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The Gateway #5

The Time Shifter

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When Amelia and Charlie get caught in a time-loop at the Gateway Hotel, they are forced to live the same day over and over. Each loop brings them closer to catching a suspicious alien visitor - but also closer to danger. Can they stop time to save their lives?

160 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2016

2 people are currently reading
70 people want to read

About the author

Cerberus Jones

10 books24 followers
Cerberus Jones is the three-headed writing team made up of Chris Morphew, Rowan McAuley and David Harding.

Chris Morphew is The Gateway’s main story architect. He weaves the team’s ideas together into awesome, page-turning story outlines. Rowan McAuley is the team’s chief writer, and she expands Chris’s outlines into fully-fledged novels. David Harding’s job is editing and continuity - he irons out all the kinks!

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Robin.
878 reviews8 followers
April 28, 2022
One day on their way home from school, Amelia and her best friend Charlie follow her pet dog-thing, Grawk, to a strange object he has dug up. Soon after they touch it, they encounter a suspicious guest at the hotel where their parents cater to both regular humans and pretend humans from outer space. Before they can stop the woman (or whatever) from cracking the safe in Amelia's bedroom, which has been locked for almost 150 years, everything disappears in a flash of light and they find themselves back in school, getting ready to head home.

The same time loop repeats several more times while the two kids gradually work out that the suspicious lady is a time shifter, and also a member of the sinister Guild that wants to control the system of wormholes that allow aliens to travel all over. And somehow, the item stored in the safe in Amelia's room seems to be the key to making that happen. They must by no means let the Guild have it. But they're up against a couple of tough alien baddies, including a member of boss villain Krskn's reptilian race and a certain tall drink of water (literally) who can kill with one touch of his liquid finger. Knowing that any more laps around the time loop could break the fabric of time and space, the kids make sure there won't be another do-over before facing these truly deadly villains one, last time. No pressure for a couple of schoolkids. Like, it's not as if anyone has ever beaten these baddies before.

Because of the random order in which I read this series of niftily designed chapter books, this was the last one for me – for now. It's kind of bittersweet to think about. I've enjoyed the company of Amelia and Charlie, who are smart and fearless and full of joyful mischief. I'm going to miss them ... until, as I confidently hope, more of their adventures become available.

This is the fifth book in "The Gateway" series. Like their namesake, Australian author Cerberus Jones has three heads. Chris Morphew, described in the "about the author" blurb as the series' story architect, is also the author of the six "Phoenix Files" titles: Arrival, Contact, Mutation, Underground, Fallout and Doomsday, which are alternately packaged as a trilogy titled Man in the Shadows, Blood in the Ashes and Life in the Flames. The team's chief writer, Rowan McAuley, is credited with about 19 books in the "Go Girl!" series. David Harding, who departed the series after book 6, was in charge of editing and continuity. I can't find much information about him other than the fact that he's easily confused with at least one other author by the same name, but his bio blurb in this book credits him with "Robert Irwin's Dinosaur Hunter" series and several "RSPCA Animal Tales" stories.
Profile Image for Haley Craig.
308 reviews7 followers
November 7, 2018
Part 5 complete.. i still cannot pick a favourite from these first 5 books and am devastated that I will have to take a break from reading this until I am able to find the next 3.

Definitely a twist on the story of the Gateway Hotel at Forgotten Bay and ends on a perfect cliffhanger of not just wanting but needing to know what happens next!
Profile Image for Stacey Williams.
202 reviews2 followers
February 7, 2018
My 10 year old daughter and I have been reading this series together. Book number 5 did not disappoint!
Profile Image for Sean Harding.
5,836 reviews34 followers
September 6, 2018
Another classic sci-fi/fantasy cliche adventure plot idea is utilised here but again the execution is mediocre and the series plods along with this the penultimate entry. What could have been...
Profile Image for Zoe .
132 reviews1 follower
September 13, 2020
I don’t exactly know why, but I found this book really BORING... I just wasn’t connected to the character(s) in this book, like I do in all the other books; when reading some of them, I cry for the character! I didn’t understand the plot of the story and I didn’t enjoy reading it at all. This is why I rated it ⭐️⭐️. I hope this doesn’t stop you from reading this book though, as your opinion might be different.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews

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