Name: Christine's review of Invictus by Ryan Graudin
Item: Invictus
Rating: 4
Author: Christine

Ryan Graudin

A heart-stopping adventure that defies time and space--New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu calls it "an incredibly intricate, brilliantly paced, masterfully written journey." Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time traveler from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in ancient Rome, Far's very existence defies the laws of nature. All he's ever wanted was to explore history for himself, but after failing his entrance exam into the government program, Far will have to settle for a position on the black market-captaining a time-traveling crew to steal valuables from the past. During a routine heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl named Eliot who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Eliot has secrets-big ones-that will affect Far's life from beginning to end. Armed with the knowledge that history is not as steady as it seems, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to set things right before the clock runs out.

Invictus

From the author of the Carnegie Medal nominated Wolf by Wolf, comes an epic new story - A fast-paced, heart-stopping journey through time that will leave you breathless. Time is running out . . . Farway McCarthy was born outside of time. With nowhere to call home and nothing to anchor him to the present, Far captains a crew on a dangerous mission into the past. When he collides with Eliot - a mysterious, secretive girl, whose very appearance raises questions about time itself - Far immediately distrusts her. But he must take a leap of faith, following Eliot on a race against time, if he is to protect everything he's ever loved from disappearing forever . . .

Charlie Mary Ann 

B. K.

Christine

oh... i have a lot of thoughts... and also no thoughts at all...


hm. what a story

Ryan 

Amanda Kordeliski

I don’t have much to say right now but WOWW

From the author of the Carnegie Medal nominated Wolf by Wolf, comes an epic new story... Time is running out . . . Farway McCarthy was born outside of time. With nowhere to call home and nothing to anchor him to the present, Far captains a crew on a dangerous mission into the past. When he collides with Eliot - a mysterious, secretive girl, whose very appearance raises questions about time itself - Far immediately distrusts her. But he must take a leap of faith, following Eliot on a race against time, if he is to protect everything he's ever loved from disappearing forever . . . A fast-paced, heart-stopping journey that will leave you breathless.

Kathleen Boyle

More of a 4.5. 

This was wonderful. Everything just fitted into place perfectly. The characters were everything I needed. The dynamics between them were great and I just loved how they all grew on me as a reader. 

The overall plot was very interesting and kept me gripped. The only qualm I had was that I felt it took a while for things to get moving. The beginning maybe being a little slow for my liking but I guess it was kinda needed to the whole thing to come full circle and whatnot. 

The writing is impeccable. You can tell the writing craft has been honed into something delightful over the years.

laura

I really enjoyed this book. I think the characters and their dynamics were some of the highlights of this story for me. It reminded me alot of firefly and legends of tomorrow. I loved how it was a self contained story but I still want to see these characters again cause they were so much fun to read but I loved a self contained story. I would have loved to see more heist elements in the story but I thought it was a very fun read and again handled time traveling in a easy to understand way. I hope to read more by this author soon!

Alexis 

** spoiler alert **
           3.5/ 5 stars

This book actually really enjoyable.I really enjoyed the concept of time traveling, and I felt like it was done really well in this book. I didn't give this books higher rating because I found myself really bored in the middle. For about 150 pages or a little over that I just felt like there wasn't much happening. But that ending though made up for it and that's why it's almost a 4 star rating. I wish there was more time traveling involved but oh well. 

I loved The whole born outside of time thing, and the fact that his birth caused an unraveling. Essentially because he was born outside of time the universe is falling apart. This was probably my favorite aspect of the book. 

I also enjoyed the fact that even in the new universe that far is living in he feels drawn in by the colosseum. I was extremely satisfied with how everything eventually ended.

Shirley Krijnen

Kathryn

“It's all about perspective, isn't it? That's why Aunt Empra loved time travel so much. She always said the past helped her make sense of the present...sometimes even the future, too. I didn't understand what she meant until I started traveling. When you witness the breadth of history, you understand how small you are. And yet at the same time you realize how much your life matters...how much you shape the people around you.”

So this is the first book I have ever read by Ryan Graudin. I know, horrifying! This book actually really surprised me and I'm going to list why:

- IT'S A STANDALONE! I cannot express how happy I am that this book is the perfect little package of adventure time travel awesomeness without me having to wait for another book. That fact makes me insanely happy!
- The time travel was really well thought out. Too often when it comes to time travelly stuff (both books and TV) it doesn't feel realistic. The rules around time travel in this book weren't too complicated but also added a dimension to the plot and the novel that meant not everything was possible in the way the characters wanted it to be.
- Far was a really cool protagonist. Literally almost every YA book I've read since falling into YA has been a girl. It was so refreshing to have a guy protagonist and one that was so cool and kick-butt while also being totally human. Which leads me to my next point of...
- Realistic characters. Not everything worked out, and I like it. It would have been so easy to have a time travel book about a boy born out of time who excelled at school and travelled to cool places but that's not what happens. Far fails in the first few chapters and he continues to come across some issues that he can't conquer in the moment, as do the rest of the characters. I loved how realistic it was, even if it was set far in the future.

If I'm going to be honest I only actually have one problem with this book and that is... romance. I'm all for romance. I like it if a book has it, I like it if a book doesn't. I could have totally shipped Far and Priya... if we had actually seen it. The time jump a few chapters in meant that we never get to see Far and Priya falling in love which made it really hard for me to connect with the relationship. Despite this I still really enjoyed the book. It wasn't so much of a problem that it took away from the story for me.

Jolie

I am a huge fan of sci-fiction and I love space opera. Add in the fact that it is young adult and I was very excited to start reading Invictus. So I was a little surprised and disappointed when I couldn’t get into the book until about midway through. I know that it is because I felt that the book crept until about midway. It was after Eliot revealed everything that I felt the book picked up steam and I actually got into reading it.

I thought the plot of the book was good. Time travel has been discovered and is being used. People can go back in time to sight see. Then there are the people who go back in time to record the events live for the people in the future to study. This is where Farway’s story starts. His mother, Empra, is a Recorder and she has done the unthinkable. She has fallen in love with a gladiator named Gaius and has gotten pregnant. After witnessing a fight in which Gaius dies, Empra goes into labor. She delivers Farway on her ship in a place called the Grid. Which is outside of time. So, a great start to the book. It fell flat and I had a very hard time keeping my attention on it until Eliot dropped a bombshell on Farway and his crew. Then the book picked up steam and I couldn’t put it down until it ended.

I do think that Invictus was a great space opera. It fills in that genre very well. The time travel was written wonderfully and I thought that it was a very different take on that. I thought the usage of camaflouged ships was great. But I didn’t care for the YA part of it.

Farway got on my nerves from page one but I liked him. I thought that he was very immature. That part of him grated on my nerves. I did think that he was a good captain and he did put his crew first. He also had good instincts about people. I mean, he was right about Eliot. But in the end, he was willing to do whatever he could to save his mother and his world.

Eliot had some brass ones, let me tell you. She stole the book that Farway trying to find on the Titanic. She then used it as a bargaining chip to get aboard the Invictus. I was surprised as Farway and his crew about not only who Eliot was by why she was there.

Surprisingly, for a YA book, there is sex. Farway and Priya have sex a few times. The book doesn’t get into details but you definitely know what they were doing. The romance between Priya and Farway was sweet and very heartfelt. I had tears in my eyes during the scene where Priya…..well, you need to read the book.

The end of the book was very heartfelt and I got a little emotional during it. Not going to say anything but I did like how the storylines were resolved.

3 stars

My Summary of Invictus:

Invictus didn’t hold my attention as it should have. The first half of the book seemed to drag and only picked up speed after a crucial scene in the middle of the book. I did think that it was wonderfully written with rich dialogue between the characters. I am disappointed that I just didn’t like it as much as I should have.

Erin 

4.5 stars. I loved Invictus so much. I'll be completely honest in that the primary reason for picking this up was the mention that part of it takes place on the Titanic. I'm not even mad that it's only a very tiny part. I love love love the time travel aspect of it all. One of my fave series when I was younger was the Precious Gem trilogy (which is vastly underrated, by the way). This book was a perfect mesh of stories like The Lunar Chronicles, Doctor Who, and most importantly, Firefly. Honestly, I can't count the number of Firefly parallels on the fingers I have. It's so great and fantastic and I sped through this very, very quickly. I almost wish it wasn't a stand-alone, but not quite. I will say that the plot twist (but also not really a plot twist, because it happens early on and is a big part for the main conflict to begin with) is a little predictable, but not in the way you'd think. I got it right, but only partially. Anyway, every character in this is lovable, and I just want to hang out with them forever. I often find that futuristic settings don't really appeal to me, but it was really well done and frankly, most of this takes place at various points in the past anyway, which I am 100% here for (they are time travelers, after all). The only thing I would have liked to see was perhaps a bit more explanation of the parallel worlds, but there's a good chance my capability of understanding it was dwindled by the fact that I sped through this really quickly because I loved it so much. Anyway, I would recommend this to like, everyone. Because it was that good (but probably not if you don't like time travel, because, well, duh).

This review also appears on my blog in a longer, more cohesive post (and is also probably a lot better than this rambling of words I quickly put together (but also probably not)).

Kate

4.5/5* 
I was lucky enough to receive an early ARC copy of Ryan Graudin’s upcoming YA Sci-Fi, ‘Invictus’ from the lovely people at the BKMRK stand at YALC at the end of July. After getting my copy signed and nodding like a manic bobblehead at everything Ryan Graudin said whilst on a ‘Writing & Social Change’ panel, I couldn’t have been more excited to pick it up.

*Read my full review here* http://girlreading.co.uk/bookreviews/...

I’ve had an odd relationship with reading for a few months now. I’ve been reading some great books but, except for a special few I fell in love with, I haven’t felt my usual rush of love for reading. But I can happily say Invictus was the book of my reading slump dreams.

Opening with a prologue somewhat reminiscent of that scene in Star Trek, (hey Chris Hemsworth and Jennifer Morrison!) I was drawn in and pretty much hooked from the first page. Invictus has an intriguing, funny and diverse crew of characters. And a plot filled with time travel, fast paced action, epic heists and twist and turns throughout. Think Guardians of the Galaxy, had Guardians of the Galaxy been about a group of time travelling teenagers.

Character wise, I instantly warmed to each and every Invictus crew member but Imogen, with her constantly changing kaleidoscope hair, was definitely my favourite. Her quirky ship’s log entries documenting Tetris scores, hair colours, ego’s and music, along with her optimistic, loyal, bubbly and fiercely loving personality, was a constant joy to read.

As for the rest of the crew I loved Gram’s adorable awkwardness and bursts of confidence. Farway was passionate, funny and egotistical in an undeniably charming way. The love and loyalty he felt towards his self made family (the Invictus crew) was heartwarming. Priya was a quieter character but nonetheless strong and smart. Elliott was a mystery and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
I absolutely loved that there was a long standing romantic relationship from the get go, which is so rarely found in YA. I’m also a sucker for the quiet ‘I love you but do you love me? I don’t know what to do. I’ll just sit here, keep my fingers crossed, smile at you and pretend I’m not totally in love with you and hope for the best but we’re super cute’ kind of romance, so I was 100% invested in Imogen and Gram (their Han’s and Leia ‘I know’ Star Wars moment gave my heart all the warm fuzzies.) The multiple dynamics individually and as a group between the Invictus crew was funny, heartwarming and so much fun to read.

I think one of my favourite parts of Invictus were the vivid descriptions of the different time periods the crew travelled to. It was cinematic, incredibly immersive and I now want to travel back in time more than ever *sigh*. I also really enjoyed the ongoing, underlying conversations on subjects such as society, racism and climate change. It was so interesting to read about our present day from a ‘looking back’ point of view.

