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hailey_miller's review
5.0
I picked this up on a whim and liked it. It kept my attention, but it also gave me time to breathe. Ancient Egypt has always been interesting to me, so I certainly had expectations, and those expectations were met. It was meant for a slightly younger audience, but I still liked it. I loved the slight similarity to Magic Treehouse, which I loved when I was little.
I would definitely recommend this to someone who is starting to grow out of the "Magic Treehouse" books. Also for fans of "Percy Jackson" and "The Kane Chronicles." And recommended for people who love both history and fantasy. Roughly ages 7-11, I’d say, but I read it being older and liked it.
I would definitely recommend this to someone who is starting to grow out of the "Magic Treehouse" books. Also for fans of "Percy Jackson" and "The Kane Chronicles." And recommended for people who love both history and fantasy. Roughly ages 7-11, I’d say, but I read it being older and liked it.
cre8tivebeauty's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
katevaliant's review against another edition
3.0
I reviewed an ARC of this for review.
John and his sister Sarah are moving from Colorado to Maryland. Sarah is excited, John isn’t. When they go on their last family hike in the wilderness of Colorado, the siblings decide to explore a cave they find. They discover the cave is no ordinary cave when it transports them to ancient Egypt. They quickly make a new friend, Zack, who helps show them the ropes of living in Egypt and working on the pyramids. John also discovers that just like him, Zack is nervous about an upcoming move. When vandalism delays the building of a pyramid, the siblings set out to discover the truth behind the delay while John learns to come to terms with leaving Colorado.
The siblings had an interesting dynamic with Sarah being the one eager to push forward while John is more cautious. The ancient Egypt setting will also appeal to fans of Egypt since this explores the setting and culture of ancient Egypt. I was a big fan of the Magic Treehouse series and this did feel reminiscent of the way that series explored history, making it great for young history lovers. The fear and anger at moving is also something that is easily relatable for kids struggling with a recent or upcoming move. As this story shows, a fear of moving isn’t new at all. There are also a few lessons hidden within the story.
While I was excited for the ancient setting and curious to see how the sibling dynamic continued to play out, the plot sometimes lacked tension and direction as the book focused on teaching the reader about ancient Egypt and how different it is from today. At times I wasn’t sure where the plot was heading or the plot seemed to stall altogether. Then once the plot picked back up everything happened very fast. The resolution surrounding the villain also felt disappointing. Overall I would have enjoyed a tighter plot and pacing.
John and his sister Sarah are moving from Colorado to Maryland. Sarah is excited, John isn’t. When they go on their last family hike in the wilderness of Colorado, the siblings decide to explore a cave they find. They discover the cave is no ordinary cave when it transports them to ancient Egypt. They quickly make a new friend, Zack, who helps show them the ropes of living in Egypt and working on the pyramids. John also discovers that just like him, Zack is nervous about an upcoming move. When vandalism delays the building of a pyramid, the siblings set out to discover the truth behind the delay while John learns to come to terms with leaving Colorado.
The siblings had an interesting dynamic with Sarah being the one eager to push forward while John is more cautious. The ancient Egypt setting will also appeal to fans of Egypt since this explores the setting and culture of ancient Egypt. I was a big fan of the Magic Treehouse series and this did feel reminiscent of the way that series explored history, making it great for young history lovers. The fear and anger at moving is also something that is easily relatable for kids struggling with a recent or upcoming move. As this story shows, a fear of moving isn’t new at all. There are also a few lessons hidden within the story.
While I was excited for the ancient setting and curious to see how the sibling dynamic continued to play out, the plot sometimes lacked tension and direction as the book focused on teaching the reader about ancient Egypt and how different it is from today. At times I wasn’t sure where the plot was heading or the plot seemed to stall altogether. Then once the plot picked back up everything happened very fast. The resolution surrounding the villain also felt disappointing. Overall I would have enjoyed a tighter plot and pacing.
karen_the_baroness's review against another edition
5.0
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner is a captivating tale about two siblings who find a cave that has a portal to Ancient Egypt.
John and Sarah are the main characters in this adventure. He is the youngest sibling at ten years old and she is the oldest at twelve years old. It is the start of summer vacation and around their last few days in Colorado. They live in Maryland. John will be starting fifth grade and Sarah will be starting seventh grade. Sarah wants to explore the cave that transports them to Ancient Egypt and she wants to stay there. John doesn't want to do either.
What I like about John is that he is the responsible one, who doesn't like doing things they shouldn't. I think it's cool that he likes to cook. What I like about Sarah is that she reminded me of me when I was that age, wanting to explore things likes that. I also love that she likes Egypt. Sarah and John are pretty cool kids that learned a lot on this adventure.
Mr. Gartner has written a book that reminds me so much of the Magic Treehouse series books that I used to read when I was little. It has adventure, mystery, and a new way to look at history. I was so engrossed in this novel from the first time I picked it up until I had to make myself stop reading last night to get some sleep. Therefore, this book is getting five stars and a huge recommendation.
