Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake

Jake Atlas #1

by Rob Lloyd Jones

Jake Atlas - tomb robber, treasure hunter, troublemaker!When Jake's parents vanish, Jake and his sister team up with shady tomb robbers to find them in the Egyptian desert in this riveting page-turning adventure by award-winning author Rob Lloyd Jones. The Atlas family is in Jake hides an addiction to stealing; his twin sister, Pan, has to conceal her genius, for fear of bullies. The siblings can't stop fighting – with each other and with their parents, stuffy professors of Ancient History. But Jake's and Pan's lives take a dramatic turn the day they discover the truth about their boring mum and dad. When the family go to Cairo on holiday, and Jake and Pan's parents mysteriously vanish, it's up to the twins to find them. They team up with shady tomb robbers, master high-tech gadgets and locate a lost tomb in this story of a family that finds itself in the deserts of Egypt.

Genres: Middle Grade, Adventure, Childrens, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Family

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 26, 2018

About the author

Rob Lloyd Jones was born in San Francisco but grew up in London. He studied Egyptology at University where he learnt hieroglyphics, and often goes on digs with the Egypt Exploration Society. He is a senior editor at Usborne, for whom he has written over thirty books – mostly historical non-fiction, but also adaptations of classics such as JEKYLL AND HYDE and THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. Rob is also a volunteer reading helper at a primary school in Clerkenwell and wrote episodes of the children’s TV show ‘Bernard’s Watch’ for Carlton Kids. He lives in south London with his wife Sally, and 14-month-old son Otis.

Reviews

[✦BookishlyRichie✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS!!!




This was awesome! It was like a Middle-Grade version of National Treasure & The Da Vinci Code, filled with action, adventure, thrills and edge of your seat insanity. So if you're looking for something quick and fill of fun, go check this out. To hear my full thoughts check out my Book Thoughts video on this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61r2r...

- Richard

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

12 year old twins Jake and Pandora (Pan), are off on a family holiday with their parents to Egypt. Even before they have boarded the plane, Jake lands himself in a spot of bother, after stealing a tablet, (the electronic type).

Whilst hiding from security, and trying to get to his boarding gate on time, he becomes trapped. That is until a mysterious person speaks to him, telling him when to run, and when to hide, until the voice gets him onto his plane without being seen.

Once in Egypt, the pair are left on their own whilst their Egyptologist parents attend lectures and meetings. It is after one of these meetings that the two of them fail to return. Deciding against calling for help, the twins set out following the trail of clues in order to save their parents.

Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake, is full of excitement, action, intrigue and mystery. It has a great plot, surrounded by Egyptian scenery that you can vividly imagine, and wonderful characters.

Jake is a cheeky chappy. He’s smart, funny, plus a little bit big headed, yet he is extremely likeable. Pandora is more level headed, though a little moody. The two completely complement one another.

There are plenty of twists and turns, and often I found myself on the wrong trail. There are also lots of facts hidden amongst the fast paced action scenes. You will often find yourself laughing out loud.

This is the perfect book for all those who are interested in the likes of Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible, etc. A great book that I couldn’t awarded anything other than five stars.

Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed and full of adventure, I couldn't stop reading, the chapters are not too long, which means you can pick it up and read even if you've only got a few minutes, I really enjoyed this book.

[Karen ⊰✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great middle grade adventure as siblings Jake and Pandora try and find their archaeologist parents. They learn to uncover secrets of Ancient Egypt and it is action and fun the whole way.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inhalt:

Jake und seine Familie fahren in den Urlaub nach Ägypten, aber dort angekommen sind er und seine Schwester schon bald auf sich alleine gestellt, denn ihre Eltern sind verschwunden. Wurden sie tatsächlich entführt, oder haben sie ihre Kinder nur sitzenlassen, weil sie immer nur für Ärger sorgen? Schon bald befinden sich Jake und seine Zwillingsschwester Pandora auf einer abenteuerlichen Reise, um ihre Eltern zu retten. Nicht wissend wem sie vertrauen können und sich fragend, ob sie ihre Eltern eigentlich wirklich kennen.

Art des Buches: Abenteuer

Wie fand ich das Buch? Ich muss sagen, dass mich dieses Buch ganz schnell am Winkel hatte und mich wirklich begeistern konnte. Es ist ein richtig gelungenes Abenteuerbuch, welches auch Kinder, die nur ungern lesen, einfangen kann. Es hat reichlich Tempo und Action, aber nie so viel, dass die eigentliche Handlung oder die Charaktere dabei untergehen. Nebenbei erfährt man noch ein bisschen was über das alte Ägypten. Es hat mich persönlich sehr an die 'Yaks' Reihe von C. Alexander London erinnert, die mir damals ja auch sehr gut gefallen hat, nur das hier auf Humor verzichtet wird. Ich freue mich auf das nächste Abenteuer von Jake Turner und seiner Familie.

