Glint

by J.D. Harper

When 16-year old rock climbing enthusiast Dan Harman discovers an object in his attic that gives him the ability to travel through time, he and his best friends Jesse and Ritchie hatch a get-rich-quick scheme to fund the climbing trip of their dreams: uncover buried treasure. But when Dan's trips back to Civil War-era Tennessee provide a glimpse into the truth behind the treasure, the trio realizes there may be a more altruistic ending to their adventures. With hints of history, mystery and romance, this tale of friendship will take you on a journey of a lifetime.

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction

291 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2015

Reviews

[Literary Classics Book Awards & Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan loves to rock-climb, but one day he’s stuck indoors unable to explore his favorite activity because of rain. As his mom works in the attic to clear out some old junk he starts looking curi-ously at all the things in the give-away pile. When he discovers a mismatched set of engraved silverware he asks his mom if he can keep a butter knife from the collection. There’s something about the knife he’s drawn to and he wants to add it to his knife collection. With time to kill he absent-mindedly polishes the knife to a silver sheen when suddenly he disappears from his home and finds himself in Civil War era Tennessee.

Glint is an exciting book which will intrigue middle-school audiences with a bit of mystery, Civil War history and time travel elements. As Dan hops back and forth between present day and Civil War times readers are drawn into his adventures both in the present and the past. When Dan and his friends make a pact to return a lost treasure to its rightful owners they are embroiled in some pretty intense moments in history including a real-life battle at Missionary Ridge. Recommended for home and school libraries Glint is a fun and engaging read which has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

[Stephen M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall enjoyed book although thought some language not necessarily in line with age group. Enjoyed civil war era references & time travel although doubted they would trust teacher over parents. Would recommend.
13 yr old book lover

[Joanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the books I have reviewed, this book has made me the most nervous to review. My friend, J D Harper, asked me to read and review this book. I have known the author for 30 years, and I agreed to provide an honest review. When I first started reading the book (which as I understood it, was written as a book for young people) it did not grab me. The story was not for me and the dialogue in the story seemed a bit formal or unrealistic. I was about 10% of my into the book before that changed. The story became very engaging, and I found myself looking forward to getting back to the book to find out what was going to happen next. This story has history (especially Civil War history), politics, chemistry, physics, genealogy and more. There is lots rock climbing and discussions of chivalry. Personally, there were moments when I thought that this would be an ideal book for parent and child to read together to trigger all sorts of discussions from how to treat a lady to what happened in the Civil War. On a more personal note, as I read the details on so many different topics, I came away with new admiration for my friend for all the intense research that must have been done to write this book. Glint is a good read for young people and adults.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geared toward boys ages 10-18, this book is a great adventure reminiscent of the Hardy Boys. Ms. Harper weaves her first published story between the present and the Civil War. The book involves the tale of three teenage friends who love to rock climb and their discovery, which they hope will fulfill their lifelong dreams.
This book was an easy read. It draws the reader in.
I hope to see more from this author with her wonderful imagination! Bravo!

[Renee Hood · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great adventure book for middle graders, especially boys. A fun read that mixes the hugely popular sport or rock climbing with Civil War history.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written for a younger audience I believe. Reads like the Hardy Boys meets the Magic School Bus with Sid the Science Kid at the wheel. No real depth here although it was a cute story line. Very good info on rock climbing, scientific data on old photo restoration when the H S science teacher of these three teens steps in to assist. Civil war facts too. Also interesting tid bits on Einstein who (according to the book) believed time travel was possible. We are even reminded of scenes from Back to the Future! It was the title and the cover graphics that first caught my attention. Without the added bits to chew on I'd say this was just an OK read with an appealing storyline.