Narrated by two different wisecracking voices, featuring a large cast of new and unforgettable characters, and with adventures spanning the globe, this second installment of the Kane Chronicles is nothing short of a thrill ride.
Percy Jackson fought Greek Gods. Now the Gods of Egypt are waking in the modern world An explosion shatters the ancient Rosetta stone and unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos. Set imprisons Dr Kane in a golden coffin and Carter and Sadie must run for their lives. To save their dad, they embark on a terrifying quest from Cairo to Paris to the American South-west and discover the truth about their family's connection to the House of Life: an Egyptian temple of magic that has existed for thousands of years.
The pharaohs of ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried. What they didn't know is how chaotic the world would become. The Chaos snake Apophis is loose and threatening to destroy the earth in three days' time. The magicians are divided. The gods are disappearing, and those who remain are weak. Walt, one of Carter and Sadie's most gifted initiates, is doomed and can already feel his life force ebbing.
Zia is too busy babysitting the senile sun god, Ra, to be of much help. What are a couple of teenagers and a handful of young trainees to do? There is possibly one way to stop Apophis, but it is so difficult that it might cost Carter and Sadie their lives, if it even works at all.
It involves trusting the ghost of a psychopathic magician not to betray them, or worse, kill them. They'd have to be crazy to try it. Well, call them crazy. With hilarious asides, memorable monsters, and an ever-changing crew of friends and foes, the excitement never lets up in The Serpent's Shadow, a thoroughly entertaining and satisfying conclusion to the Kane Chronicles. Add a review Your Rating: Your Comment:. The Crown of Ptolemy by Rick Riordan. Silent to the Bone by E. Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer.
The Heat by Heather Killough-Walden. To save their dad, they embark on a terrifying quest from Cairo to Paris to the American South-West and discover the truth about their family's connection to the House of Life: an Egyptian temple of magic that has existed for thousands of years.
The pharaohs of ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried. And so, unfortunately, are their gods. All three books in the blockbuster Kane Chronicles trilogy are included in this deluxe boxed set of paperbacks, each with dynamic new cover art, and a bonus graphic novel sampler.
This newly designed boxed set will be a treasure trove for readers of all ages, whether they're experiencing Sadie and Carter's amazing adventures for the first time or are faithful fans eager to devour the saga all over again. Narrated by two different wisecracking voices, featuring an ever-changing crew of friends and foes, and with adventures spanning the globe, the Kane Chronicles is nothing short of a thrill ride.
Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to de. All three hardcover books in the blockbuster Kane Chronicles trilogy are together at last, encased in a deluxe box along with two bonus posters.
This boxed set will be treasured by readers of all ages, whether they're experiencing Sadie and Carter's amazing adventures for the first time or are faithful fans eager to devour the saga all over again. Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down.
Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos. The Kanes' only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent's own shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for a millennia. To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent's shadow.
Nothing less than the mortal world is at stake when the Kane family fulfills its destiny in this thrilling conclusion to the Kane Chronicles. If you haven't yet read the Kane Chronicles, Rick Riordan's action-adventure trilogy based on Ancient Egyptian mythology, don't miss this paperback edition with new cover art and a Percy Jackson-Kane Chronicles crossover story, "The Son of Sobek.
Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe -- a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
Greetings, initiate! Carter Kane, here. Congratulations on reaching Brooklyn House in one piece. You are quite clearly descended from Egyptian royalty, with magical powers gifted from the gods. But what good is power without knowing how to use it? That's where this training manual comes in.
It's packed with quizzes, stories and inside info on the Ancient Egyptian deities. For those with the blood of the pharaohs, this is your first step down the path of the gods. But beware, anything can happen in the world of Egyptian magic. Khufu offered me his empty Jell-O bowl as a present. I think I have time for one bloody day off before the world ends.
Was I selfish? All right, yes. So why did I feel so strongly about putting my foot down? The three of them had decided what was best without bothering to ask me. My one constant companion, Bast, was leaving me to embark on a horribly dangerous mission. No thanks. If I was going to die, then it could wait until tomorrow morning. Normally, we tried to keep things civil in front of our trainees.
