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The Secret of the Sphinx
The place is ancient Egypt. The year is 2558 BCE. Two of the king’s three sons have died in an apparent accident. Neb, who is the king’s vizier and a great magician, is the only one who realizes that their deaths were not accidental, and he tries to prevent the death of the king’s third son. The murderer, an evil sorcerer who fears Neb’s powers, has Neb abducted and casts a magic spell over him, imprisoning Neb’s soul in a great stone sphinx.
Four and a half thousand years pass, and Neb’s sphinx is on display in a museum. A teenage boy named Jon is visiting the museum on a class trip, and Neb immediately senses that this boy could be the key to his freedom. The sphinx speaks to Jon and tells him to return that night; but when Jon returns, the spirits of long-dead kings and demons try to prevent him from reaching the sphinx. After narrowly escaping the spirits, Jon finally reaches Neb. Intrigued by Neb’s story and by the prospect of adventure, Jon climbs onto the sphinx’s back, and flies back in time with Neb to search for the secret that will release Neb’s soul from its stony prison.
Four and a half thousand years pass, and Neb’s sphinx is on display in a museum. A teenage boy named Jon is visiting the museum on a class trip, and Neb immediately senses that this boy could be the key to his freedom. The sphinx speaks to Jon and tells him to return that night; but when Jon returns, the spirits of long-dead kings and demons try to prevent him from reaching the sphinx. After narrowly escaping the spirits, Jon finally reaches Neb. Intrigued by Neb’s story and by the prospect of adventure, Jon climbs onto the sphinx’s back, and flies back in time with Neb to search for the secret that will release Neb’s soul from its stony prison.
134 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2011
10 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Samuel Bavli
5 books3 followersSamuel Bavli, is a retired medical doctor specializing in endocrinology. His father, the Hebrew poet Hillel Bavli, who had a prodigious knowledge of the Bible, instilled in him a love of the Hebrew Bible and a sensitivity to the nuances of Biblical Hebrew. Dr. Bavli is now retired from medicine, and he devotes much of his time to writing and to studying Torah. Over the course of many years, he has taught classes on Isaiah and other Biblical studies at the Orthodox synagogue where he is a member. His most recent book, The Abridged Hebrew Bible is a concise summary of the Hebrew Bible in language that is easy to understand. His previous book, The Light of the Torah, is a collection of essays discussing major concepts in the Torah. He is also the author of two books of historical fiction.
Dr. Bavli has also published two works of historical fiction. The first, titled The Secret of the Sphinx, received wide acclaim, and is a time-travel adventure for middle-grade readers, set in ancient Egypt. The second, titled The Twelfth Stone, a quest novel for adults, is set in the time of the Third Crusade.
Dr. Bavli has also published two works of historical fiction. The first, titled The Secret of the Sphinx, received wide acclaim, and is a time-travel adventure for middle-grade readers, set in ancient Egypt. The second, titled The Twelfth Stone, a quest novel for adults, is set in the time of the Third Crusade.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 1, 2017
Disclaimer: This book was provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest Review .
This was not at all what i expected when I requested this, But that isn't always not a bad thing. It was a welcome surprise. This is a Story of a mystery that takes place in Multiple time periods, told in multiple Povs, I really think this added so much to the story. I went into this pretty much blindly and I believe this is the best way to go into it. The characters are very well developed, and the story is very fast paced. Overall this book is a fun, quick read that i would recommend to anyone.
This was not at all what i expected when I requested this, But that isn't always not a bad thing. It was a welcome surprise. This is a Story of a mystery that takes place in Multiple time periods, told in multiple Povs, I really think this added so much to the story. I went into this pretty much blindly and I believe this is the best way to go into it. The characters are very well developed, and the story is very fast paced. Overall this book is a fun, quick read that i would recommend to anyone.
September 18, 2016
You follow Jon, a curious boy of 14 years, as he is sent to ancient Egypt by Neb, a magical spirit trapped in a sphinx. Together they solve a mystery Neb was unable to solve before his entrapment thousands of years ago.
This is a charming tale filled with time travel, magic, mystery, suspense, Egyptian history, and political intrigue.
The book page count is short leaving it as a good quick read, ideal for short attention-spanned kids. But don't let that fool you, it's a great book for anyone, especially one interested in Egypt. This story is woven well and you immediately start rooting for the main characters Jon and Neb.
This is a charming tale filled with time travel, magic, mystery, suspense, Egyptian history, and political intrigue.
The book page count is short leaving it as a good quick read, ideal for short attention-spanned kids. But don't let that fool you, it's a great book for anyone, especially one interested in Egypt. This story is woven well and you immediately start rooting for the main characters Jon and Neb.
August 27, 2017
I was gifted an ebook via NetGalley.
The Secret of the Sphinx follows 14 year old Jonathan Travis who has stumbled upon an interesting sphinx statue in a museum. With a little magic, he is transported 4000 years into the past in ancient Egypt to try and uncover a plot to kill the three heirs to the king and remove the king from his position with the help of the king's right hand man, Neb.
As a child, I was obsessed with ancient Egypt and loved anything to do with it. I was hoping to feel the spark of nostalgia, but sadly The Secret fell short for me. It was a very short novel that I expected to read in a little over 2 hours and it took me 2 days. It lacked a driving force in the plot and at the same time didn't flesh out many of the characters or situations. It was told in third person and would skip to various perspectives, sometimes in the middle of a chapter. But I don't really think much was gained from the jumping around. I think it would have been fine to do just Neb and Jon's perspectives. I didn't really connect with the characters or plot as much as I had hoped.
The Secret of the Sphinx follows 14 year old Jonathan Travis who has stumbled upon an interesting sphinx statue in a museum. With a little magic, he is transported 4000 years into the past in ancient Egypt to try and uncover a plot to kill the three heirs to the king and remove the king from his position with the help of the king's right hand man, Neb.
As a child, I was obsessed with ancient Egypt and loved anything to do with it. I was hoping to feel the spark of nostalgia, but sadly The Secret fell short for me. It was a very short novel that I expected to read in a little over 2 hours and it took me 2 days. It lacked a driving force in the plot and at the same time didn't flesh out many of the characters or situations. It was told in third person and would skip to various perspectives, sometimes in the middle of a chapter. But I don't really think much was gained from the jumping around. I think it would have been fine to do just Neb and Jon's perspectives. I didn't really connect with the characters or plot as much as I had hoped.
September 17, 2016
Jon encounters a sphinx on a school trip to a museum. It whispers to him, or is he imagining things? Curiosity compels him to return at night, where once again the sphinx communicates to him. This time, the sphinx reveals its secret. Inside is trapped the soul of Neb, a king’s vizier from ancient times. Thousands of years ago, Neb was murdered by an evil sorcerer. He can only be freed when a descendant of the king rules again in Egypt. The current Egyptian president fits the bill. But can Neb determine who killed him? Otherwise, his own magical powers might not be enough to save his soul. Neb whisks Jon back to ancient Egypt, where a young prince has been injured. Jon is a lookalike twin to the king’s son and so assumes his identity.
Jon fits into this role with apparent ease. We see nothing about how he learned royal protocol, the prince’s daily routine, or could even recognize the courtiers and slaves surrounding the young prince. This aspect is glossed over, while I am remembering how it wasn’t so simple in “The Prince and the Pauper.” I would have liked to see these scenes as they unfolded from Jon’s viewpoint.
Nonetheless, the story is well-written and fast-paced. I liked the murder mystery aspect that keeps you guessing until Jon figures out the killer’s identity. Point-of-view switches are smooth and keep you engaged in the story. Secret of the Sphinx is a fast read with a fun and intriguing story and an earnest hero.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Jon fits into this role with apparent ease. We see nothing about how he learned royal protocol, the prince’s daily routine, or could even recognize the courtiers and slaves surrounding the young prince. This aspect is glossed over, while I am remembering how it wasn’t so simple in “The Prince and the Pauper.” I would have liked to see these scenes as they unfolded from Jon’s viewpoint.
Nonetheless, the story is well-written and fast-paced. I liked the murder mystery aspect that keeps you guessing until Jon figures out the killer’s identity. Point-of-view switches are smooth and keep you engaged in the story. Secret of the Sphinx is a fast read with a fun and intriguing story and an earnest hero.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 26, 2016
I received the ebook in exchange for an honest review on netgalley.