Gab es etwas zum Nachdenken und/oder Nachforschen? Ja, ich habe mir die Schauplätze angesehen.

3 passende Wörter zum Buch? Abenteuer - Ägypten - Schatzsuche

Wem empfehlen? Allen die einem Abenteuerroman nicht widerstehen können.

[Adele Broadbent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake and his twin Pan (Pandora) don't like each other much. So spending a boring week or so with their even more boring History Professor parents in Cairo doesn't seem much like a holiday to them. Jake has a knack for getting into trouble but vows that he'll be good.But it's not long before he's stolen an i-pad and is chased by airport security. A strange scarred man comes to his aid and then seems to be following them. After another fight with his sister, their parents leave them in their room, then mysteriously vanish from the hotel.

It's up to Jake and Pan to find them, following clues to find an ancient lost tomb before hired mercenaries do. Pan has always tried to hide her intelligence, because it always attracted bullies, but now with her smarts and Jake's courage, they are tracking down their parents - who just might not be as boring as they've always pretended to be......

Non-stop action, gadgets, stunts, clue finding and following. Not to mention tomb raiding, explosives and booby traps. Think Indiana Jones with a 12 yr old twin sister!

[Daniel Han · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was solid because of the intensification and the emotional pour at the end.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10 - a really fun, thrilling adventure through Egypt.

[Onur · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a thrilling tomb hunting story of a family coming closer together after all the secrets and the lies and the stealing now they hunt for treasure together as a big family.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake is not like everyone else, a troublemaker constantly on the move. He suffers from Impulse Control Disorder, which makes him do bad things but also gives him a buzz. At the start of a family holiday in the airport he steals a laptop and is helped out by a scarred stranger before boarding a flight to Egypt. In Cairo his parents discover his misdeed and send him to his room, with his twin sister Pandora. Stewing with guilt and stuck with an uncommunicative sister they sleep. The next morning their parents have disappeared without much evidence that they were there at all.

As the twins struggle to discover the puzzle of their parents absence - Jake encounters the scarred man again, Dr. Kit Thorn. Kit reveals some secrets about their family's history and a greater threat from a shadowy group. With Sam Farzi - a tech wizard - he enlists the twins help to rescue their parents. However, not all is as it seems and the twins will have to learn to trust themselves, their 'bad characteristics' and their instincts if they have any hope to help their parents.

A rollicking Indiana Jones type of adventure this is a great book of mystery and high jinks. The twins are strong characters, flawed and crippled in the beginning by what sets them apart in life. The challenges that beset them in normal life are good traits to have as would-be treasure hunters. The realisation that they may be suited to a life beyond the norm is hard for them to come to grips with. As they achieve some goals using their unique abilities, however, they begin to grow and accept themselves - warts and all.

Told from Jake's perspective, we see how he comes to understand his disorder in a world that does not accept the constant itch to move or do something outside the norm. The other characters in the book are constantly revealing new traits and hidden depths and abilities. Pandora, Jake's twin sister, grows with Jake, but is terrified of her own self because of how others and Jake have reacted in the past.

The story moves at a fast pace and has enough cool gadgets to appeal to everyone’s sense of adventure. Like Indiana Jones - plots, conspiracies and hidden identities are regular occurrences. I would highly recommend for children over nine who enjoy the ideas of adventure and treasure hunting. A good adventure book, swift in pace and has a wide appeal with strong male and female child characters.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

“That's North America," I said, recognizing the shape of the land mass. "And that's Britain there."
"Britain? Jake, that's impossible."
Pan swam closer. "The Ancient Egyptians didn't know about these places.”

Wow. This. Was. Good.
In some way, I guess, this is your usual archaeological/history/treasure hunt children's book, just as I've read the books by Helen Moss (Secrets of the Tombs) and James Rollins (Jake Ransom, with Book 3 forever lost in Limbo and/or Development Hell, it seems). But on the other hand, it's a rather unique story. This book features some high-tech gadgets you'd mostly expect to find in spy books such as Alex Rider (Anthony Horowitz), and that's a very different take than most of such archeology books have, where it's mostly just dusting off dark tombs with old tech from fifty years ago.
There are some Big plottwists present in the book, and I really mean Big with capital B. Two or three times, some stuff happens that is pure genius, if you ask me, and you won't see it coming at all. The world itself, and what happens at the end with it, is very original as well. Extra points. It reminded me just a bit of Jake Ransom and/or The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (Michael Scott) - but that's by no means a negative remark!
Jake and his sister Pan are very likeable characters, although the way they're presented in the beginning of the book seems a bit different than how they act from page 50 or so onwards. It looks like Lloyd Jones himself was still figuring out a bit who they were. That's a bit annoying, but not too much.
People who aren't into 'perfect' and/or too-awesome characters probably won't like Jake and Pan, but I don't care. They're fantastic, I love reading about them. It would have been nice to have seen part of the story told from Pan's POV, but you can't get everything you want of course.
And still, it's just amazing. I loved this.
8.3/10

[Marlene Bentsen (Boggrippen) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jake Atlas og Smaragdslangens Grav er en god blanding af Indiana Jones og Mission Impossible.

Bogen foregår hovedsageligt i Kairo og omegn og man får som læser en del spændende fakta både om Egypten, men også den egyptiske mytologi.

Jake Atlas er med sin tvillingesøster Pan og deres forældre på vej til Kairo, hvor forældrene skal holde foredrag på et universitet om egyptisk mytologi.

Men forældrene har løjet! De skal slet ikke holde foredrag. Og nu er de blevet kidnappet på mystisk vis. Det er nu op til Jake og Pan at redde forældrene fra en hemmelig kult og til det får de hjælp af den suspekte Professor Kit Thorn, som helt sikkert ikke har rent mel i posen.

Til gengæld har han nogle ekstremt seje højteknologiske gadgets som fx et par hi tech briller, kaldet ‘HovedPlaceret Optisk FarveBilledeSekvensSystemSkærm i Flydende Glas’👀👓

Historien er fyldt med action scener og siderne emmer af spænding og plottwists.

Humoren er heller ikke udeladt og det er den samme lette en af slagsen, som man kender det fra The Mummy filmene.

Jeg faldt ikke for historien lige med det samme, men da siderne begyndte at fortælle om Keops pyramiden og Osiris’ grav, så var jeg solgt.

Læs den, hvis du kan lide arkæologi, eventyr med tonsvis af dødsensfarlige fælder, hemmelige kulter, ballademagere (Jake Atlas kan slet ikke lade være!), hi tech gadgets, der ville gøre James Bond misundelig og hæsblæsende action.

Ren og eventyrlig underholdning, hvor de fleste voksne er nogle kvajpander og det er børnene, der må redde dagen🤓👍📖📚

Fra 9-10 år.

📖Læseeksemplar lånt fra mit arbejde📖

[Becs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jake Atlas is a magnet for trouble - actually he goes looking for it more often than not! When his family goes on a trip to Cairo for his Egyptologist parents to give an important lecture, trouble finds Jake all by itself. His parents have disappeared. So he and his twin sister Pandora must find them - not the easiest task in a country you've never been before! So why not enlist the help of some (slightly dodgy) individuals who might not be quite what they seem but who have a lot of useful information.

Jake is a fantastic protagonist. He is cheeky, really funny and has a really exciting, quick-witted personality. He sold the book for me almost straight away - I was hooked from the first chapter. I liked that he and Pan had a strong bond, despite being opposite personalities, and the progression of this friendship was cute to read about. It's not often siblings have to work together in this way so it was an interesting twist.

The story moves very quickly, is largely believable and is genuinely a fun read. It's like Indiana Jones for a younger generation! Jake has to think on his feet, use some really cool gadgets and stop his parents being turned into mummies by an evil cult - and all against the clock! It's everything I would have looked for in a younger readers book!

The chapters are short which is a real tension builder, and the element of trying to figure out all the clues was fantastic. a really excited, fast paced adventure - I absolutely recommend this book.

This product was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Shes_a_book_geek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review can also be found on
https://littlebigreads.com/2017/05/22...

It was meant to be a fun holiday, but before they even left the airport Jake was getting up to his usual tricks...

"Beneath the table, my leg began to twitch. I needed to move, needed to do something...Twenty-five minutes after I promised to stay out of trouble, I'd stuffed a tablet computer up my T-Shirt and was about to steal it from an airport shop."

While there was tension due to Jake's antics, his twin sister Pan (short for Pandora), his parents and himself still planned to have a stress free family holiday in Egypt. Unfortunately, most unexpectedly Jake and Pan's parents disappear which calls for Jake and Pan to use all they know to find their parents.

Both Jake and Pan are interesting characters and have been written well by the author Rob Lloyd Jones. Jake, has an addiction to stealing and becomes Tomb robber and treasure hunter while learning to navigate his way across the Egyptian desert to save his parents. Pan, who tries to hide her intelligence for fear of being bullied shows her brother this side of her as they work alongside each other, despite finding it difficult to stop fighting with each other.

