First book in the Kane Chronicles trilogy

Synopsis

The Kane Chronicles is a trilogy of adventure and Egyptian mythological fiction books written by American author Rick Riordan. The novels are narrated alternately in first-person by the two protagonists, siblings Carter and Sadie Kane. The siblings are powerful magicians descended from the two pharaohs Narmer and Ramses the Great. They and their friends are forced to contend with Egyptian gods and goddesses who still interact with the modern world.

Review

The Kane Chronicles is a peek into Egyptian mythology. It is my introduction to the world of the Egyptian Gods. I don’t think I would’ve picked up this genre, especially with a majority of the books containing loads of names and confusing details that could seriously cause an information overload. And let’s be real: Why would most people want to read factual information out of books? We have textbooks for that. So put in a couple of teenagers, your regular-old saving the day scenario complete with twists and turns and voila! You have a thriller you cannot wait to dive into.

I started liking Rick Riordan after the Percy Jackson series which then made me gravitate towards his lesser known work. I wouldn’t say that this Trilogy is as good as your Percy Jackson series, but if anyone could’ve pulled off writing Egyptian Mythology it’s him. He brought those Gods alive, with all their glory and eccentric personalities. I liked how he broke the stereotypes that come with the term ‘God’ and distinctly displayed the true nature of these entities. Whether it is Isis or Horus or even the God Babi (yes, the ancient Egyptians had a God whose name was pronounced as Bobby), the author has done excellent research.

Trying to explain Egyptian mythology is like trying to describe tangled earphones, the likes of which you have never seen or heard before. And then there is (of course) the humour. I mean, these Gods would’ve been so boring had they not possessed the ability to make readers laugh. I’ll say this though: Rick Riordan is a virtuous author for not ending his books with cliff-hangers that almost kill you and then leave you waiting in hell until they write the next book. Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5, partly because I think the Percy Jackson series set the bar high. But it is the perfect place to start if you’re looking to enter the world of Egyptian Mythology. 

Review by Darshana Shah.