Day of the Predator (TimeRiders, #2)

Jan 18, 2011 Stephanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Everyone does what they can to extend their lives, whether it be exercise, healthy eating, crystals and quack healers, or a bribe or two slipped to someone in power. Most of us, though, aren’t ripped out of our personal timeline moments before facing death. Most of us don’t find ourselves in the employ of a mysterious organisation working to save the world from the dangers of time travel…by using fire to fight fire. For Maddy, Sal, and Liam, however, this strange turn of events is reality. All h...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Annabel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Better than the last one, in places. I felt like the writing flowed a little bit better, although there was still occasional telling rather than showing. One chapter in particular comes to mind where a host is leading some kids round on a field trip, and every line of his is prefaced with: "As I'm sure you're aware..." If they already know it, why tell them? It came across as artificial, but thankfully, I only noticed it this one time- can't be sure, maybe it was in other parts as well.
The chara...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Meredith Buchanan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am ashamed by the amount of enjoyment I received from this book.

I mean, it’s really not my fault though.

First off, we have some time travelling children, which are my kryptonite. And then there are dinosaurs, which turn every frown upside down. Some of the chapters are even narrated by one of the dinosaurs—which I’m slightly embarrassed to even admit.

It’s just a hodge-podge of ridiculousity and I refused to put it down. Except when there was ice cream or something good on television.

So, we sta...more I am ashamed by the amount of enjoyment I received from this book.

I mean, it’s really not my fault though.

First off, we have some time travelling children, which are my kryptonite. And then there are dinosaurs, which turn every frown upside down. Some of the chapters are even narrated by one of the dinosaurs—which I’m slightly embarrassed to even admit.

It’s just a hodge-podge of ridiculousity and I refused to put it down. Except when there was ice cream or something good on television.

So, we start off with Sal Vikram being saved from a collapsing skyscraper by a mysterious older gentleman named Foster. She is the newest recruit for The Agency, a secret group that protects history from the ravages of time travel. Blah blah blah they live underground in a time loop that circuits between Sept 10 and 11 of 2001. That’s right, they just repeat 9/11 over and over. I’m not sure why the author picked that time period, as it seems a little insensitive, but whatever, let’s get to the dinosaurs. The other prepubescent members of this branch of the Agency are Maddy (a computer whiz—there has to be one, of course), and Liam (an Irish boy rescued from the Titanic whose role is apparently just to ask what things are so they can be explained to the reader). Foster retires or something leaving Maddy in charge, and their master computer Bob (who is currently reading Harry Potter 6 fyi), tells them that their assigned mission is to go forward in time to save the inventor of time travel from assassination. They have to grow another ‘meat robot’ (their repulsive term, not mine) to act as a bodyguard/servant to assist Liam in his mission. One of them accidently picks a girl, and the team is all for scrapping that and growing another one, but once Liam sees her boobs he pretty much decides that she’ll work out fine.

The mission goes awry however, a bunch of sciencey things happen that I skimmed over, and Maddy accidently sends Liam, Becks (the sexy meat robot) and a whole class full of kids (including the one that grows up to invent time travel) back 65 million years into the Cretaceous period. HAHAH DINOSAURS!!!

The rest of the book is switches between what is happening in the 9/11 time loop (boring), what is happening to the kids in Jurassic Park (more interesting) and what the dinosaur spying on them is thinking (AWESOME).

Unsurprisingly, Liam and Becks manage to mess up the past by accidentally teaching a heretofore undiscovered, highly intelligent species of dinosaurs how to use tools. Mainly spears, which the dinosaurs use to kill lots of the school children (I told you this book was awesome). I couldn’t help but love Broken Claw (our sentient dinosaur narrator) and kind of hope that he would triumph over the group of pre-teens (even if that meant the end of humankind). Liam and Becks mistake causes a tear in the time/space continuum or whatnot, causing the future to be forever altered! Or at least until Maddy and Sal fix it (looking out the door of their magically [or technologically] protected bunker, we see that the present has changed to a leafy jungle populated by a fierce, scary dinosaur race. The author never explains why the loss of humankind changed New York’s natural environment from forests of deciduous trees to a humid rainforest, but maybe the dinosaurs were masters of climate control. We’ll never know).

We’ll never know BECAUSE Becks and Liam (or really Becks, lets be honest) fix the problem—first by causing more problems—and then fixing them. Who cares anymore, I’m just mourning Broken Claw’s untimely demise and our loss of dinosaur culture.

Final verdict? I won’t be reading the rest of the series, but this book proves that the addition of dinosaurs can make any book a winner.

(need more dinosaur-themed book reviews in your life? Well, this won't help you, but visit rampantreads.wordpress.com anyway)(less)

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Jun 22, 2012 Lett' rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://letteraturaa.wordpress.com/201...

Tellement j’avais aimé le tome 1, j’attendais avec impatience ce second opus de cette longue série avec impatience mais aussi avec quelque peu d’angoisse que je vous expliquerai la raison. Donc, toutefois, faut que je vous le dise, j’ai adoré !!! C’est un livre excellent, comme toujours !

Les personnages sont toujours les mêmes, ils ne changent pas vraiment, et c’est ça que j’aime dans les séries, retrouver les personnages comme des amis qu’on voit souvent,...more http://letteraturaa.wordpress.com/201...

