Strike
Place the ball. Pick your spot. Three steps back. Breathe.
Owen is closer than ever to achieving his dream: becoming a professional footballer. All he has to do is stay focused. No distractions. Just football.
But when Owen finds a hidden note tucked inside his new boots, he discovers the beautiful game might be hiding some ugly secrets. Suddenly, chasing his dream doesn't feel so important. It's time to decide which path he really wants to take.
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Striking back...
Ever since Kick was published, readers have asked me if there will be a sequel. And, for many years, I said no. Kick is a special book to me, and I couldn’t think of a way to continue the story in a way that felt worthwhile or satisfying. I was afraid to dilute the impact of Budi’s story. So I said no. But people kept asking, and I kept thinking, and eventually an idea began to form. Slowly, the no became a maybe, and then the maybe became a yes.
It took almost ten years to write the follow-up to Kick, so maybe it makes sense that the events in Strike occur a decade after Kick’s finale. Many things have changed: the action takes place in Liverpool instead of Jakarta, and the main character, Owen, is dealing with a very different set of challenges. But the issues it tackles – of child labour, poverty, corruption and greed – remain the same. Because in many cases, these issues have only gotten worse.
One other element that remains the same is the antidote to these scourges: friendship, family and football. Together with his dad and best friend Teddy, Owen must navigate a world in which huge power and wealth collide with something precious and pure and fragile: the dream of a boy who longs to play. But there are clues that the beautiful game has an ugly underside. Owen is determined to become a star, but at what cost? In order to win, what is he prepared to lose? And is it necessary to trample on the dreams of others to realize your own?
I’ve written Strike so that it will make sense even if you haven’t read Kick. But if you are already a fan of Budi's story, keep your eyes peeled: you might just encounter a familiar face or two.