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The Gideon Trilogy #1
Secikesa Gedeon
Kad mi je Piter rekao da su ovamo stigli iz budućnosti, obuze me čuđenje i divljenje. Potom, kad ugledah strah na njegovom licu, shvatih da je zbog tog putovanja kroz vekove postao siroče upravo kao i ja zbog groznice.
Život i doba Gedeona Simora, secikese i gospodina, 1792.
Susret s antigravitacionom mašinom šalje Pitera Šoka i Kejt Dajer u osamnaesti vek i pokreće razvoj opasnih događaja. Dok u dvadeset prvom veku traje velika potraga za decom – u osamnaestom okoreli kriminalac Katrani krade antigravitacionu mašinu i nestaje u londonskom podzemlju. Nasukani u drugom vremenu i prinuđeni da jure Katranog do njegove jazbine, Piter i Kejt pronalaze prijatelja i vodiča u bivšem secikesi Gedeonu Simoru. Gedeon čini sve da im pomogne, no da li će ga mračna prošlost sustići pre no što povrate mašinu?
Prvi od niza uzbudljivih romana, Secikesa Gedeon je nova napeta pustolovina smeštena u svet razbojnika, lopova i secikesa. Dok Piter i Kejt istražuju neverovatne mogućnosti putovanja kroz vreme, počinju da se pitaju da li bi ono moglo biti i najgori košmar koji preti čovečanstvu...
Život i doba Gedeona Simora, secikese i gospodina, 1792.
Susret s antigravitacionom mašinom šalje Pitera Šoka i Kejt Dajer u osamnaesti vek i pokreće razvoj opasnih događaja. Dok u dvadeset prvom veku traje velika potraga za decom – u osamnaestom okoreli kriminalac Katrani krade antigravitacionu mašinu i nestaje u londonskom podzemlju. Nasukani u drugom vremenu i prinuđeni da jure Katranog do njegove jazbine, Piter i Kejt pronalaze prijatelja i vodiča u bivšem secikesi Gedeonu Simoru. Gedeon čini sve da im pomogne, no da li će ga mračna prošlost sustići pre no što povrate mašinu?
Prvi od niza uzbudljivih romana, Secikesa Gedeon je nova napeta pustolovina smeštena u svet razbojnika, lopova i secikesa. Dok Piter i Kejt istražuju neverovatne mogućnosti putovanja kroz vreme, počinju da se pitaju da li bi ono moglo biti i najgori košmar koji preti čovečanstvu...
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 812 reviews
January 4, 2016
This was a fine read. I made the mistake of reading one of the reviews on GoodReads before I started the book and that reader really blasted it. I noticed that a lot of the reviews were either 5 stars or 1. It's hard for me to keep an open mind with that junk floating around. ANYWay, this IS a young adult historical (science) fiction story with some time travel. The author handled it just fine - except for a short paragraph far into the story where the characters start to discuss how things could get messed up and parallel universes and stuff - just let it go. The story is about Kate and Peter (Peter's 12, Kate's 12 or older) who have just met and before long are transported to 1736 (or there abouts.) They are in the same area of England, but a different century. I thought there were plenty of 'era' comparisons (a big complaint of the unhappy reviewer) especially considering it wasn't written for adults. There are good guys, bad guys, not-so-sure- about guys, family drama and even a dog. The characters aren't particularly fleshed out, but enough that you can get a feel for people and their circumstances.
One of the things I found funny - on the cover, it says 'For kids who love Harry Potter.' Wow, people are always trying to ride those coat tails. This book doesn't come near the level of the HP series. I think I will read the other 2 books in this Gideon series, though, so that's something. I'd recommend it to anyone with 10 year olds or around that age, for sure.
One of the things I found funny - on the cover, it says 'For kids who love Harry Potter.' Wow, people are always trying to ride those coat tails. This book doesn't come near the level of the HP series. I think I will read the other 2 books in this Gideon series, though, so that's something. I'd recommend it to anyone with 10 year olds or around that age, for sure.
December 31, 2008
My review contains my opinion and is written for readers who are like me, particular in what they read, critical in their reading.
An accident with an anti-gravity machine transports Kate and Peter from the year 2007 back in time to 1763. The evil Tar Man steals the machine and their only way back home, Gideon Seymour befriends the children and promises to help them find their way back to the twenty-first century.
I thought this sounded like it would be a really wonderful adventure story but it didn't in anyway meet my expectations. I thought the characters lacked development, the relationships between the characters were flat, nothing was developed enough to make this an enjoyable book to read.
I thought the author missed a wonderful opportunity to contrast the luxuries and inventions we take for granted in our every day lives with the way of life in 1763. The children barely mention the difference between past and present except for noting the landscape of London and Kate talking about her heavy skirt and tight corset.
I thought the children's reaction to be transported back in time two hundred years was unrealistic or at least poorly portrayed.
The passages taken from the so called unpublished book 'The Life and Times of Gideon Seymour, Cutpurse and Gentleman' were sprinkled through the book as if they were an after thought. Weaving Dr. Johnson into the story did nothing to make it more interesting.
The suspense scenes were sometimes ruined by the lack of follow through and focus. And the writing style itself was awkward and clumsy. The style and manner of speech of one particular character was ridiculously like the characters in the past.
I love historical fiction and that is primarily what I read, I was very much looking forward to reading this with my daughter and by page eighty I was ready to be done with it. I think that this could have been a great story with lots of refinement and editing but sadly as it is I can't tell my friends they should pick it up.
Misfit would have thrown this one against the wall, I tried to several times but my daughter wouldn't let me.
An accident with an anti-gravity machine transports Kate and Peter from the year 2007 back in time to 1763. The evil Tar Man steals the machine and their only way back home, Gideon Seymour befriends the children and promises to help them find their way back to the twenty-first century.
I thought this sounded like it would be a really wonderful adventure story but it didn't in anyway meet my expectations. I thought the characters lacked development, the relationships between the characters were flat, nothing was developed enough to make this an enjoyable book to read.
I thought the author missed a wonderful opportunity to contrast the luxuries and inventions we take for granted in our every day lives with the way of life in 1763. The children barely mention the difference between past and present except for noting the landscape of London and Kate talking about her heavy skirt and tight corset.
I thought the children's reaction to be transported back in time two hundred years was unrealistic or at least poorly portrayed.
The passages taken from the so called unpublished book 'The Life and Times of Gideon Seymour, Cutpurse and Gentleman' were sprinkled through the book as if they were an after thought. Weaving Dr. Johnson into the story did nothing to make it more interesting.
The suspense scenes were sometimes ruined by the lack of follow through and focus. And the writing style itself was awkward and clumsy. The style and manner of speech of one particular character was ridiculously like the characters in the past.
I love historical fiction and that is primarily what I read, I was very much looking forward to reading this with my daughter and by page eighty I was ready to be done with it. I think that this could have been a great story with lots of refinement and editing but sadly as it is I can't tell my friends they should pick it up.
Misfit would have thrown this one against the wall, I tried to several times but my daughter wouldn't let me.
February 3, 2009
Absolutely brilliant! Excellent, realistic and utterly likable characters. I loved Peter and Kate. And how awesome is it that the authoress is able to tell a tale of time travel, quantum physics, parallel worlds, and the logistical quandaries that would arise thereof, without sacrificing the readers’ connection to the protagonists and their predicament? She tackles a sophisticated subject with precision and plays out its consequences in the lives of Peter Schock and Kate Dyer, as well as their families and colleagues. A brilliant new talent!
