The Serpent's Shadow is a 2012 fantasy adventure novel based on Egyptian mythology written by Rick Riordan. It is the third and final novel in The Kane Chronicles series, which tells of the adventures of modern day fourteen-year-old Carter Kane and his thirteen-year-old sister - Sadie Kane, as they discover that they are descended from the ancient Egyptian pharaohs Narmer and Ramesses the Great. It was released on May 1, 2012
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Plot[]
The Serpent’s Shadow is the third book of the trilogy and has been released on 1 May 2012. Carter and Sadie, the main characters, travel to Dallas, Texas the 51st nome, with their initiates, and meet J.D. Grissom, the leader of the nome. They tell him that they need a heavily guarded magic scroll from the king Tut exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art, or his nome will get attacked and destroyed by the forces of Apophis, the chaos snake, who in three days will rise, swallow the sun, and destroy the world. Sadie sees a face in the wall, which tells that they will not understand the scroll and they instead need a golden box. However, the nome is attacked, and the scroll is destroyed. To save everyone from getting killed, Sadie summons Ma'at, repulsing the forces of chaos but almost losing her life. They discover that the entire 51st nome has been destroyed, including all of the magicians. At the 21st nome in Brooklyn, they discover that the box is a shadow box, and it holds the shadow of King Tut.
Horus visits Carter as a pigeon and hints a connection between shadows and statues. Carter suspects that there is a better way to execrate Apophis and decides to consult Thoth. He tells everybody at dinner and Sadie makes him go to their school dance. During the dance, Sadie meets Anubis and he suggests that the sheut is like a computer backup drive, but Shu breaks them up later. Sadie gets an idea about using Bes's sheut to give him back his ren.
The Russian magician they met last year comes with bad news. Sadie takes him to the First Nome to meet Amos. He tells them that the rebels, led by Sarah Jacobi and Kwai, have teamed up with Apophis. Amos tells Zia and Sadie to visit Bes. Meanwhile, Carter and Walt go visit Thoth. Thoth is being attacked by demons. Walt and Carter repulse them, and Thoth helps them understand who Setne is. They realize they have to visit the Land of the Dead at his trial and persuade Osiris to help them.
When Zia and Sadie are visiting the House of Rest, Sadie realizes that Amos is calling on the Path of Set, who he once hosted. Tawaret tells them where Bes once hid his sheut. Carter, Sadie, Zia, and Walt meet and exchange information. They meet Osiris and persuade him to let Setne go with them. Sadie and Walt go to look for Bes's sheut, while Zia and Carter go with Setne to find The Book of Thoth.
They go to the serapeum of Apis, and later Setne tricks them by giving orders to Bloodstained Blade to kill them. Meanwhile Sadie and Walt visit the goddess Neith, who tells them she will help them if they can survive her hunt till sunset. They survive by using their shen amulets to split up and transfer to each other's side, and then in the end right before sunset Sadie tricks Neith by mesmerizing her with tales of hunting Jelly Babies and etc. Walt uses the rest of his energy to revive Bes's sheut, and then he survives by becoming the host of Anubis.
He realises Setne's plan and tells Sadie to go help Carter and Zia. Meanwhile they enter the Land of the Demons, and Carter and Zia kiss. Carter realizes that Zia has become the host of Ra. They find the sheut and Setne binds them with the Seven Ribbons of Hathor. Sadie comes to help and they bind Apophis's shadow to the statue. The shadow sends a distress call to all forces of Chaos, and they arrive.
Tawaret arrives with the gods from the Fourth House and saves them. When they return to the mortal world, the Brooklyn House is at the First Nome, helping Amos and the others protect it. Ra is reborn with Zia as his host and is not senile anymore. The other gods come to help them, while Ra gives Carter the pharaoh's throne. He orders the other gods to help. They enter the First Nome to help protect Amos against the rebels. Apophis eats Ra, and then Sadie and Carter execrate his shadow. He regurgitates Ra and dies. Ra and the rest of the gods retreat from the world.
Carter and Sadie go to see their father to report Setne's escape. Their father is just happy that they're alive and succeeded in saving the world. Sadie talks to her mother who asks her to be careful because her gift of prophecy has shown her visions of "other gods" and "rival magic".
Carter takes Zia out on a date in the Mall of America. She tells him that she will be staying in Brooklyn House. They share a passionate kiss and start a relationship. Meanwhile, Bes and Tawaret finally get together after many centuries. Walt, now the host of Anubis, dances with Sadie and the pair also have a romantic kiss.
The book ends with an invitation to anyone with pharaoh's blood to join the House of Life. Sadie also mentions having to check out "unexplained magic" in Long Island.
Note; The two girls named Lacy and Drew (in the school dance) are most possibly the Aphrodite demigods from “The Heroes of Olympus” as they mention they both go to a summer camp. This is also mentioned again right at the end of the book as Sadie describes 'rival magicians and gods as close as Long Island'. Which most probably refers to the Greek gods, and by magicians, the demigods at Camp Half-Blood