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Book of Time #1
The Book of Time
Scholastic introduces the next name in YA Guillaume Prevost, whose Book of Time trilogy is one part DA VINCI CODE, one part DRACULA, one part THE TIME-TRAVELER'S WIFE, and all thrilling.
A statue; a coin; an old book. They look as dusty as everything else in the Faulkner Antiquarian Bookstore, where 14-year-old Sam Faulkner seeks his father, who's been missing for days. But when Sam slips the coin into the statue, he's swept back in time -- to Scotland in 800 A.D. -- where he must find both the statue and another coin in order to return to the present. It's the first step in an adventure that will take him to ancient Egypt, World War I, even Dracula's castle -- and a mystery that will end only when Sam saves his father, or loses him in time . . .
A statue; a coin; an old book. They look as dusty as everything else in the Faulkner Antiquarian Bookstore, where 14-year-old Sam Faulkner seeks his father, who's been missing for days. But when Sam slips the coin into the statue, he's swept back in time -- to Scotland in 800 A.D. -- where he must find both the statue and another coin in order to return to the present. It's the first step in an adventure that will take him to ancient Egypt, World War I, even Dracula's castle -- and a mystery that will end only when Sam saves his father, or loses him in time . . .
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
68 people are currently reading
2854 people want to read
About the author
Guillaume Prévost
33 books62 followersGuillaume Prévost is a history teacher and an acclaimed writer of historical thrillers. The Book of Time is his first book for children. He lives near Versailles, France.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
April 26, 2017
All I could think of as I was reading this book was that it would make a great BBC children's mini-series. The uncontrollable nature of the time jumps reminded me of early "Doctor Who" episodes, where you never knew when and where the TARDIS was going to take you. The translation from the French was very well done, which might be accounted for by the fact that the story was action-based rather than based on abstracts, which are more difficult to translate. I'm pleased to see that there are sequels to this, which I plan to read as soon as I can. Recommended!
May 4, 2008
Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com
This isn't the first time Sam's dad has disappeared. According to Sam's grandparents, Allan Faulkner was always an odd kid, but he pretty much settled down when he married Sam's mom. In the three years since Sam's mom died, Allan seems to have reverted back to his own little world. One that sometimes involves him disappearing for days at a time. Never for ten days in a row though, and he's NEVER forgotten Sam's birthday. Sam's pretty sure there's more going on then an unexpected business trip.
Having escaped a judo tournament due to cancellation, and a beating from his much larger archenemy by feminine intervention, Sam is off to do some investigating. While Sam has lived with his grandparents, and cousin Lily, since the beginning of the year, Allan is still living in the house/bookstore he runs. That seems like the best place for Sam to start looking for clues.
Sam finds his way to the basement of the old house. There he finds a hidden room, a strange book, an old coin of some kind, and a strange-shaped stone that seems to be making noise. Sam feels almost drawn to the stone, and when he touches it... Let's just say the adventures truly begin.
Sam's dad seems to have found a way to travel through time! And now time has sucked Sam in, too. Sam is beginning to suspect that his dad is caught somewhere in the past. With the help of this crazy stone and some other coins, Sam just might be able to rescue him. That is, if he can figure out how to get out of the random places he keeps getting sent to, and find a way to wherever his dad went. Plus, he'll have to find a way to keep his grandparents from worrying about his disappearances, and keep Lily's nosy mom and her boyfriend out of his way. Oh yeah, and he still has make it through the judo tournament and possibly through the bully who wants to smash his face in.
I love time travel books, and this story does not disappoint. For a book that's not too thick, and reads very quickly, there's a whole lot packed in to it! And it's so much more than just a time travel story. These characters seem like real people, with normal problems. It's a recognizable family that's trying to hold itself together, in spite of very strange occurrences.
Sam has such great adventures, both in the past and in the present. I wish I could do all of it, except I'm not sure I could think as fast as he does at times!
The book ended much sooner than I wanted it to. I wanted to keep reading more and more about Sam, and his family, and his travels. Maybe I can find a time traveling stone to the future, so I can read all of the books that I hope come next! Even if I have to wait, I look forward to as many of these as I can get.
This isn't the first time Sam's dad has disappeared. According to Sam's grandparents, Allan Faulkner was always an odd kid, but he pretty much settled down when he married Sam's mom. In the three years since Sam's mom died, Allan seems to have reverted back to his own little world. One that sometimes involves him disappearing for days at a time. Never for ten days in a row though, and he's NEVER forgotten Sam's birthday. Sam's pretty sure there's more going on then an unexpected business trip.
Having escaped a judo tournament due to cancellation, and a beating from his much larger archenemy by feminine intervention, Sam is off to do some investigating. While Sam has lived with his grandparents, and cousin Lily, since the beginning of the year, Allan is still living in the house/bookstore he runs. That seems like the best place for Sam to start looking for clues.
Sam finds his way to the basement of the old house. There he finds a hidden room, a strange book, an old coin of some kind, and a strange-shaped stone that seems to be making noise. Sam feels almost drawn to the stone, and when he touches it... Let's just say the adventures truly begin.
Sam's dad seems to have found a way to travel through time! And now time has sucked Sam in, too. Sam is beginning to suspect that his dad is caught somewhere in the past. With the help of this crazy stone and some other coins, Sam just might be able to rescue him. That is, if he can figure out how to get out of the random places he keeps getting sent to, and find a way to wherever his dad went. Plus, he'll have to find a way to keep his grandparents from worrying about his disappearances, and keep Lily's nosy mom and her boyfriend out of his way. Oh yeah, and he still has make it through the judo tournament and possibly through the bully who wants to smash his face in.
I love time travel books, and this story does not disappoint. For a book that's not too thick, and reads very quickly, there's a whole lot packed in to it! And it's so much more than just a time travel story. These characters seem like real people, with normal problems. It's a recognizable family that's trying to hold itself together, in spite of very strange occurrences.
Sam has such great adventures, both in the past and in the present. I wish I could do all of it, except I'm not sure I could think as fast as he does at times!
The book ended much sooner than I wanted it to. I wanted to keep reading more and more about Sam, and his family, and his travels. Maybe I can find a time traveling stone to the future, so I can read all of the books that I hope come next! Even if I have to wait, I look forward to as many of these as I can get.