Lastly, the writing. I loved it. It was so incredibly clever and obviously heavily thought out and plotted but it was never info-dumpy or confusing. It was fast paced, easy flowing and incredibly comfortable to read. I was turning pages and racing through it without even realising I was doing so.

Invictus was a gripping, fast paced, action packed, funny, heart warming, rollercoaster of a read and I couldn’t recommend it more highly.

Ashton Reed

Oh my gosh! I have no words for how much this book impressed me! But, before I get ahead of myself, let's look at some of the many highlights of this book.

World-building:

This world is fascinating! Normally, time travel novels will interest me but confuse me to no end. This amazing masterpiece, however, was just that - amazing! The time travel made as much sense to me as time travel is every going to make sense to me, if that makes any sense at all. If the words "time travel" turn your interest off, please just turn it back on and give the book a chance because it won't disappoint.

Again, I'm rambling a little. So, backstory. Invictus takes place in (or at least, the present is in) the year 2371, or Central time. In this age, time travel is as common as airplanes, and children grow up listening not to tales of astronauts and superheroes, but the members of the Corps of Central Time Travelers, the institution responsible for running the Academy, schooling the wide-eyed hopefuls, and regulating time traveling missions. The way Ryan Graudin conveys the world is almost bleak, which makes the time-traveling aspect all the more interesting, as our main characters yearn for more than their time.

Characters:

Alright, the characters. Where to start? Well, Farway Gaius McCarthy, otherwise known as Far, is probably our main character. In the beginning of the book, he is travelling to his final examination Simulation to determine if he is good enough to become a legitimate time traveler for the Corps. The funny thing is that he has always been the top of his class, and he is sure (and quite cocky) that he is going to ace it. However, something happens in his Sim that has him sure it was hacked, but no one believes him, and just like that, he gets a severe reality check. 

Enter his amazing, bright, fun, hilarious, gelato-loving cousin Imogen and a mysterious letter telling Far to meet in the Colosseum for a second chance, and you start getting even more intrigued than you were before. Soon, Far has his second chance in his very own ship (you guessed it, the Invictus) with his very own crew: Imogen; Gram, Far's tech-savvy, genius best friend; Priya, Far's favorite Medic and obvious crush; and Saffron, their wild red panda pet they retrieved from the past. Their job: go back in time, rescue valuable items destroyed in the past, and deliver them to an infamous crime lord in exchange for extra fuel the crew can use for time-travel vacations.

I absolutely loved every character of this book. The way they develop, the relationships they share, their hilarious but endearing quips - everything was so perfect, but not too perfect, which made it even more great. Of course they have their faults, but they're not so bad that readers just cringe at every stupid decision they make. By the end of the book, I was in tears because I didn't want to be separated from these amazing characters. Bravo, Ryan Graudin.

Humor:

This highlight seems a little different from the rest, but I couldn't just leave it out. Now, I'm going to list some quotes, and you're an emotionless human being if they don't make you laugh out loud.

"Imogen had twelve hours to ingest an entire civilization's worth of knowledge. No biggie. [Insert maniacal laughter/endless weeping here.]"

"'My favorite color is beige and I have a purple narwhal tattooed on my tail cheek. His name is Sherbet... Anything else you want to know?'"

"Imogen nibbled at the end of her aquamarine-with-a-hint-of-bubble-gum-pink-hair and started at the entry, trying to scrounge up adjectives to describe her cousin's most defining trait. Maybe she could create a sliding scale: size-of-a-pinhead-pride to dictator-of-the-month all the way to RED-ALERT-the-wax-of-your-wings-is-melting-and-we're-all-going-down-in-flames."

