Infinity Ring : A mutiny in time by James Dashner

Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9780545386968.
Recommended. Mutiny in time is book one in this new series from Scholastic. In keeping with the previous series, The 39 clues, the book is linked to a website and game available across all devices, engaging young readers in a multi-media experience with a history focus. Dashner is the creator of the overall concept and writer of the first episode. Future episodes in this series will feature a range of other authors.
Dak Smyth and his best friend Sera Froste live in a time when the earth is on the brink of a global catastrophe. Natural disasters, blackouts and food shortages are all too common, whilst the SQ, the all powerful rulers have the people believing that all will be fine.
To cheer Sera up, Dak allows her to go into his parent's lab, through all 197 locks, and they discover the Infinity Ring, a time travel device, his parents have been secretly working on. Whilst Dak has an overwhelming interest in history, Sera is more interested in quantum physics and solves the last puzzle to make the ring work.
After some testing where Dak's parents are lost on their return to the present from being caught as spies in the American Revolution, Dak and Sera are introduced to the Hystorians. This group is dedicated to fixing the The Great Breaks in History. That is where history has gone wrong through time allowing the SQ to rule the world.
Thus begins the adventure as Dak, Sera and Riq a language expert, are sent on their first mission involving Christopher Columbus and a mutiny led by the Amancio brothers.
A rollicking adventure with plenty of tension, both between the main characters, and as the plot to overthrow Columbus comes to a conclusion, this will appeal to the more adventurous children with the added benefit of investigating some significant events in history, with other titles to come.
Sue Keane