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The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles #1)

by Rick Riordan, Kevin R. Free (Narrator), Katherine Kellgren (Goodreads Author) (Narrator)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 87,889 ratings · 6,394 reviews

From the author of the blockbuster best-selling series Percy Jackson and the Olympians comes the first installment of the Kane Chronicles, combining nonstop action, humor, and suspense in an epic tale of loyalty and heroism.

Since his mother's death six years ago, Carter Kane has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the globe with his father, the brilliant Egyptologist...more

Audio CD, 12 pages

Published May 4th 2010 by Brilliance Audio (first published January 1st 2010)

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May 10, 2010 Mitchel Broussard rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, series, ya-fiction, summer-2010

Update: I've recently degraded this to a one star from a two when I realized how much of a disappointment it was. This review is, as a result, a lot more nicer than I'd like it to be. If you'd like, just add a lot more unnecessary cursing and asides about that idiotic taco-sauce showdown. *Sigh* Now I can't stop thinking about that goddamn battle anymore. Damn it.

If you're thinking "Oh it's just Percy Jackson with Egyptian Gods", you'd be correct. But, in it's own weird way, it's a bit more. At...more Update: I've recently degraded this to a one star from a two when I realized how much of a disappointment it was. This review is, as a result, a lot more nicer than I'd like it to be. If you'd like, just add a lot more unnecessary cursing and asides about that idiotic taco-sauce showdown. *Sigh* Now I can't stop thinking about that goddamn battle anymore. Damn it.

If you're thinking "Oh it's just Percy Jackson with Egyptian Gods", you'd be correct. But, in it's own weird way, it's a bit more. At one point there's a little bit of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments , some Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott, and even a tad bit of Harry Potter thrown in. And, if you get though the first 200-300 pages you may enjoy yourself.

Now is it worth having to get through that to find the good stuff? I'm not entirely sure.

The set up is promising, as the two narrators (and protagonists) relay their plan to take an entire record of their adventure and then hide it in a locker and some school for the right person to find. If you read the opening chapter of The Lightning Thief and loved its warning, you'll thoroughly enjoy this. But it quickly became gimmicky to me, as Carter and Sadie take turns telling the tale, they also interrupt each other to crack awfully corny jokes and spout "witty" one liners. I think it would have been better to leave that narrative device to the opening and closing. Otherwise it distracts you from what is going on in the plot, which is quit more important than Sadie telling Carter how hilarious he was when a bird pooped on his face.

And on the note of the characters, I'm all for alternating chapters between character perspectives, I've always loved it and find it highly effective as a way to open up the plot. But here, well, the characters speak a tad to similarly. I mean very early on Sadie uses her British accent heavily, but later in the book its almost completely gone, to the point where i had to check the top of the page to make sure i was reading a Sadie chapter. It wouldn't happen too often, but when it did i always felt a tinge of frustration. And it was always 2 Carter chapters, then 2 Sadie chapters. It seemed like an odd way to set everything up, why not just do 1:1?

The only other thing that bothered me was the length. It took way too long to do what The Lightning Thief did in under 400 pages. Don't get me wrong, they do have fun battles, with a pretty cool magic system. But i found the battles went by too fast (one God they literally best by stuffing it with salsa so it turns into a cow. The most work Carter does is open huge vats of the hot Mexican sauce).

On the positive side, Sadie and Carter do grow to respect one another and become pretty likable in the end. I still refuse to believe their age, 12 and 14? It just didn't fit their personalities to me, but i guess they're mature for their age.

And on the reference above to all the other books, I'm not saying he copied from them, i simply meant there were similarities in story, characters and plot locations. Like the old church that Clary and her paranormal friends stay at in City of Bones is quite similar to the "First Nome" in this book. The twins from the Nicholas Flamel books have a similar relationship that Carter and Sadie have (albeit far more mature). And the magic system felt inspired by J.K. Rowling's famous teen magician, with similar uses of wands, the need to speak spells, and generally same types of spells (fire, wind, ice, light, etc).

I guess the big question is will i read the sequels? And again, i'm forced to say I'm not entirely sure. There is a great twist in the end, and i'd love to see how it plays out and what happens. I most likely will, i just really hope they don't get progressively bigger. Unless it's stuffed with cool and lengthy battles, and a lot less stupid pre-teen distractions, i'm out.(less)

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Jun 28, 2010 Aaron Vincent rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-mg-fantasy

I ranked Rick Riordan's The Lighting Thief 5th on my Top Ten Fave Books for 2009, tied with Michael Scott's The Alchemist. I reasoned out that I can't choose which one is better cause both made learning history fun and both have that cool factor reliving the things in the past. Now, I have suspicion that I unknowingly can see the future cause The Red Pyramid is exactly the combination of both books. Is that a good thing? Yes, if it had been well executed. Let's review that sentence: "Yes, if it...more

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Oct 26, 2012 Nikita Ompang rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, novel

hmmm.. I guess if you haven't read Percy Jackson, you'll definitely LOVE this book! It is enjoying to read! Rick Riordan is absolutely humorous! Writing in two different perspectives is really not easy, so thumbs up to him for that!

BUT! there's just a few 'but's since i'm an avid fan of Percy Jackson. i didn't quite enjoy it as i thought i would. it's just waaaay too similar to percy jackson. like percy jackson, they're also looking for children with pharaoh blood and everything. and like percy...more

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Jun 14, 2010 ♫ נєηη - ѕσυℓ σƒ ѕσυη∂ ♫ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, series, books-i-got-shivers-from, most-memorable-characters, books-i-own, must-reads-before-you-die, covers-i-♥, writers-i-look-up-to, favorites

*headdesk*

MAY 4TH?

HOLY CRAP, SCREW RICK RIORDAN AND DISNEY HYPERION! I CANNOT WAIT THAT LONG!!

*breathes hard*

Sorry about that. Okay, I am totally spazzing out. I thought it was going to release in March! (Either that, or I got this book and Fang: A Maximum Ride Novel mixed up... XD) Well, anyway, I'm really excited to read this...

Now, time for the during book review.

(Dun dun DUN! Just kidding, overzealous people.)

Anyways... In this book, I keep noticing the recurring ideas/themes that are in the...more

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Sep 10, 2010 Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: actionadventure, audio-books, fantasy, middle-grade, mythology, young-adult

I quite enjoyed Riordan's new adventures featuring the Cain siblings, Carter and Sadie (I believe 14 and 12 years of age... though I thought Sadie seemed older), who are introduced to the possibilities that Egyptian mythology may be a bit more real than they realized.

Sadie and Carter's mother died when they were young, and since then they have had to live apart - Sadie with her mother's parents in London, and Carter with his father, traveling the world looking for Egyptian artifacts. Since they...more I quite enjoyed Riordan's new adventures featuring the Cain siblings, Carter and Sadie (I believe 14 and 12 years of age... though I thought Sadie seemed older), who are introduced to the possibilities that Egyptian mythology may be a bit more real than they realized.

Sadie and Carter's mother died when they were young, and since then they have had to live apart - Sadie with her mother's parents in London, and Carter with his father, traveling the world looking for Egyptian artifacts. Since they only see each other once a year or so, it nicely adds to the story to have their relationship develop and evolve.

When visiting the museum something goes terrible wrong, and Carter and Sadie discover that there may be more to their father, and the Cain family, than they realized.

I listened to the audio book, which I thought was wonderful! It is narrated by Kevin R. Free and Katherine Kellgren. Because the story is told both by Carter and Sadie, each narrator reads the appropriate section. The book is very suited to an audio recording, as it is supposed to be Carter and Sadie making a recording of the events that have transpired.

I enjoy the Percy Jackson books, and I think that this book has a similar style, a similar since of fun and lightness, but happily it didn't feel the same, like I was reading the same story just with differently named characters. To me, Red Pyramid felt a little more mature and complex (not in a bad way, just in that the protagonists are older, there's more history, details, etc.). I enjoyed this, and - like the Percy Jackson books with Greek mythology - The Red Pyramid made me intrigued with Egyptian mythology and history (the author's note, by the way, is fantastic!).

Also, it was very nice and refreshing to have the Cain siblings be mixed race, with a black father and white mother. Not only does this bring about some interesting sibling points (since Carter is darker and Sadie lighter they are often not perceived to be brother and sister) but I also thought Riordan handled it all really well, not making a big deal about, letting the story still be the story, but with a few mentions here and there where this is mentioned.

I'm hoping that there will be more to this series, and I'm anxiously awaiting reading the rest - I mean, what's not to love with dueling avatar half-man-half-bird forms, wands and staffs, and a protective cat?(less)

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May 06, 2010 Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: animals, zz-challenge-bcc-fantasy-2010, fantasy, juvenile, magic-users, mythology, owned-paper, read-in-2010, series-reminder, young-adult

I liked it a lot. It's very Dan Brown for kids, bouncing around between real historical sites, but always with an imaginative twist. The author really weaves the mythology and history into the modern story in a fun and exciting, sometimes breathtaking, way. The Egyptian gods as described by Riordan are very different from the Greek or Celtic gods I'm more used to reading about, and the heritage of magic from the Egyptian culture adds a very interesting twist to the story.

I like the idea the aut...more I liked it a lot. It's very Dan Brown for kids, bouncing around between real historical sites, but always with an imaginative twist. The author really weaves the mythology and history into the modern story in a fun and exciting, sometimes breathtaking, way. The Egyptian gods as described by Riordan are very different from the Greek or Celtic gods I'm more used to reading about, and the heritage of magic from the Egyptian culture adds a very interesting twist to the story.

I like the idea the author uses that just because we see the world a certain way doesn't mean that alternate realities aren't just as true. Or, to quote, "Have you learned nothing of Egypt? Conflicting stories can be equally true." It's a cool concept that allows the story, and imagination in general, to flourish.

As an Urban Fantasy fan, it was interesting to see a few familiar elements used here and connected to Egyptian history or mythology. For example, the concept of words having power is very common, and names and their specific pronunciation, but I didn't know that was also an Egyptian mythological theme.

I didn't love the first person narration, or the little snipping comments back and forth between the kids as the voices alternated between chapters, but I bet kids will like it. I also bet it would make it really fun as an audiobook, especially since the story is supposedly a recording dictated by the kids (that's why it's first person); I checked and the audio version has 2 narrators, so hearing Carter and Sadie's voices (and even Sadie's English accent?) would probably make it seem very real and exciting, perfect for a long drive during summer vacation perhaps.

