The Age of Serpents and Scorpions
543 pages
Hardback
Black Spring Press
In this brilliant fantasy debut, written in the Christian apologetic tradition of the Narnia tales, Cladis explores a very contemporary American crisis, when Satan and a cabal of human cronies, including a venal US presidential hopeful, threaten the body politic and ultimately the world. Unfortunately for them, two teenagers from Colorado, in love and deeply imaginative, have a powerful and inspiring guide of their own – The Fortune Teller – who just may be more than He appears to be. Part time travel epic, part Stephen King style dystopian thriller, and always, ultimately, a theological quest for the meaning of life, death, this battle between good and evil is a thrilling and eye-opening tale for readers of all ages.
Though written as a young adult fantasy, this story’s depth, imagination, and spiritual insight will resonate with readers of all ages. It is a thrilling exploration of the battle between good and evil, love and courage, faith and freedom. An adventure that entertains while inviting readers to reflect on life’s biggest questions. When every choice matters, will they choose wisely before it’s too late?
Available across the UK and via UK booksellers:
Early Reviews for "The Age of Serpents and Scorpions"!
The Age of Serpents and Scorpions opens with a proverbial question—and then, without hesitation, detonates into a story that demands your attention. From the very first pages, Tom Cladis signals that this is not a quiet novel. It is bold, ambitious, and unafraid to wrestle with enormous ideas. At its core, the book explores young love newly discovered, but it doesn’t stop there. Almost immediately, notable figures begin to appear, weaving in and out of the narrative in ways that feel both surprising and intentional. Alongside them come darker presences: Satan himself and a cast of fellow demons, figures who are not merely symbolic but active participants in the story. Add to that a U.S. presidential hopeful, a fortune teller, and elements of time travel, and the novel becomes a rich tapestry of intersecting worlds. What makes the book especially compelling is how seamlessly it moves between timelines and realities. Part historical, part contemporary, part speculative, the story reflects our current world while simultaneously pulling us into something mythic and eternal. The underlying theme religion and the ongoing battle between good and evil—is ever-present, but never heavy-handed. Instead, Cladis allows these ideas to unfold naturally through character, consequence, and choice. Once I started reading, I genuinely couldn’t stop. This is the kind of book that pulls you in chapter by chapter, always urging you forward. Despite being nearly 500 pages, I finished it in just a few days—and if work hadn’t interfered, I would have finished it even sooner. That alone says something about the pacing and the pull of the narrative. Growing up, I read a lot of C.S. Lewis, who famously used Christian themes wrapped in fantasy to speak to real-life struggles and truths. The Age of Serpents and Scorpions gave me that same feeling. It understands that faith, doubt, love, power, and evil are not abstract ideas—they are lived experiences. Cladis taps into that tradition while making the story distinctly his own. This is a novel that entertains, challenges, and lingers. It’s ambitious, imaginative, and deeply rooted in questions that matter. I loved it. - James Lott Jr, DD (Doctor of Divinity)
The Age of Serpents and Scorpions represents epic fantasy at its best. It’s a Christian fantasy that revolves around two teens and their guide, The Fortune Teller, who may be able to help Jimmy finally deal with the death of his beloved mother. The story opens with a concerned father, the sudden connection Jimmy feels with Sasha, and their encounter with extraordinary situations that challenge not only their concept of reality, but good and evil. The Fortune Teller is haunting and mysterious: The fortune teller’s response sent shivers through the teenagers’ bodies. “I see the world not as it is, but as it should be. In my world, nothing is impossible.” It turns out that, rather than telling fortunes, he’s more a listener and a guide who offers the teens insights into God and spirituality: Sure enough, as Sasha looked deeper inside her mind, she did find herself – but not on the side of the wall she would have preferred. “I’m on the wrong side,” she groaned. Jimmy discovered the same thing about himself. “Why am I on this side?” he objected. “I believe in God.” “Yes, you do. You both do,” the fortune teller replied calmly. “But, do you believe what He says? He sent His Son not only to save us from ourselves, but also to remind us of our divine inheritance. “Jesus assured us that if we had faith and did not doubt, nothing would be impossible for us. But, no one believes Him...and that’s what puts you on the wrong side of the wall, as you call it.” As the teens embark on a journey, elements of a dystopian thriller and time travel experience enter the picture to expand the Christian themes and discussions with a kiss of fantasy adventure. Fans of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series will find these spiritual messages more overt than Lewis portrayed in his young adult series, but just as engrossingly entwined with action and confrontations that keep the plot immersive and hard to predict. As parallel universes evolve and bigger picture thinking about good and evil emerges, readers of all ages will appreciate how deeply and provocatively The Age of Serpents and Scorpions delves into transformative thinking and experiences. Librarians seeing patron interest in Christian fantasy will appreciate a story that holds many opportunities for discussion and debate in book club and spiritual circles, and will want to add The Age of Serpents and Scorpions to their collections. Filled with disparate characters, compelling confrontations with self and changing milieus, and issues that provoke readers to self-assess and think about the nature and processes of good and evil, The Age of Serpents and Scorpions is a rich fantasy worthy of acquisition, recommendation, and discussion. - Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
The Age of Serpents and Scorpions showcases how love and faith can guide two teenagers toward truth in the face of evil. Through mind-bending fantasy and breathtaking events, the story kept me on edge from start to finish. I especially enjoyed the pacing and the depth of the character development, which made the journey feel both exciting and meaningful. Tom Cladis writes through multiple perspectives, allowing readers to understand each character’s motives and inner struggles. At its core, this story demonstrates how overcoming doubt and choosing belief can unlock personal strength and purpose. I would highly recommend this book to readers of all ages, as its themes of faith, love, and perseverance are universally relatable. -C, submitted to author
I'm only at page 55 - your work is doing great things for/within my brain and well beyond! I am at the bottom of page 352 (“Jasper - I never said the culprits who set fire to the kids house were from the fundamentalist truth church” (that moment deserved dramatic audio effects, supplied without hesitation by my internal auditory enhancement pathways). This is a creation for which I can credit the cultivation of neurogenesis conditions: the problem solving effort of understanding what is definitely written here, contemplating what may be implied, and attempting to unwrap the mysteries are absolutely prime mental stimulators. There are several tracts one can interact with this story on, and physics is just one of them - you know you’re dealing with a serious creation when it’s interconnectedness with physics could be written about for pages without broaching the majority of what is happening within said creation! It’s change-your-schedule-and-explain-to-your-spouse-that-you’re-busy-all-day enjoyable, and materially useful in seeking truth and pursuing ways to improve the world, starting with your/our choices, daily internal points of leverage, and extending all the way to the people furthest away from you/us. - A, submitted to author