I am not the target audience for this book, so I'll say that up front. In general I don't read YA, but I appreciate what the author is trying to do with this series and therefore believe it should be recommended to young readers who want to broaden their horizon and learn about historical events and figures in an exciting and fast paced way. I can't say I enjoyed it, but I must stress, this book wasn't written for me. I can think of worse ways for kids spending their time. When I was a kid similar shows or cartoons got me interested in things revolving around history or significant figures.

I read reviews saying the dialogue of the teenage characters felt off. Perhaps, but have you heard any teenage in real life from any time period speak? Have they ever sounded enlightened or articulate?

Two young time jumpers travel back to 13th century Mongolia and experience the rise of one of history's greatest conquerors and most fearsome characters.
I absolutely love the idea of this book and the series as a whole. Teenagers travelling to key moments in time and having to make sure history follows its course just works as an idea. We get action, we get adventure, and we expose a younger audience to moments in history in a way that feels more tangible than a school textbook.
Great stuff.
But....but.
Two things made me uneasy with reading this book - the main character is a bit of an ass, and the teenagers talk in a way which seems off?

Re the protagonist being an ass, it mainly comes out in the way he talks and reacts to everyone he meets in the past - "smelly Mongols", "filthy food", "rotten milk", and other not-charming descriptions of the Mongols litter the dialogue and inner thoughts, and I just found it really off-putting. Especially as someone who lives in a country with a similar cultural heritage to Mongolia, and who recognises a lot of the things described.
To be fair, there are a few moments where the main character is more approving, but it still left me feeling uncomfortable.

As to the dialogue, I get that writing dialogue for teenage characters is rough. But it just felt too "Hello, fellow youngsters" to me, and didn't flow well.

TLDR: always supportive of this kind of premise, not a fan of the character work.

I love this series. As a huge history nerd I love reading about different eras especially ones that I know little about.
I knew very little about Genghis Khan before reading this book and I have since read a few articles about this mighty conqueror.
The book is well researched and the author brings alive the time period, not just with facts and figures but with the everyday life these Mongols would have lived, from what they would have worn and eaten, even some of there customs.
I also loved that we got to learn a little bit more about Victor and what his overall plan is for the world.
I cannot wait for book 4 in this series.

The Mongol Ascension
By Andrew Varga

This is the third in a series that the author has subtitled “Jump In Time” novels. The first and second are set in England and are the skillful and clever stories of a young man and woman who have inherited “time-jumping” technology from their fathers. This story flows from the first two, but you don’t need have read those to enjoy The Mongol Ascension.

The hero throughout these books is Dan Renfrew. The villain is a congress member who wants to take over the world. The other jumper, Sam (for Samantha) has saved Dan’s skin more than once. But just to complicate things, she’s beautiful and clever enough that Dan can’t help seeing her as more than a comrade in arms.

Dan and Sam have made a jump into “they know not where” in this new novel, but of course they figure out quickly that they’re in Mongolia when they encounter the leader of a band of Mongolian warriors. Could it be that the seventeen year old Mongol “prince” they encounter is the future Genghis Kahn? Well, the rest of the story is how they cope and how they prevail, helping Temujin (the 17 year old) recover his wife Borte and accrue the victory that sets him on his historic journey as world conquered.

Vargas’ intended audience is likely to be young men 13-23. But as I said in reviewing an earlier book in the series, this 75 year old woman is quite enjoying them!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me an E-ARC in exchange for honest opinion

I liked the book 3 the most, I would say that we can see better writing and also better character description and actions of the main character.
As it is book 3 I don´t want to give any spoilers, so I will be brief the Mongols are awesome, really liked that we have got something other than West Europe historical events or figures. Also Dan starts to "think" more and doesn´t act so reckless.
What I did not like, in my opinion, it has dragged a little towards the end, I liked the twist and the little light of hope at the end, but the historical parts were far more interesting to me.
Looks like we will get another book, so I am quite curious what history event we will be reading about.
Overall solid 4 stars, definitely recommending to read.

Another good entry in the series! I appreciate the departure from the European history that was central to the first two books in the series—it’s always fun to read about cultures that you aren’t wholly familiar with. This entry builds well on the greater conflict of the first two and I appreciated that we got to learn more about the greater conflict in this one. This is definitely the book and series to give to a kid who loves history; I know I would have loved to read this when I was younger (but it’s still enjoyable as an adult!!). Overall, a solid entry to the series, and I can’t wait to see what comes next for Dan and Sam.

I received an ARC through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Mongol Ascension, third book in the A Jamp In Time series, is full of action, adventure, and a teen who desperatly tries to save the World.

Dan most of the time is clueless as what to do, both as a regular teen and as a time jumper. I have to concede him that he is getting better at looking for leads to expose the villain's plan, but he is still too impulsive and hasty.

Andrew Varga has the ability to make you curious and passionate about every historical time he writes. Before opening this book I've never heard about the Mongol history, other than the name of its most famous conqueror Gengis Khan, but now I crave to learn more.

I enjoyed this story, I recommend it. You won't want to put it down once you pick it up.

This was an entertaining continuation of the Jump in Time series. I enjoyed watching the progression of Dan and Sam's relationship, learning more about Victor's schemes, meeting other time jumpers, and, of course, accompanying Dan and Sam on their historical adventure. Some aspects of Dan and Sam's behavior seemed overly immature, and I began to be tired of Dan's consistent underestimation of Sam and assumption that he can always fix anything. I liked the addition of the characters encountered in modern times and think that this book was a good set-up for future books and clearly indicates the direction of the series. These books are always light, fast, fun reads that bring the question of what it would be like to interact with major historical players to life.

Another amazing installment in this series! I continue to love being swept away into lesser known (at least to me) eras of history as well as enjoy the realistic awkwardness of Dan just being a 17 year old boy. I was excited to get more of a peek into the trajectory for the modern day plot line and can't wait to see how it plays out. There could be dozens of books in this series and I can't imagine getting tired of reading them. I said it with book one and I will keep saying it - these are the grown up Magic Tree House books I always wanted. As much as I want a conclusion to the Victor saga, if it means the series has to end, I don't know if I'm ready.

This is an easy ya read…..
The premise of the story is that teenage schoolboy Dan is a time jumper and has to fix time glitches so that history isn’t changed for the worse. Dan and his friend Sam were great, and I liked them and wanted them to succeed in their quest to save the world from Victor who was determined to take over. The two teenagers jump to Mongolia in the 1600’s, and straight away are thrown into a battle. It then seems to drag in the middle and the last part picks up again.
I had mixed feelings about this book. The beginning started off well but as I read, I really struggled to stay engaged with the story. Such a shame.
Many thanks to Imbrifex books for giving me the opportunity to read this arc copy from Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #ImbrofexBooks, #AndrewVargaAuthor.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Andrew Vargas for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Mongol Ascension coming out September 3, 2024. The honest opinions.

I’ve read the first book in the series, but not the second one. So there might be some things I missed. There were definitely some changes since the first book. I love Dan’s character and the time jumping through history ability is so amazing. I’d love a superpower like that! I was a little confused with how things turned out at the end. I don’t want to give anything away, but I was thinking it would go a little differently. I’m glad Dan has some positive things to look forward to in his life though. I’d definitely read more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys time travel books!

Dan Renfrew is trying his best to live a normal life, but that is difficult as an orphaned teenager who must do everything for himself. Complicating matters is the fact that Dan is a time jumper, and he knows very little about what is expected from him in his job. Nobody seems willing to help Dan, however, and just as he starts falling for a girl in his class, time snatches Dan and his best friend Sam back into ancient Mongolia to repair a rift in the continuum of history. This jump is different than any they have yet faced, however, and as they work to reset history, they must also determine the truth of their relationship with one another.

This third in the Jump in Time book series continues Dan’s story after the exciting conclusion of book two. While formulaic in its design, the book educates readers about ancient Mongolia in a way that is fun and engaging within the framework of a story that revolves around teenagers. It is important to have read the first two books before reading this one, especially as the idea of time jumping and Dan’s unique situation are set up prior to this novel. Like the two stories before it, this book is well written and keeps readers involved throughout the challenges Dan and Sam face.

There is a bit more of a focus on the relationship between Dan and Sam in this book, and both have reasons to lean more on the other than they have in the past. This enhances their connection while giving them the opportunity to explore what their friendship truly means. Though it is not as strong as the first two novels, this one invites readers into a rarely discussed piece of human history, which makes it stand out as a unique contribution to the genre. At the end, historical notes give readers a sense of where the line between history and fiction resides. Built for a sequel, this book is a good addition to the series, and young adult readers who enjoy history, time travel, and adventure will find this to be an entertaining story.

Dan is trying to rally help to foil Victor’s plot but has been so far unsuccessful. So if he can't find answers in the present he hopes he can find more in the past. When the time rod indicates a new glitch he and Sam jump back and find themselves in Mongolia. They meet a teenager on a mission to rescue his wife from a rival tribe. But so much more than a stolen bride is on the line here and it could put the entire Mongolian empire on a different path.

I am really enjoying this series despite Dan coming off a bit obnoxious in this book in particular. I can't really put my finger on it, he just seemed a bit all over the place. But the reason I enjoy these books so much is because of the historical aspect of them. While I do know of Genghis Khan, I didn't know much of his story so this peaked my interest. As a historical fiction I feel this would do a good job introducing people to the Mongolian Empire. As for the overarching story with Victor, I was a bit confused by his direction as well. Meeting with Dan and just revealing his plan came so out of left field for me. Like why. Guess will have to wait for the next book to see.

Rating 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Imbrifex Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this read blind, having not read the first two books in the series. I’m also a bit older than the intended audience. None the less, I had a great time reading about Dan and Sam’s adventures in Mongolia. Varga provides enough context for the earlier two books, so I didn’t feel as behind as I should have.

Dan’s adventures through time lead him to 1100s Mongolia, where he meets a young Genghis Khan – known then as Temujin – his group of loyal friends, and an army of thousands at their backs. Dan and Sam join the quest to recover Temujin’s kidnapped wife, Borte, from a rival tribe of Mongols, called the Merkits.

Dan and Sam’s relationship is complicated, and throughout the course of the novel takes multiple turns, realistic for a pair of teenagers in a difficult and isolating set of situations. In current times, Dan also navigates finding new friends in the time-jumping community after the death of his father, as well as a potential relationship with a girl from school. He also meets up with his father’s murderer, Victor, who is plotting to take over the world using his superior time-jumping knowledge, a plot thread that should lead toward a super exciting fourth installment.

The story is engaging, enjoyable, well researched, and realistic for a Middle Grade story about teenagers. Cheers to Varga!

This is Book 3 in the Jump in Time Series. Dan Renfrew leads a normal high school life full of all of the normal things - homework, dating, you know the "normal" things. Dan has a secret though, he is a time jumper. Time Jumpers go back in time to "fix glitches in history that would make things difficult in the future". This time, he joins with his partner Sam to stop a rogue band of time jumpers that is trying to take over the world. They Jump to 1779 to help a man save his bride who was kidnapped. Together the 3 of them must stop the take over and save the Mongolian Empire.

“My stomach recoiled like I'd just been kicked in the gut. Sam and I were in the middle of a Mongol army heading for war.”

As always when I’m reading these books I find myself having fun and getting through another historical drama period where wars are threatening the little balance Dan has on his life. Dan and Sam are together again and they find themselves in the middle of a mongol war. More action, more history, more new characters, more truths about Victor and how he was involved in Dan’s father’s death. And I absolutely loved the relationship between Dan and Sam !!! Always have and always will and I’m pretty sure that it will continue to evolve in the next books. I loved that in this book there is even more of real life and time jump colliding in Dan’s existence and I was there for it. The way he tried to balance his regular life as a student with the possibility to get a girlfriend, and his life as a time traveller… it’s hard to get a normal life when you jump from one period to the other. But again I absolutely loved it !!! Quite excited for the future, especially after the events of the last chapters !!!

An interesting continuation of the Time Jumpers series where Victor continues his quest to rule the world and Dan is obsessed with his personal life. And I think Mongols showed up for part of it.

Three books in, Daniel Renfrew has gone through some changes. After years of homeschooling, he has to find acceptance among his peers at a local secondary school. Fortunately, his martial arts skills, learned from his father and honed on the battlefields of Hastings and Celtic Britain, intimidate the local bullies. He even makes a tentative connection with a “normal” (i.e., not time-jumping) girlfriend, although dating someone who may disappear into the past at any moment is a challenge, to say the least.

Indeed, Daniel soon finds himself on another mission, one very different from his previous adventures. As the title suggests, Daniel jumps back in time to the Eurasian steppe and meets a fellow adolescent named Temujin. Daniel agrees to help Temujin rescue his wife, abducted by a rival clan, but only after a sneak attack forces Daniel to return to his present does he discover that the teen he is trying to help will become Genghis Khan, the World Conqueror. Now Daniel faces a dilemma: should he help a young man who will someday order the murder of millions? Or should he skirt his responsibility to prevent any rewriting of history, knowing that by doing so his actions will support a world conspiracy in his present?

But Daniel is a time-jumper, and besides, he left his friend Sam in the past. So he returns to the Mongolian steppe, still not knowing the nature of the time glitch that he and Sam need to fix. Information about the plans of that world conspiracy is also at stake.

This is a fun series, aimed at young adults but enjoyable for older readers as well. It was good to see Daniel get out of Britain and recognize the value of history he didn’t learn in school—specifically, that of Asia and the steppe. From what the author said when I spoke to him last year, Daniel has at least four more adventures to go, so I look forward to following his adventures as he—and Sam—come to terms with their difficult heritage.

I plan to interview Andrew Varga about this book on my blog (link below) when it comes out in September 2024. You can hear an earlier interview about the first two installments in the series at the New Books Network link, also below.

Mongol Ascension by Andrew Varga is a book for teenagers that I stumbled on to and initially, I found the jump in time difficult to comprehend. The book is all about a teenage boy along with his friend going back in time to fix some glitches in history. This time they embark on a dangerous mission to Mongolia in the 12th Century before the rise of Genghis Khan to set right certain anomalies. The book describes in a beautiful way the life of the Mongols, the various factions within and how the time jumpers help the virtuous win over the evil. It is in fact a very good way to teach history in such absorbing story form so the retention is better. Overall a very good book to read and a different experience altogether compared to a normal crime thriller.

The Mongol Ascension follows Dan & Sam's time travel jump back to the rise of Genghis Khan and the battle with the Merkits following the abduction of the 17 year old Khan's wife Borte.

This series of books is great for boys aged 10-13 that maybe aren't so into reading - they depict real battles in history with real snippets of what life was like back then. A museum story come to life, with high stakes.

This 3rd instalment in the series is differently paced, as the time jump section of the story only takes up the first half of the novel - the rest is taken up with setting up for a big arc for a future narrative, without spoilers - some teenage relationship angst, finding your place in the world, coming of age and Saving the World With a Bunch of Misfits.

I cheated and read someone else's review before coming here and they raised a seriously enlightening idea, that the more I think about it the more I am manifesting for it to come true - for the fourth instalment, I want some chapters from Samantha's point of view. Following Derpy Sam around for three full novels now is getting a bit tired, he's not very bright as a protagonist.