Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles #1) by Rick Riordan

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles, #1) The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Red Pyramid was Percy Jackson and the Olympians with Egyptian gods. The reference to the Percy Jackson series was amusing (the comment was something along the lines of Manhattan has its own set of gods). It's a typical young adult hero journey, where the kids end up fighting battles and figuring out puzzles without the aid of adults. I did like that I had a hard time keeping track of who was on the side of the protagonists, and who sided with Set, the initial main antagonist. As with series novels, there has to be a bigger antagonist lurking in the shadows, just waiting for his moment (Kronos, anyone?). In this case, Apophis the serpent (a Bible allusion as well? Because an apple is never just an apple.)

A major difference between this series and the previous series (which excludes the opening section) is that Riordan hopped on the the alternating perspectives bandwagon. The narration is split between the two sibling-protagonists, Carter and Sadie. This is an effective device, and Riordan wields it well; Sadie and Carter have very distinct voices. I think it helps that one child was raised in England and the other in the United States. The balance of responsibility/challenges is even; neither character dominates.

The second book in the Kane Chronicles is due out sometime in the Spring of 2011.

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1 comment:

Canada said...

This is one of the the few books that I really enjoy reading, and trust it's hard for me too like a book!I would recommend this book to all my friends and to the people who like Egyptian history. The thing that I like about this book is how this book contains history,magic,fantasy, and adventure. This first book of the series makes me want to read all of the other books of the Kane Chronicles. If you asked my opinion I believe this is one of the great books Rick Riordan has ever written. I also like how the character's learn how they are the most powerful kids in the world.