To address what I'm sure will be a common complaint, yes, the story has some basic similarity to The 39 Clues series. It is about a brother and sister who set off on a dangerous adventure, previously unaware of their family's connection to a mysterious and dangerous hidden secret. And there are a lot of historical facts and stories used to further the adventure. And Bast does take on a few aspects that reminded me of the au pair (not nanny!) in The 39 Clues. But really, this story is very different. And every kid's fantasy book has the same basic premise: kids against the world; adults out of touch, evil or helpless; a mysterious magical heritage to uncover; and evil to be conquered. The trick is to write a fun and original story within that framework, and Riordan succeeds. And no, it's not quite as amazing, at least to me, as the Percy Jackson books, at least not yet. But it was still very good and I recommend it.(less)

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Jun 08, 2011 Erica (daydreamer) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Percy Jackson fans

Shelves: 2010-reads, love-love-it, i-own, release-in-2010, ya, 2011-reads, made-me-laugh, would-love-if-it-were-a-movie

Ooh, I loved it! It was amazing. It's kind of long, but there's so much happening, it needed to be that long. And it wasn't boring. I loved reading about the Egyptian gods. My favorite character was probably Bast.

It's told as a recording. Sadie and Carter recorded their adventure and then Rick wrote it down. It kind of reminded me of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. Like the author believes that the story really did happen, and they're just the writer. Which is cool. Within the st...more

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Jun 29, 2010 Adi (Reading in the Windowseat) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-read-list, genre-fantasy, class-young-adult, first-in-series, author-rick-riordan

Brilliant, enticing and hilarious!

I had my doubts about this book - the Percy Jackson series were amazing and I just couldn't imagine a similar one about a different mythology being as good, but The Red Pyramid proved all assumptions wrong. Full of sarcasm, danger, interesting real-world facts and unexpected adventures, the book is a Rick Riordan work through and through.

Loved both Carter and Sadie, and the gods were amazing (esp. Anubis :D ). Laughed at the reference about "Manhattan and its ot...more

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May 22, 2011 Krys rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: short-length-book, mythology, intermediate-middle-grade, own, first-person-narrative, english-setting, witches-wizards-magic-themed, read-in-2010, need-to-finish-did-not-finish, urban-dark-fantasy-paranormal, series

I'm a huge Riordan fan, but for this book I have done a terrible, unforgivable thing. I read Rick Riordan's The Red Pyramid entirely too fast. As a result I did not absorb any of the beginning, and in doing this the end became quite garbled..and I did not finish it. Bad reader...bad bad!

That said, I plan on rereading this book when I am in a better head space for it, because I quite enjoyed what was going on. I just didn't have all the dynamics straight... and for a Riordan book I want to give i...more I'm a huge Riordan fan, but for this book I have done a terrible, unforgivable thing. I read Rick Riordan's The Red Pyramid entirely too fast. As a result I did not absorb any of the beginning, and in doing this the end became quite garbled..and I did not finish it. Bad reader...bad bad!

That said, I plan on rereading this book when I am in a better head space for it, because I quite enjoyed what was going on. I just didn't have all the dynamics straight... and for a Riordan book I want to give it my utmost attention. In absence of that I should not be reading him. Period.

What I did like about The Red Pyramid is Riordan's charming wit and ability to write some pretty interesting things subtly. Riordan excels in putting social commentary into place and dealing with it in a way that does not make the entire book one big issue (example: the ADD/Dyslexia/Grover's "crippled" legs in the Percy Jackson series). He puts the elements into place but does not focus only on them.

In the Kane Chronicles Riordan has created two children, brother and sister, and bi-racial. We don't see many bi-racial protagonists outside of the "issue" books, and not frequently enough to not make the book be solely about that. In typical Riordan fashion the children, Sadie and Carter, encounter all sorts of adventure and intrigue throughout the course of the book... and we do not focus entirely on the fact that they are both black and white. Riordan, of course, cannot ignore this and he does give his characters moments of difficulty about being who they are...but the book does not focus entirely on this, far from it. It's very subtle, and very good in the handling of it.

The book does focus on Egyptian Mythology, which I am not as familiar with. I grew up reading Greek myths and memorizing heroes from that particular canon of fantasy ideas, so naturally the Percy Jackson books appealed, but were not as surprising. The Kane Chronicles are surprising because they are so unfamiliar. The template to the story is, unfortunately, formulaic. Riordan found something that worked and put it into place for this story. Fortunately, I love the formula! So it's likely that when I am in more of a mood for this book I will read it with a vengeance.

Riordan gets kudos for many things. From me he gets a 4 star rating...with the hopes of edging out a perfect 5 upon a reread. Bravo, and I'm sorry I'm not so much in the mood for this. Soon.

