Serpent of the Sands by Vashti Hardy

“Children’s stories are where truth lies.”

The Brightstorm series means so much to our family with its thoughtful portrayal of boy/girl twins. We loved Firesong but were very sad when it came to an end (there may have been a tear or two shed). So when we heard The Brightstorm Chronicles would be continuing, we were thrilled! Hints of the eight super sapients and potential cameo appearances by the Brightstorms had us full of anticipation. A sneak peek at George Ermos’ cover and we were hooked! Serpent of the Sands was going to be amazing!

The incredible Citadel on Nadvaaryn has always been a fascinating place. First introduced in Brightstorm, King Batzorig and King Temur welcome Harriet Culpepper and the rest of the Auruora crew to their beautiful oasis in the desert. In Firesong, Princess Ganzorig joins them on the adventure of a lifetime to the Volcanic North.

After a taste of freedom, life soon returns to normal and Gan is not satisfied. She wants to explore and do what she wants to do – not what is expected of her. Despite being raised to one day become queen, she would rather build her own sky-ship and take off into adventure. But trouble is growing in Lontown and spreading across the Wide. The Human Authority Collective (HAC) wants to control all sapient creatures and find the legendary super-sapients. Spies arrive in Nadvaaryn, Uncle Temur falls ill and Gan meets a strange boy. She decides it’s time to act, setting off in search of the mythical Sand Serpent with its garden of healing cacti that she learned about in a traditional children’s story.

Travelling through the unknown, Gan and her new friend, Thorn, face heart-stopping danger and discover the unbelievable. With each step, Gan finds herself torn between what is expected of her and what she believes is right. Always confident, defiant and never compliant, she must find out how to be true to herself and where she is meant to be – exploring the Wide or at home with her people. She learns so much about the relationship between humans and the sapient creatures around them – there is no ownership, only respect.

Once again, Vashti Hardy has woven science fiction, fantasy and adventure into the richest of tapestries. Gan is a powerful role model of strength, resilience and what it means to be worthy. The connections she makes with humans and animals are based on respect and truth. This story is not only a wonderful continuation of the Brightstorm saga but a fantastic standalone novel for readers age 9+. Classes will love reading it together, gasping at every twist and begging for just one more chapter.

As always, the sapient creatures add so much to the story. Finding out more about the super-sapients is amazing! The Thought-Wolves and Gaia the Earth-Bear pave the way for other fascinating creatures. And there’s no way I can leave out Slink, the adorable sapient gerbil who made me laugh out loud so many times.

Thank you to Scholastic and Kiran Khanom for an early copy of this very special book!

Click here to read my article: Brightstorm and the Power of Boy/Girl Twins

Click here to read our reflections of Our Brightstorm Journey

Click here to read Darkwhispers: Into the Unknown

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