Synopsis
Determined to solve the mysteries of the time portal, the Time Soldiers meet Merlin, the magician of the ages, struggle to escape an evil knight, battle a raging dragon, and watch the young Arthur Pendragon fulfill his royal destiny.
Janet Crane Barley - Children's Literature
The cover of this fourth book in the "Time Soldiers" series with its energetic photographic images shouts "pick me up and read me." And the exciting story of six neighborhood friends, five boys and a girl, who travel through a swirling portal of green-gold light into another time, is not likely to disappoint the reader. This time the friends land in the world of a bemused young Arthur who has been told he must pluck the sword from the stone before he can become king. The time travelers try to help Arthur find the stone while an evil knight does his best to thwart their efforts. He may have underestimated them. The resourceful travelers have prepared for this trip in many ways. For one thing, they spent a lot of time in one of their favorite places, the library, studying world history and learning about old-fashioned skills to gain knowledge that would help them no matter when and where they land. This time they feared their skills might not be enough to help Arthur reach his destiny. Illustrated with dramatic and appealing cinematic-style photography, the story will help even dubious kids learn that reading can be fun. Earlier books in the series took the time soldiers to the Cretaceous period with the dinosaurs and to a pirate ship. In book five, the time travelers will encounter a mummy. The publisher's website features testimonials that prove that these highly visual books with thrilling storylines succeed in getting kids excited about reading. 2004, Big Guy Books, Ages 6 to 12.