An erotic motorbike fantasy and a magical blues harp take Chris Hunter on a wild, Orphic odyssey through the Australian Outback to Indonesia, India, Bangkok, Borneo and Rio. His reality morphs into a mythological world of gods and demons, manifested as bikers, prophets, gun runners, drug smugglers, shady businessmen and neo-Nazis. Empowered by an ancient esoteric secret, his journey to self discovery climaxes in a battle with Alt-Right forces.
Key to the Highway has moments of intensity and insight and a feel for the world and those years we all went out looking for something big in the far corners and hidden nooks, and lived with abandon, living like every song was the most important one. Parts of it took me right back to those days.
Carl Hoffman, author of Savage Harvest, The Last Wild Men of Borneo, and Liar’s Circus
A fast-paced episodic adventure tale, with the narrator’s harmonica
Brendan Power, composer, recording artist, harpmeister for Sting and Van Morrison
providing an endless variety of entertaining ways to get him into and
out of trouble.
Evocative and astute observations about home, travelling and a life lived to the full. The driving rhythm of the music, which creates a great ambient sound throughout the novel, is a wonderful structural device as well as being such an encompassing central theme.
Jonathan Holmes, School of Creative Arts and Media, University of Tasmania
This is an extraordinary romp of the Hero’s Journey, so strap yourselves in!
Dr. Grant Caldwell, School of Culture and Communication, University of Melbourne
A page-turning journey around the globe that reminds us to follow our heart and seize the day. Andrews beautifully captures the magic of being on an adventure; chance encounters, close calls and the traveler’s notion of connection with the universe. The writing is invigorating, making this captivating story a great page turner. Although I’m a younger reader, I still enjoyed the 70s blues and biker universe mixed with the Greek classics and other ancient gods. Turning the last page left me sad that the blues odyssey had ended and at the same time inspired me to follow my passion.
Thor F. Jensen, Danish adventurer, writer and award-winning explorer
Richard Andrews’ Key to the Highway is fresh and original. He spins an enthralling tale that merges the haunting strains of the blues with the kind of wild journeys that many of us dreamed of in the 1970s and 80s. We travel with him from the vast spaces of Outback Australia through the colour and chaos of Asia to end in South America. It’s a fascinating journey accompanied by the roar of motorbikes and the music of the mysterious harmonica.
Margaret Farrell, journalist and travel photographer
Read it in one go. Loved it! It’s a voyage of self discovery as seen through actual events. If romping through the freedom of one’s childhood, the freedom of post war Australia is to your liking as well as a taste of the hippie trail and high-octane sexual encounters, gun running, dope dealing and winging it on gut feeling then this is the book for you.
Clive Scott, extreme adventurer, raconteur
Couldn’t stop reading it! Really well written. You keep the action going and the pacing is great.
Angela Leuck, Tanka poet and author of More Grows in a Crooked Row
An edgy novel with quirky, realistic characters, confrontations, caustic observations, and vivid scenes, Key to the Highway unlocks inner desires, and exposes the nature of friendships, love and ambition.
Kevin McQuillan, Melbourne writer and television producer
As an eclectic remix of Joseph Campbell’s universal monomyth, with references to Greek and Roman epics, Brazilian Candomblé, the Arthurian legend, Sanskrit poems, the Ramayana, threads of the Aboriginal Dreamtime, Norse gods, Eastern philosophy and Mississippi blues mythology. Chris’s encounters across the globe reflect Jung’s belief we all share the one story within a collective unconscious.
Bruce Tamagno, geographer, traveller, writer