Customer Reviews

The Truth Chronicles: The Time Machine

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Time Machine" is a science-fiction adventure for boys and girls about age 8 to 14. This fast-paced, humorous adventure had an anime/manga flavor to it. There were black and white illustrations--about one per chapter, and the chapters were short.

The world-building was sketchy (it's vague as to when and where the present day events occur), but I don't think most kids will notice or care since Middle Grade fiction often spends less time on details. The characters were engaging, interesting, and acted in realistic ways. I cared about what happened to them. I also liked the ending. It wasn't necessarily what one might expect, and it turned out that way for a good reason.

There was a Christian element that was worked realistically into the story. Jax refused to go to church like his mom wanted him to because he didn't understand why a loving, all-powerful God would allow his father to die. Also, JT believed the machine really took them back 4,500 years while the others believed the machine glitched and sent them back to the previous entry, 70,000,000 BC, because there were dinosaurs. However, these issues were only briefly touched on. The story was a potential discussion-starter rather than slowing the pace to give detailed answers in the story itself.

There was no bad language or sex. Overall, I'd recommend this novel as well-written and exciting clean reading for kids.


I gave this book to a friend--a girl who's turning 13 years old next month. She read the entire novel in one night and told me the next morning, "It was SO AWESOME! I put it down and tried to go to sleep, but I just couldn't until I knew how everything turned out. So I finished it. And what a twist at the very end! When is the next book out?"


I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.

Reviewed by Debbie from Genre Reviews

This first book in "The Truth Chronicles" trilogy is stepping in to fill a big gap that I see in current literature: solid Christian fiction for younger readers. Authors Tim Chaffey and Joe Westbrook have done an incredible job of tackling real-life issues that today's teenagers face (evolution, sharing faith with unsaved friends, relationships), and giving Biblical answers in a way that does not come across as preachy or cheesy.

Very suspenseful and action-filled, this book is sure to keep the attention of younger and older readers alike, while at the same time presenting solid Scriptural truths that will impact lives and serve as excellent discussion-starters.

Highly recommended!

Did dinosaurs live seventy million years ago or just 4,500 years ago? It's the year 2015 and Jaxon (Jax) Thompson is a sophomore student at the prestigious Silicon Valley Prep School. A few years before, Jax's dad, Dr. Jeff Thompson who was a famous research scientist, was involved in an explosion at his laboratory and is presumed dead. Jax, who used to love going to church when he was younger but now bitterly blames God for what happened to his father, and his partner Isaiah (Izzy) Weber have used some of Dr. Thompson's work to invent a time machine for their school science fair. Their friends JT Bankers and Micky Simmons have invented a hover technology for the science fair.
To test the machine, Jax and Izzy set it to go back seventy million years to see some dinosaurs, but nothing happens. However, the next day they test it again by setting it to go back 4,500 years to ancient Egypt to do some research for a paper that they're writing on the pyramids. But what do they find? Dinosaurs! Izzy gets into trouble with an allosaurus, so Jax has to go back and bring JT and Micky with their hover technology to save him. Did the time machine make a mistake and send them back the original seventy million years instead of just the 4,500 years? Will Jax and Izzy be able to enter their machine in the science fair? And is it possible that Jax might use it to find out what happened to his father?
I purchased this book and its two sequels, The Contest and The Rescue, at the Creation Museum bookstore in Petersburg, KY. With the Japanese style anime drawings on the cover, obviously intended to attract teenagers, I just assumed when I first saw them that they were graphic novels, for which I do not care, but they are not. They are science fiction novels for young people that not only involve time machines and international intrigue but are based on a Biblical worldview. It is so nice to read a science fiction book out of which one does not have to weed evolutionary theory but which actually helps to refute it! The Biblical worldview also comes across clearly in the interpersonal relationships. JT is a strong believer, and even though she likes Jax and he likes her, she tells him that she cannot date him as long as he is an unbeliever. Both my fourteen-year-old son and I found the book exciting, and he called it "awesome."

As a Bible-believing Christian, it is difficult to find fun, adventurous reading for my children. My ten year old girl just picked this up and absolutely loves it. I am now ordering the next two since she has almost finished the first. Very entertaining read for kids.

My 12 year old daughter loved this book and read it every free second she had over 2 days and finished it. Right away she was begging for the next two. Then my 9 year old son did just the same! What I love about it is that since we bought it at the Creation Museum I didn't feel like I had to proofread it. It does sound like a fun story, though!

I had fun with this one. Four smart teenagers go on the adventure of their lives, traveling back in time, discovering what the Bible really says about creation, dinosaurs, and other pertinent elements to the foundation of Christianity. Faced with danger, international intrigue, relationships challenged and deepened, and spiritual devotion--solidified as well as strengthened--this series not only entertains, but is an excellent tool for answering, with a clear and simplistic approach, those questions that have perplexed many. Ideal for the young reader, enjoyable for the old, The Truth Chronicles delivers something wonderful to us all.

As I've mentioned before, any book I review that's aimed at young readers gets read to and flitered through my kids. If they like it, it gets a good review. If my kids don't like it, well, the author isn't going to like what he reads here. Tim Chaffey and Joe Westbrook have absolutely nothing to worry about! My kids, especially my eldest, thoroughly love this book!

I first met Tim Chaffey at the 2010 Answers For Pastors conference. He's as as brilliant and genial as he is tall - and he fairly towers above most of us! I'd only recently heard of the The Truth Chronicles at that point and, with a feeling they were right up my eldest kid's alley, I asked him if I could have a copy to review. He generously provided me with signed copies of all three books in the series. After the conference, my wife and I read them all at once and were delighted with the characters, the story and the message. I was right; this was right up our son's alley! I couldn't wait to start reading it to him to get his reaction.

We read The Time Machine, Book 1 of the Truth Chronicle series (from Risen Books), as a chapter book (one chapter each night). Filled with humor, adventure and wonderful illustrations by Melissa "Inkhana" Mathis, this book delivered in all the right spots. Each night, whether the chapter ended in a cliffhanger or not (and there are plenty of those), my son was always asking, "What happens next?" With a wink and a chuckle at his obvious enthusiasm, I assured him he'd find out next time. Which is to say, it reads well as a chapter book. For the record, both my boys love this book.

In case your wondering what the big deal is, this series tells a wonderful science fiction tale of time machines, dinosaurs and hovercraft and uses it to present Biblical truth and Biblical history. The story follows four teens from Silicon Valley Prep, Jax, Izzy, JT and Mickey. Our heroes attempt to go back in time to ancient Egypt to see how the pyramids were built, only to find themselves face to face with dinosaurs! There's lots of harrowing escapes and a daring rescue as our intrepid teens attempt to get back to their own time in time for the school science fair. Your kids will love it!

Interestingly, this book doesn't shy away from some very deep real-world issues that today's Christian teens face. Notably, it introduces the topic of how God could allow suffering and tackles the issue of whether Christian teens should date non-believers. I admire the way the authors stick to their guns (and to the Bible!) on the latter issue. These topics are dealt with further in the next two books in the series.

Bottom line: If you're looking for a fun-filled adventure that will fuel your kid's imagination without the evolutionary assumptions of most science fiction, you should pick up The Truth Chronicles: The Time Machine today!

-Rev Tony Breeden
aka Sirius Knott
From the Bookwyrm's Lair

Each of my three kids--ages 8, 10, & 14 -- read all three of the Truth Chronicles and loved them! They enjoyed them so much, they literally could not put them down. What I truly appreciate about this series is that it gives kids (and adults) an awesome tool for discussing and sharing Christianity. The characters are very believable as they tackle real-life faith/science/relationship issues while seamlessly affirming and/or discovering a Biblical worldview. Readers are learning--while being thoroughly entertained with a high-action adventure--very practical ways to defend, discuss and live out the Christian faith. My kids and I highly recommend this series and are hopeful that Tim Chaffey and Joe Westbrook team up again to continue the adventure!

Let me introduce you to Jax, Isaiah (Izzy), JT, and Micky. All four of these teens attend one of the top science schools in the nation. These technology geeks are creating some pretty interesting experiments for their school's science fair. Jax, whose dad was a top scientist, is angry at God after his father's death. Izzy is Jax's best friend and lab partner who doesn't really buy into the whole God thing. JT is Jax's former girlfriend who is a Christian. Micky is JT's friend and lab partner; she doesn't believe in God. Little do they know what God has in store for all of them....

When Jax comes across some of his dad's old plans and technology, he and his lab partner and best friend, Izzy, decide to try to build a time machine. Their trial run fails, but they're not sure why. When they decide to test it out again, they end up running from dinosaurs instead of exploring ancient Egyptian pyramids. What went wrong? Will their friends JT and Micky be able to help Jax save Izzy from the clutches of the dinosaur? Will JT be able to help her friends see God's truth throughout this adventure?

For me, this was very much a don't judge a book by it's cover type of experience. I'm not a big fan of the manga style of art, so I didn't really look too much at the Truth Chronicles series when I first saw it. Once I read what the series was actually about, I thought it was something that my daughter would really enjoy.

As I started reading the first book, I could tell this was going to be a great series, and I wasn't disappointed. The hard questions of the Bible, Creation, evolution, and science are woven seamlessly throughout the story. The apologetics in the books are not forced or unnatural.

I appreciate how the books handled the friendship/relationship aspects between Jax and JT. (JT would not date Jax since he was not a Christian. Instead, she prayed for him. The youth pastor gave solid counsel on dating and relationships.) While my daughter (age 11) didn't care for the whole relationship thing, it is something that today's tweens and teens deal with on a regular basis. It was nice to see the issue handled according to the Bible.

The Back to the Future and Jurassic Park moments in the book made me chuckle. The books are packed with action, adventure, and suspense which make readers want to read through the whole book in one sitting. While the story was nicely wrapped up in the third book, I was pleased to hear that there may be more books coming out in this series in the future. I highly recommend these books.

From my daughter (age 11): I thought The Truth Chronicles were really good. I enjoyed the action and adventure, but I could have done without the romantic aspects. I also didn't really care for the style of pictures. The stories were very interesting, and there was a good message. I like how it pointed out the truth about creation, evolution, and science. I would recommend all three books.

Tim Chaffey and Joe Westbrook have done a masterful job of creating a series of books that not only presents answers to real questions that young people have about the Christian faith, but also contains a story that they will WANT to read. The characters are realistic, the dialogue is fun, and the pictures are fantastic.

The concept of this series has been long overdue. Now parents can give their kids something that will spark their imagination AND support their faith at the same time.