The Tour - What the Readers Say
Reader Comments on Dave Shields new cycling novel The Tour

Dave Shield's sequel to the very successful The Race: The Tour was announced a few months ago on the Daily Peloton. We also were able to offer the book pre-release to our readers through special arrangement with the publisher. The response to the book in reviews and comments from readers have been excellent with strong initial pre-publication sales.
The book won’t be in stores until April, but if this response continues it will be a blockbuster by that time.
If my enthusiasm for the book hasn’t convinced you, read some of the following unsolicited enthusiastic comments in the last few months from those who have read the The Tour.
We’ve included messages received in the last month relating to his other books as well:

Dave - just finished readying The Tour - wow, great read! I found it inspiring and infuriating. I loved your descriptions of the physical pain suffered - made me want to get out and hit some hills NOW! I suffered with Ben's internal struggles and with his quest for victory. Your descriptions of strategy and tactics continued to build upon The Race. All in all, a wonderful, enjoyable read.
Thank-you!

Just got done reading Dave's new book, and I was impressed. I thought I saw where it was headed, and in true "Sixth Sense" fashion, it went in a totally different direction than I thought. Good work Dave!
Anyway, my short review would be this: for those of us involved in the cycling world, whether as a rider, racer, or pro/am pundit and fan, many of the situations the protagonist Ben Barnes finds himself in will be recognizable to us. This is a side effect of the unenviable task the Dave has - to write a book that's both entertaining, and yet not out-of-reach for the audience that does not closely follow racing. I think he did a fine job with it.
The book reads very quickly, and the ending is a twist. S. I. - Atlanta

It's a page burner. My copy of "The Tour" arrived Friday afternoon and by Saturday afternoon I had finished it. I would have finished it even quicker but I managed to resist the urge to stay up late Friday night reading it. I thoroughly enjoyed it -- unlike many sequels it did not disappoint! One cool thing for the real bike race junkies: it even had stage profiles! F. A. -  Philadelphia

“I met you at the Skinny Tire Festival. Purchased both books. Great! Great! Could not put them down. Too good for words. Next installment, please. Keep up the great work.” R. G. – Boulder, CO

“The instruction on the mechanics of how the race works, the strategy and the things that go through a rider's mind were as good as any book I have read that educates you on a topic. I found the stuff on doping to be an excellent side story that really made you look at the challenges an athlete faces morally and practically when he knows the competition is doping. Even the thought that a competitor is doping works the opposite of a placebo, if you can follow my thinking on that point. Anyway that topic was also excellently presented.” R. P. – Calgary, AB

“I bought the Tour and the Race at the Moab Skinny Tire Festival...and just finished both books...wow...I was so caught up in those books!! Loved them!!! I found myself staying up till 2-3 a.m. every night to read!!! So, is another follow up on Ben Barnes in the works?? Sure hope so!” L. D. – Longmont, CO

“This book is even better than the first book.” S. S. – Calgary, AB

“I have to tell you that your Chapter 18 (of The Tour) was wonderful, one of the best passages on cycling I have ever read. I can't wait for the next book.” M. G. – Farmington Hills, MI

“I believe you have another Franklin award coming your way. I especially loved how you had more strategy in this one. I thought this one was as exciting as The Race and once I got started reading it I found it hard to put down and I had a couple of nights where it was hard to get to sleep because I was concerned with the characters and what was going on, to me that is the mark of an excellent storyteller when you are worried about fictional characters.” G. W. – Louisville, KY

“Even better than the The Race. You really got into some deep philosophy with the use of Frankl's quotes. I read it way into the night, on the date I got it.” J. M. – Ellijay, GA

“I finished The Race on Sunday. Great Job!!! I missed most of the Oscars because I wanted to find out how Ben fares on the Alpe d' Huez. Priorities n'est ce pas?” B. B. – City unknown

“Congratulations!! I just finished reading The Tour and it was a fantastic ride, I mean read. No ride. The Race was very good, but you've totally outdone yourself with a fantastic job on The Tour!” B. J. – Scarsdale, NY

“I'm writing to say thank you! Thanks for all the work you put into these excellent books. Thanks for sharing them with Aaron as they found their way into my hands.” E. L. – Aspen, CO

"The Tour is absolutely marvelous. You have an incredible talent. I hope you have another book in the works.” B. N. – Riverton, UT

“Loved The Race and The Tour. The adaptation of moral issues connecting the Holocaust was inspired. PS I am an LA fan, but your novels would make a great (?better) movie.” S. H. – City unknown

“Dave's new novel needs to come with a warning - "If you are a cyclist don't pick up this pick until you have absolutely nothing else important to accomplish for the next couple of days!"

Just finished "The Tour". Its a worthy successor to "The Race", and, in my opinion, is even more absorbing. I ordered directly from Dave and received the book in less than a week, and signed at that!
Dave, GREAT JOB

Great novel of not only the Tour de France, but also about the pressures athletes face to use performance enhancing drugs. The story puts you in the saddle of a rider struggling to do the right thing, and win the race clean. I couldn't put it down once I cracked the cover.” N.S. – Fort Leavenworth, KS

Hi Dave,
Just wanted to let you know that I flew through your book today. Couldn't put it down! Very well written, and had my pulse and imagination racing quite literally. Wanted to thank you for writing such a wonderful book. To think I put off reading your book so that I could read Lance Armstrong's War and The Rider first. Don't get me wrong, both are fine and entertaining, but they lacked the personality and emotions that your book strummed up. Please keep up the awesome work.

Another page turner! Nice work!
Now if I could only find out who has my copy of The Race so I can spin it to my friends as the ultimately cycling book two-pack.