This book is a fun read and had me getting quite involved by all the twists and turns that are had by the Atlas family.

Thank you to Walker Books Australian for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.

[Danni Jervis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An explosive combination of Indiana Jones style treasure hunting and Mission Impossibles grade gadgets, throw in two 12 (and half) twins and you have an adventure you're not likely to forget.

Jake and his sister Pan take a trip to Egypt with their parents when they are unexpectedly kidnapped and it's up to the twins to rescue them. A great cast of characters from the kids to the adults, including a James Bond-esque villain. The kids don't feel immature in the way they've been written and they've also not been made without flaws like some protagonists. The story is fast paced, which is great for any reluctant readers as it grabs you from the first page where you think its all over before its even begun.

I loved how action packed this story was and it's clearly set up for several sequels in more historic tombs, however I would have enjoyed more time spent on the historical aspect of the stories. As soon as a tomb is discovered it's blown up just as quickly. You do learn a lot of interesting tidbits of history but this series would definitely benefit from just a bit more time building around the lost finds rather than relying on Pans photographic memory.

A must read though for those who wanted to be Indiana Jones!

[Bookrapt (Est. 1983) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jake and his twin sister, Pandora, accompany their archaeologist parents when they go to Egypt to deliver some lectures but when their parents disappear the twins are propelled into an adventure featuring pyramids, mummies, treasure and deadly assassins. Back in the everyday world, Jake was continually in trouble for his impulsive behaviour while Pan tended to hide her formidable intelligence but in this new situation both of them will need to use their skills if they are to survive; let alone rescue their parents.

The prologue of this book catapults the reader right into the thick of the adventure with Jake’s death seeming like a foregone conclusion. This is a great way to hook readers who will then be happy to read the first few scene-setting chapters before the action begins in earnest. All the main characters are believably three-dimensional and the plot has as many twists and turns as the giant snake Jake has to fight. I can see this book (and the sequels that are hinted at) being extremely popular with boys and girls aged 9 and up.

Reviewed by Penny Guy (Bookrapt)

[Mary Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Jake and Pandora (Pan) Atlas, it was meant to be an exciting family holiday while their University professor parents attended seminars and lectures in Cairo. At least, that's what they thought. But while Pan is busy hiding her genius behind her headphones; Jake, who is always in trouble of the most extreme kind, can't help but notice that strange things are happening even before they get on the plane. Their parents mysteriously vanish the very night they arrive in Egypt, apparently taken hostage by a secret and lethal society. Jake and Pan find themselves teaming up with some pretty shady treasure hunters, learning to master high-tech gadgets and searching for a long lost Egyptian tomb in a bid to save their parents from being turned into mummies.
A carefully considered plot and well-developed characters give us an action-packed, high-octane adventure. Nothing is quite what it seems here. Wonderful escapism and a fabulous story that leaves you wanting more. I can't recommend Jake Atlas highly enough.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5
This was better than I expected! I tried reading Wild Boy once and hated it, but this was engaging, suspenseful, and kept me interested throughout. Was it believable? No. Were there a few moments that had me rolling my eyes? Yes. But did I (mostly) enjoy it? Sure.
This wasn't a perfect read, or one that I'll be raving about, but it achieved what the author wanted: Indiana Jones + James Bond. And it was fun enough to get away with it.

[Michael Earp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is great fun and non-stop action. In the author's note he said he wanted to writer a 'Indiana Jones' meets 'Mission Impossible' but with kids and their parents. He's done a great job of that. Personally, I enjoyed Wild Boy more, which is strange considering I was obsessed with Ancient Egypt as a kid, but had I read this as a kid, it would have been THE BOMB!

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I, thoroughly, enjoyed this book as it possessed a great balance of adventure and suspense. I particularly enjoyed the way that Egyptian mythology was weaved throughout the adventure.
I highly recommend it.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, well written, pacey, historical. Very good book for boys. I still prefer Wild Boy but only because he's more endearing than Jake. Feels like a second book will flesh out the characters better. Still brilliant though.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only wish it was a series

[S.W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not a secret to readers of my books that I like action and adventure and trap-laden settings that seem impossible to beat. It's the very core of my Axel Rhodes series, inspired by the likes of Indiana Jones. Throw in likable and relatable characters, a setting that's exotic and full of tension, mystery, and the unexpected, and you have a solid base for a gripping story. Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake is one of those series.

As soon as I saw cover shots and recommendations for this Rob Lloyd Jones series on my Instagram feed, I knew I had to read them. In a world where there's only an instant to grab attention before flicking to the next thing, the incredible covers were like a magnet and I was the metal.

