The Akhenaten Adventure: Children of the Lamp, Book 1
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that an unnecessary prominence given to smoking is surprising, as is the rather positive attitude toward it taken by the author.
Families can talk about the concept of magic given here, as a carefully maintained balance of luck in the world. How does it compare to other magical systems, such as those in Bartimaeus, Harry Potter, and So You Want to Be a Wizard.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Matt Berman
Very much a mixed bag. On the plus side, it's an original idea, well written, the descriptions are vivid, and fantasy fans will love the wealth of detail and history behind this particular view of the magical world. On the minus side, there's not much action, lots of exposition, and the child heroes never rise off the page to become real people in the reader's mind. Kids who love arcana, exotic settings, and children with secret magic powers will revel in the fascinating details. Those looking for adventure will not find much in the first half of the book to keep them reading.
This is Philip Kerr's first book for children, though he has written several for adults. Like many other adult novelists trying to make the transition, he will need to learn that different rules apply -- the pacing is different, and kids prefer warm passion to cool detachment. There's a lot of potential here for future books in the series, but to be really successful he will need to bring John and Philippa to life.
From The Book
"Clever people wish for something intangible like talent or wisdom," said Nimrod. "A few people used to wish they were good writers. Today, however, most people go for the cash or being a movie star. Very boring. But what can you do? A wish is a wish."
Plot Summary:
When wealthy New York twins John and Philippa have to have their wisdom teeth removed rather young (they're twelve), it triggers a series of events that reveal to them that they are djinn, descended from a powerful tribe of djinn, and just coming into their powers.
Sent to England to learn from their Uncle Nimrod all about being djinn, they are drawn into the age-old conflict between good and evil djinn, and travel with their uncle to Egypt to find the secret behind the disappearance of 70 djinn millennia ago. Now it's a race against the evil Iblis to rescue the missing ones and bring them to the side of good before the balance of luck in the universe is destroyed.
Related Books:
Kids Learning to Manage Magic Powers:
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper
The Gift by Peter Dickinson
So You Want to Be a Wizard by Diane Duane
The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones
Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula LeGuin
Welcome to the Ark by Stephanie S. Tolan
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling
The Amulet of Samarkand: The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1 by Jonathan Stroud
Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War: The Abarat Trilogy, Book 2 by Clive Barker
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ViolenceA murder. |
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Social BehaviorThere's some British contempt for the Middle East here, such as when a character refers to Egypt as "a filthy country." |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoMost of the adults smoke, including cigarettes, pipes, and cigars, and the twins are drawn to it. Adults drink brandy. The uncle blows amazing smoke rings, making it even more attractive. |
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