Peter Schock and Kate Dyer, 12, find themselves in 1763, even though hours earlier, when they met for the first time, they were in 21st century England. Their time travel is somehow connected to the anti-gravity machine that Kate’s father has been working on, and which ended up with them in the eighteenth century English countryside. However, as it has been stolen by a hardened criminal known as The Tar Man, they really have little choice but to trust Gideon, a stranger who offers the children his help. Gideon appears to honestly desire to help them get home, even if he is a reformed cutpurse. The adventures and dilemmas that Peter and Kate encounter and the people that they meet, both friend and foe, help both of the children to mature. In particular, Peter, who was at odds with his workaholic parents, learns how much he misses his family, even as he and Kate become friends. Has a cliff-hanger ending, so you might want to have book two on hand.
Also worth noting is the wealth of research and historical detail that was painstakingly incorporated into the tale and which gives its eighteenth century scenes an air of authenticity that is lacking in so many other tales of that time period, time traveling-related or not. A brilliant talent and well worth taking the time to investigate. Age 10 +.
(No romance. Plenty of action/ adventure.)
Why does Peter keep feeling like he recognizes something? He thinks he recognizes Gideon (p.49) and the landscape of the Dyer's farm in Darbyshire (p.8). Gideon also feels like he has met Peter before when first he saw him (p.52).
Peter Schock and Kate Dyer, 12, find themselves in 1763, even though hours earlier, when they met for the first time, they were in 21st century England. Their time travel is somehow connected to the anti-gravity machine that Kate’s father has been working on, and which ended up with them in the eighteenth century English countryside. However, as it has been stolen by a hardened criminal known as The Tar Man, they really have little choice but to trust Gideon, a stranger who offers the children his help. Gideon appears to honestly desire to help them get home, even if he is a reformed cutpurse. The adventures and dilemmas that Peter and Kate encounter and the people that they meet, both friend and foe, help both of the children to mature. In particular, Peter, who was at odds with his workaholic parents, learns how much he misses his family, even as he and Kate become friends. Has a cliff-hanger ending, so you might want to have book two on hand.
Also worth noting is the wealth of research and historical detail that was painstakingly incorporated into the tale and which gives its eighteenth century scenes an air of authenticity that is lacking in so many other tales of that time period, time traveling-related or not. A brilliant talent and well worth taking the time to investigate. Age 10 +.
(No romance. Plenty of action/ adventure.)
Why does Peter keep feeling like he recognizes something? He thinks he recognizes Gideon (p.49) and the landscape of the Dyer's farm in Darbyshire (p.8). Gideon also feels like he has met Peter before when first he saw him (p.52).
May 28, 2025
Still such a solid read, but it's not the 5 stars it was when I was 12.
Just a heads up - the first couple chapters or so are very annoying - please do keep on reading.
Fan Mix
1. Slow Me Down (Emmy Rossum) - Kate’s Theme
2. Pale (Within Temptation) - Kate
3. Broken (Lifehouse) - Peter (esp. in The Time Thief)
4. Collide (Howie Day) - Kate & Peter
5. The Way It Ends (Landon Pigg) - The Friends
6. Iridescent (Linkin Park) - Peter & Kate
7. Hold (Superchick) - Kate
8. Blink (Revive) - Peter’s Theme
9. Dare You to Move (Switchfoot) - the Friends
10. Crystallized Beauty (Philip Glass?) - Kate’s Theme 2
11. Wait it Out (Imogen Heap) - Kate's POV
Just a heads up - the first couple chapters or so are very annoying - please do keep on reading.
Fan Mix
1. Slow Me Down (Emmy Rossum) - Kate’s Theme
2. Pale (Within Temptation) - Kate
3. Broken (Lifehouse) - Peter (esp. in The Time Thief)
4. Collide (Howie Day) - Kate & Peter
5. The Way It Ends (Landon Pigg) - The Friends
6. Iridescent (Linkin Park) - Peter & Kate
7. Hold (Superchick) - Kate
8. Blink (Revive) - Peter’s Theme
9. Dare You to Move (Switchfoot) - the Friends
10. Crystallized Beauty (Philip Glass?) - Kate’s Theme 2
11. Wait it Out (Imogen Heap) - Kate's POV
May 15, 2017
Gideon the Cutpurse, buku ini banyak mengajarkan hal mengenai harapan, arti keluarga dan waktu.
(Mungkin) buku ini adalah salah satu dari sedikit buku bergenre FANTASI yang tidak mengandung SIHIR sama sekali didalamnya. That's why i love this book. Hal lainnya yang saya sukai dari buku ini yaitu, berbeda dengan buku-buku lainnya yang bergenre sama yang pernah saya baca sebelumnya, pada buku ini, sejarah dan fiksi ilmiah dikemas menjadi bacaan yang menyenangkan. Detil-detil sejarah dan ilmiah dipaparkan dengan baik, menarik dan informatif.
Buku ini berkisah tentang petualangan Peter (13 atau 14 tahun ya,lupa) dan sahabat perempuan seusianya bernama Kate. Sahabat? Pada awalnya memang bukan. Mereka justru baru bertemu satu kali saja pada hari itu hingga akhirnya pada hari itu juga keduanya yang terlempar dari abad 21 ke abad 18 akibat kecelakaan mesin anti-gravitasi milik ayah Kate yang seorang ilmuwan. Di masa lalu itulah keduanya mulai saling mengenal lebih jauh, bersahabat dan saling melindungi.
Selanjutnya, persahabatan yang terjalin dari ketiga tokoh utama yakni Peter, Kate dan Gideon, seorang pemuda abad ke-18 yang juga seorang pencopet baik hati ini sangat menarik untuk diikuti. Gideon banyak sekali membantu Kate dan Peter. Gideon pun bertekad membantu kedua sahabat kecilnya itu untuk bisa kembali ke masanya, ke abad-21.
Ditengah segala kesulitan, dan hal-hal tak terduga serta hal-hal menarik yang terjadi di abad ke-18 tersebut, dengan batuan Gideon, berhasilkah Kate dan Peter kembali ke abad 21?
Buat kamu yang menyukai bacaan bertema petualangan, bahasan tentang waktu, sejarah dan obrolan singkat nan padat para tokoh tentang mesin anti gravitasi, buku ini recommended banget :).
Novel ini juga punya kekurangan siih... Tapi ini kekurangan versi aku aja lho ya,
1. Desain covernya NGGAK BANGET.
2. Setelah mengintip edisi bahasa Inggrisnya, ternyata buku ini memiliki judul yang keren kalau menurut aku, iyaa judulnya : The Time Travelers
Lha kok, terbitan Mizan ini judulnya jadi Gideon the Cutpurse :(
Iya memang, tokoh bernama Gideon dalam buku ini punya peran yang banyak dan penting... tapi, di judul terjemahannya aja tertulis : Para Penjelajah Waktu. Kalau menurut aku ini bisa abigu lho... Yang penjelajah waktunya itu siapa? Gideon? Kan bukan... Gideon gak pernah ikut-ikutan menjelajah waktu. Bener deh... Pemilihan judulnya ini menurut aku sangat disayangkan banget. Gak Tepat.