This is a lovely book. You get to know a little bit of the Egyptian gods, which I found a fun amendment to the story. I feel this book should gear to very young teens (15 or younger) and they will have a fun time with it.
This is a lovely book. You get to know a little bit of the Egyptian gods, which I found a fun amendment to the story. I feel this book should gear to very young teens (15 or younger) and they will have a fun time with it.
December 27, 2016
The story centers on a fourteen year old boy who is to unravel a mystery which rounds around a sphinx. The story develops quickly, the writing is flawless and the characters are likable. I absolutely recommend it.
Disclaimer: I got a copy from netgalley for my honest review
Disclaimer: I got a copy from netgalley for my honest review
February 1, 2017
Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over
The Secret of the Sphinx has a lot to draw in the reader with well-written descriptions and largely good interactions as long as you ignore the occasional modern word or phrase when in ancient Egypt. I enjoyed quite a bit of the story, but I can’t give an unqualified recommendation despite that because there were some weaknesses too.
The main character, Jon, is largely along for the ride. He makes a few decisions, but mostly his actions are driven by events or what the sphinx, Neb, thinks is necessary. This doesn’t mean Jon is without character, though, as how he completes his assignments, his shaky trust in Neb’s abilities, and the information he gathers are all important to the story. I enjoyed his combination of over-confidence and concern, which is appropriate for the situation he found himself in. He was often an observer more than an actor, but when he saw his chance, he did what he could.
While not a weakness, the way the story allowed any character to hold the Point of View (POV) rather than sticking with the main characters was complicit in the biggest problem I had. To avoid spoilers, I’ll say only the solution to the mystery was not well seeded and contradicts what we learn in one of those POV shifts to non-main characters. I do, however, love the way the overall puzzle is solved. This was, I felt, seeded well, and came together beautifully to link the past with the present and Jon’s normal life with this strange adventure he’s pulled into.
Neb is another good element. I thought the way the sphinx functioned in the modern world and the past worked nicely, while I appreciated how he wasn’t all powerful despite everything. Considering he’d been learning to control amazing magical abilities for centuries, he could easily have been a simple solution to every problem. Instead, he had limitations, he was not all knowing, and he could make mistakes, sometimes critical ones.
I don’t review things I didn’t enjoy, so the fact that you’re seeing this is proof enough I had fun reading The Secret of the Sphinx. Beyond the mystery’s solution, the issues were minor, if annoying at times. It may be younger readers (the target of this young adult title) would find the minor issues less noticeable, but it’s a dangerous assumption to make. This book had great potential, and in some cases, it lived up to that potential, but not in all.
P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The Secret of the Sphinx has a lot to draw in the reader with well-written descriptions and largely good interactions as long as you ignore the occasional modern word or phrase when in ancient Egypt. I enjoyed quite a bit of the story, but I can’t give an unqualified recommendation despite that because there were some weaknesses too.
The main character, Jon, is largely along for the ride. He makes a few decisions, but mostly his actions are driven by events or what the sphinx, Neb, thinks is necessary. This doesn’t mean Jon is without character, though, as how he completes his assignments, his shaky trust in Neb’s abilities, and the information he gathers are all important to the story. I enjoyed his combination of over-confidence and concern, which is appropriate for the situation he found himself in. He was often an observer more than an actor, but when he saw his chance, he did what he could.
While not a weakness, the way the story allowed any character to hold the Point of View (POV) rather than sticking with the main characters was complicit in the biggest problem I had. To avoid spoilers, I’ll say only the solution to the mystery was not well seeded and contradicts what we learn in one of those POV shifts to non-main characters. I do, however, love the way the overall puzzle is solved. This was, I felt, seeded well, and came together beautifully to link the past with the present and Jon’s normal life with this strange adventure he’s pulled into.
Neb is another good element. I thought the way the sphinx functioned in the modern world and the past worked nicely, while I appreciated how he wasn’t all powerful despite everything. Considering he’d been learning to control amazing magical abilities for centuries, he could easily have been a simple solution to every problem. Instead, he had limitations, he was not all knowing, and he could make mistakes, sometimes critical ones.
I don’t review things I didn’t enjoy, so the fact that you’re seeing this is proof enough I had fun reading The Secret of the Sphinx. Beyond the mystery’s solution, the issues were minor, if annoying at times. It may be younger readers (the target of this young adult title) would find the minor issues less noticeable, but it’s a dangerous assumption to make. This book had great potential, and in some cases, it lived up to that potential, but not in all.
P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
November 3, 2021
I would classify the Secret of the Sphinx as a Mystery (children's books) first and Adventure second.
Jon accepts the challenge to go back in time to solve a crime and help the sphynx. The author leads us from suspect to suspect, sometimes it's predictable, but still fun.
It was a bit too short for my taste, so it failed to give me all that I was expecting from the characters and the world. It easily built up my expectations with some specific scenes, and not always gave me the right satisfaction.
It suits young readers who are impatient and not usually pick a long book. They will appreciate the fast pacing, the adventure elements and following the clues to solve a crime. Good for kids who love Egypt and it's mythology.
I had fun.
Jon accepts the challenge to go back in time to solve a crime and help the sphynx. The author leads us from suspect to suspect, sometimes it's predictable, but still fun.
It was a bit too short for my taste, so it failed to give me all that I was expecting from the characters and the world. It easily built up my expectations with some specific scenes, and not always gave me the right satisfaction.
It suits young readers who are impatient and not usually pick a long book. They will appreciate the fast pacing, the adventure elements and following the clues to solve a crime. Good for kids who love Egypt and it's mythology.
I had fun.
June 14, 2017
I am not sure what age category this falls into. The story has themes that would require a more advanced comprehension level than most middle grade readers have, and it is shorter than most teens read at 166 pages.
Jon seems young for the adventure he goes on and what is required of him. The complexity of the sphinx story again make me lean toward teen for this book but there are lots of pieces missing that this age group would want filled in.
Overall, I like the story, which is tied up fairly neatly at the end. It appears to be a standalone novel, which is rather rare these days.
It's not the best young adult book I have read lately but not the worst either.
Jon seems young for the adventure he goes on and what is required of him. The complexity of the sphinx story again make me lean toward teen for this book but there are lots of pieces missing that this age group would want filled in.
Overall, I like the story, which is tied up fairly neatly at the end. It appears to be a standalone novel, which is rather rare these days.
It's not the best young adult book I have read lately but not the worst either.
May 21, 2020
This was way to fast paced of a book and the last 5 minutes the book just fell apart story wise
HORRIBLE! Said above, this was just so fast paced and it fell apart at the end do not recommend ew
HORRIBLE! Said above, this was just so fast paced and it fell apart at the end do not recommend ew
October 20, 2016
2.5 stars. I am a huge fan of YA books that take place in ancient Egypt. This is more kids than teens and is a mystery that happens to take place in ancient Egypt. Although an okay mystery, I felt the story was rushed at some spots (especially the end) and dragged at others. Still, overall, a fun read for middle grade kids who enjoy a good mystery.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2023
3.5/5
Date Reviewed: 15 April 2017
This Review was first posted on It’s All Anthony. For more reviews, check out the blog here.
Thank You Samuel Bavli & NetGalley for giving a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a great middle grade book for students who have a great interest in Egyptian mythology.
I, for one, also have a great interest in Egyptian mythology. If there is a book and you tell me it involves Egyptian Mythology, it would quickly grab my attention. I felt the need to read something with Egyptian touches and mythology. I was looking through books and I have come across this on NetGalley. It was going to be a quick read and I thought it looked good overall. I gave it a chance and it had everything I looked for in books involving with Egyptian Mythology.
In Secret of the Sphinx, a sorcerer, Neb, is imprisoned in a stone statue of a Sphinx and can only be free when a specific event happens in the future. In the future, Jon, a student, visits the museum and notices that there is something different looking at Neb's sphinx statue. He later gets a message and returns to it during the night. He climbs onto the sphinx's back and travels back in time to solve the mystery and free Neb's soul once for all.
