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The Lost Tribes

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Five Friends . . . A Dangerous Game . . and the Truth About The Family Business.

Five friends are in a race against time in this action-adventure story involving ancient tribal artifacts that hold the fate of the universe in the balance. None of these trailblazers imagined their ordinary parents as scientists on a secret mission. But when their parents go missing, they are forced into unfathomable circumstances and learn of a history that is best left unknown, for they are catalysts in an ancient score that must be settled. As the chaos unfolds, opportunities arise that involve cracking codes and anticipating their next moves. This book employs real scientific facts and history knowledge where readers will surely become participants.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2015

9 people are currently reading
369 people want to read

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C. Taylor-Butler

3 books13 followers

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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Christine.
Author 28 books20 followers
April 11, 2015
Fans of 39 Clues and middle grade readers of sci-fi, adventure, and mystery stories will love THE LOST TRIBES by C Taylor-Butler. The first third of the book has lots of cool puzzles and codes to decipher, so math and linguistic geeks will love this book, too. Librarians and teachers looking for books with diverse characters and cultures should add THE LOST TRIBES to the list.
May 19, 2017
This. Was. Freaking. Awesome!!!

I met the author at the LA Times Festival of Books and after a few pages, I was hooked! This is a smart, funny, roller-coaster ride of an adventure that does everything right. This book should be on the New York Times bestseller list. Every library should have at least one copy. There's friendship, girl power, super-mysterious parents and lots of close escapes and derring-do. And lots of smart people.

And it all starts with a computer game that is way more than World of Warcraft.

It's PoC saving the world with brains and it's something we don't see much of because the publishing industry is stuck on stupid.

Seventh grader (and aspiring LeBron James) Ben Webster would rather be going on expeditions with his father, but his taciturn Uncle Henry (who should be played by Idris Elba) has other plans. Those plans include a computer game, complete with puzzles and traps, that his uncle challenges him to solve - in a week. Never fear, he enlists the help of his sister April, and best friends (and fellow nerds) Grace, Carlos and Serise (my book best friend) to help him solve it.

However - this is not a game - at least, not one they've ever seen. And their parents aren't like "other parents".

I forced myself to not inhale this book in one sitting, because I'm really good at that. I loved how these young people worked together, and how the girls were often smarter than the guys. Serise especially, she might have been a high-maintenence girly girl, but she's also the coder extraordinaire.

So now I have to decide whether I want sushi or if I want book two. Not a cliffhanger ending, but there's a rescue mission in the works. I can have sushi anytime.
992 reviews
June 13, 2016
This was a read-a-loud with my 11 year old daughter who last read a princess diaries (ugh for me) book with me. Needless to say when we finished and she was insistent we get the next book, I was thrilled to have finally hooked her with some sci fi!! Reading with P takes a long time because she interrupts and asks questions or takes the story into tangents, but in this book her questions lead to googling landmarks and history and even if it took us months to finish, it was worth it. Loved that she was surprised to like it as much as she did.
Profile Image for Chris.
2,129 reviews78 followers
April 22, 2015
Combining world travel, video games, puzzles, archaeology, advanced technology, mysterious parents, growing danger, and a group of ambitious teenagers, this is quite the adventure.

Ben's never impressed Uncle Henry, who rides him like a drill sergeant, scoffs at his ambitions of becoming a basketball star, saying if Ben really wants to do something worthwhile with his time he should solve the video game Henry gives him. If Ben can do so in a week, Henry says, he'll get to join his uncle and parents on one of their expeditions as reward. Ben's parents are irate--about both the game and the promise--but Henry says it's time Ben learned something about the family business.

The game is called The Lost Tribes of Xenobia, and very quickly Ben, his little sister, and their three teenaged neighbors are all working on figuring it out. It takes them to remote, ancient sites around the world in search of lost treasures. At first it takes them on the screen, then they discover that the game can project incredibly realistic, immersive holographic images that leave them feeling that they have actually traveled. Then they begin to suspect that it might be doing more than projecting imaginary images, right about the time that all of their parents start acting alarmingly strange. Then everything changes, and nothing will ever be a game again.

While a fully satisfying story, this is just the beginning of the adventures for Ben, his friends, and his family. All are interesting, engaging, believable characters, and I'm excited to see what comes next for them as the series develops.

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This review is of an Advance Reader Copy freely provided by the publisher.
Profile Image for Jessica.
Author 1 book18 followers
September 9, 2015
I finished reading The Lost Tribes yesterday. And it made me soooo happy :)

I have lots of favorite parts, but I think my overall most favorite thing is that the kids are smart. C. Taylor-Butler wrote a book for kids that expects the reader (kids themselves) to be intelligent & I know your readers won't disappoint you. This book certainly will not disappoint any reader ready to undertake an adventure.

