Review of "The Red Pyramid" by Rick Riordan

"The Red Pyramid"
by Rick Riordan


5

Pub Date: May 4, 2010
Pages: 516

Synopsis: Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

I absolutely loved "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Series so I was psyched that Rick Riordan was coming out with new books based off Egyptian mythology. I have to admit that the book took me a while to get into and that the switching between characters was a bit jarring, but once the pace picked up the book just got harder and harder to put down. Sadie and Carter are great characters. They drive each other crazy like all siblings, but they of course love each other even if there is tension between them.

The book definitely made me want to learn more about Egyptian mythology, I haven't studied it since like 6th grade. I love how Riordan sets different scenes at famous landmarks in his books. There were scenes all over the world that are huge tourist attractions already, but it would be cool to plan a vacation based around places in "The Red Pyramid". Maybe you could make it a goal to hit one destination every five years throughout your lifetime, that way you wouldn't have to spend thousands of dollars on travel all at once. Sorry I am getting a bit off topic... ANYWAY!

Even though the book was a bit slow, it definitely set up the rest of the series to be action packed. I wasn't sure if "The Kane Chronicles" would feel like "Percy Jackson" all over again, but Rick was able to do some really cool things with Egyptian mythology that sets the series apart. Yes it does have the same action, adventure, and hilarity that "Percy Jackson" has, but the Egyptian mythology is so rich that it somehow feels completely different. I could say a lot about the book, but I'd end up giving away some fantastic plot twists or something. If you liked "Percy Jackson", then you will also enjoy the first installment of "The Kane Chronicles". Check out Rick Riordan's website here to learn more about "The Kane Chronicles" or "Percy Jackson and the Olympians".

Perfect Conclusion to the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Series

"Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian"
Rick Riordan


6

With Percy's 16th Birthday only days away, the final battle for Western Civilization draws near. Krono's army has gained strength due support from the demi-gods and half-bloods that were recruited into his cause. As if worrying about the fate of the world isn't enough, Percy has a prophecy looming over his shoulders coming into fulfillment. With the gods and goddesses spread across the United States battling the Titan's forces, Mount Olympus is left vulnerable to attacks. Will Percy and the other half-bloods be able to create a strong enough alliance to help save Mount Olympus? Or will petty arguments and egos lead to the destruction of the modern world?

As with all of Rick Riordan's books, "The Last Olympian" grabs you from start to finish. Riordan's final installment wraps the whole series up wonderfully and is very satisfying. You can really tell the detail that was put into the characters throughout the series when reading the final book. Even though characters may have done things that surprise you, they didn’t do anything completely out of left field and stayed true to themselves from start to finish. All the characters that you love in the series make appearances and some that may have eluded us a bit in other books have important roles in the final story. I honestly don’t think there could have been a better completion to the series. I loved Riordan’s writing from beginning to end and I’m excited to read more of his works.

Incase you didn’t catch my earlier post about the signing I went to, Riordan announced that he will be releasing a new series about Camp Half-Blood next year. Some of the characters from the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series might show their faces, but the series will focus on new characters. I really would like to say more about the series, but it would give some spoilers away from the final book. Let’s just say Riordan leaves us with some interesting twists that will be explored in the new series. I cannot wait to see where the new series takes us!

Also, don't forget to enter the contest I have going for the 1st and final books in the series. Both books are hardcover copies that I had signed especially to give out on this blog. I kind of feel like a broken record about this contest, but this series is definitely at the top of my list for favorite books of all time. I just want more people to fall in love with it as I have.

Thursday Update

I want to apologize again for disappearing for a few weeks. I serious was running around like crazy! One of the major reasons that I was so crazed was that I just moved to a new apartment. I am still moving some stuff in, but for the most part I am finally done. I just have 3 more boxes of stuff to put away. I really want to post pictures of my beautiful apartment, but I haven’t figured out where to get rid of all the boxes I used to move.
Another reason I was so busy was because I had my 24th birthday last weekend. I can't believe I'm 24... I know it isn't old or anything, but it just goes by so fast! The crazy thing is that I've been so busy that I haven't even had a chance to celebrate with anyone besides my parents and brother. I spent my birthday buying new furniture for my apartment and unpacking boxes. It was totally worth it though : )
I also had an event I was planning for work and I went to Rick Riordan's author signing. He spoke before the signing and told everyone about some of his new projects. He is going to be releasing a new series about Camp Half-Blood focusing on different characters. He is also working on a series of modern day Egyptian mythology. The Camp Half-Blood book and the first book of his new series will both be released next year! I am SOO excited. I just love his writing style!
Another project that I've been working on is finding a way to hook up my computer to my TV so that I can watch Netflix instant play movies offline on my TV. I FINALLY got it working last night and it is the coolest thing! The picture quality is amazing and I don't have to watch movies on my tiny computer screen. The sound quality isn't too great, but it would be the same as if I was watching it off my laptop speakers. Overall it was a great investment and was well worth the $30 dollars I spent on cables.
ALSO, I started an Internship at a library this week, so I'm basically working a 55-hour workweek from now until the end of July. That means no days off from work, unless I use vacation time. It is going to be a crazy few months, but I'll do my best to post regularly.