What do you think?
Rate this book
Derivatives of Displacement #1
A Pair of Docks (Derivatives of Displacement) (Volume 1) Paperback – December 8, 2013
Excellent Book
Paperback
First published December 9, 2013
15 people are currently reading
830 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Ellis
15 books102 followersJennifer lives in the mountains of Canada where she can be found writing, hiking, skiing, borrowing dogs, and evading bears. She also works occasionally as an environmental researcher.
Jennifer writes science fiction, romance and dystopian fiction for children and adults, including Apocalypse Weird: Reversal in Wonderment Media's Apocalypse Weird world and A Pair of Docks, which was a bestseller in children's time travel fiction. She has also contributed to several anthologies, most notably Synchronic: 13 Tales of Time Travel, which hit #16 in the Kindle Store.
She may or may not have a Ph.D. and dabble in tarot card reading and cat sitting. You can subscribe to her blog for the latest book news and industry insights at www.jenniferellis.ca. She tweets about writing, cats, and teenagers at @jenniferlellis.
Author Photo by Carmen Adams, Fresh Photo.
Jennifer writes science fiction, romance and dystopian fiction for children and adults, including Apocalypse Weird: Reversal in Wonderment Media's Apocalypse Weird world and A Pair of Docks, which was a bestseller in children's time travel fiction. She has also contributed to several anthologies, most notably Synchronic: 13 Tales of Time Travel, which hit #16 in the Kindle Store.
She may or may not have a Ph.D. and dabble in tarot card reading and cat sitting. You can subscribe to her blog for the latest book news and industry insights at www.jenniferellis.ca. She tweets about writing, cats, and teenagers at @jenniferlellis.
Author Photo by Carmen Adams, Fresh Photo.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
April 29, 2015
Abbey Sinclair is no ordinary teenaged girl. This 14 year-old genius has an IQ of 165 (yikes!) and her brain thinks in terms of equations, probabilities, statistics, and scientific truths. But when she and her brothers discover a portal to parallel universes crossing the boundaries of space and time, all that she has learned about the Derivatives of Displacement will be challenged as science and witchcraft collide in this fantastic thriller.
Jennifer Ellis wastes no time diving into the action. When Abbey’s older brother Simon mysteriously disappears in the forest, she and her gregarious twin Caleb stumble upon magical stones which transport them to the future where Simon is a famous computer tech genius. This is just the beginning of a wonderfully complex story that will see the threesome cross into a number of other worlds as well as the ominous “Nowhere”.
As the Sinclair children navigate through these worlds and try to understand how the stones work, they soon learn that there are others who know of the stones. First, there is the mysterious and powerful “Mantis” whose emails to “Flykid” (hacked by Simon) hint at a sinister plan that will place one of the Sinclair children in danger. The Sinclair’s next-door neighbors, Mrs. Forrester and her son Mark (who falls within the spectrum of autism, Asperger Syndrome), also know of the stones and are prepared to intervene to protect the future. The children discover Dr. Ford who is also deeply embroiled in the mystery of the stones but who has his own agenda. Even future Caleb figures into how events unfold. The character development in this story is absolutely stellar with hints dropped strategically by Ellis to keep the reader guessing as to each character’s motivation. Kudos to the author for how Asperger’s was depicted with compassion in the story.
Some books transport me to my inner geeky 12 year old. That 12 year old who wanted more than just fairies, princesses, mysteries, and magic. That 12 year old who wanted to be challenged by a complex plot exploring ideas that are highly conceptual but are nonetheless plausible; where scientific theory collides with the supernatural or metaphysical; and which features richly developed characters who create dissonance as both good and evil co-exist within their psyches. A Pair of Docks is such a book. Look at the title. I mean, really look. Say it out loud a few times. So, so clever – as is this marvelous book!
My Bottom Line:
A Pair of Docks by Jennifer Ellis is a thrilling page-turner that features a fusion of science fiction and fantasy genres. The writing is absolutely stellar; the character development is rich; and the plot twists and turns keep the reader guessing until the end, which features a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more. I highly recommend this fantastic book to children looking for a more intricate plot, ages 10+.
* I received this book free-of-charge from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.
Jennifer Ellis wastes no time diving into the action. When Abbey’s older brother Simon mysteriously disappears in the forest, she and her gregarious twin Caleb stumble upon magical stones which transport them to the future where Simon is a famous computer tech genius. This is just the beginning of a wonderfully complex story that will see the threesome cross into a number of other worlds as well as the ominous “Nowhere”.
As the Sinclair children navigate through these worlds and try to understand how the stones work, they soon learn that there are others who know of the stones. First, there is the mysterious and powerful “Mantis” whose emails to “Flykid” (hacked by Simon) hint at a sinister plan that will place one of the Sinclair children in danger. The Sinclair’s next-door neighbors, Mrs. Forrester and her son Mark (who falls within the spectrum of autism, Asperger Syndrome), also know of the stones and are prepared to intervene to protect the future. The children discover Dr. Ford who is also deeply embroiled in the mystery of the stones but who has his own agenda. Even future Caleb figures into how events unfold. The character development in this story is absolutely stellar with hints dropped strategically by Ellis to keep the reader guessing as to each character’s motivation. Kudos to the author for how Asperger’s was depicted with compassion in the story.
Some books transport me to my inner geeky 12 year old. That 12 year old who wanted more than just fairies, princesses, mysteries, and magic. That 12 year old who wanted to be challenged by a complex plot exploring ideas that are highly conceptual but are nonetheless plausible; where scientific theory collides with the supernatural or metaphysical; and which features richly developed characters who create dissonance as both good and evil co-exist within their psyches. A Pair of Docks is such a book. Look at the title. I mean, really look. Say it out loud a few times. So, so clever – as is this marvelous book!
My Bottom Line:
A Pair of Docks by Jennifer Ellis is a thrilling page-turner that features a fusion of science fiction and fantasy genres. The writing is absolutely stellar; the character development is rich; and the plot twists and turns keep the reader guessing until the end, which features a cliffhanger that will leave you wanting more. I highly recommend this fantastic book to children looking for a more intricate plot, ages 10+.
* I received this book free-of-charge from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 1, 2014
Sometimes when I’m reading I am torn between what I think and what would my 14 year-old self think. This is one of those books. My adult self is pleased to find a book that is full of both correct and well-imagined science, an enthusiastic young female scientist, and a great and unusual adventure. I wonder how 12 year olds will react to Mark, who plays an important role and is delightfully displayed with all his autistic quirks and fixations. I think my 14 year-old self will be wrapped up in the book, irritated by too much detail, but identify with Abbey for most of the time. Simon and Caleb, her brothers, are cool and well characterised, her mum and dad are largely absent due to her mum fighting an election campaign (there’s a twist on the dead parent syndrome) – so absent that when her mum referred to Peter I had no idea she meant her husband for a few paragraphs.
The detail involved in the descriptions of the first two time travel trips irritated me since it left little room for the imagination, although to me the ‘where’ was obvious. I loved the whole premise of the stones until it came to the witchcraft element, which I felt jarred with the scientific aspect of Abbey’s story. I can see that the author is building this up for the next in the series, but I would rather she had found another way of dealing with the gathering conflict than falling back on the trope of destiny and birthright. However the excitement of the adventure, the originality of the time travel methods, and the twists and turns involving different timelines as well as mysterious characters makes the story fascinating and compelling.
I think this book will find a big audience among boys and girls who enjoy science and want a bright hero or heroine – years ahead of her class but still coping in a regular school. It will also find an audience among the many adults who enjoy clean time travel books, not least because of the mystery and misdirection involved with some of the terminology.
I’m struggling to decide whether this book is good or great. Since I’m not sure, it’ll have to get 4 stars rather than 5, but I'd like to give it 4.5.
