The Red Pyramid - your views and thoughts - SPOILER ALERT!

From Rick's MYTH AND MYSTERY BLOG TODAY---

Thursday, May 13, 2010


Texas Bound



I'm excited to be heading back to Texas today for the last leg of the tour!

On Wednesday I was in Chicago for a signing with Anderson's Books in Downers Grove. The event was in the Tivoli Theater, which I'm told was the second theater in the US to show talking motion pictures. The old theater was beautiful restored by a family who lived upstairs, and it is quite a showplace. 800+ people showed up. We had a guy playing the organ on stage to warm up the crowd. The organ even sank below the stage when he finished. Phantom of the Opera, anyone? Popcorn was available, which brought me back to my days as a teen, volunteering at the local melodrama theater, though fortunately no one threw any popcorn at me or booed. After my talk, the theater showed Abbott & Costello Meets the Mummy while I signed books in the lobby. One girl was so in awe of the theater she said, "I think Annabeth could've designed this place." I agree! Thanks to Kathleen and the rest of the Anderson's staff for a great event.
Now I'm off to Dallas for a signing at the Southlake Barnes & Noble. It's my first appearance in the DFW area in several years, and I'm so glad to be coming back! The Dallas Morning News ran a nice interview with me today. The columnist I spoke with is Tyra Damm, so if you want to check out the Damm article, please do! (Sorry, Percy fans. You know I couldn't resist.)

Today's DALLAS NEWS -- Interview with Rick Riordan -- "Check out the DAMM article. Sorry, Percy fans. I couldn't resist!" by Rick


Percy Jackson's creator: Children need time to read

12:00 AM CDT on Thursday, May 13, 2010
TYRA DAMM

Our home is filled with books. There's not a room that doesn't have at least a couple of constantly growing and shuffled stacks. At the top of many of those piles is my son's favorite author, Rick Riordan.
The San Antonio dad and veteran teacher created the enormously popular Percy Jackson series, featuring the heroics of the adolescent son of Poseidon and his demigod friends. Riordan has also created the Kane Chronicles, a trilogy of ancient Egyptian-inspired novels beginning with The Red Pyramid (released last week).
Riordan is returning to the Dallas area for the first time in years today to sign copies of his novels. I visited with him by phone for a few minutes this week before his Chicago appearance. Excerpts are below.
Of all the books you've written, which is your favorite? Do you have a favorite character?
It's hard to say, like saying you have a favorite child. It's hard to pick one. I'm very fond of The Red Pyramid and The Lost Hero (part of the new Heroes of Olympus series, to be released Oct. 12).
In The Red Pyramid, I'm fond of Bast, the goddess of cats, and in the Percy Jackson series, Tyson the cyclops. He's just funny.
Your books inspire children to learn more about mythology and other subjects. Was that part of your plan as you continued writing novels?
It's an extension of my years as a classroom teacher. If you get the kids having fun and get them excited, hopefully they aren't even aware that they are learning. If you make it fun for them to read, it's a subversive kind of teaching.
In a time when standardized achievement tests are so important, when kids are rewarded for filling in the right bubble, what suggestions do you have for parents who want to encourage and reward creative thinking as well?
I know that's something that frustrates teachers and frustrates parents. Trying to dilute education to A, B, C, D or E really is a huge disservice to our children. The most important thing we can do as parents is make sure we're providing a structured reading time at home. We need to model reading.
A lot of families, my family included, have a reading time. We all spend an hour a day reading. That's the family expectation. It's just a great gift.
How do you make time in a busy family of four for everyone to read for one hour a day?
We make it a priority. We make sure they aren't overscheduled and that there is a lot of down time. Kids in general are so structured these days. They don't have the free time they once did to solve problems and be creative.
You've written and spoken often about your older son's learning challenges, and your character Percy Jackson has ADHD and dyslexia. What advice and encouragement do you give parents and children with learning disabilities?
For us, with Haley's dyslexia and ADHD, finding out what was going on was half the battle. It really is the way he's wired. Once you understand that, you can find tactics that work in the classroom.
Now he's a great reader. He's writing his own novels.
There's always hope. I think it's important for parents to remember that kids with learning differences tend to grow up to be incredibly creative thinkers because they have to.
Tyra Damm is a Briefing columnist. E-mail her at tyradamm@gmail.com.

awesome! i wish we had a hour-reading time in my family, i hope that rick comes over here, too. -sigh

LA, LA, LA ... I'm so happy my favorite characters are Rick's too! Bast Tyson

Posidonsdaughter wrote:LA, LA, LA ... I'm so happy my favorite characters are Rick's too! Bast Tyson

I liked iskander best in TRP even though we only saw him in 3/4 chapters.

Yeaha was a good guy. I think we'll see him again as a Ba.

Posidonsdaughter wrote:Yeaha was a good guy. I think we'll see him again as a Ba.

We already did at the second gate to the underworld.

Forgot was sleepy through much of the book.

Posidonsdaughter wrote:Forgot was sleepy through much of the book.

I read it through the night and fell asleep in class the next day.

Teachers really love that!

Posidonsdaughter wrote:Teachers really love that!

Got in so much trouble cause I fell asleep quite a few times.

OUCH! Did they tell your parents?

Posidonsdaughter wrote:OUCH! Did they tell your parents?

No, but my parents would've understood, they were up all night reading their copy of TRP too,

o wow, my parents don't even read books like that. they went to see the lightning thief movie and that's about it. They tried reading the books, but it didn't work out. i'm ganna get them to read TRP.

**I just finished TRP yesterday!!! im counfused: what is the package that they hid in the locker??

News‎ > ‎

RICK RIORDAN ON CANADIAN TV
posted
"May 15, 2010 7:24 PM",2 hours ago by SuzanneK

Rick Riordan while on his The Red Pyramid launch tour was interviewed in Tornoto by Canadian Television. It is a nice interview, gives new insight to why Rick writes, but doesn't give any hints to The Lost Olympian.CTV/INTERVIEW Rick Riordan casts a new spell with 'The Red Pyramid' More on this topic Rick Riordan's site Excerpt from 'The Red Pyramid' Watch: Rick Riordan on Canada AM Constance Droganes, entertainment writer, CTV.ca Date: Saturday May. 15, 2010 7:23 AM ET Move over Percy Jackson! Rick Riordan has a scrappy new brother-sister duo horning in on Jackson's turf in "The Red Pyramid." What a fabulous job these teen heroes do of it. After they accidentally blow up the British Museum on Christmas Eve, siblings Sadie, 12, and Carter Kane, 14, duke it out with mythical forces from ancient Egypt. They wield godly powers they never knew they had. And when these plucky teens aren't racing through time dimensions trying to save their archeologist dad, they're battling evil deities bent on destroying mankind. That's just before tea time! "Mythology has endured for millions of years for a reason. That notion excites me," Riordan, 45, told CTV.ca. That same passion is shared by millions of children today, who credit Riordan for turning them on to the rollicking allure of the ancient world of the gods. "I cannot tell you what it means to me when I see kids passing around my books, or to hear parents, teachers and librarians say that I made these children interested in mythology. That's real success," says the San Antonio native. Riordan's own love affair with mythology began while teaching grades 6, 7 and 8 students in Texas. "To be honest, I wrote Percy Jackson for my son. But even when I started writing, I always remembered my students' reactions in my mythology classes," says Riordan. "These kids were fired up. They were really, really interested. I knew I was on to something," says the New York Times best-selling author. Since the debut of 2005's "The Lightning Thief," Riordan's masterful blend of history, mythology and modern teenage angst has hit the mark with readers and critics. Thanks to Percy Jackson Riordan landed the opportunity to develop the 10 books in Scholastic's series, "The 39 Clues." Percy Jackson scored Riordan a movie deal and a 2008 Mark Twain Award. If "The Red Pyramid (the first instalment in Riordan's new series, "The Kane Chronicles") does the same it will not be surprising. Dropped into book stores in May, Riordan puts the same fast-paced adventure formula at work here. British schoolgirl Sadie and her American brother Carter teleport from London to Cairo, Paris and beyond. Stumbling into adventures that would curl King Tut's hair, these unwitting heroes jab at one another with wry, believable glee. We need no ancient oracle to predict that these thrill-seekers will soon be getting a call from Hollywood. "I have never tried to give kids overt messages in my books, this one included. But I do hope my work raises a lot of questions," says Riordan. "There are so many issues raised in ‘The Red Pyramid' that teens struggle with: family troubles, loyalty issues, finding one's identity," says Riordan. "But the real question here is ‘What would I do if I were in these kid's shoes?' That's when you see real heroism spring to life."

Wait there was a CTV interview??? I watch it every night though, how could I have missed it?

Introducing the Kane Chronicles
CNN INTERVIEW PIECE DONE AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM 5/3. Push link to see video. Vetting explained

May 14, 2010 | New York, New York |


Posted by:
SynapticDigi
CNN producer note

Introducing the Kane Chronicles
Best Selling Author Rick Riordan Launches New Fantasy Book Series

Can lightning strike twice for best–selling author Rick Riordan? The creator of the blockbuster Percy Jackson & the Olympians introduced readers to his new series, The Kane Chronicles, in the world renowned Egyptian wing of the Brooklyn Museum. The eagerly-awaited new series launched with a one million first printing of The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid. The new fantasy brings ancient Egyptian mythology to life in a vivid modern-day setting. When a magical accident unleashes the Egyptian gods on the modern world, siblings Carter and Sadie Kane discover that they are the only ones who can put things right. Last summer, the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series concluded with its fifth and final installment. The Lightning Thief, the first book in the Percy Jackson series, was made into a feature film that released worldwide in February 2010. To date, the series has sold 15 million copies in the US and is published in 34 countries.



This footage is free for unrestricted use. Broadcasters: please courtesy Disney Publishing.

Oregon Newspaper
'Percy Jackson' author conjures up ancient Egypt, magic for 'Red Pyramid'



Kids' books: Rick Riordan, the author of the popular "Percy Jackson & The Olympians" series has a new book out today. Riordan's "Red Pyramid" mixes action and wisecracking humor with ancient Egypt.

By KAREN MACPHERSON

Scripps Howard News Service



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When author Rick Riordan concluded his wildly popular "Percy Jackson" series last year, his young fans wondered just what he'd write next.
The answer arrives in bookstores Tuesday, as Riordan's newest book, "The Red Pyramid" (Hyperion, $17.99), is released to eager readers. The first of a planned series called "The Kane Chronicles," Riordan's latest novel puts a spotlight on ancient Egypt in much the same way he wove Greek mythology into the "Percy Jackson" series.

And, like the five-book "Percy Jackson"series, "The Red Pyramid" features his reader-friendly mix of short, snappy, action-filled chapters and a boatload of wisecracking humor. Of course, there's also some learning mixed in as Riordan connects readers with the gods and magicians of ancient Egypt, who — in "The Red Pyramid,"at least — are alive and well.

This time, Riordan tells his story through two narrators — mixed-race siblings Carter and Sadie Kane. The two alternate detailing what happened after their father, Julius Kane, blew up the Rosetta Stone and unleashed five Egyptian gods before disappearing himself.
Having two protagonists "was a challenge," Riordan said in a recent telephone interview from his San Antonio home. "I like to push myself and do different things. I didn't want a carbon copy of Percy."
Riordan (pronounced "RY-er-dan") was especially worried about finding the right voice for Sadie.

"But her character really came to me — she was so endearing, so spunky, that she just leapt off the page."
As the story begins, 14-year-old Carter and 12-year-old Sadie hardly know each other. Since their mother's unexplained death several years ago, Sadie's been living with grandparents in England while Carter has traveled the world with his father, an eminent archaeologist.

After their father's disappearance, Carter and Sadie are stunned to learn from their Uncle Amos that they are descended from powerful Egyptian magicians. Despite some inevitable personality clashes and fierce sibling rivalry, Carter and Sadie realize that they've got to team up if they're going to defeat the forces of evil led by the Egyptian god Set.

As a former middle-school teacher, Riordan knew that many kids are enthralled with ancient Egypt.
"There are the pyramids, mummies, curses, hieroglyphics — so much to wrap your mind around," he said.
But kids also tend to know less about it than the Greek mythology featured in the "Percy Jackson" books, said Riordan. As a result, he had to find a way to pack "The Red Pyramid" with facts about ancient Egypt while entertaining his readers.






"I tried to spice it up, to find those nuggets that will capture kids' interest while they learn."
Riordan, 45, did extensive research for "The Red Pyramid." What most amazed him, however, was the fact that apparently no other author had attempted to build a kids' novel around the fact that Egyptian magic "is the oldest school of magic in the world.
"I loved the idea of reinventing magic from the beginning," Riordan said.

He also was happy with the idea of making Sadie and Carter the children of a mixed-race couple; their mother was white and their father was African-American.
"Egypt straddles civilizations — African civilization and Western civilization. I wanted to capture the sense that Egypt is a multicultural society, and that its African culture is part of African-American heritage."

Sadie and Carter's mixed-race heritage also added another emotional layer to the story, Riordan said.
"At a time when kids are searching for their identity, when you add race to it, it's a big challenge,"he said.
At the moment, Riordan sees his new "Kane Chronicles"series as a trilogy, saying: "That's as far as I've taken the story."

Meanwhile, he's also working on a second five-book series, this one featuring a mainstay of the "Percy Jackson"series, Camp Half-Blood. The first book will be published in October.
"I wanted readers to know that I'm not totally abandoning Percy. He's got a big role to play in this book, but I can't say anymore and need to ask readers to be patient."

Riordan says he plans to do one book in each of the new series each year.
"No one is pressuring me to do this, but I didn't want to keep my fans waiting so long. ... Still, they can read a lot faster than I can write!"
Given the huge success of the "Percy Jackson" books, Riordan could well afford a wealthier lifestyle. He's not interested, however.

"We like to keep things simple," said the married father of
two sons, ages 12 and 15. "I didn't become a full-time writer until I was almost 40. So my identity was really shaped before that."
Karen MacPherson

rick is becoming pretty famous now. and im really glad that ego hasn't gotten to him because of his famous-ness

From Rick's Blog Today:

And that's a Wrap!






The Red Pyramid tour has officially come to a close! Thanks to everyone who came out to an event, and to the many of you who are reading the Kane Chronicles. The response from fans has been so positive -- always a relief when I've taken a chance and tried something new. So many times in the last week I've heard, "When is the next Kane book?" That's the best feedback I could ask for!

On Thursday night I had an event at Barnes & Noble Southlake, in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. The store had made 1000 bracelets for the signing, which I'm told sold out in four hours. We also had several hundred more people who showed up and waited in line. Because of the massive turnout, we started the signing early and were able to get through about 1200 folks. Thanks to you all for being so patient. The local TV news came out to a short interview, and two old friends came to say hello: Ken Buley, former drummer in my college rock band (long story) who is now an MD, and Margaret Floyd, my English teacher friend formerly of Saint Mary's Hall, and one of the earliest readers of Percy Jackson. In fact, Margaret is thanked in the acknowledgements of Lightning Thief. I remember after she read the manuscript, back in 2004, she came to my classroom and said, "This is it, Rick. This is your breakout book." I was skeptical at the time, but she was right! Great to see my friends at the signing, and thanks to all the fans who left notes and drawings from me. After the event, a car service drove me back home to San Antonio -- hooray. I got in at 1:30 AM, but it was worth it to be home.

Friday, the rain messed up our plans for a parking lot party at BookPeople in Austin, but we still had a great time inside. As usual, the staff had done an amazing job. They made an Egyptian temple on the second floor, and had magic dueling, face painting, and hieroglyph activities for the kids. Not sure how many folks came through, but it was well over 800. Thanks as always to BookPeople for an event not-to-be-missed.

And finally, yesterday, my homecoming event at La Cantera Barnes & Noble in S.A. marked the end of the tour. You can see the mass of humanity in the photos above. You can't see it very well, but my signing table was guarded by Khufu the baboon, complete with his basketball clothes and a bag of Doritos. LOL! Thanks to my friend Caren Creech, the goddess of CRMs (community relations managers) who as usual brought Ma'at (order) out of chaos and made everything go smoothly. I'm told the staff stopped counting people at 4400. Holy Smokes! I will admit my signing hand finally started going out on me about halfway through the line, after two weeks of events, so I'm glad I can now give it a rest. When the pen starts falling out of your hand because you're too weak to hold it anymore, it's time for a break! Thanks to all the teachers, librarians and kids who came out, and so many parents and grandparents who stood in line for hours for kids who couldn't be there. That is devotion, folks!

Now I'll enjoy a quiet week at home, and it's back to work on Kane Chronicles, book 2. My travels aren't quite done, however. I'll be in New York the week of May 24 for Book Expo, and will doing a 39 Clues event at Huntington Station Barnes & Noble on Long Island on May 24 with my fellow Cahill operatives Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis and Jude Watson. So if you didn't get to attend my earlier event in the New York area, you are welcome to come by!

This summer will be spent writing Kane Chronicles 2 (which will be published spring 2011) but very soon, we will begin gearing up for a fall tour for The Heroes of Olympus. The Lost Hero, published Oct. 12, will return you to the world of Camp Half-Blood with a new cast of characters, and of course an update on the gang from the PJO series as well. More information on that will be revealed soon, so stay tuned.
POSTED BY RICK RIORDAN AT 6:18 AM


At the BN San Antonia event, they stopped counting people at 4400, according to Rick's twitter. Quote: "BN San Antonio event, they stopped counting ppl at 4400! What a way to end tour. Thx to all who attended an event. Off to ice my hand. "
Here's the link to his Twitter

There was a interview with Rick on NPR(National Public Radio)

Here's the article accompanying it:
If you have in your acquaintance a person between the ages of 8 and 14, you've probably seen them reading The Lightning Thief or another book in the Percy Jackson young-adult fantasy series by Rick Riordan.

That series, about an ordinary kid who discovers he's actually half Greek god, ended after five books last year. Riordan hasn't been resting up, though. He's just published the first installment of The Kane Chronicles, a new series inspired by Egyptian mythology.

That first book, The Red Pyramid, introduces brother-sister duo Carter and Sadie Kane — 14 and 12 years old, respectively — who discover that they are related to the Egyptian gods. Riordan tells NPR's Rebecca Roberts that he got the idea for The Kane Chronicles from his readers.

"One thing I've learned is you have to listen to kids," says Riordan, whose own sons are his first editors. "As I toured the country for Percy Jackson, so many young readers said, 'Why don't you do something about Egypt?' As a former classroom teacher myself, I knew that it was a very high-interest subject. So after thinking about it for a few years, I thought it would be wonderful if I could bring those old myths that aren't as well known as the Greek myths into the present, with a Percy Jackson-type spin."

Like Percy, Carter and Sadie are dealing with serious real-world and fantasy issues: They're biracial, orphaned and have recently made that surprising discovery about their heritage. Riordan says it's an experience kids can identify with — except maybe for the part about being half-deity.

"I see this all the time," he says. "Kids are struggling with their identity; they're struggling with how they fit in with their peers. They're struggling with how they fit in with their families and what their relationship to their parents is."

Riordan says he believes placing normal kid issues in a fantasy context resonates for young readers. It's a phenomenon that perhaps wasn't truly appreciated until J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter exploded onto the scene — an event that Riordan credits with changing the world of young adult literature.

"Harry Potter opened so many doors for young adult literature," he says. "It really did convince the publishing industry that writing for children was a viable enterprise. And it also convinced a lot of people that kids will read if we give them books that they care about and love."

A more developed young-adult publishing industry means a better selection of young-adult literature — which, Riordan says, is important when it comes to encouraging kids to read.

"Every child is different," he says. "I think it's important that we don't have maybe just one or two books that we're recommending to all children — but rather we cater the books to fit each individual child."

Still, Riordan doesn't worry about the state of kids and books these days.

"I think children love reading, and they will make time for it if we put the right books into their hands," he says. "And I hope I get the chance to keep being one of the people that writes them."

This is a review I did on TRP on another blog.

Suzanne
This book is excellent, and good for children 8 and up. THE MAGIC Rick used in creating the Percy series has returned and ripened into a Nile lotus. At times it feels like a Percy story. However with efficiently using dual narrative we are treated to hearing the story in two voices, that of the level headed and reserve Carter, and the British spitfire Sadie. They are very different and estranged due to family tragedy, but the circumstances of the story redevelop their relationship which had been nonexistant for 6 years. The story Rick has weaved is exciting, complex, and surprising.The action is consistant and compeling. It is a quick course of Egyptology 101, without being overwhelming. The development of the characters is much stronger than in the Percy series and includes a significant personal crisis. The conclusion is extremely satisfiying for a book that is the beginning of a trilogy. Yet it opens many doors for the future and leaves the reader looking forward to the second book without feeling you have been left with a cliffhanger.

Here's a user generated rating: So at Good Reads based on 354 ratings it currently scores 4.34 out of 5.

Abstract Description from WorldCat : After their father's research experiment at the British Museum unleashes the Egyptian god Set, Carter and Sadie Kane embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest which brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

The Red Pyramid is Currently 13th on the Amazon.ca bestseller list(As of Friday Morning):

Bestsellers
The Ottawa Citizen May 16, 2010 The top 20 most popular books

on Amazon Canada (as of Friday morning).

1. Women Food and God

by Geneen Roth

2. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

3. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

4. The Book Of Awesome

by Neil Pasricha

5. Dead In The Family

by Charlaine Harris

6. The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada by Marci McDonald

7. Breaking Free of Emotional

Eating by Geneen Roth

8. Savor The Moment

by Nora Roberts

9. Secret Daughter

by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

10. Heart of the Matter

by Emily Giffin

11. Three Cups Of Tea

by Greg Mortenson

12. The Big Short by Michael Lewis

13. The Red Pyramid

by Rick Riordan


Read more at Ottawa Citizen

On Amazon.com The Red Pyramid ranks 11th:

Bestsellers in Books
Any Category > Books (Updated hourly)


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11. Ranking has gone down in the past 24 hours
33 days in the top 100 The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
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NY TIMES SUNDAY EDITION

This WeekWeeks on List

CHAPTER BOOKS
1	THE RED PYRAMID, by Rick Riordan. (Disney-Hyperion, $17.99.) Ancient gods (this time from Egypt) and a mortal family meet in a new adventure. (Ages 10 and up)	1

# 1 ON THE BEST SELLERS LIST CHAPTER BOOKS

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS IS # 1 AGAIN ON THE SERIES LIST. IT HAS BEEN ON THE NY TIMES BEST SELLING LIST FOR 148 WEEKS.

That's only 8 more weeks until 3 years.