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Time Snatchers #1
Die Time Catcher
Durch die Zeit zu reisen, um unbezahlbare Objekte aus der Vergangenheit zu klauen, ist das Größte – solange nicht ein anderer Time Catcher versucht, einem die Beute abzujagen sowie die beste Freundin auszuspannen und der eigene Boss plant, Kinder zu kidnappen, um sein florierendes Diebesunternehmen auszubauen. Mehr als ein Grund für Caleb über Flucht nachzudenken. Bloß ist kein Ort der Welt – in Vergangenheit und Zukunft – sicher vor den Schergen des Boss’. Und Abtrünnigen droht die härteste Strafe von allen. Wird Caleb alles riskieren, um in der Zukunft zu landen, die er sich erträumt?
412 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2012
18 people are currently reading
931 people want to read
About the author
Richard Ungar
9 books19 followersRichard Ungar is the middle-aged, middle child of middle class parents who writes middle grade fiction, when he's not in the middle of doing something else that is...
And oh yes, his debut novel, Time Snatchers, is coming out the middle of March!
And oh yes, his debut novel, Time Snatchers, is coming out the middle of March!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 6, 2023
A thrilling and epic Coming-of-Age adventure! Engrossing and compelling in its prose and scope. Ungar crafts an exciting and vivid futuristic world with characters one cannot help but relate to, love, hate, or somewhere in between. Time Travel has always been a favorite element in Science Fiction for me and the author presents it in a manner that is both intriguing and awesome. From the very first chapter to the last, the story grips the reader as they follow Caleb through his triumphs, trials, and ultimate quest to decide his own fate. Certainly a must-read for readers young and old. The level of research that Ungar put into his first novel is enveloping and gets high praise from me as a History Buff. It has me very excited to read the sequel as well. The detailed, witty, endearing and humorous prose paints a vivid portrait of the main character while also having the reader see parts of themselves through Caleb's eyes as well. Excellent story to introduce young readers to History, Sci-Fi, and tales about kids no different than themselves, orphans especially, who defy corrupt authority and take charge of their own destinies while doing what is right.
March 9, 2012
***A big thank you to the Goodreads First Reads program for sending me an arc copy!***
Before I begin this review, I should let you know I've been a big fan of the Artemis Fowl series for pretty much the entirety of my teenager years. (Seriously, I remember buying the first three books in paperback from Scholastic-Remember those flyers?!) And if you know anything about Artemis Fowl (Fairies+scifi elements+criminal activity=MG awesomeness), you can see why I was excited to get my hands on Time Snatchers.
Time traveling thieves? Oh, yeah, I am so there!
But, sadly, as you've probably guessed from my rating, the book wasn't to my taste.
So Time Snatchers is about an organization of thieves, Timeless Treasures, mostly young adults, who's main job is to steal random (and mostly mundane-eg first 'Frisbee' invented, oh yes the bragging rights :P) 'treasures' from the past in order to sell them to a filthy rich clientele, all under the thumb of the evil 'Uncle'. Caleb, our MC, is one of many (well like 5) thieves, who's developing love for his partner Abbie, his rivalry with his fellow thief Frank (who Abbie seems to like), and an uncontrollable urge to find a family of his own are getting him into more than his fair share of trouble. Add in a bit of rule-breaking, the friendship of a five year old who continually mispronounces his name, and some mafia-style threats and punishments, and you've got the majority of Time Snatchers.
Concept alone, Time Snatchers was definitely intriguing. Time traveling thieves? Again, so there. And for a good portion of the novel, the author did something that is absolutely necessary to do time travel well: he made rules. And I'm actually going to talk about this, because it highlights one of the major problems I had with the book. So in Time Snatchers, there's this concept called "Time Fog," a kind of phenomenon that exists when an individual is in a time period not his own for too long, (the average time is cited as about 50 minutes), and essentially puts the time traveler in a confused state until they return to their correct time. Which I thought was pretty clever since it prevented anyone from just traveling to 14th century Vienna and living there for the rest of their lives, or at least not being able to do so without facing some problems.
That is until I got to a certain point in the novel where Uncle decides to expand his organization by abducting children from DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS.
Do you see the problem here? I definitely did. How can he steal children from different time periods if they become under the influence of a confusing, mind numbing time fog, AND expect them to FUNCTION in this time period? In a previous chapter, Caleb is unable to even remember who he is almost due to the time fog, and is seriously lacking in some motor skills.
Now, there are two possibilities that can explain why such an obvious discrepancy exists:
1a. (and this isn't very plausible in my opinion) I read/misread the novel. Doubtful, but I'll put it out there. Maybe the author explained this, and I somehow skipped over that info-dumping moment. (Please let me know if I did!)
1b. This is an ARC copy and subject to some changes from the final version. Again, I find this a doubtful explanation, because it's such a large part of the novel.
2. The abducted children, after a certain exposure, forget their previous lives, and adjust to their time period. (Or alternatively at a certain age, the time fog doesn't affect them-not really reasonable IMO, but it's there) There is, however, IMO a counterpoint to this claim (which I'm going to put in spoilers, so please don't read it unless you would like the novel entirely spoiled for you)
Another discrepancy I found within the novel was the use of memory (loss) pills. Cited as being able to make you forget up to a certain period/time, the pills are kind of unpredictable IMO, and aren't explained very well. The best example is at the end of the novel:
In terms of overall plot, I found the novel interesting, but a bit cliché and slightly predictable. I knew a lot of the outcomes and twists that occurred, and wasn't thrilled with certain events that were meant only to drive the suspense factor of the piece.
Caleb's relationship with Abbie, and his distrust of her was especially annoying, because it fell into that protagonist-acting-too-stupid-for-audience-to-care category that grates on my nerves (He kind of fell into that category throughout the book TBH). I wasn't a fan either of Caleb's attraction to Abbie, either, not because of their relationship or anything, but because the language used was a bit too sophisticated (and sexualized) for a 13 year old boy in my opinion. Don't worry, it's nothing to the extreme, but it's a bit much, I think, for a younger middle school audience. (Hence my suggestion for 13+)
The black and white categorization of the various villains/heroes was also something that frequently urked me, as did the various threats, punishments, and violence dealt by the villains to make them undeniably evil without any redeeming qualities. Even the more morally gray characters, Phoebe and Nassim really, are still generally good/evil, or, in Phoebe's case, without true human emotion and essentially manipulable.
The writing isn't anything to write home about, and fits into the generic 1st person, middle school/YA name-dropping style you see in abundance throughout both genres. While there are some novels I find that pull this kind of style off well, The Lightning Thief and the series in general come to mind, Time Snatchers didn't do much for me.
All in all, Time Snatchers was okay. The world, some of the plot, and a bit of characters were fascinating, but in the end none of that could rectify the problems I saw with continuity, discrepancies, and obvious villain/hero statuses. While I recommend this for MG/YA audiences, this is a borrow not a buy, and maybe even a read first before giving to your kids for the more mature content and violence. 2.5/5
Before I begin this review, I should let you know I've been a big fan of the Artemis Fowl series for pretty much the entirety of my teenager years. (Seriously, I remember buying the first three books in paperback from Scholastic-Remember those flyers?!) And if you know anything about Artemis Fowl (Fairies+scifi elements+criminal activity=MG awesomeness), you can see why I was excited to get my hands on Time Snatchers.
Time traveling thieves? Oh, yeah, I am so there!
But, sadly, as you've probably guessed from my rating, the book wasn't to my taste.
So Time Snatchers is about an organization of thieves, Timeless Treasures, mostly young adults, who's main job is to steal random (and mostly mundane-eg first 'Frisbee' invented, oh yes the bragging rights :P) 'treasures' from the past in order to sell them to a filthy rich clientele, all under the thumb of the evil 'Uncle'. Caleb, our MC, is one of many (well like 5) thieves, who's developing love for his partner Abbie, his rivalry with his fellow thief Frank (who Abbie seems to like), and an uncontrollable urge to find a family of his own are getting him into more than his fair share of trouble. Add in a bit of rule-breaking, the friendship of a five year old who continually mispronounces his name, and some mafia-style threats and punishments, and you've got the majority of Time Snatchers.