3. Alur cerita yang cepat memang selalu menarik untuk diikuti, gak bikin ngantukdan ngbosenin... tapi di buku ini,pada beberapa bagian seolah ada yang miss, entah memang diskip saat penerjemahannya atau memang alurnya ya begitu, kecepetan, haha.. Sampai akhirnya, setelah sampai di halaman terakhir agak mikir, "itu konflik yang tadi, yang ini sama yang itu...gimana? kok tiba-tiba bisa begini? :D
Secara keseluruhan, suka banget sama buku ini. Sekalilagi, #Recommended ^_^
(Mungkin) buku ini adalah salah satu dari sedikit buku bergenre FANTASI yang tidak mengandung SIHIR sama sekali didalamnya. That's why i love this book. Hal lainnya yang saya sukai dari buku ini yaitu, berbeda dengan buku-buku lainnya yang bergenre sama yang pernah saya baca sebelumnya, pada buku ini, sejarah dan fiksi ilmiah dikemas menjadi bacaan yang menyenangkan. Detil-detil sejarah dan ilmiah dipaparkan dengan baik, menarik dan informatif.
Buku ini berkisah tentang petualangan Peter (13 atau 14 tahun ya,lupa) dan sahabat perempuan seusianya bernama Kate. Sahabat? Pada awalnya memang bukan. Mereka justru baru bertemu satu kali saja pada hari itu hingga akhirnya pada hari itu juga keduanya yang terlempar dari abad 21 ke abad 18 akibat kecelakaan mesin anti-gravitasi milik ayah Kate yang seorang ilmuwan. Di masa lalu itulah keduanya mulai saling mengenal lebih jauh, bersahabat dan saling melindungi.
Selanjutnya, persahabatan yang terjalin dari ketiga tokoh utama yakni Peter, Kate dan Gideon, seorang pemuda abad ke-18 yang juga seorang pencopet baik hati ini sangat menarik untuk diikuti. Gideon banyak sekali membantu Kate dan Peter. Gideon pun bertekad membantu kedua sahabat kecilnya itu untuk bisa kembali ke masanya, ke abad-21.
Ditengah segala kesulitan, dan hal-hal tak terduga serta hal-hal menarik yang terjadi di abad ke-18 tersebut, dengan batuan Gideon, berhasilkah Kate dan Peter kembali ke abad 21?
Buat kamu yang menyukai bacaan bertema petualangan, bahasan tentang waktu, sejarah dan obrolan singkat nan padat para tokoh tentang mesin anti gravitasi, buku ini recommended banget :).
Novel ini juga punya kekurangan siih... Tapi ini kekurangan versi aku aja lho ya,
1. Desain covernya NGGAK BANGET.
2. Setelah mengintip edisi bahasa Inggrisnya, ternyata buku ini memiliki judul yang keren kalau menurut aku, iyaa judulnya : The Time Travelers
Lha kok, terbitan Mizan ini judulnya jadi Gideon the Cutpurse :(
Iya memang, tokoh bernama Gideon dalam buku ini punya peran yang banyak dan penting... tapi, di judul terjemahannya aja tertulis : Para Penjelajah Waktu. Kalau menurut aku ini bisa abigu lho... Yang penjelajah waktunya itu siapa? Gideon? Kan bukan... Gideon gak pernah ikut-ikutan menjelajah waktu. Bener deh... Pemilihan judulnya ini menurut aku sangat disayangkan banget. Gak Tepat.
3. Alur cerita yang cepat memang selalu menarik untuk diikuti, gak bikin ngantukdan ngbosenin... tapi di buku ini,pada beberapa bagian seolah ada yang miss, entah memang diskip saat penerjemahannya atau memang alurnya ya begitu, kecepetan, haha.. Sampai akhirnya, setelah sampai di halaman terakhir agak mikir, "itu konflik yang tadi, yang ini sama yang itu...gimana? kok tiba-tiba bisa begini? :D
Secara keseluruhan, suka banget sama buku ini. Sekalilagi, #Recommended ^_^
January 3, 2016
Wow. I just... I was so not anticipating that this would be so bad. I knew it wouldn't be my favorite book ever, but I thought it would be a casual and entertaining read. It was not.
-First off, it was really boring. The author left NOTHING out, even the most boring and mundane details that we really didn't need to know. I found this book to be overly long.
-I really disliked Kate. All she did was cry, over the silliest things, and that really bugged me. I just felt that it was a really weak woman character. I also felt this way with Kate's Mother. She wanted to help her kid, but didn't do anything, and never once did she try to console Sam, who was supposedly heart broken. All she did was sit around and be depressed. What was that going to do?
-I hated that the main characters (Peter and Kate) just went around, freely telling AAAANNNNYYYOOONNNNEEE about what the future was like, with the additude of "tra la la! We're idiots throughout the entire story but that never has an effect on anything" Seriously, when it came to talking about the future, they didn't have a care in the world. That was shocking to me. These might be kids, but they still should have had a little concern about how telling people from the past about the future may have effected things.
-I really didn't like Dr. Dryer not telling the inspector about his latest developments. If he couldn't tell the inspector, couldn't he at least have told Peter's parents, so that they knew that they're son wasn't dead? I felt like the Dryer's should have opened up to the Shock's a little more in understanding.
-The characters might have been kids but are you telling me that they knew nothing of 1700's living conditions? I mean in school they spend ages in the 1700's and they teach you LOADS about that time period. So, if Kate knew who created the first dictionary, wouldn't she know about the conditions of old prisons? She's supposed to be really smart, and really decisive, but I saw neither of those traits.
Really, I didn't like this book at all! I didn't like the plot, characters, and cliches that were definitely packed in there. I am not reading the sequel. I am very disappointed with this book. ONE STAR ONLY.
-First off, it was really boring. The author left NOTHING out, even the most boring and mundane details that we really didn't need to know. I found this book to be overly long.
-I really disliked Kate. All she did was cry, over the silliest things, and that really bugged me. I just felt that it was a really weak woman character. I also felt this way with Kate's Mother. She wanted to help her kid, but didn't do anything, and never once did she try to console Sam, who was supposedly heart broken. All she did was sit around and be depressed. What was that going to do?
-I hated that the main characters (Peter and Kate) just went around, freely telling AAAANNNNYYYOOONNNNEEE about what the future was like, with the additude of "tra la la! We're idiots throughout the entire story but that never has an effect on anything" Seriously, when it came to talking about the future, they didn't have a care in the world. That was shocking to me. These might be kids, but they still should have had a little concern about how telling people from the past about the future may have effected things.
-I really didn't like Dr. Dryer not telling the inspector about his latest developments. If he couldn't tell the inspector, couldn't he at least have told Peter's parents, so that they knew that they're son wasn't dead? I felt like the Dryer's should have opened up to the Shock's a little more in understanding.
-The characters might have been kids but are you telling me that they knew nothing of 1700's living conditions? I mean in school they spend ages in the 1700's and they teach you LOADS about that time period. So, if Kate knew who created the first dictionary, wouldn't she know about the conditions of old prisons? She's supposed to be really smart, and really decisive, but I saw neither of those traits.
Really, I didn't like this book at all! I didn't like the plot, characters, and cliches that were definitely packed in there. I am not reading the sequel. I am very disappointed with this book. ONE STAR ONLY.
January 24, 2016
First off, this was a good narration. I started to write "great", but then remembered three moments where, if I had been (God forbid) listening through earbuds, I would have had to claw them off my head and rock back and forth for a minute in pain. At the beginning and end of the book comes a sound effect which may or may not be some kind of audio logo for Simon & Schuster Audio, which sounded like a jet taking off. An intense blast of white noise. And the chapter in which the children come 'round in 1763 opens with … screaming. Not even the muted yelling tone Gerard Doyle used in other places to indicate louder speech without actually hollering in my ear – this was a jump-out-of-your-socks full bore very much unmuted scream. RIGHT at the beginning of the chapter. No warning. YAAARRGGH. Really, S&S Audio? You're going to perpetrate that on your customers?
I enjoyed the book while I was listening, and it held my interest enough that I think I got through it in one day, while doing random things that needed to be done. It felt legitimate, well-researched; the characters weren't perfect, and I can't say I liked them hugely, but they had engaging moments and pretty well-rounded. The only child Pete getting fed up with Kate's "embarrassing" tendency to burst into tears; Kate's reserve toward Peter who, after all, is someone she has only known for a few hours and who started off grumpy and sullen. I liked some of the interaction between the time periods, and the scientific attitude toward time travel. I liked that the children didn't fit right into the period with barely a raised eyebrow on others' parts or a complaint on theirs. I liked some of the secondary cast of characters, and especially I liked Gideon. I liked the celebrity cameos, mostly; they were a bit numerous, but fitted in pretty well. And I kind of enjoyed hating the genuinely kind of scary Tar Man.
I even loved a few moments, like: "We might not have discovered anything yet, but we have fabulous doors!"
But that's not to say I approved entirely. The device by which the children travel through time was vague and unconvincing, but it was just the techno-babble-embroidered mechanism to get the story rolling, and became the MacGuffin. And it never entirely made sense that it was entirely necessary for the children to have the device to get back to the future, nor how it appeared and disappeared. Did Kate's father mess something up? Did the dog or one of the kids careen into the thing and hit a button or something? Ridiculous as I know it sounds, it almost sounded like the dog was integral to its functioning as a time machine. (No, seriously. She seemed to have to be there.)
What I did not like about the secondary characters was a consistent inconsistency their behavior. There were several of the 18th century folks (Byngs and their attachments) who were, I thought, built up to be villains – and then suddenly everyone and their in-laws were on Peter and Kate's side and everyone was utterly trustworthy and supportive. And of the Bad Guys, I was completely unconvinced regarding Lord Luxon's villainy. There was a lot of talk about how awful he was – but almost all his behavior seemed perfectly honorable. If Gideon was a liar, there would be no real evidence against his ex-boss. And as for the footpads and highwaymen… a more silly and unrealistic group of miscreants I have not seen since that live Peter Pan they put on around Christmas (2014 – the villainy was almost as unconvincing as the lip-synching.) There was genuine menace, and then for a while all was foolish and children's-bookish – and then suddenly a shot rang out … I don't know. Odd.
The head-hopping in the book was a bit excessive. Point-of-view bounced dizzyingly from character to character, everyone from Peter and Kate all the way down to the I-believe-unnamed coachman – sometimes more than one in (what felt in the audiobook) the same paragraph.
And what happened to Peter's governess Margrit? About halfway through the book, shortly after the children vanish into the past, she makes an appearance keeping the other Dyer children occupied … and then, apart from a handful of brief mentions, vanishes herself. I would have thought as Peter's in loco parentis she would have been a little more prominent in police inquiries, if nothing else.
Speaking of the police … I don't know what to say about the investigation as described here. It felt … perfunctory, off-kilter – like the "time machine", more an object that had to be there and so was tossed in than anything meant to be believable. The detective was more a collection of descriptors than any kind of believable character (though I did like the line about his stocking up on single-serving frozen dinners at the start of the investigation – it was moments like that (and the fabulous doors) that keep this from a lower rating). And the interaction between the two sets of parents … I don't know. For Dr. Dyer to withhold information not only from the police – which was understandable, considering – but from Peter's parents… that was not right. Along with the Inspector, I was a bit glad when Peter's father forcibly expressed his displeasure with Kate's father. It felt like a chunk of text went missing toward the end; one moment Peter's father is getting up in the middle of the night, and the next, out of the blue, Kate's father is making a surprise appearance.
Oh, and then there's the other disappearance related to the machine. Apparently experimentation was moving along similar lines in the US, and … "a couple of months ago" that machine vanished as well, along with a cleaner. So… now that they have an idea what's going on, can I assume someone is going to try and find that cleaner? Or was he less important because he wasn't an influential person's child? And - - how could two, as I understand it, independently conceived, built, and operated machines develop the same unintended ability? "You see, Tim Williamson has been working on an antigravity project very similar to one in the States – which is why we were particularly happy to fund his research here. [(Really?)] We hoped that one project would complement the other. Anyway, Russ Merrick, at MIT, built a device that was different in design from Tim's but that had pretty similar aims…" How does that happen? They couldn't get the machines to do what they wanted them to, but …?
Even if I didn't have any other evidence I would be pretty sure this book was originally published in England. If for no other reason (like head-hopping, which is more common-slash-accepted in English fiction than American, I believe), the two Americans were singularly unconvincing; things came out of their mouths that sounded nothing like what ought to be said by American scientists. (And I have a very hard time believing that cash-strapped NASA is going to fund duplicate research in both MIT and London. They have had to fight tooth and nail for funding for everything they've done for the past quarter century.)
Finally, what I disliked the most about the book was its ending. What a moronic way for a main character to behave. I didn't buy it; I didn't like it; in fact it irritated me enough that there's no earthly way I'd pay the (*checks*) $8.54 for the second book on the Kindle. Up till that point I had vague plans to follow the story through. After that? I can live without knowing what happens next.
I enjoyed the book while I was listening, and it held my interest enough that I think I got through it in one day, while doing random things that needed to be done. It felt legitimate, well-researched; the characters weren't perfect, and I can't say I liked them hugely, but they had engaging moments and pretty well-rounded. The only child Pete getting fed up with Kate's "embarrassing" tendency to burst into tears; Kate's reserve toward Peter who, after all, is someone she has only known for a few hours and who started off grumpy and sullen. I liked some of the interaction between the time periods, and the scientific attitude toward time travel. I liked that the children didn't fit right into the period with barely a raised eyebrow on others' parts or a complaint on theirs. I liked some of the secondary cast of characters, and especially I liked Gideon. I liked the celebrity cameos, mostly; they were a bit numerous, but fitted in pretty well. And I kind of enjoyed hating the genuinely kind of scary Tar Man.
I even loved a few moments, like: "We might not have discovered anything yet, but we have fabulous doors!"
But that's not to say I approved entirely. The device by which the children travel through time was vague and unconvincing, but it was just the techno-babble-embroidered mechanism to get the story rolling, and became the MacGuffin. And it never entirely made sense that it was entirely necessary for the children to have the device to get back to the future, nor how it appeared and disappeared. Did Kate's father mess something up? Did the dog or one of the kids careen into the thing and hit a button or something? Ridiculous as I know it sounds, it almost sounded like the dog was integral to its functioning as a time machine. (No, seriously. She seemed to have to be there.)
What I did not like about the secondary characters was a consistent inconsistency their behavior. There were several of the 18th century folks (Byngs and their attachments) who were, I thought, built up to be villains – and then suddenly everyone and their in-laws were on Peter and Kate's side and everyone was utterly trustworthy and supportive. And of the Bad Guys, I was completely unconvinced regarding Lord Luxon's villainy. There was a lot of talk about how awful he was – but almost all his behavior seemed perfectly honorable. If Gideon was a liar, there would be no real evidence against his ex-boss. And as for the footpads and highwaymen… a more silly and unrealistic group of miscreants I have not seen since that live Peter Pan they put on around Christmas (2014 – the villainy was almost as unconvincing as the lip-synching.) There was genuine menace, and then for a while all was foolish and children's-bookish – and then suddenly a shot rang out … I don't know. Odd.
The head-hopping in the book was a bit excessive. Point-of-view bounced dizzyingly from character to character, everyone from Peter and Kate all the way down to the I-believe-unnamed coachman – sometimes more than one in (what felt in the audiobook) the same paragraph.
And what happened to Peter's governess Margrit? About halfway through the book, shortly after the children vanish into the past, she makes an appearance keeping the other Dyer children occupied … and then, apart from a handful of brief mentions, vanishes herself. I would have thought as Peter's in loco parentis she would have been a little more prominent in police inquiries, if nothing else.
Speaking of the police … I don't know what to say about the investigation as described here. It felt … perfunctory, off-kilter – like the "time machine", more an object that had to be there and so was tossed in than anything meant to be believable. The detective was more a collection of descriptors than any kind of believable character (though I did like the line about his stocking up on single-serving frozen dinners at the start of the investigation – it was moments like that (and the fabulous doors) that keep this from a lower rating). And the interaction between the two sets of parents … I don't know. For Dr. Dyer to withhold information not only from the police – which was understandable, considering – but from Peter's parents… that was not right. Along with the Inspector, I was a bit glad when Peter's father forcibly expressed his displeasure with Kate's father. It felt like a chunk of text went missing toward the end; one moment Peter's father is getting up in the middle of the night, and the next, out of the blue, Kate's father is making a surprise appearance.
Oh, and then there's the other disappearance related to the machine. Apparently experimentation was moving along similar lines in the US, and … "a couple of months ago" that machine vanished as well, along with a cleaner. So… now that they have an idea what's going on, can I assume someone is going to try and find that cleaner? Or was he less important because he wasn't an influential person's child? And - - how could two, as I understand it, independently conceived, built, and operated machines develop the same unintended ability? "You see, Tim Williamson has been working on an antigravity project very similar to one in the States – which is why we were particularly happy to fund his research here. [(Really?)] We hoped that one project would complement the other. Anyway, Russ Merrick, at MIT, built a device that was different in design from Tim's but that had pretty similar aims…" How does that happen? They couldn't get the machines to do what they wanted them to, but …?
Even if I didn't have any other evidence I would be pretty sure this book was originally published in England. If for no other reason (like head-hopping, which is more common-slash-accepted in English fiction than American, I believe), the two Americans were singularly unconvincing; things came out of their mouths that sounded nothing like what ought to be said by American scientists. (And I have a very hard time believing that cash-strapped NASA is going to fund duplicate research in both MIT and London. They have had to fight tooth and nail for funding for everything they've done for the past quarter century.)
Finally, what I disliked the most about the book was its ending. What a moronic way for a main character to behave. I didn't buy it; I didn't like it; in fact it irritated me enough that there's no earthly way I'd pay the (*checks*) $8.54 for the second book on the Kindle. Up till that point I had vague plans to follow the story through. After that? I can live without knowing what happens next.
October 11, 2016
DNF.
I was bored. I am not that kind of person though that starts a book then isn't quite loving it so far and then puts it down. I'm not.
This book was just, bleh.
I was bored. I am not that kind of person though that starts a book then isn't quite loving it so far and then puts it down. I'm not.
This book was just, bleh.
November 6, 2012
Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com
Peter feels he has been brushed off by his father yet again--and he has been. He's been waiting for his birthday treat for months, but his father always has business meetings and is too busy to spend time with him. His mother is off working in Los Angeles, far away from Peter and his father in London. The morning Peter and his father fight about it again, Margrit, the Au Pair, takes Peter with her to visit her friends out in the country.
These friends have a daughter, Kate, who is about Peter's age, twelve. Kate's father takes the two of them, plus Kate's dog, Molly, to the lab where he works. Kate and Peter end up chasing Molly through the halls--a small thing that ends up being very important.
One minute, they're running through the halls of the lab. The next minute, Kate and Peter, along with an antigravity machine that one of Kate's father's colleagues has been working on, have been transported back in time to a grassy hillside in 1763.
Before long, they've met two very different men of that time. The first is the Tar Man, who steals the antigravity machine, which could very well be the key to getting back to the present. The second is Gideon, an enemy of the Tar Man, who decides to help the two children from the future.
Before long, Kate and Peter are on an adventure, headed to London to recover the antigravity machine and get back to their homes and families. On their way, they will encounter highwaymen, make friends (including Gideon), and learn a lot about that time in history--the good and the bad.
Back in present-day England, Peter's parents are frantic with worry. Kate's father has figured out that the machine has something to do with their disappearance--but when ghostly images of the children appear dressed in clothing from the eighteenth-century, it becomes clear that this can't be shared with the public; who knows what destruction could result from the misuse of time travel technology?
The parallel storylines--the children's quest to get back to the present and Kate's father's struggle to bring them back--go together quite nicely. The jumping back and forth is not as confusing as it could have been, and both parts of the story are extremely well-written. The characters are realistic, the storylines interesting, the history fascinating, and, well, every aspect of this book brilliant! The cover is very unique and will draw readers right in. The story inside will not disappoint them, either! GIDEON THE CUTPURSE is the first in a trilogy, and I can't wait for the next two books!
Peter feels he has been brushed off by his father yet again--and he has been. He's been waiting for his birthday treat for months, but his father always has business meetings and is too busy to spend time with him. His mother is off working in Los Angeles, far away from Peter and his father in London. The morning Peter and his father fight about it again, Margrit, the Au Pair, takes Peter with her to visit her friends out in the country.
These friends have a daughter, Kate, who is about Peter's age, twelve. Kate's father takes the two of them, plus Kate's dog, Molly, to the lab where he works. Kate and Peter end up chasing Molly through the halls--a small thing that ends up being very important.
One minute, they're running through the halls of the lab. The next minute, Kate and Peter, along with an antigravity machine that one of Kate's father's colleagues has been working on, have been transported back in time to a grassy hillside in 1763.
Before long, they've met two very different men of that time. The first is the Tar Man, who steals the antigravity machine, which could very well be the key to getting back to the present. The second is Gideon, an enemy of the Tar Man, who decides to help the two children from the future.
Before long, Kate and Peter are on an adventure, headed to London to recover the antigravity machine and get back to their homes and families. On their way, they will encounter highwaymen, make friends (including Gideon), and learn a lot about that time in history--the good and the bad.
Back in present-day England, Peter's parents are frantic with worry. Kate's father has figured out that the machine has something to do with their disappearance--but when ghostly images of the children appear dressed in clothing from the eighteenth-century, it becomes clear that this can't be shared with the public; who knows what destruction could result from the misuse of time travel technology?
The parallel storylines--the children's quest to get back to the present and Kate's father's struggle to bring them back--go together quite nicely. The jumping back and forth is not as confusing as it could have been, and both parts of the story are extremely well-written. The characters are realistic, the storylines interesting, the history fascinating, and, well, every aspect of this book brilliant! The cover is very unique and will draw readers right in. The story inside will not disappoint them, either! GIDEON THE CUTPURSE is the first in a trilogy, and I can't wait for the next two books!
June 14, 2018
This book is very action packed and really good. Just imagine being sucked back in time it must be scary.
May 6, 2008
As many reviews have noted, it is hard to believe this is a first novel. Buckley-Archer "a scriptwriter and journalist, began writing Gideon as a radio drama. As she read Gideon aloud to her children and they refused to let her stop for supper, she began to see its potential as a novel."
Whatever her experience she has clearly pulled it all together. The main characters are well developed, which isn't always the case in the first book of a series, and there are lots of interesting secondary characters.
Buckley-Archer's fascination with the 18th century comes through in her writing and she uses the story to compare and contrast the cultural, social, and scientific outlooks of the two times. In doing this she doesn't fall prey to the easy presentation of the past as ignorant and repressed. But at the same time she does highlight the amazing changes that have taken place over the last century. She explores that past not to point out our superiority, or theirs, but simply because it is interesting and full of drama. It is easy, however, to take for granted the life we live and it is often by visiting the past that we are reminded of how differently people have lived; and how lucky we are to have the blessings we do.
Particularly with young adult fiction, there would be a temptation to be overly didactic with this kind of story. Too obvious attempts to be "educational" could have thwarted the story. But Buckley-Archer avoids this temptation by never letting the tension get to low and by crafting believable characters and dialog. The story provides for some thought provoking ideas - particularly about time and time travel - and insights into history, but it does so as a natural part of a compelling adventure.
This may be considered young adult fiction but it is really just old fashioned storytelling: interesting premise, strong characters, suspenseful plot, captivating setting, etc. The result is that Archer-Buckley has created a popular trilogy and has a fan base that eagerly awaits the last book in the series.
Whatever her experience she has clearly pulled it all together. The main characters are well developed, which isn't always the case in the first book of a series, and there are lots of interesting secondary characters.
Buckley-Archer's fascination with the 18th century comes through in her writing and she uses the story to compare and contrast the cultural, social, and scientific outlooks of the two times. In doing this she doesn't fall prey to the easy presentation of the past as ignorant and repressed. But at the same time she does highlight the amazing changes that have taken place over the last century. She explores that past not to point out our superiority, or theirs, but simply because it is interesting and full of drama. It is easy, however, to take for granted the life we live and it is often by visiting the past that we are reminded of how differently people have lived; and how lucky we are to have the blessings we do.
Particularly with young adult fiction, there would be a temptation to be overly didactic with this kind of story. Too obvious attempts to be "educational" could have thwarted the story. But Buckley-Archer avoids this temptation by never letting the tension get to low and by crafting believable characters and dialog. The story provides for some thought provoking ideas - particularly about time and time travel - and insights into history, but it does so as a natural part of a compelling adventure.
This may be considered young adult fiction but it is really just old fashioned storytelling: interesting premise, strong characters, suspenseful plot, captivating setting, etc. The result is that Archer-Buckley has created a popular trilogy and has a fan base that eagerly awaits the last book in the series.
December 8, 2010
I would give this 3.5 stars - I liked it more than just "liked it" but I didn't REALLY like it. It's a fun read, but a little too juvenile for my tastes. I picked it up at the bookstore based on the review on the back, which said that if you liked Harry Potter, you'd like this series. I thought, what the heck? It was just under 400 pages, but the font was rather large and double spaced.
This book was basically about two modern British children who accidentally go back in time to 1763, and have to figure out how to get back when their time machine is stolen. The story is split between the stories of the two children and the stories of their parents, who have no idea what happened to their children and therefore believe they were kidnapped.
The author does take a little away from the intensity by a.) saying it's a trilogy (so you know the two kids will be alright) and b.) quoting Gideon's journal that's dated two decades later, so you know he'll be alright. However, I was still surprised about the sudden twist the book takes in the last few pages.
There's nothing in this story that's terribly intense. It would be a fun book to read aloud to a 7 or 8 year old. Difficulty level is about the same as the first Harry Potter, and honestly I enjoyed it about as much (I didn't get hooked on the Harry Potter series until the second book). So, I would recommend it mainly to older children/teens, or to adults who want an easy read. I am interested to see where they take the story in the second book.
This book was basically about two modern British children who accidentally go back in time to 1763, and have to figure out how to get back when their time machine is stolen. The story is split between the stories of the two children and the stories of their parents, who have no idea what happened to their children and therefore believe they were kidnapped.
The author does take a little away from the intensity by a.) saying it's a trilogy (so you know the two kids will be alright) and b.) quoting Gideon's journal that's dated two decades later, so you know he'll be alright. However, I was still surprised about the sudden twist the book takes in the last few pages.
There's nothing in this story that's terribly intense. It would be a fun book to read aloud to a 7 or 8 year old. Difficulty level is about the same as the first Harry Potter, and honestly I enjoyed it about as much (I didn't get hooked on the Harry Potter series until the second book). So, I would recommend it mainly to older children/teens, or to adults who want an easy read. I am interested to see where they take the story in the second book.
May 11, 2023
when I was younger I always read long MG books like this. then all I'd recall later would be a total of 3 unimportant details, a handful of vibes, and one scene. for this series, all I could remember was hating the ending and that it was generally about time travel. my point? that this is not a good way to consume books. because maybe if I actually kept anything important in my brain, I would have remembered that main characters are actually not great.
at least peter is just boring, but kate is a collection of sexist girl character tropes in a trench coat. before the "not like other girls" trend swept across literature, it was the 'girl who cries a lot and needs the MMC to save her', which is exactly the purpose kate serves in this narrative. personality who? never heard of her
thankfully this book is trying to do so many plot things that you can actually get away with ignoring how annoying the main characters are for almost the entire 400 pages. yay I love time travel
at least peter is just boring, but kate is a collection of sexist girl character tropes in a trench coat. before the "not like other girls" trend swept across literature, it was the 'girl who cries a lot and needs the MMC to save her', which is exactly the purpose kate serves in this narrative. personality who? never heard of her
thankfully this book is trying to do so many plot things that you can actually get away with ignoring how annoying the main characters are for almost the entire 400 pages. yay I love time travel
September 24, 2008
First, I have to say, the cover of this book is great! It's a hardcover book with an opening actually cut out of it with the eye looking through. My kids love to touch it!
Important note: there are two versions if the Gideon books. The British version and the American version. The first book is "Gideon the Cutpurse" (British version) and "The Time Travelers" (American version). The second book in the trilogy is "The Tar Man" (British version) and "The Time Thief" (American version). Be careful not to buy duplicate copies under different titles! I don't know why the publishers did this as it apparently has caused a lot of confusion.
All that being said, the book is a good read. Time travel books can be tricky, and the author handled this fantastically. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to advanced readers in the 9-12 range, and everyone else ages 12+.