Even though the story was a short 134 pages, it had everything I wanted. Usually, I look for mentioning of the Gods and Goddesses, some of Egypt's history, and adventure. How can you have an adventure when something is set in Ancient Egypt? Some of the details the author included in the story had every fact that I wanted. There were the Gods, there were parts about the temples and pyramids, and even little details like scarabs and jewelry. I loved every little mentioning about Ancient Egypt.
The only small part I do have to say that there was areas that I got a little confused on what was going on, but that rarely happened. I did understand the overall story and everything involving the main set of characters. On the scenes that were mainly minor characters, it did get a little confusing, but the next couple of chapters usually clarified things.
One thing I did appreciate was the ending. You would think that everything would be settled in Ancient Egypt in most stories like these. However, this isn't the case with this book. I will not say what it was, but it was nice to see a change for once. It was a good ending for the story.
Overall, I think anyone in the middle-grade will enjoy this story if they want to reading something with Ancient Egypt. I may not be in the middle-grade, but it did serve my wants for reading something with Egyptian Mythology in it. It was also the perfect quick read for it as well.
Date Reviewed: 15 April 2017
This Review was first posted on It’s All Anthony. For more reviews, check out the blog here.
Thank You Samuel Bavli & NetGalley for giving a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a great middle grade book for students who have a great interest in Egyptian mythology.
I, for one, also have a great interest in Egyptian mythology. If there is a book and you tell me it involves Egyptian Mythology, it would quickly grab my attention. I felt the need to read something with Egyptian touches and mythology. I was looking through books and I have come across this on NetGalley. It was going to be a quick read and I thought it looked good overall. I gave it a chance and it had everything I looked for in books involving with Egyptian Mythology.
In Secret of the Sphinx, a sorcerer, Neb, is imprisoned in a stone statue of a Sphinx and can only be free when a specific event happens in the future. In the future, Jon, a student, visits the museum and notices that there is something different looking at Neb's sphinx statue. He later gets a message and returns to it during the night. He climbs onto the sphinx's back and travels back in time to solve the mystery and free Neb's soul once for all.
Even though the story was a short 134 pages, it had everything I wanted. Usually, I look for mentioning of the Gods and Goddesses, some of Egypt's history, and adventure. How can you have an adventure when something is set in Ancient Egypt? Some of the details the author included in the story had every fact that I wanted. There were the Gods, there were parts about the temples and pyramids, and even little details like scarabs and jewelry. I loved every little mentioning about Ancient Egypt.
The only small part I do have to say that there was areas that I got a little confused on what was going on, but that rarely happened. I did understand the overall story and everything involving the main set of characters. On the scenes that were mainly minor characters, it did get a little confusing, but the next couple of chapters usually clarified things.
One thing I did appreciate was the ending. You would think that everything would be settled in Ancient Egypt in most stories like these. However, this isn't the case with this book. I will not say what it was, but it was nice to see a change for once. It was a good ending for the story.
Overall, I think anyone in the middle-grade will enjoy this story if they want to reading something with Ancient Egypt. I may not be in the middle-grade, but it did serve my wants for reading something with Egyptian Mythology in it. It was also the perfect quick read for it as well.
February 1, 2017
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Author: Samuel Bavli
Year: 2016
Publisher: Createspace (Amazon)
Genre: Adventure
Age: JUV 10+
This was a book I received as a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For a book that is less than 200 pages this story sure does move fast & encompass a lot of information.
The story begins in Ancient Egypt, the year is 2558 B.C.E. The king’s vizer Neb is taken from his chambers in the middle of the night to a temple in the desert. His captor is a man dressed in an Anubis mask. Neb is poisoned & killed, then his ka or soul is transferred to live out eternity in the body of the great sphinx. The only way to release his soul is when a descendant of the then King of Egypt rules on the throne again.
Fast forward to the present day & there’s a boy named Jon visiting the museum where the sphinx is located. But it’s not just an ordinary sphinx, it’s talking to him. The sphinx with Neb trapped inside needs his help to escape. The pair travel back in time to Ancient Egypt to discover the truth. It turns out that Jon is a descendent of the royal family & he looks just like Prince Baka. The two boys decide to switch places so Jon can find out more information without putting the Prince in danger. While they are there they find out about all the corruption inside the palace & discover who is really behind Neb’s death & several other’s. Once Jon & the sphinx return to the present day there’s a surprise waiting for them.
But will Neb’s ka be released so he can reach his final resting place after thousands of years, or will he be trapped as a sphinx for all eternity?
Likes: This was a fast paced, short book with an easy to follow energetic storyline.
You learn a little information about Egyptian culture.
Dislikes: -
Author: Samuel Bavli
Year: 2016
Publisher: Createspace (Amazon)
Genre: Adventure
Age: JUV 10+
This was a book I received as a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For a book that is less than 200 pages this story sure does move fast & encompass a lot of information.
The story begins in Ancient Egypt, the year is 2558 B.C.E. The king’s vizer Neb is taken from his chambers in the middle of the night to a temple in the desert. His captor is a man dressed in an Anubis mask. Neb is poisoned & killed, then his ka or soul is transferred to live out eternity in the body of the great sphinx. The only way to release his soul is when a descendant of the then King of Egypt rules on the throne again.
Fast forward to the present day & there’s a boy named Jon visiting the museum where the sphinx is located. But it’s not just an ordinary sphinx, it’s talking to him. The sphinx with Neb trapped inside needs his help to escape. The pair travel back in time to Ancient Egypt to discover the truth. It turns out that Jon is a descendent of the royal family & he looks just like Prince Baka. The two boys decide to switch places so Jon can find out more information without putting the Prince in danger. While they are there they find out about all the corruption inside the palace & discover who is really behind Neb’s death & several other’s. Once Jon & the sphinx return to the present day there’s a surprise waiting for them.
But will Neb’s ka be released so he can reach his final resting place after thousands of years, or will he be trapped as a sphinx for all eternity?
Likes: This was a fast paced, short book with an easy to follow energetic storyline.
You learn a little information about Egyptian culture.
Dislikes: -
November 15, 2016
This review was originally published on Netgalley.
Very enjoyable read even if a bit short in my opinion, maybe because I'm used to read relatively big books. The story tough is really good bringing together adventure, time-travelling, mystery and mythology.
The story starts with a museum visit where a 14 year old boy named Jon hears the sphinx whisper to him. When he returns at night, curiosity getting the best of him, Jon is introduced to Neb, a spirit trapped inside the sphinx after being murdered by an evil sorcerer in Ancient Egypt. In order for Neb to be released, Jon has travel back in time and find his killer. How to go unnoticed? By assuming the identity of the pharaoh's son of course.
The story is fast-paced and very easy to follow and enjoy. Jon is a very likeable young boy with a thirst for adventure and reveals a level of courage beyond his years.
I would have liked to see a more detailed description of the old Egyptian world. I'm a big fan of mythology and it would have been nice some more depth in this field.
I recommend this book for YA/children that love mythology and like quick-readings!
Read my other reviews at: http://booktraveller.weebly.com/
Very enjoyable read even if a bit short in my opinion, maybe because I'm used to read relatively big books. The story tough is really good bringing together adventure, time-travelling, mystery and mythology.
The story starts with a museum visit where a 14 year old boy named Jon hears the sphinx whisper to him. When he returns at night, curiosity getting the best of him, Jon is introduced to Neb, a spirit trapped inside the sphinx after being murdered by an evil sorcerer in Ancient Egypt. In order for Neb to be released, Jon has travel back in time and find his killer. How to go unnoticed? By assuming the identity of the pharaoh's son of course.
The story is fast-paced and very easy to follow and enjoy. Jon is a very likeable young boy with a thirst for adventure and reveals a level of courage beyond his years.
I would have liked to see a more detailed description of the old Egyptian world. I'm a big fan of mythology and it would have been nice some more depth in this field.
I recommend this book for YA/children that love mythology and like quick-readings!
Read my other reviews at: http://booktraveller.weebly.com/
January 4, 2017
I kindly received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fun story about 14-year old Jon who travels back in time to ancient Egypt to help solve a mystery. Jon is a very likable and brave character, who does not hesitate to put his own life in danger to help others. He does this by replacing the prince, in order to find out who is trying to kill members of the royal family.