- review courtesy of www.bibliopunkk.net (less)

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Jul 25, 2010 Kendall Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-have, books-of-2010

Finally got to read The Red Pyramid while I was on vacation!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this exciting book, although it wasn't quite as good as the Percy Jackson series.
Instead of children of Greek gods, like in Percy Jackson, Sadie and Carter Kane are from a long line of Magicians.
I liked the chapter titles, they always seem to make me laugh! I liked the change between Sadie and Carter, it was interesting to see their different views on things. Sadie was kind of mean and annoying in the begin...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Raechella rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-series, mythology, fantasy, contemporary, humor, reviewed

Rick Riordan, by far, has an unwavering flair for revamping primordial myths—whether it be Greek, Roman, or Egyptian. Anyone who had read the Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and the Heroes of Olympus would have to agree with that; plus, those who had already flipped through the Kane Chronicles.

I have wanted to read this, like, forever, but reading it simultaneously with the Heroes of Olympus would be such a bad idea. I mean, my mind’s already all baffled out with the mingling of Greek and Roma...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Lindsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: rick-s-worlds

I went into The Red Pyramid a bit skeptical. Although I fell in love with Rick's writing style in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, I was worried that this new world that brings mythology to life might be a stretch and he may settle for some sort of routine for all his books. When actuality, this book proved my doubts wrong, made my love for Rick's works sky-rocket, and made me fall in love with a whole new set of characters.

As I said, I went in a bit skeptical. As a massive fan of Percy Jackson...more I went into The Red Pyramid a bit skeptical. Although I fell in love with Rick's writing style in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, I was worried that this new world that brings mythology to life might be a stretch and he may settle for some sort of routine for all his books. When actuality, this book proved my doubts wrong, made my love for Rick's works sky-rocket, and made me fall in love with a whole new set of characters.

As I said, I went in a bit skeptical. As a massive fan of Percy Jackson's world, I didn't want Rick to have the same formula. I mean, every “hero cycle” is the same but I mean details like the Oracle and how the gods are all-powerful over everything. As I also said, I was proven wrong. I ultimately learned that you can't compare two book series just because they share the same author. An important lesson I learned the hard way seeing that I didn't read this book until I actually got an e-mail from a friend telling me that I definitely had to read it.

Luckily, I was on summer vacation and nothing else to do but stare at my “To Be Read” list and decided to pick up a copy from the local library. The moment I picked up the book, I was transformed into this new world. I had immediate attachment to most of the characters and was hooked on the story. The plot for me was perfectly laid out and timed. What really made the book for me though, was the fact that Sadie and Carter were on a voice recorder. This may be an odd detail to cling to but it jolted me back to reality when they added in their own arguments and personalities. It is as if I am in the Red Pyramid myself facing Set when all of a sudden I am in a car with a cat-like woman driving to some school with the Kanes in the backseat bickering about a tiny detail. I loved it.

Rick Riordan, like J.K. Rowling, has this weird power over me that make me fall in love with characters and become completely immersed in these worlds. This has made him one of my favorite authors. I probably would not have fully discovered that until I read this book. I felt sympathetic for Carter most of the time because he is made out to be sort of a wimp but then he surprises everyone and becomes a warrior of complete awesomeness (a twist I happily welcomed). Sadie always made me laugh by making rude comments and lingering on little things which reminds you that she isn't all that tough and she is a teenage girl inside. Also, did anyone else notice that Rick always make the gods of death extremely hot (by his description) in both Heroes of Olympus and this series?

I gave this book a four out of five. The only reason that I considered a three out of five was because I couldn't sit down and really read for more that half an hour. I didn't because I did the same this with the Maze Runner trilogy which turned out to be one of my favorite book series ever. So if you have the chance and you feel like reading a fun story, pick up this book and it might surprise you.(less)

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Jun 19, 2010 Alana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nook, 2010_06_june, reviewed

For those of you thinking that The Red Pyramid is code for Percy Jackson Does Egypt, I'm here to let you know that you're wrong. Mostly. Well, about 50/50. The tone of voice is pretty similar and we're still working with the idea of kids saving the world while trying to figure out the complicated god-mortal dynamic, but there are enough differences that Percy Jackson fans won't feel like I've read this book before. Of course, it's still Rick Riordan taking ancient history and making it fun for m...more For those of you thinking that The Red Pyramid is code for Percy Jackson Does Egypt, I'm here to let you know that you're wrong. Mostly. Well, about 50/50. The tone of voice is pretty similar and we're still working with the idea of kids saving the world while trying to figure out the complicated god-mortal dynamic, but there are enough differences that Percy Jackson fans won't feel like I've read this book before. Of course, it's still Rick Riordan taking ancient history and making it fun for modern day kids without totally slaughtering every story, which is kind of why I liked him in the first place, so it's not a bad thing to have some similarities. Personally, I thought that a huge part of his success with Percy Jackson rested in his comprehensive knowledge of Greek mythology, thus enabling him to create modern characters and yet still promote the myths. Evidently, his knowledge is not limited to Greek mythology and he's got Egypt pretty down pat, too.

