The Red Pyramid

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The Red Pyramid
TheRedPyramid.jpg
Cover of first edition
Author Rick Riordan
IllustratorSean O'Kelly
Michelle Gengaro-Kokmen (Hieroglyph art)
Cover artist John Rocco
Series The Kane Chronicles
(book 1)
Genre Fantasy, Egyptian mythology, young-adult fiction
Publisher Disney Hyperion [1]
Publication date
May 4, 2010
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint, audiobook
Pages516 (first ed.) [1]
ISBN 978-1-4231-1338-6
OCLC 488861751
LC Class PZ7.R4829 Re 2010 [1]
Followed by The Throne of Fire  

The Red Pyramid is a 2010 fantasy-adventure novel based on Egyptian mythology written by Rick Riordan. It is the first novel in The Kane Chronicles series. The novel was first published in the United States on May 4, 2010, by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Publishing Worldwide. It has been published in hardcover, audiobook, ebook, and large-print editions, [2] and has been translated into 19 languages from its original English. [2]

Contents

The book follows the Kane siblings, Carter and Sadie, as they discover they are descended from both the pharaohs and magicians of ancient Egypt. As a result, they are able to both host gods and wield magic. The duo unknowingly hosts the Egyptian gods Horus and Isis, while their father is taken as a host by Osiris who is captured by Set. They are thrown into an adventure to rescue their father, while simultaneously trying to save the world from destruction. The novel is written as though it is a transcription of an audio recording by siblings Carter and Sadie Kane, alternately narrated in first-person by the siblings.

The Red Pyramid received generally positive reviews with critics praising its pace, action and storyline. The novel was on the Amazon Children's bestseller list. [3] It also won a School Library Journal Best Book Award, [4] and was also shortlisted for the 2011 Red House Children's Book Award. [5] The audiobook of The Red Pyramid, narrated by Katherine Kellgren and Kevin R. Free, was a finalist at the Audiobook of the Year Award. [6]

Plot

Carter and his father Julius Kane are visiting Carter's sister Sadie, who has lived with her maternal grandparents in London since the death of their mother, Ruby Kane. Julius, a magician posing as a simple Egyptologist, takes the siblings to the British Museum, where he tries to bring Osiris (the Egyptian god of the Underworld) into the mortal world. His magic has the unintended side effect of summoning the gods Horus, Isis, Nephthys, and Set, as well as alerting the magicians Zia Rashid and Michel Desjardins to his actions, which are illegal in the magic community. Set, a god of chaos, captures Julius and declares his intention to become king of the world. Unbeknownst to Carter and Sadie, each of the released gods chooses a mortal host from the humans in the room.

Carter and Sadie are taken to Brooklyn by their uncle Amos, who tells them they are descended from a long line of magicians, beginning with the Egyptian pharaohs Ramesses the Great and Narmer. He also explains the grave danger Set poses to the world and goes to find him. While he is away, the mansion is attacked by Set's minions. With help from Sadie's cat Muffin, who is host to the goddess Bast, and Zia Rashid, they escape to Cairo. Once there, Carter and Sadie discover they are hosts to the gods Horus and Isis, respectively. They train in magic until the magicians' leader Iskandar dies and Michel Desjardins orders their deaths for collaborating illegally with the gods. The siblings escape and form a plan to defeat Set — hoping to rescue their father and clear their names within the magic community. They travel to Set's lair in Arizona, gathering ingredients for a magic spell and evading hostile monsters and magicians.

Bast sacrifices herself while defending Carter and Sadie from Sobek, then they encounter Amos and then Zia. The foursome heads to Set's hideout, where they learn the final piece of the spell they need from a dying Zia, the unknowing host of Nephthys. Carter, Sadie, Horus, and Isis use the spell to subdue Set, although they stop short of completely destroying him because they realize his actions were dictated by a far worse enemy — Apophis, a much more powerful god of chaos. Desjardins reluctantly allows Carter and Sadie to go free after they part with Horus and Isis. After a tearful goodbye with Zia, who turns out to have been a magical copy of the real magician, Carter and Sadie return to Brooklyn. They visit their father, now in the underworld, reunited with their ghostly mother. As a gift, the other gods as well as Osiris (hosted by the deceased Julius) help Bast return to the mortal world. Carter and Sadie describe their plans to recruit other magicians to (illegally) study the path of the gods, and Carter also resolves to seek out the real Zia Rashid.

