Suitabook

Red Centre

Chris Ryan

Reading: If the reader is new to the series, pause to clarify who the five group members are and what motivates them. Check in after the hostage and bushfire sequences, then discuss the ending once its consequences are known.
Themes: Fighting injustice: The five young members of Alpha Force are described as dedicated to fighting injustice and become involved when a terrorist takes hostages. The premise foregrounds opposition to injustice, but it is unclear whether the book examines, endorses or questions the group's methods.
Young people and authority: Alpha Force supports the Australian SAS while responding to the hostage crisis and the bushfire. The arrangement may invite discussion about cooperation with trained authorities, but the book's attitude towards this relationship cannot be determined.
Worth knowing: Expect frightening peril rather than a gentle adventure: the plot includes a terrorist, hostages, a forced flight into the bush and a scary bushfire. The extent of injury, death or lasting distress is unclear.