Blog Tour for SOL INVICTUS (The Eye of Ra #2) by Ben Gartner with Guest Post + Giveaway

Today I'm excited to be hosting a spot on the SOL INVICTUS by Ben Gartner Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my guest post, the links to other interviews and guest posts and make sure to enter the giveaway while you're here!

              About Sol Invictus:

Title: SOL INVICTUS (The Eye of Ra #2)

Author: Ben Gartner

Pub. Date: February 2, 2021

Publisher: Crescent Vista Press

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 300

Find it:  Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org 

Siblings John and Sarah barely made it home last time, but in their next time traveling adventure the challenge really heats up. Surrounded by clashing cultures on the ancient Roman frontier, they must fulfill their quest to unite the emperor with his enemy, an Alemanni barbarian, or risk being stuck in time forever.

An action-packed fantasy full of sword fights, chariot chases, fearsome wild animals, and high mountain survival. For graduates of the Magic Tree House looking for a thrilling middle grade page-turner, read Sol Invictus, book two of The Eye of Ra series!

 

Reviews:

⭐️Gold Recipient, Mom's Choice Awards Honoring Excellence

"Once again, Gartner deftly weaves real-life history into a compelling adventure, offering high-stakes, realistic danger and vivid scene-setting."-Kirkus Reviews

"Gartner has a knack for action and creating compelling historical personalities . . . Middle [grade] readers who treasure ancient history with a side of adventure will welcome this fantasy story."-BookLife Reviews by Publishers Weekly

 

Grab book 1 THE EYE OF RA now!

⭐️ Gold Recipient, Mom's Choice Awards; ⭐️ Silver Medal in Children's Adventure, 2020 International Readers' Favorite Awards; ⭐️ Finalist, Next Generation Book Awards; ⭐️ 1st Place in both Children's Adventure AND Grades 4th-6th, 2020 TopShelf Awards

 

Why Action Adventure for Middle Grade?

Action adventure is exciting. I think we can all agree on that. And kids love exciting books. Yes. But that would be too easy an answer for a whole blog post! So, the top-secret reason I like to write action adventure for middle graders? Well, I have ulterior motives…

I think the nooks and crannies of history (which is really just the story of people) are where the important details lie, the real meat of who we are as a species—our shared desires, motivations, hopes, and dreams. We all know the shared, massaged, refined stories taught in textbooks. But what an ancient Egyptian ate for dinner and what they might have discussed with their family while they ate can tell you just as much about them as people as studying the pyramids. Perhaps even more so!

How did this post on action adventure turn to the mundane topic of eating dinner? Well, the collision of those two things is my ulterior motive. I want to spur kids to imagine themselves in a different time, a different family, a different skin—this builds empathy, for which middle graders are primed. And what better way to encourage that imagination than to suck them in with a good, exciting, action adventure plot! If they truly feel the excitement of time travel and wandering around lost in an ancient Egyptian village, or trapped in a gladiator ring with only a spear against wild animals, they’ll become viscerally involved in the story and care for the characters. They’ll want to hang out with them.

Action adventure is great for teaching facts without it feeling like teaching facts. For example, in Sol Invictus, Crocus has a tattoo on his face along his jawline of the letters “LIV.” John and Sarah, the main characters, assume it’s a girl’s name. But it turns out it’s not. It’s… well, I don’t want to spoil the surprise. But there’s action and teaching involved. ;)  

 

About Ben Gartner: 

Ben Gartner is the award-winning author of The Eye of Ra adventure series for middle graders (ages 8-12). His books take readers for a thrilling ride, maybe even teaching them something in the meantime. Ben can be found living and writing near the mountains with his wife and two boys.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, International.

1 winner will win a finished copy of SOL INVICTUS, US Only.

1 winner will win an eBook of SOL INVICTUS, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

2/1/2021	Two Chicks on Books	Interview
2/2/2021	Westveil Publishing	Guest Post
2/3/2021	BookHounds YA	Interview
2/4/2021	Log Cabin Library	Guest Post
2/5/2021	A Dream Within A Dream	Guest Post