Crystal Force

With enemies on all sides, who can Drake really trust? On the run after escaping from what was supposed to be the world's most secure juvenile facility (and blowing it up in the process), Will Drake knows it's only a matter of time before the sinister Alliance catches up with him.

But Drake is in need of an alliance of his own - knowing who to trust is becoming increasingly difficult, and after having been exposed to the highly unstable (and potentially deadly) Crystal-X whilst fleeing from the Rig, it looks like time might be running out for him all together. His arm has started to mutate into an impenetrable black crystal, and although it gives him a superhuman-like ability to fight, it might also be causing him to lose his mind.

Surrounded by enemies and desperate for help, Drake and his escapee comrades are forced to form an uneasy partnership with a mysterious group who also claim to have been exposed to Crystal-X. They say they know how to use its powers for good - but can Drake really keep running forever? And who should he trust more - his supposed friends, or the voices in his head...?

About the Author

British-born Joe currently resides in Perth, Western Australia. Joe attended Edith Cowan University and graduated in 2010 with a degree in Counter Terrorism, Security and Intelligence. Joe has also studied Creative and Professional Writing at Curtin University. When not writing stories, Joe's work over the past few years has involved border protection, liaisons between domestic and international military forces, private security consulting, living out of a suitcase, and travel to some interesting places dotted around the world.

He is primarily a writer of urban fantasy and science fiction aimed at young adults and, when not talking about himself in the third person, enjoys devouring books at an absurdly disgusting rate and ambling over mountains. Preferably at the same time. The Rig, Will Drake's first adventure and Joe's first book, was the joint-winner of the 2013 Hot Key Books and Guardian Young Writers Prize.