Unfortunately, I dont own any personal copies of the saga, I used to borrow it from my secondary school library. (Therefore there’s no photo of the cover, though feel free to check it out) The cover image is of the manga edition, which I just had to have.
10/10 The author who started my love affair with books. Oh, so many books~
Manga, for those of you wondering, is the term used to describe japanese ‘comics’. Meanwhile, somewhere in japan, some poor guy is explaining comics as the term used to describe american style manga. Brilliant.
Cirque Du Freak is the name of the first book in the saga. Just so you know.
Now. Every book fanatic/lover or even junkie has to have started somewhere. Books were never my thing, seeing as I had recently, at the time, just moved to a country that spoke another language. That was 9 years ago.
A few years later, im stuck in an english lesson where we’re listening to the cassette version of The Saga of Darren Shan. Again, I wasnt interested. It’s just a book. Around a year later, I move schools again (See a pattern?) and while strolling through the library, bored and tired of trying to make new friends, guess what I see.
There, in a neat row, is the saga. I pick up the first book, we never finished it in class for some reason.. though looking back, it was probably because our english teachers would come and go.
Turning page after page, I’m introduced to none other then Darren shan. The character or author or maybe even both. Darren, a newly turned vampire, has sacraficed everything. Literally everything. He didnt want to be one, and he could easily blame his best friend Steve. But Darren isnt like that. He did this for Steve.
Darren Shan, the author, does start off the book slow, probably to explain and showcase how simple book Darren’s life is, at first. Its all about friendship, loyalty and family. Add in the odd hobby or two, and you have two perfect examples of pre-teen boys. Darren’s odd love for all spiders; the deadlier the better, and Steve’s childish facination, obsession, regarding all things vampires. Steve was my favourite character, even though he wasnt the main, though Darren’s heart and loyalty – which is always growing – won me over.
Here is where I stress; Yes, the book starts off simple – though thats just so you catch up on the lives of everyone involved. Yes, it’s mainly about vampires – No, bella and edward don’t make an appearance. Yes, there might be crushes but I’ll be damned if anyone trys to compare this to Twilight. (No offence, of course)
Back to the important bits, now that you’re clued in on the basics – no, im not handing out spoilers, thats blasphemy. Darren faces a life, permanently, on the road with Mr.Crepsley. The vampire who turned him, accompanied with Crepsley’s notoriously deadly spider Madam Octa – who really was temptation for poor Darren.
As you can see, the plot is surprising, simple, though grows into a complicated web Madam Octa herself could have spun. It consisted of an Adventure, accompanied with Death, Gore and true Horror. A book that could be given to any teen, as long as they dont think too much about the Angst, Hurt and Betrayal. It features Graphic depictions of Violence. There is the Slight/Romance though what is a common occurance is Friendship, Trust and Mystery. Why did Mr. Crepsley have the sudden urge to turn Darren? When its against Vampire Law and Tradition. Amongst all this, the Supernatural plays a big part, as does History and the use of an Extensive Imagination.
This really is the book which encouraged me to pursue reading. I realized that books werent dull, I just had a taste for much darker tales. Recommend for any guy, ones who can preferably stomach the action packed adventure, please. Considering I’m a lovely, charming, young lady~ I did remarkably enjoy Darren crushing any enemies… enough said.
AnneAssassin 