Synopses & Reviews
Darren Shan and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to the Cirque Du Freak, a wonderfully gothic freak show featuring weird, frightening half human/half animals who interact terrifyingly with the audience. In the midst of the excitement, true terror raises its head when Steve recognizes that one of the performers-- Mr. Crepsley-- is a vampire!
Stever remains after the show finishes to confront the vampire-- but his motives are surprising! In the shadows of a crumbling theater, a horrified Darren eavesdrops on his friend and the vampire, and is witness to a monstrous, disturbing plea. As if by destiny, Darren is pulled to Mr. Crepsley and what follows is his forrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires.
This is Darren's story.
Review
"Fast-paced and compelling, full of satisfying macabre touches Cirque Du Freak explores the powerful fascination of the dangerous and unnatural and also, movingly, the obligations of friendship....A plot full of twists which leaves the reader hungry for more." J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series
Review
"The gripping plot moves forward at a lightning pace....[A] rip-roaring story full of oddities, low-key horror, and occasional, unexpected poignancy." Debbie Carton, Booklist
Review
"Poised to capture a wide audience of series horror readers....The scenario is compelling, and the author mines the exploitative history of early 20th-century sideshows to create an artfully macabre Cirque Du Freak." Publishers Weekly
Review
"The slowness of the plot in the beginning might turn some readers off, but once the supernatural enters, they will be hooked. The fun here is in the details and in the uniqueness of the non-evil vampire monster." School Library Journal
Review
"The author's choice of using a 'mock-umentary' style is a brilliant one....Readers will be howling for the sequel to this bone-chilling novel." Children's Literature
Review
"Reluctant readers and fans of shows such as Buffy and Angel are the perfect targets for this first installment....This wry twist is sure to start some great urban legends about this vampire story and its origins." VOYA
Synopsis
In the tradition of Anne Rice and Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot, Cirque Du Freak is the frightening saga of a young boy whose visit to a mysterious freak show leads him on a journey into a dark world of vampires. Author Darren Shan's vivid detail and original voice will have young readers glued to their seats in terror. Filled with grotesque creatures, murderous vampires, and a petrifying ending, Cirque Du Freak will chill, thrill, and leave readers begging for more.
Synopsis
From the Master of Horror comes the first gripping book in the twelve book New York Times bestselling Saga of Darren Shan. Start the tale from the beginning in the book that inspired the feature film The Vampire's Assistant and petrified devoted fans worldwide.
A young boy named Darren Shan and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to the Cirque Du Freak, a wonderfully gothic freak show featuring weird, frightening half human/half animals who interact terrifyingly with the audience. In the midst of the excitement, true terror raises its head when Steve recognizes that one of the performers-- Mr. Crepsley-- is a vampire
Stever remains after the show finishes to confront the vampire-- but his motives are surprising In the shadows of a crumbling theater, a horrified Darren eavesdrops on his friend and the vampire, and is witness to a monstrous, disturbing plea. As if by destiny, Darren is pulled to Mr. Crepsley and what follows is his horrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires.
This is the beginning of Darren's story.
About the Author
Darren Shan was born in London, but at an early age he moved to Limerick, Ireland, with his parents and younger brother. He grew up watching old Dracula horror movies and reading spooky comics, which were the inspirations for this book. Cirque Du Freak is Darren Shan's first novel for young readers. Visit the author's website at www.darrenshan.com.