Craft Sequence Essays
Welcome to our archive of essays about the Craft Sequence. Scroll for all of our essays, or go wherever suits you:
Relatively spoiler free essays if you’re new to the series / partway through and don’t want to spoil yourself
Spoilerific essays if you’ve read the series and want to delve deeper
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Grails and knights and the Serpents
Caleb and Mal are apparently “twin grails” and factor into the vampires’ plan - but what does that mean? How does it link in with the knights we’ve met across the series, immortality, and the Twin Serpents?
Untangling Dead Hand Rule: what happens AFTER the skazzerai arrives
In the final part of ‘Untangling Dead Hand Rule’, we look at what happens AFTER the ancient space skazzerai arrives: why the herald HAD to be who it is, why Elayne is eternally a badass, and the importance of Saint Abelard.
Untangling Dead Hand Rule: what happens to Caleb, Izza, Temoc, and the King in Red?
In part 2 of ‘Untangling Dead Hand Rule’, we recap the final battle and look in depth at what happens to Caleb Altemoc, Izza Jalai, Temoc Almotil, and the King in Red.
Demographics of POV characters (UPDATED 2026)
A nerdy deep dive into demographics of POV characters in the Craft Sequence (updated for Dead Hand Rule).
Caleb Altemoc’s Story So Far
Torn between worlds, Caleb Altemoc was dedicated against his will to bloodthirsty Quechal gods, and now tries to rebuild damaged parts of the world. As a general-purpose saint with a slight gambling addiction and propensity to throw himself in the line of fire, Caleb will undoubtedly play a major role in the rest of the series. As we approach the publication of Dead Hand Rule, let’s take a look at Caleb’s story so far.
Fixing Two Serpents Rise
I have my issues with Two Serpents Rise, so decided to finally write out how I would sort it out. Fix-it, not fanfic.
Who is Mal Kekapania (and how is she alive)?
Who is Mal? Caleb’s manic pixie dream girl from Two Serpents Rise, who then terrorised the city and was seemingly vaporised, appeared to be a one-and-done antagonist, yet she is back in Wicked Problems. Who is she, and how has she come back?
Who's who: Tara, Caleb, and Kai
Who are Tara Abernathy, Caleb Altemoc, and Kai Pohala? Often considered the protagonists of their respective books, they play similar roles introducing readers to story, location, and a form of magic. Ultimately, their decisions and character arcs will change the course of history in their world.
Review: Two Serpents Rise (Spoiler Free ish)
Shadow demons in the water, a fugitive father, and an enigmatic cliff runner interrupt Caleb Altemoc’s night of gambling – and may bring down one of the most important cities in the world of Craft. The weakest entry to the series, but it still has some great moments and characters.
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