Ian Bone (1) (1956–)

Michael Tonkin, seventeen, is just 'hanging' at school until one day he unleashes the demons at a friendly soccer match when he nearly strangles Ahmad, a Lebanese boy from the opposition team. Everything starts to close-in - guilt, fear, Ahmad's crew - until it ends on a lonely highway with Michael bashed and broken by the side of the road. With his memory partially lost, what is left of Michael now? How will he rebuild himself into a man? Michael struggles to remember the truth, to put himself back together. He turns to the men in his life - his father, a Vietnam War veteran, and his uncle, a brilliant drunk. Michael must choose if he wants to be a player in the 'game', where hatred, fear and anger shape the lives of those around him. He must choose if he wants to be a Tin Soldier.… (more)

Jockey is the crim who has just come out from a stint in a juvenile detention centre; he is hero worshipped by Alex, a disenchanted kid from a twice broken home who for undisclosed reasons is a low achiever, barely able to read in high school. He is picked on at school but deals with it, indeed encourages it, by being a lippy smart aleck. Alex’s incongruous friend is Marta, strictly parented, Christian, bright; but rescued from being a goody-goody by her behaviour as the story unfolds and she becomes the most appealing of the characters.

Before Jockey was sentenced for bashing a police officer he was involved in a peer mentoring program to help Alex learn to read, although instead, he led him further astray. When he is released Alex seems scared, and we soon find out that he was in part responsible for Jockey’s arrest but does not know if Jockey is aware of this. Jockey takes Alex under his wing again and promises to toughen him up by taking him out into the wild territory, on the other side of the law, for a rough night out.… (more)