Nick of Time is the first young reader's book written by bestselling author Ted Bell - a wondrous tale of time travel, adventure, and riches, in which twelve-year-old Nick McIver sets out to become "the hero of his own life." The setting is England, 1939, on the eve of war. Nick and his younger sister, Kate, live in a lighthouse on the smallest of the Channel Islands. Nick and Kate come to the aid of their father who is engaged in a desperate war of espionage with German U-boat wolf packs that are circling the islands. The information they provide to Winston Churchill is vital as he tries to warn England of the imminent Nazi invasion. One day Nick discovers an old sea chest, left for him by his ancestor, Captain Nicholas McIver of the Royal Navy. Inside, he finds a time machine and a desperate plea for help from the captain. He uses the machine to return to the year 1805. Captain McIver and, indeed, Admiral Nelson's entire fleet are threatened by the treachery of the French and the mutinous Captain Billy Blood. Nick must reach deep inside, using his wits, courage, and daring to rescue the imperiled British sailors. His sister, Kate, meanwhile, has enlisted the aid of two of England's most brilliant "scientific detectives," Lord Hawke and Commander Hobbes, to thwart the invading Nazis. She and Nick must face England's underwater enemies, a challenge made all the more difficult when they discover the existence of Germany's supersecret submarine. In this striking adventure for readers of all ages, Nick must fight ruthless enemies across two different centuries, on land and sea, to help defeat those determined to destroy his home and his family.
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"It's so hard to rate books. Entertainment wise this was a five star. But, I try to reserve 5 stars for books that change me -- make me better somehow. This one was just pure fun. I read it aloud to my kids and they loved it. My only complaint with this book is that there were two areas that got somewhat graphic in the violence department." — Misty (4 out of 5 stars)
"It's so hard to rate books. Entertainment wise this was a five star. But, I try to reserve 5 stars for books that change me -- make me better somehow. This one was just pure fun. I read it aloud to my kids and they loved it. My only complaint with this book is that there were two areas that got somewhat graphic in the violence department."
“This is the first historical novel my 10-year-old son has taken to, and its in large part thanks to the reading of John Sea, whose rich voice gives a sense of grand adventure while maintaining the proper square-jawed demeanor for the British gentleman-in-training.
John Shea really knows how to wring the last ounce of starry-eyed wonder and excitement out of a story.... Shea manages to sound like 12-year-old Nick, and, when necessary, his 6-year-old sister, Kate. Bell is a gifted writer, and Shea brings his varied characters to life.
" I enjoyed reading this YA novel and will be recommending it. Nick, age 12, is a time traveler from the dawn of WWII to 1805 and the Napoleonic Wars. Spying, pirates and swashbuckling battles kept me reading late. Some of the violence was more dastardly than it needed to be. "
" Pirates, World War II and time travel! "
" This is an okay book for juveniles. There is some really exciting adventure, but I think there is also too much sentimentality in this book for male tweens, and a lot of sailing vocabulary that kids could get bogged down in. "
" I think this is a fun book for 4-6 graders. There's adventure and the fulfillment that every child enjoys--being a factor in making good things happen. "
" Felt like it took forever to get to the exciting stuff! I could suspend disbelief about time travel...but not about a 7-year-old being trusted to keep a spy ring secret. If you're really into high-seas adventure/battles, you might want to give it a try...that was the most interesting part. "
" The book is a lot of fun. Reads well out loud as well ( reading it to my son now ) Ted Bell is obviously a talented writer but this is a different animal than his Hawke books which I've REALLY enjoyed. "
" Wasnt the greatest book, lost interest, mostly boring..... "
" the ONLY thing I didn't like about this book were the few cuss words. There were a few deaths that were a bit gruesome but personally, the words were more "offensive" than those parts. "
" Okay, seriously could not get into this book. I started it twice on CD and the 2nd time made it half way through, but the plot was toooooo slooooow in developing. "
" This is an odd sort of story. I thought all through it that I was reading a book intended for an adult audience with a teenaged protagonist. I really felt like this was just a story that will cater best to fans of Ted Bell's other books rather than the average teen book reader. "
" Nazis and Lord Nelson. Fast-paced read. Great for boys. Adventure and history. "
" Another for summer reading program. It added to my book count this summer. "
" Everything a boys' adventure book should be. Nazis and pirates! What boy could want more? The characters are amazing! I especially like Hobbes and Kate. The head games they play with the Nazis is delightful. I'll definitely read the other books in this series! "
" This was a wonderful story, full of adventure. Extremely well written! It's probably in my top ten favorite books of all time. "
" I loved this book. I have read several others by bell. His spymaster Hawke series has totally entertained me. This is a great, fun read for Young Adults and Adults alike. It reminded me of the places books took me, as a kid. Makes me remember how I feel in love with reading. "
" Really good. My kids are listening to it on audio right now on the drive to and from school. So far they een like. I listened first though and really enjoyed it! The characters are really interesting and I would definitely recommend reading this. It would be a good one to read as a family. "
" A great thriller that is sure to get you up in your seat. "
" A young adult book that was fun to read as an adult. A fun book that will makes history interesting for our young ones. "
" these are great YA books--and a pretty good girl part "
" Great novel for the young reader. "
" Good story. Perfect for young boys. The author switched point-of-view in the middle of chapters which is confusing at worst and annoying at best. Over all I enjoyed it. It has all the elements of adventure: time travel, pirates, and even Nazis! "
" This book was muuch better than I thought it would be. I can not wait to read the sequel. "
" This was a little slow to get going, but a decent read. Chock full of "stuff" Pirates, spies, time machines, Nazis, kidnappings, battles. A good read for a reluctant-to-read boy. "
" Great action book for boys, though pretty unbelievable. Fun, anyway. "
" Perfect book for a young teenager who wants an adventure story that is suspenseful but clean. Would be a wonderful read-aloud book!!! Heroes and Heroines as they used to be "
" For kids. Lots of action and a painless history lesson. "
" Historical fiction set in England at the beginning of WW2 and early 1800s. "
" I like this book for its adventure and historical references but the Nazis are portrayed in a highly stereotypical way, like something out of a 1940's war movie--a bit "cheesy." "
" i read this in forth grade and loved it!!!! "
" Quite an enjoyable book. It does help to have some working knowledge of how sailboats work, but overall I really enjoyed it. "
" Nick of Time would be a great book to make a movie out of! I loved every bit of it! "
" I read this awhile ago. The only thing I can really remember is that it was an okay book. It wasn't a "thrilling" read, just something to read to pass the time. "
" Vocab was excellent, however, the story and characters could not keep my attention. I did not finish the book. "
" This turned out to be a really good book. I like the mix of history and the whole time-travel plot. The characters were engaging and I think I'll try searching out the rest of the series eventually. "
Ted Bell is an American author of suspense and young adult adventure novels. He is best known for his New York Times bestselling series of spy thriller novels featuring the character Alex Hawke. He lives and works in Palm Beach, Florida, and Aspen, Colorado.
John Shea’s career includes more than forty films, most notably the Academy Award-winner Missing. His television work includes Lois and Clark and Mutant X, and he has appeared in more than twenty-five plays on and off Broadway and in London’s West End.
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