The Red Pyramid is the first in what will become "The Kane Chronicles," focused on Carter and Sadie Kane, two kids who are about to realize that their family is way more screwed up than they could ever have imagined. Their mother died six years ago and as a result, their grandparents in England (their mom's parents) received custody of Sadie while Julius Kane (their dad) retained sole custody of Carter. Sadie stayed in England while Carter traveled the world with their father, a noted Egyptologist. Each thinks the other must have it easier. The two children have grown up as virtual strangers and because they're multi-racial kids whose appearances each favor a different parent, they don't even look related (and with Sadie's accent, they don't even *sound* alike). Carter, raised by his father, was taught to always appear as an impeccably dressed and proud black man, whereas Sadie has remained in England and been raised as a fairly normal English girl. They see each other only when Julius is permitted to visit his daughter for a single day every six months and that isn't much time to develop any real bond. That all changes when, on one of these visitation days, Julius blows up the Rosetta Stone, unleashes imprisoned gods, imprisons himself while channeling one, and destroys life as his children know it.

You see, Sadie and Carter come to understand that their parents were not just magicians (a bit of a major revelation in itself), but they're the descendants of ancient Egyptian pharaohs. With these two royal blood lines united in Sadie and Carter, they are incredibly powerful... more powerful than any two mortals have been in centuries. Part of the reason behind splitting them up rested with the fact that together, their powers only seem to grow. Once their father disappears, their Uncle Amos (dad's brother) steps in and the children are taken on a crash course of Egyptian mythology and present-day manifestations of that. Years ago, it was decided by the House of Life (a powerful group of magicians) that the gods needed to be controlled and imprisoned. In the magical event that killed their mother, the Kanes seem to have been working against this desire to imprison the gods (just *why* they did this is something Sadie and Carter intend to find out), and thus became enemies of the House of Life. Now, Sadie and Carter have to figure out a way to either work with the House of Life or stay a few steps ahead of them so they can save their father and possibly the world. The Egyptian gods become particularly fascinating here as Sadie and Carter realize that they're each hosting a god and need to maintain their own independence or the god might take them over. They do, however, need the power that comes with hosting a god if they're going to defeat Set, a god of chaos who is intent on destroying the world.

My description sounds a bit muddled, but it all makes more sense in the actual book. It's a very quick read -- as evidenced by the fact that I took advantage of the Barnes & Noble "read in store" offer and read this for free on my nook over the course of a few days an hour at a time. The narration is passed between Carter and Sadie, allowing each to present their perspective of events and bicker with each other in the telling. It's hard to believe that they ever spent time apart, as they certainly act like feuding siblings who would be loathe to admit that they love the other. Their narrative voices can sound similar at times, but on the whole, Riordan does a good job of keeping things clear -- it helps that both Carter and Sadie each have a potential "love interest" (Carter is 14 and Sadie is 12), so their storylines sometimes veer towards some particular notice given to those respective interests. Sadie and Carter learn to work together and it doesn't take much for them to learn the real value of family. Whether or not they can make theirs whole once more, though, is the real dilemma, as they'll ultimately have to choose between personal desires and the good of the world.

Riordan has certainly made some kind of deal with the gods, if not the devil, because he's really got the golden touch when it comes to these YA novels. The Percy Jackson series was quite charming and the Kane Chronicles look as though they'll follow a similar successful trajectory. I only hope that he can keep things as original and interesting for however many books he plans to write -- particularly because I believe he's got another series coming out that's set in the Percy Jackson vein of things, with new kids headed to Camp Half-Blood. Hopefully he won't simply bounce between Egypt and Greece, though, because I'd love to see which culture he tackles next. Norse? Sumerian? In the meantime, though, I'll be quite pleased to continue reading the Kane Chronicles.(less)

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Aug 13, 2011 Priscilla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Such a fun, entertaining read!

Initial thoughts:
1. Interactive with the reader. Riordon pulls you into the story!
2. Amazing Egyptian mythology! Gods, and magic everything!
3. Elements that remind me of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. Didn't bother me, but it's noteworthy.
4. Full of banter, and sarcasm. Loved it!
5. Action-packed, and fast paced! Lot's of story but it's filled with something insane.

Check out my full book video review!

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May 05, 2010 Katty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

This isn't as good as the Percy Jackson series, but it holds it's own. The book was a little too drawn out, but overall it was a great read.

Sadie and Carter Kane are great lead characters and the supporting characters are solid. We learn a lot about Egyptian history and beliefs, action is around every corner and laughs are plenty throughout. A couple of nods to Percy and crew are made throughout as well.

Overall I'm excited to see what else Riordan has in store for Sadie and Carter, I just wish...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Britt Watkins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, j-fiction, egyptian-mythology, sibling-protagonists, bi-racial-protagonist, magic

Fun read from beginning to end. Lots of action. I think this series might be less complicated than the Percy Jackson series. I remember having to look up a Greek god family tree to try to sort out all the different characters and relationships. I didn't have to do that with The Red Pyramid but the story was just as good. In fact, The Red Pyramid seemed pretty phenomenal compared to another book I read immediately before it that was also rooted in Egyptology -- Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Tori I rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am currently reading The Red Pyramid by: Rick Riordan the first book in the Kane chronicles. The main characters are Sadie and Carter, although later there is another main character Zia. In my opinion Sadie is my favorite because she can read the Hieroglyphic language that looks funny to me, but the show us how it is what it is. The only connection I have between this book and my life - so far - is that I have a very annoying older siblings even though it is only Sadie and Carter. My favorite...more

