A lively, entertaining time-travel tale that nicely blends history, myth, and adventure.
In this YA middle-grade fantasy adventure, two time-traveling twins must help defend Vikings against a fearsome dragon.
In this follow-up to The Order of Time (2020), 12-year-old twins Anastasia and Edward Upston and their mentor, Dr. Alfred Gregorian, must answer serious charges from the secret Order of Time, who are time-traveling guardians of history. By preventing Pharaoh Akhenaten’s assassination, the three defendants broke several important rules. A hearing in London goes well; the twins get the chance to be trained and join the Order someday if they pass the entrance exam. A treacherous element in the Order, however, makes the twins’ time-travel test go badly awry, and they find themselves stranded in medieval Denmark. The Vikings they meet, including Erik the Red, explain that they’re in desperate danger from the dragon Nidhogg and his undead army. The only way to defeat them, a shaman says, is to have the broken blade Lykill reforged by its dwarf makers and to reconnoiter the dragon’s lair to discover his weakness; Anastasia joins the first mission and Edward, the second. As the Vikings will face a fierce series of battles, will the travelers complete their tasks in time? In his second series installment, Southall appealingly offers several intriguing elements in addition to the time travel that drives the action. In particular, the secret society with its clandestine procedures, fancy secret locations, centuries-old members, and nifty relics is great fun, as is the school that Anastasia and Edward hope to attend, which offers such fascinating subjects as Preservation of Powerful Artifacts. The twins’ quests are packed with exciting scenes of journeying, discovering, and battling. It should be noted that there’s a fairly significant plot hole involving the twins’ ability to speak and read Norse, but it won’t detract from readers’ enjoyment of the story.
A lively, entertaining time-travel tale that nicely blends history, myth, and adventure.Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2022
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 311
Publisher: Seaview Press Holdings
Review Posted Online: Jan. 7, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
PERSPECTIVES
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship.
Shortly before the new queen’s coronation, a monster wreaks havoc, forcing a young fairy princess to intervene at her own risk.
In Pixie Hollow, the Never Fairies of Spring, Summer, and Autumn work to create seasons for the humans on the Mainland, while the fairies of Winter remain apart in the Winter Woods. Clarion, a governing-talent fairy who’s soon to take over as queen of Pixie Hollow, often looks wonderingly at the Winter Woods. But crossing the border is against the rules set forth by her mentor, Queen Elvina. When a monster from Winter breaks free and enters Spring, Clarion bristles at Elvina’s dismissal. Determined to be involved, she secretly travels to Winter, meets with Milori, the Warden of the Winter Woods, and learns that the land is nothing like what she’s heard, making her wonder what else the queen has been untruthful about. Together Milori and Clarion work to discover the secrets of Pixie Hollow, which may save them—or lead to death. Set in a magical place of flowers and pixie dust, this story considers the control we have over the roles we’re assigned. Clarion is a beautifully complex character—strong yet insecure, lovable due to her willingness to prioritize relationships over rules. Themes of fear, forbidden love, and good vs. evil are present in this fast-paced, engaging tale. Main characters are cued white.
A magical story with a classic Disney feel exploring love, friendship, and leading amid hardship. (Fantasy. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781368098458
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
