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A Thief in Time #3
A Sword in Time
DaVinci has a job to travel back in time to save her house from demolition, which isn’t a problem except that in doing so, she ruins everything else in her life. Quintus, a hunk from 53 BC stuck in this century, has his own deliver a letter from Caesar to Pompey. Obviously, he’ll need a time machine, too. But when he and DaVinci accidentally travel together to ancient Rome, they’ll both need swords, daggers, benches, and—oh, yeah—a not-broken time machine to get out of there alive.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 26, 2018
Not having read the first two books in the series, I dove into this story without any background information that I felt I might have needed. I'd recommend not to read this as a stand-alone.
A further caveat, there are seven points of view, which are further jumping around in time from present day to a few months back,.... POV and time are changing with each chapter.
I had a very hard time finding the story in all the jumping around and due to this wasn't very invested in it.
A further caveat, there are seven points of view, which are further jumping around in time from present day to a few months back,.... POV and time are changing with each chapter.
I had a very hard time finding the story in all the jumping around and due to this wasn't very invested in it.
dnf
January 30, 2019I would like to thank netgalley and Kindle Press for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The storyline seemed a bit all over the place and too many different narrators.
The storyline seemed a bit all over the place and too many different narrators.
May 23, 2018
In some ways, this was my least favorite of the three books. It contains six points of view and several different time periods. It's one thing to jump back in time in a chapter, but to have each chapter begin with either "present day," then "several months earlier (it varies)" is too confusing to keep up.
The characters are Khan (whose chapters I skip as he's the villain), a government agent new to the story (whose chapters I skipped), Littlewood the scientist, DaVinci (a young woman), a priest, and Quintus (the Roman soldier). Interactions and adventures with the characters I like were enjoyable though.
DaVinci uses the California time machine to change an event in the past, but it brings unforeseen repercussions to herself and others. Quintus is adapting well to the modern world in Florida (especially after things are explained to him), but he wants to travel to ancient Rome to ensure his task was completed. The two literally bump into each other while attempting to use the time machine.
The characters are Khan (whose chapters I skip as he's the villain), a government agent new to the story (whose chapters I skipped), Littlewood the scientist, DaVinci (a young woman), a priest, and Quintus (the Roman soldier). Interactions and adventures with the characters I like were enjoyable though.
DaVinci uses the California time machine to change an event in the past, but it brings unforeseen repercussions to herself and others. Quintus is adapting well to the modern world in Florida (especially after things are explained to him), but he wants to travel to ancient Rome to ensure his task was completed. The two literally bump into each other while attempting to use the time machine.
April 2, 2025
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first two books in the series, although I liked that we got to spend more time in past centuries. We pinged around a lot among several characters, and the disgruntled FBI agent seemed to come out of nowhere. In addition, while I felt for Quintus being dragged 2,000 years out of time, he wasn't very appealing otherwise. Why did no one explain to him that the historical record might reveal whether he was able to deliver his important letter? The romance here is thin and seems to be all lust. We're almost halfway through before the hero and heroine even meet. Nevertheless, DaVinci's experience with the butterfly effect and good intentions going awry was interesting.
January 22, 2021
And now DaVinci
In the first book, Halley got transported in time to 1598, where a young earl was trying to help her out after a nasty fall, and when she was unceremoniously yanked into the 21st century, she had hold of the yoing man, thus he came with her.
In the second book, Jillian deliberately goes back in time to see the Wright Brothers fly, to try to 0vercome her fear of flying. On the 1st visit via the actual timeline & the 3rd by hers, she was connected to the young man she met her 1st 2 visits, and so he came inrto the 21st century.
Also in the 2nd book, the Jules Khan that had split off from himself to follow Littlewood from 2001 to 2017, when he first realized Littlewood had indeed managed to make a time machine, finally bypassed the retinal scanner & went to Rome...where a legionary chased him, and just as the legionary laid hands on him, Khan was pulled back, unwittingly dragging the legionary with him. The legionary freaked out and ran. Khan didn't even try to find him. Meanwhile, he got by stealing oranges to have something to eat, hiding and sleeping by day & moving around by night. He found a Roman Catholic priest who knew a little Latin, & he did off jobs on exchange for food. When Littlewood, who was friends woth the priest, mentioned the need for a bodyguard, which he couldn't afford, the Roman time refugee Quintus went with Dr. Littlewood.
