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Daylight Runner
Asking questions in Ash Harbor can get you killed. Sol Wheat is asking a lot of questions . . . especially after his father vanishes and is accused of murder. Outside the huge domed city, an Ice Age has transformed Earth into an Arctic desert. But inside, the Machine, protected by the Clockworkers—a fearsome police organization—has become the source of the city's energy and a way for industrial leaders to wield enormous power. When a rogue organization begins posting messages warning of the Machine's impending failure, civil unrest grows. As Sol begins to uncover the city's deepest secrets, the Clockworkers start targeting him. Now he's on the run in Ash Harbor's underground, where gangs rule and danger lurks in every corner. His life and the survival of Ash Harbor are both at risk. In Oisín McGann's thrilling adventure, only the truth can help Sol Wheat escape the darkness.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2006
2 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Oisín McGann
64 books37 followersBorn in Dublin in 1973, Oisín spent his childhood there and in Drogheda, County Louth. He started writing and illustrating stories in copybooks when he was about six or seven, setting himself on a path that would steer him well clear of ever obtaining of a proper job.
Despite his writing habit, he spent most of school convinced he was going to become a zoologist, an aspiration he lost after taking his first art exam in third year at St. Olivers Community College. Unable to conceive of a way to make a living from writing fiction after his Leaving Cert., he decided to fund his dreams of being an author by working as an illustrator. He signed up for a design and print foundation course in Ballyfermot Senior College, Dublin, in 1990 and then studied animation at Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design.
In 1992 he dropped out of college to set himself up as a freelance illustrator/artist, serving the publishing and design industries. In 1997, he took up a position as Background Layout Designer for Fred Wolf films, working on the animated series of Zorro. After completing his contract, he decided to expand his horizons and left for London in February 1998 to seek his fortune. He found gainful employment as a security guard, watching over trains and then hospitals.
In January 1999, he joined the M&M Consultancy, a small advertising and design firm, as art director and soon expanded into copy writing. After three and a half years of working in advertising he became increasingly concerned for his immortal soul. He returned to Ireland in the summer of 2002 much as he had left – with no job, no home and some meagre savings. He set himself up as a freelance illustrator once more, before getting his first books published in 2003.
Oisin now works full-time as a writer and illustrator. He lives somewhere in the Irish countryside, where he won’t be heard shouting at his computer.
Despite his writing habit, he spent most of school convinced he was going to become a zoologist, an aspiration he lost after taking his first art exam in third year at St. Olivers Community College. Unable to conceive of a way to make a living from writing fiction after his Leaving Cert., he decided to fund his dreams of being an author by working as an illustrator. He signed up for a design and print foundation course in Ballyfermot Senior College, Dublin, in 1990 and then studied animation at Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design.
In 1992 he dropped out of college to set himself up as a freelance illustrator/artist, serving the publishing and design industries. In 1997, he took up a position as Background Layout Designer for Fred Wolf films, working on the animated series of Zorro. After completing his contract, he decided to expand his horizons and left for London in February 1998 to seek his fortune. He found gainful employment as a security guard, watching over trains and then hospitals.
In January 1999, he joined the M&M Consultancy, a small advertising and design firm, as art director and soon expanded into copy writing. After three and a half years of working in advertising he became increasingly concerned for his immortal soul. He returned to Ireland in the summer of 2002 much as he had left – with no job, no home and some meagre savings. He set himself up as a freelance illustrator once more, before getting his first books published in 2003.
Oisin now works full-time as a writer and illustrator. He lives somewhere in the Irish countryside, where he won’t be heard shouting at his computer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 10, 2011
Daylight Runner is a fictional storyline based on hardships that the human race has to endure in the future. The futuristic dystopian society is in an ice age, beyond the thick glass that surrounds the tiny city of Ash Harbour lays a desolate desert of snow. Sol Wheat is the main protagonist, along with his mentor Maslow. The beginning of the book starts off slow, and does not capture my interest, but from page 50 and on, I started developing a connection with Sol, as I could reflect myself in his actions. Sol and Maslow’s altercation is when the action of the book comes. Maslow is a very developed character with a questionable dark past that quizzes readers throughout the book. With his mysterious past and Sol’s determination, they go through an adventure to find the answers they desire.
The book is a great read for environmentally conscious male adolescents or adults. As I read the book, I could not help but reflect on how atrocious the citizens of Ash Harbour lived from the effect of global warming. It left me pondering about the estimates that environmentalists have made about the longevity of our planet. There are many fights in the book, with detailed descriptions of the action that occurs, including blood. This appeals to males, as they like the usage of intense action in any book. Don’t get me wrong; the story isn’t purely based on brute violence though. There is a main story that develops into further smaller side stories that advocate the further reading of the book. Sol tries to find the person who killed his father, but a mysterious twist is revealed near the end and turns readers perception upside down. This book is a great read, with a few mind-rattling segments and reflection opportunities.
July 7, 2018
One of the most original books I've read in a while. Refreshing, no matter how dark it gets at times.
January 10, 2024
The story had an interesting plot but it swore so much I stopped reading it.
November 18, 2025
I was drawn to the premise and world building of this book. The cover was giving me bioshock/ cyberpunk sort of vibes and the idea of living in a dome sounded interesting. However outside of that the way the world was developed wasn't my cup of tea. Personally i don't think smashing together 2 words to create gems such as palm-top, concraglass, clench hole and glasstic to consitute peak world building.
The main character felt self-insertey and unlikable to me and i could've predicted
One of my personal issues is that the unique world was barely utilised. It was mainly a nice setting for a standard story.
The main character felt self-insertey and unlikable to me and i could've predicted
One of my personal issues is that the unique world was barely utilised. It was mainly a nice setting for a standard story.
December 15, 2009
My thoughts...This was a thought provoking novel that had me thinking "what if" the whole time I read it. With all the environmental issues we are faced with on a daily basis, "what if" the worst case scenario happened and we were forced to live in a domed city beneath a frozen world? Those are the living conditions that make up the setting of this story. The author, Oisin McGann does a brilliant job of setting the scene. I found myself shuddering on several occasions imagining the living conditions, the recycled air and the constraints these people experienced daily.
The story is told from several characters point of view. First, Sol is a young boy who lost his mother and sister in an accident and is now dealing with the mysterious disappearance of his father. He is a quiet, observant teen who likes to take out his frustrations in the boxing ring. I liked his character and could see significant growth by the end of the book. The other two characters were his friend Chloe and his teacher Anna. Their POV's keep the story flowing and made it more interesting.
Overall I enjoyed the story line. I think this would be a good book for any age, but I think it would especially appeal to an adolescent boy. There is a fair amount of violence with some minor gore, there is very little romance-not too girly and it is full of action scenes. There are several mysteries to figure out as you try to decide who can be trusted and who not.
As for cons, it took me a while to get into the book. The last 100 pages were great and I read the end quickly. The beginning did a great job of setting up the story, but the middle just didn't grab me like I thought it would. For me, it picked up when the main character Sol had more interactions with the other characters. However I am glad I read it and I would recommend it to young readers who enjoy Science Fiction novels.
The story is told from several characters point of view. First, Sol is a young boy who lost his mother and sister in an accident and is now dealing with the mysterious disappearance of his father. He is a quiet, observant teen who likes to take out his frustrations in the boxing ring. I liked his character and could see significant growth by the end of the book. The other two characters were his friend Chloe and his teacher Anna. Their POV's keep the story flowing and made it more interesting.
Overall I enjoyed the story line. I think this would be a good book for any age, but I think it would especially appeal to an adolescent boy. There is a fair amount of violence with some minor gore, there is very little romance-not too girly and it is full of action scenes. There are several mysteries to figure out as you try to decide who can be trusted and who not.
As for cons, it took me a while to get into the book. The last 100 pages were great and I read the end quickly. The beginning did a great job of setting up the story, but the middle just didn't grab me like I thought it would. For me, it picked up when the main character Sol had more interactions with the other characters. However I am glad I read it and I would recommend it to young readers who enjoy Science Fiction novels.
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by Bookluver-Carol for TeensReadToo.com
Asking questions in Ash Harbor can get you killed.
Sol Wheat is asking a lot of questions . . . especially after his father vanishes and is accused of murder.
Outside of the huge domed city, an Ice Age has transformed Earth into an Arctic desert. But inside, the Machine, protected by the Clockworkers--a fearsome police organization--has become the source of the city's energy and a way for industrial leaders to wield enormous power. When a rogue organization begins posting messages warning of the Machine's impending failure, civil unrest grows.
As Sol begins to uncover the city's deepest secrets, the Clockworkers start targeting him. Now he's on the run in Ash Harbor's underground, where gangs rule and danger lurks in every corner. His life and the survival of Ash Harbor are both at risk.
It took me awhile to get into this book. The beginning and some of the middle was kind of boring, although I did like that the author included some background information and how the future came to be. But then, it got much more interesting. The book started to pick up; there was some action and futuristic elements that I enjoyed.