Don't forget to check out the recipe called Tilapia Barley Stew that John and Sarah had with not only the Ancient Egyptians but also their parents.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
Finding a way to Ancient Egypt, helping to build a pyramid, and someone beheading statues? Will John and Sarah figure it out?
John and Sarah
John and Sarah are the main characters in this adventure. He is the youngest sibling at ten years old and she is the oldest at twelve years old. It is the start of summer vacation and around their last few days in Colorado. They live in Maryland. John will be starting fifth grade and Sarah will be starting seventh grade. Sarah wants to explore the cave that transports them to Ancient Egypt and she wants to stay there. John doesn't want to do either.
What I like about John is that he is the responsible one, who doesn't like doing things they shouldn't. I think it's cool that he likes to cook. What I like about Sarah is that she reminded me of me when I was that age, wanting to explore things likes that. I also love that she likes Egypt. Sarah and John are pretty cool kids that learned a lot on this adventure.
Five Stars for The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner
Mr. Gartner has written a book that reminds me so much of the Magic Treehouse series books that I used to read when I was little. It has adventure, mystery, and a new way to look at history. I was so engrossed in this novel from the first time I picked it up until I had to make myself stop reading last night to get some sleep. Therefore, this book is getting five stars and a huge recommendation.
Don't forget to check out the recipe called Tilapia Barley Stew that John and Sarah had with not only the Ancient Egyptians but also their parents.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
writingwwolves's review against another edition
4.0
I read this story in one sitting (& late into the night) & completely fell in love with Ben Gartner’s writing. I loved the strong female characters in the story, especially because the sisters often took charge of their brothers! The plot was your typical time travel MG adventure but felt unique & fresh, with the chosen era & twist at the end. I also really appreciated the good family bonds in the story, as a lot of MG (& YA) stories either don’t include parents at all or make them careless - there was lots of love & support in this story, which was lovely. This was a brilliant debut & I can’t wait for more from Ben (& his children)!
I was sent a digital copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.
Extended Review to follow.
I was sent a digital copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.
Extended Review to follow.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
This is a lower middle grade portal fantasy, perfect for readers who have aged out of The Magic Tree House chapter books but aren't quite yet ready for the high-stakes intensity, plot sophistication or sheer number of pages of the Sadie and Carter Kane Red Pyramid series.
Brother and sister John and Sarah are about to move away from Colorado across the US to the northeast. They go on one last hike with their parents and discover a "cave" where there wasn't one before. Sarah goes inside, John following reluctantly, through a sound-dampening corridor and finds a symbol (the Eye of Ra) carved into the stone. She traces it. There's a pop of light, and the kids exit in ancient Egypt, during pyramid architect Imhotep's time.
They quickly encounter a young boy, Zachariah, who is none other than Imhotep' son. Zach's parents take the siblings in, and with Zach, they learn all about how the pyramids were constructed.
But Imhotep is on a tight schedule, and someone steals the bust, or head, of a vital statue. John and Sarah suspect Zach for a bit, but it soon becomes clear someone else is using the portal to spirit away artifacts from inside the Pharoah's almost-finished tomb.
I won't spoil how it ends; it's a quick read and a lot of fun for summer reading!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Brother and sister John and Sarah are about to move away from Colorado across the US to the northeast. They go on one last hike with their parents and discover a "cave" where there wasn't one before. Sarah goes inside, John following reluctantly, through a sound-dampening corridor and finds a symbol (the Eye of Ra) carved into the stone. She traces it. There's a pop of light, and the kids exit in ancient Egypt, during pyramid architect Imhotep's time.
They quickly encounter a young boy, Zachariah, who is none other than Imhotep' son. Zach's parents take the siblings in, and with Zach, they learn all about how the pyramids were constructed.
But Imhotep is on a tight schedule, and someone steals the bust, or head, of a vital statue. John and Sarah suspect Zach for a bit, but it soon becomes clear someone else is using the portal to spirit away artifacts from inside the Pharoah's almost-finished tomb.
I won't spoil how it ends; it's a quick read and a lot of fun for summer reading!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
jlynnelseauthor's review against another edition
2.0
During a hike in the Colorado mountains, John and Sarah find a cave with a strange marking carved inside. When Sarah traces its outline, the siblings are transported to ancient Egypt during the time of King Djoser. They meet the son of Imhotep. Soon, it’s discovered there’s a thief at the pyramid site. Someone is stealing the heads of statues. Can Sarah and John help catch the culprit and find a way home at the same time?
Starting their journey, Sarah and John emerge from the Step Pyramid. However, the structure isn’t well-described. The main characters just keep muttering “pyramid” over and over. The Step Pyramid looks a lot different than the Giza pyramids, so it’s confusing why the siblings didn’t comment on that fact to help center the reader in space (especially since the cover shows a Giza-like pyramid). There are incorrect references that stand out. Imhotep’s wife says, “Money comes and goes.” Ancient Egyptians didn’t use money. It was a barter system, and John’s reference to “cash” wouldn’t have made sense to the Egyptians. Moreover, Imhotep’s son explains how to play Senet by rolling “dice.” They used two-sided casting sticks, not dice.
Plot-wise, the magical means that transports two Colorado teens to ancient Egypt is never plausibly explained. Are these magic symbols all over the world or just that one particular cave? Additionally, the thief thread is too easily resolved. It feels haphazardly thrown in to add intrigue and falls flat.
There are enjoyable characters Sarah and John meet. Furthermore, I appreciated how Gartner explored and developed John’s feelings about his family moving away from Colorado. In the end, though, this book comes up sadly short. While some things are well-researched, many details were missed and weighed down my enjoyment of this time-traveling adventure.
Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-eye-of-ra/
Starting their journey, Sarah and John emerge from the Step Pyramid. However, the structure isn’t well-described. The main characters just keep muttering “pyramid” over and over. The Step Pyramid looks a lot different than the Giza pyramids, so it’s confusing why the siblings didn’t comment on that fact to help center the reader in space (especially since the cover shows a Giza-like pyramid). There are incorrect references that stand out. Imhotep’s wife says, “Money comes and goes.” Ancient Egyptians didn’t use money. It was a barter system, and John’s reference to “cash” wouldn’t have made sense to the Egyptians. Moreover, Imhotep’s son explains how to play Senet by rolling “dice.” They used two-sided casting sticks, not dice.
Plot-wise, the magical means that transports two Colorado teens to ancient Egypt is never plausibly explained. Are these magic symbols all over the world or just that one particular cave? Additionally, the thief thread is too easily resolved. It feels haphazardly thrown in to add intrigue and falls flat.
There are enjoyable characters Sarah and John meet. Furthermore, I appreciated how Gartner explored and developed John’s feelings about his family moving away from Colorado. In the end, though, this book comes up sadly short. While some things are well-researched, many details were missed and weighed down my enjoyment of this time-traveling adventure.
Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-eye-of-ra/
briarrose1021's review against another edition
5.0
Sarah and John live in Colorado - for now. Having just finished another school year, the siblings are now facing down a cross-country move to Maryland for their dad's new job, and while Sarah is excited about the move since it will give her the chance to have all sorts of new experiences, John is much less excited about the prospect.
The two siblings are out on a family hike one evening when Sarah spots a cave just off the trail. Taking off into the cave without a thought to anything - or anyone - else, Sarah soon disappears into the darkness. Faced with the choice of leaving Sarah alone while he goes to get their parents or going into the unknown - and potentially very scary - cave after Sarah, John ends up doing just that. When he finally catches up with Sarah at a dead end, the two discover carvings that look like Egyptian hieroglyphics. It's when Sarah traces the eye of Ra, which is then followed by a bright flash of light, that their adventure really begins because when they walk back out of the cave, it's not into the forests of Colorado but the rolling dunes of the Egyptian desert near the ancient city of Saqqara.
This was a fun adventure to read, and I really liked the details of what life at that time would have been like. The way the story was centered around the final weeks of construction of Djoser's temple with the inclusion of individuals that are known to history, as well as other individuals who are not, was also really cool. And I had to laugh at the parallels of John's struggle with his family's impending move to Maryland and Zack's struggling with his family's impending move across the Nile.
Though this was a relatively short novel, the pacing of the story was really good, and I definitely liked how it ended. While I know that there are sequels to this book that follow Sarah and John, I wonder if there will also be books that follow the siblings introduced in the epilogue. I think it would be neat to see what kind of trouble those two get up to as well.
All in all, this is definitely a fun read for kids of all ages and for adults who still feel like kids at heart.
The two siblings are out on a family hike one evening when Sarah spots a cave just off the trail. Taking off into the cave without a thought to anything - or anyone - else, Sarah soon disappears into the darkness. Faced with the choice of leaving Sarah alone while he goes to get their parents or going into the unknown - and potentially very scary - cave after Sarah, John ends up doing just that. When he finally catches up with Sarah at a dead end, the two discover carvings that look like Egyptian hieroglyphics. It's when Sarah traces the eye of Ra, which is then followed by a bright flash of light, that their adventure really begins because when they walk back out of the cave, it's not into the forests of Colorado but the rolling dunes of the Egyptian desert near the ancient city of Saqqara.
This was a fun adventure to read, and I really liked the details of what life at that time would have been like. The way the story was centered around the final weeks of construction of Djoser's temple with the inclusion of individuals that are known to history, as well as other individuals who are not, was also really cool. And I had to laugh at the parallels of John's struggle with his family's impending move to Maryland and Zack's struggling with his family's impending move across the Nile.
Though this was a relatively short novel, the pacing of the story was really good, and I definitely liked how it ended. While I know that there are sequels to this book that follow Sarah and John, I wonder if there will also be books that follow the siblings introduced in the epilogue. I think it would be neat to see what kind of trouble those two get up to as well.
All in all, this is definitely a fun read for kids of all ages and for adults who still feel like kids at heart.
fleurdefryc's review
5.0
I loved this book! Portals to ancient Egypt, and mysterious thief connected with a pyramid. Loved the brother and sister relationship dynamic as they travelled back in time. This story is a fun way for kids to learn about ancient Egypt. It was fantastic!
sylphrena's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5