Now, the 3rd book, DaVinci is watching as her house is torn down, to give her the courage to go back in time to save it. She soaks off the tape she put on the credit card so she wouldn't be tempted to use it except in an emergency and takes out $600 to pay a plumber to fix the drip that, over time, renders the studio unusable then condemns the building. When she goea to the house, it's different. It's not the odd blue shade she loved but more of a pinkish terra cotta she finds gross. She discovers she isn't in college for art on a scholarship, she works in a seafood restaurant...the twins got a volleyball scholarship to UCLA, & they don't paint anymore, nor does she. Her one brother is engaged instead of saving up for the ring. Nothing is the same...she contacts her friends Halley & Jillian & tells them something went badly wrong. Halley, closer at the time but on her way back to FL, meets her, & Jillian makes sure they get to FL, a short hop on a small plane, then a nonstop 1st class where the seats flatten out like beds, & she finally sleeps. Plus, everyone thinks she's crazy about gummy bears; they're always handing her some, and she has no idea why (yes, she finds out later). As she is contemplating going back in time to try to undo the repair of the house, she gets into the lab in time to see Quintus in full Roman gear trying to go back. Unable to stop him, she ends up with him...& the trip lasts a lot longer than expected because of a previous time travel visit by Littlewood the older to himself, showing him that you can extend the length of a visit, & that's the formula running in the background when Quintus makes his leap. And where DaVinci finds out juat how dangerous Rome is. As if that wasn't enough, a disgruntled FBI agent, betrayed by another agent who is his BIL, is now tasked with checking threats to the grid in the SE US...whixh he hates. He's about to find out more than he wants to, & enjoys throwing his weight around. He leaves on the run, takes the thumb drive he saw & snatched up in the driveway by the lab, & goes to see the younger Khan who has been a bit down on his luck, like Nevis, who is far from FL, fired by the FBI boss for repeatedly disobeying orders, but not about to give up his lead, not after he saw 2 people appear in the lab in FL out of thin air.
And the 4th book is about him.
As for the prolonged stay Quintus & DaVinci had in ancient Rome, it has caused them to realize they've developed feelings for one another. And when DaVinci gets a mysterious package, she fonds out what's with the gummy bears, why she was qorking at a seafood restaurant, why she stopped painting in the alternate timeline, and, since she experimented with photos she took with her iPhone in ancient Rome & practiced painting them, she knows she can still paint, and comes up with an idea for a business of her own. Her timelines reconcile, and she seems at peace with herself.
In the first book, Halley got transported in time to 1598, where a young earl was trying to help her out after a nasty fall, and when she was unceremoniously yanked into the 21st century, she had hold of the yoing man, thus he came with her.
In the second book, Jillian deliberately goes back in time to see the Wright Brothers fly, to try to 0vercome her fear of flying. On the 1st visit via the actual timeline & the 3rd by hers, she was connected to the young man she met her 1st 2 visits, and so he came inrto the 21st century.
Also in the 2nd book, the Jules Khan that had split off from himself to follow Littlewood from 2001 to 2017, when he first realized Littlewood had indeed managed to make a time machine, finally bypassed the retinal scanner & went to Rome...where a legionary chased him, and just as the legionary laid hands on him, Khan was pulled back, unwittingly dragging the legionary with him. The legionary freaked out and ran. Khan didn't even try to find him. Meanwhile, he got by stealing oranges to have something to eat, hiding and sleeping by day & moving around by night. He found a Roman Catholic priest who knew a little Latin, & he did off jobs on exchange for food. When Littlewood, who was friends woth the priest, mentioned the need for a bodyguard, which he couldn't afford, the Roman time refugee Quintus went with Dr. Littlewood.
