Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx, by James Rollins
Jake and his sister Kady use their father’s watch, assuming it will send them to Calypsos. Instead, they are transported to a vast desert, ruled by an ancient Egyptian culture. Marika, Pindor, and Bach’uuk are all pulled to the remote land as well. But the group is quickly attacked and captured by Princess Nefertiti and her people. Believing the outsiders to be dangerous, they are thrown into prison. As Jake soon discovers, the Skull King’s reach is vast. And Jake and his friends are soon racing to find pieces to a seemingly ancient puzzle, before the Skull King’s followers reach them first.
This is the second book in the Jake Ransom series. And it is essential to have read the first novel. Unfortunately, not a lot of backstory or character descriptions are given. And seeing as how I read the last one a year and over one hundred and fifty books ago, it was a struggle to remember critical details. Fortunately, the strengths of Rollins’ novels are action and adventure. And there was no lack of that. Full of suspense, danger, mystery, and thrills, this series for middle readers is non-stop fun from beginning to end. Young readers who love action-packed stories with a blend of ancient civilizations and mythology should definitely pick up this series.