Around the World in 100 Days

January 17, 2011
Positioned as a sequel of sorts to Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days, Blackwood's story centers on Harry, the carefree son of legendary adventurer Phileas Fogg. Harry bets men at his father's Reform Club £6,000 that he can drive his car, the Flash, around the world in 100 days (the motorcar may be shipped across bodies of water). Impulsive Harry is joined by his friend/mechanic, an "impartial observer" (really, the uptight son of one of his competitors), and a feisty reporter. Together, they face a near collision with a train, raging wildfires, sabotage, and even kidnapping. Blackwood (The Great Race) ably infuses their voyage with coming-of-age themes: Not only does Harry want to "prove the worth of the Flash and of motorcars in general," but he also wants to prove himself to his father, who has made Harry promise that if he loses, he will "take up some profession appropriate for a gentleman." Newspaper dispatches and various details about the countries they cross—from the landscape to food and politics—further enliven an adventure that makes good on its innovative premise. Ages 10–up.

Starred review from October 15, 2010

It's 1891, and young Harry Fogg's obsession with automobiles has landed him in jail. His father, Phileas Fogg, and mother, Aouda, long for Harry to settle down and adopt a gentlemanly profession. When Harry lands in more hot water—wagering at his club that he can circle the globe by automobile in 100 days—Phileas finances the trip on the proviso that if Harry loses he will give up tinkering with cars. Accompanied by Johnny, friend and automotive genius, Charles, whose father is betting against Harry, and Elizabeth, journalist and proto-feminist, Harry sets off in his state-of-the-art, steam-powered car. Like his father, he'll face daunting challenges both technical and human, including the presence of a saboteur. Blackwood retains what's best from Around the World in 80 Days, by that forefather of steampunk, Jules Verne—the lighthearted humor, race against time, loyal friends and devious foes—while dropping the Eurocentrism; Harry's mixed-race heritage and adventures in a world on the cusp of social upheaval provide a subtle contemporary subtext. The synthesis makes for a thrilling, thoroughly road-worthy joy ride. (Historical fiction. 10 & up)

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December 1, 2010

Gr 5-8-Phileas Fogg made the voyage in 80 days, and in this imaginative historical adventure his son, Harry Fogg, has made a wager of his own. In 1891, the exuberant young man has bet that he can circle the globe in a steam-powered automobile-the Flash-in 100 days. There's much more at stake in this challenge than just the 6,000 prize. Free-spirited Harry is determined to prove that the automobile is the transportation mode of the future. His rigid and regimented father has reluctantly agreed to cover the cost of the wager, but there's a condition: if Harry wins, he can pursue his motorcar dreams, but if he loses, he must get serious and pursue a professional career that his father deems more befitting an English gentleman. Accompanied by his gifted but quirky mechanic; an abrasive, foppish "minder" who's there to make sure the rules of the wager are followed; and an intriguing female reporter, Harry and his crew face many obstacles. Some are natural, some mechanical, and some human. Most troubling is the fact that someone-most likely one of the passengers-is apparently trying to sabotage the Flash. Blackwood's steampunkish romp has a touch of humor and a great deal of heart, which brings readers fully onboard as they feverishly turn pages in this race against the clock.-Jeffrey Hastings, Highlander Way Middle School, Howell, MI

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2010
Grades 6-9 Let the extreme road trip begin: wild man Harry is never one to walk away from a wager. The young man-about-town succumbs to the challenge of mean-spirited businessmen who view him as an easy mark, challenging him to drive his newfangled steam-powered motor car around the world. He can board ships as necessary with the contraption, but he must arrive back in London within 100 days. Its 1891, and the world does not trust the promise of the automobile. Along with an observer and a journalist, Harry is joined by his trustworthy mechanic, and the unlikely foursome sets forth on a hair-raising adventure. Danger lurks at every turnCossacks, kidnappers, and garden-variety outlawsas do mechanical failures and all manner of mayhem. And who knows if observer Charles and charming journalist Elizabeth are really undercover saboteurs? The journey is fun and suspenseful, and, of course, our hero prevailsbarely.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)