I love there's a kid-sister (but as a kid-sister I may be biased). Aris (the cat) is wonderful. The quotes at the beginning of the chapters made me think. I like that the girl characters are well rounded and it's not a boy dominated sci-fi adventure. And I thought it was great how the author incorporated all of the kids different cultural backgrounds into the story. Excellent Work Christine Taylor-Butler.
Profile Image for William Tracy.
Author 36 books107 followers
January 24, 2022
I got a chance to speak with the author at WorldCon 2021 and thought her description of the book was intriguing. When I read it, it didn't disappoint! This is a mid-grade book concerning five kids (and a cat) working through an advanced game one of the kids' uncle gave them. There's some great worldbuilding that goes on behind the scenes and I love the way this ties in a lot of different cultures on Earth that aren't normally part of western stories. This is a great way for kids to go on a world-spanning adventure (and beyond!) and it's just a lot of fun.
Profile Image for Charlou.
1,018 reviews11 followers
April 8, 2015
I'm always happy when there is a new sic fi book for middle grade, especially these days when it's non-dystopian sci fi. And this one adds ancient mysteries from around the world. Nice. You could also say this is a diversity book and at the same time, those who want to promote it as such might be disappointed because it's not easily so identified. The young teens in this book are just like the readers friends and classmates, not stereotypes. Related though, one of my favorite parts comes closer to the end with a nicely done Star Trek reference. While I may have been overwhelmed with information at some points, the tone, reading level and adventure are perfect for the middle grade audience.

Note: I received an advance reading copy from the publisher.
Profile Image for I go by 'Jo' now.
82 reviews6 followers
January 27, 2018
This is a unique, fun and exciting joy ride you will ever have. The adventure and educational style are there. The creative and engaging breakthrough in every page that you're gonna stick to until the last. You'll definitely not hang clip 'til the end even this is a series block.

As a science fiction enthusiast, I really love the idea of this book and well, I never expected quite like that but somehow do infer on how I'm going to picture the imagery. I did read some books dealing with this virtual interactive simulation though the thing is, this book is absolutely epic and learn-earning awesome. I'm a bit baffled by that series of code mechanics and now I know how I will be having some sort of idea to secretly keep things on my own - encrypted mnemonics should I say.

Great featuring some historical facts and discoveries. The Easter Island - Rapa Nui for its famous heads sighting. I have read few notes about it and glad I connected it in this book. The game making tactics force into this is enticingly different and clever. Score a point for me on that. I also notice that for every part (I think this will not be a spoiler but there will a three-part division on this book) a variation happens - clue: it is from the structure start of every chapter - I know you'll do take a look of it eventually. Maybe that's somehow it is. Bits of illustrations to see, too, sadly not much to look forward just for your eyes to short visualize stuff like this and that. See for yourselves of what I mean. Even though, it is ok without them. You can read the book on its own amazing story punch.

The Lost Tribes as first in the ongoing series will be your next amazing journey if you start reading this today. It favors all ages and for those who want to taste some historical-based mystery, game simulation theme, and full of surprises. Stirring escapade ahead. Book two here I come for you. I absolutely give this a high five.

Full review >> https://descendantofposeidonreads.wor...
Profile Image for Susan.
116 reviews7 followers
Read
July 26, 2019
I have to commend the author for this ambitious work. Christine Taylor-Butler writes very well and has given the world lots of lucid and authoritative science books for children. I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. I love the way her major characters are such intelligent children that provide a balanced cross section of contemporary society..

I can't give The Lost Tribes a rating, and I see that more as my own failure, not hers. I'm not much of a sci fi reader, so I can't make comparisons. Then again, the book wasn't written for readers my age. I liked the visits to historic locations and the diversity of the characters. However, I found the fast pace of the action, the unrelenting whirring and flashing special effects, and the suspension of disbelief kind of overwhelming and hard to follow. If somebody made the book into a film, I think it would be difficult for me to watch.