The detail involved in the descriptions of the first two time travel trips irritated me since it left little room for the imagination, although to me the ‘where’ was obvious. I loved the whole premise of the stones until it came to the witchcraft element, which I felt jarred with the scientific aspect of Abbey’s story. I can see that the author is building this up for the next in the series, but I would rather she had found another way of dealing with the gathering conflict than falling back on the trope of destiny and birthright. However the excitement of the adventure, the originality of the time travel methods, and the twists and turns involving different timelines as well as mysterious characters makes the story fascinating and compelling.
I think this book will find a big audience among boys and girls who enjoy science and want a bright hero or heroine – years ahead of her class but still coping in a regular school. It will also find an audience among the many adults who enjoy clean time travel books, not least because of the mystery and misdirection involved with some of the terminology.
I’m struggling to decide whether this book is good or great. Since I’m not sure, it’ll have to get 4 stars rather than 5, but I'd like to give it 4.5.
February 9, 2014
There are only a few reviews for this book and most of them start with "the author gave me a free copy of this book to review". The other reviews sound suspiciously like they are friends of the author :-).
Let me start by saying I don't know the author. I was definitely not given a free copy of the book by the author (I think my reviews are too honest to get books from authors :-P) so I guess I am independent. With that being said, each person is different so someone may love a book I don't. This is purely my honest view of the book.
I was actually given this book as a gift from a wonderful friend (Thanks Cherie!) who read the blurb and thought it was up my alley with the physics and the time travel. However, it was very hit and miss for me.
What worked?
*Love the premise. The actual story and idea is very clever and more importantly very novel. I did get to the end of the book and start to wonder about book 2 (where as the first half of the book all I could think about was when it would be over). If the author had just let the idea carry the book it would have been great - but we will get to that soon...
*Love the title. It is a really clever play on words that comes full circle in its meaning. Really loved it.
*It was a polished book in terms of typos etc. I think I only picked one towards the end.
What didn't work?
*The author tried too hard. It is that simple. There is LOTS and LOTS of telling (very little showing) and there are these random textbook definitions that BREAK the flow of the story of base level physics terms that are suppose to make you go "Oh wow. Abbey must be really smart because she is thinking about Newton's Laws of Motion" but in reality you whack your head against the table going SHOW, NOT TELL. All it really does is make the reader feel frustrated that the author has to be so bloody obvious - and on really obvious physics laws. I get the need to explain complex laws - but seriously if someone is reading the book who doesn't get inertia, then chucking in a definition is not going to help them. Subtlety. Be clever. Not in your face.
*Pretty much anything to do with Abbey. I hate to say it, but the author tried WAY too hard to make her seem intellectual that it just came out plain annoying. The author was way too obvious in the physics references and in places it basically read like someone was quoting random phrases from a senior school physics text that did NOT fit in with the sentence. I love physics. However, to me it was badly integrated into the story. It kept taking me out of the story. I will give you some examples to highlight how bad some of this was (there were a lot more - but I only started bookmarking them to try to divert myself from throwing the book:
"Abbey's legs felt link an undulating sine curve, not the slightest bit useful if they had to run"
""Sit down and strap yourself in, you nimrod, or your head will slam against the wall and I'll have to deliver your brains home to Mum." A body experiencing a force undergoes acceleration. Abbey almost giggled as Caleb decided to accelerate to his seat."
"He was so big, and he'd been beating the window the day before. He was a body at rest right now, but his potential energy was high".
"The digital numbers on her watch read 4:46" - why not just write "Her watch read 4:46"
"When the bus stopped, Simon didn't reach up fast enough and Mark flew forward and hit the seat ahead of them. A body in motion stays in motion."
Overall??
When the author was subtle (e.g., ALICE, Camel, Paradox) it was great and clever and enjoyable. When she inserted random definitions or explained the obvious then in just ruined any hope of me loving this book. So 3 stars it is. Lots of potential if the author can trust that the reader has a brain and will get the concepts (and if they don't and are interested then they will look them up themselves).
Let me start by saying I don't know the author. I was definitely not given a free copy of the book by the author (I think my reviews are too honest to get books from authors :-P) so I guess I am independent. With that being said, each person is different so someone may love a book I don't. This is purely my honest view of the book.
I was actually given this book as a gift from a wonderful friend (Thanks Cherie!) who read the blurb and thought it was up my alley with the physics and the time travel. However, it was very hit and miss for me.
What worked?
*Love the premise. The actual story and idea is very clever and more importantly very novel. I did get to the end of the book and start to wonder about book 2 (where as the first half of the book all I could think about was when it would be over). If the author had just let the idea carry the book it would have been great - but we will get to that soon...
*Love the title. It is a really clever play on words that comes full circle in its meaning. Really loved it.
*It was a polished book in terms of typos etc. I think I only picked one towards the end.
What didn't work?
*The author tried too hard. It is that simple. There is LOTS and LOTS of telling (very little showing) and there are these random textbook definitions that BREAK the flow of the story of base level physics terms that are suppose to make you go "Oh wow. Abbey must be really smart because she is thinking about Newton's Laws of Motion" but in reality you whack your head against the table going SHOW, NOT TELL. All it really does is make the reader feel frustrated that the author has to be so bloody obvious - and on really obvious physics laws. I get the need to explain complex laws - but seriously if someone is reading the book who doesn't get inertia, then chucking in a definition is not going to help them. Subtlety. Be clever. Not in your face.
*Pretty much anything to do with Abbey. I hate to say it, but the author tried WAY too hard to make her seem intellectual that it just came out plain annoying. The author was way too obvious in the physics references and in places it basically read like someone was quoting random phrases from a senior school physics text that did NOT fit in with the sentence. I love physics. However, to me it was badly integrated into the story. It kept taking me out of the story. I will give you some examples to highlight how bad some of this was (there were a lot more - but I only started bookmarking them to try to divert myself from throwing the book:
"Abbey's legs felt link an undulating sine curve, not the slightest bit useful if they had to run"
""Sit down and strap yourself in, you nimrod, or your head will slam against the wall and I'll have to deliver your brains home to Mum." A body experiencing a force undergoes acceleration. Abbey almost giggled as Caleb decided to accelerate to his seat."
"He was so big, and he'd been beating the window the day before. He was a body at rest right now, but his potential energy was high".
"The digital numbers on her watch read 4:46" - why not just write "Her watch read 4:46"
"When the bus stopped, Simon didn't reach up fast enough and Mark flew forward and hit the seat ahead of them. A body in motion stays in motion."
Overall??
When the author was subtle (e.g., ALICE, Camel, Paradox) it was great and clever and enjoyable. When she inserted random definitions or explained the obvious then in just ruined any hope of me loving this book. So 3 stars it is. Lots of potential if the author can trust that the reader has a brain and will get the concepts (and if they don't and are interested then they will look them up themselves).
October 16, 2018
This was a great paradox! What a great fast read and a way to travel time without war, blood, aliens or any paranormal type beings. I was very surprised with the way the writer wrote about this in and out of time book.
Abby, Simon and Caleb, the three main characters, are young teens. The story is a mystery/time travel story.
I would definitely recommend this book to a teen or adult that likes this genre.
Abby, Simon and Caleb, the three main characters, are young teens. The story is a mystery/time travel story.
I would definitely recommend this book to a teen or adult that likes this genre.
December 9, 2014
(I received a free e-book edition of this novel in exchange for a review. This does not in any way influence my opinion of this book. As a bookseller, it is important to me that my reviews are completely honest, as many of my customers have access to my reviews.)
"A Pair of Docks" is an excellent sci-fi read for ages 9 to 99! It is completely appropriate for children, containing no material or language that parents would object to, yet compelling to read as an adult. The story is well-written, with a great plot and cast of characters. I like that the narrator, 14-year-old Abbey Sinclair, is a strong young female.
Indeed, all of the children in the book, including Abbey's autistic neighbor Mark, are described in sufficient detail that I could identify somewhat with each of them. (It is their personality traits rather than their physical attributes that are so well-portrayed. For me, this is the most important aspect of a character.)
The adults in the novel are a bit of a mystery to the children, and are therefore equally so to the reader. As the novel progresses, the reader discovers more about them, but even at the end, it is difficult to know who among them can be trusted! That none of them understands the rules of traveling into potential futures demonstrates that adults don't always have all the answers.
The plot is extremely imaginative and quick paced. Combining physics and magic, it explores the possibility of alternate universes and theories of how time works. It brought me back to my days as a child reading Madeleine L'Engle's series beginning with "A Wrinkle in Time."
That I compare Jennifer Ellis with this well-known recipient of the John Newbery Medal is no coincidence. I believe that "A Pair of Docks" is equally worthy of such an honor.
"A Pair of Docks" is an excellent sci-fi read for ages 9 to 99! It is completely appropriate for children, containing no material or language that parents would object to, yet compelling to read as an adult. The story is well-written, with a great plot and cast of characters. I like that the narrator, 14-year-old Abbey Sinclair, is a strong young female.
Indeed, all of the children in the book, including Abbey's autistic neighbor Mark, are described in sufficient detail that I could identify somewhat with each of them. (It is their personality traits rather than their physical attributes that are so well-portrayed. For me, this is the most important aspect of a character.)
The adults in the novel are a bit of a mystery to the children, and are therefore equally so to the reader. As the novel progresses, the reader discovers more about them, but even at the end, it is difficult to know who among them can be trusted! That none of them understands the rules of traveling into potential futures demonstrates that adults don't always have all the answers.
The plot is extremely imaginative and quick paced. Combining physics and magic, it explores the possibility of alternate universes and theories of how time works. It brought me back to my days as a child reading Madeleine L'Engle's series beginning with "A Wrinkle in Time."
That I compare Jennifer Ellis with this well-known recipient of the John Newbery Medal is no coincidence. I believe that "A Pair of Docks" is equally worthy of such an honor.
December 28, 2015
This one is for young readers 9-12 who like mystery, magic and time travel.
A Pair of Docks is a time travel adventure centred around a group of kids (the Sinclair siblings) who stumble upon a magical portal, which leads them to an unimaginable place. That place just happens to be right where they started, but in a different time. The story is focussed on the main characters (the kids), with parents etc secondary to the main plot. Their mom is running for Mayor and her story is quietly told in the background, but she is still an important part of the overall story.
After Simon comes into possession of a mysterious email, it sets the Sinclair kids off on a mission to get to the bottom of its purpose. When a second email arrives, it clearly shows something fishy is going on, and there is no stopping their thirst to solve the mystery. They soon discover that a neighbour with autism, Mark, may hold the vital clue to the truth behind the portal. He definitely knows something, but knowing how to and who to share it with is one of the challenges tackled in the plot.
Abbey (Simon’s sister) is a highly intelligent girl who constantly thinks in snippets of scientific information. IMO, anyone who really has such highly technical thoughts for every single thing they encounter should take some time off and lay down and rest. I found Abbey a bit of a struggle to connect with, so I wonder what kids in the target audience would think of her never-ending banter of technical scientific jargon.
Another interesting part of the story was that the time travel element involved random time hopping. This meant that the characters had no control over where (when) they went. But they were able to witness their potential futures, not necessarily their real futures. As with most time travel books, this one also reinforces my own belief, that every single decision we make impacts our own future, and that of everyone around us. The future is never really set until it has happened.
As the tale progresses, it takes a turn that I really didn’t see coming. A family history linked to a particular lineage is revealed, and the reasons that the siblings have stumbled upon the magical portal are explained.
In a nutshell
A Pair of Docks is the tale of a family legacy that until now has been hidden from the kids. There are rules to be followed and some old foes to face off. Recommended for young readers 9-12 who like mystery, magic and time travel.
Check out my other reviews at www.swlothian.com
Note: I don't claim to be a pro-reviewer, I am a reader. My reviews are based on my personal thoughts around the story that the book is trying to tell. I try to focus on the story (which is the reason I read) rather than dissect the book and pass comment on typos, writing style or structure.
A Pair of Docks is a time travel adventure centred around a group of kids (the Sinclair siblings) who stumble upon a magical portal, which leads them to an unimaginable place. That place just happens to be right where they started, but in a different time. The story is focussed on the main characters (the kids), with parents etc secondary to the main plot. Their mom is running for Mayor and her story is quietly told in the background, but she is still an important part of the overall story.
After Simon comes into possession of a mysterious email, it sets the Sinclair kids off on a mission to get to the bottom of its purpose. When a second email arrives, it clearly shows something fishy is going on, and there is no stopping their thirst to solve the mystery. They soon discover that a neighbour with autism, Mark, may hold the vital clue to the truth behind the portal. He definitely knows something, but knowing how to and who to share it with is one of the challenges tackled in the plot.
Abbey (Simon’s sister) is a highly intelligent girl who constantly thinks in snippets of scientific information. IMO, anyone who really has such highly technical thoughts for every single thing they encounter should take some time off and lay down and rest. I found Abbey a bit of a struggle to connect with, so I wonder what kids in the target audience would think of her never-ending banter of technical scientific jargon.
Another interesting part of the story was that the time travel element involved random time hopping. This meant that the characters had no control over where (when) they went. But they were able to witness their potential futures, not necessarily their real futures. As with most time travel books, this one also reinforces my own belief, that every single decision we make impacts our own future, and that of everyone around us. The future is never really set until it has happened.
As the tale progresses, it takes a turn that I really didn’t see coming. A family history linked to a particular lineage is revealed, and the reasons that the siblings have stumbled upon the magical portal are explained.
In a nutshell
A Pair of Docks is the tale of a family legacy that until now has been hidden from the kids. There are rules to be followed and some old foes to face off. Recommended for young readers 9-12 who like mystery, magic and time travel.
Check out my other reviews at www.swlothian.com
Note: I don't claim to be a pro-reviewer, I am a reader. My reviews are based on my personal thoughts around the story that the book is trying to tell. I try to focus on the story (which is the reason I read) rather than dissect the book and pass comment on typos, writing style or structure.
June 27, 2016
*I received a free, digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion at all.
Elements I liked:
The writing style really kept you up to date on the story, and it helped you focus on what was happening. I truly felt like I was a part of the story. I have never experienced anything like the storyline in this book. But, I really liked it. It was interesting and kept my attention. Towards the ending, I just stopped guessing what was going to happen, and just read. It was a surprise on every page. I thought that the ending was the highlight of the book. It was what made it REALLY deserve 4 stars. Also, I LOVE this cover! It is so beautiful! I recommend this awesome book to everyone.
What I didn't like:
The first half was fairly slow. I had to stick with it and wait till the second half for any action to happen. So, just a warning, the first half is boring.
Elements I liked:
The writing style really kept you up to date on the story, and it helped you focus on what was happening. I truly felt like I was a part of the story. I have never experienced anything like the storyline in this book. But, I really liked it. It was interesting and kept my attention. Towards the ending, I just stopped guessing what was going to happen, and just read. It was a surprise on every page. I thought that the ending was the highlight of the book. It was what made it REALLY deserve 4 stars. Also, I LOVE this cover! It is so beautiful! I recommend this awesome book to everyone.
What I didn't like:
The first half was fairly slow. I had to stick with it and wait till the second half for any action to happen. So, just a warning, the first half is boring.
August 3, 2014
I received this book from Jennifer Ellis in exchange for a fair review. It starts out a little slow but takes a hold on you quickly. By the middle of the book I was having a hard time putting it down. I think it starts off a little slow so that you really get to understand the three main characters. It is really hard to figure out where Jennifer Ellis is leading with you with her story right up until the surprises at the very end. She really reels you in and keeps you guessing throughout the book and her plays on words are great. I love sci-fi paranormal type books, and this tale is definitely in that genre with time travel and witches. I have seen that it is compared to A Wrinkle in Time, and I could agree with that.
January 16, 2015
If you hadn't figured it out from the name of my blog, I'm a little bit of a math geek. Just a little bit, though – I'm smart enough to be interested, but not quite smart enough to handle advanced concepts. (Maybe I could have before I had kids and my ability to think was replaced by the ability to change a diaper with one hand while refilling a sippy cup with the other all while singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" twenty times in a row!) I actually double majored in elementary education math and language arts in college, so a book with math and science is right up my alley.
A Pair of Docks is a middle grade sci-fi adventure, the first novel in the Derivatives of Displacement series.
Abbey is a 14-year-old math and science genius (as in, really a genius – she has a 165 IQ!) She has a twin brother, Caleb, who's as gregarious as Abbey is bookish, and an older brother named Simon who's a computer whiz. Another important character in the story is Mark Forrester, the children's adult neighbor – Mark has Asperger's and is an expert on coastlines. He's also somehow involved in the odd happenings that the children find themselves in the midst of – starting with some stones in the forest that cause Simon to disappear when he touches them.
As it turns out, those stones transport Simon (and his siblings) to another world – the children aren't sure at first if they're in a parallel universe or if they've jumped into the future, and I'll let you read the story yourself to discover exactly where/when the stones took them.
I really enjoyed Ellis' ability to portray her characters realistically, in particular Mark – as the mom of two children on the autism spectrum, Ellis seems to have more than a basic understanding of ASD and created a character on the spectrum who isn't just a stereotype, and who is critical to the storyline. Ellis' worldbuilding is also top-notch – all of the worlds she created.
As an adult, I very much enjoyed this story – Jennifer Ellis doesn't "write down" just because this is considered a middle grade story; the writing is high quality and intricate enough to keep a reader interested, from pre-teens who enjoy trickier plots all the way up to adults like me. There are heavier science concepts described in the story (Abbey talks about chemistry and physics and in fact orders her personal world using her scientific knowledge), but you don't have to have a deep scientific understanding to appreciate the story – you just have to know that the topics are important to Abbey. If you read and loved Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time – or have a child of your own who's a fan – then this is a must-read!
I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review; all opinions are my own.
A Pair of Docks is a middle grade sci-fi adventure, the first novel in the Derivatives of Displacement series.
Abbey is a 14-year-old math and science genius (as in, really a genius – she has a 165 IQ!) She has a twin brother, Caleb, who's as gregarious as Abbey is bookish, and an older brother named Simon who's a computer whiz. Another important character in the story is Mark Forrester, the children's adult neighbor – Mark has Asperger's and is an expert on coastlines. He's also somehow involved in the odd happenings that the children find themselves in the midst of – starting with some stones in the forest that cause Simon to disappear when he touches them.
As it turns out, those stones transport Simon (and his siblings) to another world – the children aren't sure at first if they're in a parallel universe or if they've jumped into the future, and I'll let you read the story yourself to discover exactly where/when the stones took them.
I really enjoyed Ellis' ability to portray her characters realistically, in particular Mark – as the mom of two children on the autism spectrum, Ellis seems to have more than a basic understanding of ASD and created a character on the spectrum who isn't just a stereotype, and who is critical to the storyline. Ellis' worldbuilding is also top-notch – all of the worlds she created.
As an adult, I very much enjoyed this story – Jennifer Ellis doesn't "write down" just because this is considered a middle grade story; the writing is high quality and intricate enough to keep a reader interested, from pre-teens who enjoy trickier plots all the way up to adults like me. There are heavier science concepts described in the story (Abbey talks about chemistry and physics and in fact orders her personal world using her scientific knowledge), but you don't have to have a deep scientific understanding to appreciate the story – you just have to know that the topics are important to Abbey. If you read and loved Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time – or have a child of your own who's a fan – then this is a must-read!
I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review; all opinions are my own.
May 10, 2015
First, this is an engaging read that moves along at a fast pace and keep the reader turning pages. It is well-written and thoroughly edited, and the plot and the world the author creates both hang together well. That said, I have a couple of issues with the book.
My first problem is not necessarily a flaw the book: I share Abbey's discomfort with the idea that witchcraft could be real. To put it another way, I don't like suggestions that the laws of math and physics might not hold for everyone in an otherwise real world. This means that the whole premise of the book--that the stones work because witches made them and witchcraft is real--itches me a bit. It does the same to Abbey; I think that's part of the point of the book: she has to figure out how to deal with her loss of her rational defenses. But I am bothered by this in a way that purely magical worlds don't bug me, because in a way it feels like denying science.
My second issue has to do with Mark, the autistic neighbor. It's a matter of labels: the book refers to him as having Asperger's Syndrome, but his level of functioning feels to me more like actual autism, especially in an adult.* I don't mind the way Mark is portrayed, I just wish the distinction between autism and Asperger's were a little clearer.**
Aside from those two quibbles (which really don't deserve the amount of space I gave them), this was an engaging book with a strong element of mystery and just the right amount of peril, I think, for middle grade students.
Recommendation:
Perfect for lovers of time travel and those not bothered by fuzzy lines between reality and fantasy!
*My experience (which is not extensive, but there is a fair bit of Asperger's in our family, manifested in a variety of ways) suggests that people with Asperger's function a bit better than that, especially by adulthood. My brother feels his sons run about 2-4 years behind their age, emotionally. In their 20s now, they deal with their obsessions and fears in a fairly mature way, so that though you can tell, it's not debilitating. Mark's autism is pretty debilitating, though the depiction of him is not unkind. It just seems to me to match autism better than Asperger's.
**I must admit that clearly the American Psychological Association also wishes it were clearer; in their latest DSM, they rolled the two into one, to the immense annoyance, not to say confusion, of parents of kids with either issue. Presumably they wouldn't have done this if it weren't often hard to draw the line between the two.
My first problem is not necessarily a flaw the book: I share Abbey's discomfort with the idea that witchcraft could be real. To put it another way, I don't like suggestions that the laws of math and physics might not hold for everyone in an otherwise real world. This means that the whole premise of the book--that the stones work because witches made them and witchcraft is real--itches me a bit. It does the same to Abbey; I think that's part of the point of the book: she has to figure out how to deal with her loss of her rational defenses. But I am bothered by this in a way that purely magical worlds don't bug me, because in a way it feels like denying science.
My second issue has to do with Mark, the autistic neighbor. It's a matter of labels: the book refers to him as having Asperger's Syndrome, but his level of functioning feels to me more like actual autism, especially in an adult.* I don't mind the way Mark is portrayed, I just wish the distinction between autism and Asperger's were a little clearer.**
Aside from those two quibbles (which really don't deserve the amount of space I gave them), this was an engaging book with a strong element of mystery and just the right amount of peril, I think, for middle grade students.
Recommendation:
Perfect for lovers of time travel and those not bothered by fuzzy lines between reality and fantasy!
*My experience (which is not extensive, but there is a fair bit of Asperger's in our family, manifested in a variety of ways) suggests that people with Asperger's function a bit better than that, especially by adulthood. My brother feels his sons run about 2-4 years behind their age, emotionally. In their 20s now, they deal with their obsessions and fears in a fairly mature way, so that though you can tell, it's not debilitating. Mark's autism is pretty debilitating, though the depiction of him is not unkind. It just seems to me to match autism better than Asperger's.
**I must admit that clearly the American Psychological Association also wishes it were clearer; in their latest DSM, they rolled the two into one, to the immense annoyance, not to say confusion, of parents of kids with either issue. Presumably they wouldn't have done this if it weren't often hard to draw the line between the two.
