The Serpent's Shadow

Overview

He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. 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 . . . or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld.
Nothing less than the mortal world is at stake when the Kane family fulfills its destiny in this thrilling conclusion to the Kane Chronicles.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Joined by the Egyptian gods who helped them in previous books (The Red Pyramid, rev. 7/10; The Throne of Fire, rev. 9/11) as well as their fellow teen magicians Zia and Walt, Sadie and Carter Kane face the culmination of peril in this third volume in the Kane Chronicles. Apophis, the Serpent of Chaos, is attempting to achieve his legendary goal of swallowing the Sun God, Ra, and destroying all creation. If Sadie and Carter can collect the knowledge and tools they need from journeys to ancient sites in Egypt and the Duat, the Egyptian underworld, they might be able to perform a spell of banishment on him-but they could just as easily burn themselves out in a spell of such power. As they solve puzzles and fight demons, the siblings grow in confidence and ability. Their wry asides and comedic takes on their predicament keep them accessible to their adventure-loving audience, many of whom will enjoy the romantic byplay between Carter and Zia and between Sadie and Walt. Although little is new in this iteration of Riordan's universe, the climax soundly delivers, and the denouement hints at possible future overlap with foreign gods. Paging Percy Jackson? -anita l. burkam—Horn Book3Q 4P M The third book in the Kane Chronicles series, The Serpent's Shadow opens with a sense of intrigue. An unnamed narrator claims to be transcribing audio recordings left behind by siblings, Carter and Sadie Cane. A mysterious introduction draws readers in right away-the narrator claims, "The tape arrived at my home in a charred box perforated with claw and teeth marks that my local zoologist could not identify." What adventure-loving teen could fail to be drawn in with such a start? As the story progresses, the siblings continue their study of ancient Egyptian writings and spells, both of which frequently come in handy as they fight against the wrath of evil gods and solicit the help of a few friendly ones. The fast pace and time travel will appeal to readers who like adventure reads. Not only does Riordan keep the plot moving along through 400 pages, he does a good job of balancing the story for new readers and fans of the series. There is enough backstory to keep first-time Riordan readers informed, but not so much that this tale gets bogged down. A solid adventure read, The Serpent's Shadow will have additional appeal to teens who are interested in Egyptian mythology.-Anna Foote.—VOYA
Riordan's Kane Chronicles trilogy concludes with a smash, as Carter and Sadie Kane once again try to save the world from the forces of Chaos. The giant Chaos snake Apophis and his rebel magician allies are on the rise. Luckily, Carter and Sadie Kane are back, ready to fight Apophis and restore Ma'at, the order of the universe. The ghost of an ancient psychotic magician offers help: Find the shadow of Apophis, capture it and use it for an execration spell that will pop the evil god so far into the Duat-the magical realm that coexists with our world-that he will never return. As in the previous volumes-The Red Pyramid (2010) and The Throne of Fire (2011)-the tale is told in the alternating and still-fresh voices of Sadie and Carter. Beyond the explosive action and fireworks, Riordan deftly develops the theme of the duality of the universe-order versus chaos, living a normal life versus risking the extraordinary, being protected by parents versus growing up and stepping out of their shadows. A rousing adventure with plenty of magic and food for thought. Other gods and future stories are hinted at in the conclusion; in the meantime, Riordan's The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide is available to maintain the spell. (glossary, list of gods and goddesses) (Fantasy. 10-14)—Kirkus

Children's Literature - Heather Kinard

Carter and Sadie Kane are young magicians who are the human world's only hope in defeating the Chaos snake, Apophis. After losing their closest family members, Carter and Sadie and their band of misfit magicians are left alone to fight the battle to restore order to the Ma'at. Everywhere they turn, Apophis is wreaking havoc. The latest attack destroyed the King Tut exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art and killed many innocent people. Carter and Sadie are running out of time and ideas. There is only one possible way to stop Apophis, but it is extremely dangerous and no one is sure if it will really work. If they can find the shadow of the evil serpent, they may be able to use it as a weapon against the snake. The problem is that they must trust the psychopathic ghost of a powerful magician to lead them to the hidden shadow. With only three days left before the earth's destruction, the brother and sister team decide they have no other choice and must trust the ghost. Risking their lives they embark on an adventure to face monsters and evil gods in a battle that will test them to their limits. When it looks as if all hope is lost and there cannot be a happy ending the band of misfits is surprised by the unexpected help they receive, and soon discover they are stronger than they thought. This book has humor, excitement, adventure, and even a little romance. It is the third and final book in the "Kane Chronicles" trilogy and will keep readers on the edge of their seat. While the book could stand on its own, it would definitely be helpful to have read the previous two books in the series. Reviewer: Heather Kinard

VOYA - Anna Foote

The third book in the Kane Chronicles series, The Serpent's Shadow opens with a sense of intrigue. An unnamed narrator claims to be transcribing audio recordings left behind by siblings, Carter and Sadie Cane. A mysterious introduction draws readers in right away—the narrator claims, "The tape arrived at my home in a charred box perforated with claw and teeth marks that my local zoologist could not identify." What adventure-loving teen could fail to be drawn in with such a start? As the story progresses, the siblings continue their study of ancient Egyptian writings and spells, both of which frequently come in handy as they fight against the wrath of evil gods and solicit the help of a few friendly ones. The fast pace and time travel will appeal to readers who like adventure reads. Not only does Riordan keep the plot moving along through 400 pages, he does a good job of balancing the story for new readers and fans of the series. There is enough backstory to keep first-time Riordan readers informed, but not so much that this tale gets bogged down. A solid adventure read, The Serpent's Shadow will have additional appeal to teens who are interested in Egyptian mythology. Reviewer: Anna Foote

Kirkus Reviews

Riordan's Kane Chronicles trilogy concludes with a smash, as Carter and Sadie Kane once again try to save the world from the forces of Chaos. The giant Chaos snake Apophis and his rebel magician allies are on the rise. Luckily, Carter and Sadie Kane are back, ready to fight Apophis and restore Ma'at, the order of the universe. The ghost of an ancient psychotic magician offers help: Find the shadow of Apophis, capture it and use it for an execration spell that will pop the evil god so far into the Duat--the magical realm that coexists with our world--that he will never return. As in the previous volumes--The Red Pyramid (2010) and The Throne of Fire (2011)--the tale is told in the alternating and still-fresh voices of Sadie and Carter. Beyond the explosive action and fireworks, Riordan deftly develops the theme of the duality of the universe--order versus chaos, living a normal life versus risking the extraordinary, being protected by parents versus growing up and stepping out of their shadows. A rousing adventure with plenty of magic and food for thought. Other gods and future stories are hinted at in the conclusion; in the meantime, Riordan's The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide is available to maintain the spell. (glossary, list of gods and goddesses) (Fantasy. 10-14)

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Product Details

ISBN-13:

9781423140573

Publisher:

Disney-Hyperion

Publication date:

05/01/2012

Series:

Kane Chronicles Series, #3

Edition description:

B&N Exclusive Edition

Pages:

416

Sales rank:

76,593

Product dimensions:

5.90(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.50(d)

Lexile:

690L (what's this?)

Age Range:

9 - 11 Years

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he Serpent's Shadow