Running out of Time
I can steal time. The most I can take at the moment is fifteen seconds, which is not a lot. Grandmother took almost three minutes once and she told me she’s done more, but I never saw it.
She says there are stories of someone who can take all the time in the world, but how can that be right?
When Alex’s dad is caught stealing secrets from their country’s brutal government, they are both forced into a deadly escape across Europe. But after they are separated before they can reach safety, Alex finds himself alone, with only his extraordinary gifts to keep him alive.
Book details
- Title: Running out of Time
- Author: Simon Fox
- ISBN: 9781839944390
- Publisher: Nosy Crow
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Reviews submitted after the awards submission deadline (5pm on 3 March 2023) won’t be considered as part of this year’s book awards, but you can still share your thoughts on the book below.
This book is very good because of the slow start which makes it even more exciting when you get to the main point. I will recommend this book for around 9 to 10 year old readers. I got so interested at the beginning I couldn’t put it down. My favourite charactor was Ronnie who was Alex’s friend.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your brilliant review. It’s so interesting that your favourite character is Ronnie because you are the first person to say that but I agree that he’s great. He gives up a lot in the book and we get to see his transformation in little pieces as the book goes on, but perhaps it is only by taking the kind of risks he does that he can be rewarded.
And it is never too late to realise you need to change.
Your comment really meant something to me so thanks!
Simon
I agree with juniper’s recommendation of running out of time as it was intriguing and full of suspense and action.Alex’s gift was very interesting as it lets him see into the future so he can practice his actions before he does them and can tell between lies and truth.He could answer questions before his teacher asked them.Running out of time is a truly amazing book.
I now understand why Running out of time is in the juniper book awards. It is full of thrill and excitement. Alex’s (the main character) ability to see what will happen in the future for fifteen seconds is amazing. Trust plays a big role in the story when Alex is separated from his dad and before he knows it he is alone. This book is wonderful.
The book is great and I highly recommend reading it I have no doubt that you will like it. It’s all action the whole way through.
Hi Caleb,
Thanks for your review. You are exactly right when you say the story is about trust. Who trusts who at the start? In Alex’s home country he can’t trust anyone and there is even a problem of trust between Alex and his dad.
I tried to show that the characters who were prepared to trust others as the ones with the most strength. I hope that came across!
Simon
Dear Simon Fox,
Thank you so much for your reply and i hope you will be happy when you get your results
From Caleb
This book is amazing I would definitely recommend this book, I believe it is great for 9,10,11 and 12 year old’s because of how interesting it is.
Running out of time is an extremely thoughtful book about migration.I like how there is distrust weaving between the relationship of Aleksander and his dad and the problems in the country. Aleksander is constantly changing alliances from his dad to Ronnie to Rachel a very good book I recommend it to people who like confusing books
Simon Fox has really outdone himself on his latest novel:Running out of time.I have to say, it was quite a confusing book to start with, but as I read on,I began to understand the plot and the story. It is such a different way of writing a book and I like that he has gone back to the drawing board and totally rethought the style of how to write book. One of my favourites so far, and I have no doubt that it will stay on my list for at least another year! Well done Simon, you have really delivered on this one, and I hope to see a prequel soon.
A prequel! Hadn’t thought of that but it’s an interesting idea. Glad you got through the confusion and enjoyed the book. Maybe the prequel could be about Alex’s grandma. I’ll think…
This book truly blew me away. The layout was confusing at first, but as the book progressed, I understood it better. It was such a creative way to write a book and always kept you on the edge of your seat! This was an amazing book that is one of my favourites so far! I recommend this book to readers who love an adventure book full of action, mystery and a truly interesting storyline. Running out of Time is a truly incredible book and I highly recommend it!
Running out of time is a very thrilling book filled with evil plans, perilous journeys and a desire to discover the truth in a world of lies. The structure had me a bit confused, but as I read on, I was able to immerse myself in a world that is slowly but surely running out of time. This book is one of my favourites so far, as I love the characters and how the book moved on so elegantly.
Personally, I think that this book was quite hard to get into as I didn’t really understand what was going on and it confused me quite a lot. The first bit was okay as it painted a little picture in my mind, but I just couldn’t understand who was who, what was going on etc. I think if I was in a book store and saw it I would definitely take it because of the front cover and the blurb. When I read it though I just didn’t know and it’s just not really my type of book. I’m sure others would enjoy this maybe as everyone has different opinions, the ages I would recommend this book to would probably be about a bit older than 11 as I think they would understand more about this and that type of thing. I really like the idea of stealing time though as fiction / fantasy books are quite my cup of tea! I just couldn’t really get the gist of it so overall I’d say I’m not a big fan of tis book, it was okay and I’m sure it took a lot of time and effort but personally it’s not a book for me.
Running out of time is about a boy named Alex who is born with a gift: to steal time. In this book, Alex will need to use his gift to save his dad before it is too late.
In this book I like how the characters are built up as I feel I really get to know them . However, I did not like how the book jumps around in time as it makes it confusing and hard to follow. I did not feel that this book set the scene very well as I could not get a good picture in my head. Despite this, I could not put it down and it was a good book over all. I would recommend it for 8 – 12 year old readers.
When I first picked up this book, I wasn’t sure. Soon I was intrigued. The language is suspenseful and draws you in, the storyline makes perfect sense and keeps you coming back for more. The characters – relatable, interesting and (mostly) brave.
The ending is amazing!!!
This book is about a father, a son and their dangerous journey to England to escape the destruction at home. Nowhere is safe…
I do have a question – will Ronnie ever manage to have a family?
I would definitely recommend this book.
An amazing end, very suspenseful and intriguing and for the characters – believable. I thought the book was brilliant and it would be ideal for the ages 9-12.This book was about a young boy who has to travel around and try to avoid precarious turns and twists of the journey and try to save him and his father. His country is in danger… Simon Fox did an incredible job!
I do have a question:
Will Alex ever see his mother again?
Hi Bethany,
Unfortunately, I don’t think he ever will. It’s sad, isn’t it!
Simon
Personally, I think this was an interesting read because it didn’t really grip me at the start. It was confusing because the book wasn’t in chronological order. Up until around the middle of the book, the vocabulary was not the best and I couldn’t really imagine what was going on. However, some of the action scenes were extremely intense and imaginable. I think that when Alex met Hayley, that was when the story started to hook me in. To be honest, apart from the well-described action scenes, the characters were the parts that the author vividly painted into my mind. If I were to see this in the library, I would definitely pick it up because of the cover but if I read the blurb, I may put it back on the shelf. I was expecting there to be something about time travel, or someone having an amount of time to get back to the present. The part at the end when it was all a vision was mind-blowing! Overall, this isn’t my cup of tea , but if you are someone who likes books that jump around in time and aren’t in chronological order, I would definitely recommend it .
Hi Maya,
Thanks for this review. Although you didn’t enjoy every part of the book, I think you have been really clear about why and that’s what makes a good review! Hopefully you will find something that really blows you away soon.
I liked this book because it is full of shocks and surprises. At first, I found it hard to get into this book as it was confusing for me because it kept jumping back and forth, but once I got further in, it was extremely exciting. It is about a boy called Alex who can steal time and he uses his gift to try to save his dad. Once you start reading this book, you can’t wait to see what happens next and you cant put it back down! I would recommend this exciting, action-packed book for 10-12 year olds for an interesting read.
If you like books which keeps you entertained and is never a dull moment then you should definitely read this book. My favourite character was Rachel because she was very brave and caring, also she took Alex into her home for a while because she didn’t want him in danger.
Overall, I really liked this book and I would rate it a 4/5.
At first, I thought this book was a bit confusing as it kept switching to ‘ before ‘ then to ‘ after ‘. It was a slow start. This book is full of surprises and shock. After I was half way through I couldn’t put the book down and I was starting to enjoy the book more and more. If you like jumpy and exciting action-filled books you should definitely try this one out. I would recommend this book to 9-12 year olds.
This book is about a boy named Alex who can steal time and he uses his power to save his dad, after he was caught stealing secrets. They had a tricky time passing the border and they get separated while escaping the country. He meets this lady named Rachel and her daughter Hayley. Hayley doesn’t trust Alex that much.
Overall, I liked this book but also I wasn’t really a big fan. I would rate this book 3.5 / 5. My favourite character was Rachel because she was brave and she took Alex into her home to look after him as he has no parent/carer.
A fantastic science fiction/crime novel, with a brilliant original story structure. I would highly recommend for those who love an eventful, exciting adventure with lots of twists and turns.
I absolutely loved it! The way it was wrote was so amazing. Especially when it got to the really intense scene when Alex had to see through time I would definitely read this again.
Running Out of Time is a captivating read! The way that the author incorporates the important topic of immigration, and the risks taken by refugees to find sanctuary, with a fun science fiction theme is ingenious. It allows younger readers to access information about one of the most important issues of the modern day without making the story too downbeat. The story is constantly hopping between “Before” and “After” which is a great way of keeping the reader on their toes and prevents them from becoming tired of the story line. I particularly like way that the two sides of the story start off apparently disconnected but become closer and closer until they meet – much like Alex’s journey to England. Although I had my doubts at the beginning of the book, I became enthralled by the way that the characters changed and evolved. For example, Hayley (one of my favourite characters) seems hostile and overprotective of her mother at first, but then shows the brave and determined side of herself and becomes one of Alex’s closest friends. My only complaint is that I wish we knew more about Alex’s dad and the way that he used the gift, before he decided that it was a curse – I won’t spoil anything here! Overall, I really enjoyed Running Out of Time: it’s a very strong contender for the Juniper Book Awards!
Personally, I didn’t like this book because I found the timeline changed too often and names weren’t mentioned enough. If the chapters had been longer, it would have made it easier to understand. I think this book would be better suited to ages 13 and above.
Running Out of Time is an adrenaline-filled, fast-paced, debut novel about a young boy with an exceptional gift that allows him to look into the future. Together with his father, Alex finds himself seeking safety in another country as an illegal immigrant.
At first, I found this book difficult to understand, because it was not written in chronological order, but by the time I was halfway through the book, I began to make more sense of it and really enjoyed reading it.
I liked the way the characters evolved and surprised me with how they changed. I was really interested in the character Hayley, and I kept wondering if she was going to turn Aleksander over to the authorities.
I absolutely loved this book, especially the cunning twist at the end! I would recommend it to those aged 10-14. This book is my first place!
I enjoyed reading Running out of Time as it captures how Alex escaped from his home country but at the same time showing what he was doing after he had immigrated. When I first started reading it, I did not understand that perspectives alternated to before and after. But now, after finishing the book I understood the layout. It is putting pieces of the puzzle together slowly. It also leaves the reader waiting longer for the first part of the story to continue. At the end, I, along with Alex, understand the secret to his gift. I enjoyed this book and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes sci-fi.
I started reading this book and I really can’t get into it. I think there is too much change between time zones and characters at the beginning. I am going to give this another go when I have read the rest of them.
Running out of Time is a great novel and the story had a lot if potential but I feel the many time changes, from past present and future made the story quite difficult to read.
Running Out of Time by Simon Fox, was a joy to read; it had extremely impressive vocabulary and I can see Simon Fox has spent a lot of time on this magnificent masterpiece. Although this book was not in chronological order, I loved the way there were full descriptions of every single character and scene. I found this story easy to read and if I could describe this book in one word it would be unputdownable. I think Simon Fox has done well building up suspense. I would recommend this book for 10 – 16 year olds. Running Out of Time certainly has a few unexpected twists and plots. Out of ten, I would rate this book an 8.5.
Running Out of Time is an exhilarating novel full of adventure and fun. Its very connective with you and quite emotional, which I really like. I really like the choice of the characters name (its the same as mine) and generally the choice of characters.
I would recommend this book for 9-14 year olds because it would be hard for younger children to grasp. In conclusion I would really recommend this action packed thriller.
Running Out of Time is a suspenseful and captivating read. The main character Alex has the amazing ability to steal time. Alex and his are on a deadly adventure to escape their country’s evil government. Can Alex save himself and his dad? Is time on their side? Personally, I found Running Out of Time a confusing read as it was not in chronological order The first few chapters left me rather confused and I felt like I had started halfway through the book. But towards the end it became easier to understand what was happening and I got used to it moving between “after and before”. If I had to rate this book out of 5 I would give it a 10. I would say it is suitable for 9-12 year-olds. I only have one question: will Alex ever see his mother again?
