There is one subject I have vowed never to tackle in my books: time travel. It is too complicated, so I have decided to avoid it at all costs. However, I still enjoy reading books with time travel by other authors, such as Invictus.
Invictus by Ryan Graudin tells the story of Farway "Far" McCarthy, an aspiring Recorder for the Corp of Central Time Travelers. As a Recorder, he will travel through time to document various events without being noticed by the past to avoid changing history. But when Far fails his final exam, he turns instead to a black market operation stealing lost treasures from the past. He settles nicely into his new life—that is, until a routine heist on the doomed Titanic introduces Far to a girl named Eliot, who turns his world upside down. She knows things she shouldn't, is always one step ahead of Far, and holds universe-ending secrets. With all Far's ever known challenged, he, Eliot, and Far's team will have to race against time—the one thing he thought he always had—to save the world.
This was such a fun book! Even though it's all about time travel and paradoxes, everything was completely accessible and easy to understand and follow. Eliot's secrets were so intriguing I could barely put the book down to sleep, and her interactions with the other characters were always unpredictable and exciting. Far is a compelling protagonist you can't help but root for, along with his friends and their little romances. I always love romance subplots woven into the larger story, so you'll definitely be satisfied if you're like me.
With so many moving parts, connecting everything seemed a monumental task, yet Graudin managed it wonderfully. All the little secrets, hints, and puzzle pieces came together beautifully to forge a stunning picture of life and what makes it worth living. Invictus is a good reminder to focus on the present and future, not the past, no matter how appealing it can be.
I rate Invictus by Ryan Graudin 5/5 stars. Even if you're not typically a fan of time travel, I encourage you to give it a try. And remember—don't get lost in the past.
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