Tellement j’avais aimé le tome 1, j’attendais avec impatience ce second opus de cette longue série avec impatience mais aussi avec quelque peu d’angoisse que je vous expliquerai la raison. Donc, toutefois, faut que je vous le dise, j’ai adoré !!! C’est un livre excellent, comme toujours !

Les personnages sont toujours les mêmes, ils ne changent pas vraiment, et c’est ça que j’aime dans les séries, retrouver les personnages comme des amis qu’on voit souvent, ainsi, ceux-là, je ne vais pas les oublier ! Donc, l’angoisse monte, les doutes s’installent, ils essayent de faire fonctionner la machine normalement, mais ce n’est pas forcément facile. J’ai beaucoup apprécié voir ce qu’est devenu l’unité de soutien qui apporte un nouveau personnage qui se base sur un ancien, une bonne idée je trouve, même très originale !

Alors, oui, j’ai apprécié l’unité de soutien, ça peut vous paraitre un détails, mais moi ça m’a ému de voir un “robot de chair” essayer de devenir un humain, on comprend l’importance des sentiments qui sont essentiels même pour une mission ! C’est adorable de voir les tentatives d’humanisation de Becks !!! Voilà, c’est le détails qui fait donc toute la différence !

Sinon, on a le retour au Crétacé, j’avais peur pour tout vous dire ! J’e me suis dit et si l’auteur nous mettait un amoncèlement de préjugés et de culture populaire, mais non, c’était tout à fait le contraire, une nouvelle espèce, des cas non connus, et un peu de noms de dinosaures, mais je félicite l’auteur de nous avoir épargné les scènes multiples avec pleins de dinosaures, c’est vraiment gentil de sa part ! Donc, malgré que le thème des dinosaures ait pu paraitre communs, je trouve sincèrement que l’auteur s’en ai superbement bien sorti.

Alors, je sais pas si je peux vous en parler, mais je vais seulement vous dire que l’auteur ici raconte le Crétacée comme personne, il ajoute des choses qui sont incontestables parce que les historiens ne savent presque rien de cette période, donc le vide historique permet à l’auteur d’ajouté une espèce de son imagination que j’ai trouvé fascinante ! Voilà, une nouvelle vision de l’évolution que j’ai trouvé très bien ficelé. J’en dis pas plus, sinon ça fera un peu trop spoiler !

Juste pour vous rappeler, le temps me fascine ! C’est quelque chose qui m’intéresserait énormément que de voyager dans le temps, mais surtout, la chose qui me passionne ce sont les paradoxe du temps, qui sont ici très bien représenté, avec deux thèses qui correspondent à l’intrigue. Voilà, un sujet qui me passionne allié à une belle intrigue, un mélange réussi.

Au fait, pour ceux qui ont peur que ça face du déjà-vu avec le second tome, je trouve que ça n’a aucun rapport, les situations ne sont pas les mêmes du tout ! Tout vient différemment, la résolution n’arrive pas des mêmes chose ! En conclusion, rien n’est pareil !

Pour finir, il faut que je vous parle de la fin, mais pas de la toute fin, je dirais plutôt les étapes de la résolution de l’intrigue sont vraiment…très angoissant. On se demande ce qu’il va se passer aux personnages, ce qu’ils vont devenir, et si…, c’est affreux d’angoisser pour des personnages !! Mais ça montre assez bien le talent de l’auteur et son style angoissant ! Sinon, la vrai fin, les dernières pages, la dernière phrase, c’est une tuerie puisque là, ça change complètement la donne, on s’imagine des choses complètement folle.

Je sais pas quoi vous dire…ais-je assez fait d’éloge sur ce livre que j’ai adoré ? Au fait, c’est un coup de cœur parce que c’est une bonne suite, parce que ça annonce plein de belles choses, parce que…c’est de la manipulation du temps ! Donc, un coup de cœur que je conseille à absolument tout le monde !

Donc, en un seul mot : la suite !!!(less)

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Jan 18, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Liam and Maddy, Time Riders stationed on September 10 and 11, 2001, are joined by Sal and and a new version of their support unit, Bob, now a woman named Becks. Liam and Becks are sent to stop the assassination of Edward Chan, the father of time travel, but when they are at that period in time, an explosion sends them back to the Cretaceous period... with Chan and several of the students and teachers! The group tries to survive and battles wily dinosaurs while trying to get a message through to...more

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Jul 30, 2010 Darren Hartwell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

I read the first book in the series back in February and I loved it. However, now that I have read Day of the Predator, the second book in the series, I can honestly say that I have not been this excited about a series for a long time. As fas as anticipation for 'the next book' goes, I can compare it to how I feel about MG Harris' Joshua Files series and how I felt about the Percy Jackson books. And with Alex Scarrow having signed a nine book deal with Puffin I am looking forward to reliving thi...more I read the first book in the series back in February and I loved it. However, now that I have read Day of the Predator, the second book in the series, I can honestly say that I have not been this excited about a series for a long time. As fas as anticipation for 'the next book' goes, I can compare it to how I feel about MG Harris' Joshua Files series and how I felt about the Percy Jackson books. And with Alex Scarrow having signed a nine book deal with Puffin I am looking forward to reliving this feeling a good number of times over the next few years. If he can maintain the quality over the whole series then Alex Scarrow will become as widely read as Riordan, Horowitz and Higson.

