Alan Priest pairs suspense with science fiction in his imaginative book The Lost Family Robinson. During a family get-together, which is beset with clashing personalities, Fred takes the opportunity to try out his latest experiment. What begins as a six-second time travel attempt quickly escalates into a catastrophe. The family members find themselves stuck many years in the past with the challenge of finding their way home despite having a damaged time machine. However, the quarrelsome bunch will have more to overcome than just their various personality differences. As it turns out, time travel is no longer a phenomenon believed to be impossible, and someone is seeking to confiscate Fred’s invention. The family will have to learn to work together and use their wits if they hope to return to their own time.

Having taken some of the familiar features of the characters from the classic novel The Swiss Family Robinson, Alan Priest has turned their story completely upside down to create a wholly original time travel adventure. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of a secret council that monitors disruptions in time, which added a layer of intrigue that kept me engaged to the end. I found this book to be a highly enjoyable read, and even though I had trouble discerning a distinct voice from many of the secondary characters, the intelligent plot was absolutely on point. If you’re looking for a wholesome and adventurous sci-fi tale with a compelling storyline and plenty of surprises, look no further than The Lost Family Robinson.

The Lost Family Robinson is a sci-fi thriller mystery novel by Alan Priest. During a family get-together at their lake house in Greenbrook, Nevada, Fred Robinson, an astrophysicist, introduces his brothers and their families to his newly invented time machine that takes them six years into the past. Upon the insistence of his brothers, Ernie, Jack, and Will, and their spouses, Fred tries to time travel back home, only to end up sixty years in the past. With the help of Jack's wife, Zoey, the Robinsons use their knowledge of baseball games to pull off an audacious heist and find a way to make the machine work. But now, the brothers are in the 1880s and must seek help from one of their ancestors to travel back home. However, a dangerous man from the future keeps disrupting their plans.

The Lost Family Robinson is an absorbing historical fiction action-adventure novel with a sprinkling of time travel. Keeping a fast-paced narrative, Alan Priest plots an engrossing sci-fi mystery that throws curveball after curveball your way until the end. You're never quite sure what's happening next and find yourself eagerly devouring the pages to see how the story arcs of your favorite characters are going to end up. Fred, Ernie, Jack, and Will feel like real brothers with distinct traits that set them apart. I loved their relationship dynamics and the constant back-and-forth that keeps you entertained throughout the pages. The book also features a couple of real-life historical personalities that I very much enjoyed. All in all, this one is for sci-fi lovers who also love a bit of family drama and mystery.