A Tale of Time City facts for kids
First UK edition
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| Author | Diana Wynne Jones |
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| Cover artist | Alun Hood |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy, Children's Literature |
| Publisher | Methuen (UK) William Morrow (US) |
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Publication date
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1987 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 285 |
| ISBN | 0-416-02362-2 |
A Tale of Time City is an exciting fantasy novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones. It was first published in 1987. The story follows a young girl named Vivian Smith. She is kidnapped during World War II and finds herself in a secret place called Time City.
Vivian gets caught up in a big adventure. She must help save history from going wrong. This book explores time travel in a way that connects to real science ideas.
Contents
The Story of A Tale of Time City
A Kidnapping in Time
The story begins in September 1939. World War Two is just starting. Vivian Smith is being sent away from London for safety. But at the train station, two boys, Jonathan and Sam, kidnap her!
They take Vivian to a secret place called Time City. This city exists outside of normal history. Time City's job is to watch over history. They make sure everything happens the way it's supposed to. The Time Police have special agents called Observers. These Observers go into history and make small changes. This keeps events on the "correct" path.
The Time Lady Mix-Up
Jonathan and Sam think Vivian is someone very important. They believe she is the "Time Lady." This Time Lady is a legendary figure in Time City. She is supposed to be linked to another legend, Faber John. The legends say they will both return to Time City at the end of history.
The boys heard important leaders in Time City talking. These leaders, called the Chronologue, said history was going wrong. They thought the Time Lady was to blame. Jonathan and Sam guessed she might be disguised as a young girl. They thought she might be using the name "Smith," like Faber John (whose name means "John Smith"). Since Vivian fit these ideas, they thought she was the Time Lady.
Vivian quickly convinces them she is not this legendary figure. But the boys can't send her back home. Using their time-travel devices too much would alert the Time Police. So, Vivian has to stay with Jonathan's family. She pretends to be his cousin, Vivian Lee.
The Mystery of the Caskets
Jonathan and Sam are worried about history falling apart. If history breaks, Time City could also be destroyed. They learn more from Vivian's tutor, Doctor Wilander. He tells them another legend about Faber John. This legend says Faber John created four special Caskets. These Caskets are made of Gold, Silver, Iron, and Lead.
These Caskets were hidden in history. They provide the power that keeps Time City running. The boys discover the Caskets are hidden in "Unstable Eras." These are times in history where events are not set in stone. They could change at any moment. But there are only three big Unstable Eras. This means the fourth Casket must be hidden somewhere else.
The Search for the Caskets
Jonathan, Vivian, Sam, and an android named Elio decide to find the Caskets. They use an old time-travel device. They found it in a secret room under a museum.
Their first stop is to find the Iron Casket. It was hidden in Vivian's own time. They find out it has already been stolen! This theft is what's causing all the problems in history. They even see the "Iron Guardian" as a ghost in Time City. They realize they need to go back in time to stop the theft. They see the casket being stolen, but they can't catch the thief.
Next, they try to get the Gold Casket. They find it and its Guardian. But the Guardian refuses to give it to them. He says he will return it at noon on Time City's last day. Even though they explain how urgent it is, he disappears.
The Silver Casket is hidden during a time of "Mind Wars." These were big conflicts where people fought with their minds. They manage to find it and the Silver Guardian. Surprisingly, this Guardian lets them have it. But it turns out to be a fake! The real Silver Casket was already stolen. It was likely taken by the woman who pretended to be the Guardian.
History Goes Wild
When they return to Time City, things are terrible. Because the Silver Casket is gone, history is in chaos. World War II started in 1937. It involved napalm and atom bombs from the beginning. World War I mixed with the Boer War. Nothing is as it should be.
In a last attempt to catch the thieves, Jonathan, Vivian, and Sam go back to the station. This is where they first kidnapped Vivian. They are sure the thief must be there. But things go very wrong. They fail to catch the thief. They accidentally cause a train carrying dangerous fuel to explode. They return to Time City with two hundred people who were being evacuated!
The Truth Revealed
This final disturbance makes Time City almost shut down. The Observers are called back from history. This includes the real Vivian Lee and her family. When they arrive, Vivian, Sam, and Jonathan get a shock. The real Vivian Lee is the child thief they saw stealing the Iron Casket! Her mother is the fake Silver Guardian. Her father is a man they saw earlier who tried to hurt Jonathan.
Time City starts to fall apart. The Lees force Vivian, Sam, and Jonathan to go to the Gnomon Tower. They are held as hostages. The trio then realize something amazing. The old time-travel device they found is actually the Lead Casket! Sam manages to escape and tells Elio. Elio returns with city officials.
At noon, the Gold Watcher appears at the Tower with the real Gold Casket. He starts to climb the stairs. Elio hides and uses the Lead Casket. He stops the Gold Watcher from reaching the top. This action drains power from the Silver and Iron Caskets. All that power goes into the Lead Casket.
Doctor Wilander then sends the bad guys away. Inga Lee, the mother, is sent to early Iceland. Viv Lee, the daughter and thief, is sent to a time when Earth was nearly empty. Before Viv Lee is sent away, Vivian Smith gets her revenge. She shoves a butter-pie Viv Lee was eating into her eye and collar!
Faber John and The Time Lady
Vivian notices that the three Guardians are all the same height as Doctor Wilander. They bring the Caskets together with the Lead one. Doctor Wilander is still holding it. All the Caskets blend into one. Vivian realizes that Doctor Wilander is actually Faber John!
The Time Lady also appears. She was the sleeping figure under Aeon Square that Jonathan and Sam showed Vivian. She was also the woman who helped Jonathan when he was sick.
A New Future for Vivian
Vivian, Sam, and Jonathan are put on trial for breaking the law. Mr. Donegal, Sam's father and the Chief of Time Patrol, explains. They had found a huge amount of "chronons" (which cause chaos) linked to Vivian Smith in 1939. The plan was to take her from history. They wanted to neutralize the chronons in a "Fixed Era."
Jonathan and Elio tell the rest of their story. Sam and Jonathan's trials are put off until later. The Time Lady tells Vivian that she would disturb history wherever she goes. This is because of the "chronons" and "temporons" (which everyone from history has). The Time Lady's solution is to send Vivian far away, to the stars.
Vivian feels very lonely and lost. Her home was at war, and now she had nowhere to go. But Jonathan, Elio, and the Walkers (Jonathan's family) all speak up for Vivian. They say they would even live in the Stone Age as punishment if it meant Vivian could stay.
Faber John and the Time Lady change their minds. Time City has survived Vivian so far. And they can always rebuild it. They arrange for Vivian's parents to be brought to Time City too.
Faber John tells Vivian, "We can't do anything until the time locks open. But I'll tell you if it's possible when you come for your next lesson."
Vivian is surprised. "You're going to keep teaching me?"
"I never give up on anything once I've started," Faber John says. "Once I get you to use your brain, you might even be a good student. Come to me with Jonathan in three days, in SELDOM END as usual."
