I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A dangerous mission strands three young kids in the Mexican Jungle where myth and tradition divide the people who call the jungle home in author Fiona Ingram’s third novel in the Chronicles of the Stone series, “The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper”. Here’s the synopsis:
A plane crash! Lost in the jungle! Hunted by their old enemy, will Adam, Justin, and Kim survive long enough to find the Third Stone of Power? With only a young boy, Tukum, as their guide, the kids make their way through the dense and dangerous jungle to find the lost city of stone gods, where the Stone of Power might be located. River rafting on a crocodile-infested river and evading predators are just part of this hazardous task. Of course, their old adversary Dr. Khalid is close behind as the kids press on. But he is not the worst of their problems. This time Adam will clash with a terrible enemy who adopts the persona of an evil Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, and is keen to revive the ancient tradition of human sacrifice. Adam, Justin, and Tukum must play a dreadful ball game of life and death and maybe survive. Will they emerge alive from the jungle? Will Dr. Khalid find the third Stone of Power before they do?
While I hadn’t read the previous two books before this, this novel did a great job of making the story stand out on it’s own feet. Finding solid ground within the jungles of Mexico, the story and characters mesh well with one another, building the overlaying backstory of the stones and their mysterious power, as well as the hunt by the modern day adventurers. The author did an amazing job exploring the complex mythology of both the Aztecs and Mayan people, as well as the culture of Mexico as a whole and the people who call it home.
The writing here is wonderful, giving middle grade readers and beyond a clear image of the scenes presented throughout the novel. While fans of the series will love the continued adventures of Adam and his group, the book does a wonderful job of bringing a new supporting character like Tukum and his people to life beautifully. The blend of culture and mythology adds to the series overall building mythos, and by books end gives the reader a nod to the next possible adventure as the mission to recover the stones.
Overall this was a fantastic read. Filled with richly developed characters, a wonderful setting filled with vivid imagery, and a detailed, suspenseful story of mythological proportions. If you enjoy a good adventure story with relatable heroes, powerful villains and a setting filled with rich culture, then you should pick up a copy of author Fiona Ingram’s The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper today!
Rating: 10/10
The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper is available to purchase on Amazon.com.
About the Author
Fiona Ingram is a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, she was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked her new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with her mother and two young nephews. They had a great time and she thought she’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, she had changed careers. She has now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in her middle grade adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book,
The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and one already for Book 3! She also teaches online novel writing for aspiring authors and she finds that very satisfying. Relaxation time finds her enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, theatre or ballet. She loves doing research for her book series. Fiona loves animals and has written two animal rescue stories. She has two adorable (naughty) little dogs called Chloe and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.
You can find Fiona at –
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/secretofthesacredscarab/
Website: www.chroniclesofthestone.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/FionaRobyn
Author Site: http://www.FionaIngram.com
Blog: http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2868182.Fiona_Ingram
Sounds like quite an adventure for young readers
I think so. It’s a series a lot of young readers will be able to get into. Thanks for your comment. I really appreciate it.
10 out of 10! I like the sound of that.
Thanks it was a great read. Appreciate the comment.
I’m sure it’s been 20 or so years since I’ve read a middle grades book, but gosh I’m tempted to grab this one.
I’m so glad to hear that. Yeah as a blogger I tend to keep an open mind and read a variety of book genres and reading levels. Thankfully it leads to some fun reads like this one. Thanks for your wonderful comment. I appreciate it.
loved the cover
Yeah it was a great design wasn’t it? Very artistic. Thanks so much for your comment.
Dear Anthony, Thank you so much by this incredible review. I don’t know what to say! I am speechless. This stunning review made me want to read my own book all over again. I am truly grateful for your opinion.
Thank you for sharing such an amazing read with me and my readers Fiona. I’m so happy you enjoyed the review. It was a wonderful read and a middle grade level series everyone should check out. I’m glad I could help out in any small way that I could. I look forward to hosting your guest blog post on my website tomorrow. I’m sure the visitors to my site will love to hear from you. Thanks again for liking the review and for sharing this story with us. I look forward to seeing where the next book in the series heads.
Lovely review. Sounds like a great book.
Thanks so much i’m glad you enjoyed the review. It was a fun book to read.
Great review!
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.