Shark Attack; Hunted

Readers will need nerves of steel - and occasionally a strong stomach - to properly enjoy these two novels in Masters' 'Predator' series.

This is 21st-century boys-own stuff-traditional adventure stories with a plot structure that owes much to the computer game: the storylines rocket from one episode of life or death drama - plane crash to avalanche to wolf attack, storm to shipwreck to shark attack - at a breakneck speed. Gratuitous extras such as description are kept to a minimum though there are satisfying elements of character development: boy and the step-father he once despised develop understanding and affection for one another in the face of extreme danger; two cousins learn new respect for each other as they battle alone through the wilderness. The sharks in Shark Attack are the one dimensional Jaws-style killers; there's a little more interesting information about wolves in Hunted.

But if boys want non-stop action, liberal amounts of blood and gore, and some unambiguous male bonding, then they couldn't ask for more than they get here.