Just couldn't get into this. I'm clearly not the target audience. ( )

This review originally found at The Children's Book and Media Review

When Horace F. Andrews sees a sign from the bus with his name on it, he goes to investigate what it could mean. The sign leads him to a warehouse full of mysterious objects. There he receives a strange gift: a box that he soon discovers allows him to see the future and send small objects into the future. This box causes him many problems, however. Seeing the future can have difficult consequences that will put him, his family, and his new friend Chloe—a girl who has a magical object herself—as he finds himself in a conflict between two powerful groups of people. When Chloe’s dad is taken by the enemy, Horace has to make crucial decisions to save her dad and others.

The book is longer than a lot of books for the target audience, and some of the scientific discussions might bore a few readers, but most readers are unlikely to notice how long the book is as they keep turning the pages. The plot has some pacing issues, but overall it is intriguing and easy to follow. The main characters and their families are complex and flawed, making them easy to relate to and interesting. The magical world has enough depth and scientific basis to be believable. This debut novel shows a lot of promise to become an exciting series. ( )

Wow. First book since Harry Potter that gave me the the sense that this was going to be something special. Read this in three days, magical book about trust, friendship and family... With a little chess thrown in. ( )

Wow. First book since Harry Potter that gave me the the sense that this was going to be something special. Read this in three days, magical book about trust, friendship and family... With a little chess thrown in. ( )

It was a bad idea to start reading this to my 9 yr old son at bedtime. Instead of making us drowsy, we both wanted to keep reading. I kept it to the first chapter, but what a chapter. An abnormally tall, thin, male character is introduced who spooks Horace (the main character) on a public street. The thin man spooked us, too.