Divide and Conquer by Carrie Ryan

Infinity Ring, book 2. Scholastic, 2012. ISBN 9780545386975.
Recommended. Book two of the Infinity Ring series though written by a different author begins exactly where book one left off. Well the same spot in Paris only in the year 885 not 1792, and after the Infinity Ring had once again saved the main characters Sera, Dak and Riq.
Children, already hooked by the Infinity Ring series and its related internet game, will find this adventure in history hard to resist. Those new to the adventures of the young time travellers will soon be bought up to speed as Sera and Dak reflect on the events which bought them to ancient Paris.
We are immediately involved in the action as the Vikings lay siege to the city with our heroes inside as they attempt to work out what break in history they have been sent to repair. Sera and Riq after are left with the Franks defending the Ile de la Cite whilst Dak, who wanders off caught up in the joy of looking at real Viking ships, is caught while inspecting one of the longboats along the Seine, and become standard bearer for the invaders.
As with the previous story there is an Hystorian, Bill, to help them in their quest and they also need to defeat The Time Warden, Gorm, a member of the SQ, the organisation determined to ensure history favours its quest for power.
The author of this story introduces an element of young love between Sera and the young Hystorian. That and the friendship and between Dak and Rollo, are a relief from all the fighting and politics and enable us to see the main characters developing. The question of how their presence is affecting the ones they meet as they travel through time is raised by Sera.
After inadvertently taking Rollo's dog Vigi with them when they travelled through time, they choose to go back to 911 and the Battle of Chartres and meet again with the Rollo and Bill who has joined with him.
The final paragraph tantalises us with enough information to look forward to the next book. More adventures in the quest to defeat the SQ and change their stream of history as well as finding Dak's parents.
Sue Keane