probably aimed at a younger age group, I found the characters annoying and I didn't really get why Noah felt the need to suck up to the popular kids when he had a perfectly good friend already. ( )

A companion novella to "Rock war" by Robert Muchamore and part of the "quick reads" series of publications.
Known for the 'Cherub' and 'Henderson Boys' series about espionage, the subject changes to the music industry in "Rock war". However both new books have plenty of action to keep you reading so the style is not so different from his previous books.
Noah, the main character, is a young amputee who is confined to a wheelchair. His best friend Sadie is a tomboy, who is always ready to defend him. Noah and Sadie generally steer clear of the cool kids but he'd give anything to get through to the Rock War audition. Noah's a good guitarist and when he is given the opportunity to join a group, he jumps at the chance. It is not because he expects to win and reach stardom, it is because he wants to attend the music camp where they will be trained before they do any of the live shows.
Our protagonist, Noah, is funny and realistic, Sadie is likeable but the villain of the piece, Fergal, is a bit of a bad-guy/bully caricature and becomes even more so in the climax to the story.
It is an entertaining story with a plot that keeps the reader involved and a perfect introduction to the longer ‘Rock War’. ( )