Concept alone, Time Snatchers was definitely intriguing. Time traveling thieves? Again, so there. And for a good portion of the novel, the author did something that is absolutely necessary to do time travel well: he made rules. And I'm actually going to talk about this, because it highlights one of the major problems I had with the book. So in Time Snatchers, there's this concept called "Time Fog," a kind of phenomenon that exists when an individual is in a time period not his own for too long, (the average time is cited as about 50 minutes), and essentially puts the time traveler in a confused state until they return to their correct time. Which I thought was pretty clever since it prevented anyone from just traveling to 14th century Vienna and living there for the rest of their lives, or at least not being able to do so without facing some problems.
That is until I got to a certain point in the novel where Uncle decides to expand his organization by abducting children from DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS.
Do you see the problem here? I definitely did. How can he steal children from different time periods if they become under the influence of a confusing, mind numbing time fog, AND expect them to FUNCTION in this time period? In a previous chapter, Caleb is unable to even remember who he is almost due to the time fog, and is seriously lacking in some motor skills.
Now, there are two possibilities that can explain why such an obvious discrepancy exists:
1a. (and this isn't very plausible in my opinion) I read/misread the novel. Doubtful, but I'll put it out there. Maybe the author explained this, and I somehow skipped over that info-dumping moment. (Please let me know if I did!)
1b. This is an ARC copy and subject to some changes from the final version. Again, I find this a doubtful explanation, because it's such a large part of the novel.
2. The abducted children, after a certain exposure, forget their previous lives, and adjust to their time period. (Or alternatively at a certain age, the time fog doesn't affect them-not really reasonable IMO, but it's there) There is, however, IMO a counterpoint to this claim (which I'm going to put in spoilers, so please don't read it unless you would like the novel entirely spoiled for you)
Another discrepancy I found within the novel was the use of memory (loss) pills. Cited as being able to make you forget up to a certain period/time, the pills are kind of unpredictable IMO, and aren't explained very well. The best example is at the end of the novel:
In terms of overall plot, I found the novel interesting, but a bit cliché and slightly predictable. I knew a lot of the outcomes and twists that occurred, and wasn't thrilled with certain events that were meant only to drive the suspense factor of the piece.
Caleb's relationship with Abbie, and his distrust of her was especially annoying, because it fell into that protagonist-acting-too-stupid-for-audience-to-care category that grates on my nerves (He kind of fell into that category throughout the book TBH). I wasn't a fan either of Caleb's attraction to Abbie, either, not because of their relationship or anything, but because the language used was a bit too sophisticated (and sexualized) for a 13 year old boy in my opinion. Don't worry, it's nothing to the extreme, but it's a bit much, I think, for a younger middle school audience. (Hence my suggestion for 13+)
The black and white categorization of the various villains/heroes was also something that frequently urked me, as did the various threats, punishments, and violence dealt by the villains to make them undeniably evil without any redeeming qualities. Even the more morally gray characters, Phoebe and Nassim really, are still generally good/evil, or, in Phoebe's case, without true human emotion and essentially manipulable.
The writing isn't anything to write home about, and fits into the generic 1st person, middle school/YA name-dropping style you see in abundance throughout both genres. While there are some novels I find that pull this kind of style off well, The Lightning Thief and the series in general come to mind, Time Snatchers didn't do much for me.
All in all, Time Snatchers was okay. The world, some of the plot, and a bit of characters were fascinating, but in the end none of that could rectify the problems I saw with continuity, discrepancies, and obvious villain/hero statuses. While I recommend this for MG/YA audiences, this is a borrow not a buy, and maybe even a read first before giving to your kids for the more mature content and violence. 2.5/5
April 10, 2021
I read this book aloud with my tween, who is normally a fan of time travel novels (check out The Golden Hour by Maiya Williams if you'd like a well thought-out time travel YA book). It's full of action and started off with promise, but this one was just far too full of plot holes and clichés.
Caleb's first person narrative isn't bad, and the writing style in general is great, but sometimes the descriptions really make him come across as a complete dolt. Thank goodness for Abbie, his time snatching partner. She's the real hero of the story; the book probably should have been told from her perspective because she's far more interesting and intelligent. The author does do a good job of describing scenes and I'd like to try other books of his to see if I enjoy them more than this one.
The plot holes were glaringly obvious to me and my kid. I started wondering if it was just poor editing, but it just didn't feel like the story was well planned. For example, at the beginning of the book it explains what "time fog" is, but later in the book it virtually disappears when convenient to the plot. There are so many ignored complications and consequences of time travel; stealing an iconic item from the past could absolutely affect the course of history, but this is completely ignored throughout the entire story. The memory pills were also very confusing and inconsistent. I found myself frequently pausing to flip back to the earlier chapters just to see if I missed something. Very frustrating. The time travel missions were really not that exciting either, which was disappointing.
As far as age-appropriate content, this book is far too mature and graphic for Juvenile Fiction, but the characters are ridiculously immature for YA (even the adult characters, like Uncle and Nassim). A teen who is already reading The Hunger Games, for example, would find it utterly childish, but my tween was uncomfortable with the graphic torture and abuse, romantic relationship dialogue and general violence. After we finished the novel he told me he was fine with the ending and had no desire to read the sequel.
Caleb's first person narrative isn't bad, and the writing style in general is great, but sometimes the descriptions really make him come across as a complete dolt. Thank goodness for Abbie, his time snatching partner. She's the real hero of the story; the book probably should have been told from her perspective because she's far more interesting and intelligent. The author does do a good job of describing scenes and I'd like to try other books of his to see if I enjoy them more than this one.
The plot holes were glaringly obvious to me and my kid. I started wondering if it was just poor editing, but it just didn't feel like the story was well planned. For example, at the beginning of the book it explains what "time fog" is, but later in the book it virtually disappears when convenient to the plot. There are so many ignored complications and consequences of time travel; stealing an iconic item from the past could absolutely affect the course of history, but this is completely ignored throughout the entire story. The memory pills were also very confusing and inconsistent. I found myself frequently pausing to flip back to the earlier chapters just to see if I missed something. Very frustrating. The time travel missions were really not that exciting either, which was disappointing.
As far as age-appropriate content, this book is far too mature and graphic for Juvenile Fiction, but the characters are ridiculously immature for YA (even the adult characters, like Uncle and Nassim). A teen who is already reading The Hunger Games, for example, would find it utterly childish, but my tween was uncomfortable with the graphic torture and abuse, romantic relationship dialogue and general violence. After we finished the novel he told me he was fine with the ending and had no desire to read the sequel.
July 27, 2016
I won an ARC from Goodreads and I am so glad I did. I wasn't sure what to expect but the blurb talks about time traveling thieves. That has a lot of leeway. I was expecting cool technology, which includes fingernail clocks, ocular implants for night vision, and of course time machines. I am a sucker for cool technology.
Though I really enjoyed the idea of stealing things from history, I read the book because of the characters. The main character is a boy named Caleb. He is 13 and one of the best time snatchers working for a man named Uncle. Uncle has a crew of five orphans who run through time stealing whatever is asked. Some of the items include flags, the first Frisbee, and even an important umbrella. No task too small or too large. Those who try to get out are subject to mind wipes and/or banishment to The Barrens. Most end up dead. Caleb is put to the test when he learns of what Frank, his competition, is stealing for Uncle.
This book is intended for middle grade, the characters are 13-years-old. I was expecting a happy, fluffy book which this is not. I'm not saying that this book isn't appropriate it just has some parts that were a little more intense than I was expecting. But it was all done in such a tasteful manner. This book is a good introduction to science fiction and I highly recommend it to anyone of any age.