Important note: there are two versions if the Gideon books. The British version and the American version. The first book is "Gideon the Cutpurse" (British version) and "The Time Travelers" (American version). The second book in the trilogy is "The Tar Man" (British version) and "The Time Thief" (American version). Be careful not to buy duplicate copies under different titles! I don't know why the publishers did this as it apparently has caused a lot of confusion.
All that being said, the book is a good read. Time travel books can be tricky, and the author handled this fantastically. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to advanced readers in the 9-12 range, and everyone else ages 12+.
January 14, 2010
Two children from our time are accidentally sent back to 1763, where they make the acquaintance of Gideon Seymour, former pickpocket and cutpurse, and his arch-enemy, the Tar Man. I liked it, but didn’t love it.
January 7, 2008
Although the start is slow, this turns into a great historical adventure story. Jack and Kate are thrown back to 1763 and encounter a fantastic cast of characters in their efforts to get back to the 21st century. They must deal with a world full of highwaymen, footpads, elaborate dress, bad food, cutpurses, treachery, horrific prisons, and hangings. Eighteenth centuries details never feel forced or didactic, but serve to make the story more vivid. Being the first in a trilogy, the conclusion is satisfying but also leaves you hanging. This would be a great pick for middle-schoolers looking for a good adventures series. I saw a review that compared it to Harry Potter, and I have to say it does have a lot of the same things going for it, although it's by NO means an imitation of the same form. You have boy and girl characters, for broad appeal, who are thrown into a world they know next to nothing about. Some adults are villainous, others are helpful, and some could go either way. There's humor, adventure, and the promise of a sequel.
The sequel, The Time Thief, just came out and for some reason the entire series was rebranded - Gideon was retitled The Time Travelers. I love the new covers (although I also love this one for different reasons) but why make it confusing for poor readers? And Gideon the Cutpurse has dash and vigor, while The Time Travelers sounds like it could be any old thing.
The sequel, The Time Thief, just came out and for some reason the entire series was rebranded - Gideon was retitled The Time Travelers. I love the new covers (although I also love this one for different reasons) but why make it confusing for poor readers? And Gideon the Cutpurse has dash and vigor, while The Time Travelers sounds like it could be any old thing.
August 31, 2010
This is a fun time travel romp, although probably not a "light read" for some. I really liked it, and the author shines when she's writing about the 18th century; I have a feeling she didn't so much research the era so she could write her story, but came up with a time travel idea just so she could write about what she knows and loves. This is a great way to learn about how we used to live in the 1700s, and depictions of Ye Olde London (markets, pubs, prisons, etc) are superb. There's a lot more depth to this than just a spot of time travel; in fact, the time travel aspect is so-so in comparison to the historical part!
A stand-out character is the Tar Man, and he plays an even bigger role in the sequel.
Don't read this novel expecting resolution. This is a trilogy. As I write this review, I'm a third of the way through book two and loving it. I don't have anything negative to say about this first installment but felt four stars was fair; it's really good, but didn't blow my socks off.
A stand-out character is the Tar Man, and he plays an even bigger role in the sequel.
Don't read this novel expecting resolution. This is a trilogy. As I write this review, I'm a third of the way through book two and loving it. I don't have anything negative to say about this first installment but felt four stars was fair; it's really good, but didn't blow my socks off.
May 29, 2009
I saw these books when I went to Barnes and Noble, and decided to read them. One of the reviews on the book is that they are as good as the Harry Potter series. I disagree. They are good, and entertaining, but not as captivating or as fast pased. Also it is easier to figure out what is going to happen than the HP books. But still, once you get started, it is entertaining and you have to keep reading!
March 9, 2020
the book was AMAZING! 10/10 would 100% recommend! This book is perfect for Harry potter lovers
October 7, 2017
Four and a half stars. Most of the markdown for "head-hopping" which got intrusive at times and bumped me out of the story. But perhaps that's being picky.
Peter Schock is looking forward to a long-delayed birthday treat; only to find that his father has once more prioritised a sudden and unexpected work commitment over his promise to spend time together. "I hate you!" are his last explosive words to his dad as he's dragged off by the sympathetic German au pair into the wilds of the Derbyshire countryside.
Visiting a farm there, he meets Kate Dyer and her family. She persuades her dad, a scientist at a nearby NASA-funded research facility, to show Peter their "party trick" - how to make their hair truly stand on end with a Vandergraaf generator. While there, they learn of an anti-gravity prototype being built by Dr Dyer's colleague, Tim Williamson.
Peter and Kate are chasing after the Dyer's dog, Molly, when events take a serious turn: they wind up in 1763. Their arrival is witnessed by the "Tar Man", one of the most ruthless criminals in eighteenth century England. They are also seen by Gideon Seymour, a cutpurse and gentleman who is hiding out in a nearby bush from the "Tar Man."
In the twenty-first century, their disappearance is a baffling mystery - which is compounded by the occasional appearance of one or other of the missing children as a kind of ghost in an archaic costume. Detective Inspector Wheeler is determined to solve the case - whether it be a case of runaways, abduction or misadventure. But even he is taken aback when, first, he sees a vision of Kate on the lawn, looking like she's stepped straight out of a historical drama and secondly, he realises that Dr Dyer in cahoots with some visiting scientists from NASA have destroyed some evidence.
The "evidence" is a message left by Kate for her friend in their special place - she's scratched the date in to the brickwork.
Back in the eighteenth century, Kate and Peter are about to encounter footpads and highwaymen, the King and Queen of England, Erasmus Darwin - grandfather to Charles - and Dr Johnson, the compiler of the first English dictionary. Kate can't help herself: she quotes one of Johnson's most famous lines to him. And watches Boswell record it. They are also about to travel to Covent Garden, Newgate Prison and the royal quarters next to the newly acquired Buckingham House. Both the people and geography of eighteenth century London make their "cameo" appearances.
Kate and Peter are in fact in deep trouble. The terrible "Tar Man" is a henchman to Lord Luxon and he has taken the time device to his master. This is the very same master and "thief-taker" whom Gideon Seymour has just escaped. Luxon once saved Gideon's life and has been preying on Gideon's extraordinary talents as a pickpocket ever since - whenever his gambling becomes ruinous, Luxon sends Gideon to relieve the winners of their spoils. No one can ever prove anything.
Gideon is a man of integrity caught in an invidious situation. Luxon is vengeful and sadistic. He wants his favourite thief back and if Gideon is not willing to be compliant, then the second option is to have him dangling from the end of a rope in Tyburn. Any friends of Gideon are enemies of Lord Luxon.
Without Gideon, neither Kate nor Peter believe they have any way of negotiating the dangers of eighteenth century living, let alone recovering the time machine taken by the "Tar Man".
The world of eighteenth century England is wonderfully evoked in this book. Peter and Kate are finely drawn as children on the verge of their teenage years - and are sufficiently realistic to mask the extremely melodramatic characterisation of the hero, Gideon, and the villainous Lord Luxon and his henchman, Blueskin, the "Tar Man". Stereotypical in every respect but somehow the author gets away with it.
Peter Schock is looking forward to a long-delayed birthday treat; only to find that his father has once more prioritised a sudden and unexpected work commitment over his promise to spend time together. "I hate you!" are his last explosive words to his dad as he's dragged off by the sympathetic German au pair into the wilds of the Derbyshire countryside.
Visiting a farm there, he meets Kate Dyer and her family. She persuades her dad, a scientist at a nearby NASA-funded research facility, to show Peter their "party trick" - how to make their hair truly stand on end with a Vandergraaf generator. While there, they learn of an anti-gravity prototype being built by Dr Dyer's colleague, Tim Williamson.
Peter and Kate are chasing after the Dyer's dog, Molly, when events take a serious turn: they wind up in 1763. Their arrival is witnessed by the "Tar Man", one of the most ruthless criminals in eighteenth century England. They are also seen by Gideon Seymour, a cutpurse and gentleman who is hiding out in a nearby bush from the "Tar Man."
In the twenty-first century, their disappearance is a baffling mystery - which is compounded by the occasional appearance of one or other of the missing children as a kind of ghost in an archaic costume. Detective Inspector Wheeler is determined to solve the case - whether it be a case of runaways, abduction or misadventure. But even he is taken aback when, first, he sees a vision of Kate on the lawn, looking like she's stepped straight out of a historical drama and secondly, he realises that Dr Dyer in cahoots with some visiting scientists from NASA have destroyed some evidence.
The "evidence" is a message left by Kate for her friend in their special place - she's scratched the date in to the brickwork.
Back in the eighteenth century, Kate and Peter are about to encounter footpads and highwaymen, the King and Queen of England, Erasmus Darwin - grandfather to Charles - and Dr Johnson, the compiler of the first English dictionary. Kate can't help herself: she quotes one of Johnson's most famous lines to him. And watches Boswell record it. They are also about to travel to Covent Garden, Newgate Prison and the royal quarters next to the newly acquired Buckingham House. Both the people and geography of eighteenth century London make their "cameo" appearances.
Kate and Peter are in fact in deep trouble. The terrible "Tar Man" is a henchman to Lord Luxon and he has taken the time device to his master. This is the very same master and "thief-taker" whom Gideon Seymour has just escaped. Luxon once saved Gideon's life and has been preying on Gideon's extraordinary talents as a pickpocket ever since - whenever his gambling becomes ruinous, Luxon sends Gideon to relieve the winners of their spoils. No one can ever prove anything.
Gideon is a man of integrity caught in an invidious situation. Luxon is vengeful and sadistic. He wants his favourite thief back and if Gideon is not willing to be compliant, then the second option is to have him dangling from the end of a rope in Tyburn. Any friends of Gideon are enemies of Lord Luxon.
Without Gideon, neither Kate nor Peter believe they have any way of negotiating the dangers of eighteenth century living, let alone recovering the time machine taken by the "Tar Man".
The world of eighteenth century England is wonderfully evoked in this book. Peter and Kate are finely drawn as children on the verge of their teenage years - and are sufficiently realistic to mask the extremely melodramatic characterisation of the hero, Gideon, and the villainous Lord Luxon and his henchman, Blueskin, the "Tar Man". Stereotypical in every respect but somehow the author gets away with it.
February 24, 2022
okay, so i started this and totally thought it was going be a trashy middle-grade fantasy/sci-fi book about 2 kids who go back in time and all they do is WHINE about it, and at the beggining it seemed like this was going to be exactly that. once i read a considerable amount however, i liked it much better. the characters' personalities grew from the start to the end of the book, (character development, thank god, i could barely stand the girl crying constantly and the boy whining) which was cool. there was several new characters there too, like Gideon, whom i really liked. the book got much more exciting and interesting after the beggining, and i enjoyed it heartily. i liked the adventures they all went on, and i also liked how the book would switch to different point of views without making in confusing for the reader(me), which happens a lot in multiple POV books. although not my ABSOLUTE fav, this book was a great, light read that i really needed. i will definietly be continuing the trilogy later once i get the remaining books. if you are into middle-grade and/or like time travel adventures, i suggest you give this one a try.
February 27, 2024
This was very enjoyable, and I would consider it a great read for my grandkids.
Much appreciate the straightforward Bible stories and references. If this is read to or read by my grandchildren, I would highly recommend that they take the opportunity to learn about life at that time beyond the book. For instance, what is the king’s evil? What is scrofula? What did they think used to cure it if anything? What other famous people may have had it. Learn about tuberculosis and consumption and the lack of treatment then and how it can be treated now and how tuberculosis is tested for.
Much appreciate the straightforward Bible stories and references. If this is read to or read by my grandchildren, I would highly recommend that they take the opportunity to learn about life at that time beyond the book. For instance, what is the king’s evil? What is scrofula? What did they think used to cure it if anything? What other famous people may have had it. Learn about tuberculosis and consumption and the lack of treatment then and how it can be treated now and how tuberculosis is tested for.
January 2, 2020
This book did not pull me in the only thing that kept me reading was the fact that I had to. I started to read the second book to see if it got better. It didn't. The tar man went to the 21st and started wrecking havoc and nobody can stop him. I mean.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
June 20, 2017Idk, but I just can't seem to get into this book.
January 8, 2018
Not even close to Harry Potter and has nothing in common with it except children protagonists.
July 4, 2021
The reason I chose to read this book is because I did a lot of rereading childhood faves last year during quarantine, and I recently remembered that I'd LOVED this book in primary school. I literally had a box with my "prized possessions" which I told myself I would grab in case of a fire/flood in my house, and this book was in the box lmao. But I realized that for some weird reason, I'd never read the other two books. So I decided to read the entire Gideon Trilogy.
Honestly, I think this book was a solid 3 stars for me, and I just tacked on the fourth because of the nostalgia factor. The characters are pretty flat and one-dimensional, the plot moves very slowly, and there are a lot of details which I found unnecessary (why did Peter and Kate have to meet so many famous people? it literally had no plot relevance).
I feel like reading this book made me realize that I've really, truly outgrown children's fantasy. It's so strange to think about because it was literally the only genre I would read for the first ~11 years of my life. But to be honest, once I finish this trilogy, I doubt I'll reread another one of my childhood faves for a pretty long time.
Honestly, I think this book was a solid 3 stars for me, and I just tacked on the fourth because of the nostalgia factor. The characters are pretty flat and one-dimensional, the plot moves very slowly, and there are a lot of details which I found unnecessary (why did Peter and Kate have to meet so many famous people? it literally had no plot relevance).
I feel like reading this book made me realize that I've really, truly outgrown children's fantasy. It's so strange to think about because it was literally the only genre I would read for the first ~11 years of my life. But to be honest, once I finish this trilogy, I doubt I'll reread another one of my childhood faves for a pretty long time.
dnf
June 19, 2022It’s old. It’s boring. I got about 60% of the way through and then gave up.
August 11, 2023
I need to read the sequel!
Travel back to the 18th century with two children who want nothing more than to save their friend and get home to the 21st century...
Recommended for readers of the adventure genre and those who would like a glimpse of Queen Charlotte after the birth of her first child and pregnant with her second...
Travel back to the 18th century with two children who want nothing more than to save their friend and get home to the 21st century...
Recommended for readers of the adventure genre and those who would like a glimpse of Queen Charlotte after the birth of her first child and pregnant with her second...
September 25, 2022
nothing better than finding an obscure series you read in your childhood in your friends’ basement
May 27, 2023
Reading it to get it off the shelf! Tolerable, for sure, but a bit drawn out at times. Lots of names and smaller side characters that made for some confusion. Generally, though, a cool concept that I hope is built on and expanded in the next two books. Could’ve seen myself enjoying this a bit more when I was younger!
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