What do you think?
Rate this book
Kaï-ro
In the year 2499, a strange new city has risen, hot and dusty, dotted with half-built pyramids and ruled over by a dark army. Beneath it all, forgotten statues of ancient gods lie waiting to wreak their power on an unsuspecting world. One boy will stand up and become a hero.
404 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2007
4 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 21, 2018
I'm not going to tell the plot of this book, but what I do have to say is, this book is trash. The only thing I kind of liked about this book was the setting, other than that, it isn't worth the time. It didn't engage me, it's poorly written in my opinion, for example, a good book makes you feel for the character's, it also makes you feel like you're in the book. Kai Ro didn't have that touch to it, I was disappointed as it looked like a good book. I stopped reading after page 103. To sum it up, I mean it's a waste of time.
Currently reading
September 1, 2021I haven't finished this book. It started off interesting-ish, but the plot just drags too much for me, and it doesn't make me want to continue it. I'm not going to go into the plot itself, partially because of spoilers, but mainly because I feel like it would be a waste of time.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and I feel like I wouldn't even mention that I started reading it, because when I recount books I've read, only the interesting and enjoyable ones come to mind. This was neither.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and I feel like I wouldn't even mention that I started reading it, because when I recount books I've read, only the interesting and enjoyable ones come to mind. This was neither.
October 5, 2013
This review can also be found on my blog Love at First Write
Kaï-ro is about Setekh, God of Chaos, and Horus, God of the Sky.
"Remember this... Gods are like Tinkerbell, if you don't believe in them, if you don't need them, they fade away. But, because they're gods, they don't die. And if the need returns, so, too, do the objects of belief. Remember this, because it is true."
Kaï-ro is the dark city across the River Isis built by Mr.Nero. Nero found a god who speaks to and through him. He carries out his Setekh's orders and starts building 3 huge black structures. Well, he himself isn't building them... People from Dinium (the original city on the other side of the Isis) are kidnapped and become slaves of Kaï-ro. Once you're taken to the other side of the crocodile infested river you're never seen again.
With his Dark souldiers (that's how they spell it) and his army of Risen, Mr.Nero pretty much has this 'bring a god back and destroy the world' thing in the bag. But there's one thing he doesn't plan on. Just like Setekh was brought back, so will the god's brother, Horus, by one abandoned lonely boy. Stretch Wilson.
Stretch is a scav. Tons of them crawl over Bloom's Mount, a mountain made up of discarded items nobody wanted, and they search for anything that's valuable. If they don't, well, then they don't get food for the day. On top of that, Bloom's Mount is a terrible place to work. The rubbish could collapse on you or worse, parts of the heap could explode as they always do when the methane gas builds up. Stretch scavenged Bloom's Mount with his dog named Bone. The dog had found Stretch a couple months after his dad was kidnapped for slave labour, and Bone hasn't left his side since. But one event changed Stretch's life forever. He is the only person who can stop the evil that lives in Kaï-ro from taking control, for eternity. How did this boy, this insignificant street-boy who can't read or write, become the one to save them all? You'll just have to read it to find out!
This was a pretty good book. Very original. But it wasn't Special. It didn't grab my attention and pull me in hook,line, and sinker. I liked it but didn't really get into it and enjoy it till about halfway through. I liked how when the Guild dresses Stretch as a god-on-earth he felt out of place. An imposter. A fake. It made him seem more down to earth like Just days ago I was a scav so now the whole "I'm a gods messenger on earth" shabang doesn't feel real. Even though it IS real. He IS Horus' messenger. The god talks to and through him just like Mr.Nero and Setekh.
Kaï-ro is about Setekh, God of Chaos, and Horus, God of the Sky.
"Remember this... Gods are like Tinkerbell, if you don't believe in them, if you don't need them, they fade away. But, because they're gods, they don't die. And if the need returns, so, too, do the objects of belief. Remember this, because it is true."
Kaï-ro is the dark city across the River Isis built by Mr.Nero. Nero found a god who speaks to and through him. He carries out his Setekh's orders and starts building 3 huge black structures. Well, he himself isn't building them... People from Dinium (the original city on the other side of the Isis) are kidnapped and become slaves of Kaï-ro. Once you're taken to the other side of the crocodile infested river you're never seen again.
With his Dark souldiers (that's how they spell it) and his army of Risen, Mr.Nero pretty much has this 'bring a god back and destroy the world' thing in the bag. But there's one thing he doesn't plan on. Just like Setekh was brought back, so will the god's brother, Horus, by one abandoned lonely boy. Stretch Wilson.
