The Lost Cities: A Drift House Voyage: 11/29/12

The Lost Cities: A Drift House Voyage by Dale Peck opens at the start of summer, 2002. It's been almost a year since the Oakenfeld siblings were driven up to Canada to escape the chaos of the World Trade Center destruction. Just as Susan, Charles and Murray are preparing for their trip back, Murray comes down with chicken pox, meaning he is left behind in Manhattan.

Susan and Charles, though, have been given a book that provides further clues to how Drift House and the Seas of Time work. Unfortunately, disaster strikes in the form of a temporal tsunami, thus separating Charles from the house, while Susan and Uncle Farley are once again adrift.

Parents who might have read (or seen the episode) Doctor Who and the War Games will understand straight away the plight both siblings are in. Living along the shores of the Seas of Time are lost cultures, including entire lost cities — temporal echoes of times long forgotten. Much like the crew of cursed Flying Dutchman, these people continue to go about their business, unwilling or unable to grasp that their time has come and gone.

I found the continuing exploration of time travel in a temporal maelstrom, fascinating. Charles this time gets to experience first hand some of what little Murray has gone through or will go through depending on where in time he is.

Five stars

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