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The City Trilogy #3
City of the Snakes
The final, never-before-published volume in the noirish, gritty urban fantasy for adults from the bestselling Children's author. 'The Cardinal is dead -- long live The Cardinal' For ten years Capac Raimi has ruled the City as The Cardinal. Created by the first Cardinal to rule after him and continue his legacy, Capac cannot be killed. But that doesn't stop his enemies trying. And he has a lot of enemies. In the past Capac's always been content to wait his adversaries out, safe in the knowledge that he can't lose playing a long game. But things are changing. Rival gangs are gaining power in the City. And figures from Capac's past are reappearing -- people only he remembers, the first Cardinal's other creations, who disappeared with him ten years ago. It can only mean one thing. The mysterious Incan priests, the ancient powers behind the City, have never been happy about ceding control to Capac. Now they have a plan to take the City back. And this time Capac really could have a fight to the death on his hands!
375 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2010
28 people are currently reading
1231 people want to read
About the author
Darren Shan
243 books8,267 followersLibrarian's note: Also writes books for adults under the name Darren Dash. And in the past he has released books for adults under the names D.B. Shan and Darren O'Shaughnessy.
Darren Shan (born July 2, 1972 in London, England) is the pen name of the Irish author Darren O'Shaughnessy, as well as the name of the protagonist of his book series The Saga of Darren Shan, also known as The Cirque Du Freak Series in the United States. He is the author of the series The Demonata, The Saga of Larten Crepsley, and Zom-B. He has also released the stand-alone novel, The Thin Executioner, and the stand-alone short novels, Koyasan, and Hagurosan. Plus, for adults, he released The City Trilogy (originally under the name of D.B. Shan), and Lady of the Shades..
Darren Shan (born July 2, 1972 in London, England) is the pen name of the Irish author Darren O'Shaughnessy, as well as the name of the protagonist of his book series The Saga of Darren Shan, also known as The Cirque Du Freak Series in the United States. He is the author of the series The Demonata, The Saga of Larten Crepsley, and Zom-B. He has also released the stand-alone novel, The Thin Executioner, and the stand-alone short novels, Koyasan, and Hagurosan. Plus, for adults, he released The City Trilogy (originally under the name of D.B. Shan), and Lady of the Shades..
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
December 28, 2011
Capac rami and al jeery come together in the last of the trilogy. Heaps more twists and turns you don't really know for sure what is happening to the end. Gets a bit random too which I like. A good end to the trilogy
November 21, 2011
Original review over at Fantasy Book Critic
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I was awaiting “City of the Snakes” since the moment I finished “Hell’s Horizon”. I knew that the third book would be taking a time leap and would be featuring characters from both the previous books. After liking the weird but excellent start to the series, I was curious how the author planned to end the series and how would Capac and Jeery interact with each other and what would this mean for the City.
The story opens up ten years after the events of Procession of the Dead and we find that Capac has indeed risen to the top however he’s not been completely able to control his environment. He wonders whether he did the right thing in the climax of Procession of the Dead as things haven’t gone smoothly as per the Cardinal’s predictions. His henchmen have been constantly betraying him and somehow he has started seeing ghosts of past personae. Convinced he’s slowly losing his mind, he turns to Ford Tasso to help him however before he can be of any service, Capac is reunited with a particular person from his past. His besotted entanglement however leads him down a path from where return is nigh impossible. Al Jeery is then contacted by Ford Tasso to locate and retrieve Capac, that however is easier said than done as the usual suspects are the city’s worst kept secret, its Incan priests. As Al slowly makes his way through the twisted lanes of the City, he starts realizing that perhaps Capac was seeing something concrete after all. And the worst nightmare the City has ever faced, the deadly psychopathic assassin Paucar Wami, has returned and perhaps he will want to find out what Al has been up to for the past ten years.
This book is the last book in the trilogy and therefore it does bring into play all the characters which have been introduced so far. This is a good move on the author’s part as it further raises the scales. There is a theme of redemption which plays out between the pages and all characters have to face it. The plot of the book is coalesced a bit from the first two as in the first we had a crusade of one person to rise to the top and in the second there is the search for the missing person. This book manages to combine both these elements and gives the reader something new and familiar at the same time. The plot manages to recreate the intensity of the previous books while giving the characters a push in a newer direction. Both the POV characters are charismatic ones and while Capac does get a smaller role of sorts, he does manage to convey his growth as a character and a crime lord. The real scene stealer is Al Jeery who has spent the last ten years trying to live up a legend so he can find the man who has led him to become the very thing he despises. Al’s growth is very vividly described and the events of this book further test his mettle.
