Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 5-8. Featuring adolescents initiated into a magical society invisible to unwitting "mundanes," the Children of the Lamp series nods vigorously to Harry Potter. The difference from many of its competitors, though, is the finesse with which it does so--no less apparent here than in The Akhenatan Adventure0 (2005), which most children will want to read first. Kidnapped by the ruthless Blue Djinn to succeed her as djinnkind's ultimate arbiter of justice, newly fledged djinn Philippa has been imprisoned to prepare her for the unwanted job. As family and friends work to find a more suitable replacement, Philippa's twin, John, must rescue her from an underground palace, accessed through an American military base in Iraq--an up-to-the-minute element that fits oddly with the narrative's old-fashioned tone (at one point, John creeps about "Indian-style," and what 12-year-old New Yorker uses words like quite 0 and indeed?0 ). At the same time, though, the plot also feels more controlled than its predecessor, with greater limitations to the magic preventing the heroes' paths from seeming artificially smooth. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2006 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Grade 5-8 -- In this uneven fantasy, 12-year-old twins live a privileged but uneventful life in New York City until both John and Philippa need to have their wisdom teeth extracted. Afterward, the children begin to experience strange growth spurts, have cravings for smoke and heat, and gain the ability to grant wishes. After inviting them to visit him in London, their Uncle Nimrod informs them that they are descended from the Marid tribe of djinn. As he begins their training, they travel to Egypt, where they are pursued by Iblis, the leader of an enemy tribe who thinks Nimrod knows the location of the lost tomb of Akhenaten. This pharaoh bound 70 djinn to his service and whoever finds his tomb will have the ability to command them and shift the balance of power from good to evil. As they travel around the world, the siblings and their uncle have numerous adventures, culminating in an encounter with Akhenaten's ghost. The writing has a cinematic quality as Kerr provides detailed glimpses at the changing scenery; at times, there is too much description, particularly of room furnishings. In-depth characterizations are sacrificed for the often humorous, fast-moving plot. For a more complex and satisfying fantasy about djinn, try Jonathan Stroud's "Bartimaeus Trilogy" (Miramax). Sharon Rawlins, Piscataway Public Library, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Intermediate) Fresh from attaining their djinn powers in The Akhenaten Adventure (rev. 1/05), twelve-year-old twins John and Philippa Gaunt set out to return a valuable djinn text to Ayesha, the Blue Djinn of Babylon. Being beyond good and evil, Ayesha helps maintain the balance of luck in the universe, but she's looking for a replacement before she dies, and the mission is a ruse to kidnap Philippa and force her to take up the position. To rescue her, John travels to Iraq and thence to Iravotum, a djinn realm outside of time and space. As in the first book, Kerr brings a wealth of invention and a solid grounding of research into djinn legends to his creation, giving the story and its deftly varied episodes a rich texture. The supporting characters as well show an entertaining diversity. Capable writing and a well-shaped plot will reward fans returning to this series. An appendix contains rules for the djinn game Djinnverso. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
After their dangerous adventures in The Akhenaten Adventure (2004), djinn twins John and Philippa have promised their mother not to use their djinn powers without her permission. It's not so bad for Philippa, who can exercise her djinntellect playing Djinnverso (a dice game played without magic), but it's more difficult for John, who is being bullied at school. When Philippa is framed as a cheater at the Djinnverso Tournament, the twins are pulled into what appears to be a plot to rule the world. Alas, it's a double-cross. When the twins try to help, Philippa is kidnapped by the amoral, merciless arbiter of justice, the Blue Djinn of Babylon. The Blue Djinn wants an heir and intends to make Philippa heartless like herself. John and Philippa's adventures as they defeat the Blue Djinn are an odd combination of intrigue and overly goofy humor. Solidly entertaining despite jokes that try a little too hard. (Fantasy. 10-12) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
