Basically what this book was about is the main character Travis who lives in the hood he's good looking tall and has his own little group he is real close with them, he kives at home with his mother and his step father Stan who he has never liked. Travis has a secret he never told anyone which is he is a writer he loves writting he takes it very serious. So one day Travis comes home and Stan is alitttle drunk and he says "I thought your mother told you to clean yourb room" Stan was bent over the fire place and as Travis looks at Stan he see's Stan with all his papers burning them , so this makes Travis really upset and shot Stan but he only shot him alittle thrn the cops came took Travis and put him juvi. But insfead of stayinb in juiv he had to go stay with his uncle. His uncle lives on a farm real hot out their but Travis says its better then going back home. So he gets their meets his uncle who looks like a older Travis real handsome. His uncle doesn't talk much keeps too himself. Travis starts his new school thinking its going to be just like at home where be was popular had his own group or whatever but he soon realized it was nothing no one would galk to him and ge felt like an outsider. He them got a job meets this real pretty girl named Casey he says he fell in love. Casey was 2 years older then Travis really long blonde hair and a smile that was out of this world. Casey rides a horse thats called "The Star Runner" real beautiful horse but its crazy. One day Travis gets a call from a women named Ms.charmichael its a book publisher and she wants too publish the book Travis sent in too her. Travis tells everyone he is very excited he's actually a writer now. And no one seems to understand his excitement they dont know the right things too say to him. Finally Travis and Casey admitted their feelings for each other but then they got into an accident and after that he really didnt feel the same. Travis friend Joe comes to him with a crazy story on how he is on the run so Traviz asks Ken Travis's uncle for some helpand Joe turns himself in and as all that is going on Travis's book is getting Published and as for Joe no one really knows what happened to him. I liked everything about this book it wax very interesting to read and I actuakky didnt want too stop. My favorite part of the whole book is when Travis finally admits to Casey how heis in love and she basically feels the same way. Whzt was very confusing was the way the storh kind of jumps around and you get confused alittle bit but just for a few seconds. This author is very specific when sbe wrotes and thats why I love reading her books. What I really did not like about this book is how Ken and Travis's relationship really didnt grow they bad little moments during the whole thing but it rezlly wasn't what I wanted it too be. I wish the ending was alittle different maye alittle mkre detaiked bht other then that the book was amazing. I would deffintly recommend this book to anyone.
Although S.E. Hinton's work in Taming the Star Runner was intriguing and captivated my attention quickly, I felt that the plot became doubtlessly predictable and disorganized while the characters were done and never evolved as an individual. The story begins with Travis, a sixteen year old boy who is practically the definition of cool in his urban hometown, but when he attempts to murder his stepfather he is sent to his uncle's ranch and finds that his tough attitude doesn't cut it. As Travis settles in, he finds himself attracted to Casey, a determined and a some what intimidating girl that works with his uncle's horses. Meanwhile, Travis reveals his sensitive personality when you figure out he has a secret love for writing and has a chance to publish his book, although this opportunity provides some obstacles for him later in the novel. Overall, Travis never experiences any major complications and since the book is told in the third person, it is difficult to understand what the characters are feeling. Being the follower of S.E. Hinton that I am, I picked up this book with high expectations that quickly dissolved within minutes of starting the book. Even though the story kept me wanting to read, it was unorganized while containing multiple events fraying from each scenario. Second, the plot was easily anticipated with common themes and generic schemes though out the entire book. Additionally, the characters were uniform to the ones of other S.E. Hinton novels. Not only were they unoriginal, they seemed to never elaborate into respective individuals. Despite the fact that the book was appealing to begin with, the predictable plot and overused characters made it very unfavorable compared to my expectations.
Very well written but I just can't give it more than two stars because it felt like it was edited with an axe. I don't know if it was the author or the editor but it felt like they said "your audience is teenagers and they won't have the attention span for this /slash/ or this/slash/". SLASHSLASHSLASH There was more than one place in the book where I turned the page back because I actually thought I had skipped a page. It left me wishing I could have read the whole story, but unfortunately that WAS the whole story!
—Kimberly
Taming The Star Runner by S.E Hinton is about a sixteen year old boy named Travis, who is considered as one of the coolest people in his home town. But most people don't know that Travis loves to write stories and wants to be an author. One day Travis ends up getting in trouble with his stepfather, so his mother sends him to live with his uncle for a year. His uncle lives on a horse farm and rents the barn to an eighteen year old girl named Casey. Casey is trying to tame this huge and very wild horse named Star Runner, so she can ride him in shows. Travis decides to help her. On top of that his book is getting published! Then one night his friend calls him and asked him Travis to pick him up. When Travis does he said that he killed two boys and was in big trouble. Travis has to help his friend, but doesn't know what to do. And what will happen to Star Runner when there is an enormous storm?Travis has brown hair and cold eyes like the "Irish Sea." He wears skin tight T-shirts, jeans, and a brown leather jacket. Travis is very tough on the outside, but really creative and kind on the inside. Although, his first reaction to stress is to get really irritated and mean. Travis is really good with animals, and he loves to write. In fact, Travis is always making up new stories. His dream is to become an author. I liked that there were bad things that happened to Travis as well as good things. It makes him a lot more realistic, nobody has just bad things happen to them or just good things. They have a mix of both. I also liked that Travis sticks by his friends no matter what. Like when his friend came to him asking for help because he just murdered somebody, Travis helped as much as possible.I would recommend this for people who like books about the harder side of life.
—Alison
This book was different from the rest of Hinton's books, though just as enjoyable. You can see her writing evolve more here more than any of her other books. She explores a different kind of depth to the main character and his uncle. It was rather refreshing to read. I expected it to be a lot like one of her other novels, TEX, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it not repetitive at all.S.E. Hinton was my very first favorite author. She was the first person to make go "What else did she write? I must read it!" I devoured her books in a matter of weeks, this one being the last one that I read. If I had to do it all again, I would still read this one last. It was fantastic to end on.I've read it at least fifty times since then, along with most of her other books.I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a touching novel at a very fast pace. It will keep your attention all the way through, and the way she writes the dialogue will make you feel like you're right there with the characters.
—Kya Aliana
