--- product_id: 20945016 title: "Skink--No Surrender" price: "£9.16" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20945016-skink-no-surrender store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # Skink--No Surrender **Price:** £9.16 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Skink--No Surrender - **How much does it cost?** £9.16 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20945016-skink-no-surrender) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Richard's cousin is missing, and his best hope of finding her rests with the wily, one-eyed, ex-governor of Florida. Carl Hiaasen introduces his iconic character Skink to a younger audience in this nail-biting adventure! A National Book Award Longlist Selection Classic Malley: her parents are about to ship her off to boarding school, so she takes off with some guy she met online... Poor Richard: he's less of a rebel than Malley, and a lot less trusting. He knows his cousin is in trouble before she does. Wild Skink: he's a ragged, one-eyed, ex-governor of Florida, and enough of a renegade to think he can track Malley down. With Richard riding shotgun, this unlikely pair scour the state, undaunted by blinding storms, crazed pigs, flying bullets, and giant gators. In Carl Hiaasen's outrageous, hilarious, and wildly dangerous state of Florida, there are a million places an outlaw might stash a teenage girl. A million unpleasant ways to die. And two who will risk everything to rescue a friend . . . and to, hopefully, exact a bit of swamp justice. Review: Skink - No Surrender , Nature! Action! Florida! This book has it all! - Skink - No Surrender, by Carl Hiaasen is a great book filled with action and many life lessons. This book is very good with many cliff hangers so it will keep you entertained and waiting to see what happens next. If you like action you will like this book. The characters are kind of odd but that's why I like the book. This book is all about life lessons, for example the action centers around Malley , a teenage girl who sneaks out and gets into a lot of trouble. She is supposed to be sent to a boarding school and instead she meets a man online named T.C., who she believes will save her from going to the school. Without spoiling the story, the plot makes teenagers aware that meeting of with strangers from online can be dangerous. The main character, Skink, is a great example of caring and courage. He is a crazy character that looks out for animals and human rights. He was once the governor of Florida and is a natural survivalist. The story takes place in Florida and travels up the West Coast. The book has a lot of nature/environmental facts, about Florida , which also makes it interesting to read. The main character, Richard, is Malley's cousin and this is his adventure to get his cousin back and out of danger. He is a teenager and travels with Skink.. He has had some hard times, but he learns from Skink to trust and never give up. I had to read this book for my seventh grade class, and I also live in Florida. I was able to connect with the characters, the setting, and the plot. It was a very good novel, and I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy adventure, suspense, and nature. Review: there is a good deal less gross violence in Skink than in the ... - Because this is a YA (Young Adult) novel, there is a good deal less gross violence in Skink than in the other Hiaasen novels, though there is still a good deal of knocking about and shooting) and the narrative is more straight-forward than usual, This is an adventure story evolving as a teen’s coming of age, even learning to drive—utilizing Steinbeck’s East of Eden as part of his training! (There are also salutary references to Rachel Carson’s environmental powerhouse Silent Spring which might send some younger readers back to a book which has not lost it’s power). Reading Skink No Surrender is a vacation; even if the vacation is spent largely in the swampy marshes of the Choctawhatchee basin, jumping with mosquitos and rife with alligators, even if the destination is a ratty old houseboat populated by nasty little Terwyn Crossley a devious rascal posing as Talbo Chock, the former abducting unwilling hostage Malley, a strong willed young woman with attitude to spare. I had a reading vacation full of near-death adventure, thrilling rescues, and mainly, pages and pages of Clinton Tyree, aka Skink. (I wonder much Hiaasen works at crafting names like Terwyn Crossley so as not to offend any actual living creature who might coincidentally bear such a moniker) Hiaasen neatly captures the voice and attitudes of his burgeoning hero, a young man who readily admits some of his failings (“there’s no Off switch in my imagination”) but whose imagination can conjure up Lola’s Chariot in seconds, and whose courage strengthens his resolve and slowly comes to understand his mother’s clueless second husband, who cluelessly slices brown bananas on the kid's cereal. Richard is a frank, unassuming hero, a likeable kid with little pretension and a developing value system worthy of emulation. His pal Malley, the headstrong and often difficult young woman who resists parental interference, is nonetheless shown to be crafty, intelligent and resourceful, even if a little naïve (which certainly dovetails nicely with her shaky bravado), who can find an FM station that is “Bieber-free.” (a reference that is bound to date quicker than references to, say, An American