This is Aki’s third trip with the Sphere of Time. As usual, he ends up nowhere near the spot where he needs to be. But he must find Lilith or they may both end up stranded forever on the crystal created by the Ancient Egyptian gods. As he travels through the crystal trying to find Lilith before it’s too late, Aki is awestruck by the immensity of Ancient Egyptian constructions. At the same time, he experiences first-hand the hard life of the workers who built the pyramids. With a little help from new friends, and thanks to his wits and a couple of lucky breaks, Aki overcomes mighty monsters and warring gods to finally reach Lilith who is posing as a priestess in order to protect the sacred Eye of Horus. Although the two friends are happily reunited, the perilous journey is far from over. The Crystal of Atum is another page-turner from start to finish. In this third book, Aki matures and has become more comfortable in his identity as Heir to the Superior Beings, without sacrificing any of the personality traits that make him such an appealing character. He is still just a normal kid full of curiosity and love for adventure. Sometimes making the right choices isn’t easy, but he always does his best. Although Aki remains the clear protagonist of the series, Lilith has shed her initial shyness to take on a more assertive role as an Heir in her own right. You don’t need to have read the first two books in the Sphere of Time series to fully enjoy and understand this third installment, but then you would be missing out on some pretty awesome adventures.