The Throne of Fire

Starred review from July 25, 2011
The amazing performances of Kevin R. Free and Katherine Kellgren make this YA fantasyâthe second volume in Riordan's The Kane Chroniclesâenthralling for listeners of any age. Descendants of the House of Life, Carter and Sadie Kane are teenage magicians responsible for preventing Egyptian gods from interfering with mortals. And this time around, the brother-and-sister team face off against the chaos snake Apophisâsomething that's bound to interfere with Sadie's 13th birthday party. But even being chased through the streets of London by monstrous gods doesn't slow down Sadie. Meanwhile, Carter continues to train a troupe of young magicians to battle the forces of evil. Free deftly handles Carter's narration; he sounds exactly like a 14âyear-old boy, while voicing dozens of other characters. Kellgren's narration is no less impressive, and her interpretation of a budding teen girl is exuberant and believable, as are the multitude of other colorful characters she creates. Between these two spirited performances, the characters come to life and leave listeners breathless. A Hyperion hardcover.

Starred review from June 1, 2011

Gr 5-8-Elaborating on the ominous revelation that caps The Red Pyramid (Hyperion, 2010), this planned trilogy's middle episode sends dual narrators Carter and Sadie Kane from their newly established school for sorcerers in Brooklyn to the underworld realm of the Duat, leaving massive trails of destruction on their way to a first face-off with Apophis, snake god of Chaos. Given just five days to find the retired god Ra-god of order, or ma'at-before Apophis escapes millennia of confinement and destroys the universe, the squabbling sibs also have their own growing magical abilities to explore; hostile factions of both human wizards and Egyptian gods to battle; monsters to face; temptations to overcome; infatuations to work through; rescues to make; and, of course, plenty of digs, wisecracks, fashion notes, and teen chatter to deliver. Fortunately they have some sturdy allies-notably Bes, the god of little people and memorable for more than just his Speedo with "Dwarf Pride" written on the butt that is his battle costume. Despite helpful lists of Egyptian deities and terms at the back, readers unfamiliar with the opener may have trouble at the beginning keeping up with both the continuing plotlines and the teeming cast, but Riordan kickstarts the action, never lets up on the gas, balances laughs and losses with a sure hand, and expertly sets up the coming climactic struggle without (thankfully) ending on a cliff-hanger. It's a grand ride so far, showing nary a sign of slowing down.-John Peters, formerly at New York Public Library

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2011
Grades 5-8 Readers of The Red Pyramid (2010) will not be unduly surprised that the magical powers of Carter and Sadie are growing or that they have the purest motives for breaking into the Brooklyn Museum to steal a three-ton Egyptian artifact or that battling griffins and plague spirits wreaks a certain amount of havoc. Still, with only five days left before the spring equinox, when an evil magician will let the Egyptian serpent god, Apophis (think chaos), loose in the world again, its time for action. As in his earlier novels for children, Riordan combines hard-hitting action scenes, powerful magic, and comic relief with the internal waves of love, jealousy, and self-doubt that make his young heroes so very human. The book concludes with glossaries of Egyptian commands and terms as well as gods and goddesses, but even readers who lose track of the details will enjoy the high-energy story as it races toward a conclusion. Lit by flashes of humor, this fantasy adventure is an engaging addition to the Kane Chronicles series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2011
In The Red Pyramid (rev. 7/10), siblings Carter and Sadie Kane learned that, as descendants of Egyptian pharaohs, they are magicians who can communicate with (and fight against) the Egyptian gods. Now with Apophis, Lord of Chaos, about to break his millennia-long imprisonment, Sadie and Carter must awaken Ra the Sun God to unite the gods and magicians against Apophis and save the world from destruction. Globetrotting action and irreverent commentary fly fast and furious as the pair battle gods, evil magicians, and mythical Egyptian monsters to retrieve the Book of Ra, then re-create the Sun God's nightly journey through the underworld to revive his spirit, meeting their dead parents and gambling for their own souls along the way. The author's formula works -- the Egyptian myths offer a backdrop with plenty of depth, against which Riordan's wisecracking heroes can play out their high-stakes family, relationship, and personal dramas. And with Ra awakened but old and weak, the magicians in rebellion, personal peril and/or teenage heartbreak in store for the Kanes, and Apophis still on the rise, the expected third book in the Kane Chronicles promises to be as lively, humorous, and welcome as the first two. anita l. burkam

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2012
With Apophis, Lord of Chaos, about to break his millennia-long imprisonment, Sadie and Carter (The Red Pyramid) must awaken Ra the Sun God to unite the gods and magicians and save the world. Riordan's formula works; globetrotting action and irreverent commentary fly fast and furious as the pair battle gods, evil magicians, and mythical Egyptian monsters in this humorous, lively volume.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)