As I’ve just read the most recent edition to the series, it is time for another time travel book review. This review is of TimeRiders ‘City of Shadows’ by Alex Scarrow. I can’t believe I am already six books into the TimeRiders series! If you’ve not read any of my TimeRiders reviews before, just use the search facility, and you will see I have read and reviewed each book thus far in the series.
The TimeRiders series is focused around three teenage team members, and as the series goes on, their expanding team. It is their job to correct alterations to history, and in the process often end up fighting lots of people, in their struggle to set history on the right path. They are unsure of their own abilities, the decisions they make and have questions about the team’s formation. Now by book six, they are being hunted, for reasons unknown, and are fighting not just for the future, but their very existence!
This book was a shocker, but for good reasons! Alex Scarrow wrote some amazing plot twists and turns, that frankly I didn’t see coming, and he gave his TimeRiders series an amazing boost, leaving me eager to know more as I read the book.
Now it must be said that this book is aimed at the ‘young adult’ market, but in my humble opinion and with no disrespect intented ‘teenagers’ is a better word. I am an adult, with greying hair and a mortgage, but in my humble opinion if you understand who the book has been originally written for, then I firmly believe the TimeRider series can be enjoyed by both teenagers and adults!
Now series authors often like to leave loose ends, and yes there are plenty of those, which on the most part, act as carrots to keep you reading the series, but Alex brought conclusions, made revelations and frankly made some bold storyline developments, that by the end of the book, I felt like this book had truly punched above its weight, and was the stand out book in the series thus far.
If I enjoyed this book so much as an adult, then I envy all the teenagers reading the series! I read a lot of time travel books in my teenage years, but wish the TimeRiders series had existed back then.
Okay, so let’s get down to business and speak about the ‘City of Shadows’ plot. We’ve got a couple of cyborgs hell-bent on assassinating the team. We’ve got a team who are dealing with the unknown both in themselves, their surroundings and their future. Plus we’ve got Victorian London during the Jack the Ripper era.
I must admit I wasn’t too keen on the Jack the Ripper part, as being British myself, I feel I’ve seen and read too much on Jack the Ripper, and his victims. However I enjoyed the rest of the Victorian London aspect to the book, and some interesting storyline nuggets, Alex has presented ready for book seven!
With all the different missions it was also grand to see the overall storyline being addressed from different angles, and as a follower of the series, you feel rewarded for reading the previous TimeRiders books.
Okay I will admit the character ‘Sal’ is getting on my nerves again! However her character developments, and the character revelations do add depth to the series.
I don’t believe you should read this book, if you’ve not read the other books in the series. If you are a teenager and like time travel stories, then you should definitely check it out. If you are an adult time travel story fan, then why not read book one, and see what you think?
The paperback edition is around 418 pages, and it took me a few days to read. Unlike some series, which feel too drawn out, this book has given the TimeRiders series some serious oomph, and I’m looking forward to book seven.
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