Teen joins "Savages" after getting lost on hunting trip

[Rojo 89]

Hi, hoping you all can help find a book that's been on the edge of my mind the last while!

• Book
• Read as young teen (early 2000s)
• Themes - post apocalypse-ish, "civilized" high tech society Vs badlands stone age "savages" (possible Native American vibes), protagonist joins them, dancing with wolves kind of thing
• Teen gets lost/kidnapped while on a hunting trip with his father (they have a bespoke hunting armoured car, with specialised optics, gun and equipment for skinning game). Ends up with the "savages" and learns their ways. Possibly takes part in some sort of attack on "civilized" society towards end of book, but not sure.
• Future United States
• Young man, Father, definitely falls for a "savage" girl at some point
• English
• Greys and Blues, picture of the above mentioned armoured car and maybe a deer
• From before Young Adult sci fi was a thing, so probably general audience
• Pretty sure this wasn't written by any of the Sci Fi greats, but can't really be sure

Thanks for your help!

 

[Pyan]

Hi, Rojo, and welcome to the Chrons.
No armoured car or father, but if you enjoyed the one you're looking for, I'm fairly sure you'd like Tunnel in the Sky by Robert Heinlein, which has a pretty similar plot.

 

[Toby Frost]

Some of these elements sound like O-Zone by Paul Theroux.

 

[Pyan]

Some of these elements sound like O-Zone by Paul Theroux.

Well, there you are - I must have read just about all his travel books over the years, but never knew he wrote SF as well. You learn something new every day, to coin a phrase. Thanks, @Toby Frost

 

[Danny McG]

It does seem to have a lot of the elements

O Zone by Paul Theroux

Theroux's view of humanity is becoming increasingly bleak even as he stretches his reach with this novel that brilliantly depict...

www.publishersweekly.com

 

[Rojo 89]

Hi, Rojo, and welcome to the Chrons.
No armoured car or father, but if you enjoyed the one you're looking for, I'm fairly sure you'd like Tunnel in the Sky by Robert Heinlein, which has a pretty similar plot.

Thanks for the tip Pyan, will have to check it out. Starship Troopers is one of my favourites, I've been meaning to try more Heinlein!

 

[Rojo 89]

Some of these elements sound like O-Zone by Paul Theroux.

Hi Toby. Thanks for the suggestion, but a scan of the synopsis says O-Zone isn't it unfortunately. Remarkably similar though!

 

[Danny McG]

Initial post keeps making me think of one of the story arcs in the Amtrak Wars book series

 

[PaulMmn]

Hi, Rojo, and welcome to the Chrons.
No armoured car or father, but if you enjoyed the one you're looking for, I'm fairly sure you'd like Tunnel in the Sky by Robert Heinlein, which has a pretty similar plot.

Tunnel in the Sky is a great story, but it wasn't a case of people joining the natives-- the people in the story were all classmates, and were on a field trip when the teleportation system goes awry and they are stranded. It ends up being a couple of years. Plot has more in common with Lord of the Flies... or The Admirable Crichton.

 

[TomMazanec]

Excellent question, Rojo 89. Thanks for following the format (which few do...sorry to say I don't). Hope it gets you your answer!

 

[Lolrus]

Ah, I know this one, it's "Shadow Hunter" by Will Baker. I read this back in the nineties and enjoyed it, I reread it a few years ago and it's still good.