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Two Serpents Rise

“They lost, our boss won, kicked out priests and pantheon, and now we all pretend three thousand years of bloodshed didn’t happen. We put a fence around history and hang a plaque and assume it’s over. Try to forget.”

Second book in the Craft Sequence, and also second chronologically – but not chronologically after book one!

Featuring magical eco-terrorists/freedom fighters, an immortal skeletal sorcerer-slash-mayor-slash-CEO, magical parkour, a tense father-son relationship, giant dragonfly taxis, Central American mythology, and Teo Batan.

Being totally honest, this website’s admin doesn’t love this book and skips it in re-reads. However, it seems popular with the wider readership so you may love it!

Also…it features the King in Red. You don’t want to miss out on the King in Red.

Published 2013, Tor.com

Articles
Demographics of POV characters (UPDATED 2024)
Demographics of POV characters (UPDATED 2024)

A nerdy deep dive into demographics of POV characters in the Craft Sequence.

POV Distribution in the Craft Sequence (UPDATED 2024)
POV Distribution in the Craft Sequence (UPDATED 2024)

With 44 POV characters across 8 books, who has the most narrative page-time in the Craft Sequence so far? Who are the ‘main’ characters, and what does that mean for the story?

Entire Craft Sequence story so far...
Entire Craft Sequence story so far...

Need a reminder of the plot of the Craft Sequence before reading Wicked Problems? You’re in luck - the first seven books all summarised neatly here.

Character Connections
Character Connections

The Craft Sequence is a sprawling series with characters showing up in different narratives and meeting all sorts of characters. This somewhat crazy article tracks the connections between the main characters in a conspiracy theory style wall.

Craft Sequence DRAGONS as planes and weapons (part 2)
Craft Sequence DRAGONS as planes and weapons (part 2)

We’ve looked at almost every reference to dragons in the Craft Sequence, so now we’re bringing out the big guns - figuratively and literally. Read on to see how dragons act as magical jumbo jets and also corpse WMDs - yes, literally.

Every reference to DRAGONS in the Craft Sequence (part 1)
Every reference to DRAGONS in the Craft Sequence (part 1)

In honour of Tor Books’s 5th annual Dragon Week, here’s an unplanned article about EVERY SINGLE dragon reference in the series. Part 1, because it turns out there’s way more than I thought. YOU’RE WELCOME.

The perfect Craft Sequence reading order (+8 more options)
The perfect Craft Sequence reading order (+8 more options)

It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that the order of books in the Craft Sequence is confusing. The author himself has said as much.

But have no fear, intrepid reader – we have pulled together NINE different reading orders for you to choose from.

Unofficial Craft Sequence Timeline (UPDATED 2023)
Unofficial Craft Sequence Timeline (UPDATED 2023)

We know that the Craft Sequence has a weird chronology, but what is the timeframe of the books’ events? How old are characters during different novels?

We’ve worked it out from references in the books – check it out.

Words, belief and the fabric of reality | How Magic Works in the Craft Sequence
Words, belief and the fabric of reality | How Magic Works in the Craft Sequence

Shaping reality and underpinning all magic in the Craft Sequence are words and belief. We take a deep dive into how this works in the Craft Sequence with examples from across the series.

Craft Sequence Re-Read-Along Masterpost
Craft Sequence Re-Read-Along Masterpost

With Dead Country on the horizon after quite a gap in publication, we’re hosting the official Hidden Schools Re-Read-Along to encourage as many people as possible to re-read the series.

 

Summary of Two Serpents Rise

(from publisher)

Shadow demons plague the city reservoir, and Red King Consolidated has sent in Caleb Altemoc — casual gambler and professional risk manager — to cleanse the water for the sixteen million people of Dresediel Lex. At the scene of the crime, Caleb finds an alluring and clever cliff runner, crazy Mal, who easily outpaces him.

But Caleb has more than the demon infestation, Mal, or job security to worry about when he discovers that his father — the last priest of the old gods and leader of the True Quechal terrorists — has broken into his home and is wanted in connection to the attacks on the water supply.

From the beginning, Caleb and Mal are bound by lust, Craft, and chance, as both play a dangerous game where gods and people are pawns. They sleep on water, they dance in fire… and all the while the Twin Serpents slumbering beneath the earth are stirring, and they are hungry.