The story was a lot of fun, fast-paced and easy to follow. Even though the mystery was very good, it was a bit rushed at times. It still drew me in and I finished this book in a single sitting.
One thing I missed in this book is some background and culture on Ancient Egypt. I would have expected some sort of culture shock from Jon when replacing the prince, or at least some things that were remarkable to him. But he didn't need any time to adapt and had no trouble fitting in the every day life. The information we were given about the different Gods was a very nice inclusion though.
I highly recommend this charming tale to anyone who enjoys fast-paced mysteries and/or has any interest in ancient Egypt. I enjoyed it a whole lot.
This is a fun story about 14-year old Jon who travels back in time to ancient Egypt to help solve a mystery. Jon is a very likable and brave character, who does not hesitate to put his own life in danger to help others. He does this by replacing the prince, in order to find out who is trying to kill members of the royal family.
The story was a lot of fun, fast-paced and easy to follow. Even though the mystery was very good, it was a bit rushed at times. It still drew me in and I finished this book in a single sitting.
One thing I missed in this book is some background and culture on Ancient Egypt. I would have expected some sort of culture shock from Jon when replacing the prince, or at least some things that were remarkable to him. But he didn't need any time to adapt and had no trouble fitting in the every day life. The information we were given about the different Gods was a very nice inclusion though.
I highly recommend this charming tale to anyone who enjoys fast-paced mysteries and/or has any interest in ancient Egypt. I enjoyed it a whole lot.
September 14, 2016
I would classify the Secret of the Sphinx as a Mystery (children's books) first and Adventure second.
Jon accepts the challenge to go back in time to solve a crime and help the sphynx. The author leads us from suspect to suspect, sometimes it's predictable, but still fun.
It was a bit too short for my taste, so it failed to give me all that I was expecting from the characters and the world. It easily built up my expectations with some specific scenes, and not always gave me the right satisfaction.
It suits young readers who are impatient and not usually pick a long book. They will appreciate the fast pacing, the adventure elements and following the clues to solve a crime. Good for kids who love Egypt and it's mythology.
I had fun.
Jon accepts the challenge to go back in time to solve a crime and help the sphynx. The author leads us from suspect to suspect, sometimes it's predictable, but still fun.
It was a bit too short for my taste, so it failed to give me all that I was expecting from the characters and the world. It easily built up my expectations with some specific scenes, and not always gave me the right satisfaction.
It suits young readers who are impatient and not usually pick a long book. They will appreciate the fast pacing, the adventure elements and following the clues to solve a crime. Good for kids who love Egypt and it's mythology.
I had fun.
April 1, 2017
This book is really meant for kids or tweens. It was a very interesting story that I would have loved when I was younger. Two of my favorite things... Museums and ancient Egypt in one book! This book grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me interested until the end! I think any child interested in Egypt and history will love this tale.
April 19, 2017
Fantastic!!!
This was a delightful story to read and be transported back in time to Ancient Egypt to thwart danger too!
This was a delightful story to read and be transported back in time to Ancient Egypt to thwart danger too!
April 13, 2017
I'm giving up on this one as a DNF. I've been working on this book since last year and 28%/Chapter 6 in, I don't think I can take much more.
It's poorly written and implausible. Sure, it's middle school fantasy so whaddya expect? Unfortunately, there's so much better middle school fantasy out there -- even ones about normal boys who suddenly go from modern city-life to amazing Egyptian adventures to solve mysteries filled with murderers, gods, ancient history. The dialogue and main character Jon are awkwardly crafted.
I regret I even took the time to downloaded it to my Kindle (however, my thanks still to NetGalley and publishing team).
It's poorly written and implausible. Sure, it's middle school fantasy so whaddya expect? Unfortunately, there's so much better middle school fantasy out there -- even ones about normal boys who suddenly go from modern city-life to amazing Egyptian adventures to solve mysteries filled with murderers, gods, ancient history. The dialogue and main character Jon are awkwardly crafted.
I regret I even took the time to downloaded it to my Kindle (however, my thanks still to NetGalley and publishing team).
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