Although Lipoarulo’s Timescape (the fourth of six in the Dreamhouse Kings series) just recently released in July, I’m already looking towards January 2010, when book five, Whirlwind, will become available.
In Liparulo’s trademark openings in the Christian young adult series, the King family is plunged directly into the midst of the dire situation readers were left hanging with at the end of Gatekeepers.
The family is off on another set of adventures through the time-shifting doors in their still-mysterious home. Timescape features two scenes that were suggested by Liparulo’s young fans through his “Dream the Scene” fan input contest.
Book four is slanted more heavily towards straight up action and suspense than the creepy, supernatural feel of the previous titles. With more emphasis on vivid play-by-play scenes fraught with danger, and the growing threat of Taksidian towards the King’s I’m surprised that the entire family isn’t jumping out of their skins at every sound – oh wait, they are for the most part.
The themes of loyalty and togetherness continue to develop and play out, providing the bedrock of warm emotional support needed for the family to work through their crucible.
With David, Xander, and Toria’s mother still wandering through time, the children’s shared camaraderie, humour, and clearly demonstrated love for one another shines through all their interactions. Subtle and brief faith-based elements are included in the conversations and musings of the characters, remaining as low-key as the other titles in the series.
While Jesse’s arrival has shed some light on the house’s origins, he’s largely out of the picture in this novel, and much has yet to be revealed in the two final releases. I’m sure that many fans are eagerly anticipating the conclusion of the series, and the revelation of further details surrounding the ultimate purpose of the house, but Liparulo’s playing hard to get.
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