Cirque du Freake by Darren Shan

This series is said to be "terrifying", but for some reason I'm not as frightened by it as I am admirent of the author's audacity (in his writing.) It's difficult for me to elaborate on this, so I suppose you'll have to read the book(s) to truly understand what I mean.

The series is compromised of twelve books,
and Marvel and I have just finished the fourth. Well, I have, and I assume by now she's completed the fourth; we read the series together.

I have also just learned of Darren Shan's The Demonata Series,
and the publishing of the last book in that series.

Here is my summary of the first book, Cirque du Freake: A Living Nightmare, followed by a very small, personal commentary of what I have read so far in the series. I will do my best to make it as non-spoiler as possible.

Darren Shan acquires a ticket to go to the Cirque du Freake, a "freak show".
Unlike any freak show, however, it includes one who will become a main character in the series, a vampire named Larten Crepsley, as well as an assortment of other strange, unique people.
Darren's good friend, Steve, pleads with Larten after the show for him to make him a vampire. Larten attempts to do so, by "blooding" him, yet is unable to do so as he says Steve has "bad blood." Steve, deprived of his absolute desire and wish, is obviously outraged, and swears to hunt Mr. Crepsley down. Fascinated by Mr. Crepsley's spider, Madam Octa, a unique spider, Darren steals the spider away. While playing with it one day, he is interrupted and due to his momentary lack of concentration, Steve is bitten by the spider. Mr. Crepsley offers Darren the antidote to save Steve's life if Darren becomes his assistant, and a half-vampire. Darren agrees, and so begins his life as Mr. Crepsley's half-vampire assistant.

I hope you guys liked this summary I wrote; I think I did pretty good, especially since I'm writing this from my reading of the book, no assistance from anything except my memory.

The first four books have been pretty good, but I think the fourth would be my favorite, because, well, you'll see when you read it. Mr. Crepsley is definitely one of my favorite characters in the series so far, and probably Darren as well. You'll see why when you read the series. Unless you don't mind me describing the character of the characters to you. But wouldn't you like discovering and "meeting" the characters on your own?

Well, I hope you liked this first post of what I hope will be many more.

Comments Welcome