Expatriate Canadian author Moira Young has been awarded a 2011 Costa Book Award for her debut teen novel Blood Red Road (M). It has been receiving all kinds of great reviews and buzz for quite awhile now. It has also been widely promoted as having cross-over appeal for adult readers, similar to The Hunger Games (M) by Suzanne Collins and Graceling (M) by Kristin Cashore.
“Young’s powerful debut, first in the Dustlands series, is elevated above its now familiar postapocalyptic setting by an intriguing prose style and strong narrative voice that show a distinct Cormac McCarthy vibe.” – Publisher’s Weekly
“…it’s the pace of the story that ultimately grabs you. There’s vicious cage fighting, a flooded gorge full of churned up corpses and the deadly battle with the hellwurms before they even get to face the evil ruler of the wasteland kingdom. Young’s vision of the future is hellish and frightening but if you wanted anyone in your corner in that place, then tenacious Saba’s your girl. Roll on the second installment. ” – The Guardian
“First-time novelist Moira Young has hit paydirt with Blood Red Road. The B.C. author’s dystopian/post-apocalyptic YA novel is the first in a trilogy that has already been optioned for film by director Ridley Scott. It’s poised to be the next big thing in teen fiction, and with good reason…. Young has taken familiar pieces of everything from Gladiator to Lord of the Rings and put them in the hands of a spunky, moody heroine who breaths new life into old motifs.” – Quill and Quire

Here is the Publisher’s summary:
“Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That’s fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives bearing four cloaked horsemen, Saba’s world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on a quest to get him back.
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she’s a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.”

Source: http://www.thereader.ca/2012/01/cdn-author-wins-2011-costa-book-award.html