Out of Time (J. D. Stanton Mystery Series #3) [Paperback]

Alton Gansky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 16, 2003

The fog released more of the ship. As he watched the bow slowly emerge, Stanton saw something that made his gut twist. 'This can't be.' Stanton stared at the gray-white battleship. 'It's a Dreadnought.' But that kind of ship ceased sailing three-quarters of a century ago. It starts as a trip to help five troubled teens, courtesy of a new Navy youth program. With retired submarine commander J.D. Stanton serving as captain and two young naval officers heading the expedition, the state-of-the-art catamaran leaves port. It's a routine voyage . . . until a mysterious storm pulls Stanton and his crew into an eerie world of swirling mist and silence. There is no sun, no moon or stars, no way to take a bearing. Electrical appliances fail. The diesel engine is sullen and unresponsive. And then, out of the mist, a ship slowly appears---H.M.S. Archer, a pre-WW1 Dreadnought. A ship missing since 1913. The antique vessel holds disturbing surprises: a ghostly crew . . . evidence of a mass murder . . . and a thousand questions. Now J.D. Stanton and his untried team must discover the answers---before this ship out of time leads them to their destruction.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This well-paced Christian mystery features strong writing, an original plot and ambitious use of time travel and theoretical physics. Captain J.D. Stanton (featured in two previous Gansky thrillers) brings five troubled teenagers on a weeklong sailing expedition to learn values and, he hopes, a bit about Christian faith. A terrible squall disrupts their trip and leaves them "dead in the water" (without electricity or communications); then a 1907 battleship, uninhabited and seemingly untouched by time, appears out of the fog. One of the teens must overcome his own pain and bitterness to save the ghost ship from being destroyed and save his companions as well. Gansky is a skilled writer, and readers who are interested in naval history will enjoy this unusual maritime suspense novel.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

This well-paced Christian mystery features strong writing, an original plot and ambitious use of time travel and theoretical physics. Captain J.D. Stanton (featured in two previous Gansky thrillers) brings five troubled teenagers on a weeklong sailing expedition to learn values and, he hopes, a bit about Christian faith. A terrible squall disrupts their trip and leaves them 'dead in the water' (without electricity or communications); then a 1907 battleship, uninhabited and seemingly untouched by time, appears out of the fog. One of the teens must overcome his own pain and bitterness to save the ghost ship from being destroyed---and save his companions as well. Gansky is a skilled writer, and readers who are interested in naval history will enjoy this unusual maritime suspense novel. (Oct.) -- Publisher's Weekly

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 347 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (September 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310249597
• ISBN-13: 978-0310249597
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,429,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alton Gansky (www.altongansky.com) has written a number of other novels, including Zero-G, Finder's Fee, Director's Cut, Before Another Dies, The Prodigy, and the J. D. Stanton mystery series. He also writes nonfiction books that explore the mysteries of faith, the Bible, and God. He and his wife, Becky, have three adult children and live in Southern California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great combination of mystery/suspense and science fiction, November 4, 2003

By 

Janlynn (Sussex, WI United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Out of Time (J. D. Stanton Mystery Series #3) (Paperback)

"Out of Time" is a fast-paced novel which leaves you waiting to find out how Alton Gansky, the author, will get Captain Stanton out of an unbelievable fix. Basically dead in the water with a boat load of troubled teens, Stanton must find a way to get them home again, when their only hope appears to be a pre-WWI battleship with no crew. While this is what is termed "Christian fiction", there is no preaching, but by Stanton's actions he shows the teens and the reader his Christian faith. This is an excellent read for the believer and non-believer alike.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another engrossing J. D. Stanton book, May 5, 2004

By 

Jackie Tortorella - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Out of Time (J. D. Stanton Mystery Series #3) (Paperback)

I don't think Gansky can write a bad novel, and his J. D. Stanton ones have been the most exciting. This was the 3rd Stanton novel, and not quite up to the 5-star rating of the first two. I loved the premise--anything involving time travel really intrigues me. Gansky handled it well. The "out of time" part of the story seemed more believable to me than the unlikely cast of teenage characters. To me this was the only downside to the book. I could not identify with any of the youngsters (never knew a teen remotely like any of them) but the main adult characters are well drawn. Also, I expect so much of this author that any minute flaw in the story is noticed, so maybe I am overly critical. Out of Time did have a satisfying ending, and I was definitely glad I had read it. I still wait eagerly for any new Gansky novel and pre-order it sight unseen!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not the best in the series, March 9, 2004

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Brian Reaves (Anniston, AL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Out of Time (J. D. Stanton Mystery Series #3) (Paperback)

Call me spoiled, but the first two books in the J.D. Stanton series set the bar high in my opinion. Mr. Gansky is one of my favorite Christian authors, and I was eagerly anticipating another thriller in the same vein--and this was close. The story is good, the concept is unique, and the ending works. The thing I missed was the intrigue of "Vanished" and "A Ship Possessed". This one seemed to lag just a little at the beginning, but it does pick up speed as it goes on. I guess it just seems a little too close to "A Ship Possessed" to stand on its own (both involve old ships coming from the ocean looking as new as when they were made). And while ASP had strange noises and good atmosphere, this one had visions of people on deck. Still, this was a good novel, and if it's the first you've read of Mr. Gansky's, then it's strong enough to prompt you to read another. For a follow up, go for "The Prodigy" or "A Treasure Deep" next. Neither are one of this series of books, but they're STRONG storytelling and shows the range this author can reach. As always, I'll be eagerly awaiting the next Gansky novel, and I recommend this one.