Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow by James Rollins
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Sep.04, 2011, under Adventure, Fantasy, Legend, Sam's Reviews, YRCA
Who would like this book? Fans of Indiana Jones-type action-adventure, both guys and girls, would like this book. Grades five and up.
Why? Jake, a studious 8th grader, and his popular older sister Kady, have been missing their parents for three years. Their parents, archaeologists studying ancient Maya civilization, disappeared without a trace, but left Jake and Kady with two halves of an ancient Mayan gold coin. When Jake and Kady are invited to a special exhibit at the British Museum, Jake finds a hole in the side of a solid gold pyramid. His urge to uncover clues about his parents motivates him to place the coin into the hole which causes an explosion that transports Jake and Kady into another world. They find themselves in a mythical land called Calypsos that is inhabited by dinosaurs and people from a variety of ancient civilizations. It doesn’t take long for the two to become embroiled in the plight of the people against an evil alchemist called the Skull King. The plot drags when they first get to Calypsos and the mystery of their parents is never resolved, but Jake’s ingenuity and his friendships with his new friends Pindor and Marika move the events along and make the book worthwhile. There’s plenty of riveting action and also insight into ancient Mayan culture.
397 p. 2009 Review by Samrarian
A 2012 YRCA nominee
