The Fallen Pharaoh

Axel Rhodes Adventures #3

by S.W. Lothian

You know you're addicted to adventure when you can't think of anything else. It's all you want do ... it's all you want to feel ... it's all you want to be. Imagine your life if all of your dreams of adventure came true. For some, that's exactly what happens. It can happen to you ... nothing is impossible ... as long as you let yourself imagine.

Below ancient Egypt's peaceful surface lurks a danger ready to pounce. It silently waits for the moment it will end the reign of the Pharaonic blood-line, and take control forever.

The very thing that legend says keeps the Pharaoh safe is in danger of falling into the wrong hands, and time to defeat the evil threat is running out fast. Wil, Linc and Rani must face their most dangerous challenges so far. The danger in this deadly new mission has been turned up a notch ... or ten.

This incredible fast-paced adventure weaves its thrills and mystery through the very crossroads of time. From ancient Egypt ... to the centre of time ... to modern Paris, it's a ride that only the brave can survive. Who is the enemy? Only time will tell.

Praise for JJ STERLING and the FALLEN PHARAOH
"Wow! This third book is absolutely awesome." - GOODREADS

Once you've caught your breath, continue to ride the incredible JJ STERLING adventure series:

JJ STERLING and the GOLDEN SCARAB (Book 1)
2013 Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist
"This tale is a great adventure ... I was enthralled ..." - READERS' FAVORITE

JJ STERLING and the CURSED NILE (Book 2)
"...absolutely wonderful - even better than the first." - MOTHER DAUGHTER BOOK REVIEWS

JJ STERLING and the MISSING LINK (Book 4 - due in 2017)

Genres: Time Travel, Adventure, Fantasy, Middle Grade

296 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2013

About the author

S.W. Lothian is an Australian author who creates edge-of-your-seat adventures that are great reads for all ages. His books range from those that thrill young adult readers with intrigue, drama, and suspense, to those that launch teens into exciting settings and action-filled mysteries while reminding older readers of their childhood dreams.

His new SUBWAY series explores a new level of tension and intrigue. Set in a dystopian New York City, it’s not too far removed from where we are today. The plot is a thought-provoking thriller and aims to be a new favorite for young adult fans of such greats as The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner.

The idea behind his highly successful debut middle-grade series, AXEL RHODES, was inspired by S.W’s own childhood favorites; such as Indiana Jones and anything to do with action, adventure, and time-travel.

He followed that up with his TIME SQUARE series, which is a more quirky and humorous take on time-travel. TIME SQUARE is packed full of the great settings and action his readers expect but has plenty of extra laughs and a great cast of offbeat characters as well.

S.W.’s mission is to write books that launch readers from the mundanity of life into exciting settings, action-filled mysteries, and thrilling intrigue – whilst leaving them exhausted in the process.

His debut novel, Axel Rhodes and the Golden Scarab (Axel Rhodes 1), was a 2013 READERS’ FAVORITE AWARD FINALIST.

Lothian hails from Western Australia and due to personal experience is an advocate for Childhood Cancer Awareness.

More information about S.W. and his books can be found at www.swlothian.com .

You can also find him on social media
> Facebook - S.W.Lothian : Author
> Twitter - @swlothian
> Instagram - swlothian
> Goodreads - swlothian

Reviews

[Jemima Pett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Quest series, following the Golden Scarab and the Cursed Nile. We follow our three time-travelling friends JJ, Linc and Rani, back to ancient Egypt because their friend from previous books, Khafre, invites them to visit for a very important ceremony – the funeral of his father and his own coronation as the new Pharaoh.

Of course, all is not as peaceful as it seems; under the smooth exterior, doubts and concerns cloud the young Pharaoh’s thoughts. His father should have been protected from this ‘accident’ that took his life, by the sacred Ankh of Life, hidden deep in the Pharaoh’s palace. Has something happened to the Ankh? He asks JJ, Linc and Rani to find out….

The first half of The Fallen Pharaoh gives full rein to S W Lothian’s magnificent descriptive skills – I have no doubt that the pharaonic rituals were exactly as he describes, right down to the souvenir sellers and papyrazzi capturing the scenes of the day – as well as the celeb gossip and smears. Once again our three heroes tackle underground mazes and I love the author’s ingenuity and the way he puts the reader right alongside his protagonists, feeling every inch of the tunnels, the secrets, and the fear of the very nasty Uberdiles, who are working to prevent their success.

