3.5

a bit of a filler book. i think this series could’ve easily been like 8 books instead of 12.

WILD that steve slept with his friend’s baby sister. insane.

would LOVE to see more backstory on Evanna, Mr. Tall, and Mr. Tiny.

Drawing close to the ending of an amazing series, numerous questions are answered in this book.

Back in his home town Darren is faced with old friends and old enemies alike. With more twists and turns added into this book it is next to impossible to put down, leaving you to read on to the final instalment instantly. Whilst a lot of things come out in the open there are still those unanswered questions which can only be found out through finishing the series.

So, that happened. Series getting crazier it seems but you can't help but what to know what happens. Guess we have one more book left then? Sad to see it end.

Just when I think the series is getting worse and worse, we get quality stories like this. Thank God the author does not fuck up further.

The reveal at the end comes out as no surprise at all, but I still enjoy every bit of this book. The thrill, the action, the gore and even the emotional conflict. Yasssss.

Originally posted at Fantasy Literature.

Lord of the Shadows is the penultimate book in Darren Shan’s CIRQUE DU FREAK series. If you haven’t read the previous books, but plan to, I recommend that you don’t read this review until you’ve read them, for I will certainly spoil the plot for you.

Darren Shan’s adventures in the vampire world began when he made a series of bad mistakes. First he stole money from his parents and snuck out of the house to visit the Cirque du Freak, an illegal traveling circus. Then he stole a poisonous spider from the show and kept it in his bedroom. Then the spider bit Steve, Darren’s best friend. Then, while Steve lay dying in the hospital, instead of ‘fessing up and telling the adults what happened to Steve, so that perhaps they could have found an antidote, Darren made a deal with Mr. Crepsley, the vampire who owned the spider: Darren had to become a half-vampire to get the antidote from Mr. Crepsley. Then, instead of being grateful for being saved, Steve was jealous that Darren became a half-vampire (Mr. Crepsley said Steve had evil blood and he refused to let Steve become a vampire). Then Steve joined the evil vampaneze and became Darren’s archenemy. It is prophesied that Steve, the new lord of the vampaneze, will destroy the world. It’s up to Darren and his friends to stop him.

Lord of the Shadows begins two years after the events of the previous book, The Lake of Souls. At the end of that book Darren and Harkat had seen a glimpse of a possible frightening future and Darren had heard a new prophecy which says that either he or Steve is the Lord of Shadows — the man who will destroy the Earth. I said in my review of The Lake of Souls that these prophecies are the weakest part of the plot and I feel that even more so in this book. It seems to me that this particular prophecy contradicts earlier prophecies and is here only to increase tension by giving Darren a shade of grayness — like maybe he’s a villain instead of the hero we expected him to be. It didn’t work for me, but I’m not the target audience.

When the Cirque du Freak travels to Darren and Steve’s hometown, Darren must deal with his past. He left because he thought he was dangerous (which, it turns out, he really wasn’t) and his family thinks he’s dead. Should he seek them out? Well, of course he can’t help but look for them and that’s when things get even weirder and more frightening. When Darren finds his beloved sister, author Darren Shan gives the story a big wrenching twist. Kids are going to be shocked.

The CIRQUE DU FREAK series continues to thrill, and Darren is in a no-win situation where he’s dealing with some difficult ethical issues. Will his hatred turn him into a monster?

I continue to listen to Blackstone Audio’s production of the CIRQUE DU FREAK series. As I’ve said before, Ralph Lister’s performance is a little over the top, but kids will probably love it and I’ve gotten used to it.

Re-read 25/08/23: Audiobook version this time around. Time to finally get back to my reread of this series. Took a 2 year gap between this one and the previous book

This series never fails to be entertaining to me. Although many of the twists are relatively easy to predict, it’s still fun to see them play out. We get to see how Darrens character is developing from all the tragic events that he keeps witnessing. No spoilers but if you thought Steve was bad just wait till you finish this book. Yikes!

Without noticing it, I finished the book, and, even thought it was a light read, it was also a dizzying rollercoaster. The plot gets back to the main story and saying that the plot thickens doesn’t cover it all, also it feels more mature and dark. Many old characters come back; there are shocking revelations, plot twists, and also many losses. It makes me wonder how the series is going to end in just one book and in a way that may be satisfying because the future looks hopeless... Regardless I’m really excited to read the next one and see how it all ends.

میدونستمممم میدونستممممسمثحسنثحیکخقق وایییییی

I literally close this one with goosebumps! This one is probably the best of the series! It had everything that I love about this series. We get back a little to the Cirque du Freak, we get a little of Darren old life «links», we get a tons of actions and a good evolution in the main plot, which was of course needed since there is only one left. I love how this series and author aren't scare to get a bit violent, dark and bloody. Even if this is a series for children, if children are into a vampire story, that's what they want. I love it has an adult, and I know I already said it in a previous review, but I would have been crazy about it has a child (but even if I've seen it was translated in French at some point, I never saw it goes around as a child). Children needs to read it. This is the kind of series that will inspire some to become readers. I love it and wouldn't be able to recommend it enough! Read it!

'Monsters are not born fully developed. They grow, they mature, they become.'

As I wrote before, I took this series as a coming of age than anything else. Darren's character development is brutal. And the relationship between him and Steve reminded me of X/1999's Kamui and Fuma in a good way. Final one to go!

No, it didn't gutted, wrenched my heart out torn to pieces, and battered it while I was watching like ASOIAF did. But I started screaming half an hour before I reach the end.
STEVE LEONARD! YOU DAMNED SH*T HEAD. NOW YOU SURPASSED JOFFREY BARATHEON! YOU'RE ON PAR WITH RAMSEY SNOW NOW.