The Kane Chronicles

The Kane Chronicles #1-3

by Rick Riordan

The Red Pyramid
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 Dr. Julius Kane. But while Carter’s been homeschooled, his younger sister, Sadie, has been living with their grandparents in London. Sadie has just what Carter wants—school friends and a chance at a “normal” life. But Carter has just what Sadie longs for—time with their father. After six years of living apart, the siblings have almost nothing in common. Until now. On Christmas Eve, Sadie and Carter are reunited when their father brings them to the British Museum, with a promise that he’s going to “make things right.” But all does not go according to plan: Carter and Sadie watch as Julius summons a mysterious figure, who quickly banishes their father and causes a fiery explosion. Soon Carter and Sadie discover that the gods of Ancient Egypt are waking, and the worst of them—Set—has a frightening scheme. To save their father, they must embark on a dangerous journey—a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and its links to the House of Life, a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

The Throne of Fire
Ever since the gods of Ancient Egypt were unleashed in the modern world, Carter Kane and his sister Sadie have been in trouble. As descendants of the House of Life, the Kanes have some powers at their command, but the devious gods haven’t given them much time to master their skills at Brooklyn House, which has become a training ground for young magicians. And now their most threatening enemy yet—the chaos snake Apophis—is rising. If they don’t prevent him from breaking free in a few days’ time, the world will come to an end. In other words, it’s a typical week for the Kane family. To have any chance of battling the Forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god Ra. But that would be a feat more powerful than any magician has ever accomplished. First they have to search the world for the three sections of the Book of Ra, then they have to learn how to chant its spells. Oh, and did we mention that no one knows where Ra is exactly? Narrated in two different wisecracking voices, featuring a large cast of new and unforgettable characters, and with adventures spanning the globe, this second installment in the Kane Chronicles is nothing short of a thrill ride.

The Serpent’s Shadow
When young magicians Carter and Sadie Kane learned how to follow the path of the Ancient Egyptian gods, they knew they would have to play an important role in restoring Ma’at—order—to the world. What they didn’t know is how chaotic the world would become. The Chaos snake Apophis is loose and threatening to destroy the earth in three days’ time. The magicians are divided. The gods are disappearing, and those who remain are weak. Walt, one of Carter and Sadie’s most gifted initiates, is doomed and can already feel his life force ebbing. Zia is too busy babysitting the senile sun god, Ra, to be of much help. What are a couple of teenagers and a handful of young trainees to do? There is possibly one way to stop Apophis, but it is so difficult that it might cost Carter and Sadie their lives, if it even works at all. It involves trusting the ghost of a psychopathic magician not to betray them, or worse, kill them. They’d have to be crazy to try it. Well, call them crazy. With hilarious asides, memorable monsters, and an ever-changing crew of friends and foes, the excitement never lets up in The Serpent’s Shadow, a thoroughly entertaining and satisfying conclusion to the Kane Chronicles.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult, Fiction, Percy Jackson, Adventure, Magic

1520 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2012

About the author

Rick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books, including the Percy Jackson series.

Reviews

[Shannon Rodewald · Rating 5 out of 5]

His mix of mythology and modern life makes you feel like you could go out and find the magic.

[Nor Fasihah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick!!!!!!! i am so....argh!
btw, my review will contain spoilers. i u hadn't read the book yet, please do not proceed. for i know what the spoilers feel like.. and i don't want anybody cursing me for that..

i don't know exactly me feelings right now.. hard to say that i was surprised when walt and anubis merged as a single person... but still, they completed each other.. and it makes sadie so happy.. i don't know whether i like sadie or not.. but i surely like carter.. not as much as percy of course or any other character from percy jackson series.. LOL.

i'm sorry i didn't make any sense.. but, i am almost hundred percent sure that carter and sadie, hopefully with zia and walt and all brooklyn's nome, will come to percy's aid in the last series of heroes of olympus.. rick make it clear in the short story son of sobek that one day, percy will need carter's help.. wawawa! i can't wait the blood of olympus.. ok, maybe not.. rick is full of surprised..

conclusion, the kane's chronicle are good books.( well, it was written by rick riordan. what do u expect? ) even though i am not interested in egyption god as much as i love greek's god, it is acceptable.. i cannot clearly imagine the house of life or hall of gods or duat.. it was confusing. but, rick will guide u well..

i am so loss of words right now.. i think i need to dwell on kane's chronicle a few days before starting to read another series..

[Arch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series was good, but I felt as the series progressed it sort of lost itself.

I'll explain what I mean by this, by briefly giving a review of each book.

The Red Pyramid:
The first, and strongest, book in this series, it delightfully introduces us to a new world with a cast of diverse and interesting character, really, what could go wrong? It had an awesome conclusion and finale.

The Throne of Fire:
I'm not even sure what went wrong here. The first half was fine, I suppose, with even some good scene (like Sadie's chase scene in London), but towards the end it just got worse and worse. The conclusion just wasn't gripping, and I felt bored. I feel like the series lost itself in trying to stick to the same formula.

