Customer Reviews

The Road Gets Better From Here

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For a first book, Adrian Scotts travelogue is remarkably well written. It takes the reader along with him as he travels from the furthest reaches of Siberia to Europe, Via China and Central Asia. In the wake of rapidly growing global interest in independant travel by motorcycle, Adrian sets off for his first long distance interenational bike adventure with just a few vague ideas about how it may go. On the way he discoveres the real people and real hospitality of people living along his path.

Its a fun read for anyone with an interest in independant travel, an excellent read for anyone with an interest in the the former USSR, and a compulsory read for anyonne contemplating a first major motorcycle adventure.

For anyone who enjoys one or more of off-the-beaten-track travel, motorcycle riding or following a crazy Australian around, this is a must read book. Adrian is a witty and compelling story teller whose descriptions of the remote places he visited and the characters he met very real and intensely readable.

As this adventure story was written by a fellow Aussie, and the bike used was a pre-2008 KLR650 (I have one), I simply had to get this book. It describes quite an epic and gutsy solo adventure, and I'm sure the author would be the first to agree he couldn't have completed the journey without meeting many wonderful and helpful people along the way. It's a great read, although I found that adjectives were overused in the narrative in a way that grated after a while. Don't expect many pictures, and don't expect much motorcycling tech talk at all. It's basically a great travelogue rather than a motorcycling how-to. Basically his bike is a means to an end (independent transport), not a much-loved machine; however it's still a great read if you understand this context when purchasing. Enjoy!

I am a motorcyclist and an avid reader of travel books but I have never been moved to write a review until now. This is a superb book, but, in Lance's words, it's not about the bike. In fact, he doesn't give us any info about the bike except that it's a Kawasaki. It doesn't matter (most adventure motorcyclists will be able to figure out which bike he used). What is truly astounding is the way Adrian writes about the places & people he meets along the way. It is remarkable how he uses the power of the written word to draw the places & people in your mind's eye. It's as if you were right there with him it is so vividly described. Once you get past the obvious dearth of editorial "oversight" (syntax, typos, etc), the read gets better from here....in fact incredibly better. Anyone interested in humanity, never mind travel or motorcycles, should read this book.

This is a great book, often these motorcycle books are poorly written, however this one is well written and tells an amazing and inspiring story. One of the few books I couldn't put down - now Im waiting for the ABC movie. As an adventure motorcyclist its one of the best books I have read on the subject.

The only critical feedback I have is this book does not have enough maps. I think every chapter should have started with a map so you would know where he is, I had to go online and look up all the places on a map as i read.

Other than that I loved it.

This has been the most enjoyable "adventure travel" book I have read! I am a big fan of the genre and a long distance motorcycle traveler. I have found this book to be more enjoyable then any of the books written by experienced motorcyclists. This book seems to better capture the wonder of the wander. The author gives me a sense of the enjoyment of meeting people and learning of their culture while trying their food, drink, and shelter.

This is a very enjoyable book whch almost made me feel as if I was with Adrian every inch of the way. Adrian's journey was tough, challenging, dangerous, nerve wracking, ... you name it, but the book captured all of this whilst still being a great read. Adrian comes across as being one of those sorts of guys you could have a beer with. He manages to convey a real sense of the challenge within him, yet displays superb empathy for the people he encouters along the way. Comparisons with Ted Simon's 'Jupiter' books are inevitable, and it has to be said that 'The Road gets Beeter From Here' stands equal alongside Ted's classic stories. Now that would be a good night out: Adrian and Ted having a few beers reminiscing over their sprockets and shaft drives???
One comment I would offer (and this criticism is not uncommon to this type of book); the final leg, in this instance through Turkey, feels very much like a dash for home. Perhaps that's how the journey was for Adrian. Given the trip just completed, I would have loved to have heard more of Adrian's reflections on what he had just achieved. Perhaps a second edition could do that for us?

I read many of the reviews already here and then bought the book. This is a very well written book, and it's a great read. My only criticism would be that, it's been published with too few photo's, and they are not colour. The words and text describe the scenery and events very well, but for some that might not be enough. I constantly had to flip ahead, or back, in the book to see the map showing Adrian's route. Still brilliant though !! Thx

The book is an interesting account of this amazing journey. As a motorcyclist, I could not stop daydreaming everytime I read a few pages of this. Yes the control over language is not the greatest, and it definitely needed an editor. However its a great account of life in these countries and what it is to be in touch with the locals. It shows us a part of the culture and society that one never hears about in news stories.

I agree with a bunch of previous comments about this travel book. There is an incredible amount of information about international culture and history and some great stories about what perhaps made the journey such a success--the people who were encountered along the way. However, this book may have more misspellings than any other book I've read. I had a tough time doing what Fit Metallica talks about earlier--getting past the obvious dearth of editorial oversight. If Mr. Scott writes something else, I'll proofread it for him for free. Well, perhaps at the risk of putting Amazon out of business, for one free copy of the final product.