How much adventure can you pack into one book? Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow
is jam-packed with Mayan history, dinosaurs, alchemy, Vikings, Roman soldiers… along with Jake Ransom (of course) and his sister Kady. Orphaned when their archeologist parents go missing, Jake & Kady receive an all expense paid trip to the British Museum’s exhibit of their parents work on Mayan cultures. From that point it’s a high-adventure, fantasy-fused ride with bits of history thrown in for good measure.The plot twists and turns are so many I’ll not attempt to synthesize them here. I’ve not that sort of talent. Suffice it to say that the bad guy (Skull King, duh!) almost wins, but Jake outsmarts him in the best Indiana Jones style. The author makes the wise decision to lay low on descriptive passages while fueling the plot with foreshadowing, tension-relieving humor and cliffhangers. Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow
is the sort of book that launches a series with kids lined up to buy the next one.Recommended for students who enjoy fantasy or action-adventure and for both library & classroom purchase.
-------------------- Resources --------------------
Genre: Fantasy. Age: 9-12. Pages: 416.
Themes: Action-Adventure, Hero Quest
Publisher: Harper Collins. Date: April 2009.ISBN-10: 0061473790 / ISBN-13: 978-0061473791
Thank you to Harper Collins Childrens for my copy.
Pre-order Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow Here
Author explanation of story:
*On a personal note: If you ever get the chance to visit London, you MUST go to the British Museum. I vote it higher than the Louvre or the Met. Don't hate me. I'm a 'history over art' sort of gal.
James Rollins is a well known adult thriller writer who has published books in 33 countries. Before becoming a writer, he was a veterinarian. His love of thriller styled novels led him to help establish the International Thriller Writers. You can read more about him on his blog or his website's about page.____________________________________________________________
© 2007-2009 Cheryl Vanatti for www.ReadingRumpus.com 
