Invictus was a fantastic read that reminded me of Firefly with the addition of time travel and an adorable red panda.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born on a time traveling ship while the ship was between times, leaving Far with no date of birth. His entire life Far has dreamed of becoming a time traveler, but when Far fails his entrance exam for the program he’s left with no alternative but to captain a black market ship to fulfill his dream. Captain of the Invictus, Far leads a crew to steal valuables from the past. During a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far encounters a mysterious girl named Eliot whose secrets have far-reaching implications not only for Far and his crew, but for their entire universe.

The group of characters in this book are one of the best parts of the book and their camaraderie heavily reminded me of the crew in the TV series Firefly. The crew work well together with different strengths to balance things out. I loved how much they were like a family and the Invictus was their home. Far is the confident captain who doesn’t believe in luck and shows little fear despite the dangerous situations he finds himself in. Imogen, Far’s cousin, is the ship’s resident Historian who has a love of brightly colored hair and her red panda Saffron. Saffron is by far my favorite character and I adored the little beastie. Gram, Imogen’s love interest, is the ship’s engineer who’s brilliant with numbers and has a love of puzzles. Priya, Far’s girlfriend, is the ship’s medic who has a love of music and chai tea. Then there’s Eliot, the mystery girl, who has a grim sense of humor and is clearly keeping secrets.

The plot of this book is very fast-paced with the perfect amount of action and sci-fi mixed in. Eliot’s appearance definitely throws everyone for a loop and sends the crew off on a drastically different course than they had planned. I definitely shared Far’s distrust of Eliot and found myself wondering what her true motives were. The use of The Fade was interesting and certainly ramped up the tension as it put the crew under a clock to complete their mission. I have to admit I was surprised by the ending which went the more difficult route but I was happy the author didn’t try to take the easy way out.

Overall I really enjoyed Invictus and I’m sad to see the book is a standalone as I would love more stories following these characters. I definitely recommend this book if you’re in the mood for a great sci-fi with a lovable group of characters.

I give the book four stars. I would recommend this book. I enjoyed the charters and the world the author created. But at times execution of the writing was a little problematic or me; however, that could be over look by substance of the story.

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

I haven't read any of Ryan Graudin's other books, but Wolf by Wolf has been on my TBR for a long time. When I heard about Invictus a few months back, it immediately caught my interest. Frequently described as Doctor Who meets Firefly, Invictus was a fun read with likable characters, great pacing, and lots of personality.

The Doctor Who and Firefly comparisons are apt, especially considering the numerous references to both series throughout the book. I'd also say that the characters and their relationships reminded me a bit of the crew in Six of Crows as well. The story follows Farway McCarthy and the crew of the Invictus as they travel throughout time pulling off heists of famous lost artifacts. I won't spend much time talking about the plot as I don't want to spoil anything, but I absolutely loved the first half of the book and, while I still enjoyed the second half, my enjoyment was mostly because I liked the characters and wanted to see how things turned out for them. The first half focuses a lot on developing the characters and seeing how they travel back in time to steal artifacts and it's a lot of fun. There's also a great mystery that kept me reading late into the night involving a very secretive new character. The second half naturally barrels towards a conclusion, but also introduces some very timey-wimey elements and (view spoiler). I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, but it worked.

Overall, Invictus is a fun and quick read that I'll definitely be recommending when it releases in September.

This novel introduces a range of interesting characters, technology and a fast-paced action driven storyline. The world is similar to our world, keeping much of the same vocabulary and culture, yet introduces the element of time travel. I think the author explored this concept really well and managed to successfully create a time ravel book that doesn't leave readers confused. Besides the time travel aspect and the world, the characters in my opinion were lackluster. They were interesting at certain points, but easy to forget about after putting down the book. Overall, the book was fun and fast-paced and perfect for a short read when you're in the mood for something fun, however, the depth of the characters was somewhat lacking. I was somewhat disappointed since Graudin's previous novels like Wolf by Wolf or Blood for Blood are some of my favorite novels and are extremely well thought out. I will still come back to this author as her writing style is amazing and she always keeps readers on our toes.

This was a major departure from Graudin's previous series, and while I liked Wolf By Wolf better, I enjoyed Graudin's take on time travel and the historical elements she wove into the narrative. Graudin's unique blend of historical fiction and science fiction makes her books easy to recommend to teens who like either genre. She's one of the few YA author's I'll read anything by!

A little too much self-centered drama, even though most of the time it was fun. The main character is just not likable but his friends very much are. Cool concept. Too much drama.

This story was ultimately forgettable for me. Was it overhyped? Did I put too much into this book before I read it? Yeah, I think I did. Definitely go into this story without listing to anyone, it's always better anyways, with any book really.

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with with an e-arc of Invictus for honest review.
I LOVED THIS! From the first page, I knew I was getting something good. I loved the concept. I loved the Crew. I loved the adventure. I loved all of it! It was a story that took me on a crazy ride and I was sad when it ended. I really got sucked in to Ryan Graudin's writing. I'm definitely going to read more by her.
Invictus reminded me of Firefly, which is a show that I looove. It had that fun aspect of a crew who are like family, going on different adventures. It also reminded me of another popular book that came out a couple of years ago, but if I told you what it was, it would spoil the surprise. I won't spoil that surprise for you.
I really enjoyed the premise of this. Time traveling thieves stealing precious historical treasures before they are lost or destroyed is just everything I want to read. It's such a fun premise. I wish there had been a couple more time traveling heists, because I enjoyed the ones that were included, I just wanted more of it.
This is also a standalone book, as far as I know. Part of me selfishly wishes there would be more books in this series, but I know how rare it is to get a good standalone YA.
I just enjoyed every minute of this. I think it would make a great movie. It had action, adventure, excitement, and I loved every minute of it. I'd definitely recommend. Go read it and let me know what you think.
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 5/5
Read It Now! I love it so much!

Mad Hatter Sunnies and YA Reading List

School is out and it’s time to plan for summer vacation! Whether you’re going poolside or seaside to get some sun, here are some book recommendations to introduce your teens to the joy of reading. Styled with fashionable hats, sunglasses and swimsuit, they could erase any thoughts that reading makes you look nerdy.

1. INVICTUS
Book: Invictus by Ryan Graudin
Hat: Honey by Eugenia Kim
Sunglasses: MYKITA Studio 6.2 in silver and blossom
Swimsuit: Nicki Reversible Bralette Swim Top by Rebecca Minkoff


MY TAKE:
With its time travel theme and fast-paced action, “Invictus” will be a fun read while lazing under the sun. It is longer than your usual YA novel, but it will keep your teen interested thanks to Ryan Graudin’s superb storytelling. It is a love story, so be ready for a slow burn romance (it’s YA! Duh!)

Reading Invictus under the sun, protect your face (and your tablet) by perusing it while wearing Eugenia Kim’s medium brimmed straw sunhat Honey with detachable multi-colored tie.

Complement it with the Nicki Reversible Bralette Swim Top by Rebecca Minkoff. It’s two-for-one fun. Wider straps and supportive shell fabric make the Nicki bralette top a pretty great sport.


Finish off the look with the MYKITA Studio 6.2 in silver and blossom. It might be hard to believe but the STUDIO 6 sunglass models were actually inspired by latest advancements in surface treatment technology though it evokes optical illusion art from the 1960s.

Firefly meets Quantum Leap, with teenagers. Some of the slang got to be annoying (too many uses of the word shazm mainly), but the story flowed well and was filled with quirky characters and enough plot twists to keep me hooked. The pages turned faster and faster the further I read in the book. The final climax was heart-rending and the end tied things up nicely. Definitely looking forward to reading more from Ryan Graudin. Oh, and I want my own pocket universe.

I was a little bit bored at the beginning and at some parts throughout the book. I didn’t feel enough excitement. The second half of the book was a little better though and I did enjoy it. There’s a lot more going on and things to get a little excited for. I felt like I didn’t click with the characters as much as I hoped I would. They were likable, but my connection to them just wasn’t that strong. There were some “feels” moments and laugh out loud moments with them. Not enough for my liking though.

Overall, I did enjoy the second half of Invictus a lot more than the first half. While I didn’t love the characters in the story, I did like them. There were some fun moments and a couple interesting twists. I’m sad I didn’t love it as much as I had hoped I would, but I am still glad that I finally picked it up again. This was my first time reading a book by Ryan Graudin, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It wasn’t a bad story at all and I can see why so many people loved it.

This was such a fun book! At first, I wasn't sure if this was going to be for me and considered DNF'ing it, but I was then sucked into Farway's story, friendships with the crew, and adventures that I had to keep going and I am glad I did. This was a whirlwind of fast-paced fun time and plot twists that kept me intrigued the entire time. It had a bit of everything, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This book had so many layers. I adored Gram and Imogen in particular and the social commentary.

Fun, fast-paced, high stakes time-travel story with great characters and big ideas. I enjoyed it! The bits set in different times was a little like Jodi Taylor for the YA set, and the author did a similarly comparable (good) job of keeping time travel paradoxes in check.

I loved the team dynamics on the ship Invictus, and how they were disrupted by the suddent appearance of Eliot, the mysterious girl who insinuates herself. I loved that there were no love triangles. I loved the reveal of who and what Eliot actually is, and what it means for not only the people on the Invictus, but for the very fabric of reality.

I didn't fully buy into the envisioned future "now" of the story world, which wasn't as developed as the character dynamics. I'd have liked a little more information on the geopolitical machinations that made Rome the epicenter of modern life, as opposed to, say, NYC or Beijing or wherever. All of the adult characters were also largely superfluous and/or cardboard cut-outs, leaving everything in the hands of the teens, although this is often the case in YA sci-fi/dystopian/fantasy novels so I'm not complaining overmuch.

I wanted to love this book as I adore time travel books but the complicated plot and sheer length of this book (is it just me, or did it take anyone else forever to read?) kept me from enjoying it to its full potential. I loved the characters and use of time travel and history, would definitely give anything else Ryan Graudin wrote a try.

A time travel book? Sign me right up! Right from the beginning, this book was full of action and adventure, with the MC being born in between dimensions. A must-read for Sci-Fy lovers, history lovers and those who love reading about a solid group of friends facing any kind of obstacle that's in their way, together.

All Farway Gaius McCarthy has ever wanted to do is to follow in his lost mother's footsteps and become a time traveler. As the only child to ever be born outside of time it seems only fitting. And Farway is good. The best. Destined for greatness. Until his final exam is sabotaged. With no other way to live his dream, Farway takes a job as a time pirate. With his handpicked crew, he steals from the past. And then the saboteur shows up at a job.

Invictus is a lot of fun. I knew I would like the book right off because in the prologue the Colosseum was called by its actual name, The Flavian Amphitheater. The characters are snarky and a complete team that just belongs together. I love when groups of characters are written this way. The stakes are incredibly high, and the time paradoxes are headache inducing. (That's exactly how I like them.)

This review is brought to you courtesy of Ryan Graudin, Erin Lindsay McCabe and @HistoricalFix.

In early 2016, I joined the team at Author Accelerator. One of our book coaches and USA Today bestseller, Erin Lindsay McCabe, picked up on the fact that I love historical fiction books. She invited me to the upcoming @HistoricalFix chat on Twitter. I joined the chat and was connecting with the authors, when Ryan Graudin, one of the guest authors on the chat that month, said something about her next book that caught my eye and it lead to a flurry of tweets.


Ryan Graudin
✔
@ryangraudin
Q6: My next book--INVICTUS-- is time travel, so I'd have to go with hopping through history. Tardis style. #historicalfix

7:17 PM - Apr 25, 2017
2 2 Replies 1 1 Retweet 21 21 likes
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…and then she said this…

25 Apr

Terri M.
@2ndRunReviews
Replying to @ryangraudin
You said the magic words...#timetravel. #historicalfix


Ryan Graudin
✔
@ryangraudin
My elevator pitch for INVICTUS is Doctor Who meets Firefly. Time traveling thieves. #historicalfix

7:18 PM - Apr 25, 2017
1 1 Reply Retweets 3 3 likes
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And I zoomed right over to NetGalley to find and request Invictus.

I DEVOURED Invictus. It delivered exactly what Ryan promised in April–a fun romp through time and space ala Firefly and Doctor Who. At one point, I checked my reading progress and noticed I was 50% complete and I was devastated! I wanted the story to keep going. I had become so attached to the entire crew of the Invictus that I didn’t want to let them go, but I also wasn’t able to force myself to read slower.

Invictus grabs you right from the beginning. It’s a love story—a forbidden love kind of story. [swoons] The kind of love the results in “The Boy Who Should Not Have Been” (the title of the first chapter) which leads to, at first, minor technical issues and gradually become rip-in-time-and-space-funky-crack-in-the-wall issues. Paradoxes of a sort that take elements from Back to the Future and Futurama and stir them up into a time travel-parallel universe kind of smoothie.

Invictus is littered with colorful characters. Farway is the swoon-worthy cad who grows a bit as the story progresses. His crew is filled with smart talented folks who have their own hang-ups that provide some lightness and laughter to the story. Imogen’s humorous ship logs provide some additional insight into the crew and give some added facts about them like Imogen’s hair color and Gram’s Tetris high score. The crew even has a furry tagalong, a red panda name Saffron, which seems an unusual pet, but appears to be part cat-part-dog-part-raccoon.

The time travel-parallel universe elements Invictus are easy to navigate. It’s helpful that the jumps through time are explained by the crew so there isn’t that time travel confusion and jumble that sometimes happen where you glaze over and just go with it.

What’s best about Invictus is the balance between the serious moments, the heartfelt moments and the lighthearted moments. The story is never too dark or too funny. While the physical and emotional journey for Farway and the crew is never smooth, the reading journey goes so smoothly that it’s over, sadly, too quickly leaving you craving more time and more pages in to steal through time acquiring unusual objects in a stolen time machine with a fun-loving, outgoing crew.

A version of this review also appeared in The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA) print edition on December 31, 2017.

Review: Invictus

I received a copy from Netgalley.

I snagged this one as a read it now title. I'd heard a lot of buzz on this book and to be honest it didn't really interest me having seen a lot of Firefly comparisons and I've never seen an episode or been interested in the show. But then I saw it as a read it now and I've enjoyed the authors work before so figured why not give it a try?

I tried. It was certainly creative, an interesting take on time travel agencies. The hero of the novel is an anomaly who was born outside of time - his mom was a famous pilot and on a job when it happened - and the hero has gained a somewhat infamous notoriety. He’s charming, witty and snarky though appears to have an attitude with authority. Nothing particularly new there where YA heroes are concerned (at least not to me anyway). Dude has done his training and is ready to take his final exams so he can become an official part of the space and time program that run the show.

Left with little options he finds himself taking a risky job of basically going through time and retrieving select objects requested by the boss for huge sums of payment. He gets to pick his own crew and name his ship. Each crew consists of the captain, the historian, the doctor and the math guy. Bonus points for diverse characters. The only really memorable character for me was Imogen the historian who changed her hair colour every day.

During a mission a new comer hijacks the object the the crew are after sending the mission into a tailspin. And causing of course, all sorts of other problems. Something to do with parallel words comes up half way through and at this point I sort of lost interest and started skimming. The technical side and sciencey side of things were a little bit too much for me and I got rather bored.

I found the plot getting rather silly by the end as well and rolling my eyes a lot. Though one interesting thing about it was it was a standalone which is really rare inYA sci-fi. Everything concluded though it was left with a possibility that it could continue. Some times sci-fi with time travel works for me, sometimes not.

Unfortunately I just didn't like this one much at all.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown Books for Young Readers for the chance to view the title.