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The Reluctant God
Lorna Padgett, an archeologist's daughter, has inherited her father's love for ancient Egypt. Ameni lived over four thousand years ago. The son of a Pharoah, he loved adventure but had no idea what destiny the gods were holding for him. These two should never have met. But a walk in the hills near her father's dig leads Lorna into strange territory--and to an ancient discovery that brings timeless adventure, mystery, and danger....
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 28, 1988
6 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Pamela F. Service
38 books48 followersBorn in Berkeley, California, Pamela F. Service grew up loving to hear, read, and tell stories - particularly about weird stuff. Pamela earned a BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley followed by an MA in history and archaeology from the University of London.
She spent many years living in Bloomington, Indiana, writing, serving on the city council, and being curator of a history museum. She has a grown daughter, Alex, who is also a museum curator. Pamela is now living in Eureka, California, where she writes, works as a museum curator, and acts in community theater.
She spent many years living in Bloomington, Indiana, writing, serving on the city council, and being curator of a history museum. She has a grown daughter, Alex, who is also a museum curator. Pamela is now living in Eureka, California, where she writes, works as a museum curator, and acts in community theater.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 7, 2022
I enjoyed it! It's written well, it's an incredibly unique story - and who doesn't relish inserts and backdrops of ancient Egypt!
The book begins in the 1900s with a teenage girl who visits her archaeologist father in Egypt on a dig. She has often assisted him before and thrives on the work. The next chapter goes back four thousand years, where Ameni and his twin brother, who is next in line to be Pharaoh, are wading through their educational tasks, dreaming of being somewhere else on an adventure.
And so the book goes, with each chapter going back and forth from one character to the next ... until it doesn't and the stories converge!! It's a fun, sci-fi/fantasy action story that your young adult will thoroughly enjoy. I had a hard time putting it down - I'm sure they will too.
Cleanliness: The Egyptian gods/goddesses are mentioned throughout the book and are believed to be real. One of the main characters can feel/sense the presence of his gods and often the gods/deities of other religions; as if the powers of the gods are collective or one in the same (Christianity, Muslim, etc. are all included). While this is mentioned throughout the book to move the story, it is by no means preachy or propaganda in nature, with the exception of this one pondering: "[The Egyptian] kings had more than divine right. They were gods themselves, and nobody questioned it. She wondered if they really had been gods. But then, why not? Certainly if God wanted to work through other gods or even a man to get His message across, if He wanted to make a king a god in the eyes of his people, then surely He was powerful enough to do it. Wasn't their school chaplain always saying how God works in mysterious ways? Maybe this was one of them." "Good God" and "bl**dy" are said. A girl decides not to ask her father for help but to solve the problem on her own.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
The book begins in the 1900s with a teenage girl who visits her archaeologist father in Egypt on a dig. She has often assisted him before and thrives on the work. The next chapter goes back four thousand years, where Ameni and his twin brother, who is next in line to be Pharaoh, are wading through their educational tasks, dreaming of being somewhere else on an adventure.
And so the book goes, with each chapter going back and forth from one character to the next ... until it doesn't and the stories converge!! It's a fun, sci-fi/fantasy action story that your young adult will thoroughly enjoy. I had a hard time putting it down - I'm sure they will too.
Cleanliness: The Egyptian gods/goddesses are mentioned throughout the book and are believed to be real. One of the main characters can feel/sense the presence of his gods and often the gods/deities of other religions; as if the powers of the gods are collective or one in the same (Christianity, Muslim, etc. are all included). While this is mentioned throughout the book to move the story, it is by no means preachy or propaganda in nature, with the exception of this one pondering: "[The Egyptian] kings had more than divine right. They were gods themselves, and nobody questioned it. She wondered if they really had been gods. But then, why not? Certainly if God wanted to work through other gods or even a man to get His message across, if He wanted to make a king a god in the eyes of his people, then surely He was powerful enough to do it. Wasn't their school chaplain always saying how God works in mysterious ways? Maybe this was one of them." "Good God" and "bl**dy" are said. A girl decides not to ask her father for help but to solve the problem on her own.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
August 11, 2009
I read this book very young and it is that book that I read that got me into reading. The friendship between Lorna and Ameni is such a meaningful friendship and the lessons I took from it were always endearing. As a kid, I had a love for Egyptology which this book only exacerbated. I was able to learn a lot while developing my first real crush for a character.
