This is yet another of the series that has stuck with me all these years later.
There is a lot going and we're heading into the final arc of the series. After a few snoozers, this one was refreshing in it's action and quick pacing. Also that brutal fight at the end was what burned this particular book into my memory the most.

The sheer amount of action scenes and the quick pace of the story inject a bit more life into this book than the previous two had, at least. It's fun and somewhat tense. It has a core, I guess, I'm just not really sold on anything surrounding it.

I'm increasingly convinced that the entire Vampeneze Lord arc was a mistake, and not just because of its sheer length, though it certainly does not help matters that it drives three-fourths of the series. It stripped much of the agency and vivacity from its characters, externalizing the point of conflict until the interpersonal drama became irrelevant to the plot. Mr. Crepsley in the first three books was an enigmatic figure because the differences between his perspective and Darren's was the main source of conflict. But there's a war going on now, so there's no time for that.

I understand the desire to have the main character grow up and become an adult. I even get how it would make sense on paper. But now we're bringing back old characters who serve the same roles for largely the same reasons, and it makes considerably less sense outside of childhood. Debbie's relationship with Darren in the third book was cute and fun, and it made sense. It makes less sense why they would still be an object now, all these years later. And rather than endearing, their interactions are just awkward.

Steve also returns, making good on his promise of vengeance, and becomes the second most cartoonish antagonist yet, other than a minor villain from the second book, who also returns. It undermines the stakes somewhat when one of the series' major villains is a cardboard cutout with a motive so pointlessly vindictive that it borders on parody. It really does feel like at this point the author just needed someone nasty enough to do the evil things.

But, then, that kind of gets at what my underlying issue with this part of the series is: That the characters' motivations have become irrelevant, and what kills me is that it was a deliberate choice. Everyone in the story knows Mr. Tiny is manipulating events and playing games with them, but while I like the idea of the prophecy-spouting old wizard being the series' ultimate bad guy, in practice it fails the  Plot Coupon  test:

[The plot] comes to Vampire Mountain, and [the plot] tells the main heroes that right now they need to go hunt for the big villain, and that they must to it this way. The villains are ready for them because [the plot] also told them, and the climax of the three-book arc plays out the way it does because of what [the plot] said.

There needed to be some concerted struggle against Mr. Tiny's prophecies, or even more emphasis on how they psychologically affect the characters, so that it doesn't feel like we're being arbitrarily strung along. As it is, the only person who seems to want to do the thing they're doing is Steve, and... Well, I said my part about that.

The vampires continue to fight the ongoing war with the vampeneze, the War of the Scars as it is to be known. The vampaneze are an evil race of vampires who broke off from the Council hundreds of years ago and don't follow any of the vampire's rules of conduct; in particular, they have no respect for human lives.

As prophesied by Mr. Tiny, the three vampire hunters—Darren, Mr. Crepsley, and Vancha March—must defeat the Lord of the Vampeneze in one of four potential encounters. The fate of the entire vampire race depends on the outcome of this war; for if they do not manage to kill the Vampeneze Lord, then the vampires will perish, and the vampenze will rule.

The hunters, along with Little Person Harkat Mulds, have already let the Lord of the Vampenze slip through their hands once. So now they have only three more chances to defeat him. Unfortunately for Darren and the hunters, they don't even know the true identity of the Vampaneze Lord, and they have no idea what he looks like either, so their task is quite difficult! There's also several surprises and a few sad endings in store in this one....

Killers of the Dawn picks up right where the previous book, n  Allies of the Nightn, left off. With this series, there's sometimes be a little break in action between books; but at other times, you're left at a cliffhanger and the next book picks up right where the previous one left off, often at the very same scene. The latter has been the case with the last few books.

Like all the previous books, I really enjoyed this one too. It was quick and action-packed. Plus there's some really neat revelations beginning to come out! *shhh* LOL I really wanted to start on the tenth book, The Lake of Souls, right after I finished this, but for a change, there actually seemed to be a bit of a break at the end. So instead, I'm holding off while I catch up on some other reading, and then plan to finish the series with books ten through twelve all in one fell swoop, since I do have the remaining three waiting on Mt. TBR. :)

SPOILERS

Well well well! Mr Darren Shan why do this to me! Why!! So many feelings i don't know wither to be upset, surprised or scream at the book in hatred!
However, saying that a brilliant book! The last few chapters where just wow. I just didn't know what to do when reading it I was like what just happened!
I mean Why Mr Crepsley???? why did that have to happen???? I was gobsmacked I just never saw it coming - (well played Mr Shan well played)
But anyway back to business loved this book full of suspense and surprise by the end couldn't ask for anything better that way, now I know I am shouting praises and most will probably be wondering 'well if you loved it so much why only give it a four' - well I will tell you. If was the beginning of the book. The book to begin with dragged on, to the point I was beginning to wonder if anything was actually going to happen (which it did - by god it did!) it just took a while also I am very upset at the moment at what happened to Mr Crepsley. You just give us it straight and it's so quick you just don't know wither to cry BUT then you go ahead and do a two-three chapter giving us hope that all was saved and I'm laughing and so happy that Mr Crepsley is alive he was saved to then turn the page and BOOM! It wasn't to be! and the crying starts all over again! WHY!!??!!

Moment over.........

To those readers who may find the start as boring as I did - PERSIST honestly it gets so much better! There are so many twists and turns that it just leaves you speechless! So yeah over all a brilliant book! :D

P.S. I KNEW STEVE WAS THE VAMPANEZE LORD I KNEW IT!!!! I had figured it out a few books back but then doubt set in until this book! - again very clever Mr Shan very clever indeed!

