The Secret of Ka By Christopher Pike

Sara Wilcox is spending the summer with her Father in Turkey, What she finds is that she is on her own most of the time due to his job at Bectar, a hydroelectric construction site. Sara finds the language difficult and loud, it is hot and crowded, no fun at all. She has just turned 15 years old and looking for something to do.


It is then that she meets Amesh. He also works for the same company as her father. She finds him very attractive and really likes him. He is missing and arm, injured at his work he explains to her, and is now a delivery boy. He is able to get her to the job site where they discover a carpet. There is something about it that has them both excited, but especially Sara. She can feel some sort of power in it. They find a way to sneak it away without being seen, and take it back to the hotel. It is beautiful and seems to be made of some material that they had never seen before. Sara decides to see if she can cut a small piece off, and finds that it will not cut. She puts a lighter to it and it flies across the room.

Wow! They have discovered a flying carpet. While they discuss how they can keep their secret, they order up food, and clean up. As Amesh is in the shower, Sara surfs the internet and finds several articles about flying carpets. One of them talked about ley lines, magnetic lines that surrounded the earth, as being the fuel that helped them to fly. Sara learned the information as quickly as possible. They decide to see if they can find these ley lines, and if so, would they be able to operate the carpet. The compass should react abnormally when they were within the ley lines, so that is what they look for. Curiously enough, they found some ley lines and laid the carpet upon them. As they did several of the tassels folded and stood straight up looking like possible driving apparatus’s. They climbed on and off they went for a ride.

The carpet has its own agenda; it works for Sara and seems to communicate with her. She feels close to it almost as though it is a part of her. Amesh is very jealous and petulant, but refuses to leave her side because he is having trouble trusting her. His family is extremely poor and he sees the carpet as a way to riches.

The carpet takes them to another place, and even possibly another time, where they are guided by the carpet onto an island. It is here that Sara finds she can communicate with it. She also learns from the carpet that she is of the ancient lineage of the Kala, and is in fact a Royal Princess. This is why the carpet responds to her. It is the carpet of Ka, and is very important. While it communicates and answers many questions, it leaves many unanswered that she will have to find out for herself. There is something happening in her world and she will have to be the one to save them.

On the island they find a beautiful city consisting of towers. They find that this is where the Djinns are located. As they learn about these beings, they find there is good and evil involved. They can grant you three wishes, but there is a price. The first wish is for free, the second one requires something of you and the third makes you a thrall, or slave of the Djinn.

Amesh becomes enamored of this thought and at the first actual wish he surprises Sara by asking for a wealth of jewels instead of his arm. As he sees how his wish comes true, he becomes besotted with the Djinn, giving it even more power over him. He feels in control of the Djinn, instead of what is really occurring. The Djinn is gaining control over him. Thus emboldened he makes a second wish, that to get his arm back. Amazingly enough his arm is returned to him. As Sara protests and tries to let him know what he is getting himself into, his jealousy takes over. He feels that she just wants what he has. He and the Djinn take the carpet from her and head back to Turkey leaving her there on the island.

Sara is on her own, but finally runs into a very kind older man and a young woman. They put her to work on their farm, where she learns milking as well as pottery. As she learns the pottery she also learns more about the Djinn and how to control them. She feels responsible for Amesh and therefore must save him. One more wish will destroy him and it is up to her to keep that from happening.

How will Sara get home? Will she return and really be able to save Amesh from his own weaknesses.

This is a fun and fast paced story that keeps you guessing at what is going to happen. Just when you think you know where it is going, the story takes a twist and sends you into an entirely different direction.

While Sara is only 15 years old, she seems far older then she is. She is smart and caring, and just a bit of a handful. Amesh is a lonely young man, hurting and bedeviled at what life has thrown at him. He is very close to his family, but has allowed his weakness to guide him and become someone else. He is looking for revenge and puts his family at risk as he looks for answers.

This is a YA book and at times that is obvious. However as the story twists and turns it also makes for fun reading for book lovers of all ages. A rollercoaster of fun, enjoy.
The Secret of Ka available at Amazon

Rating 3/5

This book was recieved as an e-book, free though Netgalley. All opinions are my own based of my reading and understanding of the material.