Cliste Bella: Book Review | Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic (Timeless #1) by Armand Baltazar

(Timeless #1)
by Armand Baltazar

The world did not end. At least not permanently.

The Time Collision came from beyond the stars, a cosmic event that fractured time and space, tearing apart the earth and reshaping it into something entirely new.

This is the world Diego Ribera was born into. The past, present, and future coexisting together.

Timeless.

In New Chicago, Diego’s middle school hallways buzz with kids from all eras of history and from cultures all over the world. The pieces do not always fit together neatly, but this is the world he loves. There are those, however, who do not share his affection.

On his thirteenth birthday, Diego learns of a special gift he has within, a secret that is part of something much bigger—something he cannot understand. When his father, New Chicago’s top engineer, is taken by the Aeternum, Diego must rescue him and prevent this evil group from disrupting the fragile peace humanity has forged.

With more than 150 full-color illustrations.

"Diego sped over New Chicago, its canals and train tracks clogged with the morning traffic of steamships and trolleys, its sidewalks crowded with topcoats, leather tunics, and fine capes, a world bursting in color and sound, in the smell of horse droppings and engine grease, corn roasting on food carts, and the sea. Off in the distance, the exhaust clouds from the great steamships and harbor robots colored the sunrise gold.

He spotted the girl up ahead, knifing through the sky. He had to catch her before it was too late. Diego didn’t know why, just knew he had to. Something to do with time, he thought. It was always time, running forward and backward through this world, but in this dream . . .
Running out."

So this book I would categorize as Middle Grade Fantasy. Although the characters are technically teens, they are only 13 and 14 year olds so still Middle Grade. First thing that I need to talk about is the illustrations in the book. I got an ARC and it was indicated that the final published copy illustrations would be in full color. I didn't mind that mine was in black and white because dang those illustrations are definitely good.

I like that it had a lot of elements that I like ~ a plot about time being fractured hence combining past, present, and future together. We have dinosaurs, robots, steam powered technology and advanced futuristic technology all mixed together, Victorian Era women's etiquette with modern day beliefs, Pirates, and more. In the middle are our protagonist who fight to make this their own time.

I was thinking without the art, the book wouldn't be all that thick. But the art was an integral part of the novel as a whole. I loved how it gave life to the world that the author created. I also loved that the main Protagonist Diego Ribera is a Filipino like me. There are not a lot of main characters in books that are the same nationality as me so this was awesome.