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The TimeFall Trilogy #1
The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein
Are some things in life worth taking a stand for, no matter the cost? Fourteen-year-old Adams Klein lives by one simple don’t do anything that might change the course of history. To protect him from a murderous tyrant, Adams was hidden away in the year 2015. A refugee from the distant future, his existence is a secret. But when he witnesses a tragedy unfolding, he can’t stand by and do nothing. Now history is being changed, and Adams and his new friends are being hunted by a villain who’ll stop at nothing to retain his iron grip on the world of the future, even if it means destroying the past.The TimeFall Trilogy is an epic Christian adventure series for middle-grade readers who love action-packed, science-fiction stories and courageous characters. Adams Klein, Emma Bloom, and Clay Danvers are swept through time, where they face killer drones, genetically engineered animals, ancient darkness, and a ruthless tyrant. As danger closes in, the teens must learn how to trust God. Readers will be drawn into a world of danger, bravery, and deep sacrifice— and discover that no evil, no matter how strong its grip, lasts forever.
277 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 6, 2025
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June 6, 2025
2.5 stars ⭐️ Christian Fiction - Upper Middle-Grace/Lower Young Adult - Fantasy/Sci-fi (no magic)
About this book:
“Are some things in life worth taking a stand for, no matter the cost?
Fourteen-year-old Adams Klein lives by one simple don’t do anything that might change the course of history. To protect him from a murderous tyrant, Adams was hidden away in the year 2015. A refugee from the distant future, his existence is a secret. But when he witnesses a tragedy unfolding, he can’t stand by and do nothing. Now history is being changed, and Adams and his new friends are being hunted by a villain who’ll stop at nothing to retain his iron grip on the world of the future, even if it means destroying the past.”
Series: Book #1 in “The TimeFall” trilogy.
Spiritual Content- “Thank God” is exclaimed once; Emma thinks her parents are angry at God even though they never say anything about religion; Emma notes how she is one of the only children in town that doesn’t attend church (not even on Christmas or Easter); A couple mentions of Bibles; A couple mentions of fate & miracles; A mention of there not being words when asked why God would allow a child to be killed; A mention of someone telling another to “thank their Maker” about something; A mention of religion being removed from Adams’ world; A mention of being Blessed; A mention of being a good Samaritan to someone; A mention of someone reaching for forbidden fruit (that is illegal);
*Note: The Marshal (a dictator and the villain of this story) tells his underlings about the “Ones Out There” and says ““Far be it from me to invoke religion, but do you suppose we are so much more enlightened than those who lived long ago? ….They were called gods, spirits, muses, angels, demons…..The labels don’t really matter. What’s important is that everyone from the Egyptians to the Aztecs to the Babylonians to the Greeks and the Romans believed. From East to West and from North to South, every thriving civilization was spurred on by help from Out There. Could it really be that all of these mighty empires, in many cases separated from one another by great distances of time and space, just happened to hold the same basic belief? Let me ask you: Who is more likely to be wrong—billions of people around the world, across thousands of years, all testifying to the same basic truth that we are not alone, or we who, only recently in the cosmic scheme of things, have chosen to dissent from the tide of history in order to stick our fingers in our ears and ignore the helpful voices calling to us from Out There?””; The Marshal believes that the dreams he has been having are a warning from “the Ones Out There”; A scientist is said to have led humanity into a “new enlightenment” & this is partially because of an item that is said to come close to “bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth”; A conversation about Osiris (an ancient Egyptian god), people worshiping him, and others being “deathly jealous” of those peoples’ devotion to a single deity; Adams’ father tells him that “no matter how tight its grip”, no evil thing lasts forever; A thief is called a “Ghost” of a local lake because no one has seen him in person (Clay calls this “very cool” and a female classmate calls it “romantic”); A few mentions of evil people; A mention of a group acting “deliberate, serious, [and] silent” like they are responding to an alter call (when they’re actually going to steal something).
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, two ‘dumb’s, and seven ‘stupid’s; Clay is called a “spaz” three times by bullies; Some eye rolling; Killing human-like drones with it’s “blood” spraying everywhere (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Seeing human-like drones being shot and killed, their blood, & the drones melting into the ground (up to semi-detailed); An explosion & people being hurt/dying (*Major Spoilers* , up to semi-detailed); Falling through a frozen lake, Almost drowning, Saving another from drowning, Fighting, Being shot/shot at, Almost being kidnapped, Being choked, Being held at knife-point, Being held hostage, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Passing out, & Major headaches (up to semi-detailed); Stealing an item (up to semi-detailed); Seeing dead bodies (of human-like drones, barely-above-not-detailed); Adams is expected to kill a drone in school (which because the drone mimics a human being and will show “crimson lubrication fluid” that looks like blood, he thinks it will look, sound, and feel like taking another person’s life); Adams has a school training that involves shooting in a jungle-like setting (he gets shot by a classmate, up to semi-detailed); Adams hates school because he sees it as the Marshal raising up a “programmed and devoted army” from his generation and feels sick at the thought of being chosen for military service; The Marshal (a dictator and the villain of this story) orders for someone’s vocal cords to be removed & wants Adams to be crushed/destroyed; Emma panics and cries that a man is going to shoot someone; Adams, Clay, & Emma come up with a plan to steal an item they need for Adams to return home (this includes lying to others and breaking a display case); Clay is bullied (both on-page with physically being hit and threatened plus remembering past incidents, up to semi-detailed; After that, he decides he will never speak up or draw attention to himself again) & Emma deals with a mean girl and her snide comments; Adam feels grief about being alone with no family; Mentions of a child that was hit by a car and died & grief from the parents (Emma’s older brother); Mentions of drownings & almost drownings (including two kids that drowned and a news report of it); Mentions of deaths & killing drones that look human; Mentions of assassins & ordering murders (including an ordered murder on a teen by an evil dictator); Mentions of wars; Mentions of weapons, being shot/tased, & weapons being aimed at others; Mentions of attacks, rebels, & a possible plan to murder a dictator; Mentions of crimes & criminals; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of boys stealing/robbing a store; Mentions of pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, & passing out (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of being being tied-up & locked in a closet; Mentions of nightmares of dying and blood; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of bullies; Mentions of divorces & parents shouting; A few mentions of prisons & arrests; A few mentions of vomiting; A few mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of a mother who died from cancer; A couple mentions of being robbed & held at gunpoint; A couple mentions of graffiti; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of eavesdropping; A couple mentions of urine; A mention of enslavement; A mention of someone needing a “new pair of boxer-briefs” during a sports event; A mention of poker; A mention of hunting;
*Note: Adams’ father gives him an injection for bacteria and viruses his body will fight in the past timeline (adding that he wished he had a vaccine like this for Adams’ dog that is going with him); The Marshal keeps his grip on the people he rules over by having them to cranial injections to learn more, but also remove information that he deems “inconvenient truths”; A classmate of Clay’s used his name to cover for himself to his parents to have “some time for himself” when he doesn’t want his parents to know where he is (such as when he went to see an R-rated movie); The classmate wants Clay to meet his parents to prove that he is real and while Clay doesn’t want to lie, he does meet him (and there’s no punishment for the boy lying to his parents nor shown as wrong); Emma’s parents are divorced and often hears her parents shouting at each other and tries hard to keep them from being in the same room (she recalls her mother yelling at her father and blaming him for different things; Emma feels jealous of other kids that have parents in a happy or peaceful marriage; Her older brother died when she was little after being hit by a distracted driver and Emma’s parents tried to hold it together for several years, but were too angry and heartbroken; Emma thinks it’s weird that her parents have left his room the same way all of these years; Emma is upset to hear one of her parents is dating and feels heartbroken over the revelation that her dream that as a child of divorce, her parents getting back together won’t happen now; When she has to tell her parents something serious and they are able to be in the same room without fighting, she is stunned and angry that they are able to behave themselves around each other because she’s believed they were “in a sense, victims of their painful memories” and realized they could get along despite choosing not to and she’s been the one paying for their selfishness; A police chief tells the kids something about an open case, but then says he can’t talk about it (this happens a few times and has a sometimes doofus-like personality because of it); A scientist borrows skin calls from his lab rat to test on; A dog is shoved and whimpers; Mentions of a science/technology item that has nanobots which can spy on the person who ingested them, tell others what they are thinking, & can even attack and kill the person’s organs; Mentions of a group & song (‘Here Comes the Sun’ by the Beatles); Mentions of US Presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Grant); Mentions of books & authors (‘War of the Worlds’, ‘Island of the Blue Dolphins’, ‘A Wrinkle in Time’, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’, ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin’, ‘Watership Down’, ‘Animal Farm’, ‘Hamlet’, and ‘Crime and Punishment’); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of a woman’s athlete’s foot (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of vaccines; A few mentions of brand names (John Deere, Athena candy bar, & LEGO bricks); A couple mentions of superheroes (Superman & Captain America); A mention of the Marshal ordering for the capital to be “de-Americanize[d]”; A mention of Micky Mouse; A mention of lottery tickets.
Sexual Content- Emma gives one of the boys a kiss on his cheek (as a goodbye); Adams gives CPR to Emma, but before he “could lock his lips around hers to create a seal”, she coughs up water; Clay has a crush on Emma, who he thinks is the prettiest girl in school and acts awkward around her at first (as he gets to know her, his crush grows and he blushes); Clay doesn’t think he could handle being a host to Adams if Emma has a crush on him; Mentions of dates & dating; A few mentions of crushes & having feelings for someone;
*Note: Adams thinks that “girls go nuts over a guy just because he’s from another country and has an accent. I’m from another century. That has to count for something.”; Unlike most of the girls her age, Emma rarely wears makeup and was in “no rush to force her way through adolescence into adulthood”); A girl comments that she would “never eat anything so fattening” when referring to a muffin.
-Adams Klein, age 14
-Clay Danvers, age 14
-Emma Bloom, age 14
P.O.V. switches between them & a few others
Set in 2196 & 2015
276 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
This book took me a bit to get into because of the different POVs, the head switching, and trying to figure out the world. I think the author did well enough explaining things and the advance technology in the future setting, though, which left me with little questions on that.
There were a few parts that made me think this book would be better for boys than girls, but it truly depends on the girl. I didn’t personally care for some comments or having the mental image of urine in a urinal, but perhaps that’s just me. In that regard, it felt like what I would usually call a “boy book” meaning that there some comments and/or humor that would probably make a young boy laugh and not bother girls with brothers, but it wasn’t enjoyable to me.
This book might not be the best choice for sensitive readers, mainly because of the villain. He orders for one underling to have his vocal cords removed and orders for our young main character to be killed. He also made some confusing comments on “the Ones Out There” when referring to a higher power, that were odd and I’m not sure what the author was going for. I’ve quoted the section above in the Spiritual Content part of this review because while it’s long, it’s kind of hard to shorten it to get the point across.
There were a few parts I didn’t like seeing a conclusion about—not even referring to the plot that would have a conclusion in the next book, but more so the characters or side characters. Such as a classmate of Clay’s using his name to be able to be by himself when he doesn’t want his parents to know where he is (the classmate looks at this flippantly as he needs time for himself and there’s nothing about the parents finding it out; instead when they meet Clay and hear something heroic about him, they really like him being friends with their son; Perhaps it’s not Clay deceiving them, but he knows better and is helping his classmate lie to his parents and it’s not shown as wrong). Clay is also bullied by boys who steal from a store and because they’ve bullied him before, he decides not to tell anyone and covers what they stole with his own money. Maybe conclusions or justice didn’t happen in these situations because of the short amount of time and characters hurry for other things, but it could give the wrong idea or impression to young readers.
Overall, this mainly wasn’t my kind of book, but I could see some other readers enjoying it.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Are some things in life worth taking a stand for, no matter the cost?
Fourteen-year-old Adams Klein lives by one simple don’t do anything that might change the course of history. To protect him from a murderous tyrant, Adams was hidden away in the year 2015. A refugee from the distant future, his existence is a secret. But when he witnesses a tragedy unfolding, he can’t stand by and do nothing. Now history is being changed, and Adams and his new friends are being hunted by a villain who’ll stop at nothing to retain his iron grip on the world of the future, even if it means destroying the past.”
Series: Book #1 in “The TimeFall” trilogy.
Spiritual Content- “Thank God” is exclaimed once; Emma thinks her parents are angry at God even though they never say anything about religion; Emma notes how she is one of the only children in town that doesn’t attend church (not even on Christmas or Easter); A couple mentions of Bibles; A couple mentions of fate & miracles; A mention of there not being words when asked why God would allow a child to be killed; A mention of someone telling another to “thank their Maker” about something; A mention of religion being removed from Adams’ world; A mention of being Blessed; A mention of being a good Samaritan to someone; A mention of someone reaching for forbidden fruit (that is illegal);
*Note: The Marshal (a dictator and the villain of this story) tells his underlings about the “Ones Out There” and says ““Far be it from me to invoke religion, but do you suppose we are so much more enlightened than those who lived long ago? ….They were called gods, spirits, muses, angels, demons…..The labels don’t really matter. What’s important is that everyone from the Egyptians to the Aztecs to the Babylonians to the Greeks and the Romans believed. From East to West and from North to South, every thriving civilization was spurred on by help from Out There. Could it really be that all of these mighty empires, in many cases separated from one another by great distances of time and space, just happened to hold the same basic belief? Let me ask you: Who is more likely to be wrong—billions of people around the world, across thousands of years, all testifying to the same basic truth that we are not alone, or we who, only recently in the cosmic scheme of things, have chosen to dissent from the tide of history in order to stick our fingers in our ears and ignore the helpful voices calling to us from Out There?””; The Marshal believes that the dreams he has been having are a warning from “the Ones Out There”; A scientist is said to have led humanity into a “new enlightenment” & this is partially because of an item that is said to come close to “bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth”; A conversation about Osiris (an ancient Egyptian god), people worshiping him, and others being “deathly jealous” of those peoples’ devotion to a single deity; Adams’ father tells him that “no matter how tight its grip”, no evil thing lasts forever; A thief is called a “Ghost” of a local lake because no one has seen him in person (Clay calls this “very cool” and a female classmate calls it “romantic”); A few mentions of evil people; A mention of a group acting “deliberate, serious, [and] silent” like they are responding to an alter call (when they’re actually going to steal something).
