Quick Take
- Narration: Dion Graham brings natural energy and warmth to the young protagonists, making the medieval battle sequences accessible and exciting for younger listeners.
- Themes: Teamwork under pressure, loyalty across divides, historical adventure
- Mood: Kinetic and fun, with genuine stakes for the age group
- Verdict: A strong middle-grade audiobook that improves on the series opener by splitting the trio across enemy lines, creating real dramatic tension in its short runtime.
I put this one on during a long drive I was sharing with my younger cousins, ages eight and ten, fully expecting to spend the journey answering questions about what was happening. Instead, both of them were completely absorbed within the first fifteen minutes, and the eight-year-old’s running commentary about whether Dak would escape before the Vikings caught him became the entertainment. That is the particular kind of immediate traction that Carrie Ryan achieves in Divide and Conquer, the second entry in the Infinity Ring series.
The Infinity Ring books are collaborative middle-grade adventures published by Scholastic, each installment written by a different author. Book 1 established Dak, Sera, and Riq as time-traveling kids tasked with repairing the fractures in history caused by a shadowy organization called the SQ. In Book 2, Ryan drops them into Paris in 885 AD, right into the middle of one of the most dramatic events of the early medieval period: the Viking siege of the city. The setup is efficient and immediately dramatic.
Our Take on Divide and Conquer
Ryan’s structural masterstroke is to separate the trio. Dak is captured and forced to work alongside the Vikings, while Sera and Riq find themselves defending Paris from within the city walls. Whatever side wins, the kids lose, which gives the story a genuine double-bind tension that the first book did not quite achieve. The moral complexity of the situation, being allied with people on both sides of a historical conflict, is handled with more nuance than you might expect from a book aimed at middle-grade readers. Ryan does not flatten the Vikings into villains; the character of Rollo, who earns particular affection in early reviews, is one of the more interesting figures in the series.
The historical material is integrated well enough to be educational without ever feeling like a lesson in disguise. The SQ’s involvement in manipulating the siege adds the series’ familiar conspiracy texture without overwhelming the more immediate drama of Dak’s situation among the Viking forces. At four hours and twenty-six minutes, the pacing is tight throughout.
Why Listen to Divide and Conquer
Dion Graham is one of the most respected narrators working in children’s and young adult audiobooks, and his performance here reflects his experience with younger audiences. He brings warmth and energy to Dak’s chapters without pitching his performance at an artificially elevated register, and he handles the intensity of the battle sequences with enough gravitas to make them feel genuinely dangerous while remaining appropriate for the age group. Graham’s differentiation of the trio’s distinct personalities is consistent and natural.
The series format means listeners who start here without having read Book 1 will miss some context about the characters’ relationships and the SQ’s broader agenda, though Ryan provides enough expository texture to make the essential situation clear. The Scholastic Audio production quality is clean throughout.
What to Watch For in Divide and Conquer
The novel’s episodic, multi-author series structure means it functions more as an installment than a standalone narrative: the central time-travel mission has an arc that concludes, but the larger story of the SQ continues across the full eight-book series. Listeners looking for closure on every thread will need to continue into Book 3. The historical backdrop of the Viking siege is accurate enough in its broad strokes to be useful for children studying medieval history, but it takes deliberate dramatic liberties with character and event for story purposes.
This is also a book that rewards listeners who enjoy adventure fiction with a puzzle dimension: the Histrian clues and the SQ’s manipulation of events layer a mystery over the action sequences that gives older middle-grade readers something to work through alongside the more immediate physical danger.
Who Should Listen to Divide and Conquer
Divide and Conquer is calibrated for listeners aged eight to twelve, though the family-in-car listening context works well for a wider age range as long as an adult is present to field the historical questions it will inevitably generate. It is an ideal follow-up for kids who enjoyed the first Infinity Ring book and a reasonable entry point for children interested in Viking history specifically. Parents looking for audio content that combines genuine adventure plotting with historical engagement will find this series consistently reliable. If your child has already moved through the Warriors or Spirit Animals series, Infinity Ring represents a logical next step in terms of reading complexity and thematic ambition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a child who hasn’t read the first Infinity Ring book follow Divide and Conquer?
With some gaps. Carrie Ryan provides enough context to establish who the three main characters are and what the Infinity Ring does, but the specifics of the SQ’s history and the events of Book 1 are assumed knowledge. Starting with Book 1 will make the character dynamics and stakes considerably clearer.
How accurate is the historical content about the Viking siege of Paris in 885 AD?
The siege itself is based on a real historical event, and the broad geography and conflict are rendered accurately. The characters, including Rollo, are drawn from history, though the novel takes dramatic liberties with their roles for storytelling purposes. Scholastic’s Infinity Ring series includes additional educational materials for classroom use.
Is Divide and Conquer appropriate for sensitive or younger listeners given the battle sequences?
Yes, with the caveat that the book involves a medieval siege with battle action. There is peril and danger but no graphic violence. The tone throughout is adventurous rather than frightening, and Dion Graham’s narration keeps the sequences energetic without becoming intense enough to distress younger or sensitive listeners.
Does the book resolve its central plot or does it end on a cliffhanger requiring Book 3?
The immediate mission of this book, navigating the Viking siege and making the necessary historical correction, reaches a conclusion within this installment. However, the broader series storyline continues, and new questions are raised that extend into subsequent books. It is an installment, not a standalone.
