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The Chase Runner #1
The Chase
Win the Chase. Be the hero. Or die trying.
The chaos and anarchy following the Great Collapse nearly brought the world to its knees until the unchanging Law brought order and peace. Generations later, the twelve alliances of the World Coalition come together once a year to allow their best and brightest young people to compete in the Chase. The prize? A chance to pass exactly one new law.
The son of two former Chase runners, Willis Thomson is the top trainee in the Western Alliance. With the expectations of the world and his heritage driving him, he leads his elite Red Team as they prepare for his moment to become a coveted Law-changer.
Perryn Davis, the new leader of the Blue Team, struggles to survive as she competes as one of the designated losers. She knows that losing means genetic recoding, a process that cannot go on indefinitely, and longs to age out of the program before it kills her.
When a mysterious new racer with knowledge of the outside shows up at their orbiting training center, the natural order of the Western Alliance trainees is upended. In a world where too much knowledge is dangerous, Willis and Perryn find themselves in a race to save their lives and uncover the hidden underbelly of the peaceful World Coalition.
The chaos and anarchy following the Great Collapse nearly brought the world to its knees until the unchanging Law brought order and peace. Generations later, the twelve alliances of the World Coalition come together once a year to allow their best and brightest young people to compete in the Chase. The prize? A chance to pass exactly one new law.
The son of two former Chase runners, Willis Thomson is the top trainee in the Western Alliance. With the expectations of the world and his heritage driving him, he leads his elite Red Team as they prepare for his moment to become a coveted Law-changer.
Perryn Davis, the new leader of the Blue Team, struggles to survive as she competes as one of the designated losers. She knows that losing means genetic recoding, a process that cannot go on indefinitely, and longs to age out of the program before it kills her.
When a mysterious new racer with knowledge of the outside shows up at their orbiting training center, the natural order of the Western Alliance trainees is upended. In a world where too much knowledge is dangerous, Willis and Perryn find themselves in a race to save their lives and uncover the hidden underbelly of the peaceful World Coalition.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2021
28 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 12, 2021
Excellent read from this debut author. It's Hunger Games meets Maze Runner meets the Olympics in space - well, half in space.
The Chase reads fast, but dives deep into fascinating characters who I can't wait to read more about. Looking forward to the next books in the Chase Runner series!
The Chase reads fast, but dives deep into fascinating characters who I can't wait to read more about. Looking forward to the next books in the Chase Runner series!
May 3, 2021
The Chase is a YA sci-fi dystopian novel by author Bradley Caffee. The Chase is book one in The Chase Runner series.
The Great Collapse threatened to undo their way of life; corruption, conflict, lawlessness, and anarchy. Then came the Law. The winner of The Chase chose the new law of the year. The losers had to be recoded.
The Chase featured a new genre for me. I was quickly drawn into The Chase and highly recommend it. If the reader likes clean, wholesome Ya sci-fi dystopian they’ll want The Chase.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
The Great Collapse threatened to undo their way of life; corruption, conflict, lawlessness, and anarchy. Then came the Law. The winner of The Chase chose the new law of the year. The losers had to be recoded.
The Chase featured a new genre for me. I was quickly drawn into The Chase and highly recommend it. If the reader likes clean, wholesome Ya sci-fi dystopian they’ll want The Chase.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
October 30, 2023
A surprising read.
That’s what I can say. I didn’t know if I was going to like this book. YA dystopian novels have not been my favorite for a while now. There was a time that’s what I wanted to read, but now not so much. My husband ended up picking this out for me. He heard this sounded like the Hunger Games that was all he needed.
Every year there is the Chase. Every alliance competes in the Chase for a chance to make a small change in The Law that rules the world. Willis has been groomed since a young age to win the Chase. Both his parents had competed in the Chase. Perryn is just trying to survive without getting recoded again.
I wouldn’t say this is completely like the Hunger Games but more of if we could get a glance into look of those who trained for the games to win. I loved the premise. It wasn’t my favorite read but I did thoroughly like it. It looks like this will be a trilogy and it does look like it is finished. I will pick up the second book. It won’t be soon. I have a few more books to read by the end of this year. But if you like dystopian novels, I highly encourage this book.
That’s what I can say. I didn’t know if I was going to like this book. YA dystopian novels have not been my favorite for a while now. There was a time that’s what I wanted to read, but now not so much. My husband ended up picking this out for me. He heard this sounded like the Hunger Games that was all he needed.
