The Reluctant God - Softcover

Grade 5-8 Blend a touch of teen romance with The Curse of the Mummy , add equal parts of intrigue and adventure plus lots of fun , and you have The Reluctant God. The plot, told in alternating chapters by a pharaoh's son from ancient Egypt and a 20th-Century archaeologist's daughter, is fanciful and entertaining. Ameni has been trained as a priest of Osiris. As part of an elaborate plan to ensure eternity for the souls of the dead, he is buried alive, in a drug-induced trance, to guard two alabaster urns containing a magic portion. One of the urns is separated from Ameni's mummy and sent to a museum in London. When he comes back to life in 20th-Century Egypt, Ameni meets Lorna Padgett, convinces her of his identity, and seeks her help in finding the urn. Their adventure takes them to London, where they discover that art thieves have stolen the urn. All ends well after an exciting confrontation with the thieves. The Egyptian gods are appeased, Ameni decides to live out a full life in the 20th Century with Lorna, and the thieves are last seen pursued by avenging spirits. Totally implausible and predictable, but solid fun. Cynthia M. Sturgis, Ledding Library, Milwaukie, Oreg.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Service's latest book is a curious but not altogether successful blend of the occult with the more traditional mystery-adventure. It is a funny, enthusiastic and entertaining novel, but readers may wish the mystery had been discarded in favor of a historical work, since Service creates an impressive picture of daily life in Egypt at the time of the pharoahs, comparable to that of Mika Waltari's The Egyptian. The plot alternates between the discovery of an unopened and mysterious tomb by Egyptology student Lorna Padgett, and the life of Prince Ameni, the younger twin to the heir to the throne of Pharaoh Senusert II, up to his entombment. Ameni returns to life in Lorna's time to protect sacred urns that Lorna's father has shipped off to London. When the urns are stolen along with other artifacts, Lorna and Ameni are determined to find the thieves. Their chase across England requires a strong suspension of disbelief and is sure to amuse younger readers. But those entranced by the novel's early settings may be let down by the prosaic ending. Ages 10-13.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.