Another amazing book that children will adore.

We find the main characters fresh from their adventures in Ancient Egypt, so the action is ready to kick off. M.G. Leonard weaves in key information we need to know from book 1, which really helps someone like me kick start my memory from the first book. It also means if a child picks it up from the shelf they'll know exactly what is going on regardless.

This book, just like The Hunt for the Golden Scarab is filled with adventure, real peril, immersion in Viking life; all senses brought to life and heart. The children from the current world and those from the Viking age are realtable and engaging.

I really liked how Nelson, Sim's friend, got to take part in more of this story and loved being shown what life in a Viking village might be like. I also enjoyed hearing elements of Norse mythology sewn into the plot, with mentions of Loki and Thor.

The council are a real threat to Sim, Jeopardy and their family and with book 3 being previewed at the end of this book, I am looking forward to seeing how they deal with more pressure next time.

I think these books are womderful reads for children and this one especially, if you have an interest in the Vikings as I love how fiction can bring empathy to a time so far in the past. They are absolute gifts for school teachers and encourage you to pick one up now, preferably start with book 1 to get the most rounded experience, but you would still have a great time reading them out of sync....at this point in the story at least.

Another fantastic addition to the Time Keys series. I love the character development of Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson throughout book 2. We also get greater insights into the motivations of the adults and of the council. I'm already looking forward to book number 3 and can't wait to read this series to my class this year during story time.

The North is calling! Journey through time and place to the land of Vikings with Sim, Jeopardy & Nelson – children with unique abilities to open doors to the past, fight off enemies and solve problems no one else can. In the outstanding sequel to the first Time Keys book, The Hunt for the Golden Scarab, this time team shares history in a whole new way. Combined with music, geography and lots of adventure, The Legend of Viking Thunder is a heart-pounding, perilous race to locate a precious artefact, rescue rogue time travellers and defeat the all-powerful Council of Keys while making sure the path of history remains unchanged (as much as possible).

“All lasting stories grow from a seed of truth.”

This couldn’t be more true than for the legendary Viking horn, the Gjallarhorn. Said to transcend time and place, it heralds Ragnarök – the end of the world. In the wrong hands, it’s deadly. Jeopardy’s father, Emmett, is determined to find it and sets off on his own. Time Keys should never travel alone so there’s a huge risk that Emmett has become trapped in the past. Jeopardy and the others set out to find him on a quest that takes them to the incredible fjords of Norway and the streets of Viking York. There’s danger at every turn as they discover the truth about this ancient horn and what it means to play it.

Every one of MG Leonard’s books in meticulously researched. Details about Viking culture, settlements and beliefs are described through powerful characters with very real personalities. The arguing of siblings and cousins, the dreams and ambitions of young people, the responsibilities of family and the protection of community all rise off the pages in such an engaging manner. Authentic facts about locations and time periods make these books reliable choices to read alongside historical studies. The Legend of Viking Thunder would be a fantastic choice for a class read during a Viking topic.

Links to Norse mythology and the role of a Skald (poet and oral storyteller) in a Viking community celebrate language and traditional storytelling. Readers will love learning the Saga of Ragnar’s First Sons and discovering how it links to the time team’s journey through the past. There is so much scope to use the themes and characters of Norse mythology as prompts for children’s own writing and oral storytelling.

Manuel Šumberac’s illustrations are intense and powerful. The might of the Vikings leaps from the pages to completely captures readers’ imaginations. These are not gentle stories, but ones with real danger and difficult choices. The black and white drawings capture the thrill and peril of each decision.

I’m thrilled there is a third Time Keys book on the way with The Impossible Gladiator. This series fits perfectly into the Key Stage 2 History curriculum by providing high quality class reads that enhance what is being explored in lessons.

The Legend of Viking Thunder by M.G. Leonard is the second book in the Time Keys series and every bit as gripping as the first. Leonard wastes no time, plunging readers straight into another fast-paced, time-travelling adventure.
This time, Sim is transported to Viking-age Norway in search of the legendary Gjallarhorn. But will he succeed in finding it, rescuing his family and friends, as well as outsmarting the dangerous Council of Keys? Along the way, Leonard masterfully blends history and legend, enriching the story with fascinating detail. At times, her writing even turns lyrical, especially when an old Norse tale is retold by one of the characters..
This is a thrilling read for ages 9–12, perfect for children who love adventure, time-travel, or historical fiction. A superb addition to any school library or home bookshelf.

The only comment really needed is ‘MGLeonard’. Another superbly written highly engaging story for KS2 covering an important history topic. This series is proving highly popular already. Cannot wait for more.