The Serpent's Shadow:
It was better than the Throne of Fire, but not as strong as the Red Pyramid. It was fine I suppose, but the plot itself was hardly memorable, despite a suitably exciting final battle scene.

I was disappointed with how this series tapered off, especially after such a promising start, but I feel part of the problem was the author himself. Whereas at the beginning he was excited by a new world, moving on from Percy Jackson, the Heroes of Olympus series then started. It honestly felt like Rick was trying to get this series out of the way- it wasn't commanding his full attention.

I mean its no secret Rick is a bigger fan of Percy Jackson's world, maybe because that's where all his fans are. I mean, in Magnus Chase, how many references to PJO and HoO? And how many to the Kane Chronicles?

So yeah, a decent start but an unimpressive, even if not bad, ending. Lets hope Magnus Chase, seemingly another trilogy, doesn't suffer the same fate as Trial of Apollo now start as a new five book series...

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I must say I was excited to begin this series. I expected so much, given the Egyptian setting and mythology, but the series fell a bit flat. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of character development even though we were told it was occurring - tell me versus show me. No one ever seemed to be in real danger during the battles, and most of the characters/scenes seemed to float along.

Sadie seemed front and center in all three novels, so much so that the series could easily have been called 'The Chronicles of Sadie.' I felt Carter could undeniably have been the stronger character, yet he seemed to bumble through. Carter was a more likable character for me, so it was unfortunate that he doesn’t step up to his potential until the end of 'The Serpent's Shadow.’ In deference to Riordan, I may be missing some key mythological themes, which would explain why Sadie was always saving the day as the magician, yet Carter couldn’t hold his own in much.

I did appreciate the Egyptian mythology, which Riordan did well. I liked the characters, the storyline, and the setting, but this series was never taken to the level to which it could have gone. Given my review it may be hard to believe, but I do recommend this read, mostly for the 10-14 age range, with the caveat that the characters are not as complex, the battles not as dramatic, and the overall series not as emotive as PJO and, especially, the middle three books in HoO.

[Matthew Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books were just.... Just..... How do I say this?....Life changing. I am a diehard Rick Riordan fan and this is easily the best series Rick has written. I love Percy Jackson and all, but the Kane Chronicles just blew me away. I believe they were better than any of the Heroes of Olympus or Percy Jackson and the Olympians books.

[704 Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

so i recently read the (AGAIN)the Kane Chronicles. it's quite a lovely story one reason being the idea "princess gets kiddnapped sir Bollock must save her" so on so forth... I'm quite sick of the idea of that...but forget my ranting it is a great story, theme and so on. its about saving the world with magic and going to different dimensions and all kinds of epic adventuring that would make anyone happy. also it appears to have LOL's in the book witch i admit i did laugh even though most jokes in a book make me just facepalm and say "why in gods name am i reading this book", tell me that happens to you please because it seems to happen to you or else i will just think i'm bloody insane. but thats not really the point now is it. no its not. now what else is there in the book is good charictar design. there are many good things includeing a red kratos..yes a red kratos. not lieing when i say that...well okay hes not called Kratos his name is set but i will call him red kratos anyway because he looks the same way as kratos with red skin. lols. well also it appears that. if you understand. but also they got a dwarf god, a lot of good stuff. also there is a great theme...being the hero's journey. the great hero's journey. over coming obsticals

[gay sunflower · Rating 3 out of 5]

sadie is an innacurate representation of english people bc a) we do not all have cats b) we do not all listen to adele and c) nobody drinks ribena have you had that stuff god its disgusting


this series made me realise, i do not like boys. ew

[Keepmeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best humour found anywhere on the world. I don't care who you are, READ IT, READ IT, READ IT!!!!!!!

[phideɭia · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST SIBLING DUO EVER!
Ignited my existing interest in Egyptian mythology, and made me even more curious about it, and a really fun and entertaining series!

[Matt Compan · Rating 4 out of 5]

[3.5] Three pieces of context: (1) I’m rating this series against Riordan’s other works (OG Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus), (2) I happened to read these while being IN EGYPT which was sweet, and (3) I read these as a kid, when I was bored during COVID and now so this is my third time around. And honestly… these books are still a good time, but I do have to admit they are probably my least favorite of Riordan’s (at least from what I’ve read).

“The Red Pyramid” condenses a lot of world-building into one book: gods, magicians, spells, spirit travel, the Duat, overarching themes of order/chaos, etc. while also trying to sell us on our core series characters. This is just too much for one book and it’s pretty evident while reading it. Side quests and deadlines that felt more natural in other works feel a bit rushed and the cooler moments lose a bit of their emphasis because of how urgently the plot needs to introduce the next dynamic or character. Also most of the problems are solved by the gods giving Carter and Sadie the exact power necessary to escape the trap/situation. All that said, this book is still fun because the world-building Riordan introduces is just so cool and well thought out.