The change in point of view that happened every once in awhile allowed you to view the future through two seemingly unrelated teens. I did like the way the characters were written and the way they acted. The way it was set up to seem as if their worlds weren't connected until the middle of the book made it a bit more interesting.
Overall, if you're looking for a slow-starting but interesting futuristic novel, don't look much further than DAYLIGHT RUNNER.
Asking questions in Ash Harbor can get you killed.
Sol Wheat is asking a lot of questions . . . especially after his father vanishes and is accused of murder.
Outside of the huge domed city, an Ice Age has transformed Earth into an Arctic desert. But inside, the Machine, protected by the Clockworkers--a fearsome police organization--has become the source of the city's energy and a way for industrial leaders to wield enormous power. When a rogue organization begins posting messages warning of the Machine's impending failure, civil unrest grows.
As Sol begins to uncover the city's deepest secrets, the Clockworkers start targeting him. Now he's on the run in Ash Harbor's underground, where gangs rule and danger lurks in every corner. His life and the survival of Ash Harbor are both at risk.
It took me awhile to get into this book. The beginning and some of the middle was kind of boring, although I did like that the author included some background information and how the future came to be. But then, it got much more interesting. The book started to pick up; there was some action and futuristic elements that I enjoyed.
The change in point of view that happened every once in awhile allowed you to view the future through two seemingly unrelated teens. I did like the way the characters were written and the way they acted. The way it was set up to seem as if their worlds weren't connected until the middle of the book made it a bit more interesting.
Overall, if you're looking for a slow-starting but interesting futuristic novel, don't look much further than DAYLIGHT RUNNER.
November 7, 2012
Built to provide refuge for its population from the ravages of a frozen climate, Ash Harbour lies beneath a concraglass dome. Its streets, paths and bridges, are all constructed to generate power. This "Machine" is an intricately controlled system balanced in such way so that its inhabitants can go about their daily lives as "normally" as possible. But Ash Harbour's finely-tuned operation is under threat; the city is plagued by accidents, and they are steadily getting worse.
One kid, 16 year-old Solomon Wheat lives as happily as anyone can be in such a confined dark environment. (There is little light from above as the dome as it's often covered with snow.) But when his father, Gregor, is gone missing and is accused of murder, Sol begins to search for his father and soon is pursued by mobsters trying to collect on Gregor's gambling debts. The police are watching him, and so are the Clockworkers; a shadowy organisation founded to protect the operation of the Machine.
There's definitely an undertone of how capitalism has brought this mini society to its knees and how the people in power has made it hard for their citizen to live without light and heat. It would be quite depressing to live this way and the author translates well the feeling. One of the side characters Cloe is a rebellious kid whose band, the "Freak Soup", has been refused to be part of their school end-of-the-year gig because of the "inflammatory" content of her song lyrics. She basically condemns the system and the system is condemning her. All these greater messages are subtle and nicely put together.
A good read for young adults.
One kid, 16 year-old Solomon Wheat lives as happily as anyone can be in such a confined dark environment. (There is little light from above as the dome as it's often covered with snow.) But when his father, Gregor, is gone missing and is accused of murder, Sol begins to search for his father and soon is pursued by mobsters trying to collect on Gregor's gambling debts. The police are watching him, and so are the Clockworkers; a shadowy organisation founded to protect the operation of the Machine.
There's definitely an undertone of how capitalism has brought this mini society to its knees and how the people in power has made it hard for their citizen to live without light and heat. It would be quite depressing to live this way and the author translates well the feeling. One of the side characters Cloe is a rebellious kid whose band, the "Freak Soup", has been refused to be part of their school end-of-the-year gig because of the "inflammatory" content of her song lyrics. She basically condemns the system and the system is condemning her. All these greater messages are subtle and nicely put together.
A good read for young adults.
