Death of a King

August 15, 2013
Teenage time traveler Alex continues to search for his missing parents, blithely influencing history as he goes. Rightly certain that his parents went to the 13th century to prevent the death of Scottish King Alexander and thereby ensure Scotland's continued independence, he has stayed in the past in hopes of finding them (The Battle for Duncragglin, 2009). Meanwhile, his confederates in time travel, siblings Annie, Willie and Craig McRae, though newly restored to the 21st century, find a clue in an obscure account of the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 and re-enter history in order to bring him back. With them goes a graffiti-mad classmate. The convoluted plot moves back and forth between Alex and the McRaes, as the former's misadventures near Stirling reveal a plot that influences the outcome of the fateful battle, leaving William Wallace the victor, and the latter's efforts likewise put them in the path of the legendary leader. As in the first book, an emotional flatness hamstrings the characters' hair-raising antics; companions are killed--or thought to be--with little effect on those left behind. The time travelers traipse around the medieval Scottish countryside with cans of spray paint and in 21st-century clothes that are barely remarked on by the locals, further emphasizing the primacy of plot over believability. The body count is high, but credibility is very low in this tepid historical outing. (Fantasy. 9-13)

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October 1, 2013

Gr 5-7-Thirteen-year-old Alex is on a journey through 13th-century Scotland to find his present-day parents. While on his adventure, he helps William Wallace win the Battle of Stirling Bridge, escapes death multiple times at the hands of villagers, and befriends some important people of the time. At one desperate moment, Alex's friends from the companion novel, The Battle for Duncragglin (Tundra, 2009), come to the rescue and help him change the course of history. At times, the pacing is a little strange and the character development is weak. It's hard for readers to be emotionally invested in characters who seem unconcerned about the well-being of their friends, even in the most dire situations, so intense moments of strife, such as hangings and beheadings, come across as insignificant. The story seems well researched, however, and the mix of science fiction and historical fiction will be appealing to many readers due to its quick pace and constant action.-Kristyn Dorfman, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
Alex and friends from The Battle for Duncragglin discover a portal that allows them to travel to thirteenth-century Scotland to search for his missing parents. All the many violent kidnappings and near-death experiences tend to overwhelm the plot, and the large cast of characters is difficult to keep straight. But young fans of medieval warfare will enjoy the historical setting and gory details.

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