⭐️ Gold Recipient, Mom’s Choice Awards Honoring Excellence
⭐️ Gold Medal in Children’s 4th-6th, 2021 International Readers’ Favorite Awards
⭐️ 1st Place, Gertrude Warner Middle Grade Fiction Award
Siblings John and Sarah barely made it home last time, but in their next time traveling adventure the challenge really heats up.
Surrounded by clashing cultures on the ancient Roman frontier, they must fulfill their quest to unite the emperor with his enemy, an Alemanni barbarian, or risk being stuck in time forever. An action-packed fantasy full of sword fights, chariot chases, fearsome wild animals, and high mountain survival. For graduates of the Magic Tree House looking for a thrilling middle grade page-turner, read Sol Invictus, book two of The Eye of Ra series!
ISBNs:
hardback 9781734155259
paperback 9781734155235
ebook 9781734155228
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“Once again, Gartner deftly weaves real-life history into a compelling adventure, offering high-stakes, realistic danger and vivid scene-setting…A dynamic and informative time-travel fantasy with relatable young characters.” -Kirkus Reviews. Read the full review here.
*****
“Gartner has a knack for action and creating compelling historical personalities . . . The book’s energetic writing captures the growing pains of both protagonists . . . This spirited story will appeal to eager young historians. Middle [grade] readers who treasure ancient history with a side of adventure will welcome this fantasy story.” -BookLife Reviews by Publishers Weekly. Read the full review here.
*****
“Gartner’s narrative voice complements the book’s brisk pacing and heightens its unending action…The book echoes the same adventure-driven narrative of Percy Jackson and the Olympians but with its own Roman twist. However, Gartner skillfully embellishes a narrow glimpse of history that is typically studied for its grander narrative.” –BookLife Prize, 2021
*****
Gold Medal Winner, Children’s 4th – 6th
“Ben Gartner has a gift for capturing details of the past and weaving a story that brings the adventure out of history. This series creates a love of history and learning with the wonder and excitement that the siblings find when they travel back in time.”
–Readers’ Favorite
*****
*****
“Fans of The Eye of Ra will love the quick return to history Sarah and John experience in this story. Diligently researched, Sol Invictus recounts historical events in a way that is captivating and engaging while simultaneously educating readers of all ages…The writing is richly detailed and fast-paced, placing readers in the middle of the narrative and giving the story the feel of an action film…Middle grade readers with a love of adventure and history are sure to connect with John and Sarah in this dynamic series.” —Mary Lanni, librarian and writer for School Library Journal. Full review here. Or just watch this awesome video!
*****
This brings me joy! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars from avid reader and video reviewer at Harriet’s Book Reviews. Subscribe to her channel to show your support!
*****
“Once again, Ben Gartner has written an action-packed time travel adventure that middle-grade readers will love. This story has lots of twists, turns and unexpected outcomes, making it a real page-turner as the story progresses. Enjoy!” –Page McBrier, New York Times Bestselling author
*****
“Fans of Ben Gartner’s first book will gobble this up!” -Caroline Lawrence, author of 17-book series The Roman Mysteries
*****
“Ben Gartner does it again in this second book! Readers will be turning pages quickly to find out where John and Sarah’s adventure takes them in ancient Rome. The story was full of action, mystery and great historical information! My middle grade readers are going to be waiting for a turn to read this!” -Stacy A., 5th grade teacher
*****
“I was so excited to read this second book in the Eye of Ra series and was not disappointed! It’s a thrilling ride from start to finish as the brother and sister MCs travel back in time again, this time to ancient Rome where they have to accomplish a seemingly impossible task or be stuck in time. With tons of action, humor, excellent character development, and historical details that will make you feel like you’ve been swept back in time too, this is sure to be a winner for middle grade readers.” -Sam Subity, author of The Last Shadow Warrior
*****
*****
“Must read 🏆
Middle grade readers with a love of adventure and history are sure to connect with John and Sarah in this dynamic story.
Diligently researched, Sol Invictus recounts historical events in a way that is captivating and engaging while simultaneously educating readers of all ages.” –Reedsy Discovery
*****
“I really enjoyed this book! I got a big Magic Treehouse vibe from the whole concept, and I think this is a story that would fall between that and the Kane Chronicles.” -Peggy P, Teacher
*****
“Sol Invictus by Ben Gartner is a fantastic follow-up that delivers! Keeping true to the spirit of the first book and its lovable heroes, this sequel to Eye of Ra ramps up the action, character growth, and overall stakes. Sol Invictus delivers a fun, page-turning adventure with sword fights, wolf pups, narrow escapes, and even ancient cheesecake! A fun time-traveling sibling adventure story with heart and heart-pounding action. I can’t wait to read what comes next for John and Sarah!” -Kerelyn Smith, author of Mulrox and the Malcognitos
*****
“What can I say, I’m a sucker for time travel! This book has it all—a high-stakes plot, a dose of Roman history, and a great sense of humor. Check it out.” -Adam Perry, author of The Thieving Collectors of Fine Children’s Books
*****
“I had a blast reading Ben Gartner’s SOL INVICTUS! Love the action, the history, and the characters are so relatable. I was hooked right away. Such a wonderful Middle Grade book!” -Chris Baron, author of The Magical Imperfect
*****
“Drawing inspiration from history and taking advantage of gaps to take creative excursions, this middle grade novel’s high action and adventure plot makes a fun entry point into ancient history…This middle grade novel, the follow-up to Gartner’s The Eye of Ra, was a pleasure to read. Engaging and sensitively written, it would make a great addition to late elementary and middle school classrooms.” -Eirini Allen, PhD in Teaching and Learning and the Director of the non-profit Institute for Classics Education. Read the full review here.