Intelligent, well-written, and extremely engaging, this book kept me wake reading late into the night – the unusual crossover of magical abilities and refugee crises works stunningly well. Brilliant.
This is an interesting book that has a fascinating plot and some thrilling twists to look out for – a good book
Running Out of Time is a revolutionary new book that has opened a new world of writing allowing it to cover all the aspects of the story. It tells the story of a boy who can look forward in time this helps him with usual everyday things. Then his life is turned upside down as they flee to England to expose their country’s brutal government. This plot may be confusing for some but for the majority it transforms itself into a beautifully written masterpiece. I would recommend this book to 9-15-year-olds. This novel is magnificent!
Running out of time is about a family broken up by a mysterious power… The gift to steal time. Aleksander, the main character is lost in the world of life and death, whilst trying to find his lost father. This world is about the truth. Without the truth, you will be lost in this unforgiving universe. Anyway, I would like to recommend it to those who are curious and waiting for some sudden action!
Running out of time was a book that I found difficult to follow in the beginning but as I kept reading I grew more excited to see what would happen. I enjoyed the change in time and the evolving plot. The end left me shocked as I was not expecting it. The growing relationship between all the characters [especially between the protagonist and his father] was emotional and overall I enjoyed the way the book was presented.
I recommend the book Running Out of Time because it’s a book full of mysteries and funny twists.Alex went through a lot of struggles but I admire how he still kept pushing on through his journey to find his dad.My favorite character was Alex’s grandma because even though she was there for a short amount of time,she kept the police officers distracted while Alex and his dad drove away.She also attempted to help her grandson with his special ability.I rate this book a 10/10.
Running out of time is a great book that is so immersive and it was hard to put down !
This book has a mid-action start that is very confusing. The confusing factor makes you want to read on to try and make sense of the start. There is a lot of suspence and it was a very fun read. 4.5 stars.
This is such an incredible book. It is about a boy (Aleksander) who has a special gift to keep him alive after he and his dad get split up. With his new found friends ( a police officer and her daughter) they stop the criminals from any more refugees getting smuggled into the country. His grandma had told that there was someone who could steal all the time he/she wanted. Alexander can only steal fifteen seconds at a time and his grandma once stole three minutes at once. Near the middle of the story, Alex and his dad get split up and then with Rachael and Hayley, Aleksander tries to find his dad.
I would give this book a 9.5/10 because the end was a little disappointing. I would recommend this book for 9-14 year olds. My favourite character is Ronnie because I think he is quite a brave person even though at the start of the book he is a criminal. Running Out Of Time is an excellent book because there was a lot of suspense and action through out the whole story.
This was a brilliant read and one of the best plots ever. It is about a boy called Alex who has a life-changing gift. The book is about stopping criminals who are illegally smuggling refugees into the country of England. He is helped by a woman who works in Border Security called Rachel and her daughter Hayley. The book is about Alex finding his dad, so I think the story is about family and how important they are. Alex’s gift saved many lives throughout the book, including his own.
I would recommend this book from ages 9-12 because there isn’t any challenging language. I would rate this book 9 because the ending was slightly disappointing because the plot was so interesting and it ended like it was all a dream. My favourite character was Alex because he travelled so far to find his dad. He also persevered through tough times and was brave till the end.
An excellent book! Really liked the unique structure of the book and keeps your mind thinking what will happen next. Lots of suspense while Alex flees with his father to England. Well done Simon Fox!
Running out of time was a great book!I loved the tension and the mysteries.The way it switched from before to after with each chapter was amazing because it isn’t like a usual book.While reading this book my heart went over a million times.It was a very great book to read and the blurb really caught my eye when I picked it up.I think that this book should win because it’s soooo great and even though younger children may not understand it in my opinion it’s great for all ages.Props to the author for making such a good book!
The book “Running Out of Time” is a very intriguing book, written by Simon Fox. The book is centred around a boy called Alex, with a very special ability – insight into the future. Alex and his father, escaped war in their country but when Alex’s father goes missing, Alex is left to survive on his own.
