Fraternal twins Anastasia and Edward Upton have nothing in common. Their difference in personality, however, is what makes them click for they view things from opposite perspectives. As if the sixth grade is not challenging enough, life throws them even bigger lemons. The Order of Time by Scott P. Southall is your gateway to joining their adventure. The book’s title is the name of a secret society where their mentor, Dr. Gregorian, is a member. This society is engaged in time travel, and when their mentor is attacked by an evil group, the Corsairs, who want to alter the past to advance their interests, the task of protecting the timeline falls into the hands of the twins. Anastasia and Edward must travel back to ancient Egypt where they will encounter evil priests and malevolent gods in order to preserve the consistency of history’s timeline.

As a middle-grade sci-fi fantasy novel, the plot works as it quickly establishes the two hero characters that young readers will relate to. When they travel back in time, it gives you that same kind of excitement you feel in watching those time travel cartoons like “Time Squad” and “Superbook.” Whether you are eight or eighty, you will enjoy being transported into an exotic setting with Edward and Anastasia. The local color of ancient Egypt will permeate your senses and will make your spine tingle at the presence of villains. The Order of Time depicts sibling relationships in a positive light. Southall gives the right message that personality differences should be embraced as an opportunity to learn from the ideas of others. This is a middle-grade book that parents and kids will enjoy reading.

The Order of Time by Scott P. Southall is an imaginative children's fairy tale that will whisk you away on an unforgettable adventure. It's about 11-year-old twins Edward and Anastasia, who are diametrically opposed but are still close to each other. They encounter bullies at Blake Academy and visit the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, like other ordinary sixth-graders. Then problems crop up that change life as they know it, and everything else. Dr. Gregorian is their trusted friend, but he belongs to The Order of Time, a secret society. When the twins discover that time and events can be altered, they have to travel back in time to early Egypt to battle assassins, dark priests, and gods with revenge on their minds--all to prevent an atrocity. It's up to these two children to save the past and return home.

Young readers will love everything about this book, from the action to the characters of the twins to the dangers they face. The time travel angle is always fun, and you'll get a sense of mystery and intrigue as the concept of secret societies and time come to light. Southall's writing is fresh and immediate, and he has an energetic way with dialogue and pacing. As you read, you bounce from chapter to chapter, eager to find out how the twins will handle what's going on. Sometimes the obstacles seem hard to overcome, but Anastasia and Edward are smart and determined. What I like is that these two seem like regular kids caught up in an unnerving scenario--something young readers can relate to, and some adults too, I suspect. This author knows how to weave a magnetic story that is straightforward and convincing. The locales and researched details really come to life in a way that is interesting instead of dry. Kudos to The Order of Time by Scott P. Southall for an enjoyable read.

This book is a wonderful mixture of Egyptian history, time travel, and two plucky twins adventures. The twins combine their skills and strengths to deal with complications of ordinary life in the present and to assume great responsibilities to restore order when an evil villain tries alter history. A must read for children in the age range of 10 to 15.

I read this with my daughter who loved the relationship between Anastasia and Edward and the fun adventures they share together as brother and sister who travel back to Ancient Egypt as part of a secret society to protect the order of time. The story is full of interesting facts and wonderful history which we talked about as part of our bedtime routine. What a delightful book, full of excitement, intrigue and adventure! Would definitely recommend!

This book is a riveting journey and an appropriate read for any age. The author's prose is simple yet sophisticated at the same time, which makes the reading especially informative and educational for pre-teens and youngsters interested in action and adventure. He may be a banker, but Southall has a noveling career ahead of him. He must have had a really good creative writing class in high school, perhaps?

The Order of Time has been a hit with our whole family. It's hard to find a book that appeals to 11-year-olds and 7-year-olds, but this one does: kid-driven adventure, lots of interesting historical/factual details, and rich descriptions that enable them to visualize the story in their own minds. The author has written a real page-turner, and our we are all is enjoying reading it aloud together.