Yassas! – Welcome! Welcome to this, the Time-Horse website.
This is a support domain for the short series of novels by Matt Ritson which includes:
THE HIPPO-CHRONOS, AKA The Antikythera Key and, shortly,THE HIPPO-TEMPUS, AKA The Alexandria Key.
Together, both books constitute the complete first historical adventure story by the author. They are steeped in the most surprising ancient Greek knowledge and technology, and even time-space theory!
Think Da Vinci Code and Dark Materials, mixed with classic tales like She, or King Solomon’s Mines.
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In the picturesque seaside village of Tynemouth, on the north-east coast of England – Roman Wall country – fourteen year old schoolboy Alex struggles to come to terms with the first anniversary of the disappearance of his archaeologist dad.
When Alex, his enigmatic dog Boris and his friend Conna meet up with the new sisters in school, Maddie and Bex, they witness a bizarre explosion at his reclusive neighbour’s house. Together, they are first on the scene. There, they discover Tom, lying hurt beside his strange Ancient Technopunk sculpture: The Hippo-Chronos. Urgently, the dazed old Greek confronts Alex with a fantastic story which shocks the normally level-headed boy to the core: that his father is alive and well in Alexandria – but trapped in the year 48 BC! Over a period of days, the four listen while Tom tries to convince them of how the design and development of an ancient ‘Time-Machine’ was entirely possible in the Great Library of Alexandria – just before it mysteriously burned to the ground!
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Is Tom going senile? Is there another more logical explanation to Alex’s dad’s disappearance? Or, could the whole intriguing tale somehow, just possibly be true after all…?
This whole intriguing, multi-layered adventure was written for anyone with a curious mind – of any gender – from teens to at least one hundred & five years old! (Although younger teenagers and children are very welcome to read it, some may struggle with some of the ‘deeper’ concepts it contains – but, then again, perhaps not.)
‘An entertaining and thought provoking book with heart… Peppered with historical facts and ancient gadgetry… and a few, surprisingly plausible, conspiracy theories!’
Richard Windley: regular technical presenter and contributor to The Historical TV Documentary Series, ‘Ancient Discoveries’ and ‘The Machines of the Gods’, shown both on the History Channel and National Geographic Channel.
THE HIPPO-CHRONOS is not a stuffy history lecture, nor is it another story about ‘the gods’. Neither is it just a simple ‘romance’ story. But instead, it is a carefully balanced, bitter-sweet tale – a very human story of both modern and ancient youth – which features some unlikely and non-violent heroes. It is about growing up and growing older. It is also about belief and trust.
If you’re looking for something which will change your view of time and space, and possibly even your perspective on life itself - then this is the story for you. It is probably the most outrageous history you are ever likely to read, but in a strange way, it is all perfectly true – or, at least, most of it!
The tale introduces a whole new rational world of ancient thought, discovery and mechanical invention, from Rhodes to Alexandria – and even ancient Britain. It is based on much travel, research and historical fact. It also contains some very plausible – and not unimportant – conspiracy theory which is only now being rediscovered and re-evaluated.
THE HIPPO-CHRONOS – A TRULY ANCIENT ADVENTURE!
In 1901, parts of what was thought to be an old carriage clock were found off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera. It was many years before they were correctly identified as gears from an ingenious 2000 year old mechanical computer.
From around the same time, 50 BC, the unique building known as the Horologion of Athens was rumoured to have contained an incredible ‘time-keeping mechanism’ which astounded the Athenians. Not just the very first public clock – it was supposedly much more.
And again, 500 years further into the past, on the island of Rhodes, more mechanical devices were rumoured to exist! Were they all somehow connected?
THE HIPPO-CHRONOS, AKA The Antikythera Key will be followed by Troubador’s publication of the second book: THE HIPPO-TEMPUS, AKA The Alexandria Key, in summer 2012.
THE HIPPO-CHRONOS is now available from all good bookstores. It is also available in download format for KINDLE, iDEVICES Etc. You can find out more about purchasing eBooks by clicking HERE.