Every year there is the Chase. Every alliance competes in the Chase for a chance to make a small change in The Law that rules the world. Willis has been groomed since a young age to win the Chase. Both his parents had competed in the Chase. Perryn is just trying to survive without getting recoded again.
I wouldn’t say this is completely like the Hunger Games but more of if we could get a glance into look of those who trained for the games to win. I loved the premise. It wasn’t my favorite read but I did thoroughly like it. It looks like this will be a trilogy and it does look like it is finished. I will pick up the second book. It won’t be soon. I have a few more books to read by the end of this year. But if you like dystopian novels, I highly encourage this book.
April 10, 2023
Ahem. Wow. I don't even remember where I found this book (guessing I must have stumbled across it in a promotion somewhere?), and I couldn’t have told you a thing about it when I randomly picked it off my Kindle. But...wow!
Okay, so I know the whole dystopian/high-stakes game thing isn't a new concept, although I haven't necessarily read all the obvious books you'd compare it to. But the races--even the training ones--were written in such a way that I was totally wrapped up in the details and invested in the outcome, more especially as I saw what it meant for the characters I'd come to love.
And love them I did! (Well, some of them...) As the "hope of the Alliance," born to two Chase winners and groomed to follow in their footsteps since he was a child, Willis could have been extremely annoying, but with all his focus on the race, he was a great leader, and I loved that he cared about more than the members of his own team. I cared about the races because he cared about them, and even though he had things to learn, I appreciated that he didn't dig in his heels and refuse to give up the comfortable fictions he'd been fed for so long. Perryn tugged at my heartstrings and made me just want to wrap her in a hug. Her outlook could be a bit pessimistic at times, but she had reason for it, and I felt for all the ups and downs she went through. And then Jaden! Gaaahhh, I loved Jaden so much! So authentic and unspoiled and hopeful, even with everything he'd been through. There was a lot of depth there that wasn't visible at first glance, but none of it changed the beauty of who he was. He's definitely tied with Willis in the running for my favorite character. And surprisingly, Kane, who started with almost nothing personality-wise, grew on me bit by bit until I really liked him by the end and want to know so much more about him.
Of course that's not half the characters in the book. The other runners were surprisingly well differentiated and easy to tell apart, and I liked, despised, tolerated, or felt sorry for them about as expected. Jez I wasn't a fan of from the beginning, but I felt a bit sorry for her by the end. (Still...reasons don't equal justification.) ‐_‐ Sheila was quite an interesting character, and I understood her struggle, even if I couldn't always track with her choices. The administrators I didn't like at all, and I was a little confused at a couple of points when they seemed to be waiting for an excuse to do the kind of thing they seemed to do at other times without provocation. But that was a minor issue, especially when it stopped them from doing things that would have made me very upset and probably wrecked the story. ;) Oh, and Willis's parents! I loved them when we finally got to meet them. Such a great story. <3
The sci-fi aspect of the space training center and all the different tracks was fun. The recoding thing was a bit creepy--apparently they have a way to move people's minds/personalities/memories (or at least parts of them...) to a new copy of their bodies? Ugh, I was not the biggest fan of that, but it wasn’t presented as a good in the story, and it gave a strong motivation to certain characters in particular. There were a few parts that were also a little darker than I expected (I know, I know, it's dystopian, but after a number of near misses, I start to forget that it might be real next time). But the end of the final Chase was amazing, and I'm incredibly excited for the next book!
Content--mentions of accidents, injuries, and deaths; violence, including threats, abuse, sabotage, and attempted murder; mentions of people's memories and inclinations being tampered with; some slight teenage romance (no kissing); cult-like mantras and authoritarian powers used by world government
Okay, so I know the whole dystopian/high-stakes game thing isn't a new concept, although I haven't necessarily read all the obvious books you'd compare it to. But the races--even the training ones--were written in such a way that I was totally wrapped up in the details and invested in the outcome, more especially as I saw what it meant for the characters I'd come to love.