In the first book in the series we saw the recruitment of the TimeRiders team, three young people plucked from the jaws of death by the mysterious Foster. The story then saw our young heroes battling to reset time after a group of men travel back in time in order to change it, as they feel their 2066 world has become ruined by over-population, pollution and religious conflict. Their solution? Help Adolf Hitler to win the Second World War. This book encouraged the reader to question the morality of the actions of these men - if making a change in history will make the future world a better place then should this be seen as ethically acceptable? For me this was a stand out element of the first book, although in some ways it did overshadow some of the character development.

Day of the Predators is a very different set up. This time our heroes are tasked with going forward in time to prevent the assassination of a boy who will eventually develop the mathematical theories that will become the cornerstone of time travel development. However, as the result of an accident Liam O'Connor, the team's field agent, his genetically engineered 'bodyguard', and a school party of teenagers find themselves stranded sixty-five million years in the past, at a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and Liam has to be constantly reminded that every single action, however small, could have a disastrous effect on the future time line.

This is not a new concept in literature; I first read something similar in a comic strip many years ago (I think it was an epidode of Tharg's Future Shocks in 2000AD), and then later in Ray Bradbury's short story "A Sound of Thunder", but Alex Scarrow is delivering it to a totally new audience and in such a way that he will have these young adults hanging on his every word. In Day of the Predator Liam has to make some very difficult choices - if they stay and try to survive the consequences could damage the future, but then again so could their attempts to in some way send a message that the rest of the team will be able to retrieve in 2001, 65 million years later! All these questions and more will have readers constantly asking themselves "What if...?" and "but if they do that...?".

The nature of Liam's role in the team as field agent means that yet again his character is developed more than those of others. After all, it is Liam who is facing deadly predators in a world that is totally alien to that which he is used to. However, in the absence of Foster the role of team leader and chief strategist now falls on the relatively young shoulders of Maddy Carter. This is not a role that she takes on willingly, especially as she blames herself for the accident that has sent Liam hurtling back in time, and she is plagued with self-doubt. However, as the plot develops we also see Maddy gradually settling into this key role, making decisions that could impact not only on Liam's life but also on the lives of generations to come. We also see her agonising over the secrets she holds from the others, information that was imparted to her by Foster before he walked out of their lives at the end of the first book. Sal Vikram, the third member of the team, is still relegated to third place, with her role being largely a supporting one, with occasional flashes of briliance. Hopefully we will see more from Sal in the future.

The fourth character in the book is Bob, or Becks as he/she/it becomes in Day of the Predator. Bob's AI chip, rescued from its organic 'meat robot' form, is now inserted into the brain of a freshly 'grown' body, in order that Liam has a companion in his travels through time. The relationship between Liam and the newly formed Becks is a confusing one for the young Irish lad, and this confusion in his mind grows as together they face the dangers of Cretaceous USA. Becks also has to deal with the competing issues of her programmed Mission Priorities and her realisation that she is slowly developing traits that could almost be described as human. Should she proceed with the mission recommendations that her central processor is computing, or should she make allowances for the fact that she has cpmputed that she 'likes' Liam?

In reviews for books like this there are many cliched phrases uses, phrases such as "high octane", "nail-biting" and "a real page-turner". Howeer, I guarantee that every single one of these phrases, cliched though they may be, is entirely justified in any review about this book. If you have boys who are 12+ and are reluctant readers then buy them these two books before you go on holiday this summer, 'accidentally' leave the charger for their PSP/Nintendo DS/etc at home and maybe, just maybe, these could be the books to convert them to reading for enjoyment. If these books don't manage to get boys reading then there is little else that will.(less)

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Nov 13, 2011 Jonathan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-literature, science-fiction

Day of the Predator was...good but not as good as the first TimeRiders novel. It had action but it didn't have the same kick to it as the other novel. However it looks like the next two books pick up that action again...

Now to discuss briefly my thoughts on time travel.

I have come up with the belief that time travel back in time is impossible. Because time travel back in time is a circular action. If you go back in time you inevitably change something - which changes the future you were already...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Michelle Madow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, science-fiction, time-travel

I loved the first book in the Time Riders series, and the second was even better! The thing that sticks out to me in these books is how well-researched they are. When dealing with advanced scientific technology and historic details, a lot of research is needed, and Scarrow has clearly spent a lot of time making sure to get the facts straight. Not only does he get them straight, but he explains the science in a way that the average teen will understand what's going on, while also managing to not...more I loved the first book in the Time Riders series, and the second was even better! The thing that sticks out to me in these books is how well-researched they are. When dealing with advanced scientific technology and historic details, a lot of research is needed, and Scarrow has clearly spent a lot of time making sure to get the facts straight. Not only does he get them straight, but he explains the science in a way that the average teen will understand what's going on, while also managing to not "talk down" to his readers.

Along with the science of the time travel being interesting, this book was action packed and perfectly paced! I kept turning the pages because I needed to know what was going to happen next. There was never a dull moment. I especially loved seeing how what happened in the past affected the present.

Along with being incredibly creative and attuned to the scientific details of the story, Alex Scarrow is a magnificent writer. Some of the scenes were brilliantly done, such as the ones from Broken Claw's perspective (I imagine it must be difficult to get inside the mind of a primitive lizardy caveman creature!), and the scene where he showed the progression of time and how certain objects made it from the Cretaceous Era to the present. Scenes like those make this book even more unique than it already is, and also made me think about time and evolution and all that fun stuff.

