Secret of the Time Tablets

Cleopatra in Space #3

by Mike Maihack, Cassandra Pelham (Editor)

Cleo and her friends journey from Yasiro Academy to the city of Hykosis, where some of the most notorious thieves and assassins live. They're in search of information about the time tablets that could determine Cleo's fate - whether she wants them to or not. But the group is separated when Xaius Octavian's fleet attacks their ship, and Cleo and Akila are on their own until they run into an old nemesis. Will Cleo find the information she needs and get out of Hykosis alive?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Comics, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published April 26, 2016

About the author

MIKE MAIHACK is the creator of the Cleopatra in Space graphic novels published by Scholastic/Graphix. The six-book series has earned him a Florida Book Award, a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers selection, a starred review from School Library Journal, and a wealth of sharable knowledge about sequential storytelling. Cleopatra in Space was also produced as a children’s animated series by DreamWorks Television with episodes currently airing worldwide and on both NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock and HULU. Currently he is working on a series of Spider-Man young reader books in collaboration with Marvel and Abrams Books.

Mike lives in Land O Lakes, Florida with his wife, two boys, and one extraordinarily fluffy cat. More of his work can be found online at operationspacecat.com.

Reviews

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in this series is here! And boy, it sure was action-packed and it had a lot of moments for me to go squee or to scream NOOOOOOO!

We get right in on the action, stepping in from the last time. I love it when books do this and not waste a moment to rehash stuff. Sure, I had to get into the story again, refigure out the characters, but that was a quick switch.

Then we have exciting moments as our crew lands on a new planet and try to find the tablets they need. That Cleopatra needs, since she still wants to go back home, but she is also conflicted. She made friends here, and she can't just leave them. Not when they still need her.
Back to tablet-hunting, it was great fun (and also exciting) to see them hunt for the tablets, and meet an old "friend". Sorry, I wouldn't really call him a friend after all the poo he did.

We switch back to our other party and see what they are up to. Frankly, I had a suspicion that character was doing that and this. Seeing it confirmed made me sad, but also squee that I was right.

The last parts were really awesome, with a lot of things happening that will make you feel sad, that will make you feel angry. Yes, enter the feels.
I now know that Mike Maihack sure isn't afraid of doing that kind of thing. Not many authors can do that, but Mike Maihack apparently can.

We also get some backstory on one of the characters, I love that it was added.

I felt sad for what truths were hidden from Cleopatra. Yes, I can imagine why they decided to keep quiet, but I wish they would just have been honest. As you can see, she will find out eventually. Either by her own, or through others.

I loved all the characters... OK, OK. With the exception of that cat. He is so arrogant, so annoying, so frustrating. My favourite character is Akila. She is just so awesome, she is so nice, she tries her best.

The art is still amazing, and I just love the colours used! The art will sure drag you into the story and you can just imagine yourself in the places our characters go to.

All in all, I can't wait for the 4th book.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com

[Emmanuel Nevers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is one of the best all ages OGNs I've ever read!!

[Jed Gurath · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action, the drama, the motives *giggles* this book is just as good as the sequel but somehow it keeps on getting better. The art style and picture of the world is honestly amazing. Safe to say I’m addicted to the series.

[Daniella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg I skipped to the last book and I hadn’t known but it was good.

[Veronica Precourt · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love it

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the spacecraft in which Cleo and her friends are traveling is attacked, the crew is separated, and they end up landing near Hykosis, a strange settlement that plays host to many thieves and lawbreakers. Cleo and Akila team up with an old nemesis while Khensu and Zaid make their way around the place on their own. Everyone is looking to the time tablets, but when they finally show up, there are plenty of surprises for all the characters. The colors and images in this graphic novel series are visually appealing, and it's hard to resist Cleopatra herself. Although the notion of Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, being in space itself is unusual, the series will have appeal for science fiction fans and those intrigued by the wonders of ancient Egypt. I liked the relationships forming among the characters and the interesting machines and landforms.

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genial, como siempre, muy entretenido. Este tomo es el de las revelaciones, y, GUAU, ¡menudas revelaciones! Por fin sabemos algo más de la profecía, Cleo genial en ese aspecto. Reitero una vez más las expresiones tan conseguidas de los personajes y los toques cuquis. Cada vez me gustan más los personajes, tienen facetas muy interesantes. Me ha encantado la expresión "Oh my Ra!", los puntazos que tiene son geniales. De diez. ¡Estoy deseando leer el siguiente!

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this might be my favorite book in the Cleopatra in Space series so far! The stakes were higher, the characters are wonderfully complex and the plot line was really gripping. I loved Harkhebi and the orphanage. Zaid's background played a fairly important role and I'm enjoying seeing Cleo develop into a leader. Mike Maihack is so brilliant! I just love these books and love sharing them with students too.

[BellaM · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite character is Cleopatra because she is brave and really upbeat and fun. What surprised my the most was her best friend was evil. I Would not and will not change the ending because the story was amazing. And when I finished the book I felt satisfied. And so I highly recommend this book.

[Sarri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarja parantaa vauhtiaan kuin sika juoksuaan. Toimintaa! Juonittelua! Mahtava päähenkilö! Hirveän pahiksen identiteetti paljastuu! Jee! Ihan parasta sarjakuvaa pitkiin aikoihin.

[Kathy Wallen · Rating 3 out of 5]

January 21, 2026

It was pretty good. The art continues to be excellent. The action was good, and it was funny.

Oh my goodness, I just thought of a plot hole... Okay. My mind is a bit mixed-up and I've also read all the books but the fourth one. Yes, I read out-of-order. But bear with me here. Consider the following: In book one, Gozi and Cleo explore the tomb and Gozi finds the cursed weapon while Cleo stumbles upon the time tablets and is transported to the future where Gozi is the the evil villain Octavian. In this book, Cleo recovers the time tablets and is technically able to go home if she wishes, but she decides to stick around in this time to be the savior of the world and defeat Octavian.

But...

I know that you don't learn this until book five, but after Cleo disappeared, Gozi was held in the dungeon with Cleo's teacher Bakari for months. Two years, actually. So... how do I best explain this... Let's say that a year (since I don't know for sure) passed since Cleo came to the future and has attended the Yasiro Academy, and that a year has also passed in the regular timeline. Now Cleo in the future timeline knows that Octavian is actually Gozi. She wants to help her friends, obviously... but when you think about it, the best way to help her friends is to go back to the regular timeline and get Gozi and Bakari out of jail and explain everything. That quite literally avoids the entire future timeline. Well, okay, it doesn't solve the problem of the curse which I think makes Octavian immortal, but it does prevent quite a few bad things of his backstory. He wouldn't have been badly burned in the attack, he wouldn't have been taken by the invaders and treated as a slave, he wouldn't have burned off his legs in the second attack, he wouldn't have lost his family three times as is implied by the pictures, and he probably wouldn't have given up after all that loss and turned evil.

Does that make any sense? Okay, okay. I know that Cleo doesn't know any of Gozi's backstory when she's given the chance to head back to her regular timeline. But you'd think that once Octavian said that Cleo caused him pain that she'd want to go back to the past and fix whatever was wrong so that this whole future wouldn't happen. Right? If she went back right at that moment, Gozi still would have been in the dungeon and he'd be savable. I don't know about the whole sword thing or possession thing, but... surely there's some way that Cleo and Gozi could have gotten rid of it. I'm frankly still confused on how it was defeated in book six, so if it's possible there, it's possible in the regular timeline.

So... yeah. In the most polite way possible, there are multiple reasons why this whole storyline shouldn't exist, but... what there is of it is fun if you don't think about Gozi.

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleopatra and her companions are on Hykosis searching for one of the tablets that allowed her to travel through time into the future. They’re under some pressure to hurry as Octavian and his army have followed them and it’s likely he is after the same thing. Forced to crash land on the planet in escape pods, they are initially separated. Cleopatra and Akila encounter the thief, Antony, who stole the Sword of Kebechet in the previous installment, and Cleo “coerces” him to assist them. Meanwhile, Khensu and Zaid visit a secret orphanage and Khensu’s former teacher, Harkhebi, who has information about the tablet’s whereabouts. Circumstances bring them back together again in the end where they must face off against Octavian and Cleopatra must decide whether or not to return to her own time. The truth about the prophecy concerning Cleopatra is revealed, as is Octavian’s true identity. Exciting and suspenseful – readers will be anxiously awaiting the next volume!

