A meteorite is hurtling toward the Black Hills of South Dakota. . . . Brady Steele's love for all things extreme is given a boost when a fireball crashes through the roof of his house. It turns out that Brady's space rock is one of the rarest meteorites ever found. In fact, a professor from a nearby museum wants to study it in search of extraterrestrial bacteria, hoping to discover the first proof of life beyond Earth. During a wild week of extreme bicycling, fishing, and caving, Brady discovers he's able to do strange and wonderful feats that shouldn't be possible. At the same time, he's developing some frightening symptoms. Could he be infected with long-dormant microbes from space? Is his meteorite a prize . . . or a menace? “Nonstop action...Hobbs keeps everything on track by focusing strongly on the boys’ friendship and their mutual enjoyment of the well-evoked Black Hills setting.” - The Horn Book “This fast-moving tale by an author known for exciting survival stories...is full of sports action...intriguing.” - KLIATT “Hobbs is in great form here...mysterious and compelling-the pace moves along swiftly...powerful.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) “Hobbs is in great form here, combining his love of the outdoors and extreme sports with the fantastic element of an invader from space. The slow revelation of how Brady’s body is being transformed is mysterious and compelling-the pace moves along as swiftly as gliding on two wheels down the Iron Mountain Road into Keystone. The sense of place is powerful, with bits of lore about the region making the reader feel immersed in the story and its setting, and the characterizations are especially strong in Brady and Quinn-two teens the reader really wants to know.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) “Setting is always central in Hobbs’s books, and this time he’s chosen the Black Hills of South Dakota as his backdrop. As fans would expect, he artfully weaves the human and natural history of the region into the story. As they might not expect, he amps up the outdoorsy action by tossing some sci-fi into the mix…. Offering something to tantalize nearly every boyish taste, this title is a great choice for reluctant readers.” - School Library Journal “Offering something to tantalize nearly every boyish taste, this title is a great choice for reluctant readers.” - School Library Journal “The Black Hills setting is well drawn, including interesting details about the Crazy Horse Memorial, where Brady’s father is a construction worker. With convincing, first-person narration, a fast pace and plenty of suspense, this is a welcome addition to Hobbs’s extremely reader-pleasing work.” - Kirkus Reviews “With convincing, first-person narration, a fast pace and plenty of suspense, this is a welcome addition to Hobbs’s extremely reader-pleasing work.” - Kirkus Reviews A meteorite is hurtling toward the Black Hills of South Dakota. . . . Brady Steele's love for all things extreme is given a boost when a fireball crashes through the roof of his house. It turns out that Brady's space rock is one of the rarest meteorites ever found. In fact, a professor from a nearby museum wants to study it in search of extraterrestrial bacteria, hoping to discover the first proof of life beyond Earth. During a wild week of extreme bicycling, fishing, and caving, Brady discovers he's able to do strange and wonderful feats that shouldn't be possible. At the same time, he's developing some frightening symptoms. Could he be infected with long-dormant microbes from space? Is his meteorite a prize . . . or a menace? Will Hobbs is the award-winning author of nineteen novels, including Far North , Crossing the Wire , and Take Me to the River . Never Say Die began with the author's eleven-day raft trip in 2003 down the Firth River on the north slope of Canada's Yukon Territory. Ever since, Will has been closely following what scientists and Native hunters are reporting about climate change in the Arctic. When the first grolar bear turned up in the Canadian Arctic, he began to imagine one in a story set on the Firth River. A graduate of Stanford University, Will lives with his wife, Jean, in Durango, Colorado.