I love the characters as well. Liam is such a good-hearted boy, and Maddy is smart and on her toes. I wish I knew more about Sal, but I'm trusting that we'll learn more about her as the series progresses. Scarrow also does a great job making their support unit -- who takes on a new identity in Day of the Predator -- a character that I connected with, too. Lastly, there was something dropped at the end that caught me totally by surprise! I'm not going to give it away, but it was a great twist :)

If you're a fan of time travel stories, then Time Riders is a must read! I can't wait to see what new adventures await the Time Riders as the series continues.(less)

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Jan 09, 2012 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, 2012-young-adult

This book was decent. It continued to follow the time travelling teens while providing more insight into the creation/history of time travel. Overall, I think it would be more plausible if the heroes of the book were adults as opposed to 13-18 year olds but understanding this is a YA novel, its expected the heroes be younger. it makes it a bit harder to believe. There are a few problems with continuity in this novel regarding time paradoxs (such as mentioned in Back to the Future- can you meet y...more

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May 07, 2012 Robin Carter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I have been a fan of Alex's work for some time now, and have started with his adult thrillers all of which I have enjoyed immensely.
When I heard that he was going to do a children's series I thought "I'm not a Teen I don't read YA books" and I have always stuck
With the principle that I don't Read YA books. But something made me break that rule, I suppose its his skill at writing characters!

Anyway, I read TR1 and loved it and thought, yup this is good, but is it a flash in the pan? NO TR2 has sho...more

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Jul 03, 2012 George Lester rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: influences

The second in Alex Scarrows epic TimeRiders saga is just as exciting as the first, if not more so. A great book brimming with historical fact and fiction, action and adventure, gripping throughout.

While the omnipotent-all-knowing-God-like narration is something to get used to, leaving very few stones unturned, he still manages to keep me hooked as a reader with sparkling imagery and occasional moments of light, breezy humour. The description of areas are so vivid and real that you are practicall...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Bluemoon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, ebook-library

3.5

I actually like this a lot better than the first book which is weird because I didn't expect to. So its basically a similar story as the first book. Maddy, Sal and Liam must save the world from those who wants to change the past/future.

I guess the one thing that I liked more about this book was the time setting. Common it was Dinosaurs! I would have been jumping up and down if I was stuck in that situation, but then I would also be totally freaked out. I also pretty much like the weird ending...more

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May 21, 2013 Erik added it · review of another edition

UPDATE: Trojka vyjde na Slovensku na jeseň, taký november :)

Okej, tie posledné strany, to bolo niečo, a docvakujú mi postupne také niektoré veci, že sám neviem, čo ma bude ešte čakť v dalsich dieloch, paneboze a to ich ma byt este 7!!! Panenka skákavá!

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Dec 12, 2011 elean rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Precisamente quando se perguntavam se realmente existiriam mais pessoas para além deles na agência dos TimeRiders, Liam, Maddy e Sal recebem uma mensagem do Futuro, dizendo que Edward Chan, o criador da tese que possibilitará as viagens no tempo, foi morto. No entanto, quando Liam e a nova unidade de apoio vão tentar corrigir a história, vêm-se presos no tempo dos Dinossauros... onde um temível predador os vigia.

**

demasiados momentos assim
Este novo livro da série é ainda melhor, em todos os aspe...more Precisamente quando se perguntavam se realmente existiriam mais pessoas para além deles na agência dos TimeRiders, Liam, Maddy e Sal recebem uma mensagem do Futuro, dizendo que Edward Chan, o criador da tese que possibilitará as viagens no tempo, foi morto. No entanto, quando Liam e a nova unidade de apoio vão tentar corrigir a história, vêm-se presos no tempo dos Dinossauros... onde um temível predador os vigia.

**

demasiados momentos assim
Este novo livro da série é ainda melhor, em todos os aspectos, que o outro. E esse em todos os aspectos significa mais chocante, mais cómico, mais... aterrorizante. Esse Predador é uma ideia bem explorada, tanto que eu bem podia estar lá no meio disso como a ler o livro, que não fazia diferença nenhuma.
Ora, há mortes - muitas mortes -, há desenvolvimento da unidade de apoio, ou seja, está mais humana que no livro anterior, há segredos desvendados, há mais coisas que são Spoiler! Spoiler!... Ai que eu daqui a nada estou a contar o livro todo.

Também há um cheirinho a romance, embora só duma das partes e não admitido. A Maddy e a Sal, coitadas, andam sempre para lá sozinhas e conseguiram ainda demonstrar, verbalmente, as kick-ass que são e que na unidade de apoio é mostrada fisicamente. Cada uma das novas personagens representa uma característica diferente, ou seja, nos termos de personalidade, são todas iguais mas ao mesmo tempo todas diferentes. O Liam já começa a ter as tais marcas das viagens no tempo (e ligado a isso está uma coisa demasiado estranhamente estranha).

Apesar de me ter arrastado durante uns cinco dias a ler as últimas cem páginas, só vos digo (e com «vos» pretendo dizer quem se der ao trabalho de ler isto) que estou em pulgas - não no sentido literal da coisa - para ler o próximo, e diabos que eu tenho de ler o monte de livros em lista de espera antes de ficar com a dita do tamanho de sei lá eu o quê.