I have just finished The Race and I'm exhausted. This is one heck of a book, you feel like you are riding "The Tour". The story is so riveting. I've just ordered your new book "The Tour" but it's not out till April. I'll just have to read The Race again & again.
Well done Dave.

Every bit as good as the first book! Well done! So, what's next for Ben and gang? We need more!

I really enjoyed "The Race" and must admit I was initially disappointed to learn that "The Tour" was going to deal with the doping issue as I'm just sick of it... After reading the book, however, I can fully recommend it as a good one. I thought "The Tour" was great and think the author did a very good job writing about the pressures a pro athlete must face in dealing with drug use.

Hi, Dave. I am about halfway done reading The Tour and could barely put it down to do my work this morning. Congratulations on another masterpiece that gets people engaged with the characters.

I was talking to him about it and he was telling me that he had loved The Race so much when he read it that their family took it with them when they went on vacation last summer. Every night he and his 9 & 11 year old boys rushed to the tent and listened with excitement as Mom read another chapter.

This book is even better than the last! Wow! I didn’t think that was possible!

I haven't finished The Tour yet, but plan to soon. It's another great book and it is hard to stay away. I suppose it is similar when you are writing; hard to leave Ben just standing/sitting/riding there???

Mr Shields,
I'm 15. I'm a sophomore in HS and totally obsessed with cycling. I read your book this summer. Your book was excellently written; I loved the details and really loved how close to home it hit. I've picked up the Pendulum's Path today, and look forward to it immensely. It sounds like it, too, will hit close to home :p
Thanks for you wonderful books, and for replying to me! It's awesome to hear from a guy I am in awe of!!

I want to let you know how excited I am about your new book. I inhaled The Race in almost one sitting. I can only anticipate the joy I'll receive from reading The Tour. Your passion for cycling is easily transmitted through your gift for writing. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.

Dave,
I just ordered The Race and The Tour--can't wait to read The Tour, and it will be an honor to own both. I really admire the tenacity with which you pursue what you love. That's what life is all about, man! Thank you for writing these books.

Dave, I have just finished The Race and I'm exhausted. I cringed when there were accidents, had a big lump in my throat when Ben hears Bridgette's voice while he climbs Alpe d'Huez. I didn't want the book to end. It was a great read. Looking forward to getting The Tour to continue the ride with you. Thanks is not enough.

I just picked up The Race and read it and I loved it! Despite having early morning meetings I couldn't put it down until I finished it after 1 am last night--a very entertaining read. I e-mailed a riding friend and told him he had to read it and that the racing sequences were just like following the TdF! He e-mailed me back to say that he had already bought it and was going to save it for Spring Break. Anyway, I just ordered The Tour and I am kind of hoping I don't get it for a few days so I can catch up on my sleep. Wonderful writing.

Just finished The Race and now have ordered the Tour
Awesome read - stayed up way too late to finish it the day it came. Can't wait for the next one.

A few friends of mine were talking about your books the other day and I asked if I could perhaps borrow a book, they both didn't want to part with theirs and so here I am. I can't wait. They gave nothing but the best of reviews.

Hi Dave,
I just re-read The Race over new years. My daughter had pulled it off the shelf and I started to leaf through it. Then I was hooked all over again.
I stayed up way too late that weekend reading your book again. Thanks for the good times. I have also read The Pendulum’s Path. I enjoy this one as well but it made me so very angry at times. I know that these are fictional characters but I'm sure you know people like Martin's father. Your characters were very well developed and Martin's father was such a b@stard. I have not finished it so don't reveal anything yet.

I ran across "The Race" in a store in Springdale on a trip to Zion Park a couple of years ago. Loved it. Glad to hear there's a sequel. I will be ordering.

Got "The Tour" Saturday, finished reading it yesterday. Another great read Dave! I was very tempted to call in sick Monday so I could keep reading it. I hope you can find out what happens to Ben too. You share his experiences so well!
Thanks!!!!

Not finished The Race yet.
Without much experience of pro cycling, other than watching hours of TdF coverage in French on my many holidays in France, I don't know how close the book is to the real world. What I do know is that the writing grabs ya - hard to put down. And I like the way the character development builds up - like it would as you spend hours on the bike and think about all the stuff that has gone before and what has helped and what has hindered.
Looking forward to The Tour - and thanks for signing both copies.

Dave,
Finished The Pendulum's Path. Riveting, just like The Race and The Tour. Really enjoy the way the stories explode on the pages, which means no wading through 2 chapters to get to the real meat of the read.

The Race is a really good read. It makes you feel like you are part of the action and feeling the road under your own wheels. I look forward to reading the others.

Dear Dave:
I read your book last fall, and really enjoyed it. Now every time I see a peloton, I think of your description: the "angry rainbow." So apt, so poetic.
What is your next project?

I loved your first book. Even my wife (who isn't "hooked" on cycling like me) loved it. I look forward to reading this one very much. Congratulations! May it be an even bigger success than the last. Now, don't you dare stop writing, Mr. Shields!

A very entertaining and a most enjoyable read. I hope you have signed a movie deal for this one.

“I had no idea there was so much to know about cycling. What a wonderful book.” P.V. -Salt Lake City, UT

“I finished The Tour– great read!! I enjoyed it even more than The Race, I’m sure you are doing very well with it. Keep me abreast of the movie progress.” D.W. - Portland, OR

“I am a writer also. What you have been able to do is impressive.” C.S. - Woodbridge, IL

Book Review: The Tour A Tour de France Novel
The Race - What the Readers Say