Highly recommend the audiobook - the narrator deftly pulls off an array of different regional accents with ease, something that is really hard to do. The novel itself was good fun and full of action, a dream come true for some kids who have had a rough time. I always appreciate a novel that doesn't talk down to teenagers - sparing but realistic use of swearing and violence makes this feel like a read that trusts its reader. The one thing that puts me off in any substantial way from giving this to kids- with full acknowledgement that this book is almost 20 years old and couldn't be perfect - is the weird relentless fatphobia - constant chat about how fat James' mother is, and the one student who drops out of basic training on account of her chubbiness. It all rubbed me the wrong way.