City of Snakes

City of Snakes is the third volume in The City trilogy. It was written by Darren O'Shaughnessy, better known as Darren Shan, but never published. It has been re-edited and was published in March 2010 under the pen name Darren Shan.

Page Count:307 Word Count:113,372

Plot:
City of the Snakes takes place 10 years after Hell's Horizon and has two narrators throughout the story: Capac Raimi, and Al Jeery. The story begins with Capac Raimi struggling to maintain control of the city as the new Cardinal. Rival gang, the Kluxers, formerly known as the KKK, have been growing substantially in power and is the top contender to knock off the Cardinal as the top gang in the City. To add to his issues, Capac Raimi has spotted various Ayuamarcans such as Conchita, Inti Maimi, Leonora Shankar, and recent surveillance footage of the real Paucar Wami; all supposedly dead after the original Cardinal jumped off the roof of Party Central 10 years ago. Capac is the only one who clearly remembers the Ayuamarcans as everyone else lost their memories of them 10 years ago with the mysterious green fog, however he takes the time to explain the situation to his top lieutenants and recently retired Ford Tasso, who all believe him. After being resurrected from a murder by two of his most trusted men, Gico Carl and Cathal Sampedro, Capac visits now retired Ford Tasso to run his empire while he uncovers the mystery behind the recurring Ayuamarcans. Ford declines, but Raimi pursues his investigation and begins by visitting the resting place of Ferdinand Dorak, the former Cardinal, in the Fridge.

Once there, Raimi asks to be left alone in the Dorak's isolated resting place to investigate. He finds the delicate body of the ex-Cardinal in its proper place, and closes the lid of the coffin. As he turns around, the coffin slides from its position, revealing and underground passage from Dorak's chamber. Emerging from this passage is a fully naked Ama Situa, Capac's former Ayuamarcan lover. She gestures for Capac to hold her hand, and despite his bewilderment he follows her into the underground passage.

The middle and body of the story is then narrated by Al Jeery.

After Capac Raimi goes missing, Al Jerry is given a deal by a subtitute cardinal. Find Capac, and he will get information of Bill Casey. Rumours appear about a group called the snakes, who look, act and feel like Pucar Wami.

Meanwhile Al remeets the harpies, insane women who eat human flesh. One of them is called Rettie. Rettie was the girl that Bill saved instead of her sister, which is why Bill hated Paucar Wami. Al goes to kill him but he spares his life.

Later Al meets the snakes, who plan to take over the city for the Villacs. Also all the Ayuamaracans have two dolls not one so the Villacs can bring them back when they want.

Al goes to bill to get explosive's for the fight against the villacs.

Al-Jeery then goes with Ama Situwa and Pacur Wami to kill the vilacs along the way they are met by naked preisteses who worship the god of the moon at the end of their journey they meet the woman hiding behind the villacs a ancient god who contunues her legacy by dying then moving her soul into one of her offspring.She explains everything they find capac he is horribly mutilated left eye cut out and missing both ears pacur trys to grab his doll which was close but there was a inti watana stone shocking anyone who came near the god. All was done he theathened the coya to give him the dolls or he would blow the place up he got them and ran out with capac who went to kill the coya and ama.

Al gives Bill the Puacar Wami doll and Bill just hugs it, faintly remembering Puacar.

At the end Al settles down for a quiet life remebering all who he lost in his life and finally being happy