It is in the second half that the tale really takes off, though. More drama and a really dire problem to be solved, with more pursuers on their tails. The scene switches to modern Paris, by way of a cleverly inventive Time Square, where all time travellers report and face questioning in cases of breaches of time protocols. It is also the place where they can research the past and present of the Ankh, thus discovering the Paris link. Time Square reminds me very much of the film version of the Ministry of Magic, but that is no problem, since the bureaucracy of time would be little different from that of magic, or any other, for that matter. There are some lovely twists in the tale, and Paris, and the Metro, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, are all accurately described. I thought the way the author handled the dual-language announcements was very good.

At times I felt the author dwelled too long on certain descriptions, but it may be that I got it first time and he feels his ideal reader (I’m not in the right age bracket) would not. He also provides a regular recap in case they’ve taken a break and forgotten the story so far. It is a feature of modern tv programmes, after all. The pace of the second half is excellent, with the race against time getting me really willing our heroes on, despite finding the overall purpose of this quest less compelling than usual. Some of the local colour in the second ceremony near the end of the book was a little repetitious, given the earlier one.

There are some lovely elements to this story (I particularly like the small statue rescued from the Louvre), and the whole thing ties up well, leaving a few loose ends that are clearly planted for the next in the Quest series. I’m already looking forward to it.

I received an Advance Review Copy free of charge in return for my honest review of this book.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts:

As with the previous two books, Lothian does a great job of engaging the reader in The Fallen Pharaoh by wasting no time and diving right into a suspense- and adventure-filled story. The Fallen Pharaoh includes many of the same themes as the previous two books and once again incorporates Egyptian mythology in the storyline. But, this time, the threesome travel through time and space to additional settings: New York City’s Time Square and the Eiffel Tower and Louvre in Paris. This is another gripping adventure by Lothian!

The Fallen Pharaoh features the return of many of the same characters introduced in the first two books including JJ, Linc, and Rani as well as Patra (introduced in the second book), Khafre (featured in all three books), and some of the Egyptian Gods, Goddesses, and statues featured in either Book 1 and/or 2. This third book also introduces us to some new characters as well, including Khafre’s sister Khamere and his brother Djedefre, a new statue Mr. M, and a mysterious character who travels through time following the children, but who largely remains in the shadows – Leesa.

I enjoyed the interactions and comraderie amongst the three main characters, and the introduction of some of the new characters, but I must admit that I felt frustrated about the inclusion of Leesa. Leesa was always in the background and while she played a role in creating some tension in the story, I felt that she didn’t play a large enough role to justify her inclusion in the story. I don’t doubt that the author has plans to feature her more prominently in the next book, but she easily could have been written out. I think even one significant encounter or interaction with the children would have been better.

The story itself grabbed me in the opening sentences and kept me glued to the pages until the end. It is a suspenseful page-turner with JJ, Linc, and Rani in real danger as they attempt to recover the Ankh of Life. That being said, the plot featured in The Fallen Pharaoh involves darker themes (i.e., murder) than the previous books and I found it to be more complex than the previous two books. There are certain parts that I felt needed further elaboration; in particular, the disappearance of the Ankh (i.e., how it initially disappeared, where exactly it was placed, and how it was relocated to Paris). I felt like I wanted more information.

My Bottom Line:

Lothian continues in the same vein as the previous two books in the Quest Series, by providing his fans with another fast-paced rollicking adventure steeped in mythology featuring JJ, Linc, and Rani, the three loyal comrades dedicated to helping their friends in Ancient Egypt. Another winner! I think that children aged 9 and over who enjoy reading books involving mythology, time-travel, and adventure would love this book.


* I was given this book (ARC) free-of-charge by the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own. *

[Grampy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite.

“The Fallen Pharaoh” by S.W. Lothian is the third book in this marvelous series, following “The Golden Scarab” (Book 1), and “The Cursed Nile” (Book 2). All three stories are good enough to stand alone, but they really are better read in order. Various references in the later books may not make a lot of sense if you read them out of order.

In all three stories, the same characters are the heroes. JJ, whose father works at a museum, and his joined-at-the-hip friend Linc, found a portal through time inside an Egyptian display at the museum, and travelled back to ancient Egypt. Joining them there was Rani, an Egyptian native from an undisclosed time between ancient Egypt and modern time. These three, with the sometimes help of Patra, a friend of Rani, and assisted by various people, gods, statues, and royalty in ancient Egypt, have thus far averted three major crises to the benefit of the ancient Egyptians.

In “The Fallen Pharaoh” their friend Khafre, son of the Pharaoh, has been elevated to the position of Pharaoh, following the uncanny death of his father, Khufu, who was bitten by an asp at the market place. Khafre has invited them to witness his coronation. But two short years later, the three are called back to ancient Egypt just before Khafre also dies in a suspicious manner.