A gripping time-travel adventure brimming with Norse mythology, mystery, and danger. When Sim and his cousin Jeopardy set out to find missing Uncle Emmett, they’re swept into Viking-age Norway on a race to stop the mythical Gjallarhorn from triggering Ragnarök. Fast-paced, imaginative, and full of heart, this is a perfect pick for fans of historical fantasy and epic quests.

An exciting adventure story that will hopefully inspire young readers to learn more about the Vikings.

The events of this book take place almost immediately after those of Hunt for the Golden Scarab. To get the most out of this story, I would definitely recommend reading that first as it will give you a better understanding of the characters and events. Jeopardy's father, Emmett, is still missing after abandoning her and her Auntie Calli and cousin Sim in Egypt. Is he working with the sinister Council of Keys, trying to protect his family, or just looking out for himself? He is getting perilously close to the age at which he will lose the ability to hear the frequencies to open time doors and every trip could be his last.

Jeopardy discovers Emmett's interest in Vikings and the legendary Gjallarhorn and they decide they can use that to track him down. Once reunited, Jeopardy is also gripped by the power and story of the Gjallarhorn and agrees to go through one of the two remaining doors to Viking times to find it, with Sim going along too. Unfortunately, the Council are hot on their trail and Jeopardy and Sim will need all their skill and wits, and those of their new friends, to escape them.

I think the intended audience will find this story more believable than I did and the more enjoyable for it. There is action and adventure and the children are the stars as the adults are generally in the background and (mostly) hopeless. Emmett in particular is frustratingly troublesome. I do wonder how he has survived so long if he always travels into the past so unprepared.

There were a few plot points that didn't seem believable to me but I think children would accept such things much more readily in a story. I am still a little confused about what exactly is going on with Calli, Sim and a certain Council member but I suspect it may be intended as a set up for events in future books.

Overall it is a fun read that transports you into the past and will hopefully encourage readers to learn more about history and the Vikings as well a desire to travel and explore.

There's only one thing wrong with this book....I couldn't put it down! Requested immediately it came up, so looking forward to it.

This is book 2 in the Time Keys series. Sim and Jeopardy are Time Keys, they can travel back in time through special doors which open with music. In book 1 they went to Egypt in search of the Golden Scarab. But Jeopardy's Dad Emmett disappeared while they were there. And he isn't back in London where they have now returned to.

Jeopardy is in her father's bedroom - it's always been out of bounds - she thinks there must be a time door. Sim listens carefully and as always when a door is present he feels ill. They find it a trapdoor and under it is a desk, with an Atlas of Time Doors and lots of information about a Viking horn. When they tell Calli, Sim's mum, she says she knew there was a trapdoor but it doesn't go anywhere. She is more interested in the atlas and says Emmett was always obsessed with teh legend of the Gjallarhorn, but that it was just a Norse Myth. The Gjallarhorn it turn out would herald teh end of the world, Ragnarök.
However, it doesn't take Calli long to realise that they have to go back to find Emmett if this is what he is looking for. But there are only two time doors to Viking times, and it is a very dangerous time.
A new adventure, new friends and old enemies await them in Viking times.
Thanks to NetGalley and macmillan Children's Books for allowing me to read this book in advance.

Absolutely loved it, still trying to persuade teh Head to buy the 1st one - now have two to get! Next please.

To open this review, I think it’s key to call out M.G. Leonard’s meticulous ability to weave a history lesson into a novel. Both Time Keys books now have taught me, a grown person with a Masters degree in Literature and History, a LOT of things I didn’t know. First about Ancient Egypt and now the Vikings, I ADORE the combination of history and music and how engrossing a concept this is for this series. Honestly, long may the Time Keys series continue.

Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson have beautiful character arcs in this novel. With a series that’s as incredibly conceptual as this one, there’s always the potential in a sequel for the characters to stagnate and repeat the same adventure in different fonts (or in this case different times) but Time Keys: The Legend of Viking Thunder delivers! As much as I love Sim, Jeopardy’s story took me the most in this novel. She really is a force to be reckoned with and any Jeopardy fans out there will be ecstatic with her plot line.

In true sequel form, the novel is pushing the series forwards. Left with the mystery of the Council of Keys from Time Keys: Hunt for the Golden Scarab, I NEEDED more information on them and boy, does M.G. Leonard deliver. I am so invested in uncovering this organisation that I am already in anticipation of the third novel in the series. Alongside this is the question of Sim’s abilities and why he can travel using a pitchfork. These strands are all woven through this book and lay the groundwork for stakes being heightened as the series progresses.

M.G. Leonard’s writing style is wondrous and so magnificent engaging, I read The Legend of Viking Thunder in one sitting. With sentence structure that practically bounces you from one sentence to the next and pacing that prioritises activity, this is one I can envision young readers getting so engrossed in they forget that time’s passing by!

The perfect back to school read for any readers aged 8+, Time Keys: The Legend of Viking Thunder is one to make sure you get preordering asap to ensure you don’t miss out. And while you do that, I’m going off to daydream about Book 3…

Another brilliant adventure for the time keys as Sim and his cousin Jeopardy search for his uncle.
They discover Emmett is hunting the legend of the Gjallorhorn. A search that takes them to Norway and back to the viking times.
These books are so readable, fun and informative. I really enjoy this series and think they are great for primary readers.
Looking forward to the next installment.

Jeopardy's dad is missing and she and Sim are determined to find him. Along with Sim's mum and their friend Nelson, they find themselves on a perilous journey back to the Viking times, trying to stay one step ahead of the Council of Keys who are determined to arrest Emmett. Meanwhile, Emmett is intent on locating the the legendary Gjallarhorn which is said to bring eternal destruction if it's blown. Emmett feels that possessing this will protect himself and his family from the Council. But they are not alone in their quest and, if they aren't careful, the Gjallarhorn could end up in the wrong hands which would prove disastrous.
Like the first book, The Legend of Viking Thunder is a book full of adrenaline and adventure from the very beginning. Weaving through time and navigating the dangers they face, the team are intent on doing what is right but can they really trust Emmett?

I loved the Hunt For The Golden Scarab in this series and it was wonderful to be able to catch-up with the characters again. It was also great to be introduced to a host of new characters, some of them definitely nicer than others!

This is the perfect book for history lovers and is an immersive dive into the Viking era - I could see it being a brilliant whole class read during a Viking topic. Whilst it would be useful to have the knowledge of the first book, it would also make a brilliant stand-alone novel.

Publishing on the 11th September, The Legend of Viking Thunder is a rollercoaster of an adventure through time that weaves suspense and wonderful storytelling perfectly to grip readers and leaving them desperate for the next adventure which is teased at the end of this book (The Impossible Gladiator) - I can't wait!

The second book in the Time Keys Series, The Legend of Viking Thunder follows the friends journey into Viking Times. With Calidora and Emmett no longer Time Keys they are reliant upon the children to open doors. But with losing the time key ability means they also lose the ability to speak the languages of the places they go.
In Viking Times and searching for the Gjallorhorn this is a story of daring and determination. Another cracking read from Mg Leonard, and beautifully illustrated too

4.5 stars

I loved the first book in this series - Hunt For the Golden Scarab. This can be read as a standalone but I think you'll probably get the most out of it if you've read the first one.

Whilst the first one is set in Ancient Egypt, this one is set in Viking times. Which is completely different; Leonard has managed to freshen it up, give us something new but always pushing th boundaries and giving the story a new lease of life.

We've got the characters we met in the first one that are instantly familiar, but then we get introduced to new players who are equally as interesting to read about, even if they're not always nice.

I think I liked the first one a smidgen more but that's because I'm more fascinated in Ancient Egypt than I am Vikings, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

As with the first one, I think it would really start an interest in younger readers. History can get quite dry, but by introducing them to it through a medium like this, it can peak an interest going ward.

This is only book two but she has shown her talent in writing age-appropriate but exciting mystery stories. The next one is out early 2026 and is called The Impossible Gladiator, and I am hoping she makes it a longer series.

Its fun and fast paced, tense and emotional, exciting and hopeful. And just really enjoyable.

This series had already captured my reader heart and my goodness this second installment was an absolute belter of a read.
In this Time Keys adventure, Jeopardy and Sim travel to the time of the Norsemen (the Vikings) in search of the legendary Gjallarhorn.
What follows is a suspenseful, thrilling and brilliant piece of storytelling. Perfectly crafted, this story is a fabulous read aloud and links fabulously to the first, and I would most definitely recommend that this is read after the first in the series (The Hunt For The Golden Scarab) as there are revelations that most definitely make you gasp!
MG Leonard is a master of mysteries and there is no doubt of the longevity of this series because not only is it wonderfully captivating, it also brings history to life.
Thinking of reads that I enjoyed as a child, this series reminds me of the Dark is Rising, mixed with the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories and The Famous Five. It is an utterly compelling, engaging, informative and hugely, hugely entertaining read and I cannot wait for Book 3.
Enormous and heartfelt thanks to publishers for this early read via NetGalley.