Storm Runners: Eruption by Roland Smith

After surviving a hurricane in Florida, Chase, Nicole, Chase’s father, and his construction team head to Mexico to tract down the lost caravan of the Rossi Brothers’ Circus. An earthquake destroyed several roads there, making it impossible to search the area for the caravan or for survivors. Because of the earthquake, a local volcano is threatening to erupt at any time, possibly before any survivors can get out. As Chase’s group travels towards the last location of the circus caravan, Chase is again separated from his father and mugged by looters. With no way to communicate with his father, Chase must rely on his survival skills to not only help himself, but to also aid a stranded village in the volcano’s path.

With Eruption Smith does it a third time in keeping up a seamless, pulsing pace that will leave readers in breathless suspense for Chase, his father, and his friends. With each disaster Chase faces, he tests his limits and learns from his mistakes in sometimes painful, life-threatening ways. Aside from the surviving these natural disasters, Chase and his father finally resolve their issues because they realize how much they love and need each other. A fantastic series for ages 8 and up.

Storm Runners: The Surge by Roland Smith

After twelve hours of walking through a hurricane, Chase, Nicole, and Rashawn arrive at the Rossi Brothers’ Circus property. But they are far from being safe: two wildcat cages were damaged during the hurricane letting both a leopard and a lion escape. The only somewhat safe place for the storm’s survivors is a large warehouse that is currently housing an antsy, pregnant elephant. To keep everyone safe, Nicole and Chase must work together to secure the warehouse from the lion, the leopard, and the surge.

Smith flawlessly continues with the thrilling story he began in Storm Runners. This time, the storm is not the only obstacle. Readers will race along with Chase and Nicole as they find the courage to battle both deadly weather and man-eating animals. Chase combines his storm survival skills with Nicole’s circus know-how to capture both a leopard and a lion, all with limited adult supervision. But while Chase and Nicole are securing the storm’s survivors, readers will learn more about Chase’s father as he tries any way he can to get to Chase’s side. The final book in the Storm Runners' trilogy is Eruption.

Storm Runners by Roland Smith

Chase Masters and his father live an unsettled lifestyle as storm runners. When they hear of a predicted hurricane in Florida, Chase and his father drive their RV home and portable construction business to the winter quarters of the Rossi Brothers’ Circus. While Chase’s father prepares locals for the storm, Chase attends school with Nicole Rossi. But when the storm’s condition becomes threatening, school is cancelled and students are sent home. As Chase, Nicole, and another girl--Rashawn--are being driven home, the bus driver dies and the bus is overturned on washed out roads. Chase must rely on his storm skills to help them all survive the life-threatening weather.

Smith writes a riveting, adventurous start to the Storm Runners trilogy. Even though the story’s focus may be on the non-stop suspense and nail-biting danger of the hurricane, Smith creates an inner storm raging inside of Chase’s character. Ever since Chase lost his mother and sister and his father was struck by lightning, Chase has felt abandoned. When his father took on the personal crusade to become a storm runner, Chase had no choice but to join him and leave behind his memories of home. Yet when Chase is faced with surviving a hurricane on his own, he realizes his love for his father and hopes he can rekindle their relationship. The next book is called The Surge.