The three, plus Patra, who shows up just at the right time, battle the Uberdiles again, as well as “giant” scorpions and other unidentified enemies, as they help solve the puzzle of the two deaths, and take affirmative action to prevent another untimely death of Khafre’s younger twin brother, Djedefre, who will become the next Pharaoh. Only by finding the original Ankh can Djedefre be saved from an untimely end.

“The Fallen Pharaoh” is another example of S.W. Lothian’s very entertaining talent for creating fascinating stories out of History and his imagination. Lothian has another, as yet unnamed, adventure for these remarkable kids, due out sometime in 2014. That gives you at least 6 months to buy, download, and read the first three books in this series, so you will be ready for number four.

These tales are written for middle graders through high school, but there isn’t an adult in the country who wouldn’t also thoroughly enjoy reading this series. Believe it or not, they are more than simply entertaining; they are educational as well. I highly recommend the whole series for your reading pleasure. It’s an exceptional adventure series.

[Julie Grasso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 in the series is by far the best. I am going to do my best not to give any spoilers, but the beginning scenes of the book were absolutely facinating. The kids travel back to ancient Egypt using the ephemeral portal, only to find themselves right in the middle of an extremely momentous occasion. The descriptions of the ceremony which I won't give away, were truly enthralling, as we get a detailed glimpse into the customs of the ancient egyptians.



Next the kids find themselves on a dangerous quest, which takes them to an incredible place called "Times Square," but its not the times square you are thinking of. The author's descriptions were fantastic, with the usual mix or dry humour.

The kids realise the answer to their quest lies in none other than modern day Paris and believe me when I say, you will get a huge kick out of the description of what the Eiffel tower really is for....oops, spoiler, I can't say anymore.

A fast paced action packed adventure that will teach kids a huge amount of ancient history, topped with classic one liners including sand dribbling statues, papyrazzi and hieroglyphic graffiti.

One of my favourite lines when the author describes the dastardly villains the Uberdiles.

" They looked tough but they were not the sharpest chisels in the chamber.'



5 stars. I loved this third book in the series and recommend for kids aged 9-12.

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This third book is absolutely awesome. I read it in under two hours. JJ, Linc, Rani join together once again to meet their friend Khafre. He has both bad and good news to tell them. His father has died and he is to be the new pharaoh. They are there to visit and have a good time. They are not there to fulfill a quest. Upon arriving they are told that Khafre's father has died and Khafre is to become the new Pharaoh. They get to watch both the funeral and coronation. Khafre doesn't really believe his father's death is an accident. Suddenly he is gone. The team must come together to find the Ankh of Life before Khafre's brother becomes the new Pharoah. Without the Ankh of Life there is no protection for the new Pharoah. It is up to the kids to solve this mystery and find the Ankh.

There were a couple of things that really stood out for me. I loved that they were able to travel to Paris. I love the addition of Mr. M, the mummy they found in Paris. I am definitely interested in finding out more abut Leesa and why she is following the kids around. Most importantly I am excited to find out what happens next in the book. The book is well written and is such an intriguing adventure you can't put it down. What I really enjoy is learning so much Egyptian information from a fiction book. This is one I can recommend to my Humanities teacher and will definitely have a place on my shelf.

If you aren't familiar with S.W. Lothian then you need to check him out.

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

JJ, Linc, and Rani are back (in time) in an all new adventure! The trio of time-travelers from the 21st century are back in Ancient Egypt in the 3rd book in the Quest Series! When the Pharaoh, Khufu, dies, the kids’ friend, Khafre, Khufu’s eldest son, must become the new Pharaoh. Pharaoh Khafre starts worrying about his safety, because he thinks that the Ankh of Life, which guards the Pharaohs, is missing. He calls upon the trio to find it for him. Khafre dies soon after. Now JJ, Linc, and Rani must find the Ankh so that it can protect Khafre’s brother (the next Pharaoh in line). Will they find it in time?

Mr. Lothian’s Quest Series keeps getting better! I am finding that this is one of those series that I wait for the next book to come out. I think Mr. Lothian’s description of the action in this book was well done and really got me into the story. The story plot was super exciting. I love the setting of the series too. I learned some new things about Ancient Egypt, like that Khufu is (or was) in the Great Pyramid of Giza. I like the character Patra a lot (Patra is one of Rani’s friends (who can travel through time)). She’s very knowledgeable . I think if she was real, I would be friends with her.
**NOTE I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[S.W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I love this book .... it's mine!