BOOK REVIEW: Seven Rules by D.C.A. Mackenzie

Seven Rules by D.C.A. Mackenzie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Andy Anderson is not a happy lad. His father left him years ago, his mother ignores him and he has a reputation for being a bit of a ‘loose cannon’ at school.
So, it would have surprised no-one when Andy indulged himself in a little petty theft during a school trip. The mystic Talisman Andy ‘acquired’ had hidden powers that unlocked the gates of time and threw him back in history where his sudden appearance causes an innocent man to die a slow, lingering death.
Aided by his good mate Tim and unwittingly coerced by shadowy underworld guardians, Andy bounces between dates three hundred years apart and travels the globe to save the life he put in danger when he used the Talisman. On his travels Andy befriends an obnoxious blue-blooded playboy, London gangsters and Mayan warriors. To avoid capture by the evil sect pursuing him, Andy flies, crashes, fights, runs, gains a father, and even wades neck deep in poo. But it’s only when Andy thinks the danger has past and the end is near, the sect really have him in their sights.

A fun ride through history with action and machines that kids (and big kids) will love.
Andy and Tim are propelled through their adventure at a rapid pace and face challenges and thrills by the bucket load. They are swept up in a thrilling adventure that takes in the present day, pre-World War Two Britain and the 16th century Mayan civilization. There's also really good informative content about the machines and history that are encountered along the way which brings an nice extra dimension to the tale. The epic journey in a really cool de Havilland Comet racing plane is a particular favorite of mine.
The feel and pace of the story is very much like Biggles crossed with Indiana Jones although the book stands on it's own with plenty of originality along with the effective use of numerous tropes and ideas synonymous with the genre. Heaps of hallmarks of great adventure stories are present.
Overall a fantastic book that I reckon any young adult with a sense of adventure will enjoy. I enjoyed it as an adult! Hopefully the first of more adventures from this exciting new author.

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