Tut by P. J. Hoover

The story you know about King Tut, Egypt’s most famous Pharaoh, is a total lie. Tutankhamun did not die, and it was not his body Carter discovered in the tomb. A fight with his uncle, General Horemheb, should have ended Tut’s life, but the Gods had other plans.

Now an immortal teenager, Tut currently lives in Washington, D.C. with his guardian, Gil, and cat, Horus, as an eighth grade student (he lost a bet), and homework is a drag (when he does not have his shabtis complete it for him).

A series of troubling events lead Tut to the knowledge that his uncle the General is also still alive, and there may be a way to end his life and finally take revenge for the crimes against Tut and his family. What follows is an adventure spanning the breadth of D.C. and the history of Egypt’s gods. Tut’s quest for revenge may have to take a backseat to the real danger, though, as an ancient cult dedicated to Set, the God of Chaos, is ready to bring about a new era under Set’s rule.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. As an immortal teen, Tut is appropriately sardonic, blending the knowledge of a bred Pharaoh, teenage angst, and the long view of an immortal into an entertaining and sometimes frustrating narrative voice (he is a teenager, after all). The story is straightforward yet compelling, moving quickly through the plot to an interesting conclusion. The inclusion of the shabtis and normal teen concerns (homework, crushes, etc.) add enough comic relief and humor to keep the reader engaged and smiling.

I really appreciated the development of the secondary characters, but it was somewhat limited in that this is a first novel of a series. There are definitely some things that were undoubtedly left out to be dealt with in future books. Along with that, the book does end on a fairly large cliffhanger which can be a bit frustrating.

Fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series and The Kane Chronicles should enjoy the inclusion of the pantheon of ancient Egypt and the grand adventure Tut finds himself on. I am most curious with the inclusion of Gil, Tut’s parental figure in our times, and I did find myself wanting to hear more about some of the past adventures Tut described.

Overall, Tut is a fun, fast-paced, and entertaining book that fits nicely with the Harry Potters and Percy Jacksons of the fictional landscape. I think this would be a good book to introduce a child who may be looking for something new to read but is not quite ready for the commitment Harry Potter represents. Despite a few scenes and the subject matter, Tut is pretty light-hearted and not as intense as some young adult fiction.

Book Stats:

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Starscape (September 16, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765334682
• ISBN-13: 978-0765334688

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Tut by P. J. Hoover