The Time Travelers (2006) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 2 stars

“Disappointed by the introduction that said 'for people who like Harry Potter'.
Not very interesting and lacks power to make the reader concentrate.”

• Rated 4 stars

“slow start, but picks up toward the middle, and Gilbert is an interesting character.”

• Rated 3 stars

“While visiting her father’s office, shortly before Christmas, Kate finds herself sucked back in time to the year 1763. Peter, whom she just met, is also thrust into the past by an anti-gravity machine that Kate’s father and his colleagues have been working on. When they reach 1763, two men witness their arrival, The Tar Man and Gideon Seymour. The Tar Man, a known henchman, steals their machine and takes off for London. Gideon, a known cutpurse, vows to help them find their machine and return to their own time. After meeting the family that employs Gideon, they set off for London where they encounter danger of all kinds. Gideon’s former employer (Lord Luxon) wants Gideon back at all costs. When Lord Luxon realizes this will never be, he has Gideon sent to jail where he is nearly hanged. Now Peter and Kate realize that they cannot go back to the 21st century until they can save Gideon. That is until, Kate’s father turns up in 1763.

This is the first book in a trilogy. The book is full of adventure and as such, is a page-turner. The ending cliffhanger had me downloading the next book within minutes of finishing the first one. It combined, fantasy, science fiction and historical fiction into one exciting story.

Curriculum Connections
Social Studies – this book is a great piece to include on a unit about England in the 18th century. This time period is full of historical events that can be explored including: The Treaty of Paris, The American Colonists, The American Revolution, The role of King George in England and with the development of the American colonies. In addition, some historical figures are mentioned including Erasmus Darwin (grandfather of Charles Darwin), and Dr. Samuel Johnson, inventor of the dictionary.

London is described vividly in the novel. We also get a glimpse of how the poor and weak were treated. Students can research the social conditions of that time period, specifically how the young, weak and poor were treated. In addition, they can investigate the prisons of the time to see how criminals were treated within the prisons.

Many times in the story, the clothing of the time period came up. Students can research what life was like during that time period including, dress, travel and food.

Science – This book also touches upon some scientific aspects as well including dark matter, static electricity and medical care (blood letting in 1763). The novel can also spark up conversations of time travel and the advantages and disadvantages of such a possibility.
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• Rated 4 stars

“Took me a little while to get into, but overall good :) ”

• Rated 3 stars

“Peter Schock and Kate Dyer are two ordinary kids on a farm. Peter is visiting from town, and Kate decides to give him a tour around the place. But, they both uncover a anti-gravity machine and accidentally time travel... back to the 1800's. There they meet Gideon Seymour, no ordinary guy who is hiding from an evil villain, oddly named "Tar Man". The team is forced to fight on and return home.”

• Rated 5 stars

“This is an interesting time paradox book. My 16 year old son read all three in 1 week or so. He thought the plot was different and enjoyed how it moved quickly. He recommends this book to anyone.”

• Rated 0 stars

“Jonathan liked this one”

• Rated 5 stars

“Great book!”

• Rated 4 stars

“I really enjoyed this book. I thought that the writing fit the tone of the book perfectly, and that the plot was interesting- if predictable. One of the better aspects of this book was the fact that the author didn't try to sugarcoat the more gritty aspects of Eighteenth Century London- the brief encounters with beggars, prison inmates, and highwaymen show this.

Another thing that I thought was pulled off well was the comparisons between the twenty first century and the eighteenth. I didn't seem deliberate, and was actually rather fascinating- both the explanations and the response to what the future might hold. One particular comparison, however brief it was, remarked that the future must certainly be a paradise- no executions for petty crimes, and the like- which I thought was well thought out.

One thing that bothered me was the main characters. I couldn't really bring myself to sympathize with either of them (though I liked Peter much more than I do Kate), and Gideon was definitely the most engaging character in the story. Kate is described as being brave, but I didn't really see much of her bravery rear it's head. I liked the friendship between Peter and Kate, and the bond between Peter and Gideon. I just didn't like the characters much themselves.

Overall, I liked the story a lot, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.”

• Rated 5 stars

“a really good historical fiction book. i can't wait to read the next two.”