A good story, but the writing is sub-par. This is Shield's second book. He acknowledges an on-line writers group in the book and it feels like this book was written by multiple authors. The tone changes constantly. As a cyclist I enjoyed the story while tolerating the awkward writing and sophomoric dialog, but if you aren't a cyclist I doubt you'd like this book. The good news is Dave learned from the process of writing "The Race" and his next book, "The Tour" is has better writing. ( )

"The Race" chronicles the athletic redemption of Ben Barnes, an American cyclist whose enormous promise has been stifled by a Machiavellian rival, a tragic incident that led to his disqualification from the U.S. team, an antagonistic team manager, and some deep-rooted psychological hang-ups. The story focuses on a critical mountainous stage in the middle of the Tour de France during which Ben, now an also-ran on the French team, risks everything in a desperate attempt to transform himself into a contender for the yellow jersey. Roughly half of the novel, however, consists of back story, recounted in a series of flashbacks during Ben's brutal mountain ascent. These rather formulaic flashbacks drag on the speeding story line and veer into the melodramatic, taking away from the novel's real appeal: the tactical description of Ben's heart-pounding assault on the Alps and the mental and physical agony that accompanies it. Nonetheless cycling fans and other endurance athletes will find plenty to love about this sports thriller, which ends with the perfect set-up for a sequel.

-Kevin Joseph, author of "The Champion Maker" ( )