Invictus

Time flies when you’re plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far’s birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he’s ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.

But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far’s very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.

In this heart-stopping adventure, Ryan Graudin has created a fast-paced world that defies time and space.

• 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