*****
“After reading Eye of Ra (book 1 in the series), I was (im)patiently awaiting this book–and I was not disappointed. Lots of action, time-travel adventure, and some history, too–it’s a win in my book. I would have loved this series as a kid, and love it thoroughly as an adult. Highly recommended for adventurers of all ages.” -Fleur Bradley, author of Midnight at the Barclay Hotel
*****
“An action-packed and educational story with well-developed characters that middle grade readers will love.” -Nikki B.
*****
“A polished entry in the series.” -M.D. DeCillis
*****
“I really enjoyed the story. I like that you chose a part of Roman history not talked about a lot in the traditional Latin class and that brought it alive for me.” -Andrew C., Latin Teacher
*****
“I genuinely enjoyed this story. I think it would be great for middle-grade readers, and I’d definitely recommend it. It would appeal to any gender, in my opinion, and John and Sarah are both sympathetic enough that readers of different ages would find someone to relate to.” -Michelle F.
*****
“I really enjoyed this book! As a history lover, I really appreciated the amount of research that must have been involved in creating this story, and the little details that you added really bring the world to life. This is the second book in this series, but this book doesn’t rely on the reader having read the first book. Sarah actually reminds me of myself when I was a preteen. For preteen and young teen readers, she will feel very familiar, and might even help them with learning how to process negative emotions. The plot has lots of adventure and compelling events, and we get to see many historical places and peoples without feeling like we’re on a sightseeing tour of ancient Rome. It’s definitely educational, but it feels almost inadvertently so, with the historical facts and ideas helping to develop and build up the plot rather than the other way around. The story is primary, education is almost a sneaky secondary. The tone is at times lighthearted, but once they get to the past there is an overarching feeling of purpose and tension. It doesn’t talk down to the reader. The book is very well written and will appeal to kids that like history and those that just want an interesting book to read. I very rarely find a children’s book this respectful of the intellect of its readers and with a story that’s compelling and educational.” -Samantha G.
*****
“I thought I was immune to everything new in middle grade novels, but Sol Invictus surprised me with the riveting tale of John and Sarah’s adventures to Ancient Rome. This book could be read as a standalone and was excellently done. The climax was one of those scenes that while reading, you forget to breathe and the twist—I didn’t see that one coming! A brilliant work of historical adventure that I know my middle grade students will love.” -Dimitra M, English tutor
*****
“I thoroughly enjoyed Sol Invictus and quickly endeared to both John and Sarah. There were plenty of action-packed sequences, a little humor sprinkled in, and a great history lesson that was informative but not overbearing.” -Jeff D., beta reader
*****
“Well written, exciting, thrilling, a true adventure. Can’t wait for the next episode.” -Jim C.
*****
“Action – Adventure – Historical fiction for kids! Touted as a ‘Thrilling Time Travel Adventure Series’ this is indeed that. Fantastic middle grade read to accompany Gartner’s first book of the series: THE EYE OF RA. Very well done.” -Amy M.
*****
“Gartner pens a fantastical story in Sol Invictus. I haven’t read anything from this author before, and I really enjoyed this story. The characters were fun and very adventurous. This author brings the story to life. There is a great chemistry between the characters, especially between John and Sarah, the time travelers. The weight of their past adventures is carried with them as they find themselves in Roman (ancient Rome to be exact) territory. I haven’t read Gartner’s previous books, but I do look forward to reading his story collection. This is an exciting book that I could read as a standalone, though it is book two of Gartner’s The Eye of Ra series. If it’s a series, I recommend reading the entire series even if they are stand alone. The story brings in the believable even if it’s just in the imagination of the author. This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). A very well-written story, and I enjoyed it. What a fun and creative read! This author has such a grand imagination. What a fantastical and magical read! It’s a middle grade or YA read, but I’m way over that age, and I enjoyed it, and of course fantasies are fun and exciting to read, especially for us nerds. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author, and maybe some repeats. Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews definitely recommends this story.” -Amy’s Bookshelf Reviews
*****
“The book reads like a Dan Brown novel but with a purpose larger than entertainment. The author has found a great vehicle for sharing history. I got tired of highlighting all the facts I didn’t know (I thought there would be only a handful) and just enjoyed the ride.” -Harry S.
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⭐️ 1st Place, Gertrude Warner Middle Grade Fiction Award
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bengartner.com 