The Serpent's Shadow

The Kane Chronicles trilogy combines ancient Egyptian mythology and a modern-day setting to bring young readers a sweeping tale of magic and gods against a familiar backdrop. Punctuated by Riordan’s signature humor, the series explores such themes as the balance of power, coming-of-age under enormous responsibility, and navigating complex relationships, both familial and romantic. 

The series begins with The Red Pyramid. Estranged since the death of their mother years before, Carter and Sadie begin the book nearly strangers to one another. They are thrust together when their father’s archeological work brings him to London. In truth, Carter and Sadie’s father is a magician descended from the pharaohs of Egypt. When he casts a spell to free the god Osiris, he also frees Set, god of chaos, who imprisons Carter and Sadie’s father. 

On their own with new magician powers, Carter and Sadie ally with the gods Horus and Isis to stop Set from destroying the world and to save their father. However, by allying with the gods, Carter and Sadie break magician law—a conflict which follows them throughout the series and becomes the backbone for the rebel magician movement in The Serpent’s Shadow. The Red Pyramid introduces side characters Bast and Zia, who also become critical to the rest of the series. At the end of the book, Set is defeated, but Apophis is freed, which sets up the conflicts in the following books.

The Throne of Fire picks up several months after The Red Pyramid and introduces Walt and Anubis, setting up for Sadie’s romantic arc. Carter and Sadie also take on leadership roles in this installment, as they continue to build a sibling relationship and prepare for Apophis’s eventual rise. The second installment focuses on the quest to find and awaken Ra (king of the gods), believing he is the key to defeating the serpent. In addition, it is revealed that the real Zia is in a magical sleep, and that the Zia of book 1 was a clay shabti replica. Having developed feelings for her, Carter rescues her, only to learn she is hosting Ra’s essence, which ties Carter’s romantic arc into the greater storyline. 

The Throne of Fire introduces Bes and his relationship with Sadie. It also shows the magicians rallying around the Kanes despite their relationships with the gods, only for this temporary alliance to break in The Serpent’s Shadow. Where The Red Pyramid focused mainly on the developing relationship between Carter and Sadie, The Throne of Fire shows them growing closer as they also come into their own as magicians and people.