“I have an unofficial mission to find great crime fiction for younger readers, since teens are well acquainted with and can certainly handle life’s darker side (otherwise, why would there be such an explosion in young adult dystopian novels?). In Canada, Tim Wynne-Jones seems to be the champion of this subgenre, which he proved once more with last year’s excellent suspense tale Blink and Caution. With Running on Empty, Nova Scotia [writer] Don Aker proves himself to be on Wynne-Jones’s level…. All of [Ethan’s] actions, whether they be the button-pushing arguments he has with his father or more sympathetic conversations with his sister, the way he craves but pushes away his girlfriend, to the inevitable way a quick buck becomes a trap, ring frighteningly true. Running on Empty succeeds as a cautionary tale, but the book really shines at showing how a boy reckons with ideals, and what he has to do when they slip out of his grasp by his own actions.”

The National Post

“At first, I thought Running on Empty was going to be another ‘angry teen gets caught in the wrong crowd, learns a lesson’ type of novel. I was wrong; Aker and his characters continually surprised me. I did exactly what Aker set me up to do; I made assumptions about Ethan and his life that didn’t play out…. Aker has crafted complex characters who, at times, are highly unlikable and often unpredictable….  While Running on Empty doesn’t have a clean or happy ending, it does conclude with a feeling of hope and redemption. Ethan ends the novel in a better place of understanding both of himself and his family. This novel is an engaging read that will connect to many different readers.” 

CM Magazine

read a complete review of the novel

“Don Aker’s genius for crafting intense and powerful stories featuring utterly believable teen boy characters has never been more clearly in evidence than in this, his latest book. Ethan’s seeming ambivalence and self-absorption are beautifully balanced by Aker’s gradual revelation of the thoughts and feelings that lie beneath the surface. Readers come to recognize Ethan as a very realistically rendered teen who often regrets his inability to express what he feels and whose motivations are more complex than they appear on the surface. When he turns to gambling, it is absolutely agonizing to witness the results as they unfold. The story is well paced, the characters and relationships are genuine and beautifully depicted, and the book is gripping, heartbreaking, and revelatory, a book that will touch teen (and adult) readers deeply.” 

Canadian Children's Book News

SYNOPSIS

All Ethan Palmer wants is wheels of his own, and he's finally saved enough money to buy his dream car ... when he accidentally rams his dad's Volvo into their garage. It's not like his lawyer/politician father can't afford to pay for the damage, but of course his old man is going to turn this into another Big Life Lesson. With all his hard-earned cash going into repairs, Ethan won't be sliding behind the wheel of that Mustang Cobra any time soon. Or will he? He thinks he's found a way to make some easy money, and suddenly nothing is more important. Not school, not the girl he loves, not even the secrets that divide his family. For Ethan, it's all about payback. But he has no idea what his choices will cost him.

Q&A

Running on Empty

SYNOPSIS

RECOGNITION