Gideon the Cutpurse

Peter Schock is looking forward to spending the first day of his Christmas holiday with his father and finally getting to enjoy the birthday treat that was originally planned for him months before. But much to Peter's anger and disappointment, his dad has had to cancel yet again because of an important meeting. They get into a bitter argument, and Peter is sent to spend the weekend in Derbyshire with his au pair Margrit on her friends' farm. When they arrive, Peter feels out of place with the countryside compared to the hustle and bustle of city life to which he has grown accustomed. He is introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Dyer and their large family, the oldest being Kate. After a tour around the farmyard, Peter is invited to ride along with Kate and her father while Dr. Dyer makes a visit to the laboratory where he works. He shows Peter an antigravity machine that is part of a top-secret scientific experiment funded by NASA. Then there is a freak accident, and before they know it, Peter and Kate find themselves in the year 1763. Unfortunately for them, getting back home becomes nearly impossible when the machine is taken by The Tar Man, a monstrous-looking villain with a tragic past. The children are befriended by a young gentleman named Gideon Seymour --- a reformed cutpurse who is looking for a new start in life --- and are taken on a dramatic, dangerous and at times quite humorous adventure that seems to leap from the pages of a history book. Along the way they meet some famous people and experience life in 18th-century London. Meanwhile, in the 21st century, two families and a cunning detective inspector try to figure out what has happened to the two 12-year-olds as they piece together clues resulting from a strange series of phenomena. THE TIME TRAVELERS is the first book in a trilogy that promises to be an epic adventure seeped in history. Although intended for children ages 10 and up, I think it would be especially enjoyable to older readers who have had a chance to study some of their World History. Linda Buckley-Archer's debut novel is a must-read! --- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle

This is a very good book for both 10-15 years olds and adults who enjoy historical fiction. Well written with entertaining, fresh characters and a fast pace. However, it is the same book as the hardcover "Gideon the Cutpurse". I think the title and the style of the hardcover did not appeal to younger readers so it has been repackaged and retitled for paperback. Do not get confused that this is the second book in the proposed Gideon Trilogy as a few reviewers apparently did. Look closely at the cover of this book and it says "previously published as Gideon the Cutpurse". Also at the end of the hardcover version of this book it says the second of the trilogy will be called "The Tar Man", it is not, so this has apparently been changed as well. Still highly recommended however.

I bought this book for my eleven year old son to take on our trip to Finland and Russia. For a good bit of the trip his nose was stuck in his Nintendo DS. My thirtee year old daughter however, finished the books she brought on day three of the trip. While brother was at the hockey game in Helsinki with dad, she picked up this book. She read for about 20 minutes and was hooked. She loved the story line and the jumping back and forth between the time periods. For the rest of the trip the book bounced back and forth between my two and provided great entertainment. Highly recommend!

Boo! This is the same book as Gideon the Cutpurse. Just published under a new title. My son who was enthralled by Gideon the Cutpurse (hence the 5 stars) thought that this was the long awaited sequel. I guess we have to return this one and keep waiting! :(

A couple of weeks ago, I read a blurb about this book and was intrigued with the headline on the cover ("The past is closer than you think.") The book really has an epic sweep, from the fact that Peter, a young teenager, is clearly looking for his lost father and finds a substitute in Gideon to the fact that the teens who go back in time travel across the British countryside having some amazing adventures as they try to get home. The scene where they approach London,and see it from a distance as it was in 1763, is positively breathtaking. The villain, The Tar Man, well, I don't want to say too much except like the best villains we understand why he is so, and he's responsible an ending that takes your breath away. I've been trying to think about what makes this book feels so special, and I guess it might be that the storytelling is so convincing, and the setting and characters so real. The book doesn't feel gimmicky or forced at all like some books that feel like they are just trying to cash in on the current fantasy craze. Also, just holding GIDEON feels special because it's designed to look like a book from the 18th century. According to the back of the book there's a sequel coming next summer, and you can tell when you're reading it that, while the book was really satisfying, the whole story isn't over. I can't wait!