Kingdom of the Serpent

The Kingdom of the Serpent is the third in a series of trilogies written by Mark Chadbourn. Set in modern-day Britain, it continues from The Age of Misrule and The Dark Age.

The first book in the trilogy, Jack of Ravens, was released on 20 July 2006. The second, The Burning Man, was released on 17 April 2008. The third book, Destroyer of Worlds, was released in August 2009.

The first trilogy in the series, The Age of Misrule, told of the catastrophic return to Britain of the Old Gods of legend, and the battle of a group of five known as the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons to protect humanity. The Dark Age explored the lives of a new group of Brothers and Sisters, struggling to cope in the new world left behind in the wake of the first trilogy. Kingdom of the Serpent picks up the story where the cliffhanger ending of The Dark Age left off. The world, returning to the old ways due to the influence of the returning Gods, was dealt a dreadful blow by an entity known as the Void, recreating the menial, soul-destroying world it had become before the Gods' return, and trapping the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons - the only ones who could fight it - in menial lives, their heritage forgotten and their power lying dormant. The only one who can save them is Jack Churchill who, following the final battle with the dark god Balor has found himself lost in Bronze-age Britain

This series begins with Jack waking up in The Second Battle of Mag Tuired, wandering about in a mist, he is beginning to forget who he is, and comes across a giant fighting with some Celtic warriors and ends up slaying it with his sword, earning the name 'Jack Giant Killer'. The warriors convince the a village to take Jack in, who is miserable as he is losing his memories of Ruth and his life before, it is revealed that this is due to the spider embedded in his shoulder, which is eventually removed as it is apparently killing him slowly, whilst saving him four Iron Age Celts and Church end up becoming the first brothers and sisters of dragons.

Church is tricked by Niamh, who is selfish and arrogant, into becoming her slave by giving him food and drink which was not given without obligation and she takes him into the otherworld. Whilst traveling to Niamh's court he meets fellow prisoner, 'the Mocker' or Jerzy, who was stolen to entertain and Niamh ended up sending him to the court of the final word for some adjustments leaving his face disfigured in a large rictus grin.

Church realises that because of the way time moves in the otherworld he may yet see Ruth again someday, and begins hopping periodically through time, via the otherworld. Meanwhile, the void has taken Ryan Veitch into its service as he has become bitter and twisted about how he was killed for something out of his control (being used by a caraprix) and systematically goes through time killing as many brothers and sisters of dragons as he can, whilst working with a sinister, flaboyant character none as the 'Libertarian'. Who is described as having 'red lidless eyes'. Erego Veitch kills the first brother and sisters of dragons whilst Church is stuck in the otherworld with Niamh, and writes 'scum' on the wall in blood hinting that Veitch is the killer. Also the first brothers and sisters of dragons are taken into the service of the void as the brothers and sisters of spiders.

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Wikipedia