And love them I did! (Well, some of them...) As the "hope of the Alliance," born to two Chase winners and groomed to follow in their footsteps since he was a child, Willis could have been extremely annoying, but with all his focus on the race, he was a great leader, and I loved that he cared about more than the members of his own team. I cared about the races because he cared about them, and even though he had things to learn, I appreciated that he didn't dig in his heels and refuse to give up the comfortable fictions he'd been fed for so long. Perryn tugged at my heartstrings and made me just want to wrap her in a hug. Her outlook could be a bit pessimistic at times, but she had reason for it, and I felt for all the ups and downs she went through. And then Jaden! Gaaahhh, I loved Jaden so much! So authentic and unspoiled and hopeful, even with everything he'd been through. There was a lot of depth there that wasn't visible at first glance, but none of it changed the beauty of who he was. He's definitely tied with Willis in the running for my favorite character. And surprisingly, Kane, who started with almost nothing personality-wise, grew on me bit by bit until I really liked him by the end and want to know so much more about him.
Of course that's not half the characters in the book. The other runners were surprisingly well differentiated and easy to tell apart, and I liked, despised, tolerated, or felt sorry for them about as expected. Jez I wasn't a fan of from the beginning, but I felt a bit sorry for her by the end. (Still...reasons don't equal justification.) ‐_‐ Sheila was quite an interesting character, and I understood her struggle, even if I couldn't always track with her choices. The administrators I didn't like at all, and I was a little confused at a couple of points when they seemed to be waiting for an excuse to do the kind of thing they seemed to do at other times without provocation. But that was a minor issue, especially when it stopped them from doing things that would have made me very upset and probably wrecked the story. ;) Oh, and Willis's parents! I loved them when we finally got to meet them. Such a great story. <3
The sci-fi aspect of the space training center and all the different tracks was fun. The recoding thing was a bit creepy--apparently they have a way to move people's minds/personalities/memories (or at least parts of them...) to a new copy of their bodies? Ugh, I was not the biggest fan of that, but it wasn’t presented as a good in the story, and it gave a strong motivation to certain characters in particular. There were a few parts that were also a little darker than I expected (I know, I know, it's dystopian, but after a number of near misses, I start to forget that it might be real next time). But the end of the final Chase was amazing, and I'm incredibly excited for the next book!
Content--mentions of accidents, injuries, and deaths; violence, including threats, abuse, sabotage, and attempted murder; mentions of people's memories and inclinations being tampered with; some slight teenage romance (no kissing); cult-like mantras and authoritarian powers used by world government
Read
June 16, 2021Fascinating!
Willis had been born to race. He had trained his entire life. Was THE elite runner. The brilliant team leader. The hope of the Western Alliance. And now his world was about to be turned upside down...
I don't tend to read many dystopian stories. I enjoy them but some tend towards being dark and gory, which is something I try to avoid. And, actually, I didn't know the genre of The Chase until I started reading it. I just knew that I am not generally disappointed when I read books published by Mountain Brook Ink and I wanted to give it a try.
I am so glad I read it!
Talk about having intense expectations placed on you! Willis was put in the position where everyone expected him to save the world. To be the one person out of everyone in the world to win The Chase. I loved getting into his head and seeing his struggles. His doubts about those around him and the questions he asked himself when he realized that everything wasn't exactly as it seemed. And how he handled the struggle between doing what was right and what he had been coded to do.
Perryn was almost the opposite. While she was also an elite racer - she wouldn't have been at the training station if she wasn't - she never was quite as good. The number of recodings she had undergone was evidence of that! Knowing that failure would result in her death ate away at her confidence. And yet she was still somehow able to cling to hope.
I loved these characters, the intense story of their training, and the battles between the teams as they vied for the right to compete for the Western Alliance - and especially to avoid being recoded. Which was as awful as it sounds! Their intense emotions were as expertly described as were the intricate and dangerous courses they had to race through.
Suspenseful and filled with fierce tension between characters, The Chase questioned their blind allegiance to "The Law" and the wisdom of giving supreme power to a single leader. It was filled with opportunities for making life-defining choices between right and wrong.
If you are a fan of dystopian fiction, or even just a dabbler like I am, I encourage you to read this wonderful debut novel. And stay tuned for more.
Originally Reviewed on Among The Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Willis had been born to race. He had trained his entire life. Was THE elite runner. The brilliant team leader. The hope of the Western Alliance. And now his world was about to be turned upside down...
I don't tend to read many dystopian stories. I enjoy them but some tend towards being dark and gory, which is something I try to avoid. And, actually, I didn't know the genre of The Chase until I started reading it. I just knew that I am not generally disappointed when I read books published by Mountain Brook Ink and I wanted to give it a try.
I am so glad I read it!
