A cosmic 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! Key to the Highway is a voyage of self discovery as seen through actual events. This is the book for you if romping through the freedom of one’s childhood in post-war Australia, a taste of the hippie trail and winging it on gut feeling is to your liking.
Clive Scott, traveller, 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
The reader is bombarded with allusions to ancient Greek and Roman myths, to Yemanja worshipped by African slaves transported to Brazil, to Sanskrit poems and to threads of the Aboriginal Dreamtime. Freya and Lockie, gods from the Norse Tree of Life are also referenced. These allusions serve to underline Chris’ quest and to remind us of its karmic nature. In each of his significant settings the author provides a quirky vignette to intensify the context, which imbues the account with drama and humour.
Bruce Tamagno, writer and geographer
A young man’s odyssey weaving between Scylla and Charybdis, surviving the 1970s. Drawing on Jungian tropes from many cultures our antihero redreams his childhood before the fall, relives the angst of youthful loves and friendships, breathes deep the high octane easy rider fumes of rebel diaries, evades pirates and escapes drug dens wielding his Excalibur harmonica to calm monsters and charm the goddesses of a young man’s dreams. An intense evocation of when all seemed possible and nothing was to be feared.
Daniel Connell, Historian/Writer
Richard Andrews knows how to tell a story! His tightly written novel is packed with them: captivating stories within a larger adventure about the call of the road, finding one’s calling, the power of friendship, the meaning of life. There’s magic, mysticism, mythology and music woven throughout the pages. A great read.
Stephanie Miller, author of Zero Waste Living, Washington environmentalist