Now I was embarrassing him. No doubt he saw this as another example of my reckless nature. I was quite prepared for a knockdown fight, but Amos interceded. I doubt Vlad Menshikov will be ready to move against us so quickly. You should be all right as long as you use no magic, do nothing to attract attention. Amos cut him off with a stern look. Tomorrow morning, the two of you can begin your quest.
I will take over your teaching duties with our trainees, and oversee the defense of Brooklyn House. It was foolish, dangerous, and rash—in other words, rather typical of me. But I could also sense his sympathy for my predicament. I remembered how fragile Amos had looked after Set took over his body last Christmas. Still, it had been the right choice for his sanity. Amos, of all people, knew what it was like to need to get away.
If I stayed here, if I left on a quest straightaway without even time to breathe, I felt I would explode. Besides, I felt better knowing Amos would be covering for us at Brooklyn House.
I was relieved to give up my teaching duties for a while. I simply have no patience for it. He stood, clearly indicating that the meeting was over. Wewill prevail. Carter gave me one more angry look, then stormed inside. That was his problem.
I was determined not to feel guilty. I would not have my birthday ruined. Still, as I stared down at my cold tea and uneaten pain au chocolat, I had a horrible feeling I might never sit at this table again. An hour later I was ready for London. An enchanted washcloth kept her forehead cool. Healing hieroglyphs floated around her bed, but she still looked so frail.
Without her usual smile, she seemed like a different person. I sat next to her and held her hand. My heart felt as heavy as a bowling ball. Jaz had risked her life to protect us. What had I sacrificed lately? You deserve a few hours. That just made me feel worse. I should never have allowed Jaz to put herself in danger.
Six years ago, my mother had died channeling too much magic. I climbed to the roof, where we kept our relic for opening portals—a stone sphinx from the ruins of Heliopolis. I tensed when I noticed Carter at the other end of the roof, feeding a pile of roasted turkeys to the griffin. At least that would keep the pigeons off the roof. I almost hoped Carter would ignore me. But when he saw me, he scowled, wiped the turkey grease off his hands, and walked over.
I braced myself for a scolding. One of my earliest memories was fighting with Carter on my sixth birthday, and my cake exploding from the magical energy we stirred up. A lump formed in my throat. He sounded absolutely miserable.
He meant Zia. Honestly, I did. But the subject of Zia Rashid had become an unhealthy obsession for my brother. Two weeks ago, you thought she was sending you a distress call in your mashed potatoes. Carved right in the potatoes! And your dream last night?
At breakfast, you said Apophis would escape from his prison on the equinox. We were back to keeping secrets from each other? Then Carter turned and stomped off toward the griffin. I almost called him back. On the other hand, apologizing is not my strong suit, and hewas rather impossible. I turned to the sphinx and summoned a gateway. Instantly a swirling funnel of sand appeared in front of me, and I jumped through. Fortunately, the weather was miserable and there was no one about, so I brushed the sand off my clothes and headed for the Underground station.
It seemed so odd to be…home? But now everything seemed so different, so foreign. Nervously, I knocked on the door. No answer. I was sure they were expecting me. I knocked again. Perhaps they were hiding, waiting for me to come in. Not bloody likely. I fished out my key and unlocked the door. The living room was dark and empty. The stairwell light was off, which Gran would never allow.
She was mortally afraid of falling down stairs. I sniffed the air. Six in the evening London time, yet no smell of burning biscuits from the kitchen. It was a tradition. I got out my phone to call Liz and Emma, but the phone was dead. My mind was just beginning to process a thought—I am in danger—when the front door slammed shut behind me. Hand me the mic right when you get to a good part. So yeah, Sadie left on her birthday trip to London.
The world was ending in four days, we had a quest to complete, and she goes off to party with her friends. Really had her priorities straight, huh? Not that I was bitter, or anything. On the bright side, Brooklyn House was pretty quiet once she left, at least until the three-headed snake showed up. But first I should tell you about my vision. Sadie thought I was hiding something from her at breakfast, right? Well, that was sort of true.