December 29, 2016
Time travel adventure
Samuel Faulkner's trouble with time started at 9:48 Saturday morning.
- first sentence
Sam's father is missing. While searching the basement of his father's antique bookstore, Sam finds a statue, a book and a coin. Sam inserts the coin in the statue and is transported back to Scotland in 800 A.D. Every time Sam travels, he must find another coin to use the statue again. But how can he get home, and where is his father?
This is an exciting adventure. Sam travels from the time of the Vikings, to World War 1, to ancient Egypt. He also faces troubles at home with bullies, and his step uncle. He grows and learns from each of his travels, and becomes stronger as well.
Young readers will be drawn into Sam's experience and maybe learn a bit of history along the way. Prevost originally wrote historical mysteries for adults and makes every effort to keep the historical information accurate. His goal (according to the interview in the back of the book), is to show kids that History is fascinating. This is the first book in a trilogy.
Recommended to:
Readers in grades 4-8 who enjoy adventure, time travel or history.
Samuel Faulkner's trouble with time started at 9:48 Saturday morning.
- first sentence
Sam's father is missing. While searching the basement of his father's antique bookstore, Sam finds a statue, a book and a coin. Sam inserts the coin in the statue and is transported back to Scotland in 800 A.D. Every time Sam travels, he must find another coin to use the statue again. But how can he get home, and where is his father?
This is an exciting adventure. Sam travels from the time of the Vikings, to World War 1, to ancient Egypt. He also faces troubles at home with bullies, and his step uncle. He grows and learns from each of his travels, and becomes stronger as well.
Young readers will be drawn into Sam's experience and maybe learn a bit of history along the way. Prevost originally wrote historical mysteries for adults and makes every effort to keep the historical information accurate. His goal (according to the interview in the back of the book), is to show kids that History is fascinating. This is the first book in a trilogy.
Recommended to:
Readers in grades 4-8 who enjoy adventure, time travel or history.
April 23, 2024
3,5Sterne! Ich mag die Zeitreisen und Charaktere bisher sehr gerne. Könnte man echt mal verfilmen. Das Buch ist aber eigentlich eher für jüngere Leser gedacht, denke ich. Trotz allem bin ich gespannt, wie es weitergeht.
April 20, 2012
Sam Faulkner turns fourteen at the beginning of The Book of Time. His father has disappeared almost two weeks previously and hasn’t been heard from. We find out that although Sam’s father does have a history of disappearing–it’s only for a few days at the most; he’s never been gone this long before. Sam’s mother was killed in a car accident three years earlier, so due to the length of his father’s absence Sam is staying with his grandparents.
Understandably preoccupied with worry about his father’s whereabouts and whether or not he will return, Sam retuns to their temporarily empty home. In searching for some clue as to where and why his father has disappeared Sam discovers a large, oddly-shaped stone with the image of a sun carved into it. Sam describes it as looking like a “Paleolithic peanut dispenser.” When Sam fits a small coin with a hole in its center into the stone he is transported through time to a monastery on the island of Iona in the Middle Ages.
Sam helps to save several valuable illuminated manuscripts at the monastery before he is transported by the stone to a battlefield in World War I. In the World War I setting he helps to rescue a fallen soldier before being transported a third time to a tomb-building site in ancient Egypt. It is in Egypt that Sam encounters a priest who informs Sam that he was told by his father of Sam’s imminent arrival. Confused but encouraged by this new information Sam finds himself transported back to the basement of the home he shares with his father. His cousin Lily is there, having come to look for him. The two cousins decide to tackle the mystery of the stone and its time travel abilities and what it has to do with the disappearance of Sam’s father.
It is at this point that the story’s pace picks up. Lily’s mother (Sam’s Aunt Evelyn) is dating a man named Rudolf who seems to be inexplicably intent on punishing Sam and portraying him as a juvenile delinquent. Sam’s grandparents reveal details from his father’s past that lead Sam to believe his father’s disappearances (including the current one) are a result of traveling through time with the mysterious stone.
Sam and Lilly begin to suspect that Sam’s father is trapped somewhere in time. Sam, of course, feels he must rescue his father. His first attempt to do so results in a dangerous encounter with an evil constable-cum-alchemist in late fourteenth/early fifteenth century Bruges. When Sam returns from this untimely misdirection Lily has discovered a message from his father, sent through time in the pages of a library book entitled Bran, Dracula’s Castle: on a cell wall six centuries earlier are the etched words: HELP ME SAM.
This is where the book ends. As a reader I was disappointed and frustrated. I felt as though the author had wasted a lot of time taking me to places and times that didn’t really have anything to do with the main storyline, just to leave me hanging and needing to find a SECOND book to finish what I had started with THIS book. There is also a secondary plot about Sam and a bully named Monk and aKarate-Kid-like judo competition–which, again, seems unrelated to the main events of the story.
Unless you plan from the beginnig to read the next book, I would not recommend The Book of Time because, in my opinion, it does not stand well on its own. There are far too many details and events that do not make sense in the context of the main plot: the character of Rudolf, three out of four of Sam’s time travel adventures and the whole bully/judo thing. Having not yet read the second book–where all these things may make some sense–I find The Book of Time to be a deeply dissatisfying read.
Understandably preoccupied with worry about his father’s whereabouts and whether or not he will return, Sam retuns to their temporarily empty home. In searching for some clue as to where and why his father has disappeared Sam discovers a large, oddly-shaped stone with the image of a sun carved into it. Sam describes it as looking like a “Paleolithic peanut dispenser.” When Sam fits a small coin with a hole in its center into the stone he is transported through time to a monastery on the island of Iona in the Middle Ages.
Sam helps to save several valuable illuminated manuscripts at the monastery before he is transported by the stone to a battlefield in World War I. In the World War I setting he helps to rescue a fallen soldier before being transported a third time to a tomb-building site in ancient Egypt. It is in Egypt that Sam encounters a priest who informs Sam that he was told by his father of Sam’s imminent arrival. Confused but encouraged by this new information Sam finds himself transported back to the basement of the home he shares with his father. His cousin Lily is there, having come to look for him. The two cousins decide to tackle the mystery of the stone and its time travel abilities and what it has to do with the disappearance of Sam’s father.