September 12, 2015
so. well. i was swayed in my judgement. i gave it two stars originally because for me, it lacked something. everyone i spoke to loved it, saying stuff like "it's so exciting", "the kids [at school] love it", "i couldn't put it down".
for me it was, mh. hence the two stars. i liked it in a way, it was an interesting world and the story was well thought out and constructed. and i'd never thought he'd be so brave to... no, won't spoil. however, it lacked... i don't know. it seemed to lack life. some more passion. i couldn't say why, because all my colleagues said the exact opposite. something to do with his style but i can't put my finger on it. it felt dry. would have to analyse it properly to find out exactly what my problem is but am too busy at the moment.
i upped the rating because since reading my school's year 13 went to hear Oisin McGann read from his book and then chat to him about it. i went too and the event was great (well, not all of it, like the interpreter, which was not needed and didn't know the book so interpreted a few things quite wrongly). he answered even the stupidest questions from my students (yes, there ARE stupid questions, regardless of what your teachers tell you in class). anyway, his answers cleared up a few choices and shifted my attention to the main issue of the book which is climate change. for that - it's good. so. up to three stars. also, the author was really lovely. he even gifted our school a drawing he'd made of the protagonist. wonderful.
for me it was, mh. hence the two stars. i liked it in a way, it was an interesting world and the story was well thought out and constructed. and i'd never thought he'd be so brave to... no, won't spoil. however, it lacked... i don't know. it seemed to lack life. some more passion. i couldn't say why, because all my colleagues said the exact opposite. something to do with his style but i can't put my finger on it. it felt dry. would have to analyse it properly to find out exactly what my problem is but am too busy at the moment.
i upped the rating because since reading my school's year 13 went to hear Oisin McGann read from his book and then chat to him about it. i went too and the event was great (well, not all of it, like the interpreter, which was not needed and didn't know the book so interpreted a few things quite wrongly). he answered even the stupidest questions from my students (yes, there ARE stupid questions, regardless of what your teachers tell you in class). anyway, his answers cleared up a few choices and shifted my attention to the main issue of the book which is climate change. for that - it's good. so. up to three stars. also, the author was really lovely. he even gifted our school a drawing he'd made of the protagonist. wonderful.
April 18, 2012
The world has entered an ice age like never before, very little remains of the human race and those still alive live in domed cities. Teenage boxer Soloman Wheat knows something is wrong when his father disappears, leaving him a gun and a note to trust no-one. Meanwhile his friend Cleo is more bothered about where her next hit of stem is coming from and getting her band the end of year gig at school, than the mysterious accidents happening to the machine that sustains them all.
Both are plunged into the underworld of their restrictive environment, and have to face the dangerous Clockworkers to survive.
This is a fairly fast paced thriller with some pretty violent scenes, but enough characterisation to make you root for the unlikely teenage heroes.
I have a soft spot for post-apocalyptic domed cities and the setting of this one adds to the grim, gritty and tense atmosphere of the novel.
Both are plunged into the underworld of their restrictive environment, and have to face the dangerous Clockworkers to survive.
This is a fairly fast paced thriller with some pretty violent scenes, but enough characterisation to make you root for the unlikely teenage heroes.
I have a soft spot for post-apocalyptic domed cities and the setting of this one adds to the grim, gritty and tense atmosphere of the novel.
December 31, 2022
Action packed thriller full of conspiracy and well crafted world building.
Sol lives in a world where the ice age has returned and the people left live in Ash Harbour, a domed city powered by what is called the Machine.
Anyone who is seen to mess with the Machine, messes with the Clockworkers, a covert, corrupt group who kill potential threats and make it look like an accident.
Sol wants to find out what happened to his missing father.
Whilst I loved the well developed characters and rooted for them throughout the story, Oisín has thought long and hard about how this world works and has interconnected this fluidly into the plot of the story.
The goals for these characters seem completely out of reach and the obstacles impossible to overcome which made for an extremely engaging story!
Sol lives in a world where the ice age has returned and the people left live in Ash Harbour, a domed city powered by what is called the Machine.
Anyone who is seen to mess with the Machine, messes with the Clockworkers, a covert, corrupt group who kill potential threats and make it look like an accident.
Sol wants to find out what happened to his missing father.
Whilst I loved the well developed characters and rooted for them throughout the story, Oisín has thought long and hard about how this world works and has interconnected this fluidly into the plot of the story.
The goals for these characters seem completely out of reach and the obstacles impossible to overcome which made for an extremely engaging story!
October 8, 2009
CAUTIONARY NOTE: I'm not 100% sure, but I think this was sent to me by the publisher as a freebie. I declare this because I'd not want to be fined $11,000 by some acne-packed bureaucrat.
It's not so long in the future and what's left of humanity is living in an enclosed environment called Ash Harbor; outside is not the arid desert environment we can in reality expect but a world in the grip of an ice age. Young Sol Wheat and his friends reveal that Ash Harbor is being run by corporate fascists who'll happily murder rather than give up an iota of their power. This is a tremendous page-turning adventure full of sudden dazzling flashes of acuity -- not least about the imbecility of the corporate/covert ops mind set. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book.