Talk about having intense expectations placed on you! Willis was put in the position where everyone expected him to save the world. To be the one person out of everyone in the world to win The Chase. I loved getting into his head and seeing his struggles. His doubts about those around him and the questions he asked himself when he realized that everything wasn't exactly as it seemed. And how he handled the struggle between doing what was right and what he had been coded to do.
Perryn was almost the opposite. While she was also an elite racer - she wouldn't have been at the training station if she wasn't - she never was quite as good. The number of recodings she had undergone was evidence of that! Knowing that failure would result in her death ate away at her confidence. And yet she was still somehow able to cling to hope.
I loved these characters, the intense story of their training, and the battles between the teams as they vied for the right to compete for the Western Alliance - and especially to avoid being recoded. Which was as awful as it sounds! Their intense emotions were as expertly described as were the intricate and dangerous courses they had to race through.
Suspenseful and filled with fierce tension between characters, The Chase questioned their blind allegiance to "The Law" and the wisdom of giving supreme power to a single leader. It was filled with opportunities for making life-defining choices between right and wrong.
If you are a fan of dystopian fiction, or even just a dabbler like I am, I encourage you to read this wonderful debut novel. And stay tuned for more.
Originally Reviewed on Among The Reads
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
June 7, 2021
The Chase is the first in a YA dystopian series about Willis, a boy who has been groomed from childhood to be the hope of his alliance.
Plot: Your basic dystopian plot with some interesting twists. High stakes. Believable tension.
World-building: Solid, well-developed, and interesting, particularly the space station for training (and its secrets).
Characters: Focuses on Willis, his team/friends, and his rivals, but also includes some POV from a spunky journalist, which gives good perspective. All major characters are well-developed and unique. They feel real, and their arcs feel well-earned. Jez, Sheila, and Jaden were particular favorites for me for their secrets, sass, and humor, respectively.
Pacing: Well-paced and exciting, after a slow start. Particularly good build-up of tension.
Writing: A little bit choppy up front, which I felt was caused by a bit too much info-dumping on the world-building, but smooths out once it gets into the flow. Action scenes written particularly well.
4.5 stars
I received a free ARC in return for an honest review.
Plot: Your basic dystopian plot with some interesting twists. High stakes. Believable tension.
World-building: Solid, well-developed, and interesting, particularly the space station for training (and its secrets).
Characters: Focuses on Willis, his team/friends, and his rivals, but also includes some POV from a spunky journalist, which gives good perspective. All major characters are well-developed and unique. They feel real, and their arcs feel well-earned. Jez, Sheila, and Jaden were particular favorites for me for their secrets, sass, and humor, respectively.
Pacing: Well-paced and exciting, after a slow start. Particularly good build-up of tension.
Writing: A little bit choppy up front, which I felt was caused by a bit too much info-dumping on the world-building, but smooths out once it gets into the flow. Action scenes written particularly well.
4.5 stars
I received a free ARC in return for an honest review.
August 21, 2021
The book may be aimed at a younger audience, but this very grown up man really enjoyed it. It is a compelling story with interesting characters, and the tension in the story builds nicely to a crescendo at the end. A main part of the story involves a number of foot races over courses with obstacles built into them. Chaffee’s descriptions of the various courses as the races unfold on them were skillfully done and created clear visuals in my mind as I read them. At the end of the book is an excerpt from chapter one of what will be book 2 in the series. I can’t wait!
June 9, 2021
A young adult dystopian fiction that suits all ages. This easy and engaging read will keep you on your toes the entire time wanting to know what happens next. Between a cute young love blooming and the action packed details of the training and running of The Chase, you won't want to put this down and you won't be disappointed by the end! I cannot wait to ready what comes next in Willis and Perryn's story in book 2.
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November 23, 2021The Chase is the first in a series, and it's a great start. The plot dashes to out to grab a reader's attention quickly and keeps the plot going - making the reader guess and keeping them engrossed until the end. It's a fun read, and I look forward to the rest of the series.
March 30, 2023
I’m not typically a dystopian person but I thought this was well done. The worldbuilding was excellent as well as the character arcs and plot. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and the world. An interesting dystopian take!
content: some violence and death, mentions of slavery, threats against characters and loved ones, talk of "recoding" - where the doctors transfer your brain to a different body? This can be used in case of injury but is often threatened as punishment. Manipulation and mind control, through erasing memories during recoding and later through a mind altering injection.
content: some violence and death, mentions of slavery, threats against characters and loved ones, talk of "recoding" - where the doctors transfer your brain to a different body? This can be used in case of injury but is often threatened as punishment. Manipulation and mind control, through erasing memories during recoding and later through a mind altering injection.