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Dec 29, 2010 greenplanet rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 08, 2011 Emma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am currently reading this first book to the new series, the Kane Chronicles, by Rick Riordan. Rick Riordan is a recently famed author because of his hit series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which I love!! This book is a bit different. Two siblings: smart, stick-to-the-rules Carter, and headstrong, let's-find-out-what-we-can,-wing-it,-and-be-daring Sadie have been separated their whole lives. Carter has traveled the world with their dad, an archaeologist who studies Egypt, and Sadie has liv...more

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Jan 20, 2011 Nic rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Not sure why, but it took me awhile to get into this book. I like Carter and Sadie both a lot, and the magic is very cool. Plus, while there are a few moments that read like the Percy Jackson books, and the humor is similar, this is definitely not "Percy Jackson, only with Egyptian mythology." In particular, the idea that the the gods are not necessarily good news gives it a different flavor . . . until, of course, it turns out that the gods are necessary to restore balance to the world etc. etc...more Not sure why, but it took me awhile to get into this book. I like Carter and Sadie both a lot, and the magic is very cool. Plus, while there are a few moments that read like the Percy Jackson books, and the humor is similar, this is definitely not "Percy Jackson, only with Egyptian mythology." In particular, the idea that the the gods are not necessarily good news gives it a different flavor . . . until, of course, it turns out that the gods are necessary to restore balance to the world etc. etc.

(I will note that the frequent dreaming-but-really-seeing-stuff-that's-currently-happening business reminds me strongly of the Percy Jackson books. No one can ever get a restful night's sleep in this man's books, ever. :P)

I saw a lot of things coming, which is pretty unusual. I basically guessed who all of the gods' hosts were, including Zia and Face of Horror. Was unsure whether Set had possessed Amos or Desjardin, though. Which ties in nicely to one of the things I think the book does quite well: giving you the sense that you're actually not sure who the characters should trust. It's all too often in books, especially middle-grade ones, that the characters are unsure who to trust, but it's obvious to the reader. This makes it hard to identify with the characters, and makes them seem, well, stupid. But I could totally identify with Carter and Sadie.

Speaking of cool emotional things the book does, I LOVE that Anubis asks Sadie whether she would lose her father to save the world. Her reaction is amazingly awesome. She knows what's expected of her (be "the good daughter," choose her dad, then find a way to save the world anyway), and knows that she WANTS to save her dad, but acknowledges that that isn't the choice she's been offered. Here, she really transcends her medium, without being terribly meta about it. Yeah, it's a horrible choice, and she hates to be offered it, but since it's a clear-cut, and theoretical, question, there is no "Option C: Save both." And in the end, though she feels awful about it, Sadie chooses the world. Virtually no fictional character does this - they're all too busy grandstanding about how the villain is a monster for offering such a choice, then saving everyone.

(Also, the fact that their dad DOES have to die to complete the story is pretty powerful and well-done.)

Lots and lots of cool stuff here, well woven together. And that's just the fantasy world - there are also tons of nice emotional/character development touches. I love when Carter totally fails at basketball (but he knows all the players and statistics!) and can only say that it's his dad's favorite game, and Sadie understands.

I think the "we're recording this for someone who will need to know" framing device is pretty neat, if not without a few glitches. As with books that are supposed to be diaries or similar, I'm absolutely willing to suspend my disbelief as to the level of detail the characters remember and some of the word choices that these tween characters use. What mostly gets me is that Carter and Sadie are recording everything together, and the interruptions make it clear that each is aware of what the other says, but they sometimes speak as if they're a bit clueless about things that have been said before.

I'm ambivalent about the bloodline stuff. As with the Percy Jackson books, lots of people get saddled with wacky powers and destinies just because of their parentage. Yes, they end up proving themselves, but it's still hardly democratic. I think this appeals to many people, especially maybe insecure kids/teens, because of the idea that you can be powerful just because of who you were born, without having to seek or earn that power. And it's not as if this is an uncommon instance, especially in MG fantasy. It just sometimes bothers me a bit. Because it isn't, you know, fair.(less)

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Jan 15, 2013 Arti rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: parallel-universe

I LOVE Sadie and Carter! I just LOVE IT!!! Can't wait till the next one comes out

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Apr 20, 2013 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Percy Jackson fans; mythology freaks :)

Shelves: young-adult-series, emotional-roller-coaster, fangirling-to-the-extreme, heroes-that-left-me-conflicted, heroines-i-love, humor-is-everything, kickass-strong-heroines, mythology, warriors, favourite-authors

You know that I am a mythology sucker. I love mythology! Every single time that I read about it or watch something with mythology I'm like:

Besides,Egyptian mythology particularly fascinates me, so I could only love The Kane Chronicles! :)
Though I must say that Carter really pissed me off sometimes. He still didn't grow on me like Percy did.
I could immediately connect with Percy but with Carter that didn't happen. I didn't like when, in the beginning, he said that he was fine with being with his...more

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May 11, 2012 Natalie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: been-done-before, mythology, sci-fi, superpowers, ya