Though I really enjoyed the idea of stealing things from history, I read the book because of the characters. The main character is a boy named Caleb. He is 13 and one of the best time snatchers working for a man named Uncle. Uncle has a crew of five orphans who run through time stealing whatever is asked. Some of the items include flags, the first Frisbee, and even an important umbrella. No task too small or too large. Those who try to get out are subject to mind wipes and/or banishment to The Barrens. Most end up dead. Caleb is put to the test when he learns of what Frank, his competition, is stealing for Uncle.
This book is intended for middle grade, the characters are 13-years-old. I was expecting a happy, fluffy book which this is not. I'm not saying that this book isn't appropriate it just has some parts that were a little more intense than I was expecting. But it was all done in such a tasteful manner. This book is a good introduction to science fiction and I highly recommend it to anyone of any age.
January 3, 2017
I was lucky enough to read some excerpts from this novel and can't wait to read the whole thing!
April 13, 2022
So I randomly thought about this book a month ago. I had read it when I was younger but I didn’t remember finishing it, I think due to its darker themes so I was like why not give it another read and see how it holds up.
I liked this book. But it suffers from an identity crisis.
While I think the plot is interesting and the whole thing going on with Zach was a pretty cool part of the plot, I can understand why I didn’t quite connect to this book when I was around the age range this book was aimed for. While it tries for a middle grade audience I don’t think it quite works. Like I said, there are some pretty dark themes in here that I think can be too dark for middle grade and some of the jokes the characters make would fit more if this book were YA instead of MG. With that said though, it doesn’t quite fit into YA either so I feel like it has a problem with finding an audience since it doesn’t quite fit in either category.
With that said though, since I’m older I can look over that more and just enjoy the story being told. There are some things with time travel and how it works that I feel like I could poke a lot of holes in if I thought about it too much but at the end of the day it’s meant to be a harmless, entertaining story so I can’t fault it too much.
I liked this book. But it suffers from an identity crisis.
While I think the plot is interesting and the whole thing going on with Zach was a pretty cool part of the plot, I can understand why I didn’t quite connect to this book when I was around the age range this book was aimed for. While it tries for a middle grade audience I don’t think it quite works. Like I said, there are some pretty dark themes in here that I think can be too dark for middle grade and some of the jokes the characters make would fit more if this book were YA instead of MG. With that said though, it doesn’t quite fit into YA either so I feel like it has a problem with finding an audience since it doesn’t quite fit in either category.
With that said though, since I’m older I can look over that more and just enjoy the story being told. There are some things with time travel and how it works that I feel like I could poke a lot of holes in if I thought about it too much but at the end of the day it’s meant to be a harmless, entertaining story so I can’t fault it too much.
March 25, 2013
Zitat:
"Meines Wissens hat das Militär jahrelang geheime Forschungen angestellt, um Zeitreisen möglich zu machen, doch stets vergeblich. Also hatte man das Projekt namens Chronos eingestellt und geplant, alle Aufzeichnungen zu vernichten. Doch der Lastwagenfahrer des beauftragten Müllentsorgungsunternehmens deponierte sämtliche Unterlagen stattdessen in einer Lagerhalle, die er kurzfristig angemietet hatte. Nachdem der Fahrer (der zufällig einen Hochschulabschluss in Quantenphysik besaß) in zweijähriger Nachtarbeit sämtliche hundert Kisten durchforstet hatte, war er imstande, ein eigenes Zeitreisesystem zu entwerfen - und im Gegensatz zu dem des Militärs funktionierte es sogar."
(S. 28)
Inhalt:
2061. Alles steht im Zeichen der "Großen Freundschaft" zwischen China und den USA, die im Vorjahr zelebriert wurde. Wohin man auch sieht: Überall in New Beijing, dem ehemaligen New York, ist diese Verbindung zu sehen.
Auch Calebs aktueller Auftrag gehört dazu: Er soll ins Jahr 2060 reisen und den Staatsbesuch des US-Präsidenten in China verfolgen, um im Anschluss daran die Freundschaftsfahne zu stehlen.
Denn Zeitreisen sind möglich. Aber nur für die "Time Catcher" des Mannes, der nur "Onkel" genannt wird und vor Jahren begonnen hat, Kinder einzusammeln und sie das unauffällige Stehlen zu lehren. Denn das Klientel von "Edles für die Ewigkeit" hat ganz spezielle Wünsche und Vorlieben. Für die die Jugendlichen rund um Caleb sorgen.
Aber Calebs Auftrag misslingt und er zieht mehr und mehr den Zorn von Onkel auf sich. Ein Wettlauf um die Gunst/Missgunst von Onkel beginnt und gleichzeitig die Frage, was die Zukunft bringen wird, wenn man stets in der Vergangenheit unterwegs ist.
Meinung:
Nach der ersten Inhaltsangabe von "Die Time Catcher" hörte es sich für mich nach einem absoluten Must-Read an. Durch die Leseprobe konnte ich mir einen ersten Einblick über den Schreibstil machen, der zugegebenermaßen recht jugendlich und dem 13-jährigen Protagonisten angepasst ist. Doch dies konnte mich nicht daran hindern, zu dem Buch zu greifen.
Nach einer kurzen Eingewöhnungsphase in dieses von chinesischen Einflüssen dominierte Zukunftsszenario im Jahre 2061 konnte mich die Geschichte von Caleb durchaus mitreißen. Er erzählt in Ich-Perspektive im Präsens und der Leser erlebt so hautnah seine Gedanken und Gefühle. Diese sind altersgemäß etwas "wirr", aber durchaus nachvollziehbar.
Der 13-jährige Protagonist Caleb war mir nicht sofort sympathisch. Durch seine "coole" Art wirkte er auf mich sehr oberfläch. Nach dem "Catch" (Diebstahl) bei der Weltausstellung 1967 änderte sich das. Je weiter die Geschichte voranschreitet, desto mehr erfahren wir über den größten Wunsch von Caleb. Der Wunsch, für den er alles geben würde. Und wir entdecken auch sein Herz - das nicht nur für Abbie schlägt.
Caleb sehnt sich stets nach der Zeit zurück, in der Onkel noch lieb zu seinen "fünf Weltwaisen" war. Mit seinem härteren Durchgreifen kühlten auch Calebs Emotionen. Die nackte Angst bindet die 5 Jugendlichen an ihren Boss. Calebs Erster-Mann-Status gerät ins Wanken und die Intrigen scheinen von jeder Seite zu kommen. Kann Caleb sich aus diesem Strudel der Zeit befreien?
Abbie ist Calebs Teampartner, wenn ein Catch zu zweit durchgeführt werden muss. Calebs Gefühle für Abbie sind schnell eindeutig, aber was genau Abbies Absichten sind, ist nicht so schnell ersichtlich. Ist Abbie wirklich so oberflächlich, dass sie auf Calebs Konkurrenten Mario steht oder ist ihre Freundschaft zu Caleb doch stärker?
Der beste Charakter des Buches war Phoebe, das auf menschlicher DNA basierte Betriebssystem, dessen Launen insbesondere Caleb ausgesetzt ist. Phoebe sorgte mit ihren Stimmungsschwankungen stets für eine Auflockerung der teils angespannten Atmosphäre.
Die Sprache und das gesamte "Wesen" des Buches war recht jung, aber dann liefen wieder so viele Dinge im Hintergrund, die eigentlich ein breiteres Wissen erfordern. Auch die Bestrafungen von Onkel waren für den jugendlichen Stil und das daher von mir gedachte Zielpublikum doch recht brutal. Mir hat es wirklich Spaß gemacht zu lesen, aber diesen Graben konnte ich gefühlsmäßig nicht allzu leicht überwinden.
Der Schreibstil des Autors ist sehr einfach gehalten, die vielen chinesischen Vokabeln störten aber teilweise meinen Lesefluss. Immerhin kann ich jetzt das ein oder andere auf Mandarin "sagen". Die Örtlichkeiten wurden detailreich, aber nicht übertrieben ausgeschmückt, geschildert. So konnte man sich die zeitgemäße Umgebung sehr gut vorstellen.
