The Serpent's Shadow
Author:	Rick Riordan
Publisher:	Miramax Books
Publisher:	Hyperion Books for Children
Publication Date:	May 1, 2012
Media Type:	Hardcover, Paperback
Pages:	416
Preceded by:	The Throne of Fire

The Serpent's Shadow, is a 2012 fantasy/adventure novel by Rick Riordan and the third and final book in the Kane Chronicles. Rick Riordan announced the book on January 9th, 2012 on his blog, and was released on May 1st, 2012.

Summary

Carter and Sadie 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 will rise, swallow the sun, and destroy the world in three days' time. 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 all of the 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.

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 the likes. 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.

Characters

Humans

• Amos Kane - Brother to Julius Kane, described as dressing in a classy suit with sunglasses, and has the appearance of a barrel shaped Jazz musician. He is a powerful magician. He was the temporary host of Set, until he was done with using him. Also the Chief Lector.
• Carter Kane - Age 15, Carter is the descendant of Ancient Egyptian Magicians; he is one of the main protagonists. Described as always dressing 'impeccably' in khaki pants, dress shoes, and a button-up shirt. The host of Horus, his main weapon is a khopesh, an Ancient Egyptian sword favored by guards of the Pharaoh. His specialty is combat magic.
• Sadie Kane - Age 13, Sadie is Carter's sister, and shares his magical ability. She was raised in England by her grandparents after her mother died. She has light skin, caramel colored hair with one red streak on the left side, blue eyes, and never goes anywhere without combat boots. She is a powerful and natural magician who can read hieroglyphics and understand Ancient Egyptian. She becomes the host of Isis.
• Zia Rashid - A powerful magician who Carter Kane has affection for. Considered the most promising student in the First Nome. She becomes the temporary host of Ra.

Gods/Goddesses

• Horus Falcon-headed son of Osiris, destined to reclaim the Throne of Ma'at. His host is Carter.
• Isis Goddess of magic and wife of Osiris. Her host is Sadie Kane, formerly her mother Ruby Kane.
• Bast Goddess of cats, her host is Muffin, Sadie Kane's cat. Also a deadly combat mage. She is sworn to protect the Kane siblings.
• Anubis God of funerals and assistant of Osiris, takes the form of a human with a jackals head, or an attractive teenaged boy. He and Sadie show strong and mutual feeling towards each other.
• Set God of chaos and the desert. His power is called upon by Amos. Father of Anubis and husband of Nephthys.
• Babi God of baboons. Assists in the war against Apophis.
• Nekhbet Goddess of vultures. Assists in the war against Apophis.
• Serqet Goddess of scorpions. Assists in the war against Apophis.
• Bes God of dwarves. His ren is returned to him. Assists in the war against Apophis.
• Tawaret Goddess of hippos and childbirth. Official head of Sunny Acres
• Khonsu Moon god. Assists in the war against Apophis.
• Thoth God of knowledge. Helps the Kanes with the Book of Thoth. Almost killed by demons.

Chapter list

1. We Crash and Burn a Party
2. I Have a Word with Chaos
3. We Win a Box Full of Nothing
4. I Consult the Pigeon of War
5. A Dance with Death
6. Amos Plays with Action Figures
7. I Get Strangled by an Old Friend
8. My Sister, The Flowerpot
9. Zia Breaks Up a Lava Fight
10. “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” Goes Horribly Wrong
11. Don't Worry, Be Hapi
12. Bulls with Freaking Laser Beams
13. A Friendly Game of Hide-and-Seek (with Bonus Points for Painful Death!)
14. Fun with Split Personalities
15. I Become a Purple Chimpanzee
16. Sadie Rides Shotgun (Worst. Idea. Ever.)
17. Brooklyn House Goes to War
18. Death Boy to the Rescue
19. Welcome to the Fun House of Evil
20. I Take a Chair
21. The Gods Are Sorted; My Feelings Are Not
22. The Last Waltz (for Now)

Trivia

• Note: The two girls named Lacy and Drew (in the school dance) are 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.
• Rick Riordan makes a Doctor Who reference in this book.
• Drew Tanaka and Lacy (characters from Camp Half-Blood Series) appear on the book, indicating that the Egyptians and the Greco-Romans coexist within the same universe.
• Shu, Anubis' great grandfather, would (when she is also Isis) be Sadie's grandfather
• Ruby Kane, in the book, tells her daughter Sadie Kane that she has not lost the gift of foresight and sees conflict with other gods and magic which is still unclear. It would most likely be Greek-Roman, since Sadie said she and Carter have to go to Long Island (Camp Half Blood's location), due to other magic
• On page 116, there is a typo when Walt is convincing Carter that he must go with him it says that "his clenched jaw his" when in reality it should have said "He clenched his jaw."