Invictus

Ryan Graudin

Hardcover

List Price: 18.99*
* Individual store prices may vary.

Other Editions of This Title:
Digital Audiobook (9/25/2017)
Paperback (10/16/2018)
Library Binding, Large Print (2/28/2019)
Paperback, Large Print (2/20/2019)
Compact Disc (9/26/2017)

Description

A heart-stopping adventure that defies time and space--New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu calls it "an incredibly intricate, brilliantly paced, masterfully written journey."

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time traveler from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in ancient Rome, Far's very existence defies the laws of nature. All he's ever wanted was to explore history for himself, but after failing his entrance exam into the government program, Far will have to settle for a position on the black market-captaining a time-traveling crew to steal valuables from the past.

During a routine heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl named Eliot who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Eliot has secrets-big ones-that will affect Far's life from beginning to end. Armed with the knowledge that history is not as steady as it seems, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to set things right before the clock runs out.


Praise For Invictus…

Praise for Invictus:
* "Snarky banter, a clever setup, and a diverse and well-drawn cast elevate this rollicking, bombshell-laden adventure...Graudin's intricate worldbuilding brings the distant past and far future to vivid life. Readers who like their science fiction shot through with humor will be enthralled."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

* "The story is well paced, and...deals with issues of trust, romance, and duty. This would be an excellent addition to most high school collections."
—VOYA (starred review)

* "Invictus is a creative, mesmerizing adventure... From start to finish, it will captivate readers with unique characters, intriguing concepts, and an adorable red panda. It would be a great disservice to this generation of action-packed cinema to dismiss this novel without attempting to bring it to the big screen... Invictus is a ride that no young adult reader should miss."—VOYA Teen Reviewer (starred review)

"This is high adventure with a literary bent, and it's held together by a lovable, ragtag crew-turned-family that wouldn't be out of place in Firefly. A well-researched, thoroughly enjoyable romp through the ages."
—Booklist

"Swoonworthy sci-fi: that's something that doesn't come along every day."
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Graudin depicts the futuristic, high-tech world (2371 C.E.) and the fulsome and frenzied historical settings with equal richness...A madcap, vivid time-travel tale with a strong ensemble, both indebted and cheekily alluding to Doctor Who and Firefly."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Gladiators, historians, engineers, smugglers, relics, suspense, love, and time travel merge in a story that will enthrall readers."
—SLC

"The characters are all well developed and compelling...its satisfying ending hits all the right notes. An appealing sci-fi romp."
—SLJ

"Graudin weaves the past and future seamlessly together into an epic canvas spanning generations. An incredibly intricate, brilliantly paced, masterfully written journey."
—Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Young Elites

"I've loved all of Ryan Graudin's books, but I love this one the most. Time-traveling thieves skipping through history! Mind-bending in the best way."
—Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Strange the Dreamer

"If the crew from Firefly somehow wound up as teenagers on the TARDIS and had to solve a Fringe-type mystery before time literally disappeared, you'd have something like Invictus."—Beth Revis, New York Times bestselling author of the Across the Universe series and A World Without You

"A nonstop thrill ride from start to finish--I raced through Invictus at top speed! With this book, Ryan Graudin proves she can conquer any genre she turns her hand to. Fun, cheeky, high-stakes, and totally immersive, this story is wildly imaginative and brilliantly original. Jump on board without hesitation: You'll love Invictus."—Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of the Illuminae Files

"Invictus gripped my heart. Graudin's achingly beautiful prose and thoughtful exploration of time, history, and identity create a stunning story. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, and yet I wanted to savor each decadent sentence. Readers be warned, you'll want to stop time to live in this tale."
—Roshani Chokshi, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Star-Touched Queen

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316503075, 464pp.

Publication Date: September 26, 2017



About the Author

Ryan Graudin was born in Charleston, SC with a severe case of wanderlust. When she's not traveling, she's busy photographing weddings, writing, and spending time with her husband and wolf-dog. She is the author of The Walled City, Wolf by Wolf, and Blood for Blood. You can visit her online at ryangraudin.com.


Conversation Starters from ReadingGroupChoices.com

1. After he fails his exam, Far is faced with the opportunity to become a time-traveler on the black market. Is it worth the moral compromise to become a thief in order to achieve his dreams? Would you make the same choice if your life-long dream came to a screeching halt?


2. The time travelers of 2354 are able to vacation in any time and era they could imagine. Where would you go if you were able to bend space and time? What artifact from history would you steal?


3. The corps maxim is “The future’s hope is in the past.” What does it say about the society of 2354 that they are so obsessed with history? What will future historians have to say about our current era?


4. Invictus is told from the perspective of many narrators. How did that affect your experience of reading the book?


5. Far’s world is turned on its head after meeting Eliot. How would the story change if he hadn’t let her on the ship?


6. Each of the crew members of the Invictus have their own distinct personalities and quirks. How did that help them work together? How did it get in their way? Which character did you most identify with?


7. “Invictus” is also the name a of poem by William Ernest Henley, the first stanza of which is quoted in the book:


Out of the night which covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.


How does this stanza apply to the book?