Der Sprachstil von Herrn Ungar ist wie bereits erwähnt sehr jugendlich, fühlt sich aber dennoch so an, als wäre er nicht dem Protagonisten altersentsprechend. Vielleicht liegt es an der Selbständigkeit von Caleb, aber für mich war es einfach nicht authentisch genug. Spannung hingegen wusste der Autor durchaus altersgerecht zu vermitteln. Es handelt sich nicht um eine gebannte, fesselnde Spannung, die beinahe ins Unerträgliche reicht, sondern eher eine überaus starke Grundneugierde und einer Abfolge von Spannungs- und Erholungsmomenten.
Das Ende war für mich doch überraschend, aber durch Hinweise, die ich während der Geschichte erfahren habe, kann ich mir durchaus vorstellen, dass und wie es weitergehen könnte.
Urteil:
"Die Time Catcher" ist ein Science-Fiction-Zeitreise-Abenteuer mit besonderem jugendlichem Charme. Die einfache Erzählweise des Protagonisten Caleb divergiert mit dem detailreichen Hintergrundwissen zu China und der sporadischen Brutalität. Die "Moral" der Geschichte war jedoch wieder ganz in meinem Sinne. So pendelte "Die Time Catcher" stets zwischen drei und vier Bewertungspunkten hin und her und hat die Vier am Ende knapp verfehlt. Ich belohne diesen kurzweiligen und interessanten Trip ins Jahr 2061 und viele weitere Jahre mit sehr guten 3 Büchern.
Es ist ein absolutes Muss für China-Fans, die sich im Sci-Fi- und Zeitreise-Bereich wohlfühlen.
Die Serie:
bislang als "Time Catcher 01" betitelt vermute ich, dass es weiter gehen wird
"Meines Wissens hat das Militär jahrelang geheime Forschungen angestellt, um Zeitreisen möglich zu machen, doch stets vergeblich. Also hatte man das Projekt namens Chronos eingestellt und geplant, alle Aufzeichnungen zu vernichten. Doch der Lastwagenfahrer des beauftragten Müllentsorgungsunternehmens deponierte sämtliche Unterlagen stattdessen in einer Lagerhalle, die er kurzfristig angemietet hatte. Nachdem der Fahrer (der zufällig einen Hochschulabschluss in Quantenphysik besaß) in zweijähriger Nachtarbeit sämtliche hundert Kisten durchforstet hatte, war er imstande, ein eigenes Zeitreisesystem zu entwerfen - und im Gegensatz zu dem des Militärs funktionierte es sogar."
(S. 28)
Inhalt:
2061. Alles steht im Zeichen der "Großen Freundschaft" zwischen China und den USA, die im Vorjahr zelebriert wurde. Wohin man auch sieht: Überall in New Beijing, dem ehemaligen New York, ist diese Verbindung zu sehen.
Auch Calebs aktueller Auftrag gehört dazu: Er soll ins Jahr 2060 reisen und den Staatsbesuch des US-Präsidenten in China verfolgen, um im Anschluss daran die Freundschaftsfahne zu stehlen.
Denn Zeitreisen sind möglich. Aber nur für die "Time Catcher" des Mannes, der nur "Onkel" genannt wird und vor Jahren begonnen hat, Kinder einzusammeln und sie das unauffällige Stehlen zu lehren. Denn das Klientel von "Edles für die Ewigkeit" hat ganz spezielle Wünsche und Vorlieben. Für die die Jugendlichen rund um Caleb sorgen.
Aber Calebs Auftrag misslingt und er zieht mehr und mehr den Zorn von Onkel auf sich. Ein Wettlauf um die Gunst/Missgunst von Onkel beginnt und gleichzeitig die Frage, was die Zukunft bringen wird, wenn man stets in der Vergangenheit unterwegs ist.
Meinung:
Nach der ersten Inhaltsangabe von "Die Time Catcher" hörte es sich für mich nach einem absoluten Must-Read an. Durch die Leseprobe konnte ich mir einen ersten Einblick über den Schreibstil machen, der zugegebenermaßen recht jugendlich und dem 13-jährigen Protagonisten angepasst ist. Doch dies konnte mich nicht daran hindern, zu dem Buch zu greifen.
Nach einer kurzen Eingewöhnungsphase in dieses von chinesischen Einflüssen dominierte Zukunftsszenario im Jahre 2061 konnte mich die Geschichte von Caleb durchaus mitreißen. Er erzählt in Ich-Perspektive im Präsens und der Leser erlebt so hautnah seine Gedanken und Gefühle. Diese sind altersgemäß etwas "wirr", aber durchaus nachvollziehbar.
Der 13-jährige Protagonist Caleb war mir nicht sofort sympathisch. Durch seine "coole" Art wirkte er auf mich sehr oberfläch. Nach dem "Catch" (Diebstahl) bei der Weltausstellung 1967 änderte sich das. Je weiter die Geschichte voranschreitet, desto mehr erfahren wir über den größten Wunsch von Caleb. Der Wunsch, für den er alles geben würde. Und wir entdecken auch sein Herz - das nicht nur für Abbie schlägt.
Caleb sehnt sich stets nach der Zeit zurück, in der Onkel noch lieb zu seinen "fünf Weltwaisen" war. Mit seinem härteren Durchgreifen kühlten auch Calebs Emotionen. Die nackte Angst bindet die 5 Jugendlichen an ihren Boss. Calebs Erster-Mann-Status gerät ins Wanken und die Intrigen scheinen von jeder Seite zu kommen. Kann Caleb sich aus diesem Strudel der Zeit befreien?
Abbie ist Calebs Teampartner, wenn ein Catch zu zweit durchgeführt werden muss. Calebs Gefühle für Abbie sind schnell eindeutig, aber was genau Abbies Absichten sind, ist nicht so schnell ersichtlich. Ist Abbie wirklich so oberflächlich, dass sie auf Calebs Konkurrenten Mario steht oder ist ihre Freundschaft zu Caleb doch stärker?
Der beste Charakter des Buches war Phoebe, das auf menschlicher DNA basierte Betriebssystem, dessen Launen insbesondere Caleb ausgesetzt ist. Phoebe sorgte mit ihren Stimmungsschwankungen stets für eine Auflockerung der teils angespannten Atmosphäre.
Die Sprache und das gesamte "Wesen" des Buches war recht jung, aber dann liefen wieder so viele Dinge im Hintergrund, die eigentlich ein breiteres Wissen erfordern. Auch die Bestrafungen von Onkel waren für den jugendlichen Stil und das daher von mir gedachte Zielpublikum doch recht brutal. Mir hat es wirklich Spaß gemacht zu lesen, aber diesen Graben konnte ich gefühlsmäßig nicht allzu leicht überwinden.
Der Schreibstil des Autors ist sehr einfach gehalten, die vielen chinesischen Vokabeln störten aber teilweise meinen Lesefluss. Immerhin kann ich jetzt das ein oder andere auf Mandarin "sagen". Die Örtlichkeiten wurden detailreich, aber nicht übertrieben ausgeschmückt, geschildert. So konnte man sich die zeitgemäße Umgebung sehr gut vorstellen.
Der Sprachstil von Herrn Ungar ist wie bereits erwähnt sehr jugendlich, fühlt sich aber dennoch so an, als wäre er nicht dem Protagonisten altersentsprechend. Vielleicht liegt es an der Selbständigkeit von Caleb, aber für mich war es einfach nicht authentisch genug. Spannung hingegen wusste der Autor durchaus altersgerecht zu vermitteln. Es handelt sich nicht um eine gebannte, fesselnde Spannung, die beinahe ins Unerträgliche reicht, sondern eher eine überaus starke Grundneugierde und einer Abfolge von Spannungs- und Erholungsmomenten.
Das Ende war für mich doch überraschend, aber durch Hinweise, die ich während der Geschichte erfahren habe, kann ich mir durchaus vorstellen, dass und wie es weitergehen könnte.
Urteil:
"Die Time Catcher" ist ein Science-Fiction-Zeitreise-Abenteuer mit besonderem jugendlichem Charme. Die einfache Erzählweise des Protagonisten Caleb divergiert mit dem detailreichen Hintergrundwissen zu China und der sporadischen Brutalität. Die "Moral" der Geschichte war jedoch wieder ganz in meinem Sinne. So pendelte "Die Time Catcher" stets zwischen drei und vier Bewertungspunkten hin und her und hat die Vier am Ende knapp verfehlt. Ich belohne diesen kurzweiligen und interessanten Trip ins Jahr 2061 und viele weitere Jahre mit sehr guten 3 Büchern.
Es ist ein absolutes Muss für China-Fans, die sich im Sci-Fi- und Zeitreise-Bereich wohlfühlen.
Die Serie:
bislang als "Time Catcher 01" betitelt vermute ich, dass es weiter gehen wird
August 18, 2018
What an interesting take on time travel!! I’ve seen a lot of time travel tales in my day, but not one that was so unique right off the bat like this one.
That being said, there were parts in the middle that kind of dragged and I’m sorry but- WHAT. WAS. THAT. ENDING?! I literally sat there flipping the last page back and forth, making sure I wasn’t missing a page. Like. What?! The ending did one thing- I’m sure as heck going to read the second book. Just to find out how Caleb gets back with Abbie and to his own time.
Also- this book gets pretty violent in certain areas. Reminds me a lot of the Alex Rider books. The kids in the book are in an impossible situation, and the adults around them aren’t nice. Best to keep that in mind.
That being said, there were parts in the middle that kind of dragged and I’m sorry but- WHAT. WAS. THAT. ENDING?! I literally sat there flipping the last page back and forth, making sure I wasn’t missing a page. Like. What?! The ending did one thing- I’m sure as heck going to read the second book. Just to find out how Caleb gets back with Abbie and to his own time.
Also- this book gets pretty violent in certain areas. Reminds me a lot of the Alex Rider books. The kids in the book are in an impossible situation, and the adults around them aren’t nice. Best to keep that in mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2019
Caleb is an idiot and his POV is so cliched.
October 26, 2017
This book has a wonderful combination of romance and mystery as one boy, with a talent for stealing things from different time periods, learns about the meaning of family and how corrupted the business he's working for is. But what can he do? He has no family and doesn't understand the meaning of love and courage. Until he meets a family. This book is a page turner that you won't put down!
October 10, 2016
I must say, this book has the best first first person narration I have read so far. The reason it sticks in my mind is the fact that combined with the vivid and realistic future setting and intriguing events, I felt that I was truly experiencing the world alongside Caleb and sharing his emotions while reacting to the unpredictable happenings. Thinking about how Caleb’s job is to steal priceless ancient artifacts by traveling through time, he’s under a cruel and severe boss, and has to deal with a bully in his group, Richard Ungar has concocted the perfect scenario for trouble, quick thinking on Caleb’s part, and the constant chance for the situation to go awry, for an epic adventure. The situation of New York (Beijing) in 2061 is very plausible, and the exclusive, lucrative business that runs on an invention that is not yet common only makes events more exciting. The writing was filled with humor and the protagonist’s emotions were all the way relatable. The skillful descriptions of a place or event’s atmosphere have a major impact on this book. Caleb does not give the impression of any book character that is far off and fictional, but feels like any normal person, like the reader, who is only experiencing a different life. The captivating plot lures the reader into a constant trap to find out what happens next, until the shocking conclusion. I can’t wait to see what happens in Time Trapped.
December 8, 2012
Time Snatchers is the first time-traveling novel that I've ever read and I'm tellin ya, I love it.
Although I'm not able to draw a comparison between other TT(time-traveling) novels, I was completely interested throughout the book and I finished the book within 8 hours.
Time Snatchers brings up many interesting concepts about Time-Traveling which are extremely fun to daydream about and I'd say that it has done it's job to make me want to read more TT novels. If this book has a sequel, I am definitely checking it out!
What I enjoyed reading:
- The setting of the book,the futuristic theme(Year 2061)
- The alliance of China and US (That was pretty interesting and amusing to read)
- The Computer with the artificial intelligence and her ever-changing personas.
- The romance between Caleb and Abbie (Reminded me of a girl that I know)
- The different personalities of each character in the book
- The friendship between Zach and Caleb is just heart-warming in my opinion :)
- The futuristic technology mentioned: Chi-break,the fingernails showing the mission information
and the mind link.
~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~
What could have been better:
- The snatches, I wish that they were bigger snatches. Stuff that would change the course of history if they screwed up. :)
After writing this book review, I'm pretty sure that Richard Ungar is doing a sequel. I mean, look at the many holes left in the story.
1) What happened to the Uncle and his 99 Time-snatcher trainees?
2) What happened to Abbie after Caleb erased his memory?
3) Why did the boat mentioned in the last chapter disappear?
4) What will happen to Nassim? (To be honest, I hope he comes back in the next book, to take revenge on Uncle haha)
5) What will happen to Phoebe? Will she be re-programmed after Uncle finding out that there's a way to screw around with her database?
6) In the last chapter, Caleb mentioned that he has flashes of his past from time to time. Does that mean he will regain his memory in the future? Maybe, after he meets Abbie? Also, Abbie mentioned that she will find the antidote if "something goes really wrong.."
This series has so much potential that I'm hoping that Richard Ungar steps up the level with the sequel and makes it twice as better. I want to see more Abbie and Caleb's romance! I was so sad when I found out Caleb erased his memories. Dang. On a whole, I enjoyed reading this book and I hope to see the sequel released soon. Cheers!
Although I'm not able to draw a comparison between other TT(time-traveling) novels, I was completely interested throughout the book and I finished the book within 8 hours.
Time Snatchers brings up many interesting concepts about Time-Traveling which are extremely fun to daydream about and I'd say that it has done it's job to make me want to read more TT novels. If this book has a sequel, I am definitely checking it out!
What I enjoyed reading:
- The setting of the book,the futuristic theme(Year 2061)
- The alliance of China and US (That was pretty interesting and amusing to read)
- The Computer with the artificial intelligence and her ever-changing personas.
- The romance between Caleb and Abbie (Reminded me of a girl that I know)
- The different personalities of each character in the book
- The friendship between Zach and Caleb is just heart-warming in my opinion :)
- The futuristic technology mentioned: Chi-break,the fingernails showing the mission information
and the mind link.
~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~ ~SPOILER ALERT~
What could have been better:
- The snatches, I wish that they were bigger snatches. Stuff that would change the course of history if they screwed up. :)
After writing this book review, I'm pretty sure that Richard Ungar is doing a sequel. I mean, look at the many holes left in the story.
1) What happened to the Uncle and his 99 Time-snatcher trainees?
2) What happened to Abbie after Caleb erased his memory?
3) Why did the boat mentioned in the last chapter disappear?
4) What will happen to Nassim? (To be honest, I hope he comes back in the next book, to take revenge on Uncle haha)
5) What will happen to Phoebe? Will she be re-programmed after Uncle finding out that there's a way to screw around with her database?
6) In the last chapter, Caleb mentioned that he has flashes of his past from time to time. Does that mean he will regain his memory in the future? Maybe, after he meets Abbie? Also, Abbie mentioned that she will find the antidote if "something goes really wrong.."
This series has so much potential that I'm hoping that Richard Ungar steps up the level with the sequel and makes it twice as better. I want to see more Abbie and Caleb's romance! I was so sad when I found out Caleb erased his memories. Dang. On a whole, I enjoyed reading this book and I hope to see the sequel released soon. Cheers!