I hope the book sells well and becomes popular with young people.
Profile Image for Kellee Moye.
2,923 reviews340 followers
December 13, 2015
Review at: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=8284

This book surprised me! I cannot tell you what surprised me because I want it to surprise you, but the book ended up being very different than what I thought it was going to be. The book introduces us to Ben who is given a computer game to solve from his Uncle Henry. Ben just wants to impress Henry, so he vows to complete the game. Along with his 3 friends and his sister, Ben immerses himself in the game only to find out it is more than he could even imagine. The book has riddles, codes, and information throughout, and I definitely could see fans of Tombquest or 39 Clues enjoying this adventure. But, once again, this book isn’t as it seems!
11 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2016
Great book! Magic & sci-fi meets the real world in this exciting story by the talented C Taylor-Butler. It was fun to follow the large group of teenage characters as they puzzle out mysteries within mysteries, learning about their past - and getting into and out of scrapes beyond their expectations. Looking forward to the next book to find out what happens next as the kids learn to use newfound skills and abilities.
Profile Image for Mandy Caruso-Yahne.
103 reviews1 follower
August 20, 2018
I had some therapy assignments to read out loud so I wanted to find a book that would interest those around me who would be hearing it. This was a fun adventure with a group of kids who don't pick up on things as fast as I would like them to, but as an adult this is a common issue with reading literature geared towards those in the jr high range. This would be a great read for boys or girls and I love the diversity of the cast - pretty much any kid will find someone in the story to relate to.
1,351 reviews12 followers
August 8, 2015
Fast-paced action, mental gymnastics, scientific knowledge and history combine in the first of a series that will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Kids who enjoy puzzles, code-breaking, computer technology, maps and exploring ancient worlds will love this global adventure of five friends who join together on a mission to save the world.
12 reviews
June 25, 2021
As Christine Taylor-Butler wrote in June of last year, “I’m a parent, author, and a former college interviewer. Please hear me – in this time of stress people want to “flood” their kids with books about racism. Please provide 20 joyful books for every one book on racism. They also need to know POC kids are like every other kid.”

I began to take her advice for myself, and read "The Lost Tribes" It fulfills her suggestion perfectly! Five friends from diverse backgrounds have adventures while just being kids. And what adventures! They’re given a high-tech computer puzzle to solve, with virtual reality that takes them to Egypt, Easter Island, Peru, and sub-Saharan Africa among other far-off places. The computer simulations become eerily realistic. And when their parents disappear, they have to undertake a dangerous journey. The kids discover that nothing is what they thought. The truth is amazing and empowering.

I can’t really capture the story, especially without giving too much away. Science and history are woven throughout in fun and interesting ways. There are puzzles and codes the kids have to solve, and readers can try out, too. And the website has a couple of fun challenges with more to come (delayed by the pandemic). But you can watch the cool trailer, meet the kids, and get introduced to their parents.

I recommend this book if you’re looking for a good story for kids who like adventure – or if you’re such a kid at heart yourself.

The next book, Safe Harbor, is out, and a third is expected later this year. I’m looking forward to continuing the adventure!
Profile Image for Myra.
451 reviews6 followers
August 2, 2021
Ben is always seeking his uncle's approval. So when Uncle Henry gives the boy a game and says if he can complete it in the next week he can go on a cool expedition with Henry and Ben's father... it's not like Ben can pass that up. Even when his mom takes the game away, or the computer away, you know, teenagers are resourceful, and Ben and his friends tackle the game through the night seeking artifacts.
Until one day, it doesn't seem so much like a game anymore.

I forgot why I had this book on my to-read list. I think I heard the author at a convention or something. So I wasn't all that invested at first, and after the first few chapters, I was kind of ready to give up. As you might be able to tell, I am not a teenage/middle-grade boy, so... I'm not the audience for this book at all. It's about teenagers. They are annoying. Like little kids but snarkier. And yet... I decided to give it a longer chance, and got more and more drawn into the mysteries Ben and his friends were encountering. I wanted to know the answers.
Then in the middle of the book, the entire plot changes. (Kind of.) The book did NOT go where I expected it to, and I was impressed with that. There's a lot of interesting things going on, and I'm sure if the author had wanted to write it for an adult audience, she could have, with very little difficulty.

I am not motivated enough to read book 2, but I did have fun with this book. I think any young reader would enjoy the puzzles.
Profile Image for Janice.
2,194 reviews2 followers
August 11, 2020
Five kids (Ben, April, Carlos, Grace, and Serise) live next to one another, and their parents are all big brains who travel a lot. Ben's Uncle Henry gives him a computer game that if he solves in a week, he can go on an adventure with the family. He has trouble with it and gets some help from his friends. Meanwhile Ben gets curious about his parents and his friends' parents (they seem to show up in the game). He thinks they may be thieves. They do act suspiciously plus seem very concerned about the weather. Then the world begins to blow up or, at least, their neighborhood. The adults send the kids on while they battles something. Kids meet up with Uncle Henry. All of them are aliens. Parents still not returning. Uncle going to send them "home" but they figure a way to stay and look for parents. Ship blows up and Uncle glad they tricked him and weren't on board. He lets them stay.

