 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Red Pyramid: The Kane Chronicles, Book 1
- By Rick Riordan
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Percy Jackson author tackles more complex Egyptology.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this new series comes from the author of the hugely popular Percy Jackson series. While Percy covorted with Greek gods and half-gods, brother and sister Carter and Sadie come face to face with ancient Egyptian gods, magicians, and god-monsters. There are plenty of battle scenes against gods and monsters that feel very much like fantasy, with a bit of bloodshed, and some scenes in a bleak afterlife. At the beginning of the book Carter and Sadie, who lost their mother a few years before, deal with the disappearance of their father, whom they fear will never return. Carter and Sadie, despite their differences (raised different places, and Carter looks more like his black father while Sadie looks like their white mother), are constantly looking out for each other as they deal with some harsh realities about Egyptian history and their place in it.
What's the story?
Everything goes wrong when 14-year-old Carter, his Egyptologist father, and 12-year-old sister Sadie go to the British Museum for a private viewing of the Rosetta Stone. Carter and Sadie watch as their dad mysteriously blows the stone apart and gets trapped in a sarcophogus that disappears into the floor. That's when long-lost Uncle Amos helps them escape on a magic boat that whisks them to a Brooklyn mansion in seconds. And that's just the start of magical occurrences that involve ancient Egyptian gods unleashed, magicians from the House of Life who are trying to keep them in check, and Carter and Sadie caught in the middle, desperately trying to channel powers they never knew they had. They have only a few days to figure it all out before the god Set builds a gigantic pyramid in Phoenix and tries to destroy the whole of North America.
Is it any good?
The most important question: Will Percy Jackson fans be satisfied? Probably, but they have to like ancient history as much if not more than they like god-on-monster action. There are so many gods and their backstories to keep track of, but then that's the history of ancient Egypt: complicated. Now that kids know what a ba is and how to pull things out of the Duat and restore Ma'at, etc., etc., subsequent novels in the series will be an easier read, but this one may take a couple read-throughs to get it all straight.
History lessons aside, this is a fun ride and mostly because Carter and Sadie are such great characters. They also have that signature sardonic wit that Percy was known for. Great one-liners come out of nowhere to lighten the mood when facing all manner of horrible creatures and almost certain death. When they are faced with a scary demon in the underworld it comes out that he's not only Lord of Blood and Wine, but also Lord of Perfume. Sadie asks politely if her brother can have a sample before they sail on.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Carter and Sadie's relationship. Why did Carter envy Sadie's life with their grandparents? Why did Sadie admire Carter's with their father? How did they come to understand each other in the end? How did they complement each other?
Families can also talk about ancient Egypt and everything they learned from the book. Do you want to read more about Egyptian gods? Which gods are the most interesting?
Families can also talk about what makes great hero characters. What qualities do they share?
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AGE
more for kids not teens
It seemed a little boring. more for younger kids..
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Kid, 11 years old
May 2, 2011
AGE
best book ever
really awesome book
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AGE
so amazing!
This is a really good book, another hit by Rick Riordan. It travels amazingly into the legends of Egypt mythology, fitting characters together in different situations,as perfectly as a finished puzzle. My only concern is how the kids feel about the death of their mother, and their capured dad, as well as the forms of the monsters. Carter and Sadie both are determined and brave, two important qualities that make them great role models.
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AGE
Rick Riordan, thanks for making my kid a mythology expert!
My 10yo son has been a huge Rick Riordan fan for a couple of years now. He devoured the Percy Jackson series. He was a little leery about the new series - I think he was afraid if he didn't like it he would somehow be disloyal to the author! But ever since The Red Pyramid arrived in our house, he's been glued to it. Rick Riordan is doing for a whole new generation what JK Rowling did several years ago. The books are great adventures with a little violence and flawed but admirable characters. The mythology is educational too!
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Kid, 12 years old
November 1, 2010
AGE
another great book by riordan!
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AGE
An Epic Debuet
I'll admit, I didn't like it as much as the Percy Jackson series. But don't get me wrong, The Red Pyramid is still an exellent book. Riordan himself said the only thing more popular than Greek mythology is Egyptian mythology. There are battles, there are monsters, there are gods and goddesses. Everyone who has read the PJO series won't be surpried. I think Riordan did a really good job making The Kane Chronicles diffirent than his other series. I got conduse maybe once or twice, but maybe it was because I was speed-reading. I also loved how Rick inclued magic in the mix. Percy fans will not be dissapointed.
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AGE
The Kane Chronicles was very good. It was very educational, and had very good role models, and Carter and Sadie share a very influential brotherly-sisterly bond, that even though they call each other names, at the end of the day, they appreciate the fact that they are brother and sister. Rick Riordan fans will be very pleased with his new series. He has a lot of action in this book, and unlike Percy Jackson, it isn't completely predictable. It has a bit of humor, and that is what makes Rick's books so unique; that he has humor and action and education all mixed into one. It is remarkable. I would reccomend The Kane Chronicles to any kid 10 and up, due to both the size, and the fact that the Egyptian gods can be fairly confusing for younger kids. Altogether, it was another amazing book written by an amazing and talented writer.
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AGE
It's no Lightning Thief
I think this book was OK but not as good as the Lightning Thief series.
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AGE
Overlong, but exciting look on egyptology.
I feel that this book wasn't as great as the percy series. It still has the humor, and excitement as percy, but still I felt that it was much too long. Sadie is the comedian in this one, and Carter is the annoying older brother, but you still can't feel sorry for him. Sadie and Carter have that great brother- sister chemistry that just makes you smile. Their are fun fight scenes, and funny characters. Another reason why this makes this book shine is the charm of Basta, the Godess of cats. She loves Friskie, and is a amazing fighter. I wouldn't be too worried about any inappropriate content. There is no sex, or kisses, just small cute flirting. The swearing includes bloody, it's British, and as long as your child knows not to say it in school, they should be find. The violence includes a creepy villain Set. There are battles with monsters with funny conclusions. Younger readers might be disturbed dying because of the father's mistake, and that the parents lied to them only because they had to protect them. As long as your child knows that you wouldn't lie to them they should be good to go. Any older readers won't have a problem with it. Now why I gave it three stars. I felt that it was overlong by 100 or so pages, in you know what I mean. I also didn't like that it felt too rushed, as if the author was trying to hard to make it funny, and charming like his Percy series. Because of this, it loses the charm that I really enjoyed about percy. Thank you, and enjoy!
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AGE
Great story, Wonderful Characters
I read any book I think that might be iffy for my kids. That is how I discovered I liked reading Percy Jackson as much as I like Harry Potter. So when the school librarian told us that that Rick Riordan had a new book coming out, I was just as excited as my kids. "The Red Pyramid" does not disappoint. It is action packed, without being too scary. The main characters and their parents willing make sacrifices for the good of their family (and the world). Plus, I really like the fact that the hero siblings aren't the standard Caucasian male lead. The brother and sister are equally important and courageous. The book is narrated by both the Kane sibling, so the reader gets both points of view. Their dad is African-American and their mom is a Caucasian Englishwoman.
Our calendar is marked for the 10/12 release of "The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero".
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Author: | Rick Riordan |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Hyperion Books for Children |
| Publication date: | May 4, 2010 |
| Number of pages: | 528 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 10 - 12 |
| Read aloud: | 10 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
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