The Time Smugglers (The Camelot Inheritance - Book 2)

I liked this book and its numerous sneaky charms. The book seems to be for early middle graders; I'm thinking 3rd or 4th grade. It doesn't tell the complete Arthur story, but it incorporates elements of Arthur and related and similar British legends and traditions. And that's all good.There are some stunningly good Arthur and Welsh/Irish/Cornish legend series for younger readers. I'm thinking of Susan Cooper's "Dark is Rising" sequence, The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark Is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; Silver on the Tree , and Jenny Nimmo's "Magician Trilogy", The Snow Spider (Magician Trilogy #1) . Cooper's book really follows the Arthur story and is written with tremendous style and feeling. Nimmo references less well known episodes from that body of myth and legend and repositions them in a modern setting that captures the feel and texture and mood of the old stories. But, those works and others like them can be demanding and, certainly, confusing for a young reader. The old stories can be incomplete and ambiguous and that confusion and lack of a clear linear plot can be tough going for younger readers.There aren't many books that take the Arthur elements and put them together in a way that is exciting, suggestive of the old school, but still easy enough to follow and understand. That's where this book is its strongest, and that's why it seems fair to call it an introduction to Arthur-style storytelling. We have an Arthur character, we have a band of good guys. We have magic, shapeshifting, and a battle between good and evil. Animals and other living things are brought into the conflict. There are hidden good guys and creepy menacing bad things. For added oomph we have time travellers who drift into and out of the story, and some simple time travelling, all of which ties the modern story to the ancient and neverending story of the battle between good and evil. This is exciting stuff, and illustrates what I mean by "Arthur-style".Further, while the author takes liberties with the old conventions she is true to the feel of the old stories and touches upon most of the best-loved characters and events. The overarching sense that good will prevail if people of goodwill band together and fight bravely, which is one of the greatest messages of Arthur lore, is particularly well represented in this story. Clever references to Lancelot, Bedivere, the Lady of the Lake, Excalibur, and so on certainly add to the authentic Arthur connections.And, this book seems to have been written for the reader who is often overlooked. This isn't the very young Disney "Sword in the Stone" treatment, but it also isn't a complex, almost academic treatment. It is a clean, tight, dynamic and understandable tale that a middle reader can get into and understand. It has the right mood and feel and sense of legend and mystery.There is a price to be paid for that. The writing can sometimes be clunky and bumpy. The book is efficient and exciting, and moves at a tremendously fast pace that doesn't linger long for descriptions or development. That's O.K., though, because the author has a real fondness for the story and affection for the characters and a commitment to presenting the story without irony or subtext. It seems to me the idea was to create a rip roaring fantastic yarn with a feel for Arthurian romance and in that it succeeds. If it whets the reader's appetite for more advanced or sophisticated fare, swell. If not, it's still a good, solid read and well worth your consideration.(This is the second book in the "Camelot Inheritance" series. It is accessible even if you have not yet read the first book, since the author brings you up to speed very efficiently within the first chapter or two.)Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

My 12 year old son loves this series. He can't stop reading.

ok

My niece loved it!

My son loved this series

Cannot rate it was a gift

I bought it as a gift.

The Time Smugglers is the second book in the Camelot Inheritance series. It is written and illustrated by Rosie Morgan. It is loosely based on the King Arthur stories from Cornwall, UK. Rosie lives here with her husband and two cats. She was a teacher and is still teaching through her books. This book like book 1 is an excellent book. It was hard to put it down when it was time for bed. I will recommend both books to my middle school teacher friends and librarian. All students should have a chance to read this book.Arthur, Nick, Tamar, and Gawain are once again united in a story of good vs evil. They have been given the honor and privilege of being the Guardians of Cornwall. It is up to them to keep the dark from taking over. They are to help the memories of Cornwall’s past live on. They come into conflict with Lady Clehy (ice), Crow man, Skeleton man, an albino with an albino dog, and other evil creatures. They have help from Zephaniah, Argo, Michael, Bedivere, and Lancelot as well as from a green stone dragon, a stone angel, and Lightning, now Arthur’s dog.Tamar is kidnapped in an attempt to separate the Guardians. She is placed in the hold of a ship that sails the bay with no wind. In the hold of the ship, Tamar meets a prisoner named Hairy Face and his dog. He shows her a pocket watch that he keeps hidden in his beard. He gives it to her and tells her she is the new Timekeeper. As she watches, her name is inscribed on it as if by magic. Soon Gawain, also kidnapped, is thrown into the hold. Hairy Face breaks his fall so he is not further hurt. However, he is badly hurt. Tamar uses the pocket watch to help him. How will they get out so they can help Arthur?The story has several humorous parts involving the green dragon who comes to life but can’t always control his fire. The Watchers almost get caught by Gawain and Arthur but manage to disappear quickly, although once one Watcher leaves his shoe, a jester’s shoe. Once one Watcher brings the boy he is watching in a different era to the beach. There is nothing there for him to see that would change history. He allows the boy to play in the surf but keeps a sharp eye on him as well as on Arthur. However, a plane flies overhead and the boy sees it. When he takes the boy back to his time, the boy begins to draw pictures of man being able to fly. The boy is Leonardo da Vinci. Now we know where he got the idea of his drawings of planes.The book is exciting and humorous as well as suspenseful. It is an excellent book and I wait with bated breath for the next in the series.

My 8 year old grandson loves the whole 4 books in the series. I read to him at bedtime and he reads them often during the day. He rates them second to Percy Jackson books!!! I must admit I find them a little too ocd in descriptions of the Cornish landscape and perhaps a little slow to get into the plot at first. All books in the series need to be read to be appreciated fully.

I loved the first book in the series, though the last couple of chapters lost momentum. This one keeps pace right until the end. The characters feel life-like and you readily slip between worlds with them. Enjoyed this one a lot. Now reading the last in the series and thinking I will be rather sad that there are no more.

Having enjoyed the first book in the series I couldn't wait to dive into the second one - and I was not disappointed. The story is well written with the characters developing further and events have moved on. It contains all the right ingredients : a mixture of adults and children, some of whom you have to love and others you just love to hate; good narrative description; an uncomplicated yet intriguing plot; a pocket sized dragon; a variety of animals; a good balance of fact and fiction; did I mention the dragon?; and the ability to make you keep on turning the pages. And I just love the little dragon. I want one. I hope he's in book three. . .

This book was okay. It is part of a series, and very short.Perhaps because I hadn't read the preceding books, I found it hard to work out who was who, and what exactly was going on.Nevertheless, I enjoyed it enough to keep reading. I loved the little dragon, everyone should have one of those in their pocket.It's a great book for youngsters. Well written, and very descriptive, with exciting moments. I recommend starting from the beginning of the series

My nephew loved this book