The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid

Title: The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid

Bibliographic information:

Author: Rick Riordan

Reader: Kevin R Free, Katherine Kellgren

• Listening Length: 14 hours and 32 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Reader's Annotation:

After his mother’s death, all Carter Kane wants is a normal life, attending school and living in the same house - instead of trotting around the globe with his Egyptologist father.  All his sister Sadie wants is to spend time with their father.  Both kids are going to get a lot more than they ever expected when the Egyptian gods begin to rise.

Interest Level: Ages 8-18

Lexile level: 650

Awards, if applicable:

Not applicable

Plot summary: Most families celebrate Christmas Eve with food and perhaps even gifts.  The Kanes have never been most families.  This Christmas Eve, Sadie and Carter Kane go with their father to the British Museum, and they watch him summon a mysterious figure and disappear in an explosion.  

Now Carter, Sadie and their cat Muffin are in the midst of the rising of the Gods of Ancient Egypt - and Set is planning mayhem.  To save their family, they must  take control of the ancient order - the House of Life and defeat the God of Chaos himself.

Critical review: The strength in this story is in the diversity of the voices - Carter and Sadie Kane have distinct personalities driven by a mix of there ages and life experiences.  This is especially apparent in the audio edition of this book, where the two characters and their chapters is narrated by two separate authors.  Both authors have distinct voices which improve the listening experience.

Why include it?

Audiobooks make reading into a multisensory experience.  The original book in this series is compelling and delightful - you love the characters and the action never stops.  The audiobook is all the better.