After our trip to the Brooklyn Museum, I had a tough time getting to sleep. When I finally managed, I awoke in a different body. I was Horus the Avenger. This time, things were reversed. Through the fog, I could see shapes moving in the water—scaly reptilian backs and monstrous fins. I saw ghosts of the dead drifting along either shore. Far above, the cavern ceiling glistened red, as if we were sailing down the throat of a living beast. My arms were bronze and muscular, circled with bands of gold and lapis lazuli.
I was dressed for battle in leather armor, a javelin in one hand and a khopesh in the other. I felt strong and powerful like…well, a god. Hello, Carter, said Horus, which felt like talking to myself. I was sharing his mind. I answered your questions, Horus said. I told you where to find the first scroll. Now you must do something for me. There is something I wish to show you. The boat lurched forward. In the middle, a tattered pavilion covered an empty dais where a throne might once have sat.
A single mast held a square sail that had once been decorated, but was now faded and hanging in shreds. Port and starboard, sets of broken oars dangled uselessly. The rigging was covered in cobwebs.
The lines were rotten. The planks of the hull groaned and creaked as the boat picked up speed. It is old, like Ra, Horus said. Do you really want to put this boat back into service? Let me show you the threat you face. The rudder turned us into the current.
Suddenly we were racing downstream. The air was colder, the rapids faster. We jumped a cataract and went airborne. When we splashed down again, monsters began attacking. Horrible faces rose up—a sea dragon with feline eyes, a crocodile with porcupine bristles, a serpent with the head of a mummified man.
Each time one rose up, I raised my sword and cut it down, or speared it with my javelin to keep it away from the boat. Every night, this was the journey, Horus said. It was not Ra who fended off the creatures of Chaos. We other gods kept him safe. We held back Apophis and his minions. We plunged over another waterfall and crashed headlong into a whirlpool.
Somehow, we managed not to capsize. The boat spun out of the current and floated toward the shore. The riverbank here was a field of glistening black stones —or so I thought. As we got closer, I realized they were bug shells—millions and millions of dried-up beetle carapaces, stretching into the gloom as far as I could see.
A few living scarabs moved sluggishly among the empty shells, so it seemed like the whole landscape was crawling. I scanned the darkness for a jail cell, chains, a pit or something.
All I saw was an endless expanse of dead beetles. I am showing you this place in a way you can understand, Horus said. If you were here in person, you would burn to ashes. If you saw this place as it really is, your limited mortal senses would melt.
The whole beach seemed to squirm and writhe. Now only a few remain. The Serpent slowly devours his way out. I gripped my sword and javelin; but even with all the strength and courage of Horus, I found myself trembling. Red light glowed beneath the scarab shells. They crackled and shifted as the thing below surged toward the surface. Even in my godly form, I felt the power of Chaos washing over me like lethal radiation, cooking me from the inside out, eating into my soul—and I believed what Horus had said.
If I were here in the flesh, I would be burned to ashes. Soon… Horus guided my arm. Apophis howled with rage. The riverbank trembled. Then Apophis sank beneath the dead scarab shells, and the red glow faded. But not today, Horus said. On the equinox, the bonds will weaken enough for the Serpent to break free at last. Become my avatar again, Carter. Help me lead the gods into battle. Together we may be able to stop the rise of Apophis. But if you awaken Ra and he takes back the throne, will he have the strength to rule?
Is this boat in any shape to sail the Duat again? I believe in you, Carter Kane. Whatever you decide, I will support you. But many of the other gods do not feel the same. They think our chances would be better with me as their king and general, leading them into battle against the Serpent. They see your plan to awaken Ra as foolish and dangerous. It is all I can do to prevent open rebellion. I may not be able to stop them from attacking you and trying to prevent you. Now you have seen the enemy.
Who do you think has the best chance to stand against the Lord of Chaos—Ra or Horus? The boat pushed away from the dark shore. Horus released my ba, and my consciousness floated back to the mortal world like a helium balloon. The rest of the night, I dreamed about a landscape of dead scarabs, and a red eye glaring from the depths of a weakening prison. If I acted a little shaken up the next morning, now you know why. I spent a lot of time wondering why Horus had showed me that vision.
The obvious answer: Horus was now king of the gods. Gods tend to be selfish. On the other hand, Horus had a point. Ra had been old five thousand years ago. No one knew what kind of shape he was in now. Even if we managed to wake him, there was no guarantee he would help. Horus had asked me who stood the best chance against the Lord of Chaos. Scary truth: when I searched my heart, the answer was none of us. Not the gods. Not the magicians.
Not even all of us working together. Apophis was as ancient as the universe, and he only feared one enemy: Ra. Bringing Ra back might not work, but my instincts told me it was our only shot. And frankly, the fact that everyone kept telling me it was a bad idea—Bast, Horus, even Sadie—made me more certain it was the right thing to do. The right choice is hardly ever the easy choice, my dad had often told me.
Dad had defied the entire House of Life. Now it was time for me to make the difficult choice. Fast-forward past breakfast and my argument with Sadie. After she jumped through the portal, I stayed on the roof with no company but my new friend the psychotic griffin.
According to the reports, the gas had ignited ghostly fires across the borough, caused extensive damage at the museum, and overwhelmed some people with nausea, dizziness, and even hallucinations of rhinoceros-size hummingbirds. Stupid sewer gas. I was tossing Freak more roasted turkeys jeez, he had an appetite when Bast appeared next to me.
He and Bast regarded each other as if each was wondering what the other would taste like for lunch. Bast sniffed. I think he likes it here. She was dressed for travel. Over her usual leopard-skin bodysuit she wore a long black coat embroidered with protective hieroglyphs. When she moved, the fabric shimmered, making her fade in and out of sight.
She smiled. I can look after myself. If my vision was accurate, we were all in deep trouble. I was just kind of an add-on. But her voice held such affection, I probably blushed. She ran to the edge of the roof and jumped. I wanted to keep things as normal as possible for the trainees, so I led my usual morning class. I called it Magic Problem-Solving The trainees called it Whatever Works.
I gave the trainees a problem. They could solve it any way they wanted. As soon as they succeeded, they could go. The system worked for me, and the trainees seemed to like it, too.
I also thought Zia Rashid would approve. You had to learn by doing. So for Magic Problem-Solving , we headed to the training room and blew stuff up. Today I had four students. The rest of the trainees would be off researching their own paths of magic, practicing enchantments, or doing regular schoolwork under the supervision of our college-age initiates.
As our main adult chaperone while Amos was gone, Bast had insisted we keep everyone up-to-speed on the regular subjects like math and reading, although she did sometimes add her own elective courses, such as Advanced Cat Grooming, or Napping.
There was a waiting list to get into Napping. Anyway, the training room took up most of the second floor. It was about the size of a basketball court, which is what we used it for in the evenings. It had a hardwood floor, god statues lining the walls, and a vaulted ceiling with pictures of Ancient Egyptians rocking that sideways walk they always do.
Walt was waiting for me, along with Julian, Felix, and Alyssa. Jaz almost always showed up for these sessions, but of course Jaz was still in a coma…and that was a problem none of us knew how to solve.
I attempted to put on my confident teacher-face. I stationed one trainee in front of each. Then I spoke a command word. The four statuettes grew into full-size Egyptian warriors armed with swords and shields. Somewhere in Antarctica, a whole flock of Magellanic penguins was undergoing psychotherapy. It flew backward into wall, cracking to pieces. One down. Alyssa had been studying the path of Geb, the earth god. Nobody at Brooklyn House was an expert in earth magic, but Alyssa rarely needed help.
A hieroglyph glowed against its clay armor: Nothing seemed to happen to the warrior, but when it turned to strike, Alyssa just stood there. I was about to yell at her to duck, but the shabti missed her completely.
Its blade hit the floor, and the warrior stumbled. It attacked again, swinging half a dozen times, but its blade never got close to Alyssa. Finally the warrior turned in confusion and staggered to the corner of the room, where it banged its head against the wall and shuddered to a stop. Alyssa grinned at me. Meanwhile, Felix found a non-penguin solution.
I had no idea what type of magic he might eventually specialize in, but today he went for simple and violent. He grabbed a basketball from the bench, waited for the shabti to take a step, then bounced the ball off its head.
His timing was perfect. The shabti lost its balance and fell over, its sword arm cracking off. Felix walked over and stomped on the shabti until it broke to pieces.
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