Cons: *snicker* Vampaneze. I'm sorry, it just sounds goofy.
The Bottom Line: Despite the fact that I can't take the name "vampaneze" seriously, I am happy to report we have some danger and excitement taking place here!
ssjakira1's Full Review: Darren Shan - Tunnels of Blood: Cirque Du Freak
Welcome to Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak series. Located in the teen section of the bookstore, it's probably best left for them to read. Still, if you're interested in a bit of teen horror, it's not a bad series to check out.
This is the third book out of twelve, so you'd best start here or you'll get rather confused. FYI - the protagonist has the same name as the writer. Actually, the protagonist is billing this story as his (as if the two were actually one and the same), told in first person, and that Darren isn't even his real name.
Darren Shan continues to learn the life of a half-vampire, trailing along as his maker Mr. Crepsley teaches him more and more about what it means to be vampire. He has much still to learn. That includes finding out about the vampaneze - vampires who no longer follow the code of "Don't kill humans."
Now here we finally have ourselves a solid plotline! Hooray! For a while you get led in the wrong direction, which is a nice change from the previous two books. Then once you find out what's really going on, it's still exciting because there's an actual antagonist on the loose to worry about.
I still am not a fan of the number of exclamation points Shan uses, and try to ignore them. However, I really wish the end chapter pieces would stop. It's the constant foreshadowing that drives me nuts. The chapter will end with some comment like, "If only I had known that he'd never come back!" or other tidbits that basically tell you important information like, "Well, that character is going to die. Thanks for the heads up." Hmph. I don't like being told what's going to happen ahead of time. Can I be surprised please?
It's a short read and meant to entertain, which it does well. People are in peril, we get some more violence, and the relationship between Mr. Crepsley and Darren takes a few new turns as they learn things about each other, including how to communicate better. It's nice to finally see Darren out of his whiny vampire state. Personally, I'm quite annoyed by whiny vampires, but I gave Darren some leeway since he wasn't exactly jazzed by the idea of becoming one. However after a while you'd better get used to your new situation and accept it or chuck yourself into some sunlight because whiny vampires are annoying and I'd quit reading. Of course, Darren's only a half-vampire so sunlight wouldn't harm him, but still.
A fun read, meant for teens who enjoy horror, and on that scale it pretty much hits the mark.
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