I can't give a full, objective review because I read this many years ago and my view is a little tainted by nostalgia. The writing is very simple to read and it's a good "feel good" book about friendship that I think every child and teen should experience at least once.
I can't give a full, objective review because I read this many years ago and my view is a little tainted by nostalgia. The writing is very simple to read and it's a good "feel good" book about friendship that I think every child and teen should experience at least once.
November 11, 2015
i actually enjoyed this book. since no one i know has read it, i liked being able to read without a clue of what was going to happen next. i found myself staying up late turning the pages wanting more and more. i was sad when the story ended, but happy with the conclusion. i wish i could read more, but i like to make up my own story for what happens to the characters when all the pages have been turned.
Read
April 8, 2009Ah. I love this book. When an Egyptian prince is awoken by a modern teen, they must find a sacred object to save what the prince holds dear. If you like Egypt, if you like just a dash of romance, if you like a book that makes you happy and sad at the same time, this is for you. A great read!
October 4, 2009
Read this 1st when I was in grade school and I still love and consider it one of my favorite books of all-time. It may be an easy kid read but it says a lot about a book if 15 years later you still own and and still love it!
July 10, 2018
I rate this book a 3.5. I like the deep, well thought out philosophical meaning of what the story was really about at the end of the book.
The last half of this story was my favorite: when the two main characters meet and go on a memorable adventure and it comes to a head at the end of the story. This is not a romance novel. It's about a boy Egyptian Pharaoh god (whose name is Ameni), who basically gives up his life to protect eternity for his people by being in a tomb (even though he didn't die, but was kind of frozen to protect immortality), and about an odd modern girl who loves Egyptian archaeology and how the two meet.
My favorite passage in the book (at the end): when the gods are talking to Ameni regarding his fulfillment of the god's wishes (I felt this was very philosophical in its depth of the meaning of religious life for everyone):
"And you have found it. Gods are one. Even as human needs give gods different forms, so it is the lives of people, not their rituals, that win their immortality. But also some awareness of that truth is needed. For unchanging centuries that was lacking. Only you, the last king and god of your people, only you could attain that for them. Only you could lay hold of the truth. And you have done so. For all your people now, eternity is secure."
In the novel it talks about how over time religion changes and how in each country, there are different kinds of religion. I liked how Ameni could feel a spiritual connection with other gods from other religions.... how in the end it was made known to him that it is the same God even though it's a different religion. I'm more willing to accept that than separation of religion and the cut throat judgment that entails those differences.
This is a Young Adult Fantasy book, but I feel adults could learn a thing or two from it. A co-worker recommended it to me. I probably would never of picked this book up otherwise, but I'm often surprised at the books I would not normally pick up and what those novels can teach me. I would definitely read this once, but it's not something I would re-read.
The last half of this story was my favorite: when the two main characters meet and go on a memorable adventure and it comes to a head at the end of the story. This is not a romance novel. It's about a boy Egyptian Pharaoh god (whose name is Ameni), who basically gives up his life to protect eternity for his people by being in a tomb (even though he didn't die, but was kind of frozen to protect immortality), and about an odd modern girl who loves Egyptian archaeology and how the two meet.
My favorite passage in the book (at the end): when the gods are talking to Ameni regarding his fulfillment of the god's wishes (I felt this was very philosophical in its depth of the meaning of religious life for everyone):
"And you have found it. Gods are one. Even as human needs give gods different forms, so it is the lives of people, not their rituals, that win their immortality. But also some awareness of that truth is needed. For unchanging centuries that was lacking. Only you, the last king and god of your people, only you could attain that for them. Only you could lay hold of the truth. And you have done so. For all your people now, eternity is secure."
In the novel it talks about how over time religion changes and how in each country, there are different kinds of religion. I liked how Ameni could feel a spiritual connection with other gods from other religions.... how in the end it was made known to him that it is the same God even though it's a different religion. I'm more willing to accept that than separation of religion and the cut throat judgment that entails those differences.
This is a Young Adult Fantasy book, but I feel adults could learn a thing or two from it. A co-worker recommended it to me. I probably would never of picked this book up otherwise, but I'm often surprised at the books I would not normally pick up and what those novels can teach me. I would definitely read this once, but it's not something I would re-read.
January 8, 2024
Just reread this for the first time since it was read to me in elementary school. The story and title has stuck with me since and I told myself I’d find it again when I was able. It was better than I remember and everything flowed so fluently and beautifully. I can tell the author did a great deal of research for this book and I am impressed and pleased as I don’t see authors nowadays putting in the same effort. This story actually influenced me to study Egyptology and I’ve stuck with it in a way through becoming an archaeologist. This is one of my favorite books and I’m hoping to show it to my younger siblings soon- I think they’ll love it just as much as me!!
November 6, 2013
Fun! Fun if you don't think about it too hard. But you can think about it harder than any Indiana Jones movie, which is a good thing in my book. (I hate Indiana Jones movies.)
Indiana Jones movies don't work if you think about (a) what archaeology is really for, (b) the rights of the indigenous people of [movie setting], (c) the plot, and (d) who is going to pick up the mess afterwards.
The Reluctant God actually asks the reader to think about (a), and maybe a little tiny bit about (b) too.
It's still not a good idea to think too much about (c), but I did anyway and got through the book just fine. It really helps, in this respect, that Service's method of plotting seems to have been More Excitement! So, just as I was thinking, "Couldn't they have fixed this problem with a few phone calls, and maybe revising the collections paperwork, instead of going after [thing] in person?" some Bad Guys stole the [thing] and the main characters being on the spot was indubitably helpful (also, much More Exciting!).
I could have done with a bit more thoughtfulness about (d), but that's almost certainly asking too much. :p
Indiana Jones movies don't work if you think about (a) what archaeology is really for, (b) the rights of the indigenous people of [movie setting], (c) the plot, and (d) who is going to pick up the mess afterwards.
The Reluctant God actually asks the reader to think about (a), and maybe a little tiny bit about (b) too.
It's still not a good idea to think too much about (c), but I did anyway and got through the book just fine. It really helps, in this respect, that Service's method of plotting seems to have been More Excitement! So, just as I was thinking, "Couldn't they have fixed this problem with a few phone calls, and maybe revising the collections paperwork, instead of going after [thing] in person?" some Bad Guys stole the [thing] and the main characters being on the spot was indubitably helpful (also, much More Exciting!).
I could have done with a bit more thoughtfulness about (d), but that's almost certainly asking too much. :p
December 4, 2008
I loved this book when I was in middle school. I read it several times in the library but ,sadly, I haven't been able to find it since.
January 7, 2010
it was a really witty and good book1it was well written too!
July 3, 2010
it's an interesting book. the ancient egypt merged with modern england. two different people colliding to help one another. nice book.
January 29, 2018
Lorna Padgett is the daughter of an archaeologist, and more at home in Egypt digging up sites with her father than at her boarding school in England. But when a chance find uncovers an untouched tomb, her knowledge of the ancient world is needed in an entirely different way . . .
Ameni was the second son of the pharaoh. Constricted by a life of duty, he longs for adventure. But his life has a destiny he never imagined, and soon he will get an adventure he never wanted.
It's been decades since I last read this, but I still remembered enough of the plot for it to feel like a reread than a new read. The two individual stories alternate long enough to build up both Lorna and Ameni before the single event that changes each life. After that it turns into a race to recover the missing urn.
I liked the hints of mysticism around Ameni. He's in the line of Pharaoh, who is considered a living god, but he doesn't understand what that really MEANS until the mantle passes to him. He's still a man, somewhat. But he has a different relationship now with the gods, and can speak to them and hear back from them. And the ways Anubis particularly keeps stepping in for him are really neat.
I'm not as sold on the message of Osiris being a god of love, or the other gods actually loving the people who worship them. That's not exactly evident in the myths. I can go with it for the sake of the story, but it does pull me out a bit now.
Overall this is a fast read that has an interesting concept, but it's not a story I see myself going back to. Still, it was an entertaining read. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
Ameni was the second son of the pharaoh. Constricted by a life of duty, he longs for adventure. But his life has a destiny he never imagined, and soon he will get an adventure he never wanted.
It's been decades since I last read this, but I still remembered enough of the plot for it to feel like a reread than a new read. The two individual stories alternate long enough to build up both Lorna and Ameni before the single event that changes each life. After that it turns into a race to recover the missing urn.
I liked the hints of mysticism around Ameni. He's in the line of Pharaoh, who is considered a living god, but he doesn't understand what that really MEANS until the mantle passes to him. He's still a man, somewhat. But he has a different relationship now with the gods, and can speak to them and hear back from them. And the ways Anubis particularly keeps stepping in for him are really neat.
I'm not as sold on the message of Osiris being a god of love, or the other gods actually loving the people who worship them. That's not exactly evident in the myths. I can go with it for the sake of the story, but it does pull me out a bit now.
Overall this is a fast read that has an interesting concept, but it's not a story I see myself going back to. Still, it was an entertaining read. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
October 23, 2018
I first read this book in 6th grade and I remember devouring and loving it. Over the past few years I've been thinking about how much I loved it. With the help of some friends, we figured out the title and I tracked down a cheap copy.
While I didn't love it as much as I did at the age of 12, it was still fun to read again. Reading it then, it was all about adventure and danger and a boy Pharaoh waking up in the modern world (even though that modern world of the late eighties already seems so long ago). Reading it now, I kept thinking about how Lorna should have just asked her father, an Egyptian archeologist, for some help. And also how cell phones would have made their adventure nearly impossible. Run away from school? All dad has to do is call instead of worrying that his daughter might have been abducted.
While I didn't love it as much as I did at the age of 12, it was still fun to read again. Reading it then, it was all about adventure and danger and a boy Pharaoh waking up in the modern world (even though that modern world of the late eighties already seems so long ago). Reading it now, I kept thinking about how Lorna should have just asked her father, an Egyptian archeologist, for some help. And also how cell phones would have made their adventure nearly impossible. Run away from school? All dad has to do is call instead of worrying that his daughter might have been abducted.
July 5, 2019
I’ve had this book for years and never read it, but I’m glad I finally did. It was a great adventure story with characters that felt multifaceted enough to be believable and likable. I was also surprised by the depth and significance of the observations on religion and faith that underpinned the plot while never once becoming preachy or evangelical. In fact, quite the opposite - in the end, the universality of faith throughout the millennia was the saving grace of our heroes. The overall message seemed to be that our commonalities across religions in every place and time through history are stronger than our divisions. There were a few plot holes that made for a convenient wrap up in the end, but all and all, a really enjoyable read and a treat for any lovers of Ancient Egypt!
May 14, 2017
A pleasant enough YA novel of with a bit of unconventional time travel and some softy (but on reflection really bizarre) gods. Our heroine is typically discomforted by conventional boarding school life and gets the benefit of some divine interference with a young royal also typically discomforted by restrictions and duties of palace life. His expected life is totally trashed and hers gets a boost, but really, it's all OK if the gods are fine with it. Reads OK, but don't think about it too much.
June 18, 2023
Protecting eternity. A lot of adventure to find one urn that was lost.
Some supernatural happenings, helped them.
Pg 180-182 says the important conclusion - why the decision. "Surely people, whatever their gods, find eternity in their beliefs and actions in life." "Seek the truth."
Nothing new under the sun.
Interesting story. Agree with some and not with some (yrs, con.)
Some supernatural happenings, helped them.
Pg 180-182 says the important conclusion - why the decision. "Surely people, whatever their gods, find eternity in their beliefs and actions in life." "Seek the truth."
Nothing new under the sun.
Interesting story. Agree with some and not with some (yrs, con.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2019
I had this book as a teenager, but for some reason I could never get into it. Then, recently I saw a review on GoodReads and decided to try again. It was an interesting book with a lot of Egyptian history (I’ve always found it interesting). It’s full of action, magic, and romance.
October 15, 2021
Do I love this book mainly because I read it when I was twelve or so? Yes. It’s soaked in a patina of nostalgia for me and I won’t hear a word against it. Please buy it for the amateur Egyptologist tween in your life.
October 13, 2024
3.5 stars. I read this book in 6th grade at the height of my obsession with Ancient Egypt. I thought it was amazing and remembered it fondly for decades. Now on a reread I can see what my 11 year old self loved in this book. History, a mystery and a handsome teenage pharaoh. The vibes were vibing.
August 24, 2018
I'm very sad that this is out of print.
November 17, 2018
This is one of the first books i've read and actually still remember. I read this as a teen and really loved it. I think i'll read it again as soon as i find my copy of it hehe
Want to read
September 11, 2019I remember loving this book when I was younger, I want to read it again.
April 11, 2020
This is the book, that as a youngster made me love books ❤️
Read
January 1, 2022Loved it. About a Teenager
January 5, 2022
I remember reading this book in 6th grade because I had to. I ended up losing my copy and having to pay for it. I enjoyed it, but not enough to give it more than 3 stars.
August 18, 2011
This book is like a version of The Mummy for younger audiences. It's not scary like an R.L Stine book, more of a adventure type book. I wished it was longer just so that you could see more of Lorna teaching Ameni, his reactions to things, Lorna's history, and an epilogue would have been cool. But I'm not saying that the novel was incomplete. I didn't notice anything in the novel where there needed to be more information for me to understand what was going on. The only real critique I have for the novel is the way it's balanced in the amount of pages it has. The beginning has alternating points of view before it merges into one narrative. I love the way the author did this but it takes up half the book. However, it really needs to be this long to get a sense of the characters. Because of this, the later part of the book seems to pass very quickly and doesn't seem to fit with the first part. The later part should have been longer, which seems to circle back to my original comment about wishing this book was longer.
May 13, 2016
I first read this book back in 5th grade, and I thought it was one of the most interestingly detailed and historically vivid stories that I'd ever read. Now, 10 years later, it's still a very unique read for the time, but it doesn't have as much action and adventure qualities as it did when I was a younger, more inexperienced reader. And the ending, as well, seems very rushed in the last few pages, without a great deal of buildup towards the climax and an overall open-ended finale. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book to younger readers who are looking for an historical adventure, but I'm not sure whether any adults would truly enjoy this book.
February 15, 2016
Read for 6th grade English
Ameni is an Ancient Egyptian Prince who is awakened from a trance thousands of years old during a storm. He meets Lorna Padgett, who is the daughter of an archeologist. They become friends and run around having adventures.
Sorry if that summary sounds vague. I don't remember much of it. I did enjoy the book, but it was nothing amazing. It was fine. Mediocre. Not terrible, but not amazing.
Ameni is an Ancient Egyptian Prince who is awakened from a trance thousands of years old during a storm. He meets Lorna Padgett, who is the daughter of an archeologist. They become friends and run around having adventures.
Sorry if that summary sounds vague. I don't remember much of it. I did enjoy the book, but it was nothing amazing. It was fine. Mediocre. Not terrible, but not amazing.
August 30, 2015
It was good, but it felt incomplete. I much preferred the chapters about Ameni in Egypt--and even his first forays into the modern world--to the final third of the book. The end felt rushed, and I really wanted a concluding chapter (or even a sequel) to explain what happens next. Great to start, but definitely a disappointing end.
December 27, 2010
The book is flawed in a lot of ways, but pure unadulterated love (mine, towards the book) earns it five stars as far as I'm concerned. It's not perfect, but it's such a wonderful read it's easy to ignore any flaws.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews