 A Living Nightmare
 Darren Shan wasn't kidding when he told us that A Living Nightmare was going to be a story that didn't follow typical conventions. It was a wonderfully told story, with action that pushed the story forward from chapter to chapter. He used the device of short chapters, sometimes when they weren't necessary, to fuel that action. If writers write in long chapters, especially in books meant for children, their interest is lost because they find themselves meandering. But when the chapters break, that implies (almost without the reader being aware of it) breakneck action.
I'd love to discuss the surprise ending, as it was something I was NOT expecting whatsoever. But to do so ruins the surprise — and some of the things that made that ending possible were truly gruesome. This was a terrific story. A Living Nightmare is the second book I've read where I've begun in bed and stayed awake until finishing it (about an hour and a half). I'm really looking forward to reading more, and was glad to see that there is much more enjoyment ahead. —Todd Burger
The Vampire's Assistant
 Many sequels pale in comparison to the original, as they tend to lose steam. Not so with The Vampire's Assistant. If anything, this had more steam than the original.
What's very impressive with The Cirque du Freak trilogy is the wonderful pacing. The books are nearly impossible to put down, because at the end of every chapter there's a hook to draw you into the next chapter. As a result, I tend to read these books in one sitting.
Perhaps even more impressive is the risks that Darren Shan takes. In the first book, Mr. Crepsley, a vampire, "killed" Darren Shan (who is "writing" the books) to make him a vampire, and take him away from his family. These are gut wrenching and terrifying things; even an adult can't help but cringe at the thought of a child being removed from their family. In this book, the Shan goes one step further. Darren has an aversion to drinking human blood, but instead of sounding like a whiny brat, his protestations are perfectly aligned with the nature of his character. In other words, the tone — the character's voice — stays the same. Mr. Crepsley is pushing Darren to drink human blood, stressing that Darren will die if he doesn't. How Darren comes to drink human blood shocked me, and would, I imagine, shock the socks off a nine year old.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was the silly and ridiculous "costume" that Darren was given to wear. That didn't make sense to me. With all of the money that the circus brings in, and the seeming endless amount of money that Mr. Crepsley has, why not a stage costume (the "pirate" costume he was given), and then a regular pair of Levi's and a suitable shirt with sneakers?
That, though, is a minor — if irritating — point. I loved this book, and am hurrying my way through the series.
And to think I don't really care much for stories about vampires, as I've always considered them blasé. My mind has been changed — for this series, at least. —Todd Burger
Tunnels of Blood
 Once again, Darren Shan presents a unique and compelling story that surprises us, introduces us to new characters, and gives Darren — gasp! — a girlfriend.
Mr. Crepsley has a mysterious meeting with one of the Vampire Generals, and just as mysteriously he leaves with Darren, allowing Darren's friend the snake boy (his name escapes me and the book isn't around) to accompany him.
They all travel to a city where, once they arrive, Darren and the snake boy see on the news that people are dying, and that their bodies are being sucked dry of blood. Given Mr. Crepsley's odd silence and distant behavior, the boys conclude that Mr. Crepsley may be involved in the deaths. They decide to trail Mr. Crepsley when he leaves at night, to see where he is going and what he is doing. And they find out ... and that's where the nightmare really begins.
I won't discuss what actually happens, but I'll say this: you might think you know at least part of what's going on, but when you get the full explanation, you'll realize that you really didn't have a clue.
The only thing that I find slightly annoying about Cirque Du Freak is that Mr. Crepsley — a very well respected vampire — seems to make quite a few mistakes. Without these mistakes (withholding information, for one), there would be no story. I'd like to see that change. —Todd Burger
 Vampire Mountain
 So far in Cirque Du Freak we've heard mention of Vampire Princes, Vampire Generals, and Vampire Mountain. All are ominous things. In this book, we meet them all.
We also see that Darren is really starting to mature. He's learning to stand on his own, to make his own decisions, and developing courage and bravery that although it may be a little misguided, is still appropriate for his character.
In Vampire Mountain, Mr. Crepsley and Darren make the trek to — of all places — Vampire Mountain. A Vampire Council is convening, and there are a number of issues to discuss, not the least of which being Mr. Crepsley's turning such a young boy. I found it odd that when Mr. Crepsley was being questioned by the Vampire Princes he made no mention of exactly why he turned Darren.
This book was full of action, the chapters still ended with hooks that drove you to the next page, and had a terrific cliffhanger. There was also a rather unbelievable scene involving polls and bars and a very, very talented warrior. I had a hard time buying that scene, and it's one of the reasons I felt that this was the weakest book in the series. I'm still giving it four stars, so obviously I thought it was a very good book.
I'm interested to see what happens in book 5, when Darren continues through his tests. I just hope that the tests are unique and not of the garden variety. Unfortunately, the way they're starting out, it seems that they may be. That said, the author has successfully twisted things around before, so I'm looking forward to him doing exactly that in book 5. —Todd Burger
Trials of Death
 In my review of Vampire Mountain, I said that I was concerned with the way things were heading, and hoped that the trials Darren would be faced with would be not of the garden variety. I need to retract that statement.
The tests that Darren undertook were challenging and very well written. And the author did not spare Darren an ounce of respite. Authors need to hurt their characters, and this author put Darren through the wringer. These challenges slayed Darren to the bone — burned him, scarred him, and at one point would have killed him if not for an intervention from an unlikely source.
Because of this, Darren is shamed, and the entire Vampire community is up in arms over what to do. Anyone who does not complete the Trials of Death, or has someone intervene on their behalf is dishonored, and the fate is death. As usual, the book is full of twists and turns, was delightful to read, and had a terrific, terrific cliffhanger.
Also, there was a stunning turn of events that I'm sure left most readers with their jaw on the floor. —Todd Burger
The Vampire Prince
 The Vampire Prince was an absolutely spectacular book, and as with the rest of the series, as soon as I finished it I wanted to read the next book immediately. Unfortunately, I couldn't find book seven (Hunters of the Dusk) anywhere. All of the local bookstores had books one through eight, but nobody had book seven. I had to drive about 25 miles round to get book seven.
However, Hunters of the Dusk isn't the book being reviewed here. It's The Vampire Prince. As I indicated in an earlier review of a book in this series, an author needs to hurt his character to create a sense of sympathy. You don't need to maim your character to achieve this. For example, Harry Potter was a sympathetic character (perhaps the most sympathetic character in all of children's literature, given the unparalleled sales of The Sorcerer's Stone) because he lived in a cupboard underneath the stairs and was denied the necessities of life, aside from food.
In The Vampire Prince, the author is in excellent form as he introduces new and entertaining characters, and his plots and twists (even though by now we've come to expect them) still surprise us. Also, Darren kills in this book — and the tenderness with which the author handles Darren's emotions is exceptional. For an author who has been chocking gore at us (though not gratuitously) for the past five books, this takes us back to the very first book which I still think is the best book in the series because of the conflicting emotions and stunning turn of events.
The Vampire Prince is a very difficult book to review, for the subplots are so intricately woven that to comment on them would simply ruin the book. That's the problem with reviewing the Cirque Du Freak series. Commenting on events could ruin the book for other readers, and I certainly don't want any part of that.
I will say that the ending surprised me, and I'm not sure how I feel about it, even having read books seven and eight. Still, it's an excellent and passionate book. —Todd Burger
 Hunters of the Dusk:
Still good, but lagged in a few places
 After being blown away by The Vampire Prince, I expected the action to escalate in Hunters of the Dusk, and I must admit to a certain amount of disappointment. Personally, I don't like prophecies, even if they do add a slight amount of tension to the story. The reason I don't like prophecies is simple. I think they're words of wisdom from men (or women) who deem themselves wise. Even those making the prophesies admit that they're not entirely sure about them, so what's the point? Being told that they will have an opportunity to kill the Lord of the Vampaneze (a unique and interesting character) four times, and that if they fail only one of them will survive, just doesn't sit well with me. Again, I understand the added tension, but I believe that the chase for the Lord of the Vampaneze is ripe enough with tension.
There was a sidebar in Hunters of the Dusk that was very unusual for this series, and that was their visit with the sorceress. I really didn't see much point in that, as Mr. Tiny could have given them exactly the same information. Some might argue that he has his own dark plans, but seeing as he told them to go see her, he must have known what she would tell them...so...she seemed to be a pit stop that just wasn't necessary to the plot as a whole.
I don't think that Hunters of the Dusk was the strongest book in this series. For me, it lagged considerably, especially as I had to travel 25 miles to get the book, given that no local bookseller had it in stock. (And I live in Chicago, with many, many booksellers close to me.) There were still some good shocks and surprises, but it seemed to me that the author was starting to reach for his twists, which came so naturally before.
By the way, I have no idea why this is claimed to be marketed for ages 9-12. This is clearly a teen series. Darren Shan is Bram Stoker for teens who like vampires. —Todd Burger
Allies of the Night
 When it seems that the vampaneze are focusing on Mr. Crepsley's hometown, Darren, Harkat, and Mr. Crepsley investigate. After fruitless searching, they meet up with a wholly unexpected guest: a school administrator who wonders why Darren isn't in school. Nobody knows what to say, and the administrator presents Darren with his birth certificate, enrollment papers, and other official materials, all of which are signed by Darren's hand — or upon closer examination, simply a very good forgery.
When I read on the inside flap that Darren was going back to school, I groaned. I thought to myself: the author is really running out of ideas here, and is reaching. But I found that I was wrong. Darren being in school set up a string of intriguing events — some of them horrific — and one very interesting surprise. The surprise was that one his teachers was none other than... Debbie, the girl he dated the last time he and Mr. Crepsley visited his town some twenty-five years ago. Some uncomfortable moments between the two of them pass, as Darren still finds himself interested in her (after all, they're still the same age, even if Darren only looks 15).
Darren meets up with another unexpected friend: Steve. He is overjoyed to see him, and happy that Steve appears to have forgiven him, even though in the first book Steve said that he would dedicate his entire life to hunting and killing all vampires.
Darren finds himself in a particularly sticky situation. The closer he gets to Debbie, and the closer the vampaneze get to her, he finds it necessary to confess that he is a vampire. Surprisingly, Debbie takes this rather well, and when their quest is explained to her, she insists on joining — even holding her own.
The ending once again is a decent cliffhanger and there were enough twists to make his previous books proud. I'm anxious to read Killers of the Dawn. —Todd Burger |
Hell’s Horizon
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