June 2, 2022
Featuring futuristic training for a contest between teenagers overseen by an evil world-dictator, The Chase is clearly inspired by The Hunger Games. Fans of dystopian sci-fi will enjoy this.
The Chase presents an ensemble cast of characters, each unique. The mix of personalities and relationships makes for great tension. Most of the story focuses on the racers in training, competing for the chance to run in the big race at the end (called “The Chase”).
As I spent most of the book getting to know the characters in training, and I wish more of them could have made it to the Chase to carry on all that great angst and conflict.
Despite this, Caffee recovers the tension by introducing more at the end, but some readers may find this transition less climactic.
The book closes with the main story questions answered, giving a satisfying finish, but also sets things in motion at the end to set up for the sequel.
The Chase is refreshingly clean, with no sex or swearing. There is some violence, though not graphic. Although clearly aimed at young adults, some younger audiences would enjoy it as well.
The Chase presents an ensemble cast of characters, each unique. The mix of personalities and relationships makes for great tension. Most of the story focuses on the racers in training, competing for the chance to run in the big race at the end (called “The Chase”).
As I spent most of the book getting to know the characters in training, and I wish more of them could have made it to the Chase to carry on all that great angst and conflict.
Despite this, Caffee recovers the tension by introducing more at the end, but some readers may find this transition less climactic.
The book closes with the main story questions answered, giving a satisfying finish, but also sets things in motion at the end to set up for the sequel.
The Chase is refreshingly clean, with no sex or swearing. There is some violence, though not graphic. Although clearly aimed at young adults, some younger audiences would enjoy it as well.
June 16, 2021
I'm diving into a new world where one Law rules Earth's global society with an iron fist. Each year, they pit teens against one another in a race to determine who will change or add to that Law. Lose the race, and they reassembled your genetic code - painful and disturbing - until your final 100th recoding... Win the race, and you can change the Law for everyone on Earth. Over the years these changes have resulted in economic disparity and deep-seated division.
Reminds me of a cross between The Running Man (Richard Bachman/Stephen King), The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), and the Ender's Game Series (Orson Scott Card). A clean read with plenty of action and stakes that continue to increase - this is a novel that will impact more than its Young Adults target audience.
Reminds me of a cross between The Running Man (Richard Bachman/Stephen King), The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), and the Ender's Game Series (Orson Scott Card). A clean read with plenty of action and stakes that continue to increase - this is a novel that will impact more than its Young Adults target audience.
November 1, 2021
A little Ender’s Game, a little Hunger Games, a little sports fiction, and a lot of action! The Chase is a fast-paced, character-driven story that made me stay up too late reading.
This book didn't have as much worldbuilding as some other sci-fi/dystopian books I've read, but it did a great job focusing on worldbuilding a specific location, the Western Alliance training center. That was probably a good thing, because it let me hit the ground running with the characters (no pun intended). It also kept some mystery around the story. Still, I look forward to finding out more about the world in The Choice!
This book didn't have as much worldbuilding as some other sci-fi/dystopian books I've read, but it did a great job focusing on worldbuilding a specific location, the Western Alliance training center. That was probably a good thing, because it let me hit the ground running with the characters (no pun intended). It also kept some mystery around the story. Still, I look forward to finding out more about the world in The Choice!
June 2, 2021
This book was AMAZING!! I honestly couldn’t put it down!! I got totally attached to the characters and lost in the pages of the story...which is exactly what you want when reading a fiction novel. It was clean but not cheesy, great for all ages, full of action, deep plot lines, and VERY WELL WRITTEN. I’m excited for book 2!!!!
June 5, 2021
A YA dystopian genre must read! This book is an easy read with great characters that will draw you in and leave you wanting more. So glad it’s one of a series, can’t wait for the next one to be released.
June 14, 2021
I love YA fiction books and this is everything I like about them. It grabs the readers attention and connects them to the characters, captivating them the entire time. A great read and highly recommend.
June 21, 2021
The Chase lives up to its title as a speedy ride full of high stakes and super fun characters. It's clean, I really enjoyed reading it, and I think teenage boys would LOVE IT (and who doesn't enjoy a setting full of obstacle races?). Pick this book up!
July 6, 2021
It was fast-paced and kept me reading, wanting to know what would happen next. I really enjoyed the main characters and felt invested in what would happen to them – and I'm eager to see what will happen in the next installment!
June 2, 2021
best book ever
June 11, 2021
This book is such a fast paced read! Once the adventure with Willis starts, I was not able to put the book down. This is a perfect young adult adventure novel!
May 7, 2022
Ok, I can't just give a three-star rating without some explanation. I love that Christian authors are writing YA. That's a tough world to break into but so desperately needed.
Honestly, I wish this book would've had a stronger editing team. There are things editors should've caught to make it a stronger story. There could've been so much more character depth (I'll add my two cents, for whatever it's worth, at the bottom because
...spoilers.)
Yes, it's very reminiscent of Hunger Games and the like, but those books have been done and are very recognizable.
Spoilers below!
Jez - I spent the first part of the book generally liking her. She has a good reason for her villainous actions, and so she's relatable. Even her feelings for Willis make sense, especially as a teenage girl. They've been training together for a long time, so they would be close. So after she's recorded, he never thinks of her again? There's no reflection, reminiscence, or regret?
Kane - Yes, I liked him. Big, silent bodyguard. But his silence made him so flat. We didn't get to see or learn anything personal about him. What motivated him? What happened in his past? How could he be one of the closest people to Willis, yet Willis knows nothing about him? I kept waiting for some kind of conversation that never happened.
The other Chase competitors - Why did Willis know nothing of his competition? He knew of DeLuca. If he spent his whole life preparing for this one day, wouldn't he know every detail of the other teams?
Ok, I'll lay off now. Obviously, there was a lot of thought and care put into this novel. Like I said, I'm more frustrated with the editors than the author. Maybe the sequel fleshes out some things missed in this book. I just hope there's more effort put into diving into the characters. Give them some depth! Make the reader care! Show, don't tell! (And a handful of other things writers hear a bazillion times!) :)
The recoding was a neat idea, as it added needed pressure and conflict. There were also some connections between the story and Christian faith, especially at the end. They weren't particularly obvious, but I think subtlety can open doors as well.
I hate giving lower ratings, but I hope I explained a few of the issues in a helpful way. I wish you all the best, Mr. Caffee. Please keep working at your craft. The world desperately needs trustworthy stories.
Honestly, I wish this book would've had a stronger editing team. There are things editors should've caught to make it a stronger story. There could've been so much more character depth (I'll add my two cents, for whatever it's worth, at the bottom because
...spoilers.)
Yes, it's very reminiscent of Hunger Games and the like, but those books have been done and are very recognizable.
Spoilers below!
Jez - I spent the first part of the book generally liking her. She has a good reason for her villainous actions, and so she's relatable. Even her feelings for Willis make sense, especially as a teenage girl. They've been training together for a long time, so they would be close. So after she's recorded, he never thinks of her again? There's no reflection, reminiscence, or regret?
Kane - Yes, I liked him. Big, silent bodyguard. But his silence made him so flat. We didn't get to see or learn anything personal about him. What motivated him? What happened in his past? How could he be one of the closest people to Willis, yet Willis knows nothing about him? I kept waiting for some kind of conversation that never happened.
The other Chase competitors - Why did Willis know nothing of his competition? He knew of DeLuca. If he spent his whole life preparing for this one day, wouldn't he know every detail of the other teams?
Ok, I'll lay off now. Obviously, there was a lot of thought and care put into this novel. Like I said, I'm more frustrated with the editors than the author. Maybe the sequel fleshes out some things missed in this book. I just hope there's more effort put into diving into the characters. Give them some depth! Make the reader care! Show, don't tell! (And a handful of other things writers hear a bazillion times!) :)
The recoding was a neat idea, as it added needed pressure and conflict. There were also some connections between the story and Christian faith, especially at the end. They weren't particularly obvious, but I think subtlety can open doors as well.
I hate giving lower ratings, but I hope I explained a few of the issues in a helpful way. I wish you all the best, Mr. Caffee. Please keep working at your craft. The world desperately needs trustworthy stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2025
One of the most underrated books ever!! I absolutely love the action and tension in this book, as well as the sweet slow burn romance. Perryn is one of my favorite characters ever! I love her story from self doubt to confidence through the series! I also am in love with the match up between Willis, the boy who is destined to win, and Perryn, the girl who is fighting against her impending loss (and death). And of course, we cannot forget the sweetest golden retriever-ish Jaden! I love that he’s the glue of the whole group, and the Willis-Jaden bromance is my actual favorite thing ever. THE GYM SCENE!!! Like broooo?!?!?!
In conclusion: please read this book!!! It’s such a great dystopian and romance with such an inventive and unique plot! I fell in love with the characters as well!
BIG SPOILER FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND BOOK: the only thing that bothered me is the exploding of the space station, because so many characters that I fell in love with in the first series just disappeared for no reason. Like Casey and Zeke (I think that’s his name) never got a happy ending! And Dex!!! Oh my gosh Dex was just left on the station!! I’m glad Kane and Jaden were on earth at least, and I don’t really care about any of the others, (like Toad, good riddance) but the Stones and and Dex make me sad they they weren’t even thought about again. Same thing with the cab driver (what was his name?!?!) I thought there was something with him and Shiela, but when he died she was sad and then just never thought about him again?
All that to say, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the series, and was just a bit bothered by the way character deaths were so quickly forgotten.
In conclusion: please read this book!!! It’s such a great dystopian and romance with such an inventive and unique plot! I fell in love with the characters as well!
BIG SPOILER FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND BOOK: the only thing that bothered me is the exploding of the space station, because so many characters that I fell in love with in the first series just disappeared for no reason. Like Casey and Zeke (I think that’s his name) never got a happy ending! And Dex!!! Oh my gosh Dex was just left on the station!! I’m glad Kane and Jaden were on earth at least, and I don’t really care about any of the others, (like Toad, good riddance) but the Stones and and Dex make me sad they they weren’t even thought about again. Same thing with the cab driver (what was his name?!?!) I thought there was something with him and Shiela, but when he died she was sad and then just never thought about him again?
All that to say, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the series, and was just a bit bothered by the way character deaths were so quickly forgotten.
May 17, 2025
Hope-filled dystopian. I never thought I enjoyed this genre until Bradley Caffee’s books were recommended to me. Absolutely riveting read! Fast-paced, action-packed, clean fiction for teenagers.
Recommended age: 15+
Read full review here: https://theradicalreader.com/the-chas...
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Noteworthy Elements: *taken from https://theradicalreader.com/the-chas...*
Profanity: No explicit swearwords are used, but slang terms like crap, heck, and geez are touched upon throughout the stories.
Sexual Tension: There are no explicit sexual or romantic scenes. The main character, Willis, is referred to as “hot” and “the pretty boy” by a flirtatious girl.
Other: Though not “Christian” in a typical sense, some characters use expressions like “Oh, God”, “Dear God”, and “Thank God”. Some of them are parts of prayers and others are merely exclamations. The phrase “God-knows-what” also appears a few times. A few trainees use various alternatives to the term “kick some butt”. All of these references are minimal.
(These noteworthy elements are taken from the entire series, not just book one alone.)
Recommended age: 15+
Read full review here: https://theradicalreader.com/the-chas...
__________
Noteworthy Elements: *taken from https://theradicalreader.com/the-chas...*
Profanity: No explicit swearwords are used, but slang terms like crap, heck, and geez are touched upon throughout the stories.
Sexual Tension: There are no explicit sexual or romantic scenes. The main character, Willis, is referred to as “hot” and “the pretty boy” by a flirtatious girl.
Other: Though not “Christian” in a typical sense, some characters use expressions like “Oh, God”, “Dear God”, and “Thank God”. Some of them are parts of prayers and others are merely exclamations. The phrase “God-knows-what” also appears a few times. A few trainees use various alternatives to the term “kick some butt”. All of these references are minimal.
(These noteworthy elements are taken from the entire series, not just book one alone.)
February 20, 2023
This book really surprised me!
I picked it up expecting another dystopian hunger games feeling book...(and it was) but it was also sooooo much more then I expected. Normally my problem with dystopian focus's on the fact that the characters are flatly focused on survival and I don't care about them, and everything is hopeless.
So I was very happy when I immediately liked Willis and the characters around him (even some of the anti-hero's had hidden depth that changed my perception of them greatly) The entire story felt of hope, of driving to change for the better, instead of solely hoping to survive and that being the happy ending even as the evil in the world goes on.
I would definitely recommend reading this book!
Content warnings (that I remember):
Death (but not graphically described)
Mentions of Slavery
Romantic touch (handholding XD)
Mentions of Surgery that might be a little nauseating to some, but I had no problem with.