January 13, 2015
The book’s cover is very attractive. It captures the nature’s beauty and at the same time seems mysterious. The different shades of green is just so gorgeous. The creeper like font used for the title follows the same natural theme as the rest of the cover. This is such a well designed cover. It’s one of my favorites of all time.
The story’s main protagonists are three siblings namely Abbey, Caleb and Simon. In the first chapter itself, the mystery begins. It pulls you in right away. There is a set of stones that the siblings come to know about, that acts as a portal between Earth and another world. First they have no idea whether it’s Earth itself or some other place that they are traveling to. Also, it seemed like they were seeing the future too!. This is a world within a world kind of feel like the movie Inception!. It is so interesting yet the author doesn’t confuse the reader.
One character in the story is Mark, the siblings’ autistic neighbor. He seems to know a lot more than he is letting on. You will never guess what a key character he is. He seems enraged/violent at times but though everyone thinks he has these episodes due to him being autistic, everything happens for a reason. He is the most interesting character in this book. There is so much suspense surrounding him. Mantis, another important character, is a formidable man. I love the twists and turns in this book. All characters have a good individual story about them and are well developed.
The suspense element is present throughout the book. The author has written an excellent and well thought about story. A Pair of Docks is a compelling read and one of the best books I have read of late. This is the first book in The Derivatives of Displacement series. The next book in this series is coming soon and I just cannot wait to see how this story develops more. Also, the Acknowledgement section, is written hilariously and is one of the best I have ever read. This is one book that you definitely need to read.
The story’s main protagonists are three siblings namely Abbey, Caleb and Simon. In the first chapter itself, the mystery begins. It pulls you in right away. There is a set of stones that the siblings come to know about, that acts as a portal between Earth and another world. First they have no idea whether it’s Earth itself or some other place that they are traveling to. Also, it seemed like they were seeing the future too!. This is a world within a world kind of feel like the movie Inception!. It is so interesting yet the author doesn’t confuse the reader.
One character in the story is Mark, the siblings’ autistic neighbor. He seems to know a lot more than he is letting on. You will never guess what a key character he is. He seems enraged/violent at times but though everyone thinks he has these episodes due to him being autistic, everything happens for a reason. He is the most interesting character in this book. There is so much suspense surrounding him. Mantis, another important character, is a formidable man. I love the twists and turns in this book. All characters have a good individual story about them and are well developed.
The suspense element is present throughout the book. The author has written an excellent and well thought about story. A Pair of Docks is a compelling read and one of the best books I have read of late. This is the first book in The Derivatives of Displacement series. The next book in this series is coming soon and I just cannot wait to see how this story develops more. Also, the Acknowledgement section, is written hilariously and is one of the best I have ever read. This is one book that you definitely need to read.
December 6, 2014
I have received a free electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. THANK YOU.
Actual rating: 3,25stars
After reading a blurb I was amazed. Physics? Time Travel? Sounds like my thing!!!
And I was a little dissapointed.
Let's start with the title. Loved it. Great play on words.
Characters? I was expecting more, actually. I mean the author didn't really convince me that Abbey is such a genius, it's obvious that she knows stuff, but even for a second I haven't thought that Abbey might be more that average. Simon and Caleb? Well, nice, clever boys, caring about their sister but all the time I thought of them as rather flat characters.
I think author through the whole book tried too much with showing how smart Abbey is. And it turned out that she's not really THAT smart. We read these descriptions about the way she thinks, about equations, about physic laws, but you know what? It's not really that smart, I remember learning this stuff when I was 11 or 12. And why author tried too much? Because I felt like I was reading textbook not a novel. I would love author to show me stuff so I could imagine them, not give me excerpts from encyclopedia.
I can't say anything bad about the plot, though. I've found it rather interesting, and I'm actually curious about the second book.
And I really enjoyed how perfectly authour plays with words - Pair of Docks, Alice, Camel. I am so amazed.
If only all of these physic stuff don't ruin my reading I would happily give this book 4 or 4,5 stars. I can only hope that second book would smooth these things. And make me believe that Abbey really has and IQ of 165.
Actual rating: 3,25stars
After reading a blurb I was amazed. Physics? Time Travel? Sounds like my thing!!!
And I was a little dissapointed.
Let's start with the title. Loved it. Great play on words.
Characters? I was expecting more, actually. I mean the author didn't really convince me that Abbey is such a genius, it's obvious that she knows stuff, but even for a second I haven't thought that Abbey might be more that average. Simon and Caleb? Well, nice, clever boys, caring about their sister but all the time I thought of them as rather flat characters.
I think author through the whole book tried too much with showing how smart Abbey is. And it turned out that she's not really THAT smart. We read these descriptions about the way she thinks, about equations, about physic laws, but you know what? It's not really that smart, I remember learning this stuff when I was 11 or 12. And why author tried too much? Because I felt like I was reading textbook not a novel. I would love author to show me stuff so I could imagine them, not give me excerpts from encyclopedia.
I can't say anything bad about the plot, though. I've found it rather interesting, and I'm actually curious about the second book.
And I really enjoyed how perfectly authour plays with words - Pair of Docks, Alice, Camel. I am so amazed.
If only all of these physic stuff don't ruin my reading I would happily give this book 4 or 4,5 stars. I can only hope that second book would smooth these things. And make me believe that Abbey really has and IQ of 165.
January 14, 2015
Mystical stones, coded emails, time travel, and guarded secrets combine to make A Pair of Docks an action packed consuming read.
Abbey is a brilliant 14 year-old science fanatic with an IQ of 165 who spends most of her time in the physics lab at the high school. Abbey has an older brother named Simon, who has recently been acting very secretive and a twin brother named Caleb who is popular, especially with the girls. The day Abbey witnesses Simon sneaking off into the forest she enlists Caleb to help determine what he's up to. As they observe Simon crawling on the ground near some stones they are bewildered, but when he suddenly vanishes they are downright dumbstruck. Against Abbey's better judgment they follow Simon through the stones and end up in the future. Abbey's scientific mind just won't let her believe such a thing could be happening. She thinks its all just a crazy dream, but when strange things begin to occur in the present world Abbey is forced to come to grips with the possibility of an unexplainable theory. Now Abbey, together with Simon and Caleb, must uncover the secret of the stones before it's too late.
A Pair of Docks is cleverly written and original. With the element of surprise on her side, the author spins a bewitching tale that hypnotizes readers and leaves them eager for more. I loved the concept of magic stones being the method behind the time travel. I also enjoyed the authors many clues that were a play on words and, just as the characters, I tried to figure out which terms would lead to the truth. I liked that Abbey's character used laws of physics as a way of comforting herself as chaos swirled around her. The vast array of characters are skillfully created and their interaction between one another, whether genuine or deceitful, adds to the complex plot that unfolds within the pages.
I highly recommend picking up a copy. In fact, I am already reading the second book, A Quill Ladder.
Abbey is a brilliant 14 year-old science fanatic with an IQ of 165 who spends most of her time in the physics lab at the high school. Abbey has an older brother named Simon, who has recently been acting very secretive and a twin brother named Caleb who is popular, especially with the girls. The day Abbey witnesses Simon sneaking off into the forest she enlists Caleb to help determine what he's up to. As they observe Simon crawling on the ground near some stones they are bewildered, but when he suddenly vanishes they are downright dumbstruck. Against Abbey's better judgment they follow Simon through the stones and end up in the future. Abbey's scientific mind just won't let her believe such a thing could be happening. She thinks its all just a crazy dream, but when strange things begin to occur in the present world Abbey is forced to come to grips with the possibility of an unexplainable theory. Now Abbey, together with Simon and Caleb, must uncover the secret of the stones before it's too late.
A Pair of Docks is cleverly written and original. With the element of surprise on her side, the author spins a bewitching tale that hypnotizes readers and leaves them eager for more. I loved the concept of magic stones being the method behind the time travel. I also enjoyed the authors many clues that were a play on words and, just as the characters, I tried to figure out which terms would lead to the truth. I liked that Abbey's character used laws of physics as a way of comforting herself as chaos swirled around her. The vast array of characters are skillfully created and their interaction between one another, whether genuine or deceitful, adds to the complex plot that unfolds within the pages.
I highly recommend picking up a copy. In fact, I am already reading the second book, A Quill Ladder.
May 21, 2018
This book is categorised as a Children’s book, but please don’t let that put you off. Given the complexity of the story, the layering of the characters and the pacing, it feels far more like a YA offering to me. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The time travel element has been done very well, with the initial hook pulling the reader into the story and then learning the very rich backstory as the adventure continues. The story progression and overall pacing are deftly handled.
Abbey is one of twins, and I enjoyed the fact that the siblings – along with their older brother – get together to try and sort out what is happening. Given they have very busy parents, they are quite a tight-knit unit, although that doesn’t prevent there being strains in their relationship. Ellis has provided a strong protagonist. Nerdy and very clever, Abbey is also observant and people-smart. I did enjoy her awareness, as I have become just a little tired of young protagonists who seem to do nothing but lurch from one major mistake to another.
There is an atmosphere of quiet menace pervading this book, which works very well and had me turning the pages long after I should have put the light out and gone to sleep. As for the antagonists, it was also refreshing to have nuanced, clever villains who are convinced they are doing nothing terribly wrong. In fact, it seemed to me that this book could quite as easily have been written from the viewpoint of at least one of them, desperately trying to search for a lost relative, and have us all terribly sympathetic with him.
The ending was suitably climactic, but left some important questions unanswered, and I am delighted that I have the sequel also on my Kindle as this is a world that won’t leave me alone. Highly recommended for fans of time travel adventures.
9/10
Abbey is one of twins, and I enjoyed the fact that the siblings – along with their older brother – get together to try and sort out what is happening. Given they have very busy parents, they are quite a tight-knit unit, although that doesn’t prevent there being strains in their relationship. Ellis has provided a strong protagonist. Nerdy and very clever, Abbey is also observant and people-smart. I did enjoy her awareness, as I have become just a little tired of young protagonists who seem to do nothing but lurch from one major mistake to another.
There is an atmosphere of quiet menace pervading this book, which works very well and had me turning the pages long after I should have put the light out and gone to sleep. As for the antagonists, it was also refreshing to have nuanced, clever villains who are convinced they are doing nothing terribly wrong. In fact, it seemed to me that this book could quite as easily have been written from the viewpoint of at least one of them, desperately trying to search for a lost relative, and have us all terribly sympathetic with him.
The ending was suitably climactic, but left some important questions unanswered, and I am delighted that I have the sequel also on my Kindle as this is a world that won’t leave me alone. Highly recommended for fans of time travel adventures.
9/10
November 24, 2015
This was a bit of an odd book. The first sentence of the book, made me want to just put the book down, and forget about it. I was pretty darn sure I did not want to read a book that started with that sentence.
I continued to read it, all kinds of "crimes of writing" came up with it. The way the protagonist was written there were "facts" stated about her, which really did not come through the way which she was written.
After a bit, I decided that I was reading it as entirely the wrong genre. I thought this was "science fiction" and it really does start out looking like that, or at least as Spider Robinson (I think) calls it sci-fi (it's an insult to the likes of Star Wars).
My reading of it to start off with was "this author has no idea what she is writing about". Well, enough of an idea of what she is writing about to make someone who doesn't know about those things feel that she does.
But then, I realised the things I was concerned about, really *was not* what the book really was about. I'm not sure if I shifted, but I think that both my perception of the book shifted, and the way it was being written shifted.
The book started being written as "science fiction, with odd stuff that doesn't make sense", it went to "fantasy with pseudoscientific explanations" then it went to "fantasy."
I think that despite the fact that the author praises all her proofreaders, and editors, *no one* seems to have caught on to the shift in the writing style through this book. Or if they did, they either didn't have a problem with it, or they couldn't figure out how to fix it.
May continue with the series. Not sure...
I continued to read it, all kinds of "crimes of writing" came up with it. The way the protagonist was written there were "facts" stated about her, which really did not come through the way which she was written.
After a bit, I decided that I was reading it as entirely the wrong genre. I thought this was "science fiction" and it really does start out looking like that, or at least as Spider Robinson (I think) calls it sci-fi (it's an insult to the likes of Star Wars).
My reading of it to start off with was "this author has no idea what she is writing about". Well, enough of an idea of what she is writing about to make someone who doesn't know about those things feel that she does.
But then, I realised the things I was concerned about, really *was not* what the book really was about. I'm not sure if I shifted, but I think that both my perception of the book shifted, and the way it was being written shifted.
The book started being written as "science fiction, with odd stuff that doesn't make sense", it went to "fantasy with pseudoscientific explanations" then it went to "fantasy."
I think that despite the fact that the author praises all her proofreaders, and editors, *no one* seems to have caught on to the shift in the writing style through this book. Or if they did, they either didn't have a problem with it, or they couldn't figure out how to fix it.
May continue with the series. Not sure...
February 19, 2014
I received this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
It took me a bit to get into this book. I found the main character a little hard to identify with and Mark's character was a little disruptive during the first part of the story. But by the second trip through the stones I was definitely getting into the story and by the third trip I was hooked.
I would have liked a little more character development. There was obviously some friction between the siblings and I wouldn't have minded knowing a bit more about that. I also had to wonder about the author's obsession with sweat. It seemed like practically every description in the book involved sweat: sweaty palms, sweat smells, etc. It's been a few years since I was in high school but I do not remember it smelling all the time of sweat.
There were a few times when I wondered who the audience for this book was and whether the language was appropriate for that audience. I suspect older teens would find the plot a little childish but I'm not sure if younger teens or tweens would have the vocabulary to really get into the story.
I still very much enjoyed the overall story and will definitely seek out the sequel when it comes out.
It took me a bit to get into this book. I found the main character a little hard to identify with and Mark's character was a little disruptive during the first part of the story. But by the second trip through the stones I was definitely getting into the story and by the third trip I was hooked.
I would have liked a little more character development. There was obviously some friction between the siblings and I wouldn't have minded knowing a bit more about that. I also had to wonder about the author's obsession with sweat. It seemed like practically every description in the book involved sweat: sweaty palms, sweat smells, etc. It's been a few years since I was in high school but I do not remember it smelling all the time of sweat.
There were a few times when I wondered who the audience for this book was and whether the language was appropriate for that audience. I suspect older teens would find the plot a little childish but I'm not sure if younger teens or tweens would have the vocabulary to really get into the story.
I still very much enjoyed the overall story and will definitely seek out the sequel when it comes out.
December 30, 2013
Exquisite, marvellous, fantastically scientific.
I adored reading every bit of this book, including night shifts and this didn't happen since the time of Harry Potter.
Fresh look at time travel and the eternal dilemma of fixed unalterable future with annexed paradoxes versus incipient futures.
All this seen through the curious eyes of Abbey a geek teenager boarding to nerdish, Simon a computer genius nearing asocial and Caleb the more amorphously flowing of the three. I found it incredible the crescendo of the characters as the story unfolded and the detail chronicled to uphold the timeline.
Prepare yourself to mind boggling scientific issues spiced with rich human emotions.
I received a copy by the author to review the book.
I adored reading every bit of this book, including night shifts and this didn't happen since the time of Harry Potter.
Fresh look at time travel and the eternal dilemma of fixed unalterable future with annexed paradoxes versus incipient futures.
