★ 07/03/2017
In 2361, when Farway Gaius McCarthy was seven, his mother, Empra, disappeared during a mission for the Corps of Central Time Travelers. Far hopes to join the Corps himself, so that he can find her, but he fails his entry exam at age 17. Undeterred, Far accepts an offer to become captain of the Invictus, a pirate vessel that purloins history’s lost treasures. Far is aboard the Titanic, attempting to steal a priceless book, when a girl named Eliot beats him to his plunder. Eliot trades the tome for a spot on the Invictus, but although she claims to be a freelance thief, it isn’t long before Far discovers the truth, which involves a destructive force called the Fade. But how does the Fade relate to Far and his crew? Snarky banter, a clever setup, and a diverse and well-drawn cast elevate this rollicking, bombshell-laden adventure from Graudin (Blood for Blood). Romantic entanglements add tension and drama while Graudin’s intricate worldbuilding brings the distant past and far future to vivid life. Readers who like their science fiction shot through with humor will be enthralled. Ages 15–up. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (Sept.)
* "Snarky banter, a clever setup, and a diverse and well-drawn cast elevate this rollicking, bombshell-laden adventure. Graudin's intricate worldbuilding brings the distant past and far future to vivid life. Readers who like their science fiction shot through with humor will be enthralled."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
* "The story is well paced, and...deals with issues of trust, romance, and duty. This would be an excellent addition to most high school collections."—VOYA (starred review)
* "Invictus is a creative, mesmerizing adventure... From start to finish, it will captivate readers with unique characters, intriguing concepts, and an adorable red panda. It would be a great disservice to this generation of action-packed cinema to dismiss this novel without attempting to bring it to the big screen... Invictus is a ride that no young adult reader should miss."—VOYA Teen Reviewer (starred review)
"This is high adventure with a literary bent, and it's held together by a lovable, ragtag crew-turned-family that wouldn't be out of place in Firefly. A well-researched, thoroughly enjoyable romp through the ages."—Booklist
"Swoonworthy sci-fi: that's something that doesn't come along every day."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A madcap, vivid time-travel tale with a strong ensemble, both indebted and cheekily alluding to Doctor Who and Firefly."—Kirkus Reviews
"Graudin weaves the past and future seamlessly together into an epic canvas spanning generations. An incredibly intricate, brilliantly paced, masterfully written journey."—Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Young Elites
"I've loved all of Ryan Graudin's books, but I love this one the most. Time-traveling thieves skipping through history! Mind-bending in the best way."—Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Strange the Dreamer
"If the crew from Firefly somehow wound up as teenagers on the TARDIS and had to solve a Fringe-type mystery before time literally disappeared, you'd have something like Invictus."—Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of the Across the Universe series and A World Without You
"A nonstop thrill ride from start to finish—I raced through Invictus at top speed! With this book, Ryan Graudin proves she can conquer any genre she turns her hand to. Fun, cheeky, high-stakes, and totally immersive, this story is wildly imaginative and brilliantly original. Jump on board without hesitation: You'll love Invictus."—Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of the Illuminae Files
"Invictus gripped my heart. Graudin's achingly beautiful prose and thoughtful exploration of time, history, and identity create a stunning story. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, and yet I wanted to savor each decadent sentence. Readers be warned, you'll want to stop time to live in this tale."—Roshani Chokshi, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Star-Touched Queen
07/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—Farway Gaius McCarthy was born out of time; his mother was a time traveler from the 24th century, his father a gladiator from the year 95 AD. Far was born in The Grid, a place where time doesn't exist, and because of his special birth, he always considered himself destined for greatness, dancing from time to time, recording history as a member of the Corps of Central Time Travelers. His dreams disappear, however, when he fails his all-or-nothing finals simulation, the victim of a sabotage no one else believes happened. Now Far and his friends must work for the dangerous Lux Julio, gathering precious items from the past for Lux to sell on the black market. It's on a mission to grab a book from the ill-fated Titanic that Far comes face-to-face with the girl who sabotaged his life and discovers a destiny far greater and more dangerous than he could ever imagine. This part sci-fi and part historical fiction novel has a solid dose of YA romance as well. The intriguing plot would be even more engaging without quite so many romantic side trips, but these digressions offer a good deal of characterization. The characters are all well developed and compelling; Far resembles a teenage Captain Kirk. As with most time-travel stories, things can sometimes be a bit confusing, but teens will appreciate this title and its well-rounded characters and satisfying ending that hits all the right notes. VERDICT An appealing sci-fi romp; purchase where the author is popular.—Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX
2017-05-10
A boy born beyond time and space finds he is running out of time to save the worlds.Born aboard a time-traveling ship, 17-year-old Farway Gaius McCarthy dreams of being a Recorder like his missing mother, Empra McCarthy. Ejected from the Academy, Far goes rogue, working as an antiquities thief for a black-market baron. Acting as captain and Recorder of the Invictus, Far and his teenage crew—Historian Imogen, Far's rainbow-haired cousin; Engineer Gram, a math genius; and Medic Priya, Far's love interest—plus a mischievous red panda go on excellent adventures. But they alter their course after encountering the mysterious Eliot, a girl on a grim mission to stop the Fade from devouring the multiverse. They live in the future, but race is constructed as in the past: Farway, Imogen, and Eliot are white, Gram is black, and Priya is Indian. Action sequences are abundant, but the panicked, delirious prose and multiplicity of narrators make for a long read, counterintuitively. Graudin depicts the futuristic, high-tech world (2371 C.E.) and the fulsome and frenzied historical settings with equal richness, and her theory and mechanics of time traveling are remarkably coherent, if strongly reminiscent of Connie Willis' works. A madcap, vivid time-travel tale with a strong ensemble, both indebted and cheekily alluding to Doctor Who and Firefly. (Science fiction. 14-adult)
