The Serpent (novel)
Encyclopedia
The Serpent is a novel by Jane Gaskell
. It was first published in 1963
. It is the first part of the Atlan series, a set of four (or five) fantasy
novels set in prehistoric times. The following novels are Atlan, The City and Some Summer Lands. The stories are set in Atlantis
and South America
.
The Serpent was also published split into two books, titled The Serpent and The Dragon, hence the confusion over the numbering of the volumes.
When she is 17 years old, her mother releases her from the tower and gives her as a hostage to Zerd, the half-Human, half-Reptilian warlord, leader of an invading army on their way to conquer the mysterious continent Atlan. Cija is secretly instructed by her mother to seduce and kill Zerd. Eventually she succeeds neither in killing Zerd, nor in warning the Atlantean empire about the invaders, but she ends up being married to Zerd and becoming Empress of Atlan.
Jane Gaskell
Jane Gaskell is a British fantasy writer. Gaskell was born in 1941. She wrote her first novel Strange Evil, when she was 14. It was published two years later...
. It was first published in 1963
1963 in literature
The year 1963 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*First United States printing of John Cleland's 1749 novel, Fanny Hill . The book is banned for obscenity, triggering a court case by its publisher.*Leslie Charteris publishes his final collection of stories...
. It is the first part of the Atlan series, a set of four (or five) fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novels set in prehistoric times. The following novels are Atlan, The City and Some Summer Lands. The stories are set in Atlantis
Atlantis
Atlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
The Serpent was also published split into two books, titled The Serpent and The Dragon, hence the confusion over the numbering of the volumes.
Plot summary
The protagonist of the novel is Cija , the illegitimate child of the Dictatress of a small kingdom and a priest of high rank. The story itself is written from her point of view. She was kept in a tower and looked after by servants until she turned 17; until that time she had not met any men and believed that men were extinct and women ruled the world. She was also raised to believe she was a goddess, related to the gods of her country, to whom she refers to as her "cousins".When she is 17 years old, her mother releases her from the tower and gives her as a hostage to Zerd, the half-Human, half-Reptilian warlord, leader of an invading army on their way to conquer the mysterious continent Atlan. Cija is secretly instructed by her mother to seduce and kill Zerd. Eventually she succeeds neither in killing Zerd, nor in warning the Atlantean empire about the invaders, but she ends up being married to Zerd and becoming Empress of Atlan.