I hate when this happens. I see it all the time.
Great writer writes book. Book gets discovered, gets really famous. Writer makes a billion copies of said book in deteriorating quality.
Rick Riordan should've stuck to his Percy Jackson series and his sister-series to that. Instead, I can see the dollar-signs in his eyes and the mocking "cha-ching!" in the background, and here we have the Kane Chronicles.
Part of the reason I enjoyed The Lightning Thief so much is because the insight and dialogue we...more I hate when this happens. I see it all the time.
Great writer writes book. Book gets discovered, gets really famous. Writer makes a billion copies of said book in deteriorating quality.
Rick Riordan should've stuck to his Percy Jackson series and his sister-series to that. Instead, I can see the dollar-signs in his eyes and the mocking "cha-ching!" in the background, and here we have the Kane Chronicles.
Part of the reason I enjoyed The Lightning Thief so much is because the insight and dialogue were very true to a teenage boy. Awkward, confused, and with the emotional range of a teaspoon, yet he still had the depth of a good and likable character.
The Red Pyramid switches dialogue between a sister and brother, Sadie and Carter, in which he drops the awkward dialogue, picking up a sort of vague, non-specific voice for both of the characters.
I hate switching POVs unless it's done VERY well, and the problem is, most people who are good at creating voices don't switch. Because they're smart, unlike these sorry souls.
And if you're going to feel the need to switch POVs, have some sort of difference between the two, ESPECIALLY if you're going to mention how unlike the two characters are every bloody second. If they're so different, how do they have the exact same dull voice?

Also, I found the characters themselves dull, just like their vocal counterparts. Sadie had no depth at all- she just acted bored, snarky or confused and helpless. While the Lightning Thief's characters might have been slightly cliche, that's something I could get past. I just snoozed through the whole book. Carter was pretty much as bad.

The plot was already used; I liked the whole son-needs-to-save-mom thing in the Lightning Thief, but you can't just use it twice! Also, in The Lightning Thief, Riordan spent time nurturing and explaining the relationship between Percy and his mom, so you actually cared when she got captured. Honestly, I didn't give a flying ankh whether Mr. Kane lived or died. Frankly, by the end I wanted to be crushed by a Rosetta Stone. Plus, as they explained so well, Sadie didn't even know her dad.

The plot itself was used and meaningless, and the characters bored me to tears. And there was no Leo Valdez or random minor god to crack me up either, I mean seriously. Go do yourself a favor and buy Les Miserables, it's funnier.(less)

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May 31, 2012 Timothy Davis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book the second time around as much as I did the first. Rick Riordan makes an outstanding start to his new series The Kane Chronicles with The Red Pyramid. I won’t review the plot, since that’s been done, but will tell you why I liked it. First off, it’s easy to like Carter (14) and Sadie (12) Kane, a quite dissimilar and often quarreling brother and sister, who take turns telling the story. Their quarrels add laughs to an already humorous book. (One chapter is called “I Have a Da...more I enjoyed this book the second time around as much as I did the first. Rick Riordan makes an outstanding start to his new series The Kane Chronicles with The Red Pyramid. I won’t review the plot, since that’s been done, but will tell you why I liked it. First off, it’s easy to like Carter (14) and Sadie (12) Kane, a quite dissimilar and often quarreling brother and sister, who take turns telling the story. Their quarrels add laughs to an already humorous book. (One chapter is called “I Have a Date with the God of Toilet Paper.”) Riordan also gives us finely drawn allies—such as Khufu the chimp, Bast the Egyptian cat goddess, and Uncle Amos the magician—and terrifying villains and monsters. The many battles, using Egyptian magic, kept me on the edge of my seat, and Riordan surprised and delighted me with his imaginative inventions of magic battle tactics. Suspense builds as Carter and Sadie fight the forces of chaos, forging relationships with Egyptian gods and goddesses as they go. It’s fun to learn about Egyptian mythology. The book has a satisfying ending, but leaves the doors wide open for the next book in the series--The Throne of Fire. Can't wait to read it.

I'd like to add Michelle Isenfoff's review from here blog "Bookworm Blathers."

"Rick Riordan is a master of modern tween story-telling. He keeps the action fast-pitch, his characters feel distinct and real, and he writes kid-funny. No wonder his name is repeatedly at the top of the best-sellers list.

The Red Pyramid is a 516 page battle of good vs. evil. Sadie and Carter are two siblings that grew up apart. Little did they know their parents were powerful magicians in Egypt’s ancient House of Life and descended from the line of Pharaohs. Little did they suspect that, with their combined bloodlines, Sadie and Carter were the most potent magicians born for centuries. Nor were they aware that Chaos was rising, gaining power, and only a union of gods and men would be able to save the world. But to do so would require the breaking of a thousands-year-old law, and that would turn the House of Life against them. All this was news to Sadie and Carter; unfortunately, Mum and Dad were too dead to tell them the easy way. The children only learn their fate as it whirls around them, catching them up in a vortex of danger and magic – the mother of all adventures.

I enjoy Mr. Riordan’s intriguing writing style. One dilemma follows another, but they’re relayed with half a smile, little smirks of humor. There’s an ongoing joke about cheese being one of the five elements of nature and a lot of silly references to chickens. And Riordan makes great use of understatement: “I couldn’t believe I was standing there having a chat with my somewhat dead parents.” Best of all, Riordan takes it to his readers, inviting them in, hinting that they might be personally involved. It begins: “We only have a few hourse, so listen carefully. If you’re hearing this story, you’re already in danger. Sadie and I might be your only chance.” By the end, we understand the kids are recruiting others with the blood of the Pharoahs. “If this story falls into your hands,” the warn in the closing moments, “there’s probably a reason.” It just makes my spine tingle thinking – hoping – “maybe it’s all true?”

The writing is free of swear words, but it does contain multiple uses of OMG. And it features a whole host of Egyptian gods. When Sadie asks her uncle, “You’re telling me our parents secretly worshipped animal-headed gods?” he answers, “Not worshipped. By the end ancient times, Egyptians had learned that their gods were not to be worshipped. They are powerful beings, primeval forces, but they are not divine in the sense one might think of God. They are created entities, like mortals, only much more powerful. We can respect them, fear them, use their power, or even fight them to keep them under control...but we don’t worship them.” That whole “use their power” thing can get a little weird, as hosting and possession feature into the story numerous times. But the story never takes on dark occultic tones. It’s a fun fantasy, an epic struggle to overcome evil, and the good guys eventually win.

I have to admit, I liked Riordan’s “The Lightning Thief” better. This one was very long and complex. It was wildly entertaining, but it was also somewhat confusing keeping gods straight and sorting out the implications of all their separate death-defying adventures. But it was a powerfully fun read.

12+"

(less)

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Dec 20, 2011 Ash rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So let's see from where to start. I guess I will just put good points and bad points.
Good Things about this book.
1- The characters are lovable
2- Sadie is a very rude person
3- It's about Egypt
4- Bast can be the hottest CHICK (or in this case KIT :S)in the world.
5- This book made me crave for Sahlab (it's soo YUMMY I missed it :( )
6- Some Cool monsters
7- The book is set in many places (London, US, Egypt, France, Mexico)
8- Giggled in many places.

Ok let's see the bad points about this boo...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Jerzey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, fantasy, favorites, young-adult, adventure, children-s-books, characters-i-love, cover-love

this book is nice!!!

At first I almost believe about that certain warning at the start of the book and that author's note at the end.

Yeah, call me gullible if you like.
~
So, this book tells about the story of two siblings - Sadie and Carter Kane - who needed to prevent the Red Lord, Set, from unleashing total chaos into the world.

But in the end, it turns out that Set is not the main villain in this story...

...but Apophis
~
Rick Riordan, I think, can't get over Percy Jackson because there's a part...more

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Jul 08, 2011 Lucy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, mythology, childrens, fantasy, adventure

3.5 stars.

As with Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series, I've been putting off reading The Kane Chronicles for a while. Partly because I was afraid it wouldn't match up to Percy Jackson and partly because I didn't want to be sucked into yet another incomplete series. But after finishing The Red Pyramid... well, I'm kind of on the fence about it.

Anyone who knows me will know that I'm a little bit obsessed with Egypt. What archaeology student isn't? So I was looking forward to seeing Riordan do Egypt...more

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May 14, 2011 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Rick Riordan's fan, mythology junkies

Recommended to Sarah by: <i>moi</i>

Shelves: again

I’ve received this book as a Christmas present. And boy wasn’t I glad! I read this back in, I think August or September and finally I had a copy of my own. Yay!

Rereading it was a good idea because I have the same timeline with the book. I read this on December 26 and the Egyptian Demon Days starts on December 27. It also helps that I could finally see the hieroglyphics because when I first read it on a .pdf file, it was not available.

This book follows the adventures of Sadie and Carter Kane as...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Fredrik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Satu kata buat buku ini: "Agh!" *dengan gaya babun*

...

...

...

Maksudnya apa?

Nah, berikut ini terjemahannya... xD

Ini merupakan serial mitologi kedua dari Rick Riordan.
Kali ini mengadaptasi mitologi Mesir dengan segala dewa-dewi-nya sampai ke keturunan-keturunan firaun dan para penyihir di Dewan Kehidupan.

Jujur aja, mitologi Mesir sebenarnya bukanlah hal baru buatku yang memang meminjam pula materi ini buat menulis sebagian dari setting di ceritaku sendiri. Jadi tentang nama-nama, tentang profesi, h...more

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Sep 09, 2010 Augie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan is an amazing myth-like story set in modern day. When I finished the Percy Jackson series, which is also written by Rick Riordan, I was eager for the next book to come out. My hopes were originally dashed however because there wasn't to be a sixth Percy Jackson. Instead, I wind up at the bookstore and here it is. The Red Pyramid is everything I could have wished for in the next Percy Jackson. There is humor, action, risk taking and surprising moments when you cou...more

2 likes · like · see review

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About Rick Riordan

Born: June 5, 1964

Place of Birth: San Antonio, TX

Education: Attended Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio. Worked as an editor for the school newspaper and won third place in state for UIL feature writing. Also got in trouble for publishing an underground newspaper that made fun of the school, especially the losing football team. (The football team later egged my car). Began college at North T...more

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Books by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #4)

The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5)

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #2)

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #3)

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“Oh no." I said panic rising in my chest. "No, no, no, Somebody get a can opener. I've got a god in my head!!” — 392 people liked it

“Die, enemies of Ra!" Sekhemet yelled. "Perish in agony!"
"She's almost as annoying as you," I told Horus.
"Impossible," Horus said. "No one bests Horus.” — 388 people liked it

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The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles #1)

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