The Goosebumps Series 2000 book where a mummy does not walk.
Michael is going to visit his aunt in Florida for a holiday, but his plane is diverted to the Middle Eastern kingdom of Jezekiah. It turns out he is the son of the previous king and queen, and was sent to America for his protection when his biological parents were assassinated. Unfortunately, all is not well in Jezekiah. The country's entire economy is based on loans secured with a priceless ancient jewel in a mummy as collateral, but the mummy was hidden at the same time Michael was sent away. Michael supposedly has a microchip implanted in his brain which can track it down... but to make things even worse, Jezekiah is descending into a civil war, and neither the military nor the rebels are especially keen on letting him live.
This book provides examples of:
- Adults Are Useless: Micheal's parents willingly sent him away when Rameer called for him, knowing full well he didn't have the chip in him. They're lucky he made it home alive.
- Ambiguously Evil: General Rameer. Megan claims he's bad, but he just seems a bit pushy since he wants the jewel inside the mummy. Even when it turns out Megan was working with him, he seems to just be doing what he thinks is best for his country.
- Artistic License – Economics: Jezekiah apparently has no industry at all, and their economy is solely dependent on borrowing money against the value of an ancient jewel. It's questionable how long that could possibly last.
- Darker and Edgier: The story contains a few references to parents dying in a war, and a whole sequence with an actual battle with rebels firing guns. It's even stated people are hurt in it.
- False Friend: Downplayed with Megan. She was on Rameer's side this whole time, but she still claims she likes Micheal and was just doing anything to help out her country.
- Foreshadowing:
- It seems a bit odd that Megan was able to sneak away to pretend to be a mummy at one point, since there are so many guards around. Turns out she was working with Rameer the whole time, so it's likely he allowed her to do it and called the guards off.
- Additionally, Rameer scolds Megan for being reckless at one point, showing that he doesn't want her to get hurt. This seems to contradict how Megan told Micheal that he's evil, and her claims about them not being close. It turns out she was lying and they are close.
- Formula-Breaking Episode: This book is nothing like The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb or Return of the Mummy from the original Goosebumps series. Instead, it has more adventure and international intrigue. The main character, who thinks he's going to Florida on vacation, is actually the orphaned prince of a Middle Eastern country who needs to be sent back so he can retrieve a mummy and stop the country's current civil war. On top of that, nothing supernatural happens until the final page. And even then it's left ambiguous
- Mundanger: There is a mummy in this book, but it doesn't move of its own free will. Instead, the threat comes from military dictators and armed rebels.
- Neural Implanting: Micheal had a chip planted in him that has the location of the mummy that Jezikah wants. It turns out his parents took it out years ago.
- Never Trust a Title: A mummy does not actually walk, until the end and even then it's left ambiguous.
- Qurac: Jezekiah is Egypt but fictional and a monarchy.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: The jewel was in America all along, and Michael had his microchip removed when he was a baby.
- Title Drop: When the men see what they think of Emperor Pukrah, they shout The mummy walks, the mummy walks!.