Tragedy in Horsefeathers). Although the short novel is considered “YA,” most of the expected Hiaasen themes are peppered through the book—environmental concerns, a raging intolerance of litterbugs, a consuming concern for wild things (turtle eggs, rare woodpeckers, blue herons), and an eye for the ragtag individuals that make life interesting—whether the mysterious friend of Skink’s, Officer Tile, who, like Skink himself, materializes when needed, or gar man Nickel, chugging up and down the river on a makeshift boat piled with rotting fish. The vivid setting of the river shore, relatively limited as it is, also creates a believable world in which the kids can struggle with that nasty piece of work called Tommy Chalmers (AKA Talbo Chock), as does Skink, who queries: “Son, why’d you shoot at that lovely bird?...The only acceptable excuse would be a brain injury. Are you afflicted in such a way?” “Shut your trap!” Tommy growled. Those of us who know the author appreciate that Tommy, one way or another, is probably not long for this world. As he does so often, Hiaasen vividly sets up villains who will get just comeuppance before the book is finished. And we can hardly wait. (I did think it odd that young Chalmers didn’t shoot his gun when presented with challenges so frequently by both Skink and the kids, but given his scattered consciousness, the question is moot). And then there’s the real hero, the titular Skink, who appears in his vivid best in a surprise appearance emerging of out of the Choctawhatchee: He had emerged from the river “seeping tooth wounds in his neck, a partial bite imprint on one shoulder, a grid of vivid welts on his chest that matched the armored ridges of the reptile’s tail…sopping and crowned with slimy hydrilla weeds that made him look like some sort of demented sea monarch. Among the sprigs of his beard dangled moist purplish leeches, several of which had attached to his hide-like cheeks….his fake eyeball must have popped out, because the socket was now plugged with a glossy brown snail’s shell….” It’s easily Hiaasen’s most vivid description of our Hero in any of the novels, and makes the YA novel worth reading for that reason alone. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #42,818 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #38 in Teen & Young Adult Humorous Fiction #41 in Children's Recycling & Green Living Books #94 in Teen & Young Adult Mysteries & Detective Stories | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 7,204 Reviews | ## Images ![Skink--No Surrender - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Cb1TJxExL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Skink - No Surrender , Nature! Action! Florida! This book has it all! *by P***A on October 11, 2015* Skink - No Surrender, by Carl Hiaasen is a great book filled with action and many life lessons. This book is very good with many cliff hangers so it will keep you entertained and waiting to see what happens next. If you like action you will like this book. The characters are kind of odd but that's why I like the book. This book is all about life lessons, for example the action centers around Malley , a teenage girl who sneaks out and gets into a lot of trouble. She is supposed to be sent to a boarding school and instead she meets a man online named T.C., who she believes will save her from going to the school. Without spoiling the story, the plot makes teenagers aware that meeting of with strangers from online can be dangerous. The main character, Skink, is a great example of caring and courage. He is a crazy character that looks out for animals and human rights. He was once the governor of Florida and is a natural survivalist. The story takes place in Florida and travels up the West Coast. The book has a lot of nature/environmental facts, about Florida , which also makes it interesting to read. The main character, Richard, is Malley's cousin and this is his adventure to get his cousin back and out of danger. He is a teenager and travels with Skink.. He has had some hard times, but he learns from Skink to trust and never give up. I had to read this book for my seventh grade class, and I also live in Florida. I was able to connect with the characters, the setting, and the plot. It was a very good novel, and I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy adventure, suspense, and nature. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ there is a good deal less gross violence in Skink than in the ... *by P***D on November 5, 2014* Because this is a YA (Young Adult) novel, there is a good deal less gross violence in Skink than in the other Hiaasen novels, though there is still a good deal of knocking about and shooting) and the narrative is more straight-forward than usual, This is an adventure story evolving as a teen’s coming of age, even learning to drive—utilizing Steinbeck’s East of Eden as part of his training! (There are also salutary references to Rachel Carson’s environmental powerhouse Silent Spring which might send some younger readers back to a book which has not lost it’s power). Reading Skink No Surrender is a vacation; even if the vacation is spent largely in the swampy marshes of the Choctawhatchee basin, jumping with mosquitos and rife with alligators, even if the destination is a ratty old houseboat populated by nasty little Terwyn Crossley a devious rascal posing as Talbo Chock, the former abducting unwilling hostage Malley, a strong willed young woman with attitude to spare. I had a reading vacation full of near-death adventure, thrilling rescues, and mainly, pages and pages of Clinton Tyree, aka Skink. (I wonder much Hiaasen works at crafting names like Terwyn Crossley so as not to offend any actual living creature who might coincidentally bear such a moniker) Hiaasen neatly captures the voice and attitudes of his burgeoning hero, a young man who readily admits some of his failings (“there’s no Off switch in my imagination”) but whose imagination can conjure up Lola’s Chariot in seconds, and whose courage strengthens his resolve and slowly comes to understand his mother’s clueless second husband, who cluelessly slices brown bananas on the kid's cereal. Richard is a frank, unassuming hero, a likeable kid with little pretension and a developing value system worthy of emulation. His pal Malley, the headstrong and often difficult young woman who resists parental interference, is nonetheless shown to be crafty, intelligent and resourceful, even if a little naïve (which certainly dovetails nicely with her shaky bravado), who can find an FM station that is “Bieber-free.” (a reference that is bound to date quicker than references to, say, An American Tragedy in Horsefeathers). Although the short novel is considered “YA,” most of the expected Hiaasen themes are peppered through the book—environmental concerns, a raging intolerance of litterbugs, a consuming concern for wild things (turtle eggs, rare woodpeckers, blue herons), and an eye for the ragtag individuals that make life interesting—whether the mysterious friend of Skink’s, Officer Tile, who, like Skink himself, materializes when needed, or gar man Nickel, chugging up and down the river on a makeshift boat piled with rotting fish. The vivid setting of the river shore, relatively limited as it is, also creates a believable world in which the kids can struggle with that nasty piece of work called Tommy Chalmers (AKA Talbo Chock), as does Skink, who queries: “Son, why’d you shoot at that lovely bird?...The only acceptable excuse would be a brain injury. Are you afflicted in such a way?” “Shut your trap!” Tommy growled. Those of us who know the author appreciate that Tommy, one way or another, is probably not long for this world. As he does so often, Hiaasen vividly sets up villains who will get just comeuppance before the book is finished. And we can hardly wait. (I did think it odd that young Chalmers didn’t shoot his gun when presented with challenges so frequently by both Skink and the kids, but given his scattered consciousness, the question is moot). And then there’s the real hero, the titular Skink, who appears in his vivid best in a surprise appearance emerging of out of the Choctawhatchee: He had emerged from the river “seeping tooth wounds in his neck, a partial bite imprint on one shoulder, a grid of vivid welts on his chest that matched the armored ridges of the reptile’s tail…sopping and crowned with slimy hydrilla weeds that made him look like some sort of demented sea monarch. Among the sprigs of his beard dangled moist purplish leeches, several of which had attached to his hide-like cheeks….his fake eyeball must have popped out, because the socket was now plugged with a glossy brown snail’s shell….” It’s easily Hiaasen’s most vivid description of our Hero in any of the novels, and makes the YA novel worth reading for that reason alone. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A good read--typical Hiassen; this book is mostly for the younger generation, but adults can enjoy it too. *by P***K on October 11, 2014* A good, clean read for a long plane ride. This book is intended for a younger audience, as the main characters are 14-year old teenagers. When I bought this book, I did not realize this when Amazon notified me that the new Hiassen novel had just been released. I skipped the reviews and immediately clicked the button for the Kindle version. I was on vacation, so I kept on reading, finding myself enjoying another Hiassen novel. The story is told from the point of view a 14-year old boy who tries to save his best friend, his cousin of the same age but opposite gender, who has been kidnapped by 26-year old male psychopath whom the cousin met in an Internet chat room. The plot includes some of the typical lowlife in Hiassen novels, as well as the good guys (I've read nearly all of them, especially all the ones for adult readers). Skink is his usual self, now 72 years old and going strong, but the colorful (swearing) adult language is absent from Skink, as well as the rest of the characters. In other words, if it were a movie, it would be G rated, or possibly PG. I've been hoping that Hiassen would write a new novel similar to the earlier ones for adults, and miss some of his witty sarcasm, humorous slants to the characters, exposition of their human foibles, and the nearly incredible, hilarious situations they get themselves into. But I understand that Hiassen is trying to get the main moral message that permeates all his books across to the younger generation--because they are the future. I'd highly recommend this book to teenagers, but adults can enjoy it too and pass it on to their children when they're old enough to read it. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20945016-skink-no-surrender](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/20945016-skink-no-surrender) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-06-21*