All this seen through the curious eyes of Abbey a geek teenager boarding to nerdish, Simon a computer genius nearing asocial and Caleb the more amorphously flowing of the three. I found it incredible the crescendo of the characters as the story unfolded and the detail chronicled to uphold the timeline.
Prepare yourself to mind boggling scientific issues spiced with rich human emotions.
I received a copy by the author to review the book.
January 7, 2015
A Pair of Docks is a book about Abbey, her twin brother Caleb, and their older brother Sinclair. Abbey is extremely intelligent. She has an IQ of 167! The siblings discover a route to what they believe is the future world.They discover that others know of this secret passage way. They find themselves in danger while trying to disseminate the things they know and how they work. This book is absolutely wonderful. It reminds me of A Wrinkle in Time but for an older reader. Children seventh grade and up will love this book!
March 3, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. From the beginning, it was hard to put down. The story had a lot of twists to it and kept it very interesting. The characters in it kept you involved in the story, never knowing what would come next. The fact that there were other worlds and time periods in it kept you wanting to read more of it. It was very well written and I can't wait to read the next book.
October 10, 2014
With smooth, flawless writing, Ellis takes readers on a time travel adventure that is both clever and captivating. "A Pair of Docks" contains hints of dystopia and witchcraft that is scientifically grounded - concluding with an ending that is satisfying but not complete. I'm definitely looking forward to book two of The Derivatives of Displacements series.
May 14, 2014
I really enjoyed A Pair of Docks. It takes several different ideas and somehow meshes them together into the coolest time-travel/fantsy YA book ever! I really look forward to reading the next book in the series.
January 13, 2015
I loved this book. This book is full of mystery, adventure, and danger. Abbey and Caleb follow their older brother Simon through a magical doorway that leads them to another world. Where is this world? Are they in danger? Abbey, Caleb, and Simon go on a wild journey to discover the answers.
January 9, 2014
This is a great book. I love how it was written and its simply a really good fun story.
April 24, 2019
It was a fun read
It is definitely a young teen book, and as a parent of very avid young readers i try and proof what my kids will potentially be reading. I loved the dynamics between the siblings and how real that it seemed. In would recommend this book and anything so far written by this author.
It is definitely a young teen book, and as a parent of very avid young readers i try and proof what my kids will potentially be reading. I loved the dynamics between the siblings and how real that it seemed. In would recommend this book and anything so far written by this author.
April 9, 2018
DNF. Kinda lost interest. Book wasn't bad, but not really my cup of root beer.
December 4, 2024
So addictive and amazing. I loved it and every other book in this series. Such a clever blending of magic and science.
January 1, 2015
HoaP would like to thank Jennifer Ellis for gifting us a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review. This review was first seen on Heart of a Philanthropist blog.
Derivatives of Displacement... This made me think the book would be a scientific approach to time travel (of course only theoretically). A Pair of Docks is about time travel. One of the main characters is a girl named Abby who is very scientific. This is evident in her thoughts throughout the book. The author includes scientific theory often - leading me to believe Jennifer Ellis is a student of science herself. Abby has a twin brother Caleb and an older brother Simon. They live next to Mrs. Forrester and her autistic son Mark. Mark loves maps. (That is important in the story). Mark seems a bit of a scary character as he is described as large and bulky and he throws himself against the glass scaring Abby as she walks by his house.
Abby and Caleb follow Simon to the forest because Simon is acting rather suspiciously. He steps on a rock and disappears. Abby and Caleb of course have to find out what happened. They follow in their brother's footsteps and are swept away to a futuristic society. Someone in the future mistakes the three for the computer repairmen that he is waiting for. Simon uses his smarts to figure out the computer problem. Then the three come back to their present timeline.
The next time they use the rocks to time travel, the future is much different. They go to a lab that seems to have no doors and is set up like a labyrinth. Abby intuitively knows how to get to where they need to be. When they get to the offices they realize someone is trying to nab them. They escape and come back to their present once again.
There are many back and forth trips to the future- all being different environments, times, and places. The ending leaves the story open for a sequel. That was a bit disappointing because I wanted to know how it ends and I wanted to know right away. Of course, that means the author did a good job. I didn't want it to be over yet...
The threesome enlists the help of a man who looks like an elf. This is where they learn the story of the rocks and that they must have witch's blood in their family tree. The part I didn't care for too much is that we find out about halfway through the book that the rocks (often referred to as alive) are the souls of witches who gave up their lives to make the rocks. There is no sorcery or evil witchcraft in the book, just a way to explain the rocks and how one uses them as a portal to the future. In order to use the rocks, one must have witch's blood in their family line. The children learn almost at the end of the story that they can't trust anyone. Is the person that they thought was bad really the bad guy after all? Is the guy they trusted someone they should fear? I am sure the next book in the series will explain this much better.
If you are looking for a book to expand your imagination, A Pair of Docks will be a good fit for you. Also, it will help expand your vocabulary. There was even a word or two I had to look up.
HoaP received a copy of A Pair of Docks in exchange for an honest review. If you would like HoaP to review a book or product for you, please contact us at philanthropicHR@yahoo.com.
Derivatives of Displacement... This made me think the book would be a scientific approach to time travel (of course only theoretically). A Pair of Docks is about time travel. One of the main characters is a girl named Abby who is very scientific. This is evident in her thoughts throughout the book. The author includes scientific theory often - leading me to believe Jennifer Ellis is a student of science herself. Abby has a twin brother Caleb and an older brother Simon. They live next to Mrs. Forrester and her autistic son Mark. Mark loves maps. (That is important in the story). Mark seems a bit of a scary character as he is described as large and bulky and he throws himself against the glass scaring Abby as she walks by his house.
Abby and Caleb follow Simon to the forest because Simon is acting rather suspiciously. He steps on a rock and disappears. Abby and Caleb of course have to find out what happened. They follow in their brother's footsteps and are swept away to a futuristic society. Someone in the future mistakes the three for the computer repairmen that he is waiting for. Simon uses his smarts to figure out the computer problem. Then the three come back to their present timeline.
The next time they use the rocks to time travel, the future is much different. They go to a lab that seems to have no doors and is set up like a labyrinth. Abby intuitively knows how to get to where they need to be. When they get to the offices they realize someone is trying to nab them. They escape and come back to their present once again.
There are many back and forth trips to the future- all being different environments, times, and places. The ending leaves the story open for a sequel. That was a bit disappointing because I wanted to know how it ends and I wanted to know right away. Of course, that means the author did a good job. I didn't want it to be over yet...
The threesome enlists the help of a man who looks like an elf. This is where they learn the story of the rocks and that they must have witch's blood in their family tree. The part I didn't care for too much is that we find out about halfway through the book that the rocks (often referred to as alive) are the souls of witches who gave up their lives to make the rocks. There is no sorcery or evil witchcraft in the book, just a way to explain the rocks and how one uses them as a portal to the future. In order to use the rocks, one must have witch's blood in their family line. The children learn almost at the end of the story that they can't trust anyone. Is the person that they thought was bad really the bad guy after all? Is the guy they trusted someone they should fear? I am sure the next book in the series will explain this much better.
If you are looking for a book to expand your imagination, A Pair of Docks will be a good fit for you. Also, it will help expand your vocabulary. There was even a word or two I had to look up.
HoaP received a copy of A Pair of Docks in exchange for an honest review. If you would like HoaP to review a book or product for you, please contact us at philanthropicHR@yahoo.com.
March 21, 2016
*Really 3.5 stars*
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. First of all, I enjoyed the characters and the combination of fantasy and sci-fi. In addition, I enjoyed the writing, story telling, and description and found the pacing and plot engaging. However, I did take issue with a few plot and character elements as described below.