Portanto, é um bom horripilante livro - isto dá pesadelos aos mais fraquinhos nestes termos, ou serei só eu? -, com bom desenvolvimento de personagens. Só não gostei das novas personagens secundárias que me pareceram que estavam lá [Spoiler] para dizer que o autor sabe matar personagens [Fim de Spoiler].(less)

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Sep 20, 2012 Abbe added it

Shelves: in-library

SUMMARY:
Liam O'Connor should have died at sea in 1912. Maddy Carter should have died on a plane in 2010. Sal Vikram should have died in a fire in 2029. But all three have been given a second chance to work for an agency that no-one knows exists. Its purpose - to prevent time travel destroying history . . . When Maddy mistakenly opens a time window where and when she shouldn't have, Liam is marooned sixty-five million years ago in the hunting ground of a deadly - and until now - undiscovered spec

...more

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Apr 28, 2013 Jason rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, read-2013

3.5 Stars

Day of the Predator, book 2 in the TimeRiders series is a quick and fun read. This adventure has way less time travel and back and forth then the first, but it does have....dinosaurs. This book is a far simpler book, than the first. We get only a very small amount of additional character backstory and world building. The POV's only really flop between Liam and the crew at present day.

This story is about an accident that causes our team to travel way back to dinosaur time. What changes c...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Pari {Ridhee} rated it 4 of 5 stars

Um....lets see...The book was a book with teenagers running around in time. Ok fine. The storyline was, like, in every book these three teenagers, Maddy, Sal and Liam would get into a tricky situation which they will get out of.

When, I first read the back of the book, I thought this is book is, like, in every book there will be one or the other adventure. I was tempted not to read the book. But, I continued, anyways, and I actually liked the book. The way these people end up in the past and the...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the original Timeriders so much that I was ready to love this one. It did not disappoint! I do miss Foster and hope that another kid is recruited in the next book, but loved how Maddy and Sal are learning more and more and taking the reader along for the ride. I do like time-travel stories, and these are great for young and old readers alike. I am a 66 year old grandmother of 6 and also an RN and a lawyer, and these Timerider books are fun and easy to read and a great escape too - like...more

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Aug 16, 2010 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-for-review

Time Riders: Day of the Predator is Alex Scarrow’s second action-packed time travel adventure. This time around Liam, Maddy and Sal receive an incomplete communication from the future detailing a contamination event. Time has been rewritten and the message states that is appears to be a result of the assassination of Edward Chan. The team agree that Liam and the new support unit must use a portal to go back to the suspected point of Chan’s assassination and assess the situation. The mission does...more Time Riders: Day of the Predator is Alex Scarrow’s second action-packed time travel adventure. This time around Liam, Maddy and Sal receive an incomplete communication from the future detailing a contamination event. Time has been rewritten and the message states that is appears to be a result of the assassination of Edward Chan. The team agree that Liam and the new support unit must use a portal to go back to the suspected point of Chan’s assassination and assess the situation. The mission does not go to plan and as the title suggests poor Liam finds himself getting up close and personal with dinosaurs.

In this instalment there are many tantalising hints about the agency that recruited the team. Who are they? Will the team ever get to meet them? Or are they truly alone in battle to keep the true line of history unfolding? It is all very mysterious and keeps you constantly guessing.

Liam, Maddy and Sal all begin to show the qualities that made them stand out as perfect for their roles as the field office team. Liam is constantly thinking fast and outside of the box, using his intuition to make decisions. Maddy is thinking ahead in multiple moves like a chess player – every part the strategist. Sal is deciphering, monitoring, and fulfilling her duties as the team’s observer. Although it has to be said when time changes dramatically, she’d have to be an amoeba not to notice it.

As I was reading Day of the Predator, I felt like I was getting lots of glimmers of the future of the series. It was so exciting and also rather frustrating because I couldn’t help but want those secrets to be revealed now! The last twist in the book didn’t come as a surprise for me, Scarrow had given many hints in the first book for this but it did leave me with so many questions: How? Why? When? I know this is cryptic but you will have to read it if you want to know more. The next stop for Time Riders is Robin Hood. I am so so crazy to read it but it isn’t out until February 2011. I really hope there is a kick-butt Maid Marion!

Day of the Predator is a rip-roaring adventure. As the reader, you have to hold on tight as you are thrown out through the time portal and into new worlds and have to get your head around the huge concept that is time travel. I really love that this series explores really big questions surrounding our humanity, our rights, our freedoms and conspiracy theories. It is quite fascinating and mind-blowing if you let yourself think about it too much. But above all, this is just a huge ride on the wild side. Pure imaginative fun!
(less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Ishani rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved it.....
Just like its predecessor the book had that suspense, that drama, that adventure again.
The whole idea behind timeriders is very appealing. People travel back to time, or forward in time, the world history is changed and the only safe place is the timeriders HQ.
Its totally, jahully unique. It's a stroke of a genius.
Although at some points you may find that the book is a bit of a drag since there is too much tension in the HQ and in the other time. I mean who likes just so many th...more

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May 21, 2012 Allyseria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourite-books

When I first read the series, I thought, "Great book! Can't wait to read the next!" Then I read this book and I was blown away by by it. It is such a great book - it's like you really went back in time.

You start to develop a connection with the characters - especially Liam and Becks (previously was Bob).

