''The Broken Wheel'' is a 1996

young adult A young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages of human development significantly influencing the definition of ...

science fiction novel by

Kerry Greenwood Kerry Isabelle Greenwood (born 1954) is an Australian author and lawyer. She has written many plays and books, most notably a string of historical detective novels centred on the character of Phryne Fisher, which was adapted as the popular tele ...

Background

''The Broken Wheel'' was first published in Australia in 1996 by Moonstone in paperback format. It won in a tie situation with Hillary Bell's '' Mirror, Mirror'' the 1996

Aurealis Award for best young-adult novel The Aurealis Awards are presented annually by the Australia-based Chimaera Publications and WASFF to published works to "recognise the achievements of Australian science fiction, fantasy, horror writers". To qualify, a work must have been fi ...

Plot summary

After an apocalyptic event, the survivors have formed into groups. These include the Travellers, who trade in small goods; the medievalists in the enclave Thorngard; the Tribe, a loose gathering of nomads; and in the city the Breakers, who destroy every machine they find, blaming the machines for the disaster. Sarah, a child of the Breakers, joins with the Travellers in an attempt to save the world from destruction.

References

1996 Australian novels 1996 science fiction novels Children's science fiction novels Australian science fiction novels Australian young adult novels Aurealis Award-winning works HarperCollins books Australian post-apocalyptic novels {{1990s-ya-novel-stub