Hover Car Racer
Encyclopedia
Hover Car Racer is a popular Sci-fi/Sports/Action
story written by Australian author Matthew Reilly
, originally released as a free fortnightly online serial, and later published by Pan MacMillan in 2004.
The novel, as the book title suggests, is about Hover Car Racing, a sport developed in the early 21st century. The fictional technology of hover cars relies on the magnetic field of the Earth, counter-balancing it to create an ultra-fast, new type of transport.
's Ender's Game
or Harry Potter
, with each of these novels featuring harrowing situations thrust upon young protagonists in a school-like environment.
The book was originally released for free online, in eight parts, before being published in hard-cover format. It was followed by a paperback edition in 2005 to appeal more to a younger market. The first part of the story can be read here.
Hover Car Racer is written in a similar vein to an action movie script, employing similar clichés and stereotypes. According to Reilly himself, the book is best read in installments, the manner in which it was released online.
Some critics have also described this book as a cross between the Harry Potter
series and Pod-Racing from the Star Wars
saga (in particular The Phantom Menace).
Included in the resources are:
The resource package is available at: http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/ in the resources section.
bought the rights to the film when the book was still only a manuscript, and has begun the screen-writing process. Currently it is unknown when the movie will begin production, though the rights are still with Disney as of 2010.
Action genre
The word action has more than one meaning in fiction. Action is one of the fiction-writing modes authors use to present fiction. The term is also used to describe an exiting event or circumstance.-Action as a fiction-writing mode:...
story written by Australian author Matthew Reilly
Matthew Reilly
Matthew John Reilly is an Australian action thriller writer. His novels are noted for their fast pace, twisting plots and intense action.- Biography :...
, originally released as a free fortnightly online serial, and later published by Pan MacMillan in 2004.
The novel, as the book title suggests, is about Hover Car Racing, a sport developed in the early 21st century. The fictional technology of hover cars relies on the magnetic field of the Earth, counter-balancing it to create an ultra-fast, new type of transport.
Plot introduction
This is the story of Jason Chaser, a talented young racer selected to attend the Race School. He's younger than the other students. He's smaller. His trusty car, the Argonaut, is older. But Jason Chaser is no ordinary racer. And as he races against the best drivers in the world he will learn that at Race School winning is everything, that not everyone in this world fights fair, and that you never ever have any friends on the track.Major themes
The novel is aimed primarily at a teenage demographic. It bears some resemblance to Orson Scott CardOrson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
's Ender's Game
Ender's Game
Ender's Game is a science fiction novel by American author Orson Scott Card. The book originated as the short story "Ender's Game", published in the August 1977 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Elaborating on characters and plot lines depicted in the novel, Card later wrote additional...
or Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
, with each of these novels featuring harrowing situations thrust upon young protagonists in a school-like environment.
The book was originally released for free online, in eight parts, before being published in hard-cover format. It was followed by a paperback edition in 2005 to appeal more to a younger market. The first part of the story can be read here.
Hover Car Racer is written in a similar vein to an action movie script, employing similar clichés and stereotypes. According to Reilly himself, the book is best read in installments, the manner in which it was released online.
Literary significance & criticism
The plot has been compared to Roger Zelany's Alien Speedway. The arguments are as follows:- Plot similarities (although Alien Speedway is set in space and Hover Car Racer is set in Tasmania).
- Parallels throughout, e.g.: befriends female racer, youngest student, works hard despite early setbacks, in Hover car racer Jason and Bug are adopted from a children’s home, refusing to be separated; in Alien Speedway the character is orphaned when his grandmother dies, he then flees authority before he can be taken to a children’s home. In both books the lead character is supported by former racer now teacher of racing school, has some good luck and wins the big race in the end.
Some critics have also described this book as a cross between the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series and Pod-Racing from the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
saga (in particular The Phantom Menace).
Teaching Resources
A package of teaching resources was created in early 2006 by Brendan McKinnon. The resources are aimed at giving students from the age of 12 to 16 a more thorough understanding of Hover Car Racer and help them to improve their skills in the areas of English, Geography and History.Included in the resources are:
- A flow chart of the suggested study pattern
- A parts of speech example sheet
- An interview with Matthew Reilly from Teenreads that includes a sheet of comprehension questions based on the interview
- Location study resources - studies of some famous locations in the world as mentioned in Hover Car Racer
- Open and closed comprehension questions and activities for every chapter in Hover Car Racer (answer sheets included)
- Project sheets - projects for students to undertake after completing the reading of the novel
- Assessment for question work and project work
The resource package is available at: http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/ in the resources section.
Film adaptation
DisneyThe Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
bought the rights to the film when the book was still only a manuscript, and has begun the screen-writing process. Currently it is unknown when the movie will begin production, though the rights are still with Disney as of 2010.
External links
- MatthewReilly.com - homepage of author
- HoverCarRacer.com - official website, now just a splash page
- Foldable Paper Argonaut - a downloadable paper model of a vehicle from the novel