April 24, 2015
I liked the setting, a horror vision of a post climate change world where humankind has almost mnaged to wipe itself out. Only few human beings are left, living a life in near darkness under a glass dome. Nature is extinct, and violence and corruption rule. 16 year old Sol tries to find his father and gets entangled in a lethal web of the secret police. Survival seems impossible. it is a rather blood-soaked story, though, which is kind of realistic, but an extremely and sometimes also a bit boring context for an otherwise quite traditional plot. A boy (Sol), a girl (Cleo) and a handful of mysterious killers. Not quite my cup of tea, since it lacks a bit of subtlety. Perhaps I should read a few more of McGann's novels to get the whole picture.
October 29, 2008
Definitely a boybook. Mostly action, long chase and fight scenes that I found confusing, and on top of that the emotions were so random and inconsistent that I never would've believed them! Oisín McGann seemed to be trying to make the book believable and interesting and more than just a crummy action novel, but he pretty much failed. It took me a long time to read and for the last 50 pages or so, I was just trying to finish it and didn't care very much about the conclusion. Maslow was the only (somewhat) three-dimensional character.
Disappointing, because the cover and summary seemed good.
Disappointing, because the cover and summary seemed good.
July 19, 2014
Daylight Runner was like a lite/young Jason Bourne type story. While I liked the setting, it needed better description. The author spent too much time telling about it instead of showing it. The plot is definitely recycled, but still something that stirs emotion and reaction anyway. Toward the conclusion of the story it began to drag on (maybe that was me wanting to get it over with so I could start another book), and many of the story elements seemed disjointed or unnecessary. There were many enjoyable aspects of Daylight Runner, but it just didn't turn out to be a memorable or meaningful read.
March 14, 2014
I may be a bit too old for this but I liked it. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic future, where the only human survivors of a major ice age live in a city under a dome. Although the plot eluded me at times it was exciting and provided enough food for thought about how humanity seems unable to live without being under some kind of control. There was a great sense of tyranny throughout, and the characters Sol, Chloe, and Anna were interesting and great vehicles for the storyline. A pretty good dark thriller for the younger reader.
January 6, 2009
In a future world where a new ice age has taken over, people live in a domed city and things are breaking down and wearing out, when Sol's father disappears. As Sol tries to find out what happened, he discovers that there is a group called the Clockworkers, who are making people disappear, sabotaging factories and apartment buildings, etc. in the huge city. This is a thriller with lots of action and violence, some drug use- "stem". Good story!
December 26, 2015
For a book I picked up for free at my local train station, this read wasn't too bad for something to keep me occupied while heading home for the holidays. However, with that said, I found it a little to simplistic and rather boring for me to really enjoy it and I was more than happy to put it in my ever-growing charity shop pile once I was done with it.
December 2, 2008
Okay, sometimes the futuristic things can be fun--this one's about how people survive through the ice age (the one that's supposed to be coming) and all of the betrayal, murder, and conspiracies that go along with a milling people in a small space.
December 2, 2008
When Sol's dad goes missing, Sol moves outside of his normal return to track down his father and he keeps running into the mysterious Clockworkers.
Good fast paced action but with a confusing world set up that is neverly fully clarified.
Good fast paced action but with a confusing world set up that is neverly fully clarified.
November 9, 2009
I had a hard time getting into and enjoying this dystopian book. Not enough action and not enough explanation. Full review at One Librarian's Book Reviews.
May 13, 2013
It was a very interesting read. It was very creative, if not a little unbelievable. It took me awhile to figure out who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. When I found out, I was slightly surprised, but it made sense. I did enjoy it.
August 16, 2018
The book was a little unexciting in the first few pages but has it got into the story,thriller,action,adventure. I became intrigued with everything and how Sol was going to sort and find out the truth.
Want to read
January 29, 2009I loved this book even though I had a hard time getting started after the first 10 pages I was flying through it!
July 10, 2009
Despite what I felt was a little too much language for a teen read, the story itself was very interesting and gripping. Very enjoyable alternate reality.
August 22, 2009
A creative, original world, sadly ruined by paper-thin characters.
December 9, 2009
This is quite Orwellian and a little dark, but it's full of adventure and intrigue. I enjoyed reading it and was absorbed into this future world where only pockets of humanity struggle to exist.
January 24, 2010
Great book! A wonderful look at a utopian future. :)
November 3, 2012
Much better world building than in Merciless Reason. Perhaps a shorter format is more his forte?
October 4, 2012
Good book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews