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Marshmallow reviews The Throne of Fire (Book Two of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan

Last week Marshmallow reviewed The Red Pyramid, the first book of Rick Riordan‘s Kane Chronicles series. Today she writes about the second book, The Throne of Fire, first published in 2011.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like reading about Egyptian mythology or you have enjoyed some of Rick Riordan’s other books, then this might be the book for you (though you should probably read The Red Pyramid first).

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): After learning that Egyptian mythology is real and active in the modern world, Sadie and Carter Kane’s lives have been transformed. Now, danger lurks around every corner. The snake / god of Chaos, Apophis, is trying to break out of his eternal prison, and if he escapes, the Ma’at (basically the order in the universe) will fall, chaos will reign, and the world will be in big trouble. In order to prevent this from occurring, Sadie and Carter must release the sun god Ra who will hopefully be able to defeat Apophis and put him back in his prison. Unfortunately, finding and reawakening Ra will be difficult. Stronger magicians failed and were permanently scarred.

Sadie and Carter must find Ra, but Apophis is not their only enemy. Many of the other Egyptian gods also do not want Ra back and will try to prevent the Kane children from reaching him. Even with help from their trainees, uncle, and some of the nice gods, can Carter and Sadie find Ra and save the world before chaos rules over everything?

Marshmallow is reading The Throne of Fire (Book Two of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan. — Marshmallow is reading *The Throne of Fire* (Book Two of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan.

Marshmallow’s Review: I liked reading about the many characters in this book, and they are all relatable. Though their situation is not something I can relate to, their emotions are very human / bunny-like, a testament to Rick Riordan’s writing skill. The characters’ voices are all unique but very entertaining.

I also really liked the plot of The Throne of Fire. It is fun to read but still keeps you on the edge of your seat. I especially like how you get to learn new things about Egyptian mythology throughout the book and how the plot is based around actual Egyptian mythology. Everything in the book is based on real Egyptian myths, which I think is really cool.

I must admit that I was a bit taken back by how stereotypically Sadie behaved sometimes, and I also felt that the characters were not terribly kind to one of the characters who was losing his mind. Still, I really enjoyed reading The Throne of Fire and would recommend it to anyone. Readers of all ages would like the book because it is not very scary or inappropriate.

The Throne of Fire is the second book of a trilogy, so the ending does require / make you want to read the next and last book in the Kane Chronicles series. I look forward to reading and reviewing that next.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 95%.

Marshmallow rates The Throne of Fire (Book Two of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan 95%. — Marshmallow rates *The Throne of Fire* (Book Two of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan 95%.

Marshmallow reviews The Red Pyramid (Book One of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan

Marshmallow is an avid reader and Rick Riordan is one of her favorite authors. She has read and reviewed several series by Riordan. Today she finally starts talking about The Kane Chronicles, Riordan’s books about the Egyptian mythologies. Below you will find her thoughts on The Red Pyramid, first published in 2010.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like books about Egyptian mythology or have enjoyed reading some of Rick Riordan’s other books, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): Since his mother’s death, Carter Kane has traveled the world with his father. His father, a famous Egyptologist, got custody for Carter, but Carter’s younger sister, Sadie, was given to their maternal grandparents in London. Sadie and Carter are not particularly close, despite the fact that they are siblings. Given their strikingly different personalities (Carter is more reserved, quiet, and cautious, whereas Sadie is more outgoing, rebellious, and impulsive), different accents (Sadie has a British accent), and dissimilar appearances, most people would not assume that they are siblings.

Every year, Carter and his father are given a day to visit Sadie. On the day Carter and their dad visit Sadie, they go to the British Museum and their father releases several ancient Egyptian gods that were trapped in the Rosetta Stone. From there on, Carter and Sadie’s already-complicated lives get more complicated. The father is kidnapped by the evil, chaotic god, Set. Then Sadie and Carter are rescued by their uncle Amos, who they haven’t seen for many years. He takes them to a house in Brooklyn. (Yes, they were in London, but their uncle has magical abilities.) There, Carter and Sadie learn that they are descended from a line of magicians.

Eventually, they must flee Amos’s house and escape to Cairo, the first nome of the House of Life. As it turns out, Sadie and Carter’s dad did something illegal (in the House of Life) when he summoned the gods as gods are banned from the House of Life. In the House of Life, Carter and Sadie find new friends and new enemies. Sadie and Carter are trained to do magic by magician and scribe Zia Rashid (Carter’s new love interest). Unfortunately, Set plans to take over the world, bring chaos, and destroy all order. Can Carter and Sadie fight him with newly learned magic and prevent him from bringing about the end of the world?

Marshmallow is reading The Red Pyramid (Book One of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan. — Marshmallow is reading *The Red Pyramid* (Book One of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan.

Marshmallow’s Review: I really enjoyed reading The Red Pyramid and would highly recommend it to any and all people who liked any or all of Rick Riordan’s previous books. The writing style and narrative is the same: funny, fresh voice that we know and love from his Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, Trials of Apollo, and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series.

I really liked the characters and the interactions between them all. It was interesting to see the characters grappling with, not only impending doom and ancient Egyptian gods, but also losing family members and dealing with crushes. The emotions and thoughts portrayed in the book made the characters feel more real and more relatable.

The Red Pyramid is written as if it were an actual audio recording by Carter and Sadie. The book opens with Sadie and Carter instructing the reader to open a locker; this is explained later in the book.

Fair warning: The Red Pyramid is the first book in the Kane Chronicles trilogy, and if you read this, you will likely want to read the other books. The end reveals new information and promises a continuation of the plot. Some narrative threads are left unfinished, and it is clear that this is not the end of the story. I am really looking forward to reading and reviewing the other two Kane Chronicles books.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates The Red Pyramid (Book One of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan 100%. — Marshmallow rates *The Red Pyramid* (Book One of The Kane Chronicles series) by Rick Riordan 100%.

Caramel reviews Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

Last year, Caramel grabbed a book from Marshmallow’s reading pile, as all little brothers do, and did not stop reading until he was done with it. We published his review of Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao in December 2022. While he is eagerly awaiting the sequel to that book, he was excited to find a different book by the same author this week: Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. Today he is talking about this book originally published in 2022. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, I know you really liked Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao, and you are eagerly waiting for its sequel, Heavenly Tyrant. But apparently that book won’t come out till next year. So in the meantime I thought you might enjoy this book by the same author. Was I right?

Caramel: Yes. I really liked Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. And the two books are actually kind of related. They both have a character named Wu Zetian, who just happens to be the first female emperor of China.

S: But Iron Widow was a story that took place in a different planet.

C: And probably in the future. Yes.

S: How about this one?

C: This one is in our world. But it is also a bit in the future. They have full-blown virtual reality, a lot more advanced than what we have today.

S: I see. So they are not related in terms of narrative, but more in that they are both related to Chinese history and mythology, right?

C: Yes. But also they are both written from the point of view of their main characters. I mean, Iron Widow is written in first person, and we see everything from her perspective. This book is not in first person, but still we see everything from the perspective of the main character.

S: Cool. Tell me about this main character.

C: The main character is a boy named Zachary. He is of Chinese origin and is trying to learn about his Chinese heritage. And then the spirit of Qin Shi Huang, the first Chinese emperor, tries to take him over.

S: Wait. That is strange! You said, “tries”, so does he succeed?

C: No. Instead he takes over Zachary’s VR headset. Which is very helpful when Zachary has enough of him and doesn’t want to talk to him anymore. He can just take the headset off.

S: That is funny!

C: Yep. But it also looks kind of suspicious, him walking around with his VR headset in public.

S: Yes, I can see that would be weird. So what else can you tell us about the story?

C: There are two other kids taken over by two other spirits — one of the spirits is Wu Zetian’s — and the three of them go on a quest of sorts. And lots of things happen then. Lots of dangerous things. His mom’s spirit is stolen, for example.

Caramel is reading Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao. — Caramel is reading *Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor* by Xiran Jay Zhao.

S: Okay, so maybe we can stop there with the plot because we are getting too close to giving away too much. What else do you want to tell me about the book?

C: Well, Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor is apparently the first of another series! Because the book ends with a cliffhanger!

S: Oh, and I know you do not like those.

C: No, I don’t.

S: But at least is the main quest of the book accomplished?

C: I guess, more or less, yes and no.

S: So some things are resolved and some not?

C: True.

S: Hmm, did you like the book then? Was it still a satisfying read? Do you want to read the next one?

C: Yes. Yes. And yes.

S: Did you think Zachary was a likeable character?

C: Yes. He is really shocked and confused when his VR headset starts to talk to him. I think that is very realistic.

S: Yes, I agree. It would be really weird if my headset started to give me commands and tell me they are the spirit of a long-gone Chinese emperor.

C: You are not Chinese, so probably it would not happen to your headset.

S: That’s right. But think about your watch being taken over by the spirit of a long-gone historic figure, for example. It could talk to you and give you commands, wouldn’t it be weird?

C: Absolutely.

S: Okay, so what three words would you use to describe this book?

C: Exciting, adventure, mythological.

S. Those work! Okay, then, as we are wrapping up this review, what do you want to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao and recommends it for all bunnies young and old. — Caramel enjoyed reading *Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor* by Xiran Jay Zhao and recommends it for all bunnies young and old.

Marshmallow reviews The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary by Media Lab Books

Today Marshmallow goes back into the world of Harry Potter and writes about a 2021 book about its many fascinating creatures: The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary: MuggleNet’s Complete Guide to the Fantastic Creatures of the Wizarding World, published by Media Lab Books.

Marshmallow reviews The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary: MuggleNet's Complete Guide to the Fantastic Creatures of the Wizarding World by Media Lab Books. — Marshmallow reviews *The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary: MuggleNet’s Complete Guide to the Fantastic Creatures of the Wizarding World* by Media Lab Books.

Marshmallow’s Quick Take: If you like the wonderful world of Harry Potter or reading about magical creatures, then this might be the book for you.

Marshmallow’s Summary (with Spoilers): The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary is a full A to Z guide to all the magical animals and creatures in the Harry Potter Wizarding World. Similar in format to The Unofficial Ultimate Harry Potter Spellbook, which I reviewed earlier, this book includes detailed information on pretty much every magical creature or animal ever seen or mentioned in the Harry Potter universe, with citations of where and when it was seen or mentioned.

This book also has information about unnamed mundane creatures, enchanted animal candy, house mascots, known animagi and their animal forms, Patronuses and their known shapes, the finer points of potion ingredients, Quidditch critters by team, transfiguration spells with animals, and Luna Lovegood’s magical menagerie.

Marshmallow is reading The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary: MuggleNet's Complete Guide to the Fantastic Creatures of the Wizarding World by Media Lab Books. — Marshmallow is reading *The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary: MuggleNet’s Complete Guide to the Fantastic Creatures of the Wizarding World* by Media Lab Books.

Marshmallow’s Review: If you enjoyed reading any of the Wizarding World books written by J.K. Rowling, then this book will make a great addition to your knowledge base. Size and notable features of, and fun facts about all sorts of magical creatures make this a must-have for Harry Potter fans. A handy table of contents in the beginning makes the book easy to navigate and allows you to flip to whichever page you need. Stories about Muggle perceptions and notable members of each species make this a great read for any and all interested in delving deeper into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

While Newt Scamander’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a great book to read, too, The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary furthers the world of Harry Potter with extra fun facts. If I were to compare Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary, I would say that Newt Scamander’s is more of a field guide for wizards and witches, whereas, The Bestiary is more for Muggles interested in learning about magical creatures. The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary goes more into depth with information, not only about magi-zoology (but there certainly is a lot about it too!), but also about animals and creatures in the entirety of the Wizarding World, such as Patronuses, Animagi, and enchanted animal candy. The Unofficial Harry Potter Beastiary also has more information about each species, mentioning notable members of each species and going into how Muggles incorporated some magical creatures into myths, legends, and stories.

This book is appropriate for all ages and is a great read for all, although having read the Harry Potter books before or planning on reading them would be a good idea. I, being a huge Harry Potter fan, loved reading this book and would definitely recommend it to all bunnies great and small.

Marshmallow’s Rating: 100%.

Marshmallow rates The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary: MuggleNet's Complete Guide to the Fantastic Creatures of the Wizarding World by Media Lab Books 100%. — Marshmallow rates *The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary: MuggleNet’s Complete Guide to the Fantastic Creatures of the Wizarding World* by Media Lab Books 100%.