Simon Fox has styled his story switching from before & after leading up to the before & after chapters coming together in the finale of the book.
I enjoyed the drama in the book really getting through to me and how it also shares how hard it is for refugees doing whatever it takes to find safety. It is a great insight into their lives and how desperate they are to find a place to call home. My favourite character would have to be Alex. Alex goes through a lot but he is able to meet new people and it is really inspiring to see.
Running Out of Time was very interesting and hard for me to put down. It was filled with action and drama and just always kept me reading it.
In conclusion I really enjoyed it and I think it is a very powerful contender for winning the prestigious award. Thank you Simon Fox or creating what I believe to be a masterpiece.
This book was amazing. I felt very gripped by the constant shifts in time. My favourite character was Rachel as she felt that it was her responsibility to take Alex in and look after him. She has her best interests at heart but puts other people before herself. This book was so good that I finished it before I knew it! The only flaw I found was that I would have preferred to have had more description of Alexes home before the adventure starts.
I enjoyed this book as much as I disliked it. I found it a bit tricky to understand. It has great vocabulary but sometimes it made it tricky to read. I would recommend this book to 12-20 year olds. I started to enjoy reading this book around the middle of the book. You need to have patience when reading Running Out Of Time. This novel has loads of suspense.
Running out of time is a book about a boy with his dad, the dad stole illegal things so they are on the run. Running from cops, it’s confusing at first but it gets easier to understand as the book goes on. The boy’s grandmother told him to practice his ability. Was it enough? Did he and his father survive and go back to a normal life? I recommend this book to anyone who likes action-based stories, I did quite enjoy this book but it does take a while to get used to the fact that the story jumps forward and back in time.
The book was quite confusing since one chapter was Before then After then Before etc. And the plot was fluent and good
The theme was good – trust and honesty. I think this because trust and honesty are key values for friendship. My favourite character is Alex’s dad because he wants to trust his son and protect Alex from the Police and be safe. Also Alex’s dad has a huge regret that made him not like ‘the gift’ and he blames himself for the death of Alex’s mom, which is why he refused to accept and use it.
Running out of time is an unbelievably captivating sci-fi thriller that gives a deep and authentic insight into the horrifying truths of a refugee’s journey. However, the protagonist, Alex, isn’t a normal boy, in fact, he can look into the future! This is my favourite book so far because the plot was so dense and pragmatic and it had a meandering storyline with unpleasant surprises around every corner. I felt like I was witnessing all the action and I even felt like I had experienced joining Alex’s side in order to help him to escape to England. This allowed me to go through a perilous journey of emotions which meant the dramatic, heart-breaking and upsetting aspects of the book had a more intense impact.
Due to Alex’s dad stealing some vital documents that gave evidence of the governments’ disastrous doings they are forced to leave their country and go to England. Grandma insists that Alex practises his gift and that she is left behind. Throughout their journey to England they are chased by murderous people traffickers that are determined to catch Alex’s dad; they have to precariously jump onto moving vehicles and avoid menacing criminals. However, when Alex arrives in England there is no sign of his dad and he questions whether or not he made it off the boat. After Alex risks his life to steal Ronnie’s passport, he manages to persuade him to quit his illegal job of being a reckless trafficker. He then joins Rachel, a police officer, to help do good in the often-hostile world.
My favourite character was certainly Alex because he went through so much yet he still managed to keep his spirits up and protect his family and friends throughout their wild journey. His incredible gift of looking at the future elevates the book to another level of creativity and adventure and makes Alex a more unique and interesting character. Also, he shows undeniable courage throughout the book. He refuses to give up and always does what he thinks best when using his gift to make critical changes. Another key attribute he has is his determination. He will not rest until he is certain that those dearest to him are safe and always strives to achieve his many goals throughout the book.
Without a doubt, I would rate this book 5 stars! I would recommend this unbeatable book to anyone above the age of 10 because there were many brutal fights that resulted in fatal injuries so it would be unsuitable for younger children. Will you pluck up the courage to join Alex on his treacherous journey full of unscrupulous people traffickers, murderous criminals and courageous police officers?
