There has never been a book that has captivated audiences so well with a combination of Nazis and pirates like Ted Bell did in his novel Nick Of Time. This book, even though it was written in 2008, is still a good read 13 years later! James Patterson, another author who has written many great books, reviewed Nick Of Time and said that “the kid in me loved it, and so did the adult.” What sparked an interest in this book for me was the quotes on the beginning pages which are very impactful and set the themes of the book which are the importance of family and bravery. The quotes are, “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer,” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). The second is, “A good ship is never tested in calm waters,” (Richard Trench). Nick Of Time is about a boy who lives with his family in a lighthouse in mid-century England. Nazis are starting to invade England and Nick and his father spy on them to learn the Nazi’s tactics. Events occur where Nick and his family have to sell their lighthouse and all during this time, Nick has a dream of becoming a hero. He encounters pirates from the future who steal his beloved dog and he has to go save him. He finds a chest with a time machine fictionally made from Leonardo Da Vinci and goes back in time to get his dog and help his ancestor, who is a military captain, survive an attack from pirates. Nick, who also has a sister, stays home and fights the Nazis with modern-day military captains. In the end, Nick finally realizes he is a hero, but how did he figure that out? You’ll just have to read it and find out! I personally love pirates and historical fiction. The only part that I wasn’t very fond of was the constant referencing to sailing. I don’t know much about sailing, so the mention of “boat parts” flew over my head. Sailing and boating was Nick's favorite thing to do so it is used a lot in the book. Even the author of this book knows how to sail. The sailing doesn’t affect the story and the understanding of it which was good. Nick Of Time is not a quick read but is fit for middle school and older. It is part of a series, and this is the first book. It may not necessarily be a book for keeping, but it is a book that is well worth a read. It’s a complete adventure book that takes you through different times in a time machine, and who couldn’t love that?
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