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle

Awesome continuation of the Cleopatra in Space series. This is the third book in the series and I highly recommend reading the first two before reading this one. A lot happens with this one in terms of the prophesy, time tablets, and overall story arch. There are many references to what happened in the previous books, but I think it's best to just read them. They are just as amazing as this one.

As with the first two, great artwork and funny dialogue. This one has a sort of Western/cowboy style to it. It is a fun adventure story sure to delight anyone who is a fan of space adventure, ancient prophecies, and kick-butt historical figures. I really love the characters.

This one is a bit darker than the other ones and death is much more common, but it is still a fascinating and exciting adventure. Loved it. Can't wait for the next book.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently learned about this series so ordered the first three volumes to see how an ancient Egyptian queen makes her way to space in this fictional series (time travel portal). Cleopatra is an engaging primary protagonist who is joined by a cast of likable characters at the academy where the kids attend school. The author sets up an entertaining and sustainable overarching storyline across the initial three volumes that I have read thus far. I'll be picking up the rest of the series since I want to see how Cleopatra's journey plays out.

This is a fun adventure story with exciting, age appropriate combat scenes. Given the situations that Cleopatra find herself in, parents may want to review and mediate some themes. For example, there is a menacing antagonist that might be scary for younger readers, and volume 3, there are themes of death.

[Mark Popovitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strengths of previous books in this series remained the same, as did the weaknesses of the series over all. Many of the characters enjoyed nice development here, except the villain Octavian, who hasn’t shown any power or motivation for acting the way he does or why he’s so fear. The twist at the end of the book fell flat for me; I didn’t see it coming but it would have been impossible to anticipate it, which took energy away from it. And while this book had somewhat of a nicely contained story, there were some loose ends left for later installments that felt…forced in their being unexplained. But if you’ve read the first two books, you might as well read this third book, which, like me, will lead to throw your hands in the air and figure to continue reading; made it this far, might as well continue on.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Cleopatra in Space series by Mike Maihack. We've really enjoyed this series and are excited to move on to the next book, Cleopatra in Space 4: The Golden Lion.

The narrative is dramatic and engaging and the colorful illustrations are very detailed. The story contains moments of danger and sacrifice that may be a bit t0o strong for younger children, but otherwise, I'm sure it will appeal to most ages.

[Anoush · Rating 4 out of 5]

As we continue Cleopatra's journey to get back home and figure out what all this "savior" and prophecy business really means, things start to get series.

We learn who her true enemy is: Octavian is somehow Gozi, a kid she harassed back in her own time. And he is bent on revenge that has been festering for thousands of years. People die. Her classmate Zaid sacrifices himself to save Cleo. Harkhebi, Khensu's mentor and their contact for the tablets, is killed. And Cleo's best friend Akila loses her arm. This isn't just a jaunt and adventure. Things are getting serious.

Finally Cleo sees the two tablets and finds out that in order to save her friends...she must herself die. And yet, she chooses to stay.

[Oracle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The trilogy of the tales of Cleopatra in Space continue on with Cleo and her friends visiting the planet of Hykosis. A dashing tale of adventure continue where the first and second books have lead forward to. There seems to be action within every turn of the page, enough to constantly engage the reader into an entirely different world. If you're wanting a book that will pull together the expanded tale of Cleo's adventures within the future, this one will do what it is destined to do. Will Cleo reach her destiny within?

This trilogy did nothing but move me on too many levels. From gasps to cringes to open-eyed moments. If you're looking for engagement? This series has it, most definitely. Great read, beautiful visuals! ♥

[BiblioBeruthiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series continues to keep the action and excitement going. We learn a lot more about the overarching plot in this installment, which I find interesting and engaging. Minor issues with the continuation of the Cleo hates school jokes as well as a lot of swooning over "cute" boys in this one, but it doesn't take up a lot of time and it's pretty tame. I don't think I've mentioned the artwork in my previous reviews of the series which I very much like. The lines are clean and the character designs are consistent. Also, not everyone is white (obviously) and, again, talking cats, dudes. Talking. Cats.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleopatra is back in the 3rd installment of this graphic novel series for middle grade readers. Cleo and Akila are separated from the school group when they are attacked by the enemy fleet and must navigate Hykosis city on their own. Cleo creates an uneasy alliance with Antony, the sword thief and the trio works to save the children on Hykosis while reckoning with the fate of Cleo and the ancient tablets that will determine it. Plenty of action and humor keep the story moving and action-packed full color illustrations move the eye along quickly. A strong addition to a strong series. Recommended for purchase.

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is a lot of fun! In the first book, Cleopatra is transported from ancient Egypt into a planet in the distant future.

Cleopatra finds the time tablets in this story. These tablets have the ability to send Cleo back to her time and her family. She goes on an adventure with her friends and she has to escape the evil villain, Octavian. We get to see another planet in this story after they have a battle in space and are stranded.

My favourite character is Khensu. He is Cleo’s history teacher and he is a cat. He’s hilarious, but wise. I love it when he appears in the story.

This is a great series that I highly recommend!

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read the other books in this series, but I loved this one! I didn’t feel lost at all. It’s the first graphic novel I’ve ever read and I’m pretty much hooked.

I’d been looking for books to put in a reading corner in my future classroom, and I picked this up at a used book store. I thought the idea was wonderful and the conduction was almost new. The artwork is very neat and colorful without being overwhelming and the faces are expressive. The storyline is engaging and the characters are lovely.

I think it’s a great book to get those resistant readers to read for fun. I will definitely be picking up the rest of the books in this series.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so powerful having graphic novels present female characters in action roles; Miss 6 is loving this series! There is more background information provided on several of the characters (including Xaius Octavian); there is a new character introduced with some cool parkour and stun tactics; Cleo continues to grow and develop; and there are consequences to their adventures (without the book losing its optimism).

Miss 6 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this back-to-back with Book 2 (The Thief and the Sword), so this is kind of a double review.

I enjoyed these more than the first, as I was able to ignore my problems with THE Cleopatra being the main character, and found it a lot easier to dive in without the confusion of the first book.
This is a fun, entertaining, and highly action-packed series that's super enjoyable! The illustrations are interesting, colourful and really engaging. I read the whole thing in one sitting and would happily read the next in the series in a heartbeat. Definitely books that I will be recommending often!

[Shaie F · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILERS!

This is meant for kids, I know—but these 14 year old kids go visit a dangerous planet, get ambushed by bad guys, one of them get VAPORIZED by a ray gun and the other has a rock crush her arm (the next we see her she’s got a robotic arm), and when the main character wakes up from her coma, EVERYTHING IS FINE! Aw shucks what’s-his-face is a pile of dust good thing he was an orphan oh wow cool arm.

I guess what I’m saying is I appreciate it when characters seem to actually be affected by traumatic experiences

[Lyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun, adventure packed graphic novel series appropriate and enjoyable for the 8 yr old and up set. There are a lot of blasters, but also, as the series progresses, a lot of ancient Egyptian mythology incorporated into an alt-history/future scenario. Both my 9 yr old and 13 yr old (who insisted I read the series) were intrigued enough by the history to dig up some of the real stories. I'm all for books that inspire curiosity.

[Frederick Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third of five book series on Cleopatra in space. Cleo and friends journey to the city Hykosis, where some of the most notorious thieves and assassins live. They are in search of the time tablets that could determine Cleo's fate. Somehow their spacecraft was intercepted by Octavian's fleet of ship. Cleo and her friends somehow was captured by Octavia and forced to activate the time tablets.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. I'm so invested in this story now. Onto book 4! I'm very excited and I am so glad I don't have to wait a year or so for the next book since they are all out already. Super curious to where this story leads! Also, got to check the first book on who Gozi is! Because I don't remember that at all. Illustrations are great as always. I love the colors and the details in them.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has taken me a while to get to this. I was reminded that I hadn't read it when I bought book 4 from the author/ illustrator at ALA. This installment zips along to a big reveal with plenty of action, "gun" fights (with a nod to an iconic scene from Star Wars?), and some sad losses. The art, as usual, is superb. Highly recommended series for your graphic novel fans.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Cleopatra adventure.
Cleopatra heads to Hykosis to track down the time tablets with her friends. While there they end up in trouble and have to battle to get out (with or without the tablets!?). Her friends help her fight to realize her prophecy and stop (delay) Octavian.

Read? Yes. These are fun. You don't have to read them in order--- but it might be better if you do.