February 13, 2013
Durch die Zeit zu reisen, um unbezahlbare Objekte aus der Vergangenheit zu klauen, ist das Größte – solange nicht ein anderer Time Catcher versucht, einem die Beute abzujagen sowie die beste Freundin auszuspannen und der eigene Boss plant, Kinder zu kidnappen, um sein florierendes Diebesunternehmen auszubauen. Mehr als ein Grund für Caleb über Flucht nachzudenken. Bloß ist kein Ort der Welt – in Vergangenheit und Zukunft – sicher vor den Schergen des Boss’. Und Abtrünnigen droht die härteste Strafe von allen. Wird Caleb alles riskieren, um in der Zukunft zu landen, die er sich erträumt?
"Die Time Catcher" ist der Auftakt zu einer Reihe von Richard Ungar.
Der Autor befasst sich in diesem Roman mit dem Thema Zeitreise auf eine andere Art und Weise, nämlich nicht um Gutes zu tun, sondern um historische Artefakte von Kindern stehlen zu lassen.
Dies wurde sehr gut umgesetzt und auch das Potential wurde genutzt, wobei eine atmosphärisch dichte Handlung gestrickt wurde, die gefüllt ist mit viel Spannung und Action, dabei aber nicht überladen wirkt.
Allerdings hätte ich mir die Handlung ein wenig zusammenhängender gewünscht, da sich die erste Hälfte hauptsächlich mit den Diebstählen beschäftigt und der Rest der Handlung die eigentliche Story erkennen lässt. Zwar arbeitete die Geschichte darauf hin, man hätte es aber ein wenig komprimieren können.
Dennoch ist die Handlung voll gepackt mit Ereignissen, sodass keine Längen den Lesefluss stören.
Nebenbei erfährt man noch etwas über einige historische Begebenheiten, um die sich die eigentliche Handlung windet, auch die mögliche Zukunftsaussicht ist interessant zu lesen.
Aufgrund der schlüssig und stimmig erzählten Geschichte, kann man als Leser sehr gut in die Handlung abtauchen und stets mitfiebern, wenn die Catches durchgeführt werden. Dies kommt vorallem durch den packenden Erzähl-, und Schreibstil des Autors zustande, der die Dramatik perfekt zu übertragen weiß.
Insgesamt ist "Die Time Catcher" ein spannendes Jugendbuch, das sowohl jüngeren, als auch älteren Leser gefallen dürfte, da es etwas Zeitloses besitzt und nicht speziell auf ein Alterssegment festgelegt ist.
In sich ist dieser erste Band abgeschlossen, jedoch sind noch ein paar Handlungsstränge offen, die auf eine Fortführung warten. Ich bin gespannt, was der Autor sich in Band 2 für den Leser hat ausgedacht und freue mich schon auf diese Fortsetzung.
"Die Time Catcher" ist der Auftakt zu einer Reihe von Richard Ungar.
Der Autor befasst sich in diesem Roman mit dem Thema Zeitreise auf eine andere Art und Weise, nämlich nicht um Gutes zu tun, sondern um historische Artefakte von Kindern stehlen zu lassen.
Dies wurde sehr gut umgesetzt und auch das Potential wurde genutzt, wobei eine atmosphärisch dichte Handlung gestrickt wurde, die gefüllt ist mit viel Spannung und Action, dabei aber nicht überladen wirkt.
Allerdings hätte ich mir die Handlung ein wenig zusammenhängender gewünscht, da sich die erste Hälfte hauptsächlich mit den Diebstählen beschäftigt und der Rest der Handlung die eigentliche Story erkennen lässt. Zwar arbeitete die Geschichte darauf hin, man hätte es aber ein wenig komprimieren können.
Dennoch ist die Handlung voll gepackt mit Ereignissen, sodass keine Längen den Lesefluss stören.
Nebenbei erfährt man noch etwas über einige historische Begebenheiten, um die sich die eigentliche Handlung windet, auch die mögliche Zukunftsaussicht ist interessant zu lesen.
Aufgrund der schlüssig und stimmig erzählten Geschichte, kann man als Leser sehr gut in die Handlung abtauchen und stets mitfiebern, wenn die Catches durchgeführt werden. Dies kommt vorallem durch den packenden Erzähl-, und Schreibstil des Autors zustande, der die Dramatik perfekt zu übertragen weiß.
Insgesamt ist "Die Time Catcher" ein spannendes Jugendbuch, das sowohl jüngeren, als auch älteren Leser gefallen dürfte, da es etwas Zeitloses besitzt und nicht speziell auf ein Alterssegment festgelegt ist.
In sich ist dieser erste Band abgeschlossen, jedoch sind noch ein paar Handlungsstränge offen, die auf eine Fortführung warten. Ich bin gespannt, was der Autor sich in Band 2 für den Leser hat ausgedacht und freue mich schon auf diese Fortsetzung.
February 13, 2014
First Caleb was fining doing his job. His job was to go back in time and get a object his uncle (the boss) assigned his to. Later on Frank started to steal all the objects Caleb was suppose to get. After Caleb got all the information that Frank was stealing his objects and showed it to his uncle. Finally, Caleb's uncle made Frank stop stealing Caleb's objects.
The reason why I picked this book was that Mr. Gould said to read more challenging books. So I was first looking for big books and then see if they were appropriate for my level. Then I had to choose from time snatcher and another book. I didn't know which one to pick because they both seemed pretty interesting, but time snatcher was a book I know that I would enjoy. On the other hand the other book was a book I wasn't sure that I wouldn't enjoy because I din't know what type of genre it was, so I finally choose Time snatchers.
While I was reading this book it seemed like the same thing is repeating several times. Right before I was about stop reading the book there was a huge surprise. I was interested so I wanted to finish the book. After I finished the book I was happy that I finished a hard book in 6 days but 2 of the days I didn't read it. Even though I was happy that I finished the book I was kind of confused what happened at the end, so in my summary the ending might be wrong because from what I understood at the was what I wrote in the summary.
I would recommend this book to Saad because ever time I read a book I go and tell someone what happens and Saad seemed like he wanted to read it and he asked to read it and I said after I am finished, but I forgot to give it him. Also, he is into time traveling stuff like me.
Since that was the first hard book I read in a while I read ever single day and I read it like 2 hours in a day. Like 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon half an hour in noon and 1 hour in the night before I take a shower and go to sleep.
The reason why I picked this book was that Mr. Gould said to read more challenging books. So I was first looking for big books and then see if they were appropriate for my level. Then I had to choose from time snatcher and another book. I didn't know which one to pick because they both seemed pretty interesting, but time snatcher was a book I know that I would enjoy. On the other hand the other book was a book I wasn't sure that I wouldn't enjoy because I din't know what type of genre it was, so I finally choose Time snatchers.
While I was reading this book it seemed like the same thing is repeating several times. Right before I was about stop reading the book there was a huge surprise. I was interested so I wanted to finish the book. After I finished the book I was happy that I finished a hard book in 6 days but 2 of the days I didn't read it. Even though I was happy that I finished the book I was kind of confused what happened at the end, so in my summary the ending might be wrong because from what I understood at the was what I wrote in the summary.
I would recommend this book to Saad because ever time I read a book I go and tell someone what happens and Saad seemed like he wanted to read it and he asked to read it and I said after I am finished, but I forgot to give it him. Also, he is into time traveling stuff like me.
Since that was the first hard book I read in a while I read ever single day and I read it like 2 hours in a day. Like 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon half an hour in noon and 1 hour in the night before I take a shower and go to sleep.
November 2, 2012
Why did I read it?
We have the awesome problem of getting a lot of new books right now (YAY!) and this had a cool cover and an interesting synposis lol.
What happened?
Apparently, items from the past are in high demand in the future, and Uncle is in the business of connecting items with buyers. The year is 2061, and Caleb is one of Uncle's time snatchers, a child he "adopted" and sends on missions into the past.
Snatching itself isn't that bad; but, Uncle is starting to threaten physical harm for failed missions, and Frank is starting to steal the things that Caleb was sent to steal. That isn't to mention the expansion that Uncle is planning, and the fact that Abbie, his best friend and partner, is starting to make goo-goo eyes at Frank. Problems!
While Caleb thought he'd be a time snatcher for life, these new complications are starting to put some doubts in his mind and makes him start to wonder what kind of future he wants to create.
What did I like or not like?
I think its kind of funny that I've read two time traveling books one after the other, but these novels couldn't be more different. Stravaganza: City of Masks had more of an historical fiction feel, and this one definitely leans more toward Sci-Fi. But, that doesn't mean it is the typical time travel novel. I thought it had some great new ideas and situations.
While the technology made for some interesting twists, and the story was very engaging, I thought the ending was a little bit lacking. It could have been that the author was leaving it open for a sequel, or that I just missed something, but I kind of felt like there were some loose ends.
But, this book is definitely worth reading!
We have the awesome problem of getting a lot of new books right now (YAY!) and this had a cool cover and an interesting synposis lol.
What happened?
Apparently, items from the past are in high demand in the future, and Uncle is in the business of connecting items with buyers. The year is 2061, and Caleb is one of Uncle's time snatchers, a child he "adopted" and sends on missions into the past.
Snatching itself isn't that bad; but, Uncle is starting to threaten physical harm for failed missions, and Frank is starting to steal the things that Caleb was sent to steal. That isn't to mention the expansion that Uncle is planning, and the fact that Abbie, his best friend and partner, is starting to make goo-goo eyes at Frank. Problems!
While Caleb thought he'd be a time snatcher for life, these new complications are starting to put some doubts in his mind and makes him start to wonder what kind of future he wants to create.
What did I like or not like?
I think its kind of funny that I've read two time traveling books one after the other, but these novels couldn't be more different. Stravaganza: City of Masks had more of an historical fiction feel, and this one definitely leans more toward Sci-Fi. But, that doesn't mean it is the typical time travel novel. I thought it had some great new ideas and situations.
While the technology made for some interesting twists, and the story was very engaging, I thought the ending was a little bit lacking. It could have been that the author was leaving it open for a sequel, or that I just missed something, but I kind of felt like there were some loose ends.
But, this book is definitely worth reading!
August 19, 2016
I decided to take a more middle-grade book from the library, and Time Snatchers caught my eye.
I've always liked the concept of time travel, and was excited to see how this book would use it. The concept of snatching items from the past was quite interesting... (Although, wouldn't you eventually run out of items to snatch?)
The main character, Caleb, is a Time Snatcher. He was trained by Uncle, a cruel man who isn't related to Caleb in any way, to travel through time and steal valuable historical items. Caleb and the other Time Snatchers are trained to snatch, and snatch they must to survive. Who knows what Uncle will do to punish a failure? Send you to the wild Barrens? Wipe your memory forever?
I loved the first person story perspective for this book; it made Caleb seem much more relatable. He's quite witty in the beginning of the story as well. Frank was terribly annoying, and seeing his name kept making me think of Frank Zhang from The Son of Neptune...
I just learned there's a sequel... Time to make a hold...
I've always liked the concept of time travel, and was excited to see how this book would use it. The concept of snatching items from the past was quite interesting... (Although, wouldn't you eventually run out of items to snatch?)
The main character, Caleb, is a Time Snatcher. He was trained by Uncle, a cruel man who isn't related to Caleb in any way, to travel through time and steal valuable historical items. Caleb and the other Time Snatchers are trained to snatch, and snatch they must to survive. Who knows what Uncle will do to punish a failure? Send you to the wild Barrens? Wipe your memory forever?
I loved the first person story perspective for this book; it made Caleb seem much more relatable. He's quite witty in the beginning of the story as well. Frank was terribly annoying, and seeing his name kept making me think of Frank Zhang from The Son of Neptune...
I just learned there's a sequel... Time to make a hold...
May 1, 2012
It's 2061, and the world has changed. China and the United States have combined forces to create an even bigger superpower. New York is now New Beijing...and the New York Yankees? Well, don't ask, you don't want to know. There's a McDonald's on the moon, population is booming, and time travel has been perfected...by evilness himself, Uncle. Uncle has kidnapped five orphans to do his dirty work. Caleb, Abbie, Frank, Raoul, and Lydia are Time Snatchers. They travel back in time to snatch some item of significance that wealthy buyers want at any cost...the first Frisbee ever thrown, a precious Ming vase, a one-of-a-kind flag.
But,what Caleb wants the most is a family. Every century, every decade he time travels to, he gazes longingly at families who are happy. In 1967, he especially connects with Jim, Diane, and Zach Rushton. He wants to stay with them, but Uncle doesn't let his property go that easily...there would be severe punishments. That's when Uncle's schemes get way out of hand and he begins kidnapping helpless 5 year-olds to expand his snatching business. Zach is one of them. Caleb knows he has to save him.
Time Snatchers is well-written with a sense of adventure and survival that will have you saying 'it could happen'...all the way to the end. The historical snippets are entertaining and enlightening. I'm hoping for a sequel, just because I am ever-so-curious how that mysterious boat (on the last page) disappeared into thin air!
I give this book 4 1/2 stars.
But,what Caleb wants the most is a family. Every century, every decade he time travels to, he gazes longingly at families who are happy. In 1967, he especially connects with Jim, Diane, and Zach Rushton. He wants to stay with them, but Uncle doesn't let his property go that easily...there would be severe punishments. That's when Uncle's schemes get way out of hand and he begins kidnapping helpless 5 year-olds to expand his snatching business. Zach is one of them. Caleb knows he has to save him.
Time Snatchers is well-written with a sense of adventure and survival that will have you saying 'it could happen'...all the way to the end. The historical snippets are entertaining and enlightening. I'm hoping for a sequel, just because I am ever-so-curious how that mysterious boat (on the last page) disappeared into thin air!
I give this book 4 1/2 stars.
January 21, 2015
This book glued me in for sure. Time travel is such a fascinating subject, if it were to exist. Richard Ungar manages to write and publish an exceptional book that combines a group of orphans into an organization run by "Uncle" to steal objects from the past and sell them for unimaginable amounts of money. One of those orphans is Caleb. Caleb and his partner, Abbie (who he really likes) are the best snatchers. However, Frank is in line for second, more than eager to seize first place. Frank is now constantly making Caleb's life miserable, and begins to outsnatch him from getting he objects assigned to him. Unexpectedly, while Caleb is on one of his missions, he saves a boy named Zack. When Caleb has ice cream with Zack and his parents, he begins to understand how it feels like to be in a normal family. He has always been desperate to be loved and be part of a family. Could this lead Caleb to attempt to break away from his "supposed home" with Uncle and the rest? What would the horrendous consequences be if he was caught? I recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated with the idea of time travel. I am looking forward to the sequel!
September 14, 2013
This book was written in the last three years.
Caleb is a teenage time-traveller whose job it is to travel back into the past and steal objects. He works for a company run by the power-crazed Uncle who eventually starts to kidnap children from the past to expand his empire. On a mission Caleb meets a small boy called Zach but when Zach is in danger of being kidnapped by the Uncle, Caleb has to defy all of the company rules to save Zach. But how can you escape from someone who can go anywhere, anytime?
I thought this book was O.K. The idea of time-travelling thieves sounded awesome but it (like many time-travelling stories) had holes in the story. I liked the cool gadgets the agents had and other ideas like the human-like, computer programme, Phoebe, but the ending of the story was kind of a let down.
Caleb is a teenage time-traveller whose job it is to travel back into the past and steal objects. He works for a company run by the power-crazed Uncle who eventually starts to kidnap children from the past to expand his empire. On a mission Caleb meets a small boy called Zach but when Zach is in danger of being kidnapped by the Uncle, Caleb has to defy all of the company rules to save Zach. But how can you escape from someone who can go anywhere, anytime?