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, two ‘dumb’s, and seven ‘stupid’s; Clay is called a “spaz” three times by bullies; Some eye rolling; Killing human-like drones with it’s “blood” spraying everywhere (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Seeing human-like drones being shot and killed, their blood, & the drones melting into the ground (up to semi-detailed); An explosion & people being hurt/dying (*Major Spoilers* , up to semi-detailed); Falling through a frozen lake, Almost drowning, Saving another from drowning, Fighting, Being shot/shot at, Almost being kidnapped, Being choked, Being held at knife-point, Being held hostage, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Passing out, & Major headaches (up to semi-detailed); Stealing an item (up to semi-detailed); Seeing dead bodies (of human-like drones, barely-above-not-detailed); Adams is expected to kill a drone in school (which because the drone mimics a human being and will show “crimson lubrication fluid” that looks like blood, he thinks it will look, sound, and feel like taking another person’s life); Adams has a school training that involves shooting in a jungle-like setting (he gets shot by a classmate, up to semi-detailed); Adams hates school because he sees it as the Marshal raising up a “programmed and devoted army” from his generation and feels sick at the thought of being chosen for military service; The Marshal (a dictator and the villain of this story) orders for someone’s vocal cords to be removed & wants Adams to be crushed/destroyed; Emma panics and cries that a man is going to shoot someone; Adams, Clay, & Emma come up with a plan to steal an item they need for Adams to return home (this includes lying to others and breaking a display case); Clay is bullied (both on-page with physically being hit and threatened plus remembering past incidents, up to semi-detailed; After that, he decides he will never speak up or draw attention to himself again) & Emma deals with a mean girl and her snide comments; Adam feels grief about being alone with no family; Mentions of a child that was hit by a car and died & grief from the parents (Emma’s older brother); Mentions of drownings & almost drownings (including two kids that drowned and a news report of it); Mentions of deaths & killing drones that look human; Mentions of assassins & ordering murders (including an ordered murder on a teen by an evil dictator); Mentions of wars; Mentions of weapons, being shot/tased, & weapons being aimed at others; Mentions of attacks, rebels, & a possible plan to murder a dictator; Mentions of crimes & criminals; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of boys stealing/robbing a store; Mentions of pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, & passing out (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of being being tied-up & locked in a closet; Mentions of nightmares of dying and blood; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of bullies; Mentions of divorces & parents shouting; A few mentions of prisons & arrests; A few mentions of vomiting; A few mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of a mother who died from cancer; A couple mentions of being robbed & held at gunpoint; A couple mentions of graffiti; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of eavesdropping; A couple mentions of urine; A mention of enslavement; A mention of someone needing a “new pair of boxer-briefs” during a sports event; A mention of poker; A mention of hunting;
*Note: Adams’ father gives him an injection for bacteria and viruses his body will fight in the past timeline (adding that he wished he had a vaccine like this for Adams’ dog that is going with him); The Marshal keeps his grip on the people he rules over by having them to cranial injections to learn more, but also remove information that he deems “inconvenient truths”; A classmate of Clay’s used his name to cover for himself to his parents to have “some time for himself” when he doesn’t want his parents to know where he is (such as when he went to see an R-rated movie); The classmate wants Clay to meet his parents to prove that he is real and while Clay doesn’t want to lie, he does meet him (and there’s no punishment for the boy lying to his parents nor shown as wrong); Emma’s parents are divorced and often hears her parents shouting at each other and tries hard to keep them from being in the same room (she recalls her mother yelling at her father and blaming him for different things; Emma feels jealous of other kids that have parents in a happy or peaceful marriage; Her older brother died when she was little after being hit by a distracted driver and Emma’s parents tried to hold it together for several years, but were too angry and heartbroken; Emma thinks it’s weird that her parents have left his room the same way all of these years; Emma is upset to hear one of her parents is dating and feels heartbroken over the revelation that her dream that as a child of divorce, her parents getting back together won’t happen now; When she has to tell her parents something serious and they are able to be in the same room without fighting, she is stunned and angry that they are able to behave themselves around each other because she’s believed they were “in a sense, victims of their painful memories” and realized they could get along despite choosing not to and she’s been the one paying for their selfishness; A police chief tells the kids something about an open case, but then says he can’t talk about it (this happens a few times and has a sometimes doofus-like personality because of it); A scientist borrows skin calls from his lab rat to test on; A dog is shoved and whimpers; Mentions of a science/technology item that has nanobots which can spy on the person who ingested them, tell others what they are thinking, & can even attack and kill the person’s organs; Mentions of a group & song (‘Here Comes the Sun’ by the Beatles); Mentions of US Presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Grant); Mentions of books & authors (‘War of the Worlds’, ‘Island of the Blue Dolphins’, ‘A Wrinkle in Time’, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’, ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin’, ‘Watership Down’, ‘Animal Farm’, ‘Hamlet’, and ‘Crime and Punishment’); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of a woman’s athlete’s foot (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of vaccines; A few mentions of brand names (John Deere, Athena candy bar, & LEGO bricks); A couple mentions of superheroes (Superman & Captain America); A mention of the Marshal ordering for the capital to be “de-Americanize[d]”; A mention of Micky Mouse; A mention of lottery tickets.
Sexual Content- Emma gives one of the boys a kiss on his cheek (as a goodbye); Adams gives CPR to Emma, but before he “could lock his lips around hers to create a seal”, she coughs up water; Clay has a crush on Emma, who he thinks is the prettiest girl in school and acts awkward around her at first (as he gets to know her, his crush grows and he blushes); Clay doesn’t think he could handle being a host to Adams if Emma has a crush on him; Mentions of dates & dating; A few mentions of crushes & having feelings for someone;
*Note: Adams thinks that “girls go nuts over a guy just because he’s from another country and has an accent. I’m from another century. That has to count for something.”; Unlike most of the girls her age, Emma rarely wears makeup and was in “no rush to force her way through adolescence into adulthood”); A girl comments that she would “never eat anything so fattening” when referring to a muffin.
-Adams Klein, age 14
-Clay Danvers, age 14
-Emma Bloom, age 14
P.O.V. switches between them & a few others
Set in 2196 & 2015
276 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)
This book took me a bit to get into because of the different POVs, the head switching, and trying to figure out the world. I think the author did well enough explaining things and the advance technology in the future setting, though, which left me with little questions on that.
There were a few parts that made me think this book would be better for boys than girls, but it truly depends on the girl. I didn’t personally care for some comments or having the mental image of urine in a urinal, but perhaps that’s just me. In that regard, it felt like what I would usually call a “boy book” meaning that there some comments and/or humor that would probably make a young boy laugh and not bother girls with brothers, but it wasn’t enjoyable to me.
This book might not be the best choice for sensitive readers, mainly because of the villain. He orders for one underling to have his vocal cords removed and orders for our young main character to be killed. He also made some confusing comments on “the Ones Out There” when referring to a higher power, that were odd and I’m not sure what the author was going for. I’ve quoted the section above in the Spiritual Content part of this review because while it’s long, it’s kind of hard to shorten it to get the point across.
There were a few parts I didn’t like seeing a conclusion about—not even referring to the plot that would have a conclusion in the next book, but more so the characters or side characters. Such as a classmate of Clay’s using his name to be able to be by himself when he doesn’t want his parents to know where he is (the classmate looks at this flippantly as he needs time for himself and there’s nothing about the parents finding it out; instead when they meet Clay and hear something heroic about him, they really like him being friends with their son; Perhaps it’s not Clay deceiving them, but he knows better and is helping his classmate lie to his parents and it’s not shown as wrong). Clay is also bullied by boys who steal from a store and because they’ve bullied him before, he decides not to tell anyone and covers what they stole with his own money. Maybe conclusions or justice didn’t happen in these situations because of the short amount of time and characters hurry for other things, but it could give the wrong idea or impression to young readers.
Overall, this mainly wasn’t my kind of book, but I could see some other readers enjoying it.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
May 2, 2025
In a gripping tale that transcends time, Adams Klein is a refugee from a grim and oppressive future. At just fourteen, he escapes the clutches of a ruthless tyrant whose sinister ambitions threaten not only his life but the fate of many. Hidden in the early twenty-first century, Adams finds his newfound safety shattered when he witnesses an unfolding tragedy. Unable to stand by and do nothing, this moment alters the course of history and brings the menacing villain closer to discovering his whereabouts.
This is a exciting adventure with dystopian undertones, blending exhilarating action with themes of selflessness, courage, and the power of friendship. It highlights the vital need to stand up for what is right, even in the face of overwhelming challenges.
The protagonists—Adams, Emma, and Clay—each grapple with their own personal struggles, yet they emerge as beacons of hope and bravery. Their remarkable resilience and selfless actions serve as an inspiring model for young teens.
A note for consideration: There are some intense moments and moderate content such as violence and bullying that would make this novel better suited for an older middle-grade audience.
I am grateful to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 30, 2025
There’s no nice way to say it: this is utter trash. What even is the point? As I sat thinking/stewing over this book for several weeks, the less I think there is a reason or a point to this book’s existence, let alone the bare as bones, boring as heck writing. It’s not engaging, it’s not fun, it’s just boring and, towards the end for me anyways, annoying.
When I was a young teen I read a LOT of MG and while I read some pretty boring, bland, bad stuff during that time when I did find the gems, the good, well written ones with engaging characters and fun plots, I read and reread them to DEATH, so much so I can probably still quote most of them to this day almost word for word, lol. And that’s what so sad yet so angering to me about this book is that it won’t be one most remember, won’t be reread until it falls apart, won’t even matter on any scale because there’s nothing there to care about, to stick with anyone, for kids to strive for because they want to be like their favorite character.
And isn’t that what stories are supposed to be all about, especially for kids?
To get into the nitty gritty of my gripes and crumbs of liking, this book has great potential, it really does. A dystopian, sci-fiey tech type future with some of THE MOST fascinating and cool worldbuilding I’ve ever seen ruled by a power hungry dictator who suddenly gets a vision of his death from the “Ones Out There” (basically “the Universe” in today’s language, not God as some reviewers are thinking it is) and sets out to kill said descendent before it happens, so said person, Adams, is sent back in time by his father to escape his own murder with instructions to not change time in any way, which you know immediately he’s going to do just that and does, drawing the evil dictator straight to him.
Chilling plot, super cool world; what could go wrong?
How ‘bout having the most bland characters alive? I know nothing about Adams, Emma, or Clay except for what the author tells me and it’s SO bland and utterly unengaging that I could care less about them. They don’t have personalities nor agency in any way and the second I think the author will give them conflict and a character arc, they get over it in the next sentence. Barely an inconvenience. Also they don’t have “kid emotions”, by which I mean they barely argue or question things people tell them to do, and the “fight” they do put up is over in, again, a sentence. They don’t have to be total brats arguing every second of the day but a little resistance (especially for Adams being sent away without his dad to the past for literally FOREVER) would be normal for a 14 year old, not for them to act like little adult robots.
Number two way to ruin things: set the story mostly in the “past” modern time away from all the cool worldbuilding and what could have been a tense plot. Yaaayyy. The plot was admittedly the only interesting thing outside of the future worldbuilding but once the end plot twist happened, I majorly and instantly checked out it was so generically lame.
Number three way to ruin things: have “an adult is clearly communicating an important life lesson and life advice, kids, so listen up!” lines throughout the. Entire. Book. *major eye rolling ensues* I guarantee no 14 year old is thinking this way about this stuff, especially about their divorced parents moving on and dating others. Just NO. Kids need to react like kids or you’re gonna come across as pretentious and too adult. Which is exactly what happened. Coming from an adult who would have 100% hated this as a kid.
Number four reas—you know what, I’m just going to list out the rest in bullet points because this is taking to long to write and I’m so done.
* Why would the paranoid dictator afraid of death create a spray that changes someone’s voice to sound like him and override systems? Even if it doesn’t last long that doesn’t seem very smart, the person could just keep reapplying it until he’s dead, game over.
* Why is there a crush triangle? So weird.
* Why is the police chief TELLING all these kids what they need to know about the cases involving them? Small town police aren’t stupid, you know. Oh wait, I know why! The author was too stinking lazy to come up with another, more creative way to write it! *eyes roll again*
* Why is there no faith content, hinted at or explicit, in a supposedly Christian book? FYI, saying once or twice that people go to church doesn’t make it a Christian book.
* What was the point of Henry? Why was that scene—that did LITERALLY NOTHING—even there?
* What was the point of the shoplifting scene?
* WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS BOOK?!?!?
Okay, I’ve wasted enough time and brain power on this book that had so much potential and a couple crumbs of good stuff but ultimately is buried under the most boring and bland execution I’ve ever read. Which is so sad because I really wanted to like it, to see it as an example of how to write a good MG book, but now all I’m going to do with it is forget about it or warn people away from it. Disappointing to the extreme, kids deserve better books then the slop they—Christian and secular publishers—chug out for them nowadays.
‼️Content‼️
Language: spaz
Violence: a man is told to have his vocal cords removed and put in a drone (not shown); a man tries and plans to kill a boy; kids fall through ice into a frozen lake and nearly freeze/drown; a man shoots and “kills” robots; fighting robots with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a girl falls off her bike; nanobots are inside a character destroying and “eating” their body on the inside (not detailed); a tree almost falls on characters; in the past a character was whipped with towels by bullies; a boy punches a character in the gut; boys are grabbed by the throat
Other: a man has a vision from the “Ones Out There” (basically “The Universe” or other angels/demons/spirits, not God); a couple is found tied up and gagged in a closet; a character is nearly kidnapped; death and grief; people are imprisoned; an explosion
When I was a young teen I read a LOT of MG and while I read some pretty boring, bland, bad stuff during that time when I did find the gems, the good, well written ones with engaging characters and fun plots, I read and reread them to DEATH, so much so I can probably still quote most of them to this day almost word for word, lol. And that’s what so sad yet so angering to me about this book is that it won’t be one most remember, won’t be reread until it falls apart, won’t even matter on any scale because there’s nothing there to care about, to stick with anyone, for kids to strive for because they want to be like their favorite character.
And isn’t that what stories are supposed to be all about, especially for kids?
To get into the nitty gritty of my gripes and crumbs of liking, this book has great potential, it really does. A dystopian, sci-fiey tech type future with some of THE MOST fascinating and cool worldbuilding I’ve ever seen ruled by a power hungry dictator who suddenly gets a vision of his death from the “Ones Out There” (basically “the Universe” in today’s language, not God as some reviewers are thinking it is) and sets out to kill said descendent before it happens, so said person, Adams, is sent back in time by his father to escape his own murder with instructions to not change time in any way, which you know immediately he’s going to do just that and does, drawing the evil dictator straight to him.
Chilling plot, super cool world; what could go wrong?
How ‘bout having the most bland characters alive? I know nothing about Adams, Emma, or Clay except for what the author tells me and it’s SO bland and utterly unengaging that I could care less about them. They don’t have personalities nor agency in any way and the second I think the author will give them conflict and a character arc, they get over it in the next sentence. Barely an inconvenience. Also they don’t have “kid emotions”, by which I mean they barely argue or question things people tell them to do, and the “fight” they do put up is over in, again, a sentence. They don’t have to be total brats arguing every second of the day but a little resistance (especially for Adams being sent away without his dad to the past for literally FOREVER) would be normal for a 14 year old, not for them to act like little adult robots.
Number two way to ruin things: set the story mostly in the “past” modern time away from all the cool worldbuilding and what could have been a tense plot. Yaaayyy. The plot was admittedly the only interesting thing outside of the future worldbuilding but once the end plot twist happened, I majorly and instantly checked out it was so generically lame.
Number three way to ruin things: have “an adult is clearly communicating an important life lesson and life advice, kids, so listen up!” lines throughout the. Entire. Book. *major eye rolling ensues* I guarantee no 14 year old is thinking this way about this stuff, especially about their divorced parents moving on and dating others. Just NO. Kids need to react like kids or you’re gonna come across as pretentious and too adult. Which is exactly what happened. Coming from an adult who would have 100% hated this as a kid.
Number four reas—you know what, I’m just going to list out the rest in bullet points because this is taking to long to write and I’m so done.
* Why would the paranoid dictator afraid of death create a spray that changes someone’s voice to sound like him and override systems? Even if it doesn’t last long that doesn’t seem very smart, the person could just keep reapplying it until he’s dead, game over.
* Why is there a crush triangle? So weird.
* Why is the police chief TELLING all these kids what they need to know about the cases involving them? Small town police aren’t stupid, you know. Oh wait, I know why! The author was too stinking lazy to come up with another, more creative way to write it! *eyes roll again*
* Why is there no faith content, hinted at or explicit, in a supposedly Christian book? FYI, saying once or twice that people go to church doesn’t make it a Christian book.
* What was the point of Henry? Why was that scene—that did LITERALLY NOTHING—even there?
* What was the point of the shoplifting scene?
* WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS BOOK?!?!?
Okay, I’ve wasted enough time and brain power on this book that had so much potential and a couple crumbs of good stuff but ultimately is buried under the most boring and bland execution I’ve ever read. Which is so sad because I really wanted to like it, to see it as an example of how to write a good MG book, but now all I’m going to do with it is forget about it or warn people away from it. Disappointing to the extreme, kids deserve better books then the slop they—Christian and secular publishers—chug out for them nowadays.
‼️Content‼️
Language: spaz
Violence: a man is told to have his vocal cords removed and put in a drone (not shown); a man tries and plans to kill a boy; kids fall through ice into a frozen lake and nearly freeze/drown; a man shoots and “kills” robots; fighting robots with weapons and hand to hand (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); a girl falls off her bike; nanobots are inside a character destroying and “eating” their body on the inside (not detailed); a tree almost falls on characters; in the past a character was whipped with towels by bullies; a boy punches a character in the gut; boys are grabbed by the throat
Other: a man has a vision from the “Ones Out There” (basically “The Universe” or other angels/demons/spirits, not God); a couple is found tied up and gagged in a closet; a character is nearly kidnapped; death and grief; people are imprisoned; an explosion
October 31, 2025
This book came through my book subscription and it is definitely not my normal read. I really enjoyed it though! I think this would be a book I would have loved when I was in middle school! It was so creative and different. I haven’t read a time travel book quite like it before and I think the author’s world building and creativity with technology from the future was fun to read about!
The parts I struggled with, I believe, were because this was written for a much younger audience than I. The characters didn’t feel really flushed out and the focus was on the plot than character development, though that was there in small amounts. All that to say, the plot was entertaining and very creative.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys or who has middle grade readers who enjoy sci-fi books with adventure, friendship, and ending that will definitely make you want to pick up the next book in the series.
Content Guide:
Language: No Language
Spice: No Romance
TW:Unreasonable physical punishment, intended harm/violence to minor (not graphic), divorced parents, child death/grief (past), gun violence (defense, not graphic), bullying, death
Content Warning: None
The parts I struggled with, I believe, were because this was written for a much younger audience than I. The characters didn’t feel really flushed out and the focus was on the plot than character development, though that was there in small amounts. All that to say, the plot was entertaining and very creative.
I recommend this to anyone who enjoys or who has middle grade readers who enjoy sci-fi books with adventure, friendship, and ending that will definitely make you want to pick up the next book in the series.
Content Guide:
Language: No Language
Spice: No Romance
TW:Unreasonable physical punishment, intended harm/violence to minor (not graphic), divorced parents, child death/grief (past), gun violence (defense, not graphic), bullying, death
Content Warning: None
August 4, 2025
Follow a misfit group of teens as they become heroes in their own save the world story. As they navigate between two timelines they will face danger, fight evil and learn about the value of friendship.
In this well imagined and well told story you will meet Adams, age 14, in the year 2196. He grew up in a very controlled world, which was ruled by a very evil man. This futuristic world and timeline is filled with advanced technology, including soldier drones, nanobots and computers capable of things we haven’t even thought of yet.
The sci-fi details in this book are quite fascinating. The possibilities of time travel brought up some wistful and interesting what ifs in my mind. If given the opportunity, would I take it? Would you? Along with all of the advances came some significant losses. Eating was reduced to protein bars and books were outlawed. I would hate to lose the pleasures of eating and reading!
There are so many good discussion points and life lessons throughout this story. No matter which timeline you happen to exist in, right is still right and wrong is still wrong. Choices come with results and consequences. Choosing to do what’s good and right can come at a high personal cost.
This middle school book is the first in a trilogy and I can’t wait to read the next book.
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts expressed in this review are mine.
In this well imagined and well told story you will meet Adams, age 14, in the year 2196. He grew up in a very controlled world, which was ruled by a very evil man. This futuristic world and timeline is filled with advanced technology, including soldier drones, nanobots and computers capable of things we haven’t even thought of yet.
The sci-fi details in this book are quite fascinating. The possibilities of time travel brought up some wistful and interesting what ifs in my mind. If given the opportunity, would I take it? Would you? Along with all of the advances came some significant losses. Eating was reduced to protein bars and books were outlawed. I would hate to lose the pleasures of eating and reading!
There are so many good discussion points and life lessons throughout this story. No matter which timeline you happen to exist in, right is still right and wrong is still wrong. Choices come with results and consequences. Choosing to do what’s good and right can come at a high personal cost.
This middle school book is the first in a trilogy and I can’t wait to read the next book.
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts expressed in this review are mine.
July 30, 2025
A Fun and Futuristic Read for Middle Graders and Beyond!
The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein transports readers to the year 2196, offering a vivid glimpse into a world that feels both thrillingly unfamiliar and entirely possible. From the very beginning, this book gave me Hunger Games vibes—with its high-stakes setting, compelling characters, and thought-provoking themes.
This is a wonderful and much-needed addition to the junior section of our church library, especially coming from a trusted publisher like Moody. I appreciated how the story balanced action and imagination, keeping me engaged while still being age-appropriate and meaningful for middle grade readers.
There were plenty of unexpected action-packed moments, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to review such an engaging and well-crafted story. I’m already looking forward to the next two books in the trilogy and can’t wait to recommend this one to others!
Thank you to Moody Publishers for providing a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein transports readers to the year 2196, offering a vivid glimpse into a world that feels both thrillingly unfamiliar and entirely possible. From the very beginning, this book gave me Hunger Games vibes—with its high-stakes setting, compelling characters, and thought-provoking themes.
