The Timeless Tale of Peter Able

The Peter Able Series #2

by Natalie Grigson

The Timeless Tale picks up just where Book One left off - give or take a few blurry months for our characters while the author did other things.You see, Peter lives in the land of Fiction itself. Now our (ex-boy wizard) protagonist must grapple with the idea of changing his story, as he's presented with a rare and dangerous object straight from the Real his own backstory. As his Conflict unfolds, you'll be taken to mysterious lands like Nonfiction, you'll come across a villain far more horrifying than that other guy (seriously, DON'T say his name); and you may even fall in love. Journey into this world beyond the page - and be sure to hold in your Inner Dialogue.This is the second book in the Peter Able series. Book Three - just released!

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 27, 2016

About the author

Natalie Grigson was born and raised in Austin, Texas by a pack of surprisingly well learned wolves. From them, she gained her love of reading, writing, and, of course, shabby chic interior design.

(Just kidding. Wolves are much more partial to modern decorating.)

These days, Grigson works as both a spinner of tales and speaker/facilitator focusing on mindfulness, connection, and the power of play.

She has written such books as the PETER ABLE series, JUST CALL ME IS, CALL ME PERFECT, THE WOODS, and MATTHEW TEMPLETON AND THE ENCHANTED JOURNAL.

Follow her on Twitter @NatalieGrigson.

Learn more at www.NatalieGrigson.com.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever and strange

The fictional gang is back for more clever fun. I liked this book a bit more, had more humor and witty situations and dialogue. The whole concept of fictional characters making fiction is pretty cute.

[Kat Brownell · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me quite some time to get into this book, at least 30%, but by the end I was laughing and picturing this world built on words. It's a very cute premise and I'm excited to start the next one.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Peter Able tale. This one felt less geared toward the nuances of writing and more focused on the story--backstory if you will. Or perhaps it's because I've grown used to all the subtle mentions of things authors have to deal with when getting the story written. A highly entertaining story that will keep you laughing.

[Alexandra]

3/19/17 $1.00 for Kindle

[SeveredTherapy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Fun Journey With Peter Able.

So, as a writer, I've kind of wondered what happened to our characters. They are wonderfully summed up here and described exquisitely.

With that being said, I was definitely a fan of the first Peter Able. However, this one didn't feel quite as special. It felt like about halfway through, it became work to finish the story. Then, towards the end, writing became fun again.

So, if you're able to get through that lull, you'll find a very original story that's got a few twists and turns along the way.

[kristin white · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of addicted. Can't wait for the 3rd book!

When I first started reading this series, I thought it was odd but interesting and now at the end of book two, I am kind of addicted. I cant wait for book three. It's still odd and sometimes feels disjointed and poorly edited but that somehow doesn't take away from the story itself. Its well worth the read I highly recommend it.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

    It’s a new school year in Fiction, and Peter and Jenny are enjoying each other’s company, even if they weren’t so much enjoying not being written and the fading that comes with it. But when characters start going missing around Fiction, soon Peter, Jenny, Randy, and even Bob the Ficus will find themselves on the case. See, someone has been collecting backstories and changing them, causing characters to go missing. To get to the bottom of this and save all of the characters of Fiction, our group will have to overcome their (inter)personal conflicts and be more daring than ever before. They’ll have to go to the darkest corners of the Black Market of Fiction, where Fiction and Reality meet, if they want to have a hope to save Peter and the others from a terrible fate. But when you don’t know who the antagonist is, how can you even hope to stop them…?
   Another fun, meta romp in Fiction sees Peter dealing with Person vs Self and Person vs Person conflicts, and that makes for a lot to deal with in one book! Especially with the ever-present danger of not knowing who might be next to disappear, and how the smallest changes to a backstory can have far-reaching effects. Not all of them good. There are even more sly references and allusions to popular culture and literature in this second installment, and a definite increase in hot cocoa and cookies consumed. But be ready – while it doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, there’s a definite hook to go on one last adventure with Peter, and I for one am ready to jump right in!

Favorite quotes:
[H]appiness is likea wave. It’ll be up and down your whole life. You just need to learn to float along with it, because you sure can’t stay on top of it all the time. – place 1763/3020

I want to be your boyfriend who pretends we’re in a spaceship together. Our spaceship—like this table would be partly yours and partly mine. – place 2298/3020

Typos:
…there was a Taboo one the word— - place 171/3020: I don’t think “taboo” should be capitalized, and certainly “one” should be “on”

There was a general grumbling of ascent, - place 263/3020 – should be “assent”

…something strange happened.
    “. She looked like… - place 580/3020 – the open quotation mark and period following it in the second line shouldn’t be there, unless that’s part of the in-text referral to “something strange happened” (which is not unheard of)

What did I have to lose, after all? I wouldn’t change anything major, anyway. I wouldn’t change anything that could affect anything else… - place 1462/3020 – I’m not sure the random italics was intentional…?

It couldn’t possibly effect how the rest of… -place 1700/3020 – “effect” should be “affect”

…glass of wine floated into the air and titled some of its contents… - place 2084/3020 – “titled” should be “tilted”

So every time they referred to ‘?’ it was attached to the preceding word, as in its first appearance:
“Do you know anyone named??”
“???”
“No, I mean one?.” (place 613/3020)
However, since ‘?’ is its own character/its name, it should have been set off on its own every time, instead of connected to the preceding work as an actual question mark would be:
“Do you know anyone named ??”
“???”
“No, I mean one ?.”
At least, doing it that way would have made more sense, and still respected the textual/meta confusion the characters get each time they refer to ?.

[Garrett Zecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to The Fantastic Fable of Peter Able, The Timeless Tale brings the same characters back for Peter's second year in school as he tries to get a handle on his past and his future and learn how to manipulate time and existence through his backstory. But a nefarious character is tight on his heels as he writes and rewrites the past of his own and his fellow students' backstories. The result is a Back to the Future II sort of story with the same great humor and engaging storytelling techniques of the first book. I read this with my eight year old at bedtime over a few weeks, and he loved it just as much as the first book (although I found myself editing some parts, a task I didn't quite find myself doing the first time around as I remember). The great news is that Grigson's Peter Able books are certainly written for a wide audience, and if like me you're an audience member with a wide-ranging reading history and an eye for the critical elements of the creation of fiction itself, you'll find a surprising number of funny winks and nudges hidden throughout the book. We had a great deal of fun continuing the saga, perhaps even more than the first book. Definitely worth picking up – and if you follow Gregson on Kindle Scout, you'll be delighted to find her other books in the program. Easily two of the best books Scout has given the greenlight.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love the witty adventure that I am taken on in each of the Peter Able stories. The world of Fiction and Non-Fiction wouldn't be the same without his constant narration, description and ever expressed inner dialogue.

Peter Able, boy wizard has stepped back into the light, polishing his image and becoming a little more clear in this second installment of the Peter Able Tales. A mysterious ? has taken up their revenge on the characters of Fiction (especially those whose stories it was not fully developed in--I can't tell you more, she said as she rolled under the table--that's what they do in Detective, right?) and Peter, Randy and Jenny are all called upon once again to solve and resolve the mystery as well as pass their classes.

Grigson is an excellent writer, pulling in literary humor and word play from throughout literature. Making jokes about copywriting and the missing portions of "real world" things-I just love it. I cannot wait for the next book to come out.

This is a series for lovers of books in any genre. I definitely recommend reading it

[Staci Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite the adventure!

Amazing how much is possible after the storyline has ended. All of these characters gathering together. Outside the limitations of their storyline. Building a whole new world together. Of course it couldn't be without someone having hard feelings. 💔 Yet still do they strive for more? Oops😉

[Jennifer Rinker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic tale

Natalie Grigson did it again. Peter Able's tale continues to be exciting, funny, entertaining, and unusual. I was hoping to read the next book, but, it's apparently not out yet. I'm definitely looking forward to more.

[Candra Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another intriguing tale with plot twists

I had to read this book directly after the first book. It hints at a third book and I hope thetre is one ! Very comical like the first book.

[Brandy Sipos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book to my kids. I actually looked forward to it and wanted to know what was going to happen just as much as they did. I thought it was well written and would be the first in line to read anything else this author comes up with

[Scott Barnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Waaaaaah!

I really like the characters, writing style, humor in these books. I was all set to give it five stars until it became part one of a two part story. I would have done it differently but ....she’s the genius so I will patiently wait it out and read book 3. 😊

[Jesse Deleon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What that's the end?

Nathalie Grigson second book in the series of Peter Able has left me wanting more in this world of ?. A fan!

[Kimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't appreciate this book like the first one but I did laugh and enjoyed a lot of moments. Overall it's good, just a bit confusing sometimes in my opinion. 😀

[Sharon Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd book of the series

This was just as great as the 1st book was... great read for English and Literature buffs with many known characters and literary terms!!

[Sue Kind · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the second book!

Took me a while to catch on during the first book but this one was easier. I truly enjoy the idea of as world where all the characters live!!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and original story

[Tracy Tuerk · Rating 4 out of 5]

clever

The characters in this book were delightful as were all the literary nuances. Such a fun read, especially for book lovers.

[Sherry Gagne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless

Another wonderful book. So glad I found the series and happy to share it with people! Unique, funny, and clever. What more could you ask for?

[mecharose · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUYS.

Peter Able was a ride. When I got to the end of the first book, full of that feeling you get when you've just been on an awesome adventure, when I read the last sentence -- wait, is this a series? --
and oh my god.

I NEEDED THE SEQUEL.

So of course I bought it immediately. The thing is, though, I was a little worried. Sometimes -- usually -- sequels don't have the same magic as their predecessors. The joke gets carried on a little too far, the characters become caricatures, you know how it goes... but all my worries were for absolutely nothing. The Timeless Tale of Peter Able was everything the first book was and better.

What the first book lacked in character development and relationships, this book made up for and went beyond. Everyone's still funny and ridiculous, but they have to make some actually tough and morally gray decisions at some point. Relationships are tested. Existential crises are had. I found myself really feeling for the characters, and worrying for them, and getting caught up in all the wildness of their adventure and melancholy of their happily ever after that wasn't quite so.

The plot is wittier than the last one, too, and the villain. The VILLAIN. The villain is a plot device. The villain is lazy writing. LITERALLY. I was dying. And so was Peter! This book got way more intense and dark than the last book. There's a black market, people die, but all the while it retains the same hokey, joking tone and writing of the first book. If the first book was a roller coaster, this one is a thrill ride.

Going by how I feel about the stories I read, this is one of my FAVORITE books I've ever read, and definitely tops the list for most fun (and most laughing out loud by myself in my room). Even if you're not so sold on the first book, read this. It blows the first one out of the water.

(p.s: Natalie, please write more books, because I love them and will buy them all.)

[Dianna Steiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

More please :)

I have been fortunate lately to land myself in some fun stories and this one is among them, definitely a great tool for the imagination and it fueled mine up really well. Considering that most of my life has been spent in the land of Fiction, it is great to get a peek into their world.