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.