Good scifi adventure. Good for middle grade.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for cleo ✨.
244 reviews12 followers
December 30, 2022
a decent read, with the first 2/3 feeling draggy - could have been pared down a bit; several scenes felt unnecessary - and exciting revelations that captivated my attention only occurring in about the last 100 pages.

this book has potential, and given that ive already started book 2, i can say the sequel is more exciting and interesting (also with more POVs and shorter, more succinct chapters which make it more compellingly page-turning).

i would say i didn't really know what this book was about besides a vague promise of sci-fi and adventure from the synopsis, yet i didn't really get a sense of that until about the last 100 pages where the excitement and revelations kicked in, which then kickstarted my invested interest in the series. i do wish it had been shorter and taken faster to get to that point, but once you've cleared the hurdle of the revelations, book 2 promises a far better time
Profile Image for Alarie.
Author 13 books92 followers
July 6, 2024
This is my favorite YA sci-fi/magical realism since the Harry Potter series, and I adore Harry Potter. Be a bit patient in the early pages. It takes a while to get to know the cast of characters, but soon Taylor-Butler will have you glued to your seat as your mind races ahead. It’s something of a blend of Harry Potter and Star Trek/Star Wars. I’m not giving away anything more because it would be sad to spoil the many, many surprises. Plus, this is just the first book in the series. Books two and three are out.

I was especially impressed with the amount of research the author had to do to create the twisting, turning plot. Each chapter begins with a thought-provoking quote by a famous author, statesman, philosopher, etc. The quotes were not only pertinent to what happens in that chapter, but relevant to our daily lives (no matter how long ago they were written). This is delightful reading.
Profile Image for Jacqueline.
Author 79 books91 followers
July 14, 2020
This action packed adventure will catch the attention of young readers, especially those who enjoy video games. Ben and his friends are all engaging characters and the mystery behind the sudden occurrence of strange happenings is developed well. I particularly enjoyed the thought-provoking quotes preceding each chapter.
Profile Image for Kristine Dietriche.
1 review2 followers
November 20, 2017
I was compelled to keep reading page after page. Much like the main characters, I found the setting immersive. I can't wait to start peeling back the layers of the next volume.
81 reviews2 followers
May 20, 2019
Very interesting concept but a little hard to follow.
Profile Image for Syntha Green.
3,201 reviews34 followers
January 24, 2021
3.5 stars I think. Parts of it were very intriguing but it was a little bit all over the place. It will be interesting to see where this series goes.
Profile Image for Scott.
310 reviews9 followers
January 28, 2018
The Lost Tribes is a well-written, exciting book for middle graders, loaded with adventure, mystery, secrets, and puzzles. I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much of this book depends on surprise, that I'm not going to go into the plot at all. Just know that it was a fun read.

I admit that much of the third part of the book revolved around a trope that is not among my favorites, but I'm not going to hold that against the author. She handled this trope very well and, looking back, telegraphed it well without giving it away. The story and writing were too good for me to let one little personal preference spoil it i the least.

I'd also like to comment on the book itself. This hardbound edition is a thing of beauty. The dust cover art is also the cover of the actual book, something too rare these days. The quality of the paper is excellent, and the print enhanced the reading experience. There aren't many illustrations, but those there are are interesting. The book also weighs more than I'd expect a book of its size to weigh. The overall feeling when I pick up, hold, and read this book is one of quality and fine craftmanship.

So, it's an excellent story and a high-quality book. This one would make a great gift. I look forward to the second book in the series.
Profile Image for Michelle.
379 reviews
August 25, 2016
Ben and his four friends live in a sheltered California community. They enjoy shooting hoops, playing computer games, hanging out. But when Ben’s uncle gives him a computer simulation game and challenges him to complete it in a week, the five middle schoolers find their summer break elevated to a whole new level. The simulation is a riddle with various challenges that must be solved. It seemingly takes them to locales all over the world. They soon realize there is much more to the game when they discover their parents are scientists involved in a top secret operation. Solving the riddle of the computer game may be the key to saving all of their lives lives.
This title is a middle grade sci fi story filled with mystery. The author uses a variety of special/sacred locations as part of the world-building. The main characters come from diverse backgrounds and are a mix of male and female with each contributing their own strengths and skills. The Lost Tribes is fast-paced, action-packed, and filled with riddles. This is a smart read with twists and turns that will delight most readers.
Profile Image for Rachel Rooney.
2,121 reviews108 followers
August 23, 2016
I put this down and completely forgot about it for a few months. Oops!

This was a good juvenile fiction book about a multiethnic group of kids & neighbors who are drawn into something. They're not sure what at first. A boy's uncle gives him a videogame and makes a bet with him about how long it will take him to solve it. It all builds from there, and I will say that it did not go where I thought it was going to!
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