“The Throne of Fire” is my favorite of the three mostly because it is comparatively free to explore the characters and dynamics previously introduced. Carter and Sadie no longer have the “god maguffin” and have to works things out themselves which leads to the most creative magic and set pieces. I particularly liked the arc in London where Sadie fought the vulture/baboon gods. This culminates in the Duat quest and Bes sacrifice that I think was the best emotional/character arc of the series. Menchikov was an interesting antagonist and a few of the ending twists properly worked for me. Lots of potential for the finale, but…

“The Serpent’s Shadow” was definitely my least favorite. It’s the shortest of the 3 and I found a surprising amount of the time was allocated to the romantic subplots - neither of which I was that bought into. The opening is quite good; Apophis feels like a properly scary threat and there are real consequences for our characters. Then, he kinda disappears until the finale where our characters go on a quest for another maguffin to learn a form of magic that is just too simple to fit within the power structure of the world. Despite claims that shadow magic is super dangerous, it revives Bes and cleanly destroys Apophis. It negates the consequences of the last book and makes the gods seem comparatively much less powerful than even more amateur magicians. A happy ending for our characters is nice but the only ones who really seem to suffer the consequences were those poor folks in Texas.

There is a lot to discuss about the characters of this series, but for brevity I will stick to our two protagonists. I was really just not bought into Carter’s character to be honest. He’s likable enough, but was afforded the blander arcs and less creative power set. I did not buy him as the pharaoh candidate by book 3. Sadie on the other hand has a more interesting personality and power set. I noticed that I just naturally became more engaged when the narration flipped over to Sadie.

I write all this as an adult critiquing books written for much younger people and for all the faults of this series, this is still the work of a master storyteller. Riordan makes the mythology and culture of Egypt accessible to younger readers, lets young people sympathize with the problems of our characters, and even gets in some social commentary that I thought was quite intelligently implemented (ex: positive commentary on the realities faced by mixed race families). All in all so much nostalgia and fun in this series.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall: This is such a fun series. Great for middle grade readers, but anyone else as well. There's action, humor, gods... what else could you want? Yes, this is by the same author as the Percy Jackson books, and while there are similarities, this series is entirely it's own. It follows the path of integrating ancient mythology into the modern world, but this time it's Egyptian, not Greek. It follows two narrators, Carter and Sadie Kane, powerful siblings with the blood of the Pharaohs. One of the things I loved most about this series was watching their relationship change over the course of the books. The two never really knew each other; Carter traveled the world with his dad, a professor on Egyptology and Sadie lived with her grandparents in London. But, as they're forced into the bizarre world of magic together, they get to know each other, and become much closer. The characters in these books are great; they're fun, silly and unique. They have real feelings and thoughts, and don't feel washed out or boring.

This as a bundle was amazing. It has all 3 books, and that's it, but that's all you need. Rick Riordan books almost always have a wait list, and it's annoying trying to negotiate it so I get them each at the right time. With this, however, they all came in one book, and I could read them consecutively without any hassle. Brilliant!

REVIEWS OF INDIVIDUAL BOOKS TO COME SOON HOPEFULLY

[Rissa (rissasreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute, mythos based set of books to readby Rick Riordan! This was a cute, and fun series full of adventure and action. However, I didn't find this series to be anything special. I enjoyed the characters and the fact that it featured Egyptian Mythology, but it felt like it missed the mark. I think part of that started when Sadie began to fall for Anubis, I found it just didn't feel right, not only for her character, but for the story. Even the twist didn't make it better for me. Apart from that, I loved Sadie, I thought she was so badass and a great fighter. Carter was a likeable character, very serious and mature. Bast & Bes were definitely my favorites of this trilogy. These are definitely worth the read for the fun, and adventures but this trilogy felt like it was missing something.

[Cannon Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as his other work, but keeps you engaged and interested in mythology while having decent characters, some cliche plot devices

[Milena · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Questa recensione presenta anche linguaggio scurrile e il mio sfogo per esorcizzare tutto il mio odio]

Il primo libro è passabile e poi, ragazzi miei, inizia il degrado. Se nel primo vengono impostate le regole che dovrebbero stare alla base di questa storia, negli altri due si scopre che, se a livello di trama ci fa comodo qualcos'altro, allora chissenefrega.

Gli dei possono visitare il nostro mondo solo se hanno un ospite? E invece guarda, a un certo punto Bast non avrà più un ospite micio e questo è perfettamente okay. E non solo lei, ma una miriade di dei si presentano così, tanto per, senza aver alcun ospite alcuno né monumenti dedicati a loro a giustificare la loro presenza.

Gli dei sono pericolosi e non tutti possono chiamarli per farsi aiutare? Anzi, è davvero difficile? Be', ma allora non si spiegano tutti gli deus ex machina. Sadie e Carter sono nei casini, sono sfiniti e sembra non ci sia via di scampo? Be', non c'è da preoccuparsi, perché arriverà un dio e sistemerà tutto in due secondi. E poi non dovranno neanche ringraziarlo! Perché invece di piangere di sollievo, non spendiamo il resto del tempo a prenderlo in giro e/o a incazzarci con lui/lei? (Fornirei esempi, ma sono spoiler: più avanti parlo di alcuni di questi interventi) Comunque senza Anubi sarebbero crepati male tipo subito, e mi rammarico che lui sia intervenuto.

Inoltre non ha senso che il libro inizi come una registrazione postuma ai fatti che vuole spiegare, brevemente, ciò che è accaduto ai ragazzi e poi dura 400 pagine in media. Se sono costantemente inseguiti da mostri, come fanno i maghi a cui questo "libro" è dedicato, a mettersi lì e a leggersi di tutte le turpe mentali di Sadie?

Parlando di Sadie: ha 13 anni, ma sappiate che lei è così matuuura per la sua età. E anche così coraggiosa. E intelligente. E ricettiva. E brava a contrattare. E furba. E audace. E impertinente. E potente. Come ci tiene a far sapere qualunque essere vivente entri in contatto con lei per più di cinque minuti. No ragazzi, non sto scherzando: anche il cattivo del primo libro, nel secondo si spreca a dire qualche parola di elogio a Sadie. Perché lei è davvero fantastica e spettacolare, nel caso non lo aveste capito. Ma tipo tanto.

Cosa fa in particolare? Be', insulta sempre suo fratello maggiore dandogli dello stupido e mentecatto, perché lui è così serio e studioso, ed è effettivamente preoccupato per la fine del mondo. Poi, ovviamente, tira pugni, dà pizzicotti e schiaffetti a chiunque dica qualcosa che non le va bene - li da a suo fratello, ai suoi interessi amorosi (sì, al plurale) e vorrebbe darli anche a degli dei. Però è così brava, la cara Sadie, e soprattutto così umile: si autoproclama fantastica e meravigliosa, e perché non dovrebbe, quando qualunque cosa tu dirai non sarà mai importante tanto quanto quello che sta passando lei? No, nemmeno la fine del mondo. Perché continuate a romperle a tal proposito? Ha cose più importanti da pensare lei, tipo a quale ragazzo è più attratta. Però, ehi, non è che lei è superficiale, cioè sì, l'unica cosa che so dei suoi interessi amorosi è quanto siano fighi, e non parla mai di altro quando li vede e non assistiamo a nessuna conversazione che abbia un qualche peso tra loro che non sia incentrata sulla suddetta fine del mondo, tuttavia! Lei non è come la sua amica Liz, a cui importa dei ragazzi carini e basta, anche quando è inseguita da un paio di dei assassini. No, lei pensa al bacio che ha avuto con uno dei ragazzi carini, cantandosi tanti auguri tra sé e sé, mentre scappa dagli dei assassini, però Sadie ha le priorità messe in ordine. Se per in ordine intendi su per il culo.

Carter a confronto sembra un santo. Probabilmente è per questo che mi è piaciuto così tanto: perché quando c'era lui c'era meno Sadie, e quindi Hallelujah! Almeno nel terzo libro ha dato più sfogo alla sua rabbia repressa verso la sorella e c'erano commenti più taglianti verso di lei - anche se lei lo ha punito corporalmente ogni volta, chiaro.

Pochi altri punti a favore: i libri sono scorrevoli, sono middle grade quindi non è che mi aspettassi tantissimo, e all'inizio la mitologia egizia era pure interessante. Ci sono stati comunque momenti che ho apprezzato (pochi, se non era Carter/Horus, erano insulti a Sadie - ma questi accadevano di rado), e parti in cui mi sono chiesta dove volesse andare a parare.

Ma passiamo allo sfogo spoiler. Saranno solo citazioni. Nessun contesto a parte la prima. Giudicate da voi.

Contesto: un poliziotto informa Sadie e Carter che sono espulsi(I shit you not, usa questo termine) dal Regno Unito e che non devono più metterci piede. Uno sconosciuto arriva.

"[...]Temo di essere tutto ciò che ti è rimasto."
Era un'affermazione un po' dura, pensai. Carter lanciò un'occhiata ai nonni. Poi annuì, cupo. Sapeva che non lo volevano fra i piedi. Gli avrebbe sempre ricordato nostro padre. E sì, era un motivo stupido per non accogliere il proprio nipote, ma così stavano le cose.
"Bene, Carter può fare quello che vuole" intervenni io. "Ma io vivo qui. E non ho intenzione di andarmene con uno sconosciuto. Giusto?" [...]
"Ha intenzione di rapirci?" chiesi, sbigottita. Guardai Carter. "Tu ci credi?" [...]
Mi girai verso la nonna. "Ti prego!" [...]
"Ma tu chi sei?" chiesi ad Amos. Era chiaro che non avevo scelta, ma almeno volevo delle risposte. "Non possiamo andarcene così, con un estraneo."

Quando Carter non viene accolto dai nonni razzisti, sceglie lui di seguire lo sconosciuto. E tanti saluti, lei resterà a casa sua bella e chissenefrega del fratello. Ma quando povera Sadie è obbligata dai nonni a dover seguire lo sconosciuto, è un'imposizione bella e propria, e non è ingiusto che loro non sappiano nemmeno chi sia questo qui?

No, sul serio. Carter è così tonto che certe volte non riesco a credere che siamo parenti.

"Troveremo il modo di rimetterla in sesto, no? Un po' di magia e... zap!"
"Basta zap, per favore. Potevamo restarci secchi."
"Pensi che se provassi l'incantesimo su una persona..."
"No!" Carter arretrò subito, nervoso.
Era molto gratificante riuscire a metterlo in agitazione, ma cercai di non sorridere.

Sospirai, esasperata. "Poverino, costretto a girare il mondo, a saltare la scuola e a stare con papà, mentre io posso vederlo per ben due giorni all'anno!"
"Ehi!" mio fratello reagì con un impeto sorprendente. "Tu hai una casa! Hai degli amici e una vita normale. Tu non ti svegli ogni mattina chiedendoti in che Paese sei! Tu non..."
La vetrina accanto a noi si infranse, spargendo pezzi di cristallo ai nostri piedi.
Carter mi guardò, sbigottito. "Abbiamo appena..."
"Come la mia torta di compleanno esplosiva" brontolai, cercando di non far trasparire quanto ero spaventata. "Hai un caratteraccio. Devi controllarti."

"Che coraggio, eh?"

"Carter non sapeva un bel niente della mia vita."

Mi voltai e vidi un bel ragazzo sui sedici anni, vestito di nero. Aveva la carnagione pallida, ma due splendidi occhi castani come quelli dell'uomo sul trono. I capelli neri erano lunghi e spettinati, parecchio spettinati, ma a me non dispiaceva. Piegò un po' la testa di lato e mi resi finalmente conto che mi aveva fatto una domanda.
Cercai di farmi venire in mente qualcosa da dirgli. 'Come, prego?', 'Ciao', 'Sposami'? Ma riuscii soltanto a scuotere la testa.

Non riuscii a trattenere un sorriso. "Non ci riesci, vero? Sei bloccata?"
Lei mi pizzicò la mano con il becco estremamente appuntito.
"Ahi!" gemetti. "Non è colpa mia. Continua a provare." [...]
"Non ti preoccupare" la rassicurai, cercando di restare impassibile. "Bast ti aiuterà quando saremo fuori di qui." [...]
Sadie voltò la testolina e mi lanciò un'occhiataccia. Fui piuttosto certo che mi stesse dicendo di sbrigarmi.

Sarei stata terrorizzata, se non ce l'avessi avuta così tanto con Carter. Non riuscivo a credere come aveva trattato il mio problema alla villa. [...] Giurai vendetta."

"Lasciaci passare!" ordinai. "Oh, e un'altra cosa... mio fratello vuole un campioncino."
Feci appena in tempo a scansarmi, e Carter fece appena in tempo a stupirsi prima che il demone gli soffiasse sopra tutta la sua polvere gialla. [...]
"Che simpaticone" commentai.
"Che schifo!" Carter sputacchiò il profumo. Sembrava una crocchetta di pesce. "Ma perché l'hai fatto?"
"Hai un profumo delizioso" lo rassicurai. "E adesso che succede?"
Mi sentivo molto soddisfatta di me.

"Mamma" Sadie deglutì. Per una volta, la sua attenzione non era su Anubi. "Hai davvero... eri...?"
"[...] Sei stata molto coraggiosa."

E porca puttana—

Secondo libro, ma l'odio persiste. Devono salvare il mondo (it's a thing), ma nel frattempo Sadie fa casini e una loro allieva entra in coma nel tentativo di salvare loro la pelle. Però va bene, perché la ragazza in questione, tale Jaz, ha osato tenere le mani del nuovo interesse amoroso di Sadie, tale Walt Disney, che è molto figo. Che altro è? Boh. Però è sexy, eh.

Ora Walt si stava occupando di lei. La sollevò delicatamente e la mise su una barella, coprendola con delle coperte e accarezzandole i capelli, mentre gli altri tirocinanti si affollavano intorno.
E questo mi stava bene. Anzi, benissimo.
Non ero affatto interessata a quanto fosse bello il viso di Walt alla luce della luna, o alle sue braccia muscolose che uscivano dalla maglietta, o al fatto che stesse tenendo le mani di Jaz, o...

Sadie ha una playlista intotalata TRISTE, e ci sono le canzoni dell'album 19 di Adele.

Vado a fare i bagagli" disse Carter. "Possiamo partire tra un'ora."
"No" ribattei. [...]
"N0?" ripeté lui.
"E' il mio compleanno", dissi, il che probabilmente mi fece sembrare una rompiscatole di sette anni, anche se in quel momento non me ne importava un fico secco. [...]
No, grazie, spiacente. Se proprio dovevo morire, la cosa poteva benissimo essere rimandata al giorno dopo. [...]
Se fossi rimasta qui, se avessi iniziato la ricerca senza un po' di tempo per respirare, sentivo che sarei esplosa. [...]
Carter mi lanciò un'altra occhiata furibonda e poi rientrò come una furia. Problema suo. Io ero ben decisa a non sentirmi in colpa. Non gli avrei permesso di rovinarmi il mio compleanno. [...]
"Mi dispiace" sbottai. "Lo so che mi disapprovi perché ieri sera ho preso il rotolo, e perché Jaz è rimasta ferita, ma sento che sto andando in pezzi..."
"Non sei la sola" replicò lui.
Mi si formò un nodo in gola. Ero così preoccupata che Carter fosse arrabbiato con me che non acvevo fatto caso al suo tono. Era profondamente desolato. [...]
Non era stata mia intenzione essere così dura con lui. D'altro canto, chiedere scusa non è il mio forte, e lui era davvero impossibile.

Anubi l'aiuta, dandole un'arma, dicendole dove trovare l'altro pezzo per salvare il mondo, chiamando in soccorso un altro dio per aiutarla. Lei:

Dio, era così bello, e così irritante. "Bene, allora, eccelso dio dell'inutilità" dissi, "nient'altro, prima di essere uccisa?" [...]
"Vai" concluse Anubi. "Mi dispiace ma non posso fare di più. E, Sadie... buon compleanno."
Si chinò in avanti e mi baciò sulle labbra.

"Dannato di un Anubi" borbottò lei. "Fosse stato per lui, avrei potuto morire."

"[...]E' solo che alla Brooklyn House potrei essere d'aiuto, e Haz pensava..." Ebbe un momento d'incertezza, forse rendendosi conto che non avrebbe dovuto tirare in ballo quel nome.
"Sì?" Il tono di Sadie era pericolosamente calmo. "Come sta Jaz?"
"E'... è ancora in coma." rispose Walt. "Amos dice che probabilmente ce la farà, ma non è che io..."
"Bene" lo interruppe Sadie. "Felice di sapere che si riprenderà. Quindi tu devi tornare indietro. Fantastico. Vai pure. Anubi ha detto che dobbiamo sbrigarci."
Non molto delicato, il modo in cui aveva sputato fuori quel nome. L'espressione di Walt era quella di chi aveva ricevuto un pugno nello stomaco.

"Due regali di addio" borbottò Sadie "da due bei ragazzi. Odio la vita."

"Due ragazzi da soli in mezzo al deserto... un ragazzo e una ragazza. Sembrerà strano."
"Dirò che Walt è mio fratello."
Carter trasalì. Non avevo avuto intenzione di essere offensiva, ma immagino che quel commento fu doloroso.

Anche se non posso dire che i suoi occhi mi facevano sciogliere come quelli di Anubi, aveva un viso bellissimo.

"[...]Quando faccio qualche incantesimo sto peggio."
"E più ne fai..."
"Più velocemente morirò."
Gli diedi un pugno nel petto. Non riuscii a farne a meno. Tutto il mio dolore e il rimorso si trasformarono in rabbia. "Stupido che non sei altro! Perché sei qui, allora? Avresti dovuto dirmi di togliermi dai piedi! Bes ti aveva avvertito di rimanere a Brooklyn. Perché non l'hai ascoltato?"
Che cosa avevo detto, prima, a proposito del fatto che gli occhi di Walt non mi facevano sciogliere? Ritiro. Quando mi guardò, in quella tomba polverosa, erano scuri, teneri e tristi esattamente come quelli di Anubi. "Morirò comunque, Sadie. Voglio che la mia vita significhi qualcosa. E... voglio passare più tempo possibile con te."
E quello mi fece più male di un pugno nel petto.
Molto più male.
Credo che avrei potuto baciarlo. O magari dargli uno schiaffo.

Walt si sedette accanto a me. "Non rinunciamo. Deve esserci un modo."
"Dici?" chiesi, indignata. "Come deve esserci una cura per te? E se non c'è? E se..."
La voce mi si spezzò. Walt girò la testa, così da nascondere il viso nella penombra.
"Scusami" dissi. "Ho detto una cosa terribile. Ma non riesco semplicemente a sopportare l'idea che..."

"Non mi sento più in punto di morte. Mi sento felice."
Io invece mi sentivo uno straccio. Per mesi avevo sognato che Walt mi facesse capire che gli interessavo, ma non così, non della serie: 'posso essere onesto con te perché tanto devo morire presto.'

Ma la cosa più importante è che io sono divisa tra due meravigliosi ragazzi: uno che sta morendo e uno che è il dio della morte.

Terzo libro: Sadie non vuole salvare il mondo, ma vuole andare a ballare. Walt non può ballare perché è stanco (also, un sacco di maghi sono appena morti perché non sono riusciti a salvarli). All'improvviso Sadie non vuole più ballare, perché aveva fatto tutto per W. Uff! Va' ugualmente. C'è Anubi. Allora è tutto okay.

Sentii una strana punta di gelosia. Walt e Anubi sembravano aver passato più tempo a parlare tra loro che con me.

Boh. Forse perché W. sta per morire?

Se riesco continuo nei commenti perché il degrado non si è concluso manco per il cazzo.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complessivamente 3,5

La piramide rossa 3
Il trono di fuoco 3,5
L'ombra del serpente 4

Che dire? Mi sento abbastanza confusa riguardo a questa lettura. In generale mi è piaciuta, ma per altri versi ho fatto veramente fatica a leggere.
La storia è carina, ma diciamo che è un po' una copia di PJ.

Molti personaggi mi sono piaciuti. Ad esempio, Carter
Carter credo che sia la mia anima gemella. Insicuro, a volte stupido, ma buono e leale. Ma soprattutto resiste all'impulso di uccidere la sorella.
Infatti ho odiato Sadie dalla prima all'ultima riga. Molte volte ho sperato che morisse. Arrogante e strafottente come pochi, sempre pronta a infamare il fratello quando la maggior parte delle volte è lei a combinare casini. Poi odio il fatto che tutti siano così riverenti verso di lei mentre non calcolano di striscio il fratello, quando alla fine è lui quello che risolve tutto.
Diciamo che se non ci fosse stato il suo personaggio avrei dato una stella in più.
Il resto dei personaggi mi sono piaciuti. Ho provato affetto verso Ziah, ma anche gli dei.

La scrittura, per quanto mi piaccia Rick, a volte sembra quello di un bambino. Spero in fatti che sia un modo per far entrare nel personaggio, perché altrimenti lascia un po' a desiderare.

[Zuzia_mani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bylo super kocham sadie i centera bastet to idolka ❤️❤️📖📖❤️❤️

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I need to take a break from Riordan's book for a while because they are starting to all feel the same. Different kids and Gods, but all the same basic story. These Egyptian ones feel cheesier than the Greek/Roman ones and some of the things aren't quite as creative (but maybe that's because of the research he has, not his writing?). And I find it really hard to keep track of all of the names because he uses SO many in the series, many of them similar (again, I realize that is because he is using the names of the gods from the myths but he needs to help us remember who they are a little better). As of right now, I probably wouldn't read this series again because I don't like it as much as the Percy Jackson ones. However, I do like that he has made it like a transcription of a recording and the interaction between the siblings. I don't like that there are so many love stories when they are only like 13 years old.

[Dragicornionaid · Rating 4 out of 5]

AWESOMEST

I have to admit, THIS IS A GREATTTTTTTT SERIES!!!!!!!! ( Personally, I <3 The heroes of Olympus best, but still, this AMAZINGLY AMAZING! ) If ur interested in reading all the series, which I have done many many x10000000000 times, here is how I’d list them from bestest to best!

1. Heroes of Olympus HoO
2. Magnus Chase MC
3. Kane Chronicals KC
4. Trials of Apollo ToA
5. Percy Jackson PJ

To be honest, I don’t really like PJ’s series, I mean, it got me hooked on rick, but doesn’t have much Percabeth.

Fav characters:

1. Annabeth Chase
2. Alex Fierro
3. Sadie Kane

Heh, hope this was helpful...

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Kane Chronicles are three books about the Kane siblings and their connection to the history and deities of Ancient Egypt; we read these as books on CD

My 11 and 9 year old girls loved them, and I did, too! They are exciting, and meticulously researched, and bring what could be dusty history to life in a way that kids and adults can appreciate

I cannot recommend them enough, and we are looking forward to author Riordan connecting the Kanes to Percy Jackson and his crew

[Mkittysamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teens and Egyptian Gods/Goddesses plus magic =

MY Dream Series! I've always loved Egyptian Mythology and Rick Riordan is a genius! He has created an fantasy series with all of my favorite elements! Plus Hot Gods.. I had fun reading every page! I love the author's humor...the poo jokes! I can't say enough about The Kane Chronicles! Best Fantasy I have read in a long time and I'm an adult :) This is my indulgence and I hope to re-read it again with my kids!

[Kalda Orso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blood line of the Pharaohs?

Egyptian magic, turning picture and words into reality. Take a walk into the daut meet the gods of Egypt. Battle with the forces between Chaos and Ma'at. Will the assistance of Horus the falcon war God and Isis the goddess of magic help save the house of life? Or will Apophis swallow Ra?

[ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

i liked this series. it was good, but didn't hit as hard as riordan's other series. it is still a really great book series, and i'd recommend. but, i don't really like any of the characters except for bast and bes.

[Heather MB · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun trip! Love the characters and Riordan's way of making hero's out of kids with ADD so subtly and cleverly. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this trilogy.

[kt ^_^ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

It's amazing!
Just as good as the Percy Jackson series!
It's a must read if you enjoyed them!
I would highly reccomend these!

[. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not remember much from this series.

But remember this was one of my most favourite Rick riordan works.

Everything from the plot, to the Egyptian mythology I remember loving this series a lot.

[Noelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly inferior to Percy Jackson and not because of Egyptian mythology being less appealing than Greek - the plot for Kane Chronicles was passably decent I guess (though not at Percy Jackson level) but what really killed it for me were the main characters Carter and Sadie, or more accurately, their respective romances. Given that this is a children's book I already significantly lowered my expectations but the "romance" in Kane Chronicles still fell short. I thought it fair to give a warning that there are SPOILERS AHEAD for the romance (but honestly what does it matter you're not missing out on much anyway):
Their romances in a nutshell:
Carter - falls in love with Zia, a standoffish but highly skilled magician who's the apprentice to head magician Iskandar, only to find out that Zia was actually an animated clay dummy created by Iskandar to protect the real Zia who's asleep in a watery tomb far away in some ancient magical stronghold. Carter recovers from his disappointment at having fallen in love with what is essentially a medieval robot amazingly fast and speedily and conveniently transfers his affections to the the real Zia (after saving her, of course) who (surprise surprise!) dislikes him on first sight.
If you thought this was bad, check out Sadie's:
Sadie meanwhile has a crush on both Walt (her trainee / junior - scandalous!) and Anubis (a teenage boy with chocolate-coloured eyes and black silky hair who also happens to be the God of Death). Throughout the series her romantic struggles consist of her trying to decide who she likes more, and these extreme difficulties manifest in alternating feelings of guilt when she thinks of Walt on dates with Anubis, and thinks of Anubis while kissing Walt. Confused? Not to worry - you'll be glad to find out that Sadie's problems are happily resolved at the end of the 3rd book: Walt occupies Anubis's godly form so they share a body (read: merger of Anubis and Walt), its supposed to be so they can "tap on each other's power" but come on, we all know the real winner is Sadie - now she doesn't need to decide if she likes Anubis or Walt more because she can get the best of both worlds and enjoy BOTH Anubis and Walt at the same time! Lovely.
Honestly, Carter and fake/real Zia was weird enough. Add on the ludicrous joke that is the Sadie-Anubis-Walt love triangle and all I can say is GIVE ME PERCY JACKSON ANY TIME. At least Percy and Annabeth made sense

[Darshana Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Octavia Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read and reviewed each of the books collected here separately, so this is basically just for my own records. The truth is I've struggled with this series, and that's reflected in the stars I gave them. The first book got three stars, the second two and a half stars, and the third two stars. Together that averages out to two and a half, which rounds up to three - I round up in my Goodreads reviews, but honestly this was a case where if I'd rounded down it wouldn't have been completely dishonest. It's been a downward slide.

Look, there are genuinely likeable things about this series. I enjoy the two protagonists and their sibling relationship. I really enjoy the focus on Egyptian mythology. I don't know a lot about it, and this has exposed me to new things, so good. But the books strike me, consistently, as far longer than they need to be and in each case it's taken me weeks to make my way through each volume, because there's so much extraneous stuff bloating out the story, and I'm just not interested. I am especially not interested in pre-teen love triangles, or the romantic woes of either of these kids if I'm being honest. Furthermore the tone just seems so flippant that it undercuts, for me, any sense of real danger. Which, I mean, it's a book for kids. Riordan is clearly not out to write doom and gloom that gives his child readers nightmares, and good for him. He's obviously written a very successful children's series... I'm just not sure that it catches my adult attention. Nonetheless, I've given it a go, and I'll probably wander back to the Percy Jackson series sometime in the future, because I've read a couple of those before and liked them a little better, I think.

[Yrstnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Look, I'm a loyal Rick Riordan fan. I've read PJO and Heroes of Olympus 3 times and I'm currently underway in another reread of the whole Riordanverse but I gotta say, this trilogy is not my favorite (I haven't read Magnus Chase).

I feel no connection to the main characters and even now, reading the third book, I'm finding myself just trying to suffer through it so I can return to Heroes of Olympus and Trials of Apollo (I'm reading in chronological order).

Carter and Sadie do nothing but complain about the situation they're in or fret about their love lives sometimes to the detriment of the quest. Carter is constantly distracted when it comes to Zia unlike Percy who becomes more focused when Anabeth is there. Their relationship just seems toxic. He expects Zia to return his affection because he had a connection with shabti Zia and it just gets annoying.

Sadie is a little better but not by much. And she's 13...in love with a dying 16 year old and a 5000 year old god. 3 years may not be a lot but she's barely a teenager for gods sake. Maybe it would have been better if Rick aged her up a little bit? Anubis is not any better...4900 year age difference yikes. That's some twilight crap right there.

The only characters I liked where the side ones namely Bast, Bes (Tawaret too just because I'm a sucker for the unrequited love trope. I love the angst, sue me), and Set (he's such a fun character, causing trouble).

But anyway, this doesn't mean I won't gobble up any book Riordan comes up in the future because I would but maybe no more rereads of Kane Chronicles for me.

[Brooklyn Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books were my introduction to Rick Riordan as my own personal loyalties to another book series kept me from reading any PJ books until Covid hit. They are everything to me. This was the first time I saw myself represented in any form of media and how Rick managed to capture the conflicting feelings of coming from a mixed race family so well while being a white man is something I will never understand. My and my sisters experience is very similar to the Kane’s experience in how the world views them and it was validating to read about. My only flaw with these books, which is not big enough to put it anywhere near less than 5 stars, is that the end of the third book felt rushed. I think this could have been fixed by giving this series 5 books. The hill I choose to die on is this series deserved 5 books. Also isn’t it silly that the pyramid they visit in Memphis is a bass pro shop now.
Also I am a Carter and Zia stan the end of the first book made me throw my copy across the room. Also Sadie is everything to me