Book Review - The Kane Chronicles

I'm behind again. I've been meaning to write this post every since I wrote this post back in August, because I finished these books about the same time. But then we moved, and um, other stuff happened (Okay, have you ever seen Julian Smith's video "Pre-blessed Food?" It's super funny, and kind of a light-hearted commentary on how busy we all think we are. At one point, this one guy is explaining how busy he is and says, "We've always prayed religiously before eating. But we got so busy with work and {and here he waves his hands all funny} watching TV." Anyway, Jason and I quote that all the time. And that's how I feel right now when I'm making excuses to you. I've been so busy with work and {waving my hands all funny} watching TV...)

*Cough* Anyway! I read these books!

They're great! This is the Kane Chronicles series. The first book is the Red Pyramid, followed by The Throne of Fire, and finished with The Serpent's Shadow. They're by Rick Riordan, the same author who wrote the Percy Jackson series (for which you can find my review here). And where those books deal with the Greek gods, these books deal with the Egyptian ones.

I have to admit that I was less into the first book than I was into the Percy Jackson series. Don't get me wrong; it was still a great book, especially compared with most of them out there. Maybe I was just still too attached to the Greek gods, and missed them? But the second book drew me in a lot more, and I thought the third book was great. So, in summary = great series. Pick it up if you're looking for something fun.

The one criticism I have for this series is that it felt like some scenes were missing. For example, the second book starts off with the main characters doing something because - and this they tell you, you don't actually see it happen - another character showed up and gave them instructions to do it. And I get that Rick Riordan wants to start in on an action scene, but the whole first half of the book I kept feeling like I was missing something - that scene where the character gave them instructions. It just would have put the book on a more solid foundation, made me feel more settled and less like I was forgetting something, if that scene was there. Both the second and third book have a few of these missing scenes, that I just wish were there and would make me feel better if I could just read them. Anyway, it's not a big deal, but that is one thing I would have changed about the books.

Another side note: I love the way that Rick Riordan deals with race in all of his books that I've read. He has tons of characters of different races, and doesn't make a big deal about it. And when I mean a ton, I mean that probably at least half of the main characters are different races. It's a nice change.

Again, this was a fun series to read and I think you'd like it if you like fantasy/action/adventure books in general. Definitely check them out. :)