Cowboys and Timey-Wimey Stuff: A Review of N.D. Wilson's Outlaws of Time Series
If you're looking for a kid's book about wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff and gun-slinging cowboys, this is it.
The Legend of Sam Miracle came out in April of 2016, but for some reason I didn't read it for quite some time. In fact, I didn't even buy it until nearly a year later, before the sequel, The Song of Glory and Ghost, was published. I was probably put-off by the cover art, which is of a strange, almost comic-book-like style: something which later becomes relevant but seemed tacky at first glance.
So yes, I judged a book by its cover. And yes, I regret that. Because The Legend of Sam Miracle is one of the best kid's books I have ever read.
Why? Well, first of all, N.D. Wilson is brilliant. I've said this before, but he's honestly one of the best writers I've ever encountered. Some writers have a good plot or decent writing, or a couple of well-developed characters. N.D. Wilson has it all. He does not dumb-down his writing for a younger audience. He does not try to sneak underhanded comments of a mature or objectionable nature into his stories. He's just this awesome Christian dad who writes books for his kids.
Second of all, the story of Sam Miracle itself is fantastic. Old Western vibes and time travel? It's got that. Awesome brother-sister relationships? Check. Humor? Yep. Action? It has that in abundance.
This series is currently our little brother's favorite. (This may or may not be partially due to the fact that his name may or may not be Sam.) He read the books directly after me, and he is nine. So why did we categorize this book in the 10+ group? Well, mainly because the complexity of the time travel is hard for a younger kid to wrap their head around, but also for the mild violence.
Sam is thrust into times and places in which people expect him to be the gun-slinging hero he has been in the past (or is it the future?). However much he dislikes it, Sam accepts that in order to save his older sister, it is necessary for him to wield a weapon. While there are no gross depictions of blood, an outlaw is shot in the throat. Sam's arms, which he has always been told were paralyzed as a result of his being in a car accident as a young child, were actually shot up by the Vulture and his henchmen and healed all wrong, resulting in his disability. In The Song of Glory and Ghost, the creepy, demon Tzitzimime are sent by the Vulture to kill time-walking Peter as a child so that he cannot grow up to be Father Time. They attempt to take his heart as a newborn but are stopped in the act.
Two interesting points:
Peter Atsa Eagle Tiempo is introduced to Sam Miracle in the first book as his older self: Father Tiempo. He is described as a "priest," though it is never specified as to how he received this title. This obviously allows for the play on words that makes him "Father Time."
Ghost, the figure of the Reaper who visits Sam and his friend Glory in The Song of Glory and Ghost, refers at multiple points to the highest power of the "Three." Holy Trinity reference, anyone?
It never ceases to amaze me how few people know about these books, or N.D. Wilson in general. He is an amazing writer and storyteller. I could probably go on and on, but I'll keep this short and concise.
In sum: wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff. Cowboys. Read it.