Item - Behind the Wheel

I really expected this to be roughly in line with Stock Car Champion, or even The Race Forever. Instead, this is a unique book, but in a pretty terrible way.

First, a big chunk of the story is how you get these psychic visions (?) where you see a variety of bad guys meeting to discuss their machinations. Montgomery needed some way to wedge in information that your character could never have seen, and this seemed like the best way to do it?

Second, acting on any of the information you learn in your "visions" results in negative endings, very quickly.

Third, there's surprisingly little driving in this book. There's a bit, but most of it seems like an opportunity to name drop cars.

Fourth, the villains have a plan to kidnap you, and hold you for ransom. This plan never comes to pass. In the rare endings that involve coming face-to-face with them, they decide to kill you rather than kidnap you. No reason is given.

Not a negative thing, but just a little odd - this is another instance of Montgomery providing a background for your character than involves your parents being divorced.

I can't recommend this book, even as a curiosity.

More reviews by Jordashebasics

D

Weird. Majorly weird. The whole italics/mind-reading mumbo-jumbo make this a very bizarre read. And for a man who loves writing about auto racing, Montgomery has some of the car makes wrong, just don't remember what they were exactly. (Wait a minute. I think he referred to an "Alpha Romeo" in some passages. Jog my memory, please!) So here you are, another kid whose parents aren't quite getting along, so you mosey over to Europe and meet up with your cousin Hubert to prepare for a revival of 1950's F1 and hillclimb racing. Some baddies led by a character named Raoul (famous line - "Remember, I am your friend!") want you to throw the big race, while you read their mind along the way and learn valuable lessons about life and mind-reading or whatever Montgomery called it. And pardon my French (no pun intended) because I think the ending where Hubert abruptly decides to sell his vintage cars and give the money to charity is the most downright (bleeping) preachy Montgomery ending of all time. I have no problem with giving large amounts of cash to charity as long as the cause is sincere, but realistically, would such a roadside epiphany as what Hubert and the main character saw change your mind overnight? Epic fail. You have to wonder what Montgomery's main point is - celebrating the glory of old-school auto racing, or condemning car collectors as people with too much money to spend when it should be going to help out the right causes.

More reviews by MrEndshiftresign