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Time-Travel Series #3
The Hour of the Outlaw
The latest in the critically acclaimed, authentically detailed series transports readers back to the California Gold Rush.
When Xavier, Xanthe, Nina, and Rowan are sent after a time-travel runaway to the California Gold Rush, they’re faced with some of their toughest challenges yet: testy gunslingers, greedy prospectors, and worse, a society that doesn’t treat all of its members equally. But if they work together as a team, they can find their missing time traveler and, in the process, uncover the dangerous secret behind the Owatannauk Hotel’s time-bending powers.
Full of Wild West adventure, the latest entry in Maiya Williams’s series also offers readers a thought-provoking portrait of a time that was even more complex and colorful than most may realize.
Awards and praise for the trilogy
A Book Sense Pick
International Reading Association Fiction Award
Southern California Booksellers Association Children’s Book Prize
“Fun . . . for all lovers of fantasy, and the diversity is welcome.” —Detroit News and Free Press
“One of the few fantasies with any African American characters . . .” —Booklist
“Fills the gap between Harry Potter and A Series of Unfortunate Events.” —Time Out New York Kids
“It’s refreshing to have African American teens as main characters without their race being a main theme of the book . . .” —VOYA, 4Q 4P
When Xavier, Xanthe, Nina, and Rowan are sent after a time-travel runaway to the California Gold Rush, they’re faced with some of their toughest challenges yet: testy gunslingers, greedy prospectors, and worse, a society that doesn’t treat all of its members equally. But if they work together as a team, they can find their missing time traveler and, in the process, uncover the dangerous secret behind the Owatannauk Hotel’s time-bending powers.
Full of Wild West adventure, the latest entry in Maiya Williams’s series also offers readers a thought-provoking portrait of a time that was even more complex and colorful than most may realize.
Awards and praise for the trilogy
A Book Sense Pick
International Reading Association Fiction Award
Southern California Booksellers Association Children’s Book Prize
“Fun . . . for all lovers of fantasy, and the diversity is welcome.” —Detroit News and Free Press
“One of the few fantasies with any African American characters . . .” —Booklist
“Fills the gap between Harry Potter and A Series of Unfortunate Events.” —Time Out New York Kids
“It’s refreshing to have African American teens as main characters without their race being a main theme of the book . . .” —VOYA, 4Q 4P
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 19, 2012
This young adult book is #3 in a series called "Golden Hour History Detectives". It's a rather unique time travel series featuring 4 teens, time detectives, whose trips back in time are organized and supervised by adults. The teens are two sets of siblings who range from age 11 to about 15. One set is white and the other set, twins Xavier and Xanthe, are brown-skinned, of Jamaican descent. The time travel is done at a deserted and decaying resort hotel and the time machine is a sort of elevator, called an alleviator, run by OTTO, which stands for Official Time Travel Operator. I know I'll think of that every time I see the word Otto on an elevator!
In this story the foursome travel to the Wild West of the Gold Rush days in the 1850s in search of a teenager who just might change history. The story is logical and all the ends neatly tied up plus it's an excellent adventure! The only thing that bothered me was that it was set in the racially tense days just before the Civil War when free people of dark skin were suspected of being runaway slaves. Although the teens were warned of this, they really had no problems and were treated with respect. I now want books #1 "The Golden Hour" and #2 "The Hour of the Cobra".
In this story the foursome travel to the Wild West of the Gold Rush days in the 1850s in search of a teenager who just might change history. The story is logical and all the ends neatly tied up plus it's an excellent adventure! The only thing that bothered me was that it was set in the racially tense days just before the Civil War when free people of dark skin were suspected of being runaway slaves. Although the teens were warned of this, they really had no problems and were treated with respect. I now want books #1 "The Golden Hour" and #2 "The Hour of the Cobra".
April 9, 2010
Another Amazing Adventure in the Golden Hour Series. This book takes the Kids out west to the Great California Gold Rush. On the plus side they won't need Translators. But the Young man that they set out to find dosen't want to be found and what's worse he has run off with his own Grandfather, endangering his own exsistance.
This was by far the most exciting in the series so far and is well worth the time it takes to read it.
This was by far the most exciting in the series so far and is well worth the time it takes to read it.
December 12, 2022
This was my least favorite of the trilogy, partly due to credibility. No, not the time travel. Yes, it is an older child's novel. But, still, are adults going to be taking orders from a 14 year old? Not listen to what he has to say, but put him in charge?
March 26, 2009
The Hour of the Outlaw by Maiya Williams is a sequel to The Golden Hour and The Hour of the Cobra. These are great fun and will appeal to Middle Readers. Besides the grand adventures, the author slips in history in a way that the reader won't even know they are learning. I love the time travel aspect of the books and that the kids are really responsible human beings. The other characters are quirky and a lot of fun.
April 17, 2011
Another enjoyable read to follow up to "The Golden Hour." This time, things are a little bit crafty as the main character of the story shifts again ... and this time, travel back to the days of America's Wild West are the setting. A very interesting twist by the author to retain the main characters but shift the setting of history.
January 10, 2011
Nice mid-grade read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews