History Literature / FreewayFighter

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The book is published in 1985 and set in 2015, or 30 years later.

* TwentyMinutesInTheFuture: Just before the pandemic, the intro mentions how the future world of 2015 saw some significant improvements to technology and society, such as almost every home being powered by solar energy. But other than the encounter with a laser cannon (and the weaponized cars everywhere), you won't see any difference between 2015 and 1985.

* OilSlick: The Dodge Interceptor has bottom canisters which spews crude oil for making enemy vehicles crash.

* BulletproofVest: You can collect one which can possibly save you from [[spoiler:being shot from point-blank by a terrorist in the ending.]]

* CozyCatastrophe: Things aren't too bleak in this setting especially compared to the ''Mad Max'' movies that influenced this book. Unlike ''Mad Max'', there was no all-out nuclear war so the environment isn't damaged and much of the infrastructure is intact. The pandemic that devastated humanity has largely run its course, so the main threats are the outlaw gangs and psychos running amok. With oil production and agriculture returning, the book ends on a hopeful note that society will recover.

** While ''Mad Max'' is the main influence, your tricked out CoolCar -- with its machine gun, rockets, and oil slicks -- is also very reminiscent of ''VideoGame/SpyHunter''.

* {{Outlaw}}: A highwayman is inexplicably dressed as a cowboy, complete with Stetson hat, cowboy boots with spurs and western wear. Have we mentioned that this book is supposedly set in 2015?

* PyrrhicVictory: [[spoiler: If you encounter a rat-wielding madman on your way back to New Hope, his rat bites will infect you with plague. [[HeroicSacrifice So as to not infect the populace, you leave the tanker and a note outside the city and walk off into the desert to die]]]].

* {{Expy}}: Your hero is Film/MadMax by any other name, and the Animal (leader of the Doom Dogs) is Lord Humungus.

Is it a coincidence that this book comes out a few years after ''Film/{{Mad Max 2|TheRoadWarrior}}''?

* BoringReturnJourney: Getting from New Hope to San Anglo requires braving streets and deserts, managing petrol supplies, and fighting off bandits, highwaymen and street gangs in numerous melee, gun and vehicular battles in your Interceptor. Getting back just requires driving directly along the highway in an armoured tanker, with only a handful of enemy encounters (one of which you just smash right through without a fight).

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: "The Animal", leader of the highwaymen.

* TwentyMinutesInTheFuture: Just before the pandemic, the intro mentions how the future world of 2015 saw some significant improvements to technology and society, such as almost every home being powered by solar energy. But other than the encounter with a laser rifle, you won't see any difference between 2015 and 1985.

* RevolversAreJustBetter: Your WeaponOfChoice, with BottomlessMagazines to match.

* WeaponOfChoice: In a setting with many enemies carrying assault rifles, [=LMGs=] and [=SMGs=], your character sticks with a revolver of average calibre. The only time he gets a new weapon is if he beats an outlaw who carries an old Magnum revolver.

* CozyCatastrophe: Things aren't too bleak in this setting especially compared to the Mad Max movies that influenced this book. Unlike Mad Max, there was no all-out nuclear war so the environment isn't damaged and much of the infrastructure is intact. The pandemic that devastated humanity has largely run its course, so the main threats are the outlaw gangs and psychos running amok. With oil production and agriculture returning, the book ends on a hopeful note that society will recover.

* {{Expy}}: Your hero is ''Mad Max'' by any other name, and the Animal (leader of the Doom Dogs) is Lord Humungus.

* {{Expy}}: Your hero is ''Mad Max'' by any other name.

* BullyingADragon: Sure, you can try to barge into the car-free-zone that is guarded by a gun in a bunker, [[spoiler:but that gun aimed at you is a FrickinLaserBeam that'll burn right through your car and you in an instant]].

* BullyingADragon: Sure, you can try to barge into the car-free-zone that is guarded by a gun in a bunker, [[spoiler:but that gun aimed at you is a laser that'll burn right through your car and you in an instant]].

* DiscardAndDraw: Reaching San Anglo means you have to exchange your Interceptor for the armoured tanker required to transport the petrol back to New Hope.

* MadeOfIron: Your character's STAMINA Stat is '''2D6 + 24''', or ''12 points'' higher than the usual FF protagonists.