Characters

Minor Characters:

Composition and marketing

According to Riordan, the idea for The Kane Chronicles series came from his realization that the only ancient history subject more popular than Ancient Greece was that of Ancient Egypt. [8] He had already written and published several books in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, which dealt with the interaction between Greek mythology and the modern world. The idea of having two multiracial siblings narrate the book also came from his experience as a teacher. Carter and Sadie Kane, the titular characters, were inspired by two siblings he taught, as well as the fact that Ancient Egypt was a multicultural society. [9]

In an interview with Publishers Weekly at the BEA 2010 Show, where Riordan signed copies of the novel, he said that Ancient Egypt "fascinates kids." He did extensive research so that "The magic, the spells, the shabti, are all grounded in reality." In another interview, Riordan objected to the longstanding Western tradition of separating Egyptian history from the history of other African societies, saying it was important to "firmly [put] Egypt back into the realm of African history." [9] The Red Pyramid was the first time Riordan used alternating points of view because it was "very important ... that both genders have protagonists they can identify with." [10]

Release

The Red Pyramid had a first printing of one million copies. [11] The series was planned to consist of one book per year to build anticipation. [11] The novel featured cover art by John Rocco, with interior illustrations by Michelle Gengaro-Kokmen. [12] [13] As of 2010, the novel had sold 630,000 copies. [14]

The Red Pyramid received a lexile score of 650L making it appropriate for 11–14 year olds. [15] Since its release, the novel has been translated into 19 languages. [2]

On May 4, 2010, a fourteen-hour and 32 minute audiobook version of The Red Pyramid, read by Katherine Kellgren and Kevin R.Free, who later read all the audiobooks in the series, was published worldwide by Brilliance Audio . [16] On October 2, 2012, a graphic novel version of The Red Pyramid, adapted and illustrated by artist Orpheus Collar, was published worldwide by Disney Hyperion. [17] [18] On September 7, 2012, pictures from the graphic novel were released by Rick Riordan on his official website. [17]

Reception

The Washington Post said that Riordan "begins [the book] with a literal bang" and "the pace never flags as the narrative cuts between Carter and Sadie." [19] The book was also listed in The Washington Post's summer book club. [20] The New York Times 's Bruce Handy was mildly critical of The Red Pyramid saying it had "eruptions of mayhem every few pages and exposition falling like hail", as well as "a sea of churning narrative". However, Handy said, "Riordan fans young and old will eat this new book up." He also commented that the book was "wholly satisfying while also setting the table for what promises to be a rip-roaring saga with nasty villains" and "engaging love interests." [21] Kirkus Reviews thought the story was similar to Riordan's other works like The Lightning Thief in terms of chapters, characters, and plot, but noted, "that's not all bad." [22] School Library Journal named The Red Pyramid a Best Book of 2010, [4] and it was also shortlisted for the 2011 Red House Children's Book Award. [5] The novel also appeared on the Amazon Children's bestseller list. [3]

AudioFile magazine praised the audiobook, writing that "Riordan’s works transition well to the audiobook format with their formula of equal parts nonstop adventure and well-camouflaged education". He praised the introduction of dual narrators, who "add a welcome level of complexity" and both Kevin Free and Katherine Kellgren. [23] The audiobook of The Red Pyramid was a finalist at the Audiobook of the Year Award. [6]

Publishers Weekly praised the graphic novel, writing that "the plot lends itself fluidly to the graphic novel format", praising Collar's "cinematic artwork" and "tongue-in-cheek details", concluding, "new readers and existing fans alike will dive right in". [24]

Sequel

The sequel to The Red Pyramid is titled The Throne of Fire ; it was published on May 3, 2011. [25] [26]

See also

Netflix Adaptation

On September 12, 2020, it was announced that the three books are being adapted for Netflix as feature films. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osiris</span> Ancient Egyptian god of the afterlife

Osiris was the god of fertility, agriculture, the afterlife, the dead, resurrection, life, and vegetation in ancient Egyptian religion. He was classically depicted as a green-skinned deity with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive atef crown, and holding a symbolic crook and flail. He was one of the first to be associated with the mummy wrap. When his brother Set cut him up into pieces after killing him, with her sister Nephthys, Osiris' wife, Isis, searched all over Egypt to find each part of Osiris. She collected all but one – Osiris’s manhood. She then wrapped his body up, enabling him to return to life. Osiris was widely worshipped until the decline of ancient Egyptian religion during the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horus</span> Egyptian war and sky deity

Horus, also known as Hor in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as the god of kingship, healing, protection, the sun, and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Roman Egypt. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history, and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists. These various forms may be different manifestations of the same multi-layered deity in which certain attributes or syncretic relationships are emphasized, not necessarily in opposition but complementary to one another, consistent with how the Ancient Egyptians viewed the multiple facets of reality. He was most often depicted as a falcon, most likely a lanner falcon or peregrine falcon, or as a man with a falcon head.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osiris myth</span> Story in ancient Egyptian mythology

The Osiris myth is the most elaborate and influential story in ancient Egyptian mythology. It concerns the murder of the god Osiris, a primeval king of Egypt, and its consequences. Osiris's murderer, his brother Set, usurps his throne. Meanwhile, Osiris's wife Isis restores her husband's body, allowing him to posthumously conceive their son, Horus. The remainder of the story focuses on Horus, the product of the union of Isis and Osiris, who is at first a vulnerable child protected by his mother and then becomes Set's rival for the throne. Their often violent conflict ends with Horus's triumph, which restores maat to Egypt after Set's unrighteous reign and completes the process of Osiris's resurrection.

The Ennead or Great Ennead was a group of nine deities in Egyptian mythology worshipped at Heliopolis: the sun god Atum; his children Shu and Tefnut; their children Geb and Nut; and their children Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. The Ennead sometimes includes Horus the Elder, an ancient form of the falcon god, not the son of Osiris and Isis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duat</span> Underworld in Egyptian mythology

The Duat, also called Amenthes or Te, is the underworld in ancient Egyptian mythology. It has been represented in hieroglyphs as a star-in-circle: 𓇽. The god Osiris was believed to be the lord of the underworld. He was the first mummy as depicted in the Osiris myth and he personified rebirth and life after death. The underworld was also the residence of various other gods along with Osiris.

<i>The Lightning Thief</i> 2005 novel by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first children's novel by Rick Riordan. The opening installment in the series Percy Jackson & the Olympians, the book was recognized among the year's best for children. Riordan followed the novel with various books and spin-off series, spawning the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles media franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Riordan</span> American author (born 1964)

Richard Russell Riordan Jr. is an American author, best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. Riordan's books have been translated into forty-two languages and sold more than thirty million copies in the United States. 20th Century Fox adapted the first two books of his Percy Jackson series as part of a series of films in which Riordan was not involved. Riordan currently serves as a co-creator and executive producer on the television series adaption of the book series that was released on Disney+ in 2023. Riordan's books have also spawned other related media, such as graphic novels and short story collections.

Camp Half-Blood Chronicles is a media franchise created by author Rick Riordan, encompassing three five-part novel series, two short-story collections, two myth anthology books, a stand-alone short story, three crossover short stories, an essay collection, multiple guides, seven graphic novels, two films, a video game, a musical, and other media. Set in the modern world, it focuses on groups of demigod teenagers, and features many characters from Greek and Roman mythology. The first series, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, follows the adventures of a boy named Percy Jackson at a summer camp for Greek demigods. The second series, The Heroes of Olympus, introduces several more lead characters and a second camp for Roman demigods named Camp Jupiter. The third series, The Trials of Apollo, follows the now-mortal god Apollo, with appearances by many characters from the first and second series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ra</span> Ancient Egyptian solar deity

Ra or Re was the ancient Egyptian deity of the Sun. By the Fifth Dynasty, in the 25th and 24th centuries BC, he had become one of the most important gods in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the noon-day sun. Ra ruled in all parts of the created world: the sky, the Earth, and the underworld. He was believed to have ruled as the first pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. He was the god of the sun, order, kings and the sky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Percy Jackson</span> Fictional character in books by Rick Riordan

Perseus "Percy" Jackson is a fictional character, the title character and narrator of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He is also one of seven main protagonists of the sequel series The Heroes of Olympus, appearing in every book except The Lost Hero, and appears in the Trials of Apollo series, making him one of the few characters to appear in all three series of the Camp Half-Blood chronicles. He has also been a narrator and protagonist in Riordan's Greco-Roman/Egyptian crossover stories, part of the Demigods and Magicians collection. The character serves as the narrator in Percy Jackson's Greek Gods and Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes, also by Rick Riordan.

<i>The Kane Chronicles</i> Novel series by Rick Riordan

The Kane Chronicles is a trilogy of adventure novels based on Egyptian mythology written by American author Rick Riordan. The series is set in the same universe as Riordan's other franchises, Camp Half-Blood Chronicles and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.

<i>The Throne of Fire</i> 2011 novel by Rick Riordan

The Throne of Fire is a 2011 fantasy adventure novel written by American author Rick Riordan. It is the second novel in The Kane Chronicles series, which tells of the adventures of modern-day fourteen-year-old Carter Kane and his twelve-year-old sister - Sadie Kane, as they discover that they are descended from the ancient Egyptian pharaohs Narmer and Ramesses the Great. It was released on May 3, 2011. The book takes place roughly three months after the first book, The Red Pyramid. It is followed by the third and final book in the series, The Serpent's Shadow, which was released on May 1, 2012.

Carter Kane is a fictional character and one of the main characters in The Kane Chronicles series, along with his younger sister, Sadie. In the novels, he follows the "path of Horus" by hosting the god. He is one of the strongest magicians in the world, next to his uncle Amos and his sister. He is in a relationship with Zia Rashid.

<i>The Serpents Shadow</i> (Riordan novel) 2012 novel by Rick Riordan

The Serpent's Shadow is a 2012 fantasy adventure novel based on Egyptian mythology written by American author Rick Riordan. It is the third and final novel in The Kane Chronicles series. It was published by Disney Hyperion on May 1, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Son of Sobek</span> 2013 spinoff the Percy Jackson and Kane Chronicles series

The Son of Sobek is a 2013 fantasy short story written by Rick Riordan, first released in the paperback version of The Serpent's Shadow on May 7, 2013 and as a single e-book on June 18, 2013. On April 5, 2016, it was released as the first of three short stories in a hardcover novel entitled Demigods and Magicians: Percy and Annabeth Meet the Kanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Staff of Serapis</span> 2014 spinoff the Percy Jackson and Kane Chronicles series

The Staff of Serapis is the sequel to The Son of Sobek and the second book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians/The Kane Chronicles crossover series. It was released in the back of the paperback version of The Mark of Athena on April 8, 2014 and as a single e-book and single audio book on May 20, 2014. On April 5, 2016, it was released as the second of three short stories in a hardcover novel entitled Demigods and Magicians: Percy and Annabeth Meet the Kanes.

<i>The Crown of Ptolemy</i>

The Crown of Ptolemy is the third and last book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Kane Chronicles crossover series. It was released in the back of the paperback version of The House of Hades on March 31, 2015, and later as an ebook and audiobook. The ebook edition was released May 12, 2015.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The throne of fire". LC Online Catalog. Library of Congress (lccn.loc.gov). Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  2. 1 2 3 "Editions of The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan". www.goodreads.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1)". frontlist.net. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "School Library Journal Best Books of 2010". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  5. 1 2 "2011 Shortlist". Red House. Archived from the original on February 28, 2010. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "Audies Finalists Announced". Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  7. 1 2 Riordan, Rick (May 4, 2010). The Red Pyramid . Disney Hyperion. p.  516. ISBN   978-1-4231-1338-6.
  8. ↑ Springen, Karen (November 11, 2009). "Riordan Sets His Sights on Egypt". Publishers Weekly Website. Archived from the original on February 24, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  9. 1 2 Farley, Christopher John (May 4, 2010). "Rick Riordan's Gods and Monsters". The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
  10. ↑ "BEA 2010 Show Daily: Rick Riordan: Making Learning Fun". Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  11. 1 2 Farley, Christopher John (May 4, 2010). "'Percy Jackson' Author Rick Riordan on His New Book 'The Red Pyramid': Does the Cover Tell the Whole Story?". The Wall Street Journal. Speakeasy. Archived from the original on December 10, 2010. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  12. ↑ "The Red Pyramid". ReadRiordan.com. Read Riordan. Archived from the original on October 7, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  13. ↑ Gengaro-Kokmen, Michelle. "Featured Work". Michell Gengaro. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  14. ↑ "The 2010 Decision: Bush, Larsson Tops". Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  15. ↑ "The Red Pyramid - Lexile® Find a Book - MetaMetrics Inc". fab.lexile.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  16. ↑ "The Red Pyramid Audiobook". Audible. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  17. 1 2 "Rick Riordan releases pictures of The Red Pyramid graphic novel in the making". September 7, 2012. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  18. ↑ Collar, Orpheus. "The Kane Chronicles: The Complete Series". Orpheus Collar. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  19. ↑ Quattlebaum, Mary (June 20, 2010). "Novels for kids from John Grisham, Candace Bushnell and Rick Riordan". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  20. ↑ "Summer Book Club for young readers includes books by blockbuster authors". The Washington Post. June 16, 2010. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  21. ↑ Handy, Bruce (June 4, 2010). "Children's Books – Justice League". The New York Times Book Review. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  22. ↑ "The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan". Kirkus Reviews . April 15, 2010. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  23. ↑ "THE RED PYRAMID by Rick Riordan Read by Kevin R Free Katherine Kellgren - Audiobook Review - AudioFile Magazine". Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Children's Book Review: The Red Pyramid: The Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan, adapted by Orpheus Collar. Disney-Hyperion, $21.99 (192p) ISBN 978-1-4231-5068-8". Archived from the original on December 1, 2017.
  25. ↑ Riordan, Rick. "Kane Chronicles – My Books: The Online World of Rick Riordan". rickriordan.com. Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  26. ↑ Riordan, Rick. "The Throne of Fire – Kane Chronicles: The Online World of Rick Riordan". rickriordan.com. Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Countdown to Daughter of the Deep! | Rick Riordan". September 19, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
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