Infinity Ring Book 1: A Mutiny in Time [Hardcover]

James Dashner (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 28, 2012 | Age Range: 8 and up | Series: Infinity Ring (Book 1) | Lexile Measure: 800L (What's this?)

Scholastic's next multi-platform mega-event begins here!

History is broken, and three kids must travel back in time to set it right!

When best friends Dak Smyth and Sera Froste stumble upon the secret of time travel -- a hand-held device known as the Infinity Ring -- they're swept up in a centuries-long secret war for the fate of mankind. Recruited by the Hystorians, a secret society that dates back to Aristotle, the kids learn that history has gone disastrously off course.

Now it's up to Dak, Sera, and teenage Hystorian-in-training Riq to travel back in time to fix the Great Breaks . . . and to save Dak's missing parents while they're at it. First stop: Spain, 1492, where a sailor named Christopher Columbus is about to be thrown overboard in a deadly mutiny!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-In an alternate reality, fifth-graders Dak Smyth and Sera Froste discover a time-travel device invented by Dak's parents called the Infinity Ring. After a test run leaves his parents lost in time, the friends learn of a secret group called the Hystorians who claims that there are breaks in the past that have caused history to go off course. They plan to use the Infinity Ring to fix those breaks and, as Dak and Sera are the only ones able to use it thanks to a DNA-lock implemented by Dak's parents, the kids are enlisted to help. Events necessitate a rushed departure from the present when the SQ, a mysterious organization that seems to run the world, attacks the Hystorians's headquarters. Dak and Sera disappear into the past, joined by Riq, a teenager with a talent for languages to complement Sera's scientific expertise and Dak's historical knowledge. They are charged with fixing the Great Breaks in time to save the future from a Cataclysm of natural disasters. This is the first title in a multiplatform series patterned after "The 39 Clues" series (Scholastic). It includes a code to unlock an online game or mobile app. Action drives the narrative, leaving little time to develop characters and relationships. Events happen very quickly and there are missed opportunities to probe more thoroughly ethical questions raised by Dak and Sera about changing history, as well as which events to change. Still, the brisk action and interactive component will likely attract readers, particularly those who devoured "The 39 Clues" titles.-Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, ILα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

Praise for Infinity Ring Book 1: A Mutiny in Time

"Tight plotting, snappy dialogue . . . the story moves at a breathless pace." —Rick Riordan, The New York Times

"Scholastic's 'Infinity Ring' is a multimedia ride through history." —The Los Angeles Times

"[Scholastic has] cracked the code for transmedia success — and they're poised to do it again." —Digital Book World

"The brisk action and interactive component will likely attract readers, particularly those who devoured 'The 39 Clues' titles." —School Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc.; First Edition edition (August 28, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545386969
• ISBN-13: 978-0545386968
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.7 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #20,302 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Exploration & Discoveries

More About the Author

James Dashner is the New York Times bestselling author of The Maze Runner trilogy and The 13th Reality series. Learn more by checking out his website, www.jamesdashner.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#12 in Books > Teens

#12 in Books > Teens

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great start to what is going to be an engaging series! August 30, 2012

By Sheila A. Dechantal

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Dak Smyth leads a pretty boring, he actually prefers to spend most of his time in the past, digging through history books and spouting out facts much to his parents embarrassment and his classmates delight to ridicule him. His best friend Sera Frosts however gets him... in fact, if someone to ask Dak, he would tell you that she is an even bigger nerd than he is.

When Sera finds the final piece to Dak's parents secret attempt at creating a time machine called the Infinity Ring, Daks life gets a whole lot more interesting. After all, how much cooler is it to go back and experience history first hand then read about it hundreds of years later? When Dak and Sera go back in time with Dak's parents things go terribly wrong... for one thing, when they return Dak and Sera are alone, somehow Dak's parents are lost in time. And when Dak and Sera are taken away by people who want and need what the Infinity Ring can do... things go from bad to worse.

Now Dak and Sera, and a Historian named Riq are on a mission to go back in time and not only fix what is called a "break" in time, but hopefully find Dak's parents along the way. First stop... Spain, 1492.... and a meeting with Christopher Columbus!

Infinity Ring is a middle grade style read. In the beginning it gave me memories of Narnia, kids traveling to another world, in this case, another time. Yet Infinity Ring is going to speak to todays young teens. The book is fun and moves quickly and holds your attention. Within the book the main characters (all in their teens) solve word and picture puzzles to know what they are supposed to do. I found this highly engaging as I love puzzles and wanted to figure out the clues right along with them!

While the 8-14 year old will enjoy this book, parents can be thrilled that they are getting in a little history as well. Dashner as sprinkled this story with historical facts about the places they visit. When the book is done, the front flap of the book has a secret panel that the reader is to open only after they have finished the book. I can not tell you what is behind the flap... I can tell you that it is super cool. :D

And finally, I think what is also going to excite the readers is the online game that goes with the book(s) where you can go and work the puzzles out yourself and solve the breaks, just like the characters do in the book!

Not only did I really enjoy the multi dimensions of the book, I love the fact that this will be a series of books that will be written by different authors and continue the story. The book was fairly short but I think that is a good length for the age of the reader and it will leave them wanting more.

Recommended! Can't wait to read more of Dashner!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 39 Clues Fans will LOVE this! December 18, 2012

By Jaime Nicole

Format:Hardcover

This is a great start to what promises to be an AWESOME new children's book series by Scholastic! The book is attention grabbing and action-packed, and I enjoyed the book as an adult.

What I really loved about the book was the "extras" such as the secret flap containing a map/guide for the NEXT book in the series, as well as the online component.

My 11 year old daughter enjoyed the book very much as well, and we are both looking forward to reading the next book.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Once Upon a Twilight.com Reviews September 6, 2012

By Yara Santos

Format:Hardcover

James Dashner is one of the main reasons why I really enjoy reading. The fact that he can take a kid's book and make it entertaining for a 16 year old high school guy is quite an accomplishment in my book. Based in a darker version of America, Infinity Ring starts off with best friends Dak and Sera who live in a world filled with problems. First there are the environmental problems with the likes of earthquakes, volcanoes, and other global catastrophes. Then there's the mysterious SQ corporation that seems to own just about everything including the world governments. All of these things are just normal everyday happenings for Dax. Now Dax has very special parents who are scientists and one day Dax and Sera sneak into their lab to discover a time machine. This sends them on an historical journey filled with excitement. In Infinity Ring James Dashner does a great job of simply telling a story. Meant for a younger age group, the book doesn't have any deep or intellectual moments, but reads like it's supposed to read, which is funny and entertaining. Definitely a book to give to a young kid who is looking for a new and very entertaining series to read. - Joshua