Armageddon looms as teen magicians Carter and Sadie Kane work feverishly to foil the evil machinations of the Chaos snake, Apophis, and, ultimately, to destroy him. These modern-day siblings have a lot going for them in the struggle, from gifted fellow magicians to the Egyptian gods themselves, but between frequent attacks from an assortment of enemies and the realization that their stalwart friend, Walt, is dying, the outcome of the conflict often looks bleak. While the final battle rages, each of the main characters merges with one of the gods in hopes that their magnified powers will enable them to prevail. This epic battle and the quiet concluding chapters glow, alternating heroism and humanity, with any trace of bombast erased by the wry wit of the alternating narrators, Sadie and Carter. As in The Red Pyramid (2010) and The Throne of Fire (2011), the cast of characters here is confusingly large and the backstory sometimes seems tucked into the spaces between the battles. But powered by Riordan's talent for creating vividly written action scenes and his ability to keep a complicated story moving, this volume brings the Kane Chronicles series to a rousing conclusion.

With Egyptian gods from the previous two books and teen magicians Zia and Walt, the Kanes face the culmination of peril. Serpent of Chaos Apophis is attempting to swallow Sun God Ra, destroying creation; Sadie and Carter try to perform a spell of banishment on him. The siblings' confidence and ability grows, wry asides keep them accessible, and Riordan's climax soundly delivers.

Riordan's Kane Chronicles trilogy concludes with a smash, as Carter and Sadie Kane once again try to save the world from the forces of Chaos. The giant Chaos snake Apophis and his rebel magician allies are on the rise. Luckily, Carter and Sadie Kane are back, ready to fight Apophis and restore Ma'at, the order of the universe. The ghost of an ancient psychotic magician offers help: Find the shadow of Apophis, capture it and use it for an execration spell that will pop the evil god so far into the Duat--the magical realm that coexists with our world--that he will never return. As in the previous volumes--The Red Pyramid (2010) and The Throne of Fire (2011)--the tale is told in the alternating and still-fresh voices of Sadie and Carter. Beyond the explosive action and fireworks, Riordan deftly develops the theme of the duality of the universe--order versus chaos, living a normal life versus risking the extraordinary, being protected by parents versus growing up and stepping out of their shadows. A rousing adventure with plenty of magic and food for thought. Other gods and future stories are hinted at in the conclusion; in the meantime, Riordan's The Kane Chronicles Survival Guide is available to maintain the spell. (glossary, list of gods and goddesses) (Fantasy. 10-14)

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