Leepike Ridge, by N.D. Wilson
Thomas Hammond's mom, widowed when Theodore Hammond is killed in a plane wreck, is considering the marriage proposal and Thomas is not happy. It's easy to see why, the man is basically a flake. One night after a bitter fight, he finds himself on a trip down the river on a raft of packing foam. Swept underground and presumed dead, the story follows not only Thomas discovery of his dad's true fate and few ancient civilizations along the way, but a deadly conspiracy of treasure hunters seeking after Mrs. Hammond's hand in marriage, taking a role similar to that of the evil suitors of the Odyssey.
There's a number of classic stories that seem to have an influence here, Tom Sawyer, Robinson Crusoe, among others. Wilson applies his personal taste though.
If there's a weakness, it might be that some kids will get lost in the details, but I suspect many will find the in depth descriptions of a how to build a water clock in an underground cavern, for instance, quite intriguing
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