Tracked

Gr 8 Up—Phoebe Van Zant's mother left her and her father, a legendary street racer, to fend for themselves on the planet Castra when Phee was very young. A few years later, her father mysteriously disappeared, and Phee was taken in by a caring family. Now 17, Phoebe hasn't been able to shake the thrill she also gets from racing, and she is blackmailed into racing for Benroyal, a very powerful corporation. It's not long before she discovers Benroyal's powers reach farther than any corporation should and there are plans for expansion. At the risk of losing her best friend, Bear, she and her new pacer, Cash, work with other undercovers to overthrow the corporation's stronghold on the government and the people of Castra. In this science fiction novel, Martin has fashioned a universe of planets created, built, or otherwise funded by corporations that rule society and the government, although the invented slang can slow readers from understanding it fully. The fast pace continues throughout the story, as races unfold, secrets are revealed, and readers get to know Phoebe, a snarky, strong-willed, female heroine whose ability to read people well is her saving grace. Filled with new technology, political motivations, and action-packed racing scenes, this book will appeal to fans of the Fast and the Furious movies as well as readers of dystopia.