It is at this point that the story’s pace picks up. Lily’s mother (Sam’s Aunt Evelyn) is dating a man named Rudolf who seems to be inexplicably intent on punishing Sam and portraying him as a juvenile delinquent. Sam’s grandparents reveal details from his father’s past that lead Sam to believe his father’s disappearances (including the current one) are a result of traveling through time with the mysterious stone.
Sam and Lilly begin to suspect that Sam’s father is trapped somewhere in time. Sam, of course, feels he must rescue his father. His first attempt to do so results in a dangerous encounter with an evil constable-cum-alchemist in late fourteenth/early fifteenth century Bruges. When Sam returns from this untimely misdirection Lily has discovered a message from his father, sent through time in the pages of a library book entitled Bran, Dracula’s Castle: on a cell wall six centuries earlier are the etched words: HELP ME SAM.
This is where the book ends. As a reader I was disappointed and frustrated. I felt as though the author had wasted a lot of time taking me to places and times that didn’t really have anything to do with the main storyline, just to leave me hanging and needing to find a SECOND book to finish what I had started with THIS book. There is also a secondary plot about Sam and a bully named Monk and aKarate-Kid-like judo competition–which, again, seems unrelated to the main events of the story.
Unless you plan from the beginnig to read the next book, I would not recommend The Book of Time because, in my opinion, it does not stand well on its own. There are far too many details and events that do not make sense in the context of the main plot: the character of Rudolf, three out of four of Sam’s time travel adventures and the whole bully/judo thing. Having not yet read the second book–where all these things may make some sense–I find The Book of Time to be a deeply dissatisfying read.
October 10, 2012
This book is a story about a boy named Sam Faulkner who finds a way to travel trough time when he goes looking for his missing father. The way to travel is a strange stone statue with an image of the sun with six rays carved into it. The way to activate the statue is to place a coin with a hole in the middle in the sun carving, and the statue takes you to another time period and area in the world. There's only one snag; you can't control the time period or place you go to. When Sam activates the statue, it sends him back to 700-800 A.D. on and island where monks worship God and Christ. The island ends up getting attacked by Vikings and sacked. Luckily, this happens just as Sam is using the statue to leave. Next he goes to World War ll, and he is in the middle of a battle. After that, he goes to ancient Egypt and helps prevent an assassination. The person he saves helps get him back to his own time. In his own time, his aunt is dating a creep named Rudolf who is just being a jerk to everybody, and she still supports him. Rudolf doesn't end up getting dumped, but I think he will in the next book or two. This book is by Guillaume Prévost, who I think wrote this book to show that time travel is possible, but maybe not with machines. I think his point was that we might be able to use the sun to time travel. My favorite part of the book is when Sam is in the martial arts contest and is going against Monk, (a bully who must weigh 350 pounds and always makes it to the finals because he simply crushes those who get in his way) and uses an after-affect of time traveling (seeing "echos" or repeats of what just happened or previews of what is about to happen(in this case the latter)) to his advantage to dodge Monks attacks easily and then wins by default when Monk threatens him, which is against the martial arts rules and gets you automatically disqualified. It must have been so frustrating for Monk to see his attacks fail and then get disqualified, but he deserved it.
I could connect to the part in the book where Sam is wondering where the heck his father is and when and if he will come home. I remember when my cat, Patches or Patch for short, got lost for three months and I was wondering if I was ever going to see her again and I was so relieved when the person who runs the kennel in Grantham, NH who we take Patch to when we go on trips called us and said that she had found Patch and was keeping her at the kennel. I learned that when writing a book, you want to add a lot of bad and good characters to keep the story interesting. This was an awesome book and I really recommend it to those who like history, fantasy and plenty of adventure.
I could connect to the part in the book where Sam is wondering where the heck his father is and when and if he will come home. I remember when my cat, Patches or Patch for short, got lost for three months and I was wondering if I was ever going to see her again and I was so relieved when the person who runs the kennel in Grantham, NH who we take Patch to when we go on trips called us and said that she had found Patch and was keeping her at the kennel. I learned that when writing a book, you want to add a lot of bad and good characters to keep the story interesting. This was an awesome book and I really recommend it to those who like history, fantasy and plenty of adventure.
January 6, 2024
Hab so oft angefangen und wieder aufgehört.. irgendwann endlich fertig gelesen und gemerkt, dass die Story doch sehr fesselnd ist.
June 19, 2013
I was in the library today and I saw this book. No idea who the author is but the title of the book is catchy, so I borrowed it...
The story was slow at first then you get hooked cause you want to know where and what time would he be brought to the next time...
Allan Faulkner is Sam's dad, he owns an antique book shop. He left to go somewhere 10 days ago without any communication to his mother, father and son, not even a phone call. Sam's mother died not very long ago and his father is somehow still grieving.
Sam went to the antique book shop and discovered a hidden space in the cellar. And he discovered a dusty book, stone statue and coin. Then he got transported somewhere in Ireland at the time of the Vikings! (how this happened, I'm still not sure and still reading this book for some explanation).
There's a treasure...the Vikings attacked the village of monks. Sam has to save the treasure...then he found the stone and disappeared to another different time and place again. Where, we (Sam and I) have no idea at all...
He's maybe somewhere in France during World War 1... Sam saved a French soldier! He gave Sam an old medal/coin which was the same coin he used the first time. They were attacked... Everywhere he goes are being attacked!!! He disappeared again...where and what time, again no idea!!!
Sam is in Egypt but no clue what year yet. He was at the time when Ahmosis father's tomb was being constructed. Ahmosis explained somethings to him and gave him a scarab ring. He was able to get back to his own time and place.
His grandfather explained that his dad also disappeared when he was in college. Sam and his cousin Lily started to research all the times and people Sam met during his 'travels' and this led them to think the his dad is somewhere in Romania during Vlad the Impaler's time.
His next adventure took him to Belgium where he met the great ancestor of the love of his life Alicia. Sam returned to his time and won the judo tournament!!! Lily found a picture in a book that told them where Allan is...
The story was slow at first then you get hooked cause you want to know where and what time would he be brought to the next time...