First of all, the main character has a supposed IQ of 175 however, there are a number of times when she doesn't react or respond appropriately for this IQ. I understand that she's young, but if she's a genius it should be a little more difficult for her to miss obvious details. Also, simply having a high IQ would not necessarily make her awkward in social situations or not wish to be around people, however the only explanation given for her reclusiveness when compared with her twin brother is her high IQ. The same goes for Simon.
Furthermore, there is a character in the story described as having Asperger's, however he presents more like someone further on the autism spectrum. I found this incongruence distracting, though I doubt people who aren't familiar with Asperger's would notice.
I also found that the two twins didn't have as close a relationship as I would have expected. Or rather, their closeness was described, but not often demonstrated in the book so far. The MC claims that she and her twin are very close, but we didn't get much of an illustration of that.
And finally, for so many science minded characters discovering something seemingly magical I expected quite a bit more scientific explanation and hypothesis than what we received. For all that the MC goes on about the scientific method, aside from objecting that others aren't using the scientific method she doesn't do much to study the stones in an objective way, and she doesn't seem nearly as curious about testing them as a scientist probably would be. For someone with a high IQ and a supposedly scientific mind, she is decidedly lacking in curiosity. Science requires curiosity, creativity and passion, otherwise nothing new would ever be discovered save for blind luck, and blind luck only serves as a stepping stone.
Still, my issues with the story aside, some of which I hope to find resolved with the sequel, I enjoyed this read and think it would make an entertaining story for young readers and adults alike.
*I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. First of all, I enjoyed the characters and the combination of fantasy and sci-fi. In addition, I enjoyed the writing, story telling, and description and found the pacing and plot engaging. However, I did take issue with a few plot and character elements as described below.
First of all, the main character has a supposed IQ of 175 however, there are a number of times when she doesn't react or respond appropriately for this IQ. I understand that she's young, but if she's a genius it should be a little more difficult for her to miss obvious details. Also, simply having a high IQ would not necessarily make her awkward in social situations or not wish to be around people, however the only explanation given for her reclusiveness when compared with her twin brother is her high IQ. The same goes for Simon.
Furthermore, there is a character in the story described as having Asperger's, however he presents more like someone further on the autism spectrum. I found this incongruence distracting, though I doubt people who aren't familiar with Asperger's would notice.
I also found that the two twins didn't have as close a relationship as I would have expected. Or rather, their closeness was described, but not often demonstrated in the book so far. The MC claims that she and her twin are very close, but we didn't get much of an illustration of that.
And finally, for so many science minded characters discovering something seemingly magical I expected quite a bit more scientific explanation and hypothesis than what we received. For all that the MC goes on about the scientific method, aside from objecting that others aren't using the scientific method she doesn't do much to study the stones in an objective way, and she doesn't seem nearly as curious about testing them as a scientist probably would be. For someone with a high IQ and a supposedly scientific mind, she is decidedly lacking in curiosity. Science requires curiosity, creativity and passion, otherwise nothing new would ever be discovered save for blind luck, and blind luck only serves as a stepping stone.
Still, my issues with the story aside, some of which I hope to find resolved with the sequel, I enjoyed this read and think it would make an entertaining story for young readers and adults alike.
*I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
unfinished
September 10, 2014I received a copy of this book from the author for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I haven't finished this book. In fact, I haven't gotten very far in this book at all. Not that this is not a good read, I just haven't gotten far enough into it to be able to say one way or the other. My problem with this book is that it is too sci-fi for my pleasure reading tastes. I like sci-fi as a splash of flavor in my fantasy reading. Too much sci-fi and my brain starts shutting down. So how then did I end up with this book? Honestly it was a case of being giveaway happy and underestimating odds. I search giveaways under the "fantasy" tag. This one popped up, and while I could tell it seemed very sci-fi the premise seemed interesting and I chose to enter. That there were 3 copies available and over 1,000 hopefuls entered to win them solidified the idea in my mind that I was entering for the fun of it, and not actually going to win. I have given this book several tries, and plan to try again in the future. It's not that the writing is bad or the story distasteful. I, personally, cannot seem to get into it. I feel bad that I've been expected to write a review for so long and haven't done so. So here it is:
Too much of a science-fiction read for my tastes, not enough fantasy elements present in as far as I have read. My pleasure reading time is very important to me and I just can't bring myself to spend it reading a book that with each passing page appeals to me less. This, however, does not make the book bad, unreadable, poorly written, or not enjoyable. It just doesn't fit my reading tastes. For this reason, and the fact I have not finished the book, I cannot, in good conscious, rate this book.
If it sounds like your kind of thing, check it. It just wasn't for me.
I haven't finished this book. In fact, I haven't gotten very far in this book at all. Not that this is not a good read, I just haven't gotten far enough into it to be able to say one way or the other. My problem with this book is that it is too sci-fi for my pleasure reading tastes. I like sci-fi as a splash of flavor in my fantasy reading. Too much sci-fi and my brain starts shutting down. So how then did I end up with this book? Honestly it was a case of being giveaway happy and underestimating odds. I search giveaways under the "fantasy" tag. This one popped up, and while I could tell it seemed very sci-fi the premise seemed interesting and I chose to enter. That there were 3 copies available and over 1,000 hopefuls entered to win them solidified the idea in my mind that I was entering for the fun of it, and not actually going to win. I have given this book several tries, and plan to try again in the future. It's not that the writing is bad or the story distasteful. I, personally, cannot seem to get into it. I feel bad that I've been expected to write a review for so long and haven't done so. So here it is:
Too much of a science-fiction read for my tastes, not enough fantasy elements present in as far as I have read. My pleasure reading time is very important to me and I just can't bring myself to spend it reading a book that with each passing page appeals to me less. This, however, does not make the book bad, unreadable, poorly written, or not enjoyable. It just doesn't fit my reading tastes. For this reason, and the fact I have not finished the book, I cannot, in good conscious, rate this book.
If it sounds like your kind of thing, check it. It just wasn't for me.
May 13, 2015
It took me a little while to get into the book (part of that could be that I'm a distracted reader these days with the toddler around) and to start to like the main character, Abbey. At first she seems like just a brain walking around in the body, rigidly wanting to sticks to rules, scientific or otherwise. But as the book progresses, she starts to bend a little and by the end of the book, although she hasn't thrown out her belief in science, she comes to realize that the world contains things that can't always be explained through scientific terms. Once she does start opening up, her character becomes much easier to relate to and care about. (Caring about the characters is one of the things I find most important in books I enjoy.)
Because this is the first book in a series and also because the kids themselves are trying to figure out what is going on with these stones and where they are traveling, it does take the reader a while to get any sort of answers to what is going on. But the second half (and especially the last third) of the book really picks up and it was at that point that I found myself wanting to pick up the book more often and leave the toddler to his own devices so I could finish it (sometimes that worked better than other times).
And although some answers are provided in the book, it ends with more questions (especially after what Abbey learns right at the end) which lead directly into the setup for the next book. Although I don't feel the need for the next book RIGHT NOW as I do with some books, I am disappointed to have to wait for the next one instead of being able to go straight to it. So I'll be keeping my eye on this series and picking up the next book when it does come out (according to the author's Amazon page, it will be coming out in October).
Because this is the first book in a series and also because the kids themselves are trying to figure out what is going on with these stones and where they are traveling, it does take the reader a while to get any sort of answers to what is going on. But the second half (and especially the last third) of the book really picks up and it was at that point that I found myself wanting to pick up the book more often and leave the toddler to his own devices so I could finish it (sometimes that worked better than other times).
And although some answers are provided in the book, it ends with more questions (especially after what Abbey learns right at the end) which lead directly into the setup for the next book. Although I don't feel the need for the next book RIGHT NOW as I do with some books, I am disappointed to have to wait for the next one instead of being able to go straight to it. So I'll be keeping my eye on this series and picking up the next book when it does come out (according to the author's Amazon page, it will be coming out in October).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews