Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Serpent's Circle

Rate this book
In a secluded English village, the remnant of a heretical monastic order nurturing an undying hatred of the Pope and the Vatican, plots unspeakable vengeance against the Pope, and only a young acolyte and a Vatican priest stand in the way

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1985

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

Patrick Harpur

12 books116 followers
Patrick Harpur is an acclaimed author, best known for his philosophical works, which include The Philosophers' Secret Fire: A History Of The Imagination and Mercurius: The Marriage Of Heaven and Earth , the latter of which, after being out of print for several years (and fetching a small fortune on auction sites like eBay) has finally been re-released in a paperback edition.

Other works include Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide to the Otherworld and The Serpent's Circle .

He currently has a couple of new projects in the pipeline, including The Stormy Petrel, a fictional biography of Søren Kirkegaard, and The Savoy Truffle, a witty, dramatic novel about life in Britain's richest, wildest Surrey suburb in the early 1960s.

Patrick Harpur lives near Dorchester in Dorset.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
3 (12%)
4 stars
8 (33%)
3 stars
8 (33%)
2 stars
5 (20%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Walker.
16 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2020
Picked up this little-known gem based on the title and description when looking through the horror section at a well-known half-price bookstore. While not what I'd call horror, The Serpent's Circle is an engaging allegorical thriller, bridging the gap between religion, spirituality, and the supernatural.

The plot involves a small and secluded sect of Christianity based on ancient rituals and traditions. A local boy, on the verge of becoming a man, is nearing his indoctrination into a respected position within that church when the book begins. His experiences, stemming potentially from his ability to see auras very clearly, lead him to question his path, causing turmoil that eventually seeks its way up to a very influential leader on an international scale.

There is a strong cast of characters, from the teenage lead character and his missing friend, all the way to the ominous leaders of the churches.

One catch - if you're a devout Christian, you may be uneasy at certain points in this book. The Serpent's Circle gleams and glows, but not in its representation of church morality. However, I did not feel it was a derogatory representation.

Read it!
Profile Image for Sonia.
457 reviews19 followers
November 23, 2009
While I found this book an entertaining read, I have a sense that this book didn't really give me any sense of closure. The ending felt rushed and I didn't feel as if many of the storylines were completed with finesse and resolution.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews