenges and adversity. Jack Dunne harnesses and models this Hope to his young son throughout the book and we can see the positive effects this has on the 12 year old boy who has known nothing but war.
Conclusions: Mark has created a vast and interesting new world for his creation Jack Dunne to play in. This story brings the visceral writing of Matthew Reilly together with the cinematic action of George Miller’s Mad Max Saga. But don’t be fooled into thinking you're in for mindless action because beneath the chaos that is occupied Victoria this is a story of a father and son that is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.
October 12, 2024
A fast-paced, boys'-own adventure, with lots of blood, death & weaponry, set in a wild, futuristic, dystopian Australia. The country has been occupied by enemy Chinese forces: some parts of the country remain independent, but other areas have capitulated. Jack is part of the Resistance movement fighting for freedom in Victoria, an elite Outrider with superlative skills.
Not really my thing but entertaining enough. Jack Dunne seems a simple character, willing to go to any lengths to protect his young son, Harry, & very effective at it.
Not really my thing but entertaining enough. Jack Dunne seems a simple character, willing to go to any lengths to protect his young son, Harry, & very effective at it.
June 25, 2024
Entertaining dystopian fiction, fast paced and full of action.
We're in 2034 Australia and the country has been invaded by the Chinese. Jack Dunne is one of the last Outriders, an elite special operations soldier, and a key part of the resistance movement in Victoria.
Essentially an alternate war-time story, it's the relationship of Jack and his 11 year old son (who accompanies him during his travels and battles) that gives this tale a more personal touch.
We're in 2034 Australia and the country has been invaded by the Chinese. Jack Dunne is one of the last Outriders, an elite special operations soldier, and a key part of the resistance movement in Victoria.
Essentially an alternate war-time story, it's the relationship of Jack and his 11 year old son (who accompanies him during his travels and battles) that gives this tale a more personal touch.
April 3, 2025
Others have written in-depth reviews so I’ll just say it was a great romp. Not deep and has a few plot issues but fast paced and a lot of fun. I thought an elite unit being named ‘the Cranbourne Boys’ was a crack-up - so Aussie. Cool toys in the near future so that was interesting. Specced up Hulu’s Ute - perfect.
I finished it in a little over a day - a real page turner. I hope Wales writes some more.
I finished it in a little over a day - a real page turner. I hope Wales writes some more.
May 25, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 because I enjoyed it enough to finish in a day. Imaginary war fiction set in Australia just under a decade from today. No especially unpredictable turns but I could follow the military descriptions and the futurist imaginings were not totally silly. Dialogue not too clunky and characters reasonably engaging. I imagine this author will get another go and might improve with experience too. I’d read another.
October 25, 2024
Brilliant Aussie dystopian action thriller.
Set just a decade into the future, the reader is confronted by an Australia divided by degrees of Chinese military occupation and oppression. Would love to see the dystopian world expanded upon - how did we get here? Plenty of fertile ground for prequels or sequels.
Set just a decade into the future, the reader is confronted by an Australia divided by degrees of Chinese military occupation and oppression. Would love to see the dystopian world expanded upon - how did we get here? Plenty of fertile ground for prequels or sequels.
August 13, 2024
Just as the movie HEAT brought authenticity and integrity to Hollywood, Outrider has done the same for fiction novels. Written by someone who has seen the horror details with his own eyes, the story unfolds in a brutally honest portrayal of modern warfare. Well done, a much needed book.
January 28, 2025
I received a copy of Outrider from Pan Macmillan Australia to review.
Former Australian soldier and current media personality Mark Wales presents a particularly exciting debut novel with the gripping thriller Outrider. A gritty, intense, and absolutely action-packed dystopian thriller, Outrider is an awesome Australian novel readers will have a hard time getting away from.
Outrider was an intriguing and complex novel that envisions a dark near future for Australian and sets loose a bold new action hero into the resulting carnage. Set after a Chinese invasion of Australia, Outrider follows formidable resistance solider Jack Dunne and his son, Harry, as they attempt to save the lives of the last standing rebel fortress in Victoria from an upcoming war. Given a mission to journey across occupied Australia to recover a military asset who can provide specialised assistance in the upcoming battle to come, Jack and his son will need to run a gauntlet of bandits, Chinese soldiers and members of the collaborating Victorian militia working for them.
This was an intense and exciting piece of Australian fiction, and Wales really dug deep to present an authentic tale of desperation and war. Quickly and effectively introducing the 2034 dystopian setting, Wales takes the reader right into the action with a series of brutal early encounters that also set the rest of the narrative in motion. From there, the story turns into an intense, Mad Max-style road trip as Jack and Harry embark on their journey to reach the required military asset and bring them back before it was too late. This proves to be an excellent continued sequence, as the protagonists encounter obstacles and conflict, while also endearing themselves to the reader with a dive into their motivations and the history of events that drive Jack on. The second half of Outrider proves to be even more epic and intense, as the protagonists desperately attempt to overcome the deadly forces coming for them. This all leads up to the massive and impressive full on war sequence, with the fate of free Australia in the balance. Wales does not disappoint when it comes to this final massive fight sequence, and readers will be blown away by how impressive the carnage gets.
Wales really dug deep here and produced an outstanding and fantastic debut novel that I just could not get enough of. Making excellent use of his initial plot idea of a futuristic invaded Australia, Wales launches into a sharp and exciting narrative, that keeps grown in intensity as the book continues. Unsurprisingly, considering the author’s background, the action sequences in Outrider are particularly well written, and Wales does an excellent job portraying the carnage of combat to the reader. Each of these action sequences are well paced out and highly realistic (well, besides the highly advanced weapons), and the reader gets really drawn into them as a result as you can practically feel every shot or explosion. While the main appeal of Outrider is the action and exciting story, I really appreciated that Wales took the time to set up several complex and compelling characters. I felt that his protagonist, Jack Dunne, was an outstandingly damaged and angry main figure, whose loss of his wife is still raw for much of the book. These intense emotions, as well as the bond he continues to form with his young son as they journey across Australia, adds a powerful edge to Wales’ narrative, and it helped Outrider be more than just an awesome action novel.
The final fantastic element I want to highlight about Outrider is the intriguing background setting of an invaded Australia. Wales paints a haunting and disturbing picture of how this potential invasion would occur and in what form it would look like, and I liked the dark realism behind his ideas. I particularly enjoyed how he portrayed the Chinese as only occupying key sections of Australia, rather than the whole continent, which honestly makes a lot of sense, and it allows the protagonist to slip between different parts of the country as a result. The dive into collaborators and traitor militias continuing most of the fighting against the resistance, with China and the US playing proxy wars in the background, also had a tinge of realism behind it, even if we’d like to think differently. Finally, the grim details surrounding the invasion add an urgent edge to the plot, and you find yourself pulling for the protagonists even more, especially after a powerful scene where they witness certain train carriages going by. All of this proves to be an incredible background to a particularly exciting and engrossing read, and I loved seeing Wales’ intense look into the future.
Outrider by Mark Wales proved to be a particularly cool Australian thriller that I had an awesome time getting through. An inventive and intense debut novel from Wales, Outrider comes highly recommended, especially for fans of Australian fiction with a ton of action, and it is really worth checking it.
An abridged review of this book also ran in the Canberra Weekly on 25 July 2024:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2025/01/28/...
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
Former Australian soldier and current media personality Mark Wales presents a particularly exciting debut novel with the gripping thriller Outrider. A gritty, intense, and absolutely action-packed dystopian thriller, Outrider is an awesome Australian novel readers will have a hard time getting away from.
Outrider was an intriguing and complex novel that envisions a dark near future for Australian and sets loose a bold new action hero into the resulting carnage. Set after a Chinese invasion of Australia, Outrider follows formidable resistance solider Jack Dunne and his son, Harry, as they attempt to save the lives of the last standing rebel fortress in Victoria from an upcoming war. Given a mission to journey across occupied Australia to recover a military asset who can provide specialised assistance in the upcoming battle to come, Jack and his son will need to run a gauntlet of bandits, Chinese soldiers and members of the collaborating Victorian militia working for them.
This was an intense and exciting piece of Australian fiction, and Wales really dug deep to present an authentic tale of desperation and war. Quickly and effectively introducing the 2034 dystopian setting, Wales takes the reader right into the action with a series of brutal early encounters that also set the rest of the narrative in motion. From there, the story turns into an intense, Mad Max-style road trip as Jack and Harry embark on their journey to reach the required military asset and bring them back before it was too late. This proves to be an excellent continued sequence, as the protagonists encounter obstacles and conflict, while also endearing themselves to the reader with a dive into their motivations and the history of events that drive Jack on. The second half of Outrider proves to be even more epic and intense, as the protagonists desperately attempt to overcome the deadly forces coming for them. This all leads up to the massive and impressive full on war sequence, with the fate of free Australia in the balance. Wales does not disappoint when it comes to this final massive fight sequence, and readers will be blown away by how impressive the carnage gets.
Wales really dug deep here and produced an outstanding and fantastic debut novel that I just could not get enough of. Making excellent use of his initial plot idea of a futuristic invaded Australia, Wales launches into a sharp and exciting narrative, that keeps grown in intensity as the book continues. Unsurprisingly, considering the author’s background, the action sequences in Outrider are particularly well written, and Wales does an excellent job portraying the carnage of combat to the reader. Each of these action sequences are well paced out and highly realistic (well, besides the highly advanced weapons), and the reader gets really drawn into them as a result as you can practically feel every shot or explosion. While the main appeal of Outrider is the action and exciting story, I really appreciated that Wales took the time to set up several complex and compelling characters. I felt that his protagonist, Jack Dunne, was an outstandingly damaged and angry main figure, whose loss of his wife is still raw for much of the book. These intense emotions, as well as the bond he continues to form with his young son as they journey across Australia, adds a powerful edge to Wales’ narrative, and it helped Outrider be more than just an awesome action novel.
The final fantastic element I want to highlight about Outrider is the intriguing background setting of an invaded Australia. Wales paints a haunting and disturbing picture of how this potential invasion would occur and in what form it would look like, and I liked the dark realism behind his ideas. I particularly enjoyed how he portrayed the Chinese as only occupying key sections of Australia, rather than the whole continent, which honestly makes a lot of sense, and it allows the protagonist to slip between different parts of the country as a result. The dive into collaborators and traitor militias continuing most of the fighting against the resistance, with China and the US playing proxy wars in the background, also had a tinge of realism behind it, even if we’d like to think differently. Finally, the grim details surrounding the invasion add an urgent edge to the plot, and you find yourself pulling for the protagonists even more, especially after a powerful scene where they witness certain train carriages going by. All of this proves to be an incredible background to a particularly exciting and engrossing read, and I loved seeing Wales’ intense look into the future.
Outrider by Mark Wales proved to be a particularly cool Australian thriller that I had an awesome time getting through. An inventive and intense debut novel from Wales, Outrider comes highly recommended, especially for fans of Australian fiction with a ton of action, and it is really worth checking it.
An abridged review of this book also ran in the Canberra Weekly on 25 July 2024:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2025/01/28/...
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December 6, 2024
Written and set in the Dandenong Mountains, some of the landmarks were recognisable. That alone was a buzz. Tbook was excellent and I loved the pace, action and characters. The love between father and son is extraordinary. 4.5 stars.
July 24, 2024
3.5 stars
Read
August 10, 20247.5 Interesting story
August 30, 2024
Couldn't be bothered finishing it.
Poorly written attempt of Mattew Reilly IMO
Poorly written attempt of Mattew Reilly IMO
November 15, 2024
I enjoyed this because it was a bit futuristic, set in Australia with enough drama to keep me engaged.
January 9, 2025
This should be a movie. What a great read. Mark Wales makes the near future very believable.
January 26, 2025
Great read. Needs a foĺlow up
February 10, 2025
Excellent futuristic warm story set in a china occupied Victoria. Lots of action. If you like Lee Child, this could be for you.
Believable, capitulation of the weak Victorian government to China.
Believable, capitulation of the weak Victorian government to China.
Read
February 25, 2025This high-octane action thriller is set in a dystopic version of near-future Australia, now occupied by enemy forces – can special ops soldier Jack Dunne turn the tide? For fans of Matthew Reilly!
June 22, 2025
Fast, fun, and also really heartfelt! Explosive action that you just know is coming from the lived experience of the author. Brilliant.
August 29, 2025
Tomorrow when the War began, but defo not YA. Well written, fantastic detail, plausible scenario. Fight at the end was brutal but poetic
June 16, 2024
Loved it!!
Outrider was a wonderful dystopian military thriller. Set in 2034, 5 years after China invasion and occupation of Australia. There are a few pockets of resistance and that is where this story focuses. Jack Dunn is amongst this crew of “misfits”. It’s fast paced, action packed but mostly focused on the relationship between Jack and his son, Harry. Many fabulous, strong characters, not all very pleasant, but all add to make this a great story. Loved the ending. I sense a possible sequel, at least I hope so.
Outrider was a wonderful dystopian military thriller. Set in 2034, 5 years after China invasion and occupation of Australia. There are a few pockets of resistance and that is where this story focuses. Jack Dunn is amongst this crew of “misfits”. It’s fast paced, action packed but mostly focused on the relationship between Jack and his son, Harry. Many fabulous, strong characters, not all very pleasant, but all add to make this a great story. Loved the ending. I sense a possible sequel, at least I hope so.
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