The way the creatures think is amazing - it really makes you think about their perspective.

Alex Scarrow is an amazing writer - I've read all the series and waiting to read the latest one. I wo...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Sean Randall rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this story a great deal, and almost lived it vicariously through some imagined early or preteen version of myself. I had, of course, worked out what appears so out-of-the-blue right at the end of the book: but would I have, when I was ten? Eleven? Twelve? probably not. The impact that might have been, as it were. I still got a lot out of reading it and am enjoying the series, although they cannot, of course, compete on an intellectual level with material aimed at older people they are...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Lyrical rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are a few books for which I refuse to read the blurb. I don’t want to be in any way prepared for what’s going to happen within the pages, I want to enjoy the full effect of the mystery and often the terror that lurks within. On the second book, the TimeRiders series has entered that list of books and that list also has another accolade: they are the most gripping, well told stories I have, do or ever will read.

Many sequels just plod along in the same ilk as their predecessors, the characte...more There are a few books for which I refuse to read the blurb. I don’t want to be in any way prepared for what’s going to happen within the pages, I want to enjoy the full effect of the mystery and often the terror that lurks within. On the second book, the TimeRiders series has entered that list of books and that list also has another accolade: they are the most gripping, well told stories I have, do or ever will read.

Many sequels just plod along in the same ilk as their predecessors, the characters doing the same kind of things with the same kind of bad guys and the same kind of situations. After loving the first TimeRiders books I am so pleased to find that book 2 has done exactly what I crave in a sequel: something completely different! The kids are on their own now, stuck in their two day time bubble without a clue as to what will happen next – and that is just how I felt as a reader, I was nervous too, scared, my imagination pitching me all manner of horrific world-ending scenarios. So clever was it of Alex Scarrow, then, to throw his readers into a world-beginning scenario, or at least the first cycle of evolution on the planet. I think, whereas book 1 is about what happens when you mess with time, Day of the Predator takes you on a journey to try to comprehend the massiveness of Earth’s history, the massiveness of time itself and how arrogant humans are to think they know even the tiniest part of it. It’s genius to create an “enemy” in a species that has no record on Earth. I’ve recently been watching a load of dinosaur documentaries on the BBC, and in the last decade alone there have been dozens of new discoveries. It is probably quite likely that if you were to be transported millions of years into the past, almost every species you came across would be unknown to humans. It just gives you a real sense of what we don’t know and that is terrifying and a brilliant premise to a gripping story.

I am fairly rapidly coming to the conclusion that Alex Scarrow is some kind of story-telling genius, he taps into our greatest fears as humans, the unknown, and then he thinks of everything – every situation, every outcome, every potential time contaminant – and puts it on a plate for you to chew over. He must be a very philosophical person and he’s certainly turned me into a philosopher – never do I ask so many “what if” questions then when I’m reading a TimeRiders book. And it’s not just the big details it’s the little ones that really plug the holes in your suspension of disbelief, like using significant dates in history to cover up potential time contamination: only ever do something risky if you know there is going to be an earthquake later that day that will destroy all records and everyone you spoke to. It introduces some really interesting human moments amongst the action with moral dilemmas and wonderfully subtle characters development, the testing and building of relationships.

The author thinking of everything is a real asset to these stories, giving them a frightening level of realism, and exploring the fact that we know nothing makes for a fantastic sequel. Terrifying, gripping, touching, amazing.

Lyrical Reviews
@LyricalReviews
Goodreads Group: No Dark Romance Allowed (less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Kell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

Time travel, dinosaurs, and possibly unravelling the entire space-time continuum – what more could you possibly want from a young adult novel? Well, great characters (check!) and a gripping plot (check would also be good. Ding, ding, ding – we have a winner! This is a brilliant sequel which expands upon what we learned in the first novel and makes some intriguing revelations (one important one I had already guessed back in the first book, but I felt quietly proud that I’d worked it out and it di...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Georgie R rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Teen Sci-fi fans

Plot: Liam O'Connor should have died at sea in 1912.
Maddy Carter should have died on a plane in 2010.
Sal Vikram should have died in a fire in 2026.
But all three have been given a second chance - to work for an agency that no one knows exists. It's purpose: to prevent time travel from destroying history...
When Maddy mistakenly opens a time window where and when she shouldn't have, Liam is marooned sixty-fire million years in the past in the hunting ground of a deadly - and until now - undiscovere...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Willinda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own, rc, read-in-czech, absolutely-amazing, favorites, read-in-2012

Jejich tempo je nadčasové, jejich protivníci jsou lidé z budoucnosti, tajní vládní agenti a momentálně i dinosauři. Agenti zabývající se cestováním časem neustále hlídají případné časové smyčky. Jejich úkolem je chránit náš čas…

Predátoři jsou již druhou knihou o Liamovi, Maddy a Sal, které těsně před smrtí naverbovala tajná agentura. Ta se stará o to, aby se všechno stalo tak, jak má. Snaží se zabránit, aby se někdo nerozhodl udělat si dovolenou s různými časovými zastávkami a neměnil si událost...more Jejich tempo je nadčasové, jejich protivníci jsou lidé z budoucnosti, tajní vládní agenti a momentálně i dinosauři. Agenti zabývající se cestováním časem neustále hlídají případné časové smyčky. Jejich úkolem je chránit náš čas…

