The Lost Cities: A Drift House Voyage [Paperback]

Dale Peck (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

The incredible adventures through time continue for Susan, Charles and Murray in this sequel to Drift House.  Susan and Charles return to Uncle Farley’s house for what they are sure will be the most exciting summer of their lives, and can’t wait to learn more of Drift House’s secrets. But things start off much sooner than they might think when a mighty tidal wave washes Drift House out to sea—with Susan and Farley on board, but Charles and the parrot, President Wilson, left behind in a tree. Separated by time and space, and beset by encounters with Vikings, Native Americans, the Trojan Horse and many other fascinating characters, this action-packed sequel is both more accessible than the first, and with cliffhangers at ever turn, even more thrilling.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–8—In this sequel to Drift House: The First Voyage (Bloomsbury, 2005), a mysterious book is delivered to the New York apartment of siblings Susan, Charles, and Murray. Susan and Charles take it with them to their uncle's seagoing home, leaving five-year-old Murray behind with chicken pox. Before long, Susan and Uncle Farley are adrift on the Sea of Time, about to be set upon by medieval Greenlanders, while Charles and the combative parrot, President Wilson, find themselves in 16th-century Canada. Drifting in and out of Susan's and Charles's adventures is an ever-changing, various-aged Murray, and pushing and pulling everyone along is the mysterious book and an equally mysterious amulet. The tone of the narrative can be pompous, particularly during the ponderous beginning section, but all is forgiven once the action starts in earnest. In fact, the pace becomes so thrilling that readers won't mind that the principles behind the magic are a bit fuzzy, or that the title of the book doesn't make sense until the very end (and even then, not much). Fans of Drift House will clamor for this second installment, and kids who read The Lost Cities first will demand the first volume.—Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In this sequel to The Drift House: he First Voyage (2005), the Oakenfield children return to the Sea of Time on their uncle's ship, The Drift House. As in the first book, the complicated plot combines many speculations about the nature of time and existence with some old-fashioned adventures. In their wanderings, siblings Susan and Charles encounter Huron Indians and descendants of Vikings in Greenland; people who can explain the mysteries of time; and villains who hope to apply the properties of time to their nefarious goals. The last chapters take Charles to the Tower of Babel, while Susan prevents New York from being swallowed up in a time jetty and being just another Lost City. Occasionally, the novel is nearly overwhelmed by its own wild inventiveness. Fortunately, some down-to-earth humor is supplied by a couple of cranky talking parrots. Fans of the first book will enjoy this one, too. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599902265
• ISBN-13: 978-1599902265
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,724,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Adventure, humor and drama, June 5, 2007

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lost Cities: A Drift House Voyage (Hardcover)

Charles and Susan Oakenfeld return home from their last day of school, looking forward to spending the summer with their Uncle Farley and uncovering more mysteries of Drift House. Their doorman, Mr. Ramirez, gives them an oilskin-wrapped package signed with their names (more like nicknames actually), and Charles and Susan are puzzled. They begin to suspect that it's from Mario of the Sea of Time, who has a rather curious connection to their younger brother Murray.

Their attention is diverted briefly from the parcel when they learn that Murray has chicken pox and will be joining them at their Uncle Farley's at a later time. The three siblings then open the package and discover a book titled THE LOST CITIES --- but are baffled by its origin and purpose.

There are more surprises in store for the Oakenfeld children. They're picked up by the mysterious Mr. Zenubian, who turns out to be a weathered, strange-looking man. They aren't sure what to think of this awkward introduction but are relieved to finally reach Drift House.

Meanwhile, the mysterious book has a strong effect on Charles, making him particularly keen to uncover its secrets without his older sister's help. After he and President Wilson catch Mr. Zenubian stealthily looking at THE LOST CITIES, Uncle Farley asks questions about the book and why the caretaker was looking at it. An angry Mr. Zenubian leaves, but not without taking the small radio. While the Oakenfeld relatives try to make sense of the strange events that have recently unfolded --- each in their own way --- a tidal wave sweeps Drift House out to the Sea of Time, separating the family.

Now, Charles and President Wilson are roaming in possibly 17th- or 18th- century Canada where they meet the Wendat, while Susan and Uncle Farley are sailing across the Sea of Time on their way to 15th-century Greenland known for the Vikings. As the two teams of adventurers search for the source of the time squall (the reason for the tidal wave) while making their way back home to the 21st-century, they discover what the Lost Cities are --- one of them being the Tower of Babel --- and the exciting yet somber effects they may have on the family's past, present and future.

THE LOST CITIES is a sequel to THE FIRST VOYAGE that has much to offer: adventure, humor and drama. However, there are some action scenes and historical references that might confuse and bother some younger readers, so it would be a good idea for them to discuss the book with someone older. Still, this is a great page-turner full of new characters, twists and turns that answers some questions from the first book while laying the foundation for a third one.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle