Listen to a sample
The Impossible Gladiator
Time Keys (Related to this series)
- Narrator
- Theo Solomon
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Publish Date
- 12 February 2026
- Run Time
- 6 hours 11 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
'A complete triumph of imagination... readers are going to fall in love with this brilliant series.'
A. F. Steadman, bestselling author of Skandar
The action adventure of Gladiator meets the time travel of Doctor Who in the third title of this blockbusting epic series by bestselling award-winner M. G. Leonard. Perfect for fans of Hunt for the Golden Scarab, Beetle Boy and the Adventures on Trains series.
Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson are enjoying an amazing holiday in Rome, until they they are swept up in the mysterious disappearance of world-famous illusionist Kinetic. He vanished during a live, broadcast illusion in Rome's famous Colosseum, but he never reappeared. When Kinetic’s sister finds a strange description of a Roman gladiator in a history book who sounds uncannily like her brother, the friends are determined to help.
They travel through secret time doors to the spectacular – and deadly – Colosseum in 80 CE. Facing fierce gladiators, rhinos, hungry lions, and the ruthless Chairman of the Council of Keys, Kane Wolfe, can the brave trio survive the ancient games and bring Kinetic – and themselves – back to their own time?
The Impossible Gladiator can be listened to as a stand-alone story, or enjoyed as part of the thrilling Time Keys series written by M. G. Leonard. Follow Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson's adventures in the first adventure in the series in Ancient Egypt, Hunt for the Golden Scarab, and the second in Viking Norway, The Legend of Viking Thunder.
Praise for the series:
'Classic and fresh – a breathtaking adventure.' – Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of Artemis Fowl
'A spellbinding, seat-of-the-pants adventure . . . fabulous, fast-paced and thrilling.' – Jonathan Stroud
'A note-perfect, time-travelling blockbuster.' – Jack Meggitt-Phillips, bestselling author of The Beast and the Bethany
'Fast, dramatic, exciting' – Hannah Gold
Critics Review
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A captivating adventure loaded with history and intrigue
Abi Elphinstone on The Impossible Gladiator
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A cracking series with stunning illustrations
Christopher Edge, on The Impossible Gladiator
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It’s a total belter! Loads of action… I absolutely loved it.
Rob Biddulph
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M. G. Leonard has done it again! Another genius thrilling adventure!
Jasbinder Bilan
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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A thrilling time-travel adventure for 8+
The Guardian
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A note-perfect, time-travelling blockbuster - richly imagined, genuinely fresh . . . A perfect book to open doors for reluctant readers.
Jack Meggitt-Phillips, author of The Beast and the Bethany on Hunt for the Golden Scarab
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Classic and fresh - a breathtaking adventure
Eoin Colfer on Hunt for the Golden Scarab
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Fast, dramatic, exciting
Hannah Gold on Hunt for the Golden Scarab
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A beautiful concept and a spellbinding, seat-of-the-pants adventure, Hunt for the Golden Scarab is fabulous, fast paced and thrilling. More please!
Jonathan Stroud
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Utterly transporting, meticulously researched and a complete triumph of imagination. History, time travel and mystery combine in this epic new adventure from one of our best writers . . . I know so many readers are going to fall in love with this new brilliant series.
A. F. Steadman, bestselling author of the Skandar series on Hunt for the Golden Scarab
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M.G. Leonard’s epic new Time Keys series is a time-travelling wonder!
Leonard was inspired to write this breathtaking series from her own lifelong passion for music and she certainly hits all the right notes with this all-action opener, fabulously illustrated by Croatian artist Manuel Sumberac.Lancashire Post
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Tremendous fun! A gripping and rollicking adventure
Liz Hyder, author of The Twelve on Hunt for the Golden Scarab
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A captivating time travel adventure – music, magic, martial arts and Ancient Egypt
Rashmi Sirdeshpande on Hunt for the Golden Scarab
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Absolutely brilliant page-turner. Atmospheric, entertaining and packed to the brim with fascinating facts . . . Loved it
Lauren St John on Hunt for the Golden Scarab
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A swashbuckling tale of time travel and derring-do
Daily Telegraph
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This thrilling adventure is packed with history, mystery and action
The Week Junior - Book of the Week on Hunt for the Golden Scarab
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An absolutely incredible story
The Sun
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Leonard never fails to provide engaging adventures with just the right level of peril; and well-drawn bad guys
Irish Examiner
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- M. G. Leonard, illustrated by Manuel Sumberac
- Narrator
- Theo Solomon
- Duration
- 6 hours 11 minutes
- Release Date
- 12 February 2026
- ISBN
- 9781035039111
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan
- Genre
- Children’s / Teenage fiction: Action and adventure stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Historical fantasy, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Thrillers / suspense
Synopsis
'A complete triumph of imagination... readers are going to fall in love with this brilliant series.'A. F. Steadman, bestselling author of SkandarThe action adventure of Gladiator meets the time travel of Doctor Who in the third title of this blockbusting epic series by bestselling award-winner M. G. Leonard. Perfect for fans of Hunt for the Golden Scarab, Beetle Boy and the Adventures on Trains series. Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson are enjoying an amazing holiday in Rome, until they they are swept up in the mysterious disappearance of world-famous illusionist Kinetic. He vanished during a live, broadcast illusion in Rome's famous Colosseum, but he never reappeared. When Kinetic’s sister finds a strange description of a Roman gladiator in a history book who sounds uncannily like her brother, the friends are determined to help.They travel through secret time doors to the spectacular – and deadly – Colosseum in 80 CE. Facing fierce gladiators, rhinos, hungry lions, and the ruthless Chairman of the Council of Keys, Kane Wolfe, can the brave trio survive the ancient games and bring Kinetic – and themselves – back to their own time?The Impossible Gladiator can be listened to as a stand-alone story, or enjoyed as part of the thrilling Time Keys series written by M. G. Leonard. Follow Sim, Jeopardy and Nelson's adventures in the first adventure in the series in Ancient Egypt, Hunt for the Golden Scarab, and the second in Viking Norway, The Legend of Viking Thunder. Praise for the series:'Classic and fresh – a breathtaking adventure.' – Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of Artemis Fowl'A spellbinding, seat-of-the-pants adventure . . . fabulous, fast-paced and thrilling.' – Jonathan Stroud'A note-perfect, time-travelling blockbuster.' – Jack Meggitt-Phillips, bestselling author of The Beast and the Bethany'Fast, dramatic, exciting' – Hannah Gold
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