The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid

****This review contains some spoilers**** This trilogy begins with The Red Pyramid. The main characters, Carter and Sadie Kane are brother and sister, but have not been raised in the traditional sense. Since the death of their mother, Sadie has been living with her grandparents, her mother’s parents, in London, attending traditional schools and living a normal life. Carter has been home-schooled and traveling the world with their father, Dr. Julius Kane, a famed Egyptologist. Twice a year, Dr. Kane is allowed to visit with Sadie in London. This is where our story begins. The Kane family is bi-racial. Dr. Kane is African-American, while his deceased wife was British Caucasian. According to the descriptions given in the book, Sadie resembles their mother, while Carter resembles their father. This causes people to have a hard time believing they are brother and sister, especially since they only spend 2 days a year together. It likely doesn’t help that Sadie, being raised in London, speaks with a British accent and uses British slang quite frequently. Dr. Kane tells the children that he has a special visit planned to the British Museum, a research experiment that will set things right for their family. He blames himself for the death of their mother, and the children wonder if this “experiment” has something to do with this. Things go horribly wrong, however, and instead of fixing things, Dr. Kane ends up unleashing the Egyptian god Set, who immediately banishes him into oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. Not long after, Sadie and Carter learn that the Egyptian gods are awakening, and the most evil of them, Set, has his sights on the Kanes. In order to stop him, the children must embark on a journey unlike they’ve ever experienced. They learn that their family’s history is not what it seems, and that their family has a link to a secret society tied closely to the pharaoh’s of Egypt. This novel is action packed, full of historical references, and is told alternately by Sadie and Carter themselves. Mr. Riordan writes it as if he has been sent a cassette tape by Sadie and Carter, and is just transcribing their words. He even goes so far as to write an afterword, in his own voice, explaining that he has done some research on his own, and that based on what he’s found, it appears that the children are telling the truth. It’s an interesting way to present the events in the book and I personally found it to be endearing. I can imagine that it would draw in younger readers, who the books are marketed to, even further. I read the Kindle edition, but just for information purposes, the paperback version is 192 pages. I have always been intrigued by Egyptian mythology, which is what initially drew me to this series. I had already completed the Percy Jackson series, also by Mr. Riordan, which I loved, but was a bit hesitant to read this one due to the lower reading age, simply because I feared it would not hold my interest. I am glad that I decided to go forward with it anyway. I could not have been more wrong in my thinking. Mr. Riordan’s writing will captivate readers of all ages. He gives a voice to each character that any reader will find something in that makes you want to keep reading. For me especially, it was Sadie. She’s only 12 years old, but she tries so hard to be much older, snarky, and in charge. I was very similar at her age, so I found myself connecting with her character almost immediately. With Carter, it’s his innocence. He has been a world traveler his entire life, yet, he has also been sheltered. As a parent, I just wanted to keep him safe. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about mythology, action, and adventure. If you’ve read the Percy Jackson series or Heroes of Olympus series, I think you would enjoy this book and the subsequent two as well.

Carter Kane is always on the move with his Egyptologist dad, never in the same place for too long, while his younger sister, Sadie, lives with their grandparents in England. On one of their rare visits, Carter and his dad visit Sadie in England and they go to a museum on a normal "outing." Carter is not impressed, he is always going to museums with his dad. Then their dad starts acting weird, other weird stuff starts happening at the museum, this leads to that and Sadie and Carter suddenly find themselves running for their lives and thrust into a world where Egyptian mythology in not just mythology-- it's very real! The gods have been unleashed (and they are closer than Sadie and Carter can imagine *snickers*) and Set is set (no pun intended, heh) on ruling the world. You know, typical evil stuff going on. Now it's up to the Kane siblings to, well, save the world. No pressure, right? It is no surprise that I absolutely LOVED this book! Rick Riordan is a GENIUS and I am just a huge fan of his! One thing I think is absolutely great is that you don't have to know about mythology in order to read his books! He weaves mythology into the story in a way that isn't overwhelming or boring, but instead very fun! I loved all the characters... Sadie is very sassy and fierce with a "sharp tongue!" I really liked her! Carter is also a great kid! He turns out to be a pretty brave, very strong hero, even if he doesn't feel like it at first. Bast is definitely one of my favorites! She is just such a fun kitty, playful, and yet very protective of her charges. Khufu was pretty awesome too... very smart baboon ;) There were so many layers in this story that make the book great as a whole. Another thing about Rick's stories is that there is always never-ending action, and I love that! His book are just a ton of fun and you will, without a doubt, find yourself laughing often! And of course, Rick is known for his major surprises and twists you do not see coming! I love being surprised and being like, "What?! I did NOT see that coming!" I really liked thid different take on the gods. You don't really worship them, per se, but instead you fight them and lock them away because Bad Bad Things will happen. I also liked how the book was structured to be like a recording... I thought that was very fun and unique. AND I loved the dual POVs! And then the Percy Jackson shout-out, EPIC! Amos's brow furrowed as he looked across at the Empire State Building. "Manhattan has other problems. Other gods. It's best we stay seperate." -The Red Pyramid, pg. 52. Hi Mt. Olympus! *waves* :D I don't know what else to say beside GO READ THIS BOOK! It's amazing!