Stretch is a scav. Tons of them crawl over Bloom's Mount, a mountain made up of discarded items nobody wanted, and they search for anything that's valuable. If they don't, well, then they don't get food for the day. On top of that, Bloom's Mount is a terrible place to work. The rubbish could collapse on you or worse, parts of the heap could explode as they always do when the methane gas builds up. Stretch scavenged Bloom's Mount with his dog named Bone. The dog had found Stretch a couple months after his dad was kidnapped for slave labour, and Bone hasn't left his side since. But one event changed Stretch's life forever. He is the only person who can stop the evil that lives in Kaï-ro from taking control, for eternity. How did this boy, this insignificant street-boy who can't read or write, become the one to save them all? You'll just have to read it to find out!
This was a pretty good book. Very original. But it wasn't Special. It didn't grab my attention and pull me in hook,line, and sinker. I liked it but didn't really get into it and enjoy it till about halfway through. I liked how when the Guild dresses Stretch as a god-on-earth he felt out of place. An imposter. A fake. It made him seem more down to earth like Just days ago I was a scav so now the whole "I'm a gods messenger on earth" shabang doesn't feel real. Even though it IS real. He IS Horus' messenger. The god talks to and through him just like Mr.Nero and Setekh.
January 26, 2014
This is meant to be a story about how gods, religions and beliefs stay true and constant. This is meant to be a story about a post-apocalyptic, dog-eat-dog world, where its inhabitants must scrounge to survive.
Stretch Wilson and his dog fall down a hole in the great, centuries-old rubbish heap called Bloom's Mount and find there a concealed room. With the help of Ty and Reeba they explore it and find it to be a long-forgotten room containing artefacts from 'Before Times'. Here, Stretch touches a statue of Egyptian God Horus, and is possessed by him, and only Stretch can save the word from the power across the water, his brother of darkness, Setekh.
When reading I couldn't think of this novel as anything other than a poor attempt to replicate the mastery of Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines world. It was suspiciously similar, right down to the quirky names and mixture of old and new technology still in use. Except it didn't work - this world was plunged into a really interesting subject but was poorly executed, especially disappointing when you read that Graham Marks actually went out to Egypt to do some research.
Much like the story, the characters were flat and uninteresting, their stories not quite being wound up at a disappointing and anti-climatic end. The author's use of hyphens and ellipses was infuriating.
I will be donating this book to the library where I work - I have a feeling that the kids would enjoy it more than I did. Egyptology is such a fascinating mythology, but this...was a bit naff.
Stretch Wilson and his dog fall down a hole in the great, centuries-old rubbish heap called Bloom's Mount and find there a concealed room. With the help of Ty and Reeba they explore it and find it to be a long-forgotten room containing artefacts from 'Before Times'. Here, Stretch touches a statue of Egyptian God Horus, and is possessed by him, and only Stretch can save the word from the power across the water, his brother of darkness, Setekh.
When reading I couldn't think of this novel as anything other than a poor attempt to replicate the mastery of Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines world. It was suspiciously similar, right down to the quirky names and mixture of old and new technology still in use. Except it didn't work - this world was plunged into a really interesting subject but was poorly executed, especially disappointing when you read that Graham Marks actually went out to Egypt to do some research.
Much like the story, the characters were flat and uninteresting, their stories not quite being wound up at a disappointing and anti-climatic end. The author's use of hyphens and ellipses was infuriating.
I will be donating this book to the library where I work - I have a feeling that the kids would enjoy it more than I did. Egyptology is such a fascinating mythology, but this...was a bit naff.
April 27, 2010
It was disapponting after starting out quite well. the way the story was resolved left me feeling confused and annoyed because some things that needed explaination were ignored and characters were killed off for no known reason.
Then suddenly there is a glossy hollywood ending and people wander off into the sunset. Rubbish
Then suddenly there is a glossy hollywood ending and people wander off into the sunset. Rubbish
October 28, 2011
Not really my thing :(
January 31, 2016
A good story at its core, but it rushes so much that a lot of the really interesting stuff is only skimmed over. Proceed with caution.
April 18, 2016
Good Book, Starts off slow but gradually picks up pace. If you are interested in fantasy worlds and cunning plots this is a book for you.
August 14, 2016
The ending was a cliffhanger without a follow up. I was disappointed
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews