Review: Great start to a fun time travel adventure series
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 9, 2014
Time Square  |  The Shift is set in the 1930′s and is a science fiction tale which blends mystery, time travel, and suspense.  The story centres around Dr. Rex Hudson – who makes a life  changing discovery deep in the jungles of Machu Picchu in Peru – and his twin daughter and son who inadvertently go along for the adventure of a lifetime when all three fall through a portal that takes them to Time Square – the central station of time travel.Dr. Hudson and his family soon learn that the removal of a strange obelisk from its resting place in Peru has triggered a series of events that may forever change the flow of time.  In fact, fractures in time have already occurred leaving time travelers stranded in unexpected and unknown locations.  It is up to Dr. Hudson, his children, and others at Time Square to return the obelisk to its resting place and to rescue the time travellers stranded across space and time.In a formula reminiscent of the Quest series, the author once again pens a thrilling roller-coaster ride of an adventure with a twist of time travel.  Readers dive right into the story as we come upon Dr. Rex and the other members of his search party as they are attacked by a band of poo-slinging, marauding monkeys.  The quick pace of the story grabs your attention from page one and keeps it until you turn the final page.  The author excels at keeping a young reader engaged by incorporating lots of action and witty dialogue between the quirky characters.  There are definitely many great one-liners that had me laughing out loud!I felt that the author hit the right balance in discussing the intricacies and complexity of time travel to the story.  There is just enough information to keep it interesting, but not enough to overwhelm young readers.  I loved the concept of a central station where a privileged few have the opportunity to travel back in time or to the future.  Sign me up!  The only comment I have is that I felt that the dialogue used among the doctor and his children in particular did not reflect the way people would speak in the 1930′s.  It felt more like the way kids today would speak.  The positive side of this is that children today could probably relate more easily to the children in the book because their language is similar.Time Square  |  The Shift is the first book in a planned series that will see the main characters moving forward with a number of sub-plots including finding and relocating the obelisk as well as finding and rescuing the stranded time travellers.  In short, there is a lot more story to be told and I’m coming along for that ride!My Bottom Line:Time Square  |  The Shift is a quick-paced adventure featuring a quirky cast of characters who frequently engage in witty dialogue; an intricate and suspenseful plot that will keep readers turning the pages; and plenty of humorous moments that will keep the reader entertained.  I recommend this series to middle graders who love time travel and a great adventure. Ages 8+* This book was given to me free-of-charge in exchange for my honest opinion.  All opinions expressed are my own.