Now, the 3rd book, DaVinci is watching as her house is torn down, to give her the courage to go back in time to save it. She soaks off the tape she put on the credit card so she wouldn't be tempted to use it except in an emergency and takes out $600 to pay a plumber to fix the drip that, over time, renders the studio unusable then condemns the building. When she goea to the house, it's different. It's not the odd blue shade she loved but more of a pinkish terra cotta she finds gross. She discovers she isn't in college for art on a scholarship, she works in a seafood restaurant...the twins got a volleyball scholarship to UCLA, & they don't paint anymore, nor does she. Her one brother is engaged instead of saving up for the ring. Nothing is the same...she contacts her friends Halley & Jillian & tells them something went badly wrong. Halley, closer at the time but on her way back to FL, meets her, & Jillian makes sure they get to FL, a short hop on a small plane, then a nonstop 1st class where the seats flatten out like beds, & she finally sleeps. Plus, everyone thinks she's crazy about gummy bears; they're always handing her some, and she has no idea why (yes, she finds out later). As she is contemplating going back in time to try to undo the repair of the house, she gets into the lab in time to see Quintus in full Roman gear trying to go back. Unable to stop him, she ends up with him...& the trip lasts a lot longer than expected because of a previous time travel visit by Littlewood the older to himself, showing him that you can extend the length of a visit, & that's the formula running in the background when Quintus makes his leap. And where DaVinci finds out juat how dangerous Rome is. As if that wasn't enough, a disgruntled FBI agent, betrayed by another agent who is his BIL, is now tasked with checking threats to the grid in the SE US...whixh he hates. He's about to find out more than he wants to, & enjoys throwing his weight around. He leaves on the run, takes the thumb drive he saw & snatched up in the driveway by the lab, & goes to see the younger Khan who has been a bit down on his luck, like Nevis, who is far from FL, fired by the FBI boss for repeatedly disobeying orders, but not about to give up his lead, not after he saw 2 people appear in the lab in FL out of thin air.
And the 4th book is about him.
As for the prolonged stay Quintus & DaVinci had in ancient Rome, it has caused them to realize they've developed feelings for one another. And when DaVinci gets a mysterious package, she fonds out what's with the gummy bears, why she was qorking at a seafood restaurant, why she stopped painting in the alternate timeline, and, since she experimented with photos she took with her iPhone in ancient Rome & practiced painting them, she knows she can still paint, and comes up with an idea for a business of her own. Her timelines reconcile, and she seems at peace with herself.
February 1, 2018
Synopsis
A Sword in Time is the third book in the Thief in Time Series by Cidney Swanson. The time travel series is geared toward a young adult audience. This installment focuses mostly on DaVinci Shaughnessy-Pavlov. DaVinci is on a mission to save her childhood home from destruction, but her well intentioned actions create unforeseen consequences that she is not sure she can live with.
Quintus Valerius has been unwillingly pulled from ancient Rome. He is now stuck in modern times, but he has two missions to accomplish. One, he must return to Rome to deliver an important message from Caesar. Two, he must find and punish the man who forcibly carried him through time.
The Good
Let me start with the cover, which I really liked. All three books have professional covers that add to the appeal of the books. A Sword in Time is an easy and relatively quick read with a generally light and positive tone.
Having not read the first two books in the series, I was concerned that I would not be able to follow this book. For the most part this installment stands on its own. There are a few places when I was a little confused as to what was happening or to a reference from one of the characters, but for the most part it is a good read on its own.
The main characters each have their own unique voice and personality. The book does a good job at making you feel appropriate emotions for each character. I found myself torn because there are two possible futures for both DaVinci and Quintus, and I kept vacillating as to which future I wanted for them. These possibilities kept me turning pages.
The Not So Good
I found myself stuck on a few inconsistencies that did hamper some of my enjoyment for this book. For instance, early in the book we learn that time travel trips last about three hours. As the book progresses, the main team that works at progressing time travel are stumped because they are unable to make trips longer than six minutes. It might be that this is resolved in one of the other books in the series.
