The Serpent of Senargad

Pangur Bán Celtic Fantasies #5

by Fay Sampson

Under the spell of the evil Rhymester the once peaceful kingdom of Senargad has become a place of fear, death, and destruction, where the savage Wolf-Guard roam the country and prisoners are held captive in subterranean caverns by the terrible Serpent of Senargad.

Genres: Fantasy

187 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Fay Sampson graduated in Mathematics, and trained as a teacher. Combining teaching with writing, Fay's children's books were frequently featured in 'Children's Books of the Year'. When she became a full-time writer, she turned to writing novels for adults, based on history and legend. She now lives with her husband in a Tudor cottage in mid-Devon.

Reviews

[Anne Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Kara has never defied her father, Jarlath of Senargad.

So when Jarlath - incensed that he invited retainers from all over his kingdom to his aborted wedding with Finnglas - turns his wrath on Kara, she backs down right away. She promises to marry Oslaf of Berginring, despite the fact the prince is a half-wit.

But she's watched Finnglas oppose Jarlath, the pot-girl Larsa refuse to reveal the name of a traitor who helped Finnglas escape, and the goose-girl Mai stand against his interrogation. In the middle of the wedding ceremony, she suddenly chooses "no". Rather than marry Oslaf, she chooses the doom of entering the thunder-stone. Fast on her heels, before the crack in the stone closes, comes Oslaf and Elli, her maid.

Kara finds Larsa and Mai in an underground labyrinth where they have been imprisoned by the Rhymester, Jarlath's dark shadow and the evil power behind his throne. The grey-hooded Rhymester uses the Serpent, the Raven of War and the shapechanging Wolf-Guard to keep the kingdom in check and also expanding.

War with Berginring begins.

Meantime, across the sea in the Summer Isle, Erc is restless for the north. The Summer Land is too glittering for a fisher-boy who would feel much more at home in Senargad. Little does he know there's a massive price on his head - so huge it is a temptation for even some of his oldest friends.

[Laura Morrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last and most complex of the Pangur Ban series (of the ones I have read) this has an amazing plotline that had me hooked from beginning to end. Even if you have not read or are not interested in the others, I would highly recommend this one. It has a lot of great Celtic elements, and interesting characters.

This was the first one I actually read in the series, and it convinced me to read the others. (although I only ever managed to find two of the others. This was long beofore I had the internet.)