Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow

If Rollins and Clemens had a child...

I've gotten a little clever with the title of my review. It refers to the fact that thriller writer James Rollins also writes fantasy novels under the name James Clemens. I think Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow really is like the perfect offspring of the Rollins and Clemens styles--some science, thrills and adventure, mixed with a generous amount of fantasy. And this IS his first novel for young adults.

Now, the book is written for kids aged ten and up. I'm a 40-year-old woman, so I'd be, you know, up. There isn't a doubt in my mind that this book will find an audience with its intended readership, but that it will also be read by many of Rollins adult fans who are, like me, young at heart. show more The great thing is that there's something for everyone. It's a terrific book for parents and kids to read together.

The novel is told from the point of view of 13-year-old Jake Ransom. He and his older sister Kady come from a long line of archeologists and adventurers. Their parents were lost under mysterious circumstances on an expedition three years earlier, but despite this tragedy, Jake is ready to follow in their footsteps. He's fascinated by history and science, and spends all his time engaged in some form of learning. Kady's a little different. She's... popular. (And great job writing some strong female characters, Mr. Rollins!)

Near the beginning of the novel, Jake and Kady receive a surprise invitation to a museum exhibit opening in London. The exhibit features Mayan artifacts recovered from the senior Ransoms' last fateful expedition. Jake and Kady attend the opening amidst much fanfare. It's an eventful day; the opening is timed to match exactly a full eclipse of the sun, plus there's an electrical storm raging. Alone with an artifact, during some extraordinary atmospheric conditions, all the puzzle pieces come together and Jake and Kady are transported--inexplicably--to another world. And they're about to be eaten by a t-rex!

Jake and Kady have come to Calypsos, and while they explore this village and its unique inhabitants, they are searching for a way home. Unfortunately, they get embroiled with a VVV--a vaguely Voldemortian villain--and are intimately caught up in an epic battle of good and evil. The book actually reminded me more of Lloyd Alexander's beloved Chronicles of Prydain with its own epic battle than anything else (but others with a better vocabulary of YA fiction may have more apt comparisons).

Here's the thing... This novel is the first of a promised series. It does a great job of setting up the principles, the situations, the conflicts, and so forth. And this arc of the story is complete. The one thing you should know is that none of the bigger picture questions are answered. As you finish this novel, it will leave you wanting much, much more.

I read a galley of this novel, but I can't wait to see all the illustrations in a finished copy. It's coming out right in time for my nephew's birthday, and I'm very much looking forward to reading this and future Jake Ransom adventures with him. show less

Eighth-grader Jake and his older sister Kady are invited to the British Museum to view the Mayan treasures their archaeologist parents discovered shortly before their disappearance three years earlier. Jake takes along what is left of their parents' possessions: a field log, a sketch book, and two halves of a gold Mayan coin (worn by the siblings around their necks). At the exhibit, Jake examines a two-foot-tall solid gold pyramid with a round hole in its side. He places the Mayan coin in the slot, which creates an explosion, transporting the siblings to another place and time. Calypsos is a land inhabited by dinosaurs, mythical and fantastical creatures, and people from long-lost civilizations. Upon their arrival, Jake and Kady show more befriend two teens, Pindor and Marika. Together they must save Calypsos from the banished Skull King who threatens to return and take over the land. The pace of the story is occasionally a little slow, but readers who stick with it will be caught up in the adventure, particularly those who are interested in Mayan culture. show less

This is the first James Rollins book I've read--and I loved it! It's got everything I love: culture & mythology, excitement, mystery, and emotional depth. Fact & fiction are cleverly woven together to present a fantasy world that feels as real as ours. Jake & his sister Kady have lost their parents who were renown archaeologists. While at a museum exhibit showcasing their parents' work, Jake & Kady somehow get sucked into an ancient world! We watch as Jake merges the science of our world with the alchemy of the other world -- together, you & Jake unfold a great mystery. This was definitely a page-turner! At the end, people from two different cultures had to work together to defeat a great evil which sends a great message of crossing show more social boundaries to work for the good of all. show less

I was wary of this book right from the get-go. The prologue was a rather clunky attempt at action and suspense, which didn't give me much hope for the rest of the book. Then I read further and found out that the main character was yet another one of those too-smart and too-misunderstood genius boys, the kind that can do no wrong without learning something profound from the experience, the kind disliked even by his teachers for his awesome intellect.

It's painfully obvious that this book was not intended to be read females. The female characters exist as pretty shallow archetypes. The love interest (or "like" interest, as we are talking about pre-teen characters) is there to be pretty and admired and sometimes make a helpful comment or show more two. Jake's sister Kady is a shallow and temperamental girl who has little on her mind but looking pretty and dating popular boys. Even if you invoke Suspension of Disbelief for the scene where Kady's shown to have skills at fancy swordwork (because swordword is totally the same as her cheerleader baton routine), any potential coolness is drained away by the new few paragraphs showing that Kady's somewhat proud of herself for starting new fashion trends amongst the Viking girls. Eventually, she teaches the proud warriors-in-training how to cheerlead.

No, I'm not joking. They learn to cheerlead, which provides enough distraction so that Jake can sneak away and go be the big hero and work on saving the day.

Like your books to have diverse and strong female characters? Then stay far far away from Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow.

I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps the author has a thing against women, or perhaps he naively thought that girls wouldn't possibly be interested in adventure stories and so didn't think there was any point in putting positive female characters in. Bach'uuk, the overlooked little Neanderthal slave boy whom nobody pays attention to, got more positive page time than any female other than Marika. Feel sorry for the little boy, but don't give a toss about the girls, because they're icky and pointless.

I feel compelled to say something positive about this book, however, and if it has any saving grace, it's in the pacing. The writing flows smoothly, and it can pull readers along, making them want to see what happens next, what event is just around the next corner. Rollins also, admittedly, had a knack for addressing questions that I mentally formed as I was reading. Why was a t-rex chasing a Mayan girl and a Roman boy? Why are so many diverse cultures living in one tiny area without integrating and mixing their respective cultures despite many generations having passed? Why is everyone able to understand everyone else's speech? Some authors may have just hand-waved these issues, thinking perhaps that the intended audience wouldn't know enough to even realise the problems, but Rollins actually addressed the questions head-on. The explanations may have been too simplistic for real life, but for a kids' book, they were sufficient.

I also keep trying to tell myself that the plot twists would have been sufficient for a kids' book too, even though none of them particularly surprised me. Sometimes it felt like Rollins was trying to pull a J K Rowling with his plot, and not quite managing. The reveal of the bad guy here felt like the reveal of the bad guy in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Bait-and-switch, connection to the underling, the minion's pain... I swear I was waiting for the power of love to give Jake the power of a burning touch no evil can stand...

Ultimately, I'd recommend passing over this book. If you feel like borrowing it from a library some day, or reading it while it's still free on HarperCollins, go ahead, but I wouldn't recommend that anybody actually spend money on this thing. show less

How much adventure can you pack into one book? Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow is jam-packed with Mayan history, dinosaurs, alchemy, Vikings, Roman soldiers… along with Jake Ransom (of course) and his sister Kady. Orphaned when their archeologist parents go missing, Jake & Kady receive an all expense paid trip to the British Museum’s exhibit of their parents work on Mayan cultures. From that point it’s a high-adventure, fantasy-fused ride with bits of history thrown in for good measure.

The plot twists and turns are so many I’ll not attempt to synthesize them here. I’ve not that sort of talent. Suffice it to say that the bad guy (Skull King, duh!) almost wins, but Jake outsmarts him in the best Indiana Jones style. The show more author, a well known adult thriller writer, makes the wise decision to lay low on descriptive passages while fueling the plot with foreshadowing, tension-relieving humor and cliffhangers. Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow is the sort of book that launches a series with kids lined up to buy the next one.

Recommended for library & classroom purchase.

Review first published on Reading Rumpus show less

Jake Ransom and the Skull King’s Shadow
by James Rollins
Harper Collins
9780061473791
April 28, 2009,416 pages

Jake Ransom and his older sister Kady receive a mysterious invitation to an opening exhibit of Mayan Treasures at The British Museum in London. Three years ago their parents disappeared on an archeology exhibition. Jake, having a penchant for studies and strong desire to follow in his parent’s footsteps is thrilled. Kady, diva and social butterfly is reluctant to go, but ultimately agrees when she realizes cameras will be everywhere. How could she possibly miss this fashion and social opportunity.
Unfortunately their trip to London takes them farther than they expected as they find themselves in another place. It’s show more definitely not London as they immediately face a carnivorous dinosaur. Ultimately they meet the inhabitants who are people from multiple ancient civilizations all living together in a place called Calypso.
Rollins has set the scene for the perfect action adventure story for middle grade students. They are lost in a strange place. They are alone are among strangers. They
are immediately faced with their first life or death challenge.
Your heart will beat with the cadence of his poetic prose. Fast moving drama pushes you forward with a driving beat through his use of lyrical text. Rollins is a master of momentum and tension. A barrage of sound effects will come alive as you are compelled to turn each page no just reading but hearing the story. Students will beg to stay up late to read this book and it will fly off the library shelves. Let’s hope the sequel is not far behind. This well written series will fill the holes in many library collections. Rollins is a natural fit for the young adult fantasy adventure drama.

Wisteria Leigh

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2011]. show less

My 7-year-old is really enjoying this book. Me, not so much, but I'll rate based on the target audience.

I'm a James Rollins fan for the most part. I enjoy his stories which always move at a fast pace, are very well written, have a solid amount of viable science and history to make things believable, and have characters deep enough to sustain interest. Jake Ransom is no different, but adds more of a fantasy angle.

The book is definitely written towards young adults...maybe 6th grade and up. My son's in 2nd and certainly wouldn't be able to read it on his own, but he loves the adventure and mystery that Rollins strongly builds in each chapter. Think of Jake Ransom as a young Indiana Jones - that's pretty much the pull of the story and show more characters. show less