I never thought I'd say this, but Anubis was so adorable here. His arrogance at his birthright, his cheerful disregard for what is appropriate, obvious pride in his job (even if his father did steal his original job but he's not bitter over that. Nope.) - he made this a fun romp through Ancient Egyptian Mythology. This is a broad overview of the vast pantheon that encompasses Ancient Egyptian mythology (he cheekily says we don't have to worry, he'll give us the super stars), but is surprisingly detailed in some aspects. Definitely a book I would have enjoyed as a child just getting into it, or as a supplement to what (little) we learned in school.

Also I totally get your animosity towards Apophis. That dude is the lowest of the low. ( )

I got this from Netgalley.

For a kids book, this gets pretty gory, and also makes jokes during some of the parts that might disturb a child. It feels a little odd.

On the other hand, part of the jokes comes from Anubis telling the story, as if the child is there with him, and this conversational aspect will draw in young readers. So will the jokes, and the easy language that weaves together a story.

Oddly enough, the story is about Ra, and his nightly journey to be reborn at dawn, and start the day.


This is incredibly well done. It's broken down hour by hour, and there are specific things that happen each hour of the night. It's all a boat ride, really, and the child is spoken to as if he's joining Anubis for that ride. Between the tale of 'this happened this hour', there are facts, like Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife, that were connected to that hours activities.

The book was mostly myth, but didn't allow itself to be confined by myth.

Really, the only thing I'm iffy about is how gleeful this book was about the violence. And I'm torn here, so only taking away one half a star. There's no way to talk about Egyptian mythology, particularly about the dead, without getting a little gruesome. This, however, may not be the time to throwing around jokes when you're writing a book about children. Even I was a little horrified at a point or two, and I love super-gory horror. If your child is squeamish, I'd recommend checking this book out yourself before you buy it for them, or let them read it. If they're okay with, say, pulling brains out through noses, all the while the narrator cracking jokes about this process, then I think they'll really enjoy this book.

It's short, and it's written in such a casual, simple manner, it's a quick read, without skimping on the educational aspect.

Well done. ( )

Anubis leads you through the underworld/after-life "A Guide to the Afterlife by the Egyptian God of the Dead". Throughout the book are many myths of ancient Egypt relating to death and the process thereafter.

I assumed this was a fictional chapter book with a somewhat weird cover and was enchanted to discover it is a...well, it's kind of hard to describe. A narrative of ancient Egyptian beliefs and culture is the best thing I can think of.

Our guide on this often dark and dangerous journey is Anubis, the jackal-headed Egyptian god of the afterlife, or certain aspects of it. Anubis takes the reader through the journey of Ra, the sun, as he travels through the underworld in several stages during the night, battling evil gods and demons. Along the way, we learn about Egyptian mythology and beliefs as well as the culture and some of the history and geography that shaped it.

Anubis is a gleefully gruesome narrator, talking about his duties of weighing hearts and what happens to those unlucky enough not to measure up with ghoulish delight. With snarky asides and egocentric complaints, he narrates the function of the gods and how they functioned in the context of Egyptian culture.

This isn't exactly a scary read, but it's certainly gruesome in parts, since many of the rituals include burial rites and traditions, such as how to make a mummy, and lots of fighting between gods and demons, not to mention the tortures of those who don't weigh equally on Anubis' scales.

Verdict: Hand this to fans of Rick Riordan's myth-based fantasy adventures, to kids obsessed with ancient cultures and mythology, and to those who like gruesome and gory history with a touch of snarky humor. In other words, approximately 60% of any average group of 8-12 year olds. This is the first in a series and I'm looking forward to the sequels.

ISBN: 9781590789957; Published October 2013 by Boyds Mills Press; ARC provided by publisher at ALA annual 2013; Added to the library's order list

When the Rick Riordan "The Kane Chronicles" reader is in the mood for nonfiction, this is a good book to have handy. Written in a 4th/5th grade friendly tone, Anubis takes the reader on a tour of the underworld, Egyptian myths, mummy-making and some ancient Egyptian history. While the book sometimes touches on the icky (stinky caves, the process of mummification) it is in the just-right vein of what 10 year old readers like to read about. There is plenty of solid information mixed in with the humorous asides and occasional black and white illustrations. A guide to the gods and demons, a glossary and a bibliography and index round out the book.