The Red Pyramid - Rick Riordan

The Red Pyramid - Rick Riordan

Pages: 514
Publisher: Puffin
Release Date: 3rd May 2010

Other Titles by this Author: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief; the Sea of Monsters; the Titan’s Curse; the Battle of the Labyrinth; the Last Olympian

One curse. Two heroes. And an evil that won’t stay buried.

'I guess it started the night our dad blew up the British Museum…’

Carter and Sadie Kane’s dad is a brilliant Egyptologist with a secret plan that goes horribly wrong. An explosion shatters the ancient Rosetta Stone and unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos.

Set imprisons Dr Kane in a golden coffin, and Carter and Sadie are forced to run for their lives. To save their dad, they must embark on a terrifying quest from Cairo and Paris to the American South-west and discover the truth about their family’s connection to the House of Life: an Egyptian temple of magic that has existed for thousands of years.

The pharaohs of Ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried. And so, unfortunately, are their gods…

The Red Pyramid is a fabulously fun adventure that will capture the imaginations of both boys and girls alike.

This book is told in a very individual way: a transcription of a recording. There’s only one other book that I can think of that uses this format (Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher) and coupled with dual narration, it was sure to be a hit with me. I love it! Even in this format, the countless mysteries, near death experiences and non-stop action weren’t lessened in the slightest.

Another of my favourite features on The Red Pyramid is the encounters with the gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt. Even though I’d never heard of most of them, I looked forward to meeting the next god or goddess trying to stop Sadie and Carter in their tracks. We met Set, Thoth, Isis, my personal favourites, Bast and Anubis, and loads more. But there are also some really really cool creatures that aren’t gods, like Khufu the baboon and the crocodile called Philip of Macedonia. All of these played a part in the fantastic Egyptian mythology. I learnt so much about it that I’m considering recommending that the exam boards turn the A-level chemistry syllabus into a novel. I might actually understand it then!

Sadie and Carter Kane are brilliant protagonists, even if they don’t quite act their ages. At 12, Sadie is strong, feisty, brave and angst, in a 17-year-old way and Carter, oppositely, grows into his 14 years. He becomes protective of Sadie but feels rather inferior to her at the same time. Though he makes up for it in spades with his knowledge of Egypt and its mythology.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Red Pyramid and I’m looking forward to the next instalment of The Kane Chronicles, but in the meantime, I may have to start on Percy Jackson.

For my 2010 100+ Reading Challenge

Sophie