SERPENT MAGE (Death Gate Cycle) [Hardcover]

Margaret Weis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1992 | Series: Death Gate Cycle (Book 4)

Weakened when Haplo the Patryn causes chaos so that the Lord of Nexus can establish a new order, the people of the water world Chelestra, one of the four worlds, must outwit lethal and magical sea serpents. By the authors of Dragon Wing. 60,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The fourth volume of the authors' Death Gate Cycle, begun with Dragon Wing , moves to Chelestra, Realm of Sea, last of the four worlds created by the Sartan during the Sundering in their battle against the Patryns. The inhabitants of this world--dwarves, elves and humans--are in grave danger: the seasun, source of light and life to the seamoons on which they dwell, is moving away. When the vessels in which they were to escape are destroyed by malignant, highly intelligent dragon-snakes, three children, scions of the ruling families, undergo adventures and encounter Haplo, the Patryn escaped from imprisonment in the Labyrinth who has been traveling the worlds of the Death's Gate fomenting discord. Meanwhile, Alfred, the last remaining Sartan, also translated to the water world, is reunited with others of his kind, including Samah, who initiated the Sundering and has been in suspended animation since. The stage for escalated conflict is set. The worlds created by Weis and Hickman become more attractively complex with each book of the series. The deepening characterizations of Haplo and Alfred, with the underlying mysteries surrounding both, provide the necessary glue binding this opus, which promises three more volumes.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Fourth of the projected seven-book series (most recently Fire Sea, not seen), continuing the adventures of Haplo the Patryn and his rival, Albert the Sartan. Haplo arrives on Chelestra, a water-world whose construction makes no geometric, physical, or narrative sense, only to find that the local seawater quenches the tattoos that are the source of his Patryn magic. Meanwhile, Alfred, the clumsy, bumbling Sartan, also arrives and by accident reawakens the slumbering ancient, arrogant Sartan ruling council, who regard askance Alfred's growing friendship with Haplo. Also on Chelestra live some superpowerful dragon-snakes, whose purpose is to stir up trouble, force the Sartan to open the Death Gate, and allow them to escape. Haplo befriends a trio of ``mensch,'' the human, dwarf, and elf subclasses oppressed by the mighty Sartan, and eventually comes to trust Alfred--he turns out to be the Serpent Mage (whatever that is, and not that it makes a shred of difference to anything)--more than his nominal master, the Patryn Xar. Yet another futile exercise, with the implausible backdrop, absurd plotting, and vacuous dramatics highlighting the authors' inability to narrate in other than a pedestrian monotone. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Spectra (March 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553083104
• ISBN-13: 978-0553083101
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,067,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Weis graduated from the University of Missouri in 1970 with a BA in Creative Writing and Literature. Following a career in publishing she became an editor with TSR in 1983, and now lives with her husband and two cats in a converted barn near Lake Genva, Wisconsin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Novel in the Death Gate, October 24, 2000

By 

Jason Moll - See all my reviews

This review is from: Serpent Mage (The Death Gate Cycle, Vol 4) (Paperback)

Serpent Mage takes you to the fourth world of the Death Gate Series. It takes you to the world of Water, known as Chelstra. Here, in the beginning of the novel, Alfred finds himself in the crystal tombs of the Sartan.........AND they are still living. Once Alfred wakes up his fellow Sartan, he realizes that he is talking to the one and only Samah.

Samah is the lead Sartan in a council of Sartan that had Sundered the world. He and his fellow Sartan have been left asleep for thousands of years. They can not believe the corruption that has taken place on the other worlds. In due time, Alfred is ostricized by his own Sartan.

Haplo has entered the world to find that the saltwater on this world has a debilitating effect on his magic. He comes across some of the Mensch on this world to find that they are unique here on Chelstra......they are at peace. However, Haplo comes across some "creatures" that are more evil than the Sartan, and they are the serpents.

This novel is excellent due to the complex nature of the whole story. On one hand, you have the totally evil serpents who thrive off of chaos. And on the other you have Alfred and Haplo, who are the only ones who truly understand the dreadful power of the serpents.

Alfred has finally found his greatest desire, and that is living Sartan. However, he realizes that he is nothing like the original Sartan. Unfortunately, Alfred does not have similar opinions as the original council created by Samah. As a restult, Alfred faces the same punishment by Samah for those Sartan who opposed Samah. The punishment is stunning, and shocking.

Again, this novel is excellent, because you further understand both Alfred and Haplo, and what the whole purpose of the Death Gate is. It is fast paced, and chaotic in nature, but the enjoyment level is high. Overall, this novel is very informative as to what is occuring in the present and the past. With the addition of the serpents, this should leave to a stunning conclusion in this series.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! The best so far in the entire series!, August 8, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Serpent Mage (The Death Gate Cycle, Vol 4) (Paperback)

The Serpent Mage is even better than the previous three! Many questions are answered in this one! The children are great characters. This book was one revalation after another. Which leaves a very interesting perspective on the whole series.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In Chelestra... Gods, Demi-Gods, Mortal And The Immortal Encounter, March 12, 2010

By 

AliGhaemi (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Serpent Mage (The Death Gate Cycle, Vol 4) (Paperback)

Book four of The Death Gate Cycle series introduces the final of the four worlds created by powerful Sartan in the Sundering. It is a world of water... water with magical properties that - unplanned by the Sartan - nullifies magic, acts as air and harbour and introduces powerful and ancient evil which materialize as dragon-snakes.
The powerful and ancient enemies, Sartan and Patryn, come face to face and mingle with humans, dwarves and elves, but a bigger and more ancient enemy is also present. Will aeons of distrust and condescension be overcome or will the feuding be the end of all? Notwithstanding that, the two protagonists also come closer than ever to each other as a shocking surprise is exposed.

Following Fire Sea: The Death Gate Cycle, Volume 3 (A Death Gate Novel) and preceding book five The Hand of Chaos (Death Gate Cycle, Book 5), Serpent Mage adds much to the history and mystery of the Sartan and Patryn and their interactions. Where Haplo, the travelling Patryn, sought to sow the seeds of dissent and disunity elsewhere, in Chelestra his objective is the reverse. It takes young members of the lesser species, however, to stand for sanity and logic in a world where everything is coming undone.

With all the action, reaction and revelation comes several shortcomings too. Notwithstanding a trifling of an explanation in the appendices, the reason behind the magic-quashing properties of the water remains unexplained. The aged and ancient Sartan - save two - prove extraordinarily ignorant and resilient to even the most elementary of evidence and logic. The ever faithful, and nameless, dog too remains much of a mystery despite one Sartan's (Alfred Montbank) hints.

Serpent Mage pushes the saga forth and brings much to light. The characterizations are vivid and the pace of action breathtaking. The book, however, also sets up the rest of the series for a conclusion that is yet to unfold.