Predátoři jsou již druhou knihou o Liamovi, Maddy a Sal, které těsně před smrtí naverbovala tajná agentura. Ta se stará o to, aby se všechno stalo tak, jak má. Snaží se zabránit, aby se někdo nerozhodl udělat si dovolenou s různými časovými zastávkami a neměnil si události podle svého gusta.
Když tedy přijde do pobočky zpráva, že brzy dojde k narušení časové linie, Liam neváhá a s robotickou podpůrnou jednotkou se vydává do roku 2015, aby zajistil, že se nic nepřihodí chlapci, který se má stát zakladatelem cestování v čase. Díky Maddy se jejich rychlý návrat ale nekoná. Po velkém zmatku a výbuchu reaktoru uvízne Liam, podpůrná jednotka a třída středoškoláků v období pozdní křídy, tedy někdy před šedesáti pěti milióny lety. Před nimi je teď závažný problém: jak se dostat domů, aniž by nenarušili budoucnost?

V Predátorech je ještě o dost jasnější, že kniha je určena mladším čtenářům. Objevuje se v podstatě stejná dějová linie: Liam uvízne v jiné době, snaží se odtamtud dostat, něco při tom pokazí a změní tím běh času. Jakmile se vrátí, musí ještě všechno napravit a konec.
To by vlastně ani tolik nevadilo, protože když si oblíbíte jeden příběh, rádi si občas přečtete i něco podobného. Horší je naivita hrdinů, kteří prostě dělají to, co jim bylo řečeno, aniž by věděli, kdo je vlastně ona tajemná agentura, která jim uděluje úkoly. Oni vlastně vůbec nic neví, ale stejně to dělají. Navenek to sice vypadá, že se o agentuře a jejich poslání snaží něco vypátrat, ale ve skutečnosti nevyvíjejí žádnou aktivitu.

Když se ale na to podíváme z jiného pohledu, většině čtenářů může být agentura úplně ukradená a půjde jim pouze o to, kam je autor tentokrát vezme a jak zvládne přeskakování z jedné doby do druhé. Již podle názvu lze odhadnout, na jak velký výlet se Liam vydává, ale co je tam čeká? Tak to by si tipnul opravdu málokdo! Scarrow totiž rozhodně neztratil nadání vytvořit zajímavou podobu dějin a přináší jedno překvapení za druhým. A jejich popis? Nemohl být lepší!

Přestože je hlavní trojka, potažmo čtyřka, když k nim budeme počítat i podpůrnou jednotku, jako stádo ovcí a neustále poslouchá rozkazy od tajemné agentury, mají i vlastnosti, které si lehko oblíbíte: Maddyinu snahu udržet všechno v pořádku, Salino odhodlání nic nevzdávat, Liamovu odvahu zachránit všechno, co se dá. U čeho se člověk dobře pobaví, jsou pokusy o vtípky podpůrné jednotky. Jako robot nemá přirozený smysl pro humor, jeho vtípky jsou proto pro nás někdy skoro až nelogické a trapné. Jenže jeho odhodlání dokázat vymyslet pořádný vtip je tak strašně velké, že ho zkrátka nechcete zklamat a zasmějete se tak alespoň ze zdvořilosti.

Pokud nepatříte do věkové kategorie, které je kniha určena, pravděpodobně jste si už při čtení prvního dílu říkali, že to není tak úplně pro vás. Líbila se vám, ale zkrátka bylo jasné, že je pro mladší. A přestože u Predátorů je to ještě znatelnější, rozhodně je tento díl o poznání lepší než předchozí: propracovanější, dokonalejší. I jeho čtivost se o dost zvýšila a máte zaručeno, že po poslední stránce budete okamžitě dychtit po pokračování.(less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Petra Sýkorová rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rc-review, czech, young-adult, time-travel

Tématiku cestování časem mám v knihách moc ráda. Je zvláštní, že jsem jich tolik ještě nečetla, přitom mě tento žánr fascinuje. No jen řekněte, komu by se nelíbilo podívat se na některé významné historické události. Anebo zjistit, jak bude váš život vypadat za takových deset let. Já bych zvědavá určitě byla. Samozřejmě s velkou silou, přichází i velká zodpovědnost, jak kdysi zaznělo v jednom filmu. A i malinkatá věc změněná v minulosti může mít velký dopad na přítomnost i budoucnost. A to mě mír...more Tématiku cestování časem mám v knihách moc ráda. Je zvláštní, že jsem jich tolik ještě nečetla, přitom mě tento žánr fascinuje. No jen řekněte, komu by se nelíbilo podívat se na některé významné historické události. Anebo zjistit, jak bude váš život vypadat za takových deset let. Já bych zvědavá určitě byla. Samozřejmě s velkou silou, přichází i velká zodpovědnost, jak kdysi zaznělo v jednom filmu. A i malinkatá věc změněná v minulosti může mít velký dopad na přítomnost i budoucnost. A to mě mírně děsí. Právě na této problematice postavil Alex Scarrow své knihy. Cestování v čase sice může být velké dobrodružství, ale co se stane, když někdo něco v minulosti úmyslně změní a budoucnost už nikdy nebude stejná?