Had me fooled there for a minute. But of course I was right about who the vampaneze lord is.

Quote from my wife: 2* it's the worst one yet

Definitivamente mi favorito solo empatando con "hijos del destino", es extremadamente entretenido y el final WOW

This book is honestly the best one out of the whole Cirque Du Freak series (in my opinion). The drama and suspense it brings to it leaves you on the edge of your seat, mainly towards the ending though. Compared to the rest of the books in the series, this one leaves you wanting for more. I was definitely caught off guard when it was revealed in the last book that Steve was with the Vampaneze. This time, finding out that he was the Lord of the Vampaneze really through me off guard. Not only that, all the fighting and suspense going on throughout this book really puts the reader in the footsteps of the characters. And yes, just like all other people who were into this book, I was deeply saddened by the death of Mr. Crepsley. That moment really caught me off guard. I was excited when Darren talked about the last minute save, in which Mr. Crepsley was saved and the rest of the Vampaneze were killed. Unfortunately, when I realized that didn't really happen, a lump caught in my throat. Too many feelings in one/two chapters. But-saying that I've already read all of the books- it kind of helps you realize why everything starts to add up. Why Darren tends to go a little crazy at times. His little dark side, the future Evanna tells him about, and the whole "Lord of the Shadows" theory. It really ties it all together why he tends to snap every now and then. But all-in-all, this is one of the best books of the series. It basically is when the real battle starts. I recommend reading this if you are into these types of books. It will leave you longing for more.

Co to, kurňa, na tom konci bylo???

PS: Já to tušila!

Continuing form book 8, Darren and is allies become otunumbered as he find out that humans are against him as well. With the vampanze working together with the humans, i makes it even harder for Mr. Crespley and Darren to king the Lord of Vampanze. Athough he has humans agaisnt him, he also has his girlfriend on his side as well as the Chief of the police as she understnd the situation in the end and volunteers to help with the war going against the humans that have been corrupted. With this paging turning thriller, the ending turns out to be the most suprising ending that will make you depressed.
I like this book a lot as it had a lot of action in it but at the same time i hated the book because of the eding. It relaly did make me sad that one of te main characters, well if you read it, you'll find out what happends.

Recensione su FantasyAmo

Darren, Larten e Vancha si sono scontrati coi Vampaneze e il loro Signore. Sono riusciti a mettersi al sicuro per un pelo, e hanno rapito Steve, ex-migliore amico di Darren e mezzo-Vampaneze. Ora sono ricerati non solo dai loro cugini della Notte, ma anche dalla polizia, che li crede autori degli omicidi perpetrati dai loro nemici.
Devono restare nell'ombra, e aspettare la loro occasione per tornare dai Vampaneze e uccidere il loro Signore una volta per tutte.

Questo libro riprende da dove si era chiuso quello precedente, ovvero in una brutta situazione per i nostri tre Vampiri.
È come se questi dodici volumi siano, in realtà, un'inico libro. Da quello che ho capito è stato qualcosa di voluto dall'autore, e sinceramente non mi lamento: in questo modo posso leggerli tutti di fila e ricordarmi la storia.
Devo dire che tra quelli che ho letto fino a ora, questo nono libro è il più violento, anche se è una serie per ragazzi: si capisce davvero che c'è una guerra di mezzo.
Non parliamo poi delle ultime pagine. Le ho lette in treno e mi sono messa a piangere... Sì, questo è anche uno dei volumi che mi ha presa di più. Non solo per la storia, che è molto legata alle azioni dei personaggi, ma per una morte in particolare che non voglio spoilerare. Le ultime parole di quel personaggio sono piuttosto importanti, e credo ritorneranno nei prossimi volumi.

In questo volume seguiamo sì Larten, Darren e Vancha, ma anche altri personaggi, in particolare Gannen e Steve.
Steve è uno stronzo, e mi rifiuto di dire altrimenti. L'ho trovato rompi balle. Fissato con qualcosa che lui ha travisato nella sua mente in modo errato, rifiuta di vedere la verità. Mi ricorda certi miei parenti.
Gannen... Non so ancora cosa pensare. Sembra rispettabile, ma per ora mi tengo a distanza. Vorrei più interazioni con suo fratello Vancha, e magari una riappacificazione. Ma non voglio sperare in vano, ecco.
Un altro personaggio che ha molto spazio è RV, che mi ricorda sempre di più di Murlough, un personaggio incontrato nel terzo volume. Pazzi uguali, quasi lo stesso personaggio! RV mi è sembrato piuttosto inquietante la prima volta che è comparso nella storia: mi dava i brividi, era inquietante. Non un' "anima buona", secondo me.
Alice è un personaggio forte, che mi piace molto. Da quello che so avrebbe dovuto mettersi con Debbie, ma la cosa non è accaduta per via dell'editore. Peccato.
Debbie mi era piaciuta quando l'abbiamo incontrata la prima volta. Ma ora mi sembra totalmente diversa. E molto più fifona. È un personaggio che non mi piace più.

Questo libro mi è piaciuto moltissimo: è pieno di azione, quasi senza attimi di tregua, e quello che è successo ha lasciato un segno nel mio cuore.
Ovviamente, è in inglese come gli altri, ed è un inglese abbastanza semplice d comprendere. Ma, se lo volete in italiano, ci sono le biblioteche!

4.5