Graphic Novel Review – The Secret of the Time Tablets (Cleopatra in Space, Book 3) by Mike Maihack (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Graphic Novel/Science Fiction
Length: 192 pages
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: April 26, 2016
ISBN-13: 978-0545838672
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in the Cleopatra in Space series
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Cleo and her friends journey from Yasiro Academy to the city of Hykosis, where some of the most notorious thieves and assassins live. They’re in search of information about the time tablets that could determine Cleo’s fate – whether she wants them to or not. But the group is separated when Xaius Octavian’s fleet attacks their ship, and Cleo and Akila are on their own until they run into an old nemesis. Will Cleo find the information she needs and get out of Hykosis alive?”

This is a fun graphic novel series that both me and my 9 year old son enjoy. The illustration is done in amazing full color and is fun to look at. The characters are high energy and fun..and of course there is a talking cat (how can you go wrong with that?).

I really enjoy these books they are quick and fun reads with a lot of action. They are mostly science fiction themed but also have some magic elements to them. There’s a lot of adventure as well.

I do one small complaint; I feel like some of the action scenes were hard to follow. A lot of the action scenes are image only scenes with kind of that BOOM! POW! feel to them. In some of these it’s very hard to follow what the characters are actually doing.

This installment had a couple tense and heart-rending moments, so it’s more intense than the last two books but still very kid appropriate. I loved that we learned a ton more about the Time Tablets and both what their function is and what they mean to Cleopatra.

Overall this was a great addition to the Cleopatra in Space series. I think middle grade kids will enjoy this a bit more than adults because the story is pretty simple. However, this novel does take things up a notch by adding complexity and some tense moments to the story. I love the beautiful color and amount of action in these. I would definitely recommend to middle grade readers who enjoy action packed sci-fi.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– New Release Challenge