That was just a teeny taste of the hilariousness that is Invictus. They're especially funny when you develop strong bonds with the characters, but we've already talked about how inevitable that is, so we're moving on. Another thing is the "cussing" of this book. I've seen several reviewers (I mean no offense, I promise) talk about the cuss words of this time (year 2371) and describe them as "ridiculous." Heck, I though they were hilarious! They just maintained the humor-suspense balance the novel conveyed so strongly. Let me give you a few examples:

"'HOLY SHAZM!'"

"History could be such a betch."

"Time to take a fexing vacation."

"'We are so hashed.'"

They do seem ridiculous by themselves, but in the book, they honestly weave well into the overall tone of the story.

Writing:

Ok, sorry for the long review, guys, but there's so much I want to talk about. So, on to the next strong point. You'd think with such a science-esque book, there wouldn't be much opportunity for lyrical poetics. Nope. Ryan Graudin did it. I have some beautiful examples for this section, too.

"The Invictus was already in flight, gliding over the Mediterranean with all the grace and shape of a moon-stung cloud."

"Their magcart sped along. Earth's darkness cut through its windows again and again as they passed the tunnel's lights. Bright, shadow, bright, shadow, life, death."

These are just a couple that caught my eye, but there are plenty more where that came from. I was astounded not just by the beautiful writing, but by how well it was integrated into the otherwise science-based plot line; they weren't out of place. 

I also loved how the plot was developed, and don't even get me started on the constant plot twists. This book is so ORIGINAL! But... you'll just have to read the book to get more insight on that because I'm moving along. Last but not least, 

Romance:

I know what you're thinking (Well, some of you): Ugh, romance. 

No.
Don't you dare look at "romance" and bail. Because let me tell you...
The romance aspect of this book is just as unique as the story itself.

It is natural. It isn't forbidden. It isn't star-crossed. It isn't like any other trope. It is sweet, natural, everyday, girl-meets-boy romance. I can't even come up with any more words to describe how much affection I have for the romance in this book.

The "Ugh, She's Finally Done" Section:

Alright, quick summary. This book is SO GOOD! Obviously, if you just read this entire review and are reading this right now, then you know, but I still felt the need to say that. Every single aspect was in such great harmony and balance with each other, though the central aspect of the plot is the suspense. There's absolutely nothing to get tired of.

Wooh. I feel like I just ran a marathon, guys. 
I've never read any of Graudin's books, but I'm sure about to. And you should too.

Au revoir, my fellow bookworms!

For more, visit my blog at http://ashtonread.blogspot.com/ !

Beth Bartholomew

This was a much anticipated release for me and I was lucky enough to receive a proof copy at YALC of this time travel adventure. I went into this book not knowing much and I came out still feeling fairly confused, but for different reasons! 
 
This was an adventure with the crew of the Invictus as they travel through time to try to avoid an inevitable 'fade' where they would loose themselves in time. The story is about them trying to avoid this and the different periods they visit. 
 
Farway Gaius McCarthy is our main character and he is someone I loved and hated, he annoyed me on one hand because he seemed to fall into his captain status. But then he does fulfil the heroic qualities I like in a lead character. I've seen people describe his romance with Priya as lazy, we knew them when they were already in love. But I preferred this, we didn't have to spend time on building a romance and could jump straight into the story instead. 
 
The story itself presents an interesting idea, people jumping through time and discovering new things about the past. This peaked my interest in new periods of history that I didn't know much about, but now have a basic knowledge of. What a strange world it would be if we could jump back to the past and document it, a visit on the Titanic, dinner with Princess Diana, a battle with Alexander the Great. We could go anywhere and I think this is where the book kept my interest.
 
Overall I found the writing style fairly basic and made me initial reading rather difficult, but perhaps this was because the last book I read was The Fellowship of the Ring, which was rather detailed and heavy. However as the plot developed, the writing developed with it and this definitely left me with a big question mark above my head. You have to be a very clever writer to pull off time-travel and I think Ryan Graudin does it well! 
 
This book opened my horizons to reading more about history and I have since invested in some more historical fiction, Philippa Gregory here I come!

B. K. &
Invictus by Ryan Graudin

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