These are clever and enjoyable books. Fans of Harry Potter should enjoy. ( )

John and Philippa Gaunt are on another mission. Being djinn they can grant wishes, and being experienced with their other missions they are ready. They have to help their friend Dybbuk and stop a dangerous plan! This book is for people who like adventure and fantasy. Enjoy! ( )

It was bound to happen eventually. An author enjoys success with a series of books and along the way, he throws out a stinker. Well perhaps "stinker" is too strong a word for "The Cobra King of Kathmandu" - it does have its good points I suppose - but if you stand it up next to book one and book two, you'll see that this book doesn't quite measure up. It becomes a bit of a slog to get through.

John & Phillipa is back in New York, preparing to lose their mother as she prepares to become the next Blue Djinn. They are miserable, not only because of this, but also because it is freezing cold and so they have lost their djinn power. Meanwhile, their djinn friend, Dybbuk, takes part in a robbery at a military museum and steals the baton which used to belong to Hermann Goering. Inside the baton is a secret compartment with priceless paintings - but one painting, unknown to them, is more valuable than the Van Gogh - it is a painting with a secret message showing the location of the long lost Cobra King statue - an ancient relic which people would literally kill to obtain as it contains items that would give them control over a very important djinn, one very close to John and Phillipa's hearts.

It isn't long before Dybbuk is on the run and when John & Phillipa try to help him, they are forced to run too. Soon afterwards, mysterious figures kidnap Nimrod & Mr Rakshashas - have they been kidnapped by their arch-nemesis Iblis, who has vowed revenge? Or has another group taken them for another reason?

The story is fine enough but some areas of the book are a trek to read and you wonder if you'll ever get to the end. The story also loses pace towards the end and you start to page-flip wondering when things will pick up again.

So this book is totally bad but it doesn't stand out as a classic either. I am hoping that the soon-to-be released part 4 is much better. ( )

If the Blue Djinn of Babylon was a bit of a disappointment, CKK is not! It's a great adventure which perfectly sets up the fourth book in the series. Some unanswered questions and CKK also introduces some new character types as well.
Good stuff.
Originally posted October 15, 2006

http://ginasblogging.blogspot.com/200... ( )