Hunters and Warriors
Justin DAth

Allen & Unwin 2001

239p pbk  $15.95

ISBN: 1-86508-398-4  

 Genre: Friendship / Adventure / Suspense

Hunters and Warriors is a great book about what teenagers really get up to in their lives.   The story is set in semi-rural Australia.

The plot is about a young man, Sebastian, better known as Bass, who is trying to get through his Year Twelve. In doing so, he finds out about all the pressures and challenges that he has to face. While at camp, Bass nearly drowns after being swept off a coral reef in the middle of the night.

Soon after, due to a series of events, Sebastian discovers that normal people have the capability to change into violent killers if the circumstance allow.

This book is appealing because of the adventure and suspense. I would recommend this book for ages 12 and up and give it a 9 and a half out of ten.

Blaine, Year 7, Canberra, ACT

Hunters and Warriors is a thrilling novel about finding love, belonging and the strong bonds of friendship.

The main character, Bass, is a sensible young man who is still recovering from his mothers death. His friends are a bad influence and are always getting him into trouble, with his best friend Jarrod, being the leader of the pack.

Bass falls for the lovely down to earth girl, Natasa, who is not interested in Bass at all, but rather prefers Basss best friend. Yet this does not stop Bass, he even follows Natasa to Bird Island, hoping that he will gain her love, his plan is then shattered when he finds out that his friends will also join him, including the charming, good looking, infamous Jarrod. The love triangle is only broken when Bass is discovered as a hero, and then finally wins the heart of his fair love, or so it seems, only Bass knows the truth but the question is: will he reveal it?

It is a realistic kind of novel, based on a true story with high and low points, by this I mean that some parts are interesting while other parts of the book are not so interesting. (Unless its just me!)

The style and print size is very easy to read and the language is not so sophisticated that you cant understand it ;the book would probably target those around 14 to 17.

In my opinion, I found the part of the book a bit dull, however everyone has different interests so read it for yourself and you be the judge.    

For Sebastian Pringle or Bass as his mates call him, high school isnt much fun; he is constantly teased for being overweight by friends and foes alike.  Upon meeting Natasha, Bass tries to clean up his act by laying off various drugs and cigarettes, and strives constantly to impress her.  Trouble at home makes things even harder for him.  When on a school camp on Bird Island, Sebastian, the fellow who wouldnt hurt a fly, finds out why some feelings shouldnt be bottled up for too long.

I quite enjoyed this story as it was quick and easy to read.  Its also based on a true story and is very thought provoking.   Id say that it is intended for mature teenagers as it contains drug use, violence, bad language and sexual references.  The storyline is very well done and is good for reading alone.  The storyline holds the readers interest well, and I would suggest it to the avid reader or someone who finds most stories boring.

Alex, aged 17, NW coast, Tasmania

Bass tries to be a good person, to do the right things: give up drinking, drugs, and lose weight.  His friends make it hard for him, but he knows he'll show them in the end then came the break away to Bird Island which changed everything.

This is a fantastic, well written, amazingly realistic novel which makes us wonder about the true meaning of "humanity". 

The story line is exciting and believable and it is impossible to stop turning the pages until you find out what happens next.  The style draws you in, describing the people and events perfectly for the reader to get the most out of the plot, and to sympathise with and understand the characters.

The themes, at times, can be fairly gruesome, so this book is not for anyone with a weak stomach, but should be enjoyed by more adventurous readers.  The topics are perfectly selected for the intended audience of 12 to 16 year olds, and make this book enjoyable and fascinating. 

This is an absolute must read for any teenager who has ever regretted their actions and lived through the struggle of finding a solution.

The book Hunters and Warriors is a realistic story about a boy Sebastian Pringle, Bass. Throughout the book we have a recollection of all the events that have happened to Bass over a few months. One of the more touching events being his mother passing away and the way in which Bass decides to deal with it. The reader is also faced with Basss other problems such as the way he fits in with his friends and how he tries to find himself and explore who he really is.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It really is a book that is hard to put down. The storyline is so realistic that its hard to believe the characters are fictional. The story did start off slowly at the start but it eventually captured my full attention.             The thing that I really like about the book is that even though you may be nothing like the main character you learn to sympathise with him. The book is an excellent read and I really enjoyed feeling the characters emotions. Hunters and Warriors really is a book for teenagers who love a good read.

Dijana, aged 15, Adelaide, SA