Exciting. An incredible rollercoaster of emotions and, of course, a sense of feelings for the main character. This book is written by the wonderful author ; Simon Fox. This book is full of different language techniques to stop the reader from putting the book down! A great book, written by a great author. A wonderful recommendation and a lovely read!
Out of all of them, this was most definitely my favorite. A beautiful blend of a bit of spy work, superpowers/magic, and a beautiful backstory that weaves through it all. Perfect. My favorite character overall was definitely Alex. He had the coolest abilities so far in the story. I recommend it for 9-12. I actually couldn’t put this book down. There should be more books like this!
When I first picked up this book, I didn’t really think that I would like it, as I don’t particularly like Science Fiction books. However, after reading the whole book, I fell in love with it. This teaches me again to never judge a book by it’s cover.
There’s a lot of things I like about this book. For example, the plot-twist, the adventure elements, I loved every single bit, as I was also a huge fan of action and adventure genres. It was quite confusing in the start as well, but as I went on the book, it became clear to me and I understood the book quite well. This book is very intriguing, and it made me feel nervous at times. The whole plot is truly unforgettable.
This book is about Alex, our protagonist, and his dad trying to get to England, because of the government in their homeland trying to hunt them down as Alex’s dad stole some secrets from them. However, when Alex’s dad goes missing right before they arrive at England, it is up to Alex to find his dad with the help of his extraodinary gift.
One of the characters in the book that I really liked is Hayley. She is one of the people who helped Alex in his journey of finding his dad. She has a really good personality as well. When she first met Alex, she was suspicious of him and tried to protect her mom from harm. She is also brave, and very sporty. She helped Alex get through a lot of obstacles and hardships as well.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy reading fiction, Sci-Fi or fantasy books. This book includes a lot of magical and action emlements, so if you like those elements, you should definitely read this book!
In the last paragraph, i mispelled elements. It says ’emlements’, but it’s supposed to be elements. Sorry for the inconvenience!!
I personally think that running out of time is a good book to read as a class but by myself i found it quite confusing because of the time travelling and the book has a lot of things going on at once.
The plot of running out of time is about this boy called Alex and his father. His dad has to flee the country in fear of their lives, but they are running out of time ( hens the title ). The story is so exiting and at one point it made me gobsmacked!
The characters of running out of time are, Alex – or Alexander, Alex’s father , Alex’s grandmother, Rachel – and Rachel’s daughter.
The style of running out of time is quite confusing because throughout the story they go from scene to scene one point they were with Alex’s father then they are with grandmother so you have a lot of information to remember.
I enjoyed a few things in running out of time such as the front cover because it was very interesting and eye catching. I also thought the quote by the author on the front was very exiting as it was @ A few seconds from the future is all it takes to change the world’.
I rate running out of time by simon fox a 3/5 stars i love the book though!
Overall this book was so intriguing and breath taking whenever i read a chapter i wanted to read more the book was so exiting and very interesting. I also think this story is for mixed genders and around the 10-11 and 11-12 ages.
I think the person reading my review and going to read this book are going to find it very interesting , exiting, amusing, and jawachiling interesting.
I really enjoyed reading ‘Running out of time’ written by Simon Fox. There were lots of adventures that the characters embarked upon, there was also a bit of fantasy which was very interesting and it got me hooked! It was very exciting to read and I would definitely recommend to others. The protagonist, who’s name is Aleksander, was a extremely interesting character to be put into this wonderful world of imagination. He has a very special gift that lets him see 15 seconds into the future! This special boy got me glued to the book.
The only thing I would say is the before and after chapters got me a tiny bit confused as my brain had to remember what was happening in the last before of after chapter I read. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
I would recommend to ages 11 and up to read this book because younger children may not fully understand the plot of the book. My favourite part of the book was very interesting and enjoyable! I won’t say because I don’t want to spoil the book!
My favourite character is either Aleksander or Hayley because I relate to Hayley bad attitude and I think she is quite confident and isn’t afraid to sacrifice herself for the safety of others. Aleksander is also one of my favourite characters because he is quite mysterious but also friendly once you get to know him.
The plot of the story was very interesting and in my opinion amazingly written! Some parts had me hanging of the edge of my seat in shock.
Overall, I think this book was amazing and I hope Simon Fox will write more interesting but fun books like this!