Siblings John and Sarah barely made it home last time, but in their next time traveling adventure the challenge really heats up. Surrounded by clashing cultures on the ancient Roman frontier, they must fulfill their quest to unite the emperor with his enemy, an Alemanni barbarian, or risk being stuck in time forever.

An action-packed fantasy full of sword fights, chariot chases, fearsome wild animals, and high mountain survival. For graduates of the Magic Tree House looking for a thrilling middle grade page-turner, read Sol Invictus, book two of The Eye of Ra series!

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My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

John and Sarah recently moved to Maryland, and they’re handling it okay. Sarah seems a lot moodier though, and she doesn’t want to spend much time with the family. It sounds like typical growing pains at first, but is there more to it?

When their parents decide to take John and Sarah to a museum, they end up in the ancient Roman frontier! This time, it is no accident. The gods are sending them on a mission, but they don’t want to time travel again. When they get there, they try using the Eye of Ra to return, but it doesn’t work! They decide that they probably have to complete the mission, but that seems impossible. They’re smart but I couldn’t see how they could complete this mission to get home.

John and Sarah make several friends while they’re in the ancient Roman frontier. I was hoping for more action in this second book, and I got it! I’m impressed with how the author incorporated a lot of history in Sol Invictus without it feeling like a history lesson. It didn’t slow down the story at all.

Sarah is having more and more trouble figuring out how to deal with the conflicting emotions she’s feeling and tends to walk off to be alone, forgetting how dangerous that could be. She made me so nervous running off like that! I enjoyed watching them grow throughout the book.

Sol Invictus is full of adventure that middle grade readers (and adults) will enjoy. It contains a lot of action and is a page turner. This time that John and Sarah are in is more dangerous than where they were in ancient Egypt, and they have to be on guard at all times. I’m looking forward to reading more books in The Eye of Ra series.

About the Author

Ben Gartner is the award-winning author of The Eye of Ra adventure series for middle graders (ages 8-12). His books take readers for a thrilling ride, maybe even teaching them something in the meantime. Ben can be found living and writing near the mountains with his wife and two boys.

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://bengartner.com