Jake and his sister, Pan, are as normal as they could be, and so are their parents. That is, until a family holiday to Egypt turns their lives upside down. The premise is interesting. Parents who have a secret, which is suddenly revealed when events take a turn for the worse. The whole family dynamic changes as Jake and Pan discover their parents are way cooler than they ever suspected.

This is where the parents usually fade into the background in these types of stories, so the focus is solely on the kids. But this one is different, Mum/Mom and Dad still play an integral and active part as the plot unfolds. I've read (somewhere, but I can't remember where :) ) that this was intentional, RLJ wanted to have the whole family unit involved in the adventure.

Jake needs to step out of his troubled past to find his parents, and Pan has to learn to be herself and stop hiding her strengths. As a pair working together, they make a formidable team against an enemy that has a far bigger goal. The Atlas family are the biggest threat to their plans and there is plenty of rivalry and action filled with gadgets, close escapes, and dramatic confrontations.

Modern Egypt serves as the backdrop to this story that propels us into long lost tombs full of traps (a favorite of mine), secrets, and epic chases. The pace of the story is spot on, I never found myself drifting off at any slow points (I didn't notice any), and there was always something just out of sight that kept me reading.

Rob Lloyd Jones has delivered a great ride in the first Jake Atlas book, and I'm so glad that there are 3 more ready for me to continue the journey.

In a Nutshell:
This is a series I'm determined to finish. I love the action, the adventure, the setting, the characters, and ... everything else. Awesome covers with maximum pop unfold to reveal a great read for fans of adventure, gadgets, and settings that are packed full of secrets and traps.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up the four Jake Atlas books from the local library where they were being 'sold off' due to their 'age.' I can only assume that they didn't quite get the readership required for them to stay on the shelves. This is sad, because these are a great series, if the first is anything to go by.
As the author notes, the idea for them sprang from seeing an Indiana Jones movie and a Mission Impossible one back to back, and realising that the combination of adventure and high-tech gadgets might make an interesting theme for a kids' book.
The first in the series, at least, has a nice combo of family humour mixed with skills in the two kids that are unappreciated in the ordinary world. Yes, it's all pretty fantastic: the Asram dam gets blown up at one point, as does at least part of one of the Great Pyramids. The kids are not only resourceful, they're very indestructible, as good heroes should be. Their parents do appear in the story, with some surprises of their own, but the bulk of the book is in the hands of Jake and sister, Pandora.
I really enjoyed it, and hope that there at least some kids using our local library who found time to read them as well.

[Merinereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indiana Jones für Kinder: cooler Auftakt einer vielversprechenden Action-Reihe für Kinder. Man stürzt von einer Gefahr in die nächste und es bleibt spannend. Gerade für Kinder ist die Geschichte unglaublich mitreißend mit der genau richtigen Geschwindigkeit, für mich als Erwachsene hätte es auch noch etwas langsamer sein können aber mit 10-13 wäre ich garantiert begeistert gewesen. Schön aufgegriffen und umgesetzt fand ich auch das Aufgreifen von Konflikten zwischen Kindern und ihren Eltern, was Regeln betrifft.

[Tasha Tariq · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, it was good. I, personally, expected more from this book and I did not get what I wanted, not trying to say the book was bad by any means, I would still recommend it and it was still enjoyable. There were some writing errors, which were upsetting but rest was good. It’s for girls with sibling issues, parental issues and it also draws on themes of how are kleptomaniac children not just troublemakers and how past of a family can help the long-distance element of it to come together once again. I could also draw references to Indiana Jones and Mission:Impossible.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indiana Jones meets Mission Impossible is what I was thinking while reading this book and at the end of the book in the About the Author section, the author mentions those two films so that is exactly what he had in mind. High-tech adventure mixed with an ancient Egyptian mystery. You cant go wrong.

[Seawood · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter loves this series and I can see why - it's a great adventure, with very likeable characters (and hurrah, hurray, a family with no dead parents!). Indiana Jones for eight year olds and a super funnel to the darker Alex Rider books as they get older. Really looking forward to putting this in the school library.

[Diego Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Amazing!

This is one of the best books I've ever read. Seriously!

Jake Atlas and the Tomb of the Emerald Snake is a real pageturner. I simply couldn't stop reading and so I didn't until I'd finished it. The language is easy (I'm not a native English speaker) and the story makes you feel like you're in an action/adventure film.

I will definitely read the entire series.

[Phillip Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book mixes science fiction and history really nicely. The way the family bonds themselves at the end is amazing too. I had a lot of fun reading the book and was fortunate that the author came to visit our school.