This should have been a really great read for me. I love high adventure and do not shy away from books dealing with time travel, but this one was just plan dull and INCREDIBLY slow moving.

Nick McIver, who comes from a long line of those with a tradition on the high seas, lives on Greybeard Island, one of the tiny Channel Islands set between the British and French coasts. His father is a lighthouse keeper for the island who is drawn into the intrigue leading to the Second World War because few believe the Germans pose a threat. As a result, he and others on the island keep an eye on the seas for signs of German u-boats and report back everything they know to a Churchill who has yet to rise to power. It takes 50 pages just to present this and introduce Nick and his family.

When Nick is walking with this little sister Katie and dog Jip along the shore, they run across a mysterious sea chest. As you can probably guest, it is the contents of the chest that lead them on their trip through time. Inside, they find the Tempus Machina, a time traveling invention by Leonardo da Vinci.

Da Vinci actually made two of the machines, and the other has worked its way into the ownership of one Captain William Blood. As you can guess from his name, he is a ruthless pirate, but rather than the riches and wealth of treasure, he has spent centuries abducting kids and using them to gain ransom moneys from their parents.

Now Blood is arriving on Greybeard Island with his sights set on the Tempus Machina that Nick and Katie have just discussed. Nick turns to the help of a mysterious and reclusive noble who lives in nearby Castle Hawke for help. Fortunately, the noble is willing to take on Captain Blood because he has his own issues with the pirate.

With all of this going on, one would think this would be a high adventure. I guess, it actually is, but the writing is so dry and overly rich with detail that it is difficult to really not find yourself zoning out as the words and pages pass by. Ironically, I think this would make a pretty good movie. It has a strong cinematic vision. The basic plot is strong and the characters are will designed, if not totally predictable and stereotypical.

I am also not sure that American audience, particularly the kids who are the primary audience of the book, will have an easy time connecting with the history involved. Access to British naval history is fairly limited in the early grades.