The Serpent
The Serpent was later split into two books:
- The Serpent
- The Dragon
The Serpent:
Cija was princess and prisoner, incarcerated for seventeen years under threat of an ancient curse. But when at last release comes it brings with it little joy – for Cija is to be sent by her mother, the High Priestess, as hostage to Zerd, vile half-serpent and general of the army that threatens Atlan. She is to travel with him, entice him – and destroy him...
So begins a journey that will take Cija across continents as hostage, camp follower, scullion, slave - and Empress. A journey that will take her from her tower prison to the ancient, mysterious heart of the old continent – Atlan.
The Dragon:
The ravening army of the serpent-general Zerd continues its inexorable progress across the continent, destroying and defiling all it touches. But to conquer half the world is not enough, for across a narrow strip of ocean lies old Atlan – a beauty and a mystery awaiting the corruption Zerd carries with him...
Cija, in flight from intrigue and deadly danger, sets out across a ruined world to warn Atlan of its peril. But she is one girl, alone and frightened – and Zerd is so close behind...
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Jane Gaskell
Jane Gaskell (born 1941) is a British fantasy writer. She wrote her first novel Strange Evil, when she was 14. It was published two years later. In 1970 she received the Somerset Maugham Award for her novel A Sweet Sweet Summer (jointly with Piers Paul Read who received it for his Monk Dawson).
Her Atlan saga is set in prehistoric South America and in the mythical world of Atlantis. The series is written from the point of view of its clumsy heroine Cija, except for the last book, which is narrated by her daughter Seka.
China Miéville lists Strange Evil as one of the top 10 examples of weird fiction.
Atlan
Atlan series consists of four books, but the first book was later split into two books: The Serpent and The Dragon.
Atlan consists of four books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
