Malene Reads: the Cult of Osiris - Andy McDermott

I finished it last night, the curiosity got the better of me.


Non-spoilers:

Eddie and Nina get caught up within a conspiracy by the Cult of Osiris to find the lost Pyramid of Osiris. They're helped on their way by Macy Sharif, a young college student. On their journey, they they visit a plethora of places including Switzerland, Egypt and a quick visit to Paris.




Spoilers:
They save the world.

This time we get introduced to Macy "two balloons on a stick" Sharif, a nice addition to a cast of Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase.
Macy recovers a conspiracy where the bad guys (The Cult of Osiris) wants to find an old thing (The Pyramid of Osiris). She finds a fourth scroll when there's only supposed to be three and it changes everything.
She sets off to find Nina Wilde, ofcourse.

However, in Nina and Eddie land things aren't as awesome. The last book ended with them having found The Garden of Eden and then getting it destroyed. Nina lost her job, people think she's a liar, she's absolutely ridiculed in her field and she's depressed.
Normally, I can deal with depressed characters. (John Green wrote a brilliant one, see Looking for Alaska) but Nina is just so annoying, more so because she feels worthless. She can't find a job because no one likes her so ofcourse she's drinking. Eddie is then having to support them both and he ends up bodyguarding for Grant Thorn, an action hero movie star who's a bit dim.
Oh, also, when we first see Eddie he's sneaking out of a building with a lady friend. My mind jumped there too but as always there's a perfectly sweet and innocent reason for it.

The bad guys in this are the leaders of The Cult of Osiris led by Khalid Osir and Shaban. Both came from fairly modest upbringings, the sons of a baker, however Khalid (due to a little bravery and his cunning nature) went on to become a moviestar. His brother, Shaban, was then left to join the military earning him a nice scar that covers most of his face leaving him bitter.

They get to Egypt, try to rescue this Zodiac that's apparently a map to the location of the pyramid. However they are out of luck, there's a big fight inside the pyramid, Nina, Eddie and Macy are stuck inside the pyramid until the IHA opens it like they were supposed to a few hours later.

After a fight (kinda fun to read, have to admit) Nina decides to doublecross Osir and Shaban leaving them to think she's dumped Eddie although Eddie comes as always to rescue her. It's actually a very funny scene with Eddie ending up in a bed where Nina was supposed to be. Very funny.
They escape from the boat on a jet-sky, (i've always wanted to try one) meeting up with Macy on the mainland.
Together, they figure out where the pyramid is and they enter it finding booby traps. There's a small meltdown of Ninas with her just venting her wish that there didn't always had to be booby traps, which I thought was cute.
They however get by, some doesn't work, most still work and they find Osiris. The bad guys catch up with them. They talk and then THE TWIST. I did not see this coming, I never do.
Osir, the charismatic leader of the the cult gets killer by his own brother. I mean, how awesome is that. Yes, I thought he was a little crazy, yes but to double cross your own brother. Then you're just really mean and you're insane. He declares himself Set Reborn and sets off with yeast spores to make a weapon of mass destruction out of yeast. I know, a little far fetched and so on but the final fight scene is brilliant.

The book ends with Nina getting her job back and a promotion, basically ending with everything she wants.

I'm still not sure whether I actually like these books but I've begun to accept them for what they are. They're great for before bed reading. They're easy to read, they're quick and they're fun. In amongst the drama, the action there are jokes, puns to be specific even popular culture references.

Stars: ***

What I expect of the next one:
The next one is called the The Sacred Vault so I expect them to go to southern America. I hope Macy returns. Otherwise, I'll just go with the flow.