Alex Scarrow má bouřlivější život, než bývá zvykem. Říká o sobě, že spolu se svou ženou Frances a synem Jacobem vedou nomádský život. Momentálně žijí v Norwichi. Po vysoké škole se deset let věnoval hledání hvězd hudebního průmyslu a dalších 12 let si zařádil v počítačové branži a to jako grafik, později také počítačové hry navrhoval. Má na svém kontě takové hry jako Waterworld, Evolva, The Thing, Spartan, Gates of Troy, či Legion Arena. Později se stal spisovatelem a kromě úspěšných thrillerů a několika scénářů se proslavil také svými knihami pro mládež, v nichž plně využil svou představivost a rozsáhlé nápady. Alex je bratrem oblíbeného spisovatele Simona Scarrowa, jehož historické knihy se dočkaly také českého překladu.

Liam, Maddy a Sal se stali jedinými členy tajné agentury, která má zabránit nepříznivým změnám minulosti. Ještě se pořádně nerozkoukali po svém vůbec prvním úkolu a už se na ně žene další. Jako by nestačilo, že minulý případ je pomalu stál život i celou pobočku, už mají řešit další velice vážný problém. Někdo se totiž rozhodl napravit to, co považuje za škodu budoucnosti. Chce zabít důležitého člověka…

Sal se musí postarat o novou podpůrnou jednotku, která s Liamem vyrazí do budoucnosti. Maddy muzí zjistit co nejvíce informací o dané změně… no a Liam se opět připravuje na časový skok. Jak už to tak bývá, ne všechno dopadne úplně stoprocentně. Liam se tak ocitá daleko v minulosti, v době kdy naši Zemi obývala naprosto jiná stvoření. Dinosauři. Jenže v pozdní křídě se nenachází jen Liam, nýbrž i skupinka vyděšených studentů.

Líbí se mi styl, jakým je kniha psána. Je z ní poznat, že ji psal chlap. Proto vítám, když mužské autory překládají muži. Znáte to, přece jenom dozajista ví, co tím oním textem chtěl autor říci a nevymýšlí si hlouposti. Což se občas stává, věřte mi. Český překlad se mi líbil, možná se tu a tam objevilo slůvko, které nebylo stoprocentní, ale momentálně si žádné nevybavím. Text si zachoval spád, akčnost i jistý druh reálnosti.

Myslím, že jste už z úvodu pochopili, jak moc mám ráda otázku cestování v čase. Dokážu si představit, že někdy někdo v daleké budoucnoti – buďme realisti – vymyslí stroj času. Jen doufám, že ho budou držet pod zámkem, aby ho nezneužil nikdo nepovolaný. Víme, jací lidé jsou, že. Každopádně zpět ke knize. Tu jsem si užila od začátku do konce. Ačkoliv jsem po prvním díle věděla, do čeho jdu, Alex mě svým příběhem naprosto ohromil.

Liama mám nejradši. Nejspíš je to tím, že je v některých věcech dost staromódní, což je pochopitelné. Celkově i toho dobrodružství zažije nejvíc a nese to dost statečně. Mé sympatie k Maddy a Sal jsou nejspíš na stejné úrovni. Kupodivu mě častokrát rozesmívá Bob.

Jezdci časem je úžasná série. Užijí si ji jak kluci, tak holky, všechny věkové kategorie. V současné době je v zahraničí k dostání šest dílů, sedmého se fanoušci dočkají příští rok. Alex dokáže přejít z jednoho světa do druhého tak plynně, že stejně jako hlavní postavy nebudete vědět, na čem jste a co vás čeká dál.

Predátoři zahráli na mou citlivější strunu, jelikož mám už od dětství dobu dinosaurů velice ráda. Ne, že bych se v té době chtěla ocitnout. Nejspíš bych nepřežila ani den. Každopádně jde o skvělou knížku, která si zaslouží plných 5 hvězdiček. Jen mě mrzí, že se v češtině nejspíš dalších dílů nedokčáme. Je to veliká škoda, protože jde o kvalitnější počtení pro dospívající.

-------------Reakce po dočtení knihy-------------
Úžasná kniha.(less)

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Nov 04, 2011 Hina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, borrowed, goodreads-authors, could-have-been-better, hina-s-reviews, read-in-2011, that-oh-my-god-it-s-a-cliffhanger-e

Day of The Predator was the type of book that was good, but didn't 'wow' me. Yes, I did enjoy it and think it was a good piece of literature, but not one of those books which keep you gripped and want you to read more. Since this book contained dinosaurs in them, it should have done that.

Maddy, Liam and Sal had been recruited by a special agency in during different points in time to help and stop people meddling with time travel. One day, they received a distress code sent from sometime in the...more

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Sep 25, 2010 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Liam, Maddy and Sal all should have died, but just minutes before death they were taken into a different destiny, one in which they time travel to save the world. Liam goes on a mission to stop the assassination of someone important to the future, but something happens and they all get thrown back to the dinosaur era. As they race against time to get back to the future, they come up against something they never could have imagined...

This was a review book, so I'd not heard anything of this serie...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Angelyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

It was totally different from the first one. I don't really know what were my expectations. There was a lot of action. And there were many characters. I'd say a bit too many. But I did enjoy the book.
My only problem is that I have questions about the plot, the characters, the background. And no answers...
If Liam, Maddy and Sal go back and forth between two days, shouldn't they have met themselves somewhere? They are always in the same place and time!

(view spoiler)...more

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Day of the Predator (TimeRiders #2)

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