I thought this book was O.K. The idea of time-travelling thieves sounded awesome but it (like many time-travelling stories) had holes in the story. I liked the cool gadgets the agents had and other ideas like the human-like, computer programme, Phoebe, but the ending of the story was kind of a let down.
November 15, 2014
I received an ARC from my library. I assume they got it for promotional purposes.
The image I had of this book and what it actually was were very different. I have no idea why, but I thought that the back of this book said that a time machine appeared in Leo's room and he had to go back in time due to something to do with his grandfather. I don't know if I just made up that description, or if that's a different book, but nonetheless it was not this book.
I opened it, and I was optimistic, even though it wasn't what I expected. However, I wasn't really the biggest fan of Caleb's voice.
I guess that when things were supposed to be big and serious, I just couldn't believe them. Perhaps it had to do with the way it was being told? His personal dilemmas and problems really meant nothing to me. Also, it was a bit unrealistic and anti-climatic for parts that should have been more interesting.
The image I had of this book and what it actually was were very different. I have no idea why, but I thought that the back of this book said that a time machine appeared in Leo's room and he had to go back in time due to something to do with his grandfather. I don't know if I just made up that description, or if that's a different book, but nonetheless it was not this book.
I opened it, and I was optimistic, even though it wasn't what I expected. However, I wasn't really the biggest fan of Caleb's voice.
I guess that when things were supposed to be big and serious, I just couldn't believe them. Perhaps it had to do with the way it was being told? His personal dilemmas and problems really meant nothing to me. Also, it was a bit unrealistic and anti-climatic for parts that should have been more interesting.
November 10, 2013
I picked up this book because someone who had looked at my book on Amazon also looked at this one. So I thought I'd give it a shot.
Overall, the writing was tight. I felt that the characters were believable and I loved the mix of sci-fi and historical events weaved together.
What I had problems with:
1) There seemed to be a lot of writing that I didn't find totally necessary. I think the book could have spent less time on some of the mundane repetitive things and more on the active events, but I'm a plot-driven writer/reader...
2) I found the storyline to be very cool, but it seemed to shift directions mid-story, which I didn't love.
3) The ending was so abrupt, that it put a poor taste in my mouth.
With that said, I really enjoyed the book (except the end) and will definitely look for other books by this author.
Overall, the writing was tight. I felt that the characters were believable and I loved the mix of sci-fi and historical events weaved together.
What I had problems with:
1) There seemed to be a lot of writing that I didn't find totally necessary. I think the book could have spent less time on some of the mundane repetitive things and more on the active events, but I'm a plot-driven writer/reader...
2) I found the storyline to be very cool, but it seemed to shift directions mid-story, which I didn't love.
3) The ending was so abrupt, that it put a poor taste in my mouth.
With that said, I really enjoyed the book (except the end) and will definitely look for other books by this author.
June 7, 2012
Great new time travel novel for kids with an "Oliver" twist.
Time Snatchers is the perfect mix of Oliver Twist meets The Time Machine. The year is 2060 Caleb is one of a hand full of enslaved orphans that must travel back into the past to retrieve treasures for Uncle. When they are successful they are praised but when they fail in their mission Uncle is merciless and gives them violent punishments. Caleb is always looking over his shoulder for Frank who tries to out steal and trick him every chance he gets as well as win over Caleb's partner Abbie. Caleb tries to do the right thing and protect a young boy but will he be successful in doing it under Uncle and Frank's nose? This is one series I will be eagerly waiting for the next book.
Time Snatchers is the perfect mix of Oliver Twist meets The Time Machine. The year is 2060 Caleb is one of a hand full of enslaved orphans that must travel back into the past to retrieve treasures for Uncle. When they are successful they are praised but when they fail in their mission Uncle is merciless and gives them violent punishments. Caleb is always looking over his shoulder for Frank who tries to out steal and trick him every chance he gets as well as win over Caleb's partner Abbie. Caleb tries to do the right thing and protect a young boy but will he be successful in doing it under Uncle and Frank's nose? This is one series I will be eagerly waiting for the next book.
August 22, 2012
Criminal time travel combined with a search for belonging make for an interesting juvenile-middle school tale. With a character named Uncle channeling a Dickensian Fagin/Robin Williams' Maxwell Wallace (August Rush) controlling an empire of orphans trained to steal historically important items for well-heeled clients, Ungar has crafted a nice yarn, with enough action to satisfy adventure seeking readers. Caleb's search for a family, never having known one, is poignant and serves as a motivation for him to get out of the "business". The notion that orphans or even kids who supposedly are not integral to the shaping of history are better put to use in this manner, could spark some discussion about human value and how one can measure that.
January 6, 2015
In this exciting first novel 13-year-old Caleb has spent most of his life with Uncle, a cruel Fagin-like thief master who has perfected time travel and sends his child thieves into the past to steal historical treasures. At the same time Caleb is forced to deal with a mean boy named Frank who is the second best snatcher... next to him. Frank also begins hitting on Abbie who is Caleb's snatch partner for those tougher missions. Ungar keeps his tale moving with frequent jumps into the past, does a good job of portraying a variety of historical time periods, and comes up with some unusual “snatches” for the young thieves. Some items the client asked for was the first photograph and the first Frisbee. This book is for those sci-fi lovers and there is a twinge a romance in the story.
June 26, 2012
The book was action packed, but the action didn't always develop the plot at all and in fact the plot seemed to develop pretty slowly for a children's book. By page 50 I was wondering what the heck the book was going to be about other than a kid who goes back in time to steal stuff and has a crush on his partner and a tiff with another boy and by page 100 I was starting to get a clearer idea of some conflict which might need a resolution. I would recommend this book for action and sci-fi lovers in 6th-8th grades who enjoy reading.
February 13, 2015
I enjoyed Time Snatchers and have started the sequel. The main characters are 13 years old, but seem a little older. 'Uncle' is not a nice person and there are a couple of scenes where he issues a punishment that made me squirm. Other than that, there is no bad language, sex, or typos. The title pretty much says it all - a man acquires orphaned or street children very young and teaches them to time jump and 'snatch' objects for paying customers. He only has 5 snatchers now, but is looking to expand his group.
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May 21, 2014The reason I chooses the book because I saw the cover and I read the the summery on the back. the plat of the book is that a boy named Caleb is part of a very unique organization. I Caleb has to go back in time go steal items the customer wants. my favorite quote from this book is 'don't worry so much about who you are' I like this quote because the message of it is amazing. The authors point of view and writing is grate because I could understand the book easily. I would recommend this book who wants a good book or story to read.
December 4, 2015
I picked this book off a library shelf because I needed a U author for the A-Z author challenge. Luckily it turned out to be very enjoyable.
The story is well crafted -- characters behave consistently according to the motivations they receive from circumstances and other characters. Everything is relevant. The suspense is constant, right from the beginning, even during scenes with little action. It is sprinkled with light humor throughout. Though this is aimed at middle-graders, everyone can enjoy it. It's a good choice if you need to read to your kids and don't want to be bored.
The story is well crafted -- characters behave consistently according to the motivations they receive from circumstances and other characters. Everything is relevant. The suspense is constant, right from the beginning, even during scenes with little action. It is sprinkled with light humor throughout. Though this is aimed at middle-graders, everyone can enjoy it. It's a good choice if you need to read to your kids and don't want to be bored.
February 8, 2018
Time Snatchers is a great book to read if you are into Science Fiction. This book has very descriptive details that can help the reader imagine the scene of the future. This book also has futuristic cities like Tribeca, New Beijing, which is New York, after the treaty of the great Friendship between the US and China.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2013
Good action, adventure, science fantasy (yes, that is a real sub genre) for middle grade readers. The story could have been tighter and there were inconsistencies and there was more telling rather than showing in the writing, but the overall story idea was compelling and I wanted to know what happened. Again, a good book for readers around 13 years old (the age of most of the kids in the story), especially boys.
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