On the Java Ridge

Amid the furious ocean there was no human sound on deck: some people standing, watching the wave, but no one capable of words. On the Java Ridge, skipper Isi Natoli and a group of Australian surf tourists are anchored beside an idyllic reef off the Indonesian island of Dana. In the Canberra office of Cassius Calvert, Minister for Border Integrity, a Federal election looms and (not coincidentally) a hardline new policy is being announced regarding maritime assistance to asylum-seeker vessels in distress. A few kilometres away from Dana, the Takalar is having engine trouble. Among the passengers fleeing from persecution are Roya and her mother, and Roya's unborn sister. The storm now closing in on the Takalar and the Java Ridge will mean catastrophe for them all. With ON THE JAVA RIDGE Jock Serong, bestselling author of The Rules of Backyard Cricket, brings us a literary novel with the pace and tension of a political thriller-and some of the most compelling, heartstopping writing about the sea since Patrick O'Brian. Jock Serong's debut novel Quota won the 2015 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel. In 2016, The Rules of Backyard Cricket was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Award. On the Java Ridge is his third novel. Jock teaches law and writes feature articles in the surfing media and for publications such as The Guardian and Slow Living. He lives with his wife and four children in Port Fairy, Victoria. 'Jock Serong creates a sense of foreboding from the very start of his third novel, and then constantly ratchets up the tension with a keen sense of pacing.' Books+Publishing

Winner of Colin Roderick Memorial Award 2018 (Australia)
Winner of Staunch Book Prize 2018 (UK)
Short-listed for Melbourne Prize for Literature: Best Writing Award 2018 (Australia)
Long-listed for Indie Book Award for Fiction 2018 (Australia)
Long-listed for ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year 2018 (Australia)

“Praise for On the Java Ridge 'Serong creates a sense of foreboding from the very start of his third novel, and then constantly ratchets up the tension with a keen sense of pacing.'-- Books + Publishing 'Terrifying, compelling.'-- ABR 'This is the mastery of Serong's novel, understanding that fictional dystopias are at their most profound when they take the everyday and tilt it towards the darkness...it is a deeply considered novel that steers us to the logical conclusion of an entrenched system rooted equally in brutality and silence.'-- The Monthly 'Serong has his finger firmly on the pulse of current events: this is a thoroughly credible hypothetical, a truly intriguing and frighteningly believable "what if?" that is brilliantly executed, acutely topical and extremely relevant.'-- Bookmooch 'You might want to clear the decks before you start Jock Serong's third thriller, because the odds are you won't be able to put it down.'-- SA Weekend Praise for The Rules of Backyard Cricket 'A deeply interesting novel about sibling rivalry, family, masculinity, and the game of cricket...Serong is a talented storyteller, and he brings this unusual world to life.'-- Booklist ; 'Beautifully written and acutely observed...a noir tour de force.'-- Sydney Morning Herald ; 'Serong writes pithy, pin-sharp dialogue...The book is expertly plotted, and its noirish climax with its dark drama and its final twists, is devastating. Get out and buy this book; it is the best new novel I've read this year.'-- Crime Time [UK; 'A novel of suspense, I heartily recommend it.'-- Shots [UK]; 'Serong's writing displays wit, insight and occasionally, splendor.'-- Books + Publishing Praise for Quota :'IPitch-perfect dialogue, and a strong sense of place about this small town in particular. The characters there are particularly believable and...actually quite likeable (a bonus). All of these elements combine to make for a very engaging, and extremely realistic debut novel.'-- Reviewing The Evidence”

'Beautifully written and acutely observed, The Rules of Backyard Cricket is a noir tour de force.' -- Sue Turnbull Sydney Morning Herald 'Serong's writing displays wit, insight and occasionally, splendour.' Books & Publishing 'Blow me down if I didn't hang on every word.' -- Clare Wright Weekend Australia 'A compelling literary novel dissecting toxic sporting culture and its fallout.' -- Paddy O'Reilly Australian Book Review 'Jock Serong creates a sense of foreboding from the very start of his third novel, and then constantly ratchets up the tension with a keen sense of pacing.' Books + Publishing 'Serong confirms his talent for multi-layered plot-driven novels that offer commentary on modern Australia.' Books + Publishing

Jock Serong's debut novel Quota won the 2015 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime Novel. In 2016, The Rules of Backyard Cricket was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Award. On the Java Ridge is his third novel. Jock teaches law and writes feature articles in the surfing media and for publications such as The Guardian and Slow Living. He lives with his wife and four children in Port Fairy, Victoria.

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