The Snake's Pass

The Snake's Pass (1890) is a novel by Irish author Bram Stoker. Written at the beginning of his career, The Snake's Pass helped to establish the Irish master of Gothic horror's reputation as a leading writer of the early-twentieth century. The Snake's Pass is based on the story of Saint Patrick, the legendary hero who cast the serpents out of Ireland forever. During a violent storm, Arthur Severn and his driver Andy are forced to take shelter in Carnacliff, a town in County Clare. Waiting out the weather in the local bar, Arthur listens to a story of the King of Snakes, who is rumored to remain-despite being banished by Saint Patrick-in order to watch over his crown. Whenever a fog rolls over the town, the local people say it is the spirit of the terrible king, returned once more to ensure his treasure stays hidden. That same evening, Arthur meets a man known as Black Murdock, a vindictive landowner and usurer who manipulates the poor folk of Carnacliff. Against his own interests, Arthur decides to remain in town to help a man whose land was taken from him by Murdock, only to be swept up in a quest to find the Lost Crown of Gold. The Snake's Pass is a gripping work of horror and romance by Bram Stoker, the secretive and vastly underrated creator of Dracula, one of history's greatest villains. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Bram Stoker's The Snake's Pass is a classic of Irish literature reimagined for modern readers.