Book Review: The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid
Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi


Summary:

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.

Thoughts:


I admit it. I'm a huge fan of Mr. Riordan's books. But I've always tried to view each one individually and not do to much comparing or expect too much from it because of his other books.


I must say, the beginning of the book reminded me of a lot of other books I've read from both him and from other authors. The characters have magical powers and everyone around them is either a) also born with this power, b) being very secretive to the MCs about their powers or c) evilly plotting to kill them. So y'know.


The characters were nicely placed and some of them were shrouded with a bit of mystery to keep them exciting. They had their different personalities so that there was not a whole hoard of monotonous cookie cutter people running amok. Some of them considered Sadie and Carter as kittens (guess who?) or heroes, and others thought of them as the enemy or simply children who would get in the way. Either way, Rick did well to have them contribute to the plot without having them be a nuisance of a character.


The plot was quite good. Plenty of twists that had my jaw on the floor (and several nasty bugs making their home in my mouth) on several occasions.


Rick also has a quirky sense of humor that I've grown to like, from the title headings ("We Run From Guys in Skirts"), to the character's dialogue 
(“Ah, Mastery of the Five Elements!"
"Is that the one we want?" I asked."No, but a good one. How to tame the five essential elements of the universe - earth, air, water, fire, and cheese!""Cheese?”), 
to just the simple descriptions of things ( “I guessed his name was Face of Horror. I wondered how long it had taken his mom to think of that. Bob? No. Sam? No. How about Face of Horror?”). I was giggling like I'd had too much helium in my system for most of the book, which was rather embarrassing, but never mind that. I think that most of Rick's books are as popular as they are because of all the humor he squishes into them. There's really no page without some wise-crack remark or a character thinking silly thoughts. His books wouldn't be quite the same without them, and most likely not nearly as popular.

Going with the Egyptian myths was a nice twist compared to his usual Greek/Roman hooplah, so I thought that this was quite good since all of that can get rather monotonous sometimes.



So. Voila. Care to read this book? Awesome. Don't care to read this book? Go right ahead. 

Star Rating: 4.3


I'm finished ranting for now, but I'll be back.... *ominous music plays...lightning flashes...trees rattle against a window that can't be seen in the darkness...a hippo passes gas to the tune of an Scottish ballad*


<3 Seana