This is a wonderful and much-needed addition to the junior section of our church library, especially coming from a trusted publisher like Moody. I appreciated how the story balanced action and imagination, keeping me engaged while still being age-appropriate and meaningful for middle grade readers.
There were plenty of unexpected action-packed moments, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to review such an engaging and well-crafted story. I’m already looking forward to the next two books in the trilogy and can’t wait to recommend this one to others!
Thank you to Moody Publishers for providing a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 18, 2025
Spiritual Content
Spiritual content, while light, presents meaningful concepts for consideration. For instance, at the start of the book, the dictator has a dream that he believes to originate from a higher power: “the Ones Out There.” Rather than attributing a specific explanation to his dream, the Marshall lumps together explanations for the supernatural (angels, demons, gods, muses, etc). and weighs the consensus of history against the remarkably recent trend toward atheism. I’ve truncated his argument below, which is all the more powerful coming from the “bad guy.” Even though he hates to “invoke religion,” he’s willingly to speak, and argue, within an intellectually-sound framework. I love the honesty and rationality, here!
What really matters is that everyone from the Egyptians to the Aztecs to the Babylonians… was spurred on by help from Out There… Let me ask you: Who is more likely to be wrong? Billions of people from around the world… all testifying to the same basic truth that we are not alone, or we, who, only recently… have chosen to dissent from the tide of history in order to… ignore the helpful voices calling to us from Out There?
p. 18
There’s a bit of discussion about the significance of choices in terms of how they will affect the future. After all, it’s hard to think about time travel for long without encountering questions of repercussions.
I recall at least one reference to prayer, and there is a significant Christian element near the end (which I don’t want to spoil). Christian readers may recognize it, but it’s not described in a specifically-Christian way.
All in all, I’m curious to see how the spiritual content will develop as the series goes on. I’ll be happy whether content becomes more explicit or remains at this level, because it’s very approachable for Christian and secular audiences. (This makes it more likely of a purchase for a public school library, and public school libraries NEED more wholesome content!)
What I Liked
I came across The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein several months before release and its cover immediately captured my attention. A blend of whimsy and adventure, the cover artwork reminded me of some of the mainstream series I grew up reading, like A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Even before I reached the book description, I was excited to see the book releasing from a Christian publisher, and I was very eager to read!
I found this book to be especially delightful and I’m eagerly anticipating (if not demanding) the release of book two.
Although I wouldn’t have minded a bit more development, I enjoyed the futuristic setting in parts of the story, especially the parts with the sinister Marshal. The advanced innovations, and exnovations, were intriguing and thought-provoking. On one hand, we see the convenience wrought by technology: showers with shampoo mixed into the water and high-speed travel pods that George Jetson may have used on his daily commute. On the other hand, augmented reality wreaks havoc on the environment, with landscapes evolving to cover piles of litter — certainly suitable in a dystopic setting.
Emma
I really liked Emma, one of the three main characters (and the title character for book two). When it comes to interactions with her peers, Emma demonstrates a delightful measure of classiness and maturity. In her interactions with a class bully, she avoids sinking to the bully’s level, but she also doesn’t feel the need to befriend the bully. This is a refreshing distinction, because Christian media sometimes emphasizes “friendship evangelism” or immediate reconciliation, where it is not necessarily safe for the victim. I appreciate that Emma maintains her boundary, while also treating the bully with graciousness.
Friendships
Among the book’s alternating perspectives are the three kids: Adams, Clay and Emma. Friendship stories are some of my favorites, and I really enjoyed watching the friendship develop between these three characters who previously did not know one another. It’s also neat to see how this bond brings about character development, especially for the two boys, who have lived fairly unremarkable lives up to this point.
Content Notes
A character comments that he thought he “might need a new pair of boxer-briefs,” while watching a particularly suspenseful sporting event.
A substance called Ash, which simulates the experience of eating real food (a scarcity in the future) is available on the black market. Initially, I was suspicious that this was a “drug,” and it does affect a person, but the emphasis is more on the rarity of the item (which is reminiscent of Willy Wonka’s satiating bubble gum). Adams does ingest Ash.
There’s also some violence, including gun usage as an ordinary part of education. (With that said, casualties are more likely to be hyper-realistic drones than humans). Additionally, we see the main characters planning for, and executing, a heist.
Some slight crush elements, including a kiss on the cheek (in farewell).
Respectful Discussion
Emma’s Parents
There’s some subtle commentary on divorce, through Emma’s perspective. We see her feelings of frustration and discomfort because her parents constantly fight when they are together, and there’s a point where she decides that her parents are able to refrain from fighting, but choose not to. Up to this point, she has attributed the fighting to the loss of her sibling, who died at a young age, but she now decides that she won’t “pay… the cost for their selfishness” anymore (p. 186).
For me, personally, this is an element that works in the context of the story, but I am concerned about the generalizations that readers could draw from it. For instance, I wouldn’t want readers to generalize that their divorced parents are selfish simply for being divorced.
There’s also a sense of Emma babying her parents, “treating [them] like people… who were unable to control their actions” (p. 186). This is another element that I understand in context (and Emma is a very respectful daughter) but I am also careful about content that could be interpreted as children knowing better than parents. To be clear, I’m not saying the novel does that. I’m just addressing potential generalizations.
Ancient Artifact
There’s an ancient artifact from the Osirian Empire — named after the false god Osiris. I had some trouble parsing out how much of the book’s claims are fictitious and how much are rooted in established legends (I don’t get a ton of search results for “Osirian Empire” in the historical sense). I believe that this civilization was chosen for its technological advancements, but I don’t prefer to read about a false god in a Christian children’s book.
References to Osiris are brief, but the artifact also bears the adjective “Osirian.”
Recommendation Status
Greco’s Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein is a delightful and whimsical blend of time travel, friendship, and intrigue. Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix, or as a possible alternative to The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. I’m interested to see where the series will go next in terms of time travel and spiritual content, and I am more than ready for the next installment!
While content notes may merit parental oversight / reader discretion, this is a title I really enjoyed reading. With light spiritual content, this is a title I would easily recommend above most books in today’s children’s libraries. For kids who are already picking out their books from secular settings, I think this title is a winner! Parents who guide their children in selecting titles may wish to preview the book, first.
Recommended for Christian and mainstream audiences.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. Opinions expressed are my own.
Spiritual content, while light, presents meaningful concepts for consideration. For instance, at the start of the book, the dictator has a dream that he believes to originate from a higher power: “the Ones Out There.” Rather than attributing a specific explanation to his dream, the Marshall lumps together explanations for the supernatural (angels, demons, gods, muses, etc). and weighs the consensus of history against the remarkably recent trend toward atheism. I’ve truncated his argument below, which is all the more powerful coming from the “bad guy.” Even though he hates to “invoke religion,” he’s willingly to speak, and argue, within an intellectually-sound framework. I love the honesty and rationality, here!
What really matters is that everyone from the Egyptians to the Aztecs to the Babylonians… was spurred on by help from Out There… Let me ask you: Who is more likely to be wrong? Billions of people from around the world… all testifying to the same basic truth that we are not alone, or we, who, only recently… have chosen to dissent from the tide of history in order to… ignore the helpful voices calling to us from Out There?
p. 18
There’s a bit of discussion about the significance of choices in terms of how they will affect the future. After all, it’s hard to think about time travel for long without encountering questions of repercussions.
I recall at least one reference to prayer, and there is a significant Christian element near the end (which I don’t want to spoil). Christian readers may recognize it, but it’s not described in a specifically-Christian way.
All in all, I’m curious to see how the spiritual content will develop as the series goes on. I’ll be happy whether content becomes more explicit or remains at this level, because it’s very approachable for Christian and secular audiences. (This makes it more likely of a purchase for a public school library, and public school libraries NEED more wholesome content!)
What I Liked
I came across The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein several months before release and its cover immediately captured my attention. A blend of whimsy and adventure, the cover artwork reminded me of some of the mainstream series I grew up reading, like A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Even before I reached the book description, I was excited to see the book releasing from a Christian publisher, and I was very eager to read!
I found this book to be especially delightful and I’m eagerly anticipating (if not demanding) the release of book two.
Although I wouldn’t have minded a bit more development, I enjoyed the futuristic setting in parts of the story, especially the parts with the sinister Marshal. The advanced innovations, and exnovations, were intriguing and thought-provoking. On one hand, we see the convenience wrought by technology: showers with shampoo mixed into the water and high-speed travel pods that George Jetson may have used on his daily commute. On the other hand, augmented reality wreaks havoc on the environment, with landscapes evolving to cover piles of litter — certainly suitable in a dystopic setting.
Emma
I really liked Emma, one of the three main characters (and the title character for book two). When it comes to interactions with her peers, Emma demonstrates a delightful measure of classiness and maturity. In her interactions with a class bully, she avoids sinking to the bully’s level, but she also doesn’t feel the need to befriend the bully. This is a refreshing distinction, because Christian media sometimes emphasizes “friendship evangelism” or immediate reconciliation, where it is not necessarily safe for the victim. I appreciate that Emma maintains her boundary, while also treating the bully with graciousness.
Friendships
Among the book’s alternating perspectives are the three kids: Adams, Clay and Emma. Friendship stories are some of my favorites, and I really enjoyed watching the friendship develop between these three characters who previously did not know one another. It’s also neat to see how this bond brings about character development, especially for the two boys, who have lived fairly unremarkable lives up to this point.
Content Notes
A character comments that he thought he “might need a new pair of boxer-briefs,” while watching a particularly suspenseful sporting event.
A substance called Ash, which simulates the experience of eating real food (a scarcity in the future) is available on the black market. Initially, I was suspicious that this was a “drug,” and it does affect a person, but the emphasis is more on the rarity of the item (which is reminiscent of Willy Wonka’s satiating bubble gum). Adams does ingest Ash.
There’s also some violence, including gun usage as an ordinary part of education. (With that said, casualties are more likely to be hyper-realistic drones than humans). Additionally, we see the main characters planning for, and executing, a heist.
Some slight crush elements, including a kiss on the cheek (in farewell).
Respectful Discussion
Emma’s Parents
There’s some subtle commentary on divorce, through Emma’s perspective. We see her feelings of frustration and discomfort because her parents constantly fight when they are together, and there’s a point where she decides that her parents are able to refrain from fighting, but choose not to. Up to this point, she has attributed the fighting to the loss of her sibling, who died at a young age, but she now decides that she won’t “pay… the cost for their selfishness” anymore (p. 186).
For me, personally, this is an element that works in the context of the story, but I am concerned about the generalizations that readers could draw from it. For instance, I wouldn’t want readers to generalize that their divorced parents are selfish simply for being divorced.
There’s also a sense of Emma babying her parents, “treating [them] like people… who were unable to control their actions” (p. 186). This is another element that I understand in context (and Emma is a very respectful daughter) but I am also careful about content that could be interpreted as children knowing better than parents. To be clear, I’m not saying the novel does that. I’m just addressing potential generalizations.
Ancient Artifact
There’s an ancient artifact from the Osirian Empire — named after the false god Osiris. I had some trouble parsing out how much of the book’s claims are fictitious and how much are rooted in established legends (I don’t get a ton of search results for “Osirian Empire” in the historical sense). I believe that this civilization was chosen for its technological advancements, but I don’t prefer to read about a false god in a Christian children’s book.
References to Osiris are brief, but the artifact also bears the adjective “Osirian.”
Recommendation Status
Greco’s Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein is a delightful and whimsical blend of time travel, friendship, and intrigue. Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Missing series by Margaret Peterson Haddix, or as a possible alternative to The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. I’m interested to see where the series will go next in terms of time travel and spiritual content, and I am more than ready for the next installment!
While content notes may merit parental oversight / reader discretion, this is a title I really enjoyed reading. With light spiritual content, this is a title I would easily recommend above most books in today’s children’s libraries. For kids who are already picking out their books from secular settings, I think this title is a winner! Parents who guide their children in selecting titles may wish to preview the book, first.
Recommended for Christian and mainstream audiences.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher. Opinions expressed are my own.
August 19, 2025
The year is 2196, and life, as we know it, has ceased to exist. A cruel dictator rules the world, and Earth’s citizens are part of a dystopian society in which every move is watched and reported by drones and spybots. While holograms temporarily cover the ugliness of the world, there are those who long for the things of the past.
Adams Klein is a young man with an old soul, and, much to his surprise, he finds himself thrown back in time to Indigo, Ohio, circa 2015. The catch? He can’t interfere with the past in any way, or the course of history could be altered!
I didn’t know who author John Greco was prior to reading The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein, but I can assure you I am now a fan. Greco’s writing is easy to read, yet descriptive with strong dialogue. The book moves at a fast pace without feeling rushed, and the main characters are highly likable even with their adolescent flaws. I found myself saying, “Just one more page,” even though I had other things to do!
I love that Greco incorporated issues that preteens and teens deal with: fitting in, bullying, divorce, parents dating again, and standing up for what is right. Adams, Clay, and Emma, the main characters, are relatable, and I often found myself cheering them on as the story progressed. There is just something about rooting for the underdog that appeals to me!
This book may be written for a target audience between 11-14 years of age, but this 40… something-year-old thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I plan to read the next installment of this trilogy, The Bewildering Courage of Emma Bloom, when it is released in November of this year. Until then, I will remember one of my favorite quotes from the book, “No matter how dark things seem, there’s always hope that a new day will come. No evil thing, no matter how tight its grip, lasts forever. We have to believe that.”
Adams Klein is a young man with an old soul, and, much to his surprise, he finds himself thrown back in time to Indigo, Ohio, circa 2015. The catch? He can’t interfere with the past in any way, or the course of history could be altered!
I didn’t know who author John Greco was prior to reading The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein, but I can assure you I am now a fan. Greco’s writing is easy to read, yet descriptive with strong dialogue. The book moves at a fast pace without feeling rushed, and the main characters are highly likable even with their adolescent flaws. I found myself saying, “Just one more page,” even though I had other things to do!
I love that Greco incorporated issues that preteens and teens deal with: fitting in, bullying, divorce, parents dating again, and standing up for what is right. Adams, Clay, and Emma, the main characters, are relatable, and I often found myself cheering them on as the story progressed. There is just something about rooting for the underdog that appeals to me!
This book may be written for a target audience between 11-14 years of age, but this 40… something-year-old thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I plan to read the next installment of this trilogy, The Bewildering Courage of Emma Bloom, when it is released in November of this year. Until then, I will remember one of my favorite quotes from the book, “No matter how dark things seem, there’s always hope that a new day will come. No evil thing, no matter how tight its grip, lasts forever. We have to believe that.”
August 24, 2025
In this youth Sci-fi novel, Adams ends up being sent on a time traveller’s journey to the past to hide from an evil dictator who threatens to end his life. While there, his actions have a butterfly effect on the future and his presence is discovered. He must make plans to hide from the danger and protect his new friends from a deadly fate.
There are intense themes (some violence, danger- nothing especially graphic) and brief mentions of torture to some of the characters (ie: threat of removing vocal chords). There are no overt religious or spiritual themes, although there is mention of a higher power and of prayer. It would be a suitable book for a 12-14+ year old reader, especially if they love science fiction/futuristic fantasy.
Overall it was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading the next books in the series to see how the storyline progresses. I will be passing it over to my middle grade son to read next, I think he will like it too.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Rating and opinions are my own.
There are intense themes (some violence, danger- nothing especially graphic) and brief mentions of torture to some of the characters (ie: threat of removing vocal chords). There are no overt religious or spiritual themes, although there is mention of a higher power and of prayer. It would be a suitable book for a 12-14+ year old reader, especially if they love science fiction/futuristic fantasy.
Overall it was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading the next books in the series to see how the storyline progresses. I will be passing it over to my middle grade son to read next, I think he will like it too.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Rating and opinions are my own.
May 5, 2025
Published by Moody Publishers, the first installment of the Timefall Trilogy, The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein, is a thrilling, high-stakes adventure that’s as thoughtful as it is exciting. Adams Klein, a boy from the future, is hidden in the past for his protection—with one mission: survive without altering history. But when two lives hang in the balance, Adams must make the impossible choice between preserving the timeline and doing what’s right. John Greco's futuristic middle grade novel has great architecture, excellent writing, truly good character development and was very hard to put down. The next two volumes cannot come out fast enough for me!
July 29, 2025
The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein surprised me in the best way. John Greco blends sci-fi, philosophy, and emotion into a story that’s both mind-bending and meaningful. Adams Klein is an ordinary man thrown into an extraordinary situation that challenges time, identity, and reality.
It’s not just about time travel—it’s about what it means to exist. A great start to The TimeFall Trilogy, and I can’t wait to read book two!
It’s not just about time travel—it’s about what it means to exist. A great start to The TimeFall Trilogy, and I can’t wait to read book two!
August 2, 2025
Exactly the kind of book kids have been searching for, but could never find until now. The world-building is on a whole other level and successfully mixes a bleak, dystopian future with a lighthearted middle school atmosphere as author John Greco shows off his command over the concept of time travel. Greco throws a fresh spin on the age-old idea, complete with unique rules and features and a never-before-seen mode of operation. It’s wild, it’s fun, and, best of all, completely thrilling.
August 4, 2025
Review by my 13 year old daughter:
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was exiting and interesting, with lots of unexpected twists. I loved the friendship between the main characters and their loyalty to each other. The surprising reveal moments in the book were very well written, easily keeping my attention and making me not want to put the book down. An excellent book, I can’t wait for the next!
(Free copy was sent in exchange for an honest review.)
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was exiting and interesting, with lots of unexpected twists. I loved the friendship between the main characters and their loyalty to each other. The surprising reveal moments in the book were very well written, easily keeping my attention and making me not want to put the book down. An excellent book, I can’t wait for the next!
(Free copy was sent in exchange for an honest review.)
December 1, 2025
Science fiction is not my thing. It’s very well written. I felt the beginning a long time to get into. Otherwise once it got going, it kept my interest. It kinda freaks me out the whole 2156 and what that looks like. I hope it takes that long for those crazy things to happen or maybe never happen. That’s the part I disliked the most but it could sadly happen. If you like science fiction, it’s a good book
August 24, 2025
one word what
January 11, 2026
This was excellent. A clean dystopian that is a little bit like Wool.
No content concerns except some violence. Recommend for age 10+ as a read aloud.
No content concerns except some violence. Recommend for age 10+ as a read aloud.
October 9, 2025
4.5 stars
“Before darkness, light. After darkness, light.”
This middle grade sci-fi book is an exciting adventure with light faith themes woven through the story. The world building of dystopian Earth in the future was well done with futuristic tech, new governments and world societies, and the discovery of time travel. The clash of the future and the past make for a fast paced, exciting hunt through time.
Written with three points of view, the story follows Adams Klein who is from the future, and two youth from the past, Emma Bloom and Clay Danvers. Adams, who has to escape his present time as he is being hunted by a man who wants him dead, he ends up in a past time where his presence is a secret but not for long. Adams comes across Emma and Clay who were drowning in the lake and he makes the decision to save them instead of not getting involved and protecting himself. Adams, Emma and Clay forge a friendship that sees them working together to protect themselves from the same man who wanted Adams dead and now wants to capture Emma and Clay as well.
With themes of faith, family, friendship, light vs darkness, humor and adventure this story shows how making right choices, even if the circumstances are hard, are the best thing to do. I definitely recommend this story for those who love middle grade adventure boys or girls.
I received a complimentary copy from Moody Publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
“Before darkness, light. After darkness, light.”
This middle grade sci-fi book is an exciting adventure with light faith themes woven through the story. The world building of dystopian Earth in the future was well done with futuristic tech, new governments and world societies, and the discovery of time travel. The clash of the future and the past make for a fast paced, exciting hunt through time.
Written with three points of view, the story follows Adams Klein who is from the future, and two youth from the past, Emma Bloom and Clay Danvers. Adams, who has to escape his present time as he is being hunted by a man who wants him dead, he ends up in a past time where his presence is a secret but not for long. Adams comes across Emma and Clay who were drowning in the lake and he makes the decision to save them instead of not getting involved and protecting himself. Adams, Emma and Clay forge a friendship that sees them working together to protect themselves from the same man who wanted Adams dead and now wants to capture Emma and Clay as well.
With themes of faith, family, friendship, light vs darkness, humor and adventure this story shows how making right choices, even if the circumstances are hard, are the best thing to do. I definitely recommend this story for those who love middle grade adventure boys or girls.
I received a complimentary copy from Moody Publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
December 19, 2025
I really loved this book. I read it in one day, and I'm very excited to get book two! Here are my thoughts:
Faith is kind of hinted at throughout the book. I can't say that any of the kids have an outright belief in God, but maybe time will change things.
The Marshall, who is the force of evil in the book, hints at the 'beings out there'. Whether he means God, or the gods of old, I'm not sure.
Content Consideration:
Emma's parents are divorced, but it is portrayed as being bad. Her mom is dating another man. Also, some crush stuff, with Clay secretly liking Emma. Emma gives Adams a quick kiss on the cheek, but just as a parting gesture.
The kids do some sneaking around and attempt to steal an ancient artifact. In all fairness, if they didn't, it may have fallen in the wrong hands, but they hid what they were doing, nonetheless.
Thanks to Moody Publishing for my own free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Faith is kind of hinted at throughout the book. I can't say that any of the kids have an outright belief in God, but maybe time will change things.
The Marshall, who is the force of evil in the book, hints at the 'beings out there'. Whether he means God, or the gods of old, I'm not sure.
Content Consideration:
Emma's parents are divorced, but it is portrayed as being bad. Her mom is dating another man. Also, some crush stuff, with Clay secretly liking Emma. Emma gives Adams a quick kiss on the cheek, but just as a parting gesture.
The kids do some sneaking around and attempt to steal an ancient artifact. In all fairness, if they didn't, it may have fallen in the wrong hands, but they hid what they were doing, nonetheless.
Thanks to Moody Publishing for my own free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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