Because I so thoroughly enjoyed Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (first book: The Lightning Thief ), I was happy to see a new series from him coming so soon after The Last Olympian . Riordan is smart enough not to mess too much with success - The Kane Chronicles also deals with ancient gods - this time Egyptian - and kids with newly discovered special powers. Luckily, he is also talented enough to keep this, the first of a planned trilogy, from seeming like a carbon copy of the characters and adventures found in the Percy Jackson series. Sadie and Carter Kane are siblings who were separated quite young in life after the death of their mother. (Aside: I loved that their father is African American and their mother Caucasian - I'm all for increasing cultural diversity in children's and YA books.) Carter traveled the world with his archeologist father while Sadie, his junior by two years, lived a more "normal" life in England with their grandparents. They only spend two days a year together with their father and it is on one of these occasions that we are dropped into their story. The action begins immediately with explosive displays of magic and the disappearance of their father. The siblings - whose powers are enhanced when they are together (which turns out to be one reason why they were raised separately) - begin making one startling discovery after another about themselves and their family and are set on course to rescue their father and (of course) to save the world from the evil forces their father unwittingly released from the Rosetta Stone. A variety of ancient Egyptian forces - both good and evil - appear to help or hinder them on their quest. Riordan has a gift for making his characters come to life and for making us care about them, a skill I enjoyed in the Percy Jackson books and again here. The Red Pyramid is told from both Sadie and Carter's POV, with each chapter narrated by one of the two. Their voices are somewhat similar, but distinctive enough to make this work and I enjoyed getting to know these two bright, brave and adaptable kids better through this device. The action is virtually non-stop and the 500+ pages seem to fly by. IMHO, the many characters and creatures will probably be enjoyed more by readers 10 years old and over than by those under 10, but, of course, parents should judge that for themselves. I found this a fast, fun read and am happy to recommend it. I hope that it will inspire kids to want to know more about ancient Egypt, one of the most fascinating civilizations our world has known and I would encourage parents to rent some kid-friendly documentaries about ancient Egypt once their children have finished The Red Pyramid. Readers who fall in love with this story and are intrigued by the Egyptian aspects of it may enjoy these other stories while waiting for the Kanes to return in book two: The Theodosia Throckmorton series consisting of Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos , Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris and Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus ; The Children of the Lamp series, which begins with The Akhenaten Adventure and The Pharaoh's Secret .

I am truly amazed by Rick Riordon. I love his Perseus Jackson Camp Half Blood Series, that feature demi-gods, children of Greek Gods and mortals, and their adventures as we learn about Greek mythology. As Camp Half Blood is evolving into a new series, Riordon now has given the 'young folk' The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1). It deals with Egyptian mythology, and boy does he give us an education in Egyptian mythology while he entertains us with an exciting story line! I thought I was familiar with most Egyptian gods, but he had me! What I like is he features the children of a mixed race husband and wife -famous Egyptologists in their own right - the mother is killed at the Obelisk in London, and the children are divided up - Sadie, the daughter, who is like her mother, blond and blue eyed is based in London with her mother's parents. Carter, who is like his African American father, stays with his father and goes on his digs and adventures. When the Dad goes to visit Sadie during Christmas Eve, he takes them to the - oh be still my heart - the British Museum - to see the Rosetta Stone - He tries to do a spell to release some Egyptian Gods, but the plan backfires and he is drawn in to the land of mythology leaving the children in the hands of their uncle Amos, and his baboon Khufu in a mansion in New York! They have to stop Set from finishing the Red Pyramid in the desert because they will kill all humans and take over. My favorite Egyptian God that was written absolutely perfectly was Anubis, who has a flirtation with Sadie, and I cannot wait for the next installment to see what happens next. Riordon says, like the Harry Potter series, this is for the young folk, but I can tell you it is for everyone and the references to the gods will cause younger and older folks back to their mythology books to see who these gods and goddesses are. Adventurous, groundbreaking, and fun. What more can one want in a book? Excellent read.

Thank you very satisfied with the service.

I must say, when I read the Percy Jackson series, I instantly liked it. I enjoyed the whole Greek Pantheon of ancient gods & goddesses, magic, etc. So, naturally, I wanted to read "The Red Pyramid" to see if it had the same magic. I can happily say that it does and then some. I would even volunteer that I liked "The Red Pyramid" even more than the Percy Jackson books for several reasons. First, in "The Red Pyramid", we're introduced to two amazing lead characters who both share in the story's narration. Carter Kane, age 14, is an African American teen who has lived with his father, Julius, his entire life...due to what is described as an ugly custody battle between Julius and his former in-laws (Julius' wife, mother to both Carter and Sadie Kane, died when the children were quite young). Sadie Kane, age 12, looks caucasian (taking after their mother) with light skin, blue eyes, and hair she likes to put colored streaks throughout. Because of the custody agreement, Sadie lives in London year-round with her grandparents - seeing her brother and father only two times per year, which has resulted in the siblings being more like distant relatives to each other. Julius is an archeologist, traveling around the world studying ancient Egyptian artifacts and bringing his son Carter along with him wherever he goes. Carter, because of his father's teachings, is an awkward 14 year old boy, a bit hesitant and unsure of himself. Sadie, on the other hand, despite being two years younger than Carter, is quite a bit more bold, quick to speak her mind and very sure of herself and her opinions. I must say, I loved both Carter and Sadie Kane...for their differences as well as how they grow together as siblings! I cannot reveal much more than this without revealing too much of the book...but I think you'll know what I mean when you read "The Red Pyramid". Another reason I enjoyed this book is because of the depth of information given to the reader. It's obvious that Riordan, in his research, learned quite a bit about the ancient Egyptian ways as well as the intricate nature of their belief system....and he definitely gets that information out to the reader in a very exciting and entertaining way. Magic and mythology come together in a fascinating and fast-paced way in this book. Instantly, the action starts and you'll be pulled into the book. Humor plays a big role in this book as well (especially from Sadie), which just adds to the entertainment. All in all, I'd highly recommend "The Red Pyramid". If you're a fan of the Percy Jackson series, I'm sure you'll like it. Or, perhaps you'll be like me and like it even more! :)

Took a break from rereading Percy Jackson to charge through this series since, according to goodreads, the combo books are next up in half blood chronicles order. I forgot that Sadie annoys me as much as she does. I just don't like brash. But still love learning about a new world of mythology. Makes me want to go to a museum again.

They came great and fast

this is a book based on Egyptian mythology and it is freaking awesome. Besides it is UNCLE Rick we are talking about, of course I am gonna love his work. After reading the percy Jackson books, I fell in love with Greek mythology and when I new rick wrote about Egypt (which is my favourite mythology) I knew I had to get it and it also was available in hardcover. It was expensive couse the book coster 800 rupees but I bought it becouse the other 2 books in this seires are very cheap. At the end I would say that don't give a second thought, JUST BUY IT!!!!!

Delivery was very fast and efficient. My son needed this book to complete a series. He loves reading Riordans books. Book was intact, regular quality. Perfect for our needs.

If you loved Percy Jackson, I'm sure you will like this. Set in seemingly the same world as Percy is (there is a reference to different gods living on the other side of the river) this is the story of Sadie and Carter - brother and sister - who come to realise they are not just ordinary children, but are part of the ancient civilisation of Egypt - gods, magicians and all! Once again, there are thrills and spills, plot twists and lots of "he's the bad guy, no wait, HE'S the bad guy!". I had just come from reading one of my favourite sci-fi novels Dune and was thinking that a "kids" book would be a bit of a come down. Whilst not having the character depth and philosophy, it is nonetheless and great read for all ages. It has a touch of the Indiana Jones about it, whilst maintaining an originality that is rather rare in books nowadays. Don't make the mistake of thinking it's a book for kids, and don't be put off by the film of Percy Jackson. If you read this, you are in for a real treat!

quality!

Bei den "Kane Chronicles" geht es um die Familie Kane. Das sind 1Vater (Julius), der mit seinem Sohn (Carter) tag aus und tag ein auf Ausgrabungstour ist und weltweit nach ägyptischen Relikten sucht. Daneben gibt es noch die Tochter (Sadie) die nach dem Tod der Mutter bei Ihren Großeltern in England wohnt. Eines Tages ist es soweit, Julius zerstört bei einem "Familientreffen" ein altes ägyptisches Relikt, den Rosetta Stone, und die 5 stärksten ägyptischen Götter werden frei gelassen und suchen sich geeignete Körper, in denen sie als zweite Seele existieren ... das Abenteuer startet ab hier und führt den Leser durch eine sehr spannende Geschichte. 1 Gott baut sich eine rote Pyramide, die der Mittelpunkt seiner Weltmacht werden soll ... die anderen 4 versuchen ihn aufzuhalten. Sadie und Carter sind die Hauptdarsteller ergänzen sich super und werden von vielen interessanten Charakteren auf ihrem Abenteuer begleitet. Eine sehr altes Haus das "House of Life" ist gegen die Vereinigung von Mensch und Gott, viele weitere Götter tauchen in der Geschichte auf , es gibt viel Misstrauen, Hoffnung, Mut und die Stärke des Zusammenhalts. Klingt irgenwie seltsam, aber ich weiss es nicht anders zu beschreiben ;-) Der Schreibstil ist sehr angenehm, Sadie und Carter wechseln sich ab und erzählen die Geschichte aus Ihrer Sicht - in ihrem eigenen Stil und aus eigenen Gesichtspunkten. Es macht viel Spass dem Geschehen zu folgen! Das Buch ist nach den griechischen Göttern (in Percy Jackson) eine richtig tolle neue Buchserie von Rick Riordan. Daumen hoch dafür, es ist nicht einfach mit einer weiteren Serie den Leser wieder so zu begeistern - aber der Autor hat es geschafft :-) 5 Sterne von mir, sehr empfehlenswert ab 12 Jahre, das Englisch ist nicht ganz so einfach, Grundkenntnisse sind mindestens erforderlich.