Each chapter tends to deal with a different character. For the most part, I enjoyed this aspect. However, there are times in the first several chapters where the story bounces quickly through characters and time periods, and I found myself lost more than once. That problem seems to resolve itself after the first dozen chapters.
The Rating
Cidney Swanson does well at conveying emotion and a sense of urgency from the characters that each have their own missions to accomplish. The language throughout is very family friendly, which to me is essential in a young adult novel. The tale is a bit silly at times, but that is appropriate for the intended audience. In the end, I enjoyed the book and found myself caring about the characters, enough so that I am interested in reading the other installments.
I am scoring this a 4.3 of 5.
A Sword in Time is the third book in the Thief in Time Series by Cidney Swanson. The time travel series is geared toward a young adult audience. This installment focuses mostly on DaVinci Shaughnessy-Pavlov. DaVinci is on a mission to save her childhood home from destruction, but her well intentioned actions create unforeseen consequences that she is not sure she can live with.
Quintus Valerius has been unwillingly pulled from ancient Rome. He is now stuck in modern times, but he has two missions to accomplish. One, he must return to Rome to deliver an important message from Caesar. Two, he must find and punish the man who forcibly carried him through time.
The Good
Let me start with the cover, which I really liked. All three books have professional covers that add to the appeal of the books. A Sword in Time is an easy and relatively quick read with a generally light and positive tone.
Having not read the first two books in the series, I was concerned that I would not be able to follow this book. For the most part this installment stands on its own. There are a few places when I was a little confused as to what was happening or to a reference from one of the characters, but for the most part it is a good read on its own.
The main characters each have their own unique voice and personality. The book does a good job at making you feel appropriate emotions for each character. I found myself torn because there are two possible futures for both DaVinci and Quintus, and I kept vacillating as to which future I wanted for them. These possibilities kept me turning pages.
The Not So Good
I found myself stuck on a few inconsistencies that did hamper some of my enjoyment for this book. For instance, early in the book we learn that time travel trips last about three hours. As the book progresses, the main team that works at progressing time travel are stumped because they are unable to make trips longer than six minutes. It might be that this is resolved in one of the other books in the series.
Each chapter tends to deal with a different character. For the most part, I enjoyed this aspect. However, there are times in the first several chapters where the story bounces quickly through characters and time periods, and I found myself lost more than once. That problem seems to resolve itself after the first dozen chapters.
The Rating
Cidney Swanson does well at conveying emotion and a sense of urgency from the characters that each have their own missions to accomplish. The language throughout is very family friendly, which to me is essential in a young adult novel. The tale is a bit silly at times, but that is appropriate for the intended audience. In the end, I enjoyed the book and found myself caring about the characters, enough so that I am interested in reading the other installments.
I am scoring this a 4.3 of 5.
January 23, 2018
*I would like to sincerely thank Kindle Press for providing me with a copy of A Sword in Time in exchange for an honest review.*
This is the first of Cidney Swanson's books that I have read. I give it a solid 3 stars, and I read it in two sittings! Swanson's writing is fast-past and absorbing, and I really enjoyed the protagonist's wit.
I most looked forward to the chapters narrated by Father Joe and Quintus. As a classics student, I loved reading about how Quintus acclimated to modern society and English sayings. On that note, I would have enjoyed seeing more of ancient Rome and the historical figures that were mentioned.
The device of time travel is well implemented throughout the novel. I enjoyed reading how DaVinci's small alterations in time led to larger impacts on her life. It reminded me of Sarah Mlynowski's novel, Gimme a Call.
The end was very sweet, and I felt like everything was tied up satisfactorily. However, I did feel that Quintus and DaVinci's romance was quite quick to develop, and I would have liked to see his family situation addressed in a bit more detail.
DaVinci was an intriguing protagonist. As a Star Wars fan, I loved her affinity for Princess Leia. I also enjoyed the insight into her family dynamics, and her artistic tendencies! Another small detail I loved was the use of technology. Cell phones still work in ancient Rome--who knew?
Overall, A Sword in Time was a quick, entertaining read with compelling characters in interesting situations, and I enjoyed the exploration of time travel.
This is the first of Cidney Swanson's books that I have read. I give it a solid 3 stars, and I read it in two sittings! Swanson's writing is fast-past and absorbing, and I really enjoyed the protagonist's wit.
I most looked forward to the chapters narrated by Father Joe and Quintus. As a classics student, I loved reading about how Quintus acclimated to modern society and English sayings. On that note, I would have enjoyed seeing more of ancient Rome and the historical figures that were mentioned.
The device of time travel is well implemented throughout the novel. I enjoyed reading how DaVinci's small alterations in time led to larger impacts on her life. It reminded me of Sarah Mlynowski's novel, Gimme a Call.
The end was very sweet, and I felt like everything was tied up satisfactorily. However, I did feel that Quintus and DaVinci's romance was quite quick to develop, and I would have liked to see his family situation addressed in a bit more detail.
DaVinci was an intriguing protagonist. As a Star Wars fan, I loved her affinity for Princess Leia. I also enjoyed the insight into her family dynamics, and her artistic tendencies! Another small detail I loved was the use of technology. Cell phones still work in ancient Rome--who knew?
Overall, A Sword in Time was a quick, entertaining read with compelling characters in interesting situations, and I enjoyed the exploration of time travel.
February 8, 2018
While I was reading ASiT, I realized what I liked os much about this series: the people in it act like actual people. The female leads aren't all Wonder Woman-they act like actual young adults would is faced with weird problems. YA authors nowadays seem scared straight of being accused of writing a female lead that isn't capable of everything thrown at her and better than her male counterparts at everything, even if it isn't realistic. The three female leads in this series all act like distinct, actual people, with their own weaknesses, failings, strengths, and interests. AND IT IS AWESOME.
While I wish the ancient Rome bit would have played more with the setting and possibilities, I thought the switching of perspectives between the times was done way better in this book than in the previous book, where it got confusing. The level of interest I had in both storylines was good too-I actually think I liked Everett in this book more than in his own book. I am plenty interested in seeing where the FBI investigation goes in further books, and I love how the inconsistencies in some of the legal investigations in previous books are starting to come up again, how consequences from previous books are not just going away.
While I wish the ancient Rome bit would have played more with the setting and possibilities, I thought the switching of perspectives between the times was done way better in this book than in the previous book, where it got confusing. The level of interest I had in both storylines was good too-I actually think I liked Everett in this book more than in his own book. I am plenty interested in seeing where the FBI investigation goes in further books, and I love how the inconsistencies in some of the legal investigations in previous books are starting to come up again, how consequences from previous books are not just going away.
January 18, 2018
I haven't read the previous book of the series, but so far this is a fun light read. Suspend disbelief and thoughts of paradoxes, for this novel opens with a young woman borrowing her friends’ time machine to travel back to ensure a leaking pipe gets fixed so her house isn't demolished, as she had just watched happen.
As well, this style of time travel produces duplicates of travelers, which is slightly confusing, as possibly it seems to only occur when people travel forward of their natural timeline?
Some rather interesting causality at work, the romance wasn't quite to my taste, but a fun light read, in what seems like it would be an interesting series.
(had the opportunity to read this via Net Galley - thank you!)
Content note: attempted rape, slavery
As well, this style of time travel produces duplicates of travelers, which is slightly confusing, as possibly it seems to only occur when people travel forward of their natural timeline?
Some rather interesting causality at work, the romance wasn't quite to my taste, but a fun light read, in what seems like it would be an interesting series.
(had the opportunity to read this via Net Galley - thank you!)
Content note: attempted rape, slavery
January 15, 2020
Wow. This series went from great to crap in one book. I did not like this third book in the series at all.
Davinci is annoying and childish. I couldn't stand to read about her thoughts and how she acted. I struggled to finish the book.
During her travel back in time I couldn't believe any person in their right mind would act like her. I did not relate to her character.