Allan Faulkner is Sam's dad, he owns an antique book shop. He left to go somewhere 10 days ago without any communication to his mother, father and son, not even a phone call. Sam's mother died not very long ago and his father is somehow still grieving.
Sam went to the antique book shop and discovered a hidden space in the cellar. And he discovered a dusty book, stone statue and coin. Then he got transported somewhere in Ireland at the time of the Vikings! (how this happened, I'm still not sure and still reading this book for some explanation).
There's a treasure...the Vikings attacked the village of monks. Sam has to save the treasure...then he found the stone and disappeared to another different time and place again. Where, we (Sam and I) have no idea at all...
He's maybe somewhere in France during World War 1... Sam saved a French soldier! He gave Sam an old medal/coin which was the same coin he used the first time. They were attacked... Everywhere he goes are being attacked!!! He disappeared again...where and what time, again no idea!!!
Sam is in Egypt but no clue what year yet. He was at the time when Ahmosis father's tomb was being constructed. Ahmosis explained somethings to him and gave him a scarab ring. He was able to get back to his own time and place.
His grandfather explained that his dad also disappeared when he was in college. Sam and his cousin Lily started to research all the times and people Sam met during his 'travels' and this led them to think the his dad is somewhere in Romania during Vlad the Impaler's time.
His next adventure took him to Belgium where he met the great ancestor of the love of his life Alicia. Sam returned to his time and won the judo tournament!!! Lily found a picture in a book that told them where Allan is...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2016
*Spoilers* This book is probably the greatest book i have ever read
So it all starts with sam our main protagonist talking its cool ok theres a kid named sam all normal but his dad is missing not missing missing since his dad usually disappears for 2 to 3 days but no his dad has been gone for 10 days so sam wants to find a clue at where his dad has gone so he goes to his dads book store to find some but in going to the basement he finds a stone sure its cool and he finds a coin he has a feeling he has to put the coin into the stone and touches it BOOM plot twist the stone is a time machine it sends him to all these different places like iona world war 1 bruges it has a different story in every place that he visits I would rate this book a five out of a five since its pretty cool if you like time traveling and action i recommend this book to you since its pretty awesome i learned more about world war one and other places then i have learned in school which is cool this book is great and i recommend it to anyone who likes a good book
So it all starts with sam our main protagonist talking its cool ok theres a kid named sam all normal but his dad is missing not missing missing since his dad usually disappears for 2 to 3 days but no his dad has been gone for 10 days so sam wants to find a clue at where his dad has gone so he goes to his dads book store to find some but in going to the basement he finds a stone sure its cool and he finds a coin he has a feeling he has to put the coin into the stone and touches it BOOM plot twist the stone is a time machine it sends him to all these different places like iona world war 1 bruges it has a different story in every place that he visits I would rate this book a five out of a five since its pretty cool if you like time traveling and action i recommend this book to you since its pretty awesome i learned more about world war one and other places then i have learned in school which is cool this book is great and i recommend it to anyone who likes a good book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2011
First, let me say that I am big fan of the time travel sub-genre. I wanted to like this book. All the ingredients were there: an ingenious way to travel, intreguing destinations, even a way to connect with the present time... but the whole time I was reading, it felt like something was missing from both the characters and the plot. I couldn't put my finger on it. Nothing seemed to join the destinations together and I never got a clear picture of the individual characters in my head. Why did they go where they did? Since I develop a relationship with the characters first, this was frustrating for me. Then I realized that this book is a translated work from the original French. Perhaps that's why it doesn't feel like other books I've read. I think my middle schoolers will still enjoy this book and others in the series, but I'm going to pass.
January 18, 2009
[close:] This was an excellent book, which reminded me very much of the beloved "Mythquest" series on PBS, abdout two sibs who go through time and myths to find their father. This is more historically based, and ended with a wham. Now I have to see where I can get book 2, and hope the series does not drag on for years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2013
I had to give this book a little leeway because 1) it is aimed at preteens, and 2) it has been translated into English from French. Nevertheless, it's a fun and fast-moving time travel story. Time travel is one of my favorite genres, and I think this will be a book that my son would like to read soon.
November 4, 2015
This time travel adventure is a little slow in parts (or maybe it was the narrator, as I was listening on CD) but overall a great adventure. Part Time Machine and part Karate Kid, Sam is drawn into time travel while searching for his father, who has disappeared. Will Sam find him with the help of his cousin? And what is he going to do about the bully in his Judo class?
November 26, 2013
This was a very quick read. It would be great for a reluctant boy reader ages 11-14. There are fights, time travel, and even a little love. I liked the concept and was definitely intrigued enough to want to find the second book.
June 4, 2021
♥ Français ♥
J'ai rapidement été intriguée par la couverture dorée qui fait refléter la lumière du Livre du Temps par Guillaume Prévost, puis par la quatrième de couverture qui pique visiblement l'attention d'un lecteur passionné de science-fiction ou d'histoire du monde.
En effet, l'action de ce livre traite de, vous l'aurez deviné, voyage dans le temps à travers différents lieux et époques. Il est d'abord transporté en Écosse à l'époque des Vikings, puis durant la bataille de Verdun, pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, pour ensuite se rendre en Égypte ancienne et en Europe de l'époque médiévale.
L'action commence rapidement, critère plutôt important lorsque je me cherche un livre à lire. La quête de Sam, le personnage principal, qui est de retrouver son père à travers le temps, rend le jeune adolescent attachant, surtout avec ses plans bien pensés.
Je recommanderais ce livre aux lecteurs qui aiment l'esprit d'aventure d'un roman, mais aussi à ceux qui ont le courage de s'aventurer dans de longues histoires. En tant que tel, le premier tome ne fait qu'environ deux cents pages, mais un deuxième volume est déjà sorti. Bref, j'espère que cette trilogie sera remplie de surprises à travers le temps, d’amitiés et d’aventures intrigantes tout comme son premier tome!
♥ English ♥
I was quickly intrigued by the golden cover that reflects the light of the “Book of Time” by Guillaume Prévost, then by the back cover that visibly stings the attention of a reader who’s passionate about science fiction or world history.
Indeed, the action of this book deals with, you guessed it, time travel through different places and eras. He was first transported to Scotland during the Viking age, then during the Battle of Verdun during the Second World War, and then to ancient Egypt and medieval Europe.
The action begins quickly, a rather important criteria when I am looking for a book to read. The quest of Sam, the main character, which is to find his father through time, makes the young teenager endearing, especially with his well-thought-out plans.
I would recommend this book to readers who love the adventurous spirit of a novel, but also to those who have the courage to venture into long stories. In fact, the first volume is only about two hundred pages long, but a second and third volume has already been released. In short, I hope that this trilogy will be filled with surprises through time, friendships and intriguing adventures just like in its first volume!
J'ai rapidement été intriguée par la couverture dorée qui fait refléter la lumière du Livre du Temps par Guillaume Prévost, puis par la quatrième de couverture qui pique visiblement l'attention d'un lecteur passionné de science-fiction ou d'histoire du monde.
En effet, l'action de ce livre traite de, vous l'aurez deviné, voyage dans le temps à travers différents lieux et époques. Il est d'abord transporté en Écosse à l'époque des Vikings, puis durant la bataille de Verdun, pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, pour ensuite se rendre en Égypte ancienne et en Europe de l'époque médiévale.
L'action commence rapidement, critère plutôt important lorsque je me cherche un livre à lire. La quête de Sam, le personnage principal, qui est de retrouver son père à travers le temps, rend le jeune adolescent attachant, surtout avec ses plans bien pensés.
Je recommanderais ce livre aux lecteurs qui aiment l'esprit d'aventure d'un roman, mais aussi à ceux qui ont le courage de s'aventurer dans de longues histoires. En tant que tel, le premier tome ne fait qu'environ deux cents pages, mais un deuxième volume est déjà sorti. Bref, j'espère que cette trilogie sera remplie de surprises à travers le temps, d’amitiés et d’aventures intrigantes tout comme son premier tome!
♥ English ♥
I was quickly intrigued by the golden cover that reflects the light of the “Book of Time” by Guillaume Prévost, then by the back cover that visibly stings the attention of a reader who’s passionate about science fiction or world history.
Indeed, the action of this book deals with, you guessed it, time travel through different places and eras. He was first transported to Scotland during the Viking age, then during the Battle of Verdun during the Second World War, and then to ancient Egypt and medieval Europe.
The action begins quickly, a rather important criteria when I am looking for a book to read. The quest of Sam, the main character, which is to find his father through time, makes the young teenager endearing, especially with his well-thought-out plans.
I would recommend this book to readers who love the adventurous spirit of a novel, but also to those who have the courage to venture into long stories. In fact, the first volume is only about two hundred pages long, but a second and third volume has already been released. In short, I hope that this trilogy will be filled with surprises through time, friendships and intriguing adventures just like in its first volume!
June 28, 2025
Perfect! Îți las mai jos o recenzie pentru Cartea timpului: Piatra sculptată de Guillaume Prévost — prima carte din seria Cartea timpului.
📚 Titlu: Cartea timpului: Piatra sculptată
✍️ Autor: Guillaume Prévost
Gen: Aventură, Fantasy, Călătorie în timp, Ficțiune pentru tineri
Public țintă: 10+ ani
🔍 Descriere scurtă:
Aceasta este prima parte dintr-o trilogie captivantă despre un băiat, Sam Faulkner, care descoperă un mister legat de tatăl său dispărut. În biblioteca tatălui său găsește un obiect straniu — o piatră sculptată, care se dovedește a fi o poartă către călătoria în timp. Folosind piatra, Sam ajunge în Egiptul antic, apoi în alte epoci istorice, încercând să descifreze unde este tatăl său și ce legătură au aceste călătorii cu dispariția lui.
✨ Ce o face specială:
Combinația de istorie reală cu elemente fantastice — fiecare „salt” în timp îl aruncă pe Sam într-o perioadă istorică bine documentată (Egiptul antic, Roma antică etc.).
Aventură cu ritm rapid, potrivită pentru copii și adolescenți.
Îmbină misterul familiei cu teme de curaj, descoperire și maturizare.
✅ Ce mi-a plăcut:
Te face curios să citești și continuările (Poarta din Roma, Cercul de Aur).
Are un vibe educativ, fără să fie plictisitor — afli lucruri despre epoci istorice într-un mod distractiv.
Limbaj clar și accesibil, perfect pentru cititorii mai tineri.
Personajul principal e ușor de plăcut, cu reacții credibile pentru un băiat aruncat brusc în trecut.
❌ Ce ar putea să nu placă:
Dacă vrei o ficțiune istorică mai complexă, ți se poate părea prea simplistă.
Părți din poveste sunt previzibile și clișeice pentru un adult.
E clar gândită ca introducere — lasă multe fire deschise, deci trebuie să citești toată seria ca să ai satisfacția completă.
⭐️ Recomandare:
O alegere grozavă pentru copii și adolescenți interesați de aventuri cu temă istorică și fantasy. Seamănă ca spirit cu Tunelul timpului de Mary Pope Osborne, dar pentru un public puțin mai mare. Dacă ai un cititor tânăr care visează la Egiptul antic, Roma sau Evul Mediu, Cartea timpului e un început minunat.
📚 Titlu: Cartea timpului: Piatra sculptată
✍️ Autor: Guillaume Prévost
Gen: Aventură, Fantasy, Călătorie în timp, Ficțiune pentru tineri
Public țintă: 10+ ani
🔍 Descriere scurtă:
Aceasta este prima parte dintr-o trilogie captivantă despre un băiat, Sam Faulkner, care descoperă un mister legat de tatăl său dispărut. În biblioteca tatălui său găsește un obiect straniu — o piatră sculptată, care se dovedește a fi o poartă către călătoria în timp. Folosind piatra, Sam ajunge în Egiptul antic, apoi în alte epoci istorice, încercând să descifreze unde este tatăl său și ce legătură au aceste călătorii cu dispariția lui.
✨ Ce o face specială:
Combinația de istorie reală cu elemente fantastice — fiecare „salt” în timp îl aruncă pe Sam într-o perioadă istorică bine documentată (Egiptul antic, Roma antică etc.).
Aventură cu ritm rapid, potrivită pentru copii și adolescenți.
Îmbină misterul familiei cu teme de curaj, descoperire și maturizare.
✅ Ce mi-a plăcut:
Te face curios să citești și continuările (Poarta din Roma, Cercul de Aur).
Are un vibe educativ, fără să fie plictisitor — afli lucruri despre epoci istorice într-un mod distractiv.
Limbaj clar și accesibil, perfect pentru cititorii mai tineri.
Personajul principal e ușor de plăcut, cu reacții credibile pentru un băiat aruncat brusc în trecut.
❌ Ce ar putea să nu placă:
Dacă vrei o ficțiune istorică mai complexă, ți se poate părea prea simplistă.
Părți din poveste sunt previzibile și clișeice pentru un adult.
E clar gândită ca introducere — lasă multe fire deschise, deci trebuie să citești toată seria ca să ai satisfacția completă.
⭐️ Recomandare:
O alegere grozavă pentru copii și adolescenți interesați de aventuri cu temă istorică și fantasy. Seamănă ca spirit cu Tunelul timpului de Mary Pope Osborne, dar pentru un public puțin mai mare. Dacă ai un cititor tânăr care visează la Egiptul antic, Roma sau Evul Mediu, Cartea timpului e un început minunat.
February 14, 2018
Cărțile acestea pentru copii sfârșesc întotdeauna prin a mă captiva. Interesantă această idee a autorului de a călători în timp cu ajutorul unei pietre sculptate și a unei monede speciale. Și totul începe din dorința lui Sam de a afla ceva despre tatăl său care lipsea de ceva vreme, fără a le fi spus nimic fiului său sau părinților. Piatra pe care Sam o găsește în subsolul librăriei cumpărate de Allan îl transportă întâi pe insula Iona, în perioada vikingilor, unde este nevoit să ajute niște călugări pentru a proteja o comoară, ca mai apoi să ajungă în timp Primului Război Mondial și ulterior în Egipt, în piramida lui Setni, întâlnindu-l pe fiul marelui preot și salvându-l. Reușește să se întoarcă datorită verișoarei sale care se gândește la el și află că tatăl său era blocat în timpul lui Vlad Țepeș, întemnițat în castelul Bran și cerând ajutor fiului său printr-un mesaj scrijelit pe perete.
Încearcă să călătorească din nou, însă ajunge într-un cimitir din Burges. Salvează un pictor și pe fiica lui de niște tâlhari și află mai apoi că nu se află în locul în care trebuie să fie. Încearcă să câștige bani, sperând că în felul acesta va găsi o monedă potrivită pentru a se întoarce în timpul său, însă are de a face cu un alchimist care dorește să se folosească și el de puterile acelei pietre. Cu această ocazie află că are nevoie de șapte pietre pentru a se putea duce în timpul pe care îl dorește, află că tânăra pe care o salvase era strămoașa fetei pe care o iubea și cu care crescuse împreună până la moartea mamei lui, îi termină tabloul început de tatăl său și o ajută pe ea și pe cel pe care îl iubește să scape de logodnicul ei care nu era altul decât acel alchimist. Trebuie să menționez și lupta lui cu Monk la turneu și cum Sam reușește să îl învingă cu ajutorul pietrei, reușind să anticipeze astfel mișcările adversarului său.
Încearcă să călătorească din nou, însă ajunge într-un cimitir din Burges. Salvează un pictor și pe fiica lui de niște tâlhari și află mai apoi că nu se află în locul în care trebuie să fie. Încearcă să câștige bani, sperând că în felul acesta va găsi o monedă potrivită pentru a se întoarce în timpul său, însă are de a face cu un alchimist care dorește să se folosească și el de puterile acelei pietre. Cu această ocazie află că are nevoie de șapte pietre pentru a se putea duce în timpul pe care îl dorește, află că tânăra pe care o salvase era strămoașa fetei pe care o iubea și cu care crescuse împreună până la moartea mamei lui, îi termină tabloul început de tatăl său și o ajută pe ea și pe cel pe care îl iubește să scape de logodnicul ei care nu era altul decât acel alchimist. Trebuie să menționez și lupta lui cu Monk la turneu și cum Sam reușește să îl învingă cu ajutorul pietrei, reușind să anticipeze astfel mișcările adversarului său.
August 16, 2020
I read this book years ago at 13 for a book club, but I never got a chance to finish the rest of the series. I loved it when I was 13, and it’s been taunting me for the 7 years it’s been sitting on my shelf. Now I wanted to finish the trilogy before the school year restarted, so I decided to order the next two books in the trilogy and reread this one. After rereading this book, I think I will probably be donating the trilogy once I finish it. I liked this book, but I don’t think I’m going to keep it in my permanent collection with limited space.
Sam has been looking for his father for days. His family doesn’t seem to support his search, but his dad is all he has left. Even if he may be flighty and prone to disappearing, if he loses his dad, he will officially be an orphan. His mom passed years ago, and he has been trying to reconnect with his dad more since then. He searches his dad’s bookstore one more time, and he finds a strange coin and a strange stone. Before he realizes it, he has been whisked to another world.
I found the locations Sam visited to be all different on how interesting they were to read about. My favorite location was the monastery that he visited first. The scenes of that one place have stuck with me the strongest throughout the years since I first read this book. I wish he had spent more time in this book in this area, as it was so much fun to read about! I feel like since he kept switching locations so quickly, I never got a chance to get connected with the characters in any one place. But I did feel a bit more connected to the monks than anyone else.
I can’t wait to read more about Sam and his cousin Lily. I always thought Lily would be a boring character when I was first introduced to her. But she really comes into her own as this book goes on, and I love her by the end of the novel. Hopefully, she will take on a larger role.
Now I have read this book twice, and I still only remember the beginning and the middle vaguely. I can never connect with the ending, until the cliffhanger. This makes it so forgettable to me, I forget almost everything the minute I finish the novel. I’m going to keep trying to go forward with the trilogy, but if I only like the beginning of this book, I��m not sure how I will like the rest of the series that picks up where this book left off. I’m going to skim the end again, and jump right into book 2 to see if things improve.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a middle-grade fantasy read.
Sam has been looking for his father for days. His family doesn’t seem to support his search, but his dad is all he has left. Even if he may be flighty and prone to disappearing, if he loses his dad, he will officially be an orphan. His mom passed years ago, and he has been trying to reconnect with his dad more since then. He searches his dad’s bookstore one more time, and he finds a strange coin and a strange stone. Before he realizes it, he has been whisked to another world.
I found the locations Sam visited to be all different on how interesting they were to read about. My favorite location was the monastery that he visited first. The scenes of that one place have stuck with me the strongest throughout the years since I first read this book. I wish he had spent more time in this book in this area, as it was so much fun to read about! I feel like since he kept switching locations so quickly, I never got a chance to get connected with the characters in any one place. But I did feel a bit more connected to the monks than anyone else.
I can’t wait to read more about Sam and his cousin Lily. I always thought Lily would be a boring character when I was first introduced to her. But she really comes into her own as this book goes on, and I love her by the end of the novel. Hopefully, she will take on a larger role.
Now I have read this book twice, and I still only remember the beginning and the middle vaguely. I can never connect with the ending, until the cliffhanger. This makes it so forgettable to me, I forget almost everything the minute I finish the novel. I’m going to keep trying to go forward with the trilogy, but if I only like the beginning of this book, I��m not sure how I will like the rest of the series that picks up where this book left off. I’m going to skim the end again, and jump right into book 2 to see if things improve.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a middle-grade fantasy read.
September 17, 2020
"Ist es möglich, die Zeit zurückzudrehen?" S.144
Sam's Vater ist verschwunden, weshalb er in dessen Antiquariat nach Hinweisen sucht. Dabei entdeckt er einen Geheimraum im Keller mit einem mysteriösen Stein, in den ein Sonnensymbol graviert ist.
Als er dann eine Münze in die Aussparung steckt, befindet er sich plötzlich an einem völlig anderen Ort...
Doch wo ist sein Vater?
Zeitreisen und Paralleluniversen sind meine liebsten Sci-Fi Themen, deswegen war ich gespannt auf dieses Jugendbuch.
Leider konnte es mich überhaupt nicht begeistern. Sam reist u.A. zu Wikingern und Pharaonen - und auch wenn er dort immer in brenzlige Lagen gerät, kommt keine Spannung auf. Die Geschehnissen ziehen sich und dennoch wirkt alles ziemlich flach. Viele Handlungsideen werden aufgeworfen, die am Ende des Buches unbeantwortet bleiben - natürlich mit dem Gedanken, dass man sich den zweiten Teil der Reihe kauft. Es kommt mir jedoch so vor, als ob dieses Buch nur der Teaser für die eigentliche Geschichte ist - oder dass das Gesamtwerk an wahllosen Stellen in die drei Einzelbände geteilt wurde.
Sam's Vater ist verschwunden, weshalb er in dessen Antiquariat nach Hinweisen sucht. Dabei entdeckt er einen Geheimraum im Keller mit einem mysteriösen Stein, in den ein Sonnensymbol graviert ist.
Als er dann eine Münze in die Aussparung steckt, befindet er sich plötzlich an einem völlig anderen Ort...
Doch wo ist sein Vater?
Zeitreisen und Paralleluniversen sind meine liebsten Sci-Fi Themen, deswegen war ich gespannt auf dieses Jugendbuch.
Leider konnte es mich überhaupt nicht begeistern. Sam reist u.A. zu Wikingern und Pharaonen - und auch wenn er dort immer in brenzlige Lagen gerät, kommt keine Spannung auf. Die Geschehnissen ziehen sich und dennoch wirkt alles ziemlich flach. Viele Handlungsideen werden aufgeworfen, die am Ende des Buches unbeantwortet bleiben - natürlich mit dem Gedanken, dass man sich den zweiten Teil der Reihe kauft. Es kommt mir jedoch so vor, als ob dieses Buch nur der Teaser für die eigentliche Geschichte ist - oder dass das Gesamtwerk an wahllosen Stellen in die drei Einzelbände geteilt wurde.
June 2, 2020
Time travel is a very saturated field of writing, but this fictional work stands out to me. A young boy is transported back in time to find his missing father, and what follows is a gripping plot as he works to retrace the steps of his father. Will he be able to find him and return safely to the present together?
The plot thickens with basically every page in this novel. At first the question is when the protagonist, Samuel Faulkner's father is returning home, but eventually that question morphs into how he is going to recover his trapped father from hundreds of years in the past. Makes me want to read books #2, and #3.
This is an easier read, and would be fine for just about any beginner to advanced reader, although an advanced reader may find it unchallenging.
I thoroughly enjoyed this simple read, finishing it in only about a week. 4.5/5 is more suitable, but I have no problems whatsoever with this book whatsoever and recommend it to anyone willing to give it a try.
The plot thickens with basically every page in this novel. At first the question is when the protagonist, Samuel Faulkner's father is returning home, but eventually that question morphs into how he is going to recover his trapped father from hundreds of years in the past. Makes me want to read books #2, and #3.
This is an easier read, and would be fine for just about any beginner to advanced reader, although an advanced reader may find it unchallenging.
I thoroughly enjoyed this simple read, finishing it in only about a week. 4.5/5 is more suitable, but I have no problems whatsoever with this book whatsoever and recommend it to anyone willing to give it a try.
October 14, 2019
[Je m'excuse d'avance pour la manque des accents - pas supportes par mon clavier].
Bon, il ya une decennie que j'ai achete ce livre et comme c'est rare que je prenne a main des livres francais (meme pour mon boulot) j'ai decide de faire l'effort a le lire. Je dis "effort", car ce livre est adresse a un lecteur bien plus jeune que moi, meme si le sujet fait part de mes interets.
Historiquement c'est assez bien recherche, bien plus que las majorite des YA, et les informations historiques bien utilises dans le contexte dy narratif. Il ya en a meme un ou deux trucs que j'ai decide de rechercher moi meme.
Aujourd'hui, c'est facile de deviner la direction de l'histoire, meme si ce n'est pas toujours evident comment les "etapes" seront achevees.
En tout, livre interessant et provoquant pour les ages auquels il s' adresse, et belle edition reliee.
Bon, il ya une decennie que j'ai achete ce livre et comme c'est rare que je prenne a main des livres francais (meme pour mon boulot) j'ai decide de faire l'effort a le lire. Je dis "effort", car ce livre est adresse a un lecteur bien plus jeune que moi, meme si le sujet fait part de mes interets.
Historiquement c'est assez bien recherche, bien plus que las majorite des YA, et les informations historiques bien utilises dans le contexte dy narratif. Il ya en a meme un ou deux trucs que j'ai decide de rechercher moi meme.
Aujourd'hui, c'est facile de deviner la direction de l'histoire, meme si ce n'est pas toujours evident comment les "etapes" seront achevees.
En tout, livre interessant et provoquant pour les ages auquels il s' adresse, et belle edition reliee.
January 18, 2019
this book is very interesting, its like magic tree house but better.
Sams dad has been missing for over a week, and no one knows where he could have gone this time. when Sam goes to His Fathers Bookshop to see if there is any clues to where his Ftaher could be. he finds a secret room in the basement with a stone statue and a metal coin with a hole in the middle, when he puts it in the statue he is teleported to a time in the past to scotland an island, a monk sactuary. he has to find a new coin to get back to the present, he finds it in the monks treasure he was to keep sake from raiders who came to get the treasure. and heads to Egypt to same the life a preast whos father seems to have also known about the secrets that the statue holds. back in the secret room not completely sure what happened sam heads home, but time seems to pass differently..... hes been gone for 2 days. his aunts boyfriends seems to think that because allen sams dad is gone that he is head of the house but sam ignores him and get Lily his cousin adn tells her about it, she helps him as he heads to another time to find another coin hoping that he will soon find his dad who is lost in time.
Sams dad has been missing for over a week, and no one knows where he could have gone this time. when Sam goes to His Fathers Bookshop to see if there is any clues to where his Ftaher could be. he finds a secret room in the basement with a stone statue and a metal coin with a hole in the middle, when he puts it in the statue he is teleported to a time in the past to scotland an island, a monk sactuary. he has to find a new coin to get back to the present, he finds it in the monks treasure he was to keep sake from raiders who came to get the treasure. and heads to Egypt to same the life a preast whos father seems to have also known about the secrets that the statue holds. back in the secret room not completely sure what happened sam heads home, but time seems to pass differently..... hes been gone for 2 days. his aunts boyfriends seems to think that because allen sams dad is gone that he is head of the house but sam ignores him and get Lily his cousin adn tells her about it, she helps him as he heads to another time to find another coin hoping that he will soon find his dad who is lost in time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2017
This book was awesome. I think this book is the best book that I ever read before. This book is about adventure in back time. Sam, the main character travel the time. He need to find some item to go back to his own time. Sam find statue and coin with hole on the center. That starts all the adventure. When I was reading this book, I got really curious about what will happen next. Writing was really powerful and strong. It makes you go into the story. There are no weakness that make book confuse or something. I would really recommend this book. Because any one can read this and it's really fun when Sam is traveling time. There's series for this book. So, I will continue reading this book.
March 7, 2018
E' da tantissimo tempo che ho questa trilogia nella libreria e finalmente mi sono decisa a leggerla.
Questo prima libro ha delle buone basi di partenza,ma manca qualcosa che dia un giusto ritmo a tutti i salti spazio-temporali che fa Sam,dopo che ha ritrovato questa specie di dispensatore di noccioline che gli fa da macchina del tempo,nel retro di una stanza nella casa dove vive solo con il padre che è ora misteriosamente scomparso.
E' decisamente una trilogia per ragazzi molto giovani,la lettura è scorrevole,ma abbastanza scontata.
Questo prima libro ha delle buone basi di partenza,ma manca qualcosa che dia un giusto ritmo a tutti i salti spazio-temporali che fa Sam,dopo che ha ritrovato questa specie di dispensatore di noccioline che gli fa da macchina del tempo,nel retro di una stanza nella casa dove vive solo con il padre che è ora misteriosamente scomparso.
E' decisamente una trilogia per ragazzi molto giovani,la lettura è scorrevole,ma abbastanza scontata.
January 29, 2020
Didn’t realize it was part of a series when I picked it up, so I was let down by the ending. I loved the concept of the book and the individual chapters but I was left underwhelmed by the execution of the book as a whole. Admittedly, I am not the target demographic and, also admittedly, I am a bit spoiled when it comes to “time-travel” fiction... but still.
#timelord #notdoctorwho #timetravel #meh
#timelord #notdoctorwho #timetravel #meh
November 9, 2020
This is the book that got me into "reading books" as a hobby. It is a delight to read and is very simple linguistically. The author and the translates did a very good job at making sure that the essence of the book isn't lost in translation.
This is one of those books that I'd love to see a movie made out of - I think they made one in French, but I'd like someone to make an English version since this story needs to be told. Jus because more people will appreciate it.
This is one of those books that I'd love to see a movie made out of - I think they made one in French, but I'd like someone to make an English version since this story needs to be told. Jus because more people will appreciate it.
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January 18, 2024At first I thought the book would be super boring due to it's slow intro and boring title but it was actually pretty good. The characters and mystery was nicely done and so was the description and it didn't drag much, it got to the point easily. The only part I didn't like was how Lily and Sam's relationship healed and fixed so easily, I think some disagreements would have made it more realistic. Enemies to besties in a day isn't realistic.
May 11, 2017
This is probably the first novel I ever read and it's the one that really got me reading. I remember reading it when I was eight while I was laid up with a fever and having the time of my life because I didn't have to go to school and I could spend the whole day doing just one thing: reading THE BOOK OF TIME. :)
September 3, 2018
Pretty good book reminiscent of “The Ship That Flew” and “Bedknob and Broomsticks” (the book not Disney’s version) but with a darker.ore modern edge. There should be some kind of disclaimer as there is no real resolution to the storyline- which is annoying when it is not expected. I wasn’t bowled over by it- I like a little more magical feel to my fantasy books.
June 22, 2020
This book is... fine. It's a cool concept, with decent execution, but there were also way too many story components going on, and it felt somewhat random and disjointed at times. You can sort of tell it was a book written to get kids to think history is cool. Which is fine, but unfortunately it doesn't achieve much beyond that.
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