I picked it up expecting another dystopian hunger games feeling book...(and it was) but it was also sooooo much more then I expected. Normally my problem with dystopian focus's on the fact that the characters are flatly focused on survival and I don't care about them, and everything is hopeless.
So I was very happy when I immediately liked Willis and the characters around him (even some of the anti-hero's had hidden depth that changed my perception of them greatly) The entire story felt of hope, of driving to change for the better, instead of solely hoping to survive and that being the happy ending even as the evil in the world goes on.
I would definitely recommend reading this book!
Content warnings (that I remember):
Death (but not graphically described)
Mentions of Slavery
Romantic touch (handholding XD)
Mentions of Surgery that might be a little nauseating to some, but I had no problem with.
June 19, 2022
I feel a bit torn about this book. There were things I enjoyed and things that I struggled with.
I thought the concept of the race was cool. It reminded me a little bit of The Hunger Games in its high stakes, potential deadliness. The way the runners were sorted into teams that had a strong rivalry also reminded me a bit of Divergent.
I thought the character relationships were uneven. Some of the character relationships seemed layered and had a lot of nuance, but others didn't make sense to me. It seems like a series that could really go a lot of cool places as the story develops, though.
I think fans of Andrew Klavan's books would probably enjoy this book.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I thought the concept of the race was cool. It reminded me a little bit of The Hunger Games in its high stakes, potential deadliness. The way the runners were sorted into teams that had a strong rivalry also reminded me a bit of Divergent.
I thought the character relationships were uneven. Some of the character relationships seemed layered and had a lot of nuance, but others didn't make sense to me. It seems like a series that could really go a lot of cool places as the story develops, though.
I think fans of Andrew Klavan's books would probably enjoy this book.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 29, 2022
i love how descriptive this book is and I love how you can be more thoughtful about other perspectives of people in this book, at first it would be tempting to stop reading and get your dinner eaten at the table but as you go through more that temptation lessens and the book is very amazing! this book is very personal, love the book very much, there is many tension in this book that makes you want to read more, and if you want t0 know this imformation, there is not many romance. i love this book
June 29, 2023
This was a really good YA novel. I would recommend it to readers who like The Maze Runner series and/or The Hunger Game series. While I felt that the beginning was a little confusing, and some of the editing needed another pass through, I encourage the reader to stick with it-the confusion becomes clearer and the fast pace plot of the book will keep you turning pages. A little romance was thrown in however not enough to distract from the actual story. It was enlightening to read a “clean” YA novel without any added detailed smut. I look forward to reading the next novel.
January 29, 2025
The Chase is an action-packed dystopian read written from a Christian worldview with an amazing twist ending. The story propels readers into an exciting game of survival and a multi-layer mystery.
Well-crafted action sequences blend add to the suspense.
The Chase has a solid Christian foundation while delivering an exciting adventure. The story remains clean while still offering the excitement and intensity expected in a dystopian novel. And just when you think you have it all figured out, the ending thrills readers and completely changes the game.
Well-crafted action sequences blend add to the suspense.
The Chase has a solid Christian foundation while delivering an exciting adventure. The story remains clean while still offering the excitement and intensity expected in a dystopian novel. And just when you think you have it all figured out, the ending thrills readers and completely changes the game.
September 10, 2025
Hunger Games meets Ender's Game. Racing through obstacle courses in an Ender's Game-like-space station with teams, etc, but compete with each other while trying to overthrow the empire.
Caffee's first book, and it reads like a first book. A number of starting chapters of exposition almost made me dnf this book, but I stuck with it. In the end, I liked it well enough. Allegorical, which is sometimes tough to read because you already know what happens.
I will get the sequel, which seems to me is the highest of praise.
Caffee's first book, and it reads like a first book. A number of starting chapters of exposition almost made me dnf this book, but I stuck with it. In the end, I liked it well enough. Allegorical, which is sometimes tough to read because you already know what happens.
I will get the sequel, which seems to me is the highest of praise.
June 3, 2022
Dystopian story with compelling characters
The story takes place in a Dystopian world where laws are created by winners of the Chase. The characters training for the chase we're compelling and I found myself invested in their wins and losses. It was a thrilling ride from beginning to end and made me want to keep reading.
The story takes place in a Dystopian world where laws are created by winners of the Chase. The characters training for the chase we're compelling and I found myself invested in their wins and losses. It was a thrilling ride from beginning to end and made me want to keep reading.
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