The prose does not disappoint in this one after the excellent turns in the previous books as the author vividly shows the city, its Incan priests and the strange world wherein they inhabit. The book has a strong climax and manages to tie up all the threads which have been introduced so far. I felt this was rather excellent because as a reader I got complete closure from the story. The author also has been brutal with all of his characters as many meet their ends and those who are left alive are worse for wear. Lastly I think the way the author ends the story is rather a mystical one, one can draw inferences from it about what might have happened and all possibilities stand true. The bittersweet nature of the ending does justice to this dark tale and this ending is one which cannot be predicted as well.
Drawbacks were few but present, namely that Capac gets a reduced role. While from a plot point-of-view it is justified, the reader would have definitely benefitted from seeing more of his grey nature. The ending to the story while action-packed ends with a literal bang and perhaps some readers might have liked to read a few more details about it. The book does do its best to keep the tension and intrigue throughout its pages however the weirdness sometimes does overwhelm it.
CONCLUSION: A powerful ending to a dark saga, the characters of the City are not ones which the reader will easily forget. City of the Snakes is a good book to end out a trilogy and it remains to be seen what readers down the line will make of it when they read all the three books together. I for one, enjoyed this gritty, weird urban fantasy story about power, corruption and the redemption of one’s soul. A must read for all readers of the previous books and for those who like their stories dark & with a slice of Noir.
July 10, 2011
My favorite moment in Batman comics is when he descends from above, out of the darkness into the panel, crushing some criminal beneath him. Dangerous, right?
In fact, Batman is the most dangerous person in Gotham City, even though he never kills.
In City of the Snakes, Shan has a character, Al Jeery AKA Paucar Wami, who is supposed to be the most dangerous assassin in "The City," and of course in the world as well.
There's a trick to associating danger with your character. Some authors go for the plain face/ dangerous soul juxtaposition. Others go for the steely eyes, warm heart juxtaposition. Some authors just throw a series of obstacle villains at their dangerous hero, who then manages to outwit and outfight each opponent. It's only reasonable to conclude that such a person is dangerous.
I can't buy Al Jeery as a dangerous assassin.
For one thing, I think we know too much about Jeery. At no point is he going to be mysterious because he tells the story in the first person. Unlike Batman, he's not even very good at it. Worse, Jeery was the main character in Hell's Horizon, and he was an unambitious, somewhat clumsy detective trying to do his best in a difficult situation, and even then not doing such a great job of it. This premise can make for a compelling story, but now we're supposed to buy that Al Jeery has since evolved into an assassin even more dangerous than the Batman?
My suspension of disbelief is straining, and we've only reached the third chapter.
There's a lot to be said for training, even if it's only done as part of a "montage" (think Rocky jogging and lifting trees in the snow), to convince the audience that our hero has indeed changed. I suppose you could say that Shan has made an effort: Jeery has lost his partner and was betrayed. He doesn't know where his betrayer is, so he becomes an assassin, though a relatively "moral" one. There's our motivation/ psychological causation sequence. It seems unlikely to me that if he was transformed by these events that he would just "fall back" on being an assassin.
How about his fitness regimen? At home, Jeery does situps and pushups in his living room. I feel the need to point out that this will give him impressive abs, pecs, and triceps, but there are other muscles. To start, could he at least do some squats and lunges? I've never "descended from above" into a panel like Batman, but I think it takes more than a strong core, pecs, and triceps.
Ultimately, I felt that Shan's strongest work in this series was based around Capac Raimi, the hero of Procession of the Dead, and I'd hoped that Shan would return to (only) Raimi's storyline in this concluding volume of "The City" trilogy. Instead, Capac is around for a few pages of hard-boiled crime lord business before he disappears in a morgue (a nice touch, I thought).
Thereafter, Jeery the lurching detective/ assassin investigates.
Unfortunately, Jeery is not much of a detective either. City of the Snakes really could have used a caped crusader. Instead, it had Al Jeery.
In fact, Batman is the most dangerous person in Gotham City, even though he never kills.
In City of the Snakes, Shan has a character, Al Jeery AKA Paucar Wami, who is supposed to be the most dangerous assassin in "The City," and of course in the world as well.
There's a trick to associating danger with your character. Some authors go for the plain face/ dangerous soul juxtaposition. Others go for the steely eyes, warm heart juxtaposition. Some authors just throw a series of obstacle villains at their dangerous hero, who then manages to outwit and outfight each opponent. It's only reasonable to conclude that such a person is dangerous.
I can't buy Al Jeery as a dangerous assassin.
For one thing, I think we know too much about Jeery. At no point is he going to be mysterious because he tells the story in the first person. Unlike Batman, he's not even very good at it. Worse, Jeery was the main character in Hell's Horizon, and he was an unambitious, somewhat clumsy detective trying to do his best in a difficult situation, and even then not doing such a great job of it. This premise can make for a compelling story, but now we're supposed to buy that Al Jeery has since evolved into an assassin even more dangerous than the Batman?
My suspension of disbelief is straining, and we've only reached the third chapter.
There's a lot to be said for training, even if it's only done as part of a "montage" (think Rocky jogging and lifting trees in the snow), to convince the audience that our hero has indeed changed. I suppose you could say that Shan has made an effort: Jeery has lost his partner and was betrayed. He doesn't know where his betrayer is, so he becomes an assassin, though a relatively "moral" one. There's our motivation/ psychological causation sequence. It seems unlikely to me that if he was transformed by these events that he would just "fall back" on being an assassin.
How about his fitness regimen? At home, Jeery does situps and pushups in his living room. I feel the need to point out that this will give him impressive abs, pecs, and triceps, but there are other muscles. To start, could he at least do some squats and lunges? I've never "descended from above" into a panel like Batman, but I think it takes more than a strong core, pecs, and triceps.
Ultimately, I felt that Shan's strongest work in this series was based around Capac Raimi, the hero of Procession of the Dead, and I'd hoped that Shan would return to (only) Raimi's storyline in this concluding volume of "The City" trilogy. Instead, Capac is around for a few pages of hard-boiled crime lord business before he disappears in a morgue (a nice touch, I thought).
Thereafter, Jeery the lurching detective/ assassin investigates.
Unfortunately, Jeery is not much of a detective either. City of the Snakes really could have used a caped crusader. Instead, it had Al Jeery.
November 13, 2012
Darren Shan writes brilliantly for both adults and young adults. I love the way he can tell a story without having to resort to swearing or unnecessary violence.
April 14, 2012
A thrilling conclusion to the trilogy...Reminds me a bit of Anne Rice's vampire series, in its attention to details and completeness of the lore.
March 30, 2013
Pure Epic!
February 27, 2017
loved this book so much from beginning to the end. a really good read and i hope darran shan continues writing adult books as good as this
June 23, 2011
I like this trilogy because it's trying for something different than the usual genre fare, but I don't think this conclusion lived up to its potential.
It's ten years after the events of the first two books, and Capac Raimi is barely holding the City together when the ghosts of his past start distracting him from the problems of his present. Al Jeery haunts the streets in the guise of his legendary father, searching for the man who ruined his life. Then Capac disappears. Al agrees to find him in exchange for his shot at revenge, even though the case threatens to lead Al right into the hands of the scheming villacs, the blind priests who have spent centuries trying to claim control of the City.
The first book reads more like a thriller in a unique setting, the fantasy elements start light and at first the reader wonders if they may mostly be delusions. The second book takes place during the first one, so even though Al's mystery was satisfying, the big-picture aspects of the City were old news.
This third book mostly continues Al's journey, leaving Capac as the nearly untouchable Cardinal he became rather than the original series protagonist that we cared about. I guess I was expecting the two main characters of each previous book really work together (or at least share time), so watching Al try to rein in Paucar Wami while getting led around by the villacs felt like more of the same.
The mythology that proved the only drag on the first two books was even heavier here. The characters spent too much time getting lectured on it, especially during what should have been the most exciting part of the novel.
I was interested in the City and its inhabitants and the people ruthless enough to succeed in it. But secretive priests who we mostly saw when they'd mysteriously appear and act cryptic never hooked me as a concept. There's a point near the end where one character tells them it was a mistake to think he'd give a damn about them. That line made me smile, because that's kind of how I felt about them too.
It's ten years after the events of the first two books, and Capac Raimi is barely holding the City together when the ghosts of his past start distracting him from the problems of his present. Al Jeery haunts the streets in the guise of his legendary father, searching for the man who ruined his life. Then Capac disappears. Al agrees to find him in exchange for his shot at revenge, even though the case threatens to lead Al right into the hands of the scheming villacs, the blind priests who have spent centuries trying to claim control of the City.
The first book reads more like a thriller in a unique setting, the fantasy elements start light and at first the reader wonders if they may mostly be delusions. The second book takes place during the first one, so even though Al's mystery was satisfying, the big-picture aspects of the City were old news.
This third book mostly continues Al's journey, leaving Capac as the nearly untouchable Cardinal he became rather than the original series protagonist that we cared about. I guess I was expecting the two main characters of each previous book really work together (or at least share time), so watching Al try to rein in Paucar Wami while getting led around by the villacs felt like more of the same.
The mythology that proved the only drag on the first two books was even heavier here. The characters spent too much time getting lectured on it, especially during what should have been the most exciting part of the novel.
I was interested in the City and its inhabitants and the people ruthless enough to succeed in it. But secretive priests who we mostly saw when they'd mysteriously appear and act cryptic never hooked me as a concept. There's a point near the end where one character tells them it was a mistake to think he'd give a damn about them. That line made me smile, because that's kind of how I felt about them too.
February 2, 2013
Annnnnnnnnd done.
Again, another story that kind of dragged and nagged my brain. More of the gangster and mystery type solving that isn't my cup of tea, at all. Though, I can still appreciate the fine and sometimes strange details that were put into it. Darren Shan is a fantastic story teller, and I most definitely won't let this deter me from any future books.
Ten years after Capac Raimi took over as Cardinal of the City, things don't appear to be running so smoothly. Things get even worse when Capac disappears and all hell is about to break in his City. Al Jeery is recruited and dubious at first, however, when an offer that he can't refuse is thrown on the table, he takes up the job of search and rescue.
City of the Snakes starts out in Capac's point of view and then swiftly switches to Al's within a few chapters. Honestly, I preferred Capac's bits to those of Al's, which was basically the entire novel. As I've mentioned continuously, there was just a lot of things that I couldn't get into, that just dragged the book out for me. Ah well.
Also, another thing that was just weird to me was the fact that Al, taking on the appearance of his father, becomes a sort of Batman-esque hero, in that he only kills guilty and horrible people. He's obviously a very conflicted man but I just cannot see him as a sort of hero. It's just too difficult for my brain to comprehend.
The ending. Uhm, okay. Interesting twist there, definitely something that I'd expect from Shan's twisted mind.
Overall, this series wasn't my favorite thing to read, but I could still admire the writing and baddassery that occurred in it. Even though it was very slow going for me and I had to really push myself to keep reading, it was still a good story.
Really, I'm just happy to be done with them.
☆☆☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you want to know how this series ends.
Again, another story that kind of dragged and nagged my brain. More of the gangster and mystery type solving that isn't my cup of tea, at all. Though, I can still appreciate the fine and sometimes strange details that were put into it. Darren Shan is a fantastic story teller, and I most definitely won't let this deter me from any future books.
Ten years after Capac Raimi took over as Cardinal of the City, things don't appear to be running so smoothly. Things get even worse when Capac disappears and all hell is about to break in his City. Al Jeery is recruited and dubious at first, however, when an offer that he can't refuse is thrown on the table, he takes up the job of search and rescue.
City of the Snakes starts out in Capac's point of view and then swiftly switches to Al's within a few chapters. Honestly, I preferred Capac's bits to those of Al's, which was basically the entire novel. As I've mentioned continuously, there was just a lot of things that I couldn't get into, that just dragged the book out for me. Ah well.
Also, another thing that was just weird to me was the fact that Al, taking on the appearance of his father, becomes a sort of Batman-esque hero, in that he only kills guilty and horrible people. He's obviously a very conflicted man but I just cannot see him as a sort of hero. It's just too difficult for my brain to comprehend.
The ending. Uhm, okay. Interesting twist there, definitely something that I'd expect from Shan's twisted mind.
Overall, this series wasn't my favorite thing to read, but I could still admire the writing and baddassery that occurred in it. Even though it was very slow going for me and I had to really push myself to keep reading, it was still a good story.
Really, I'm just happy to be done with them.
☆☆☆☆/5
Recommend?: If you want to know how this series ends.
September 3, 2023
Rating: 4.5 Stars, Spectacular
Gahhh! It's over! -Cries-
At least there's more Darren Shan to read!
Anyways, I really REALLY enjoyed this. It brought everything in the story to a concise end, explained a ton, got WAYYY darker, felt epic and climatic as a conclusion should, and brought all the great elements of the first two books into it!
FAVORITE THINGS:
-Love that there was all-out war
-Love the questioning of evil and free-will and destiny
-Love the ending itself, the epilogue
-Loved having both POV's
-Loved Ama and Al's romance
MINOR ISSUES:
-The whole government and location and racism and all was weird, it was just very confusing at the end and I wasn't sure what was all happening, I also forgot stuff from the prior books so that's part of it
-Kind of was confused at the whole Ayumarcan creation thingy, the Incas should've been explained more, it was a little weird, but I did think it was interesting.
-Found one typo lol.
-Dragged a little bit
OVERALL, it was a PHENOMENAL ending to a PHENOMENAL series
P.S. Loved the title, Huck Finn references, revelations, and character development. Only thing was, it was similar to Shan's other conclusions, his conclusions usually have a good few things similar but are still TOTALLY unique so it's fine!
Gahhh! It's over! -Cries-
At least there's more Darren Shan to read!
Anyways, I really REALLY enjoyed this. It brought everything in the story to a concise end, explained a ton, got WAYYY darker, felt epic and climatic as a conclusion should, and brought all the great elements of the first two books into it!
FAVORITE THINGS:
-Love that there was all-out war
-Love the questioning of evil and free-will and destiny
-Love the ending itself, the epilogue
-Loved having both POV's
-Loved Ama and Al's romance
MINOR ISSUES:
-The whole government and location and racism and all was weird, it was just very confusing at the end and I wasn't sure what was all happening, I also forgot stuff from