Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx audiobook

Whew, what a ride!When I first stated reading this, I hadn't read the first book, Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow. I found it confusing, and kind of didn't want to even read it after that. But I'd won it on GoodReads (thanks!), so I felt responsible for finishing and reviewing it.Well!!I am so happy I stuck with this! (I bought the first book and read it, so this one made a LOT more sense after that!) This should seriously be made into a movie -- I'd watch it, for sure!Jake Ransom and his older sister, Kady, are back, still searching through time for their mother and father, who have been missing for the past three years. In the last book, they were accidentally transported into the distant past, where they were able to experience different cultures and make new friends, all while helping to save the land of Calypsos from the Skull King.This time around, they've deliberately gone back in time in order to continue their search for their parents.On their last adventure, we met Mayans, Neanderthals, Vikings, and Romans. This time Jake and Kady (as well as their friends from Calypsos) are transported into an Egyptian land, meeting the haughty princess Nefertiti and battling an evil cult.Here are some things I love about this series so far:History! The author includes a lot of historical facts -- as well as some fun stuff that isn't meant to be taken as realistic. There's enough here, though, to interest kids who might want to do some research on their own. This would be a great jumping off point for homeschool kids, especially.Books for boys! For girls, too -- obviously -- but it seems like it's difficult to find books to interest boys enough to get them (and KEEP them) reading. No problems here -- adventure abounds, with battles, intrigue, and heroics on every page.Good family values! Yeah, I know how that sounds, but it really is true. Jake and his friends are GOOD. They do the right thing, helping even those who wouldn't help them. Jake has a real sense of responsibility, and he takes it very seriously. He's kind, strong, caring, and intelligent -- and he also kicks ass. I especially like the way he treats his sort-of kind-of love interest (a very sweet subplot that is a VERY minor part of the story -- no yucky kissing parts here), Marika. He is chivalrous and protective, but not OVER protective. Marika is no shrinking violet, either. She's faster than Jake, and just as smart and brave, and she's as dedicated to doing the right thing as he is.Neanderthals! They are presented in an interesting way, as the wisest of the people Jake meets. While perhaps not scientifically accurate (but who knows?), they are proud, but unassuming, strong, but not forceful. They're almost . . . elemental? Another possible subject to encourage young readers to research.Again, there is this strong devotion to family and friends in this book, as there was in the previous one. it's slightly old-fashioned, I guess, but very sweet -- and I wish this sort of devotion and loyalty was something presented more often in our society. (Preachy, preachy! Sorry!)Another thing that I really like about this series is that there aren't any sneak attacks emotionally -- while there are characters who aren't who they initially seems to be, the people whom Jake trusts are true friends. I think this is wonderful for younger readers who might be unduly upset by a trusted friend's betrayal.Really, the only complaint I have here is with the books' portrayal of Jake's sister, Kady. Although she is strong and smart, there is a certain shallowness to her. She cares a little too much about makeup and boys, which is probably the way boys see their older (and younger?) sisters. But still. I'm hoping Kady grows even more in future books. The other girls/women in the series, so far -- with notable exceptions -- are less superficial. And maybe that's the author's point? Maybe Kady is written as a product of the time she lives in, when we're all probably more superficial than people in previous times?I highly recommend this book (and the series) for boys AND girls -- probably in the tween range -- as well as for any adults who like a bit of adventure. I could honestly see this as a successor to Harry Potter -- although this is in no way like that series, other than in the characterizations of the hero and his friends.And please -- bring on the Jake Ransom movies!!

James Rollins is building an interesting world in this young adult series. Even an old "young adult" like myself loves this stuff.Jake and Tandy Ransom are the children of two archaeologists who disappeared three years before, presumed murdered by bandits while on a dig. The two kids always hoped differently and learn they were probably right.They get drawn back in time through a Mayan pyramid to the super continent of Pangea and a valley called Calypsos where they find lost tribes of humans. Mayans, Romans, Neanderthal. Brought there by some ancient Atlantean technology, Jake and Tandy make new friends there: Marika, a Mayan girl, Pindor, a Roman boy, and Bach'uuk, a Neanderthal their same age.They have a ferocious battle with the Skull King(all this from the first book), save the day, find evidence their parents have been in this land(his father's pocket watch),and get matching arm bands from the Neanderthal elders, and return to their own time.This time, at an Egyptian exhibit in New York, they are again pulled back to Pangea, this time in a desert environment. They learn their three friends are with them, the matching arm bands being the reason.They are captured by a beautiful young girl, the Princess Nefertiti, whose hunting party saves them from a pack of Velociraptors, then imprisoning them. Soon they are embroiled in palace machinations and learn the Skull King is operating here also, wanting something they have, probably the watch, and face an uphill battle to survive, find their parents, and get home.Rollins even drops a hint where the next book will go.A lot of fun. I'm a fan of Rollin's adult thrillers and this one isn't much below them.

Secondo e ultimo (?) appuntamento con le avventure di Jack Ransom. Almeno per ora. Sia mai che all’autore non venga lo schizzo di continuare la serie. Comunque, nonostante le lacune del primo volume a causa di tutto l’ambaradan di roba che Rollins ci aveva buttato dentro, devo dire che questa lettura è stata inaspettatamente piacevole.La storia è più lineare, c’è molta più azione e nuovi misteri si aggiungo al mazzo.Oltretutto la vicenda sarà interamente ambientata in un Antico Egitto alternativo (ricordiamoci che l’universo parallelo è in realtà Pangea). Cosa si vuole di più?Ah, sì. Navi volanti, squali della sabbia, una setta sanguinaria che tenta di controllare la famiglia reale… I VELOCIRAPTOR! Insomma, ha tutti gli elementi giusti… per un fantasy XDPurtroppo si scoprirà molto poco riguardo ad Atlantide e alla creazione di Pangea, ma per lo meno la storia compirà diversi passi avanti. Primo tra tutti, Jack riuscirà a sconfiggere nuovamente il Re Teschio e le sue armate. Certo, è solo una vittoria temporanea, che tuttavia porterà la pace in entrambi i villaggi. Secondo, scopriremo nuove informazioni riguardo i genitori di Jack e Kady. Non sono morti, ma dispersi nel tempo. Auguri a trovarli!Rivedremo i vecchi personaggi che hanno aiutato Jack nello scorso romanzo, con la new entry di Nefertiti, che si dimostra una vera tosta. Anche se all’inizio… beh, è una principessa egiziana dopotutto, se non ha lei un ego spropositato…Ammetto che devo ancora abituarmi al fatto che sia una lettura destinata a un pubblico giovane. E, purtroppo, questo fatto si fa sentire nel corso della storia. Ciononostante non è male come serie e spero vivamente in un continuo. No, sul serio…Voglio una risposta per almeno la metà delle 385235934349 domande che ho in testa .-.Alla prossima!

'Dus ga je maar gauw inlezen, Einstein. We moeten zo veel mogelijk weten.''Wat ga jij dan doen?'Kady keek om, één wenkbrauw opgetrokken, een vilein glimlachje om haar mond. 'Ik moet mijn sabel slijpen. De avonturen van Jake en Kady gaan lustig verder. Nu in Boek 1 de basis werd gelegd, wordt hier alles verder uitgespit en uitgediept. De lezer komt weer voor een paar ferme verrassingen te staan, en het mysterie wordt alsmaar groter. Je kunt echt een heel lijstje met vragen bijhouden die nog beantwoord moeten worden, eigenlijk. Knap! Het voordeel dat de basis er al ligt, is dat het echte verhaal veel sneller van start gaat. Achteraf bekeken is een groot deel van het eerste boek namelijk nogal wat inleiding: wel spannend en intrigerend, maar er gebeurt eigenlijk niet zo heel veel. Dat is hier absoluut wel het geval. Het boek leest als een trein, er is altijd wel iets gaande, je hebt geen tijd om adem te halen.De setting is ook veranderd - het lijkt erop dat dat met elk boek in de reeks zal gebeuren. Boek 1 was een Maya-wereld, nu komen we in het Oude Egypte terecht ((view spoiler)[Pangaea (hide spoiler)]-stijl dan toch). Nefertiti is een toffe aanwinst voor het boek. De vraag rijst nu: zal ze nog terugkeren? Dat de vijf hoofdrolspelers - Jake, Kady, Mari, Pindor en Bach'uuk - er telkens zullen bij zijn, is duidelijk, maar welke andere personages zullen in de reeks een (grote) aanwezigheid krijgen? Dat gaat later nog interessant worden... Van die vaste personages gaat mijn voorkeur nog steeds uit naar Jake, en dan Kady en Mari op een gedeelde tweede plaats of zo. Mijn hart stond even stil toen Kady (view spoiler)[werd versteend (hide spoiler)], maar gelukkig komt alles weer in orde. En ik hoop verdomme dat Rollins niet van plan is om die hele will they won't they-romance tussen Jake en Mari uit te smeren over vijf boeken? Dat zou echt te lang zijn, zeker als je bekijkt wat er in dit boek gebeurt. Maar goed, we zien wel...Het had op zich wel beter geweest als er een kaart van het gebied rond de Grote Storm in het boek had gezeten. In Het Mayamysterie was er wel een kaart aanwezig van Calypsos, waarom heeft Rollins en/of de Amerikaanse uitgever dan besloten dat dat hier niet nodig was? Dat had toch een handig overzicht geboden, vind ik. Een gemiste kans.Ook deze vertaling is van Hanneke Majoor en ik vind ze beter dan het vorige verhaal. Er stonden - met dank aan de redactie & co. - ook minder typfoutjes in, en de stijl leek het hele boek door vlot en natuurlijk. Zoals ik al zei: ik zou deze vertalingen nu niet gewéldig noemen, maar ze mogen er best zijn. Ze zijn zoals een vertaling moet zijn, wat mij betreft: begrijpelijk, vlot, degelijk...8,2/10Even een woordje over Boek 3Het valt misschien op dat het ondertussen al tien en negen jaar geleden is sinds de publicatie en vertaling van Boek 1 en 2. En er komen vijf boeken. Dus... Hoe zit het met die andere?Rollins heeft gezegd dat de rest van de reeks vertraging heeft opgelopen omdat hij andere projecten voorrang heeft gegeven. Ferm klote voor ons dus. Hij heeft al een titel voor het derde boek - The Cauldron of Doom - maar dat heeft hij al jaren. En we weten dat het een Noorse setting zal krijgen, maar dat is ook duidelijk als je De Sfinx hebt gelezen. En daar houdt het zo ongeveer op. Alleen gaat hij eerst ook nog Boek 4 en 5 schrijven, en wordt dan de hele reeks (her)uitgebracht in twee jaar en een half. In het Engels dan toch.Ik vrees dan ook dat Jake en zijn vrienden hun doodsstrijd in Nederland en Vlaanderen allang gestreden hebben. Tenzij De Fontein dan ook besluit om de eerste twee delen opnieuw uit te brengen, zie ik niet in wie er nog de vervolgen zou kopen. De mensen die eerst Boek 1 en 2 hadden gekocht... wie gaat daar nog de reeks van vervolledigen?Nu ja, ik wel dus. Ik ben persoonlijk heel erg benieuwd. En gelukkig ook een jaar of dertig jonger dan de schrijver, dus tenzij Rollins of ik vroegtijdig het loodje leggen, zal ik de verschijning nog wel meemaken, ook al is het dan in 2047. Maar dan nog, James, je had toch wel wat rapper mogen werken en een beetje meer prioriteit mogen geven aan deze reeks, want ze is erg plezant en het is jammer dat het zo lang duurt.

Jake Ransom is a suspenseful book that has twists and betrayal at every turn. This is a riproaring adventure, especially for those who have read the previous book, ''Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow''. There is heartbreak, humor, and adventure in every page of this book. I couldn't put the book down and read it whenever I had the chance. James Rollins, the author,keeps you on your toes so you can't predict what will happen next in this amazing book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, though I think it would be better if they read Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow first.

Just as the first book of the series, this was a great adventure to enjoy. Although it is intended for younger readers, it is still enjoyable for any reader. As I mentioned on my review on the preceding book, Jake Ransom, and the Skull King's shadow, I do enjoy reading a lighthearted PG rated books

Excellent second novel in the "Jake Ransom" series. The young hero travels again to mysterious land, this time to find an Egyptian tribe lost in a prehistoric desert. Rollins uses his skills of a thriller author to create a complex and mysterious plot, which thrills the reader. Jake is a very likeable young hero and Kalverum becomes more and more terrifying as a villain. Highly recommended for fans of adventurous YA novels.

Absolutely fabulous tale! I picked it up this morning and a few hours later, I had devoured it all. A nice quick-paced adventure that just keeps the action coming and the pages flying. I'll be going out to get the first book now, and after I consume that one, I'll end up agonizing until the next is released. This is a must-read for all ages.

I can't wait to find out what happens next! It just can't end there!

Jake and Kady knew their time amongst the lost civilizations of Calypsos was far from over, but nothing could have prepared them for landing in the desert, finding their friends wandering the sand, and being taken captive by Princess Nefertiti! Now they must save a whole new society from falling to the hands of the evil Skill King - and perhaps learn the secret of their parents' disappearance. Rollins gives readers a heart pounding sequel that will have fans glued to every word of this epic adventure. Time flies when you're on the run from an evil cult...

This is the second book of the Jake Ransom series. This book was not as good as the first, but it was by far not the worst book I have read. The story was not as clever as the first which added to it not being as good. The writing was still elegant, as before and the creativeness of the writer was still there, just not as distinct as before. The author seemed to not have another astonishing story to tell, which is why this one was not as good. Another reason the book was not as good was the fact that many new character had a counteracting personality. In one chapter they would do something, but in the next they reacted the opposite way you would think based on their earlier reactions. I will still continue the series once the next book comes out because the author left a cliff hanger which I must find the resolution to. I recommend this book to anyone who like fantasy, and ancient history.

Another fascinating adventure, this time in Egypt. When Jake and Kady get sucked into the time vortex, their unity bracelets pull their friends from the last adventure with them. Filled with puzzles, terror, interesting new characters and menacing old ones, this is a great second book in the series.

Great adolescent reader. Travel far into an alternative past as our intrepid hero searches for his parents and the solution to the riddle of the sphinx.