I’ll tell you one thing that I know for sure: Ryan Graudin’s newest novel Invictus is like no other time travel story you’ve read, watched, or even heard of before.
About ‘Invictus’
Time flies when you’re plundering history.
Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far’s birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he’s ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.
But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far’s very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.
Related: A hero is born outside of time in Ryan Graudin’s ‘Invictus’ – Read the first chapter now!
‘Invictus’ by Ryan Graudin review
Ryan Graudin’s Wolf by Wolf series is one of my favorite series I ever read, so, when I heard she was coming out with a new novel, I knew I had to get my hands on it (no matter what it was about).
When I first heard that Invictus was all about time travel, I’ll admit that I was a little wary. I love history and I generally like watching shows or movies about time travel, but time travel books are always hit and miss for me. The rules of time travel are what make or break the stories for me and a lot of books just really have a hard time conveying them well. But I’m happy to report that I had no problem following Ryan Graudin’s use of time travel in Invictus. In fact, I actually really enjoyed it!
Invictus is like Firefly meets NBC’s Timeless, but with all teenagers. The diverse crew of the Invictus (which is the name of their time traveling ship) includes a variety of vibrant personalities that you can’t help but love. Farway’s cousin Imogen is the true standout due to her brightly-colored hair (that changes every day), sense of humor, and eclectic style. Each of the characters has their own strengths and weaknesses, but they all really complement each other. It’s hard not to love each and every one of them (furry red panda included).
Oh, and then there’s the mysterious girl who appears out of nowhere and seems to always be one step ahead of the crew. While I had a few theories as to her identity, the eventual reveal wasn’t anything I had thought of. But her presence really adds another level of fun and adventure to the antics of the endearing Invictus crew.
While I love the characters, the story itself can get a little convoluted at times. I understood what was going on at the end but, because there are a few timelines (and then some) to contend with, things can take a while to parse out. I won’t spoil anything, but while it’s impossible not to speed through the first 3/4 of the book, the last quarter needs to be read a little more slowly just to be able to grasp everything that is going on.
That’s not to say that the main plot is difficult to grasp. On the contrary, this book has a really fun storyline to it that involves time traveling to some of the most important moments in history (such as the sinking of the Titanic) and some high-stakes pirating. And that all happens before time itself starts unraveling. But, even then, the stakes and steps needed in order to try to prevent the destruction of all time are clear and threatening. The story will have you on the edge of your seat (or bed, depending on where you prefer to read) wondering how the crew will be able to salvage things from such a mess.
Once again, Ryan Graudin has created a world entirely her own and invited us all to enjoy it. Invictus is fun, adventurous, and full of heart. Yes, it’s a story about time travel, but it’s so much more than that. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. You won’t be disappointed.
Invictus by Ryan Graudin is available today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local independent bookstore. Oh, and don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads “to read” list!