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This book or series is published under Rick Riordan Presents and its contents are not considered canon to the Riordanverse.

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This article is written from a real world point of view.

A Drop of Venom is a Young Adult book in the Drop of Venom series by Sajni Patel under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.

Synopsis[]

All monsters and heroes have beginnings. This is mine.

Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong.

Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.

When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting his freedom.

Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.

Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”

Plot[]

Characters[]

Drop of Venom
Books: A Drop of Venom | A Touch of Blood
Main Characters: Manisha | Pratyush
Minor Characters: Dev
Magical Creatures: Naga
Related Content: Sajni Patel | Rick Riordan Presents
Rick Riordan Presents
Pandava Quintet: Aru Shah and the End of Time | Aru Shah and the Song of Death | Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes | Aru Shah and the City of Gold
Storm Runner Trilogy: The Storm Runner | The Fire Keeper | The Shadow Crosser
Shadow Bruja Duology: Lords of Night | Dawn of the Jaguar
Thousand Worlds series: Dragon Pearl | Tiger Honor | Fox Snare
Sal & Gabi Duology: Sal & Gabi Break the Universe | Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe
Tristan Strong Trilogy: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky | Tristan Strong Destroys the World | Tristan Strong Keeps Punching
Paola Santiago series: Paola Santiago and the River of Tears | Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares | Paola Santiago and the Sanctuary of Shadows
Sikander Aziz series City of the Plague God | Fury of the Dragon Goddess
The Gifted Clans series: The Last Fallen Star | The Last Fallen Moon | The Last Fallen Realm
Pahua Moua series: Pahua and the Soul Stealer | Pahua and the Dragon's Secret
Serwa Boateng series: Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting | Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem | Serwa Boateng's Guide to Saving the World
Outlaw Saints: Ballad & Dagger | Last Canto of the Dead
Winston Chu Duology: Winston Chu Versus the Whimsies | Winston Chu Versus the Wingmeisters
Drop of Venom series: A Drop of Venom | A Touch of Blood
Stand Alone Novels: Race to the Sun | The Spirit Glass | It Waits in the Forest | The Dark Becomes Her
Others: The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities: New Stories About Mythic Heroes
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