The Serpent of Venice (The Fool, #2) Summary & Key Insights

Christopher Moore's The Serpent of Venice continues the zany adventures of the Fool, Tom Foolery, from A Dirty Job. This time, the action shifts to 16th-century Venice, where Tom finds himself unexpectedly embroiled in a conspiracy involving the Doge, the Inquisition, and, of course, a healthy dose of the supernatural. The novel's plot hinges on the theft of a powerful magical artifact, a jeweled serpent, and its connection to a prophecy foretelling the end of the world.

Tom's journey begins with a seemingly simple task: deliver a message to a Venetian nobleman. This quickly escalates when he becomes entangled with the beautiful and enigmatic Isabella, a Venetian noblewoman with her own secrets and agenda. Their paths converge with those of several other key characters, including the eccentric, almost certainly insane, Father Giovanni, a priest with a penchant for alchemy and a surprising amount of influence; a shadowy figure known only as "The Collector," who craves the serpent's power; and various members of the Venetian aristocracy, some complicit in the plot, others desperately trying to prevent catastrophe.

The search for the serpent intertwines with a burgeoning romance between Tom and Isabella, their relationship deepening as they navigate the treacherous streets and canals of Venice, constantly evading both human and supernatural threats. The serpent itself, a powerful magical artifact imbued with the spirit of a vengeful goddess, serves as a MacGuffin, driving the action and exposing the underlying corruption and hypocrisy within Venetian society.

The overarching theme is a playful examination of faith, power, and the clash between the mundane and the magical. Moore uses the backdrop of historical Venice to satirize religious dogma, political intrigue, and human folly. The humor is characteristically Moore-esque – dark, irreverent, and often absurd, contrasting sharply with the potentially serious consequences of the plot. Tom's journey is less about heroic triumph and more about stumbling his way through chaos, relying on wit, luck, and a surprising amount of divine intervention (or perhaps just the whims of fate).

The novel's climax sees a confrontation involving the serpent, the Collector, and the various factions vying for control. The resolution, while somewhat unexpected, maintains the book's overall lighthearted tone, leaving the Fool's future – and the fate of the world – delightfully ambiguous, setting the stage for further escapades. Ultimately, The Serpent of Venice is a rollicking adventure, steeped in historical setting but driven by fantastical elements and the ever-charming, ever-unlucky Tom Foolery.