Also, I did not understand why another character was introduced (the investigator guy). It seemed weird and made no sense to the story line.
I have not purchased the 4th book in the series because this one was so bad. I need to take a break from it for awhile.
Davinci is annoying and childish. I couldn't stand to read about her thoughts and how she acted. I struggled to finish the book.
During her travel back in time I couldn't believe any person in their right mind would act like her. I did not relate to her character.
Also, I did not understand why another character was introduced (the investigator guy). It seemed weird and made no sense to the story line.
I have not purchased the 4th book in the series because this one was so bad. I need to take a break from it for awhile.
April 24, 2018
I absolutely love this series. Nearly as much as I did Saving Mars. Let's see, space travel, living on another planet, or Time Travel to ancient Greece? Space Travel. But this runs a close second.
Cidney Swanson writes the way I wish I did. She grabs your attention and won't let go until the book is finished and then leaves you wishing for more.
Maybe it is from too many nights awake reading this that I got this latest fibro attack? Maybe worth it?
At any rate, this is a must read series! I think you will like it! I can't wait for more!!!
Cidney Swanson writes the way I wish I did. She grabs your attention and won't let go until the book is finished and then leaves you wishing for more.
Maybe it is from too many nights awake reading this that I got this latest fibro attack? Maybe worth it?
At any rate, this is a must read series! I think you will like it! I can't wait for more!!!
June 15, 2025
I like DaVinci and this storyline was good, lots of action. You really have to read these books in order though, because there is quite a bit of overlap. And while on the steam spectrum they are very low, the romance in this almost appears from one page to the next. They hate/dislike each other when they tumble back to 53 BC, but then about three days later, he's all like "beloved!" I just didn't buy it. I wish there would have been more development between them.
I do enjoy these books and will continue the series.
I do enjoy these books and will continue the series.
March 15, 2018
I received an ARC of this via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a cute chick lit read. A bit of mystery, intrigue, sexual tension and cheese all wrapped into one. Although so unbelievable, it still made me warm and fuzzy. I enjoyed the characters and their sense of humour.
I haven’t read the previous 2 books in the series though I think I’d pick them up. I want a bit more background on everyone though you could read this as a stand-alone. It’s a nice light read.
This was a cute chick lit read. A bit of mystery, intrigue, sexual tension and cheese all wrapped into one. Although so unbelievable, it still made me warm and fuzzy. I enjoyed the characters and their sense of humour.
I haven’t read the previous 2 books in the series though I think I’d pick them up. I want a bit more background on everyone though you could read this as a stand-alone. It’s a nice light read.
February 12, 2018
Sweeter than expected
I have to say that if you are a fan of DaVinci in this series, this story is just SO her. A little naughty with delectable descriptions that kept you panting for just a little more time in each location!
I have to say that if you are a fan of DaVinci in this series, this story is just SO her. A little naughty with delectable descriptions that kept you panting for just a little more time in each location!
August 8, 2018
Loved
I am loving this series. The historical details, time travel dilemmas, and romantic encounters with suspense make for great reading.
I am loving this series. The historical details, time travel dilemmas, and romantic encounters with suspense make for great reading.
August 25, 2018
Entertaining.
Really liked the characters. There didn’t seem to be any portion of the book that was slow or lagging. Moved right along and took me with it.
Really liked the characters. There didn’t seem to be any portion of the book that was slow or lagging. Moved right along and took me with it.
Read
June 3, 2018Loved this series
For one I can't believe the price of these wonderful books. I can't say enough about how enjoyable they were. She did such a wonderful job of developing the characters I just fell in love with them all which made it a must to read the stories of each one. I'm going to be on the lookout for the next one in the series. I could not put it down until all three were read.
For one I can't believe the price of these wonderful books. I can't say enough about how enjoyable they were. She did such a wonderful job of developing the characters I just fell in love with them all which made it a must to read the stories of each one. I'm going to be on the lookout for the next one in the series. I could not put it down until all three were read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews