The Red Pyramid is the first installment in Rick Riordan’s new series called the Kane Chronicles. Riordan is best known for his incredibly popular series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians—a five-part series that was on the NY Times bestsellers list. The first book from the Olympians series was made into a successful film and it appears that the other four books will also be made into movies.
This new series, the Kane Chronicles, like the Olympian series, is written for young adults—but the stories are popular with adults as well—just like J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books.
The Red Pyramid is the first story in the series about the exploits of a young teen named Carter Kane. The book begins with him travelling the world with his archaeologist father Julian, since his mother’s death six years before. His sister Sadie, two years his junior, has been living with their mother’s parents in England. They have seen very little of each other in the past six years with the exception of the Christmas holiday—when their father always takes Carter to England so they can spend the time with Sadie. However, their lives are so different that the two siblings have nothing in common.
This Christmas Eve, they are again reunited, but their visit takes on a completely different twist when their father takes them to the British Museum and after he summons a mysterious figure, they watch as their father disappears in front of them and a huge explosion takes place.
The Olympian series had the Greek gods as their main characters, but this new series is devoted to the Ancient Egyptian gods. Carter and Sadie find it hard to believe, but begin to witness the fact that the gods of Egypt are still alive and active in this world. The worst of them, Set, has a terrible scheme to destroy the world.
To save their father, Carter and Sadie must go on a frightening, dangerous journey. Through their travels, they meet unexpected characters—including relatives they never knew they had—and terrifying monsters and demons from a world they never knew existed.
They learn secrets about their family and it’s link to a mysterious group called “The House of Life”—which turns out to be a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. Their travels take them to the United States—where they were raised until their mother died. Events unfold in the book that lead them to the western United States. and the desert areas where a giant red pyramid is now located thanks to the god Set. Their heroic actions lead them to answers about their parents, but open the door for many more questions about what lies ahead and what their role will be in that future.
The Red Pyramid is a fascinating treasure-trove not only of the history of Egyptian gods, but is also full of non-stop action, mystery, and humor. One interesting device that Riordan uses in this series, which is rarely seen, is that the siblings take turns telling the story in a first-person account.
This gives the story a very interesting twist in seeing it first from the eyes and account of a teenage boy, and then a teenage girl. And obviously as anyone who has dealt with teenagers knows—there are great differences between boys and girls at this age and how they see things.
This series of books seems to be a little more advanced than the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series; and the first book is longer than most in the other series as well.
Riordan is a master storyteller—who will keep the interest of readers—no matter what their age. His detailed account and knowledge of the Egyptian gods and their history combined with the well-developed personalities of the main characters in the book will surely make the upcoming books in this series popular sellers as well.
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