by Rick Riordan
Disney (Hyperion)
2011
452 pages with glossary
ISBN 9781423140566
Exciting, action-packed, and thrilling, book two of the Kane Chronicles, The Throne of Fire, really delivers (book one is The Red Pyramid). If you haven't picked up the first book, now is the time to pick up both titles. Rick Riordan has batted another one out of the park and scored a home run. His first attempt at ya fiction was the Percy Jackson series which rocketed to the bestseller lists--both young adult fiction and adult fiction lists; in fact, The Lightning Thief was picked up by Hollywood and turned into a movie.
Now tackling the somewhat darker and brooding Egyptian gods, Riordan uses the brother/sister team of Carter and Sadie Kane, children of two noted Egyptologists and archeologists who just so happen to be descended from Egypt's greatest magicians. The House of Life has chosen Carter and Sadie to control the Egyptian gods who are on the brink of being released. If Apophos, the Chaos snake, is released, it will be the end of the world. Carter and Sadie only have four days to find the three scrolls of the missing book of Ra, the sun god. Not only do they have to find the scrolls; they have to figure out how to use them to free Ra, who will rise again and control all the gods. The kids take turn telling their story on a now old-fashioned tape-recorder. Riordan, the author, finds the recordings and shared them with all of us, the readers
The kids enlist the help of fellow magician trainees Walt, a hot guy with a dark family secret, Jaz, a female trainee who seems to have eyes for Walt--much to Sadie's secret chagrin, and Khufu, a baboon pal, yes, a real baboon, who seems human at times. The kids enlist the help of a few gods along the way including Bes, the drawf god, a short guy who is as big around as he is tall and who needs some serious fashion intervention.
As the two siblings travel through magic Egyptian portals around the world in search of the scrolls, Apophis continues to gain strength. Other Egyptian gods and magicians want to stop the Kane kids from freeing Ra. If both gods are released Chaos will fight Order, and who knows what the outcome will be?
Highly entertaining, amusing, and readable, The Throne of Fire is a sure winner. The personalities of Sadie and Carter are believable and likeable. Their wise-cracking ways and snide comments and mirthful asides will make the reader chuckle. Though they fight like brother and sister, each will stop at nothing to insure the safety of the other.
Highly, highly recommended grades 5-up. This book will have wide appeal to readers both male and female. Good readers who have read Harry Potter and longer tomes like it should have no trouble with the heft of this book. Percy Jackson fans will love this series as well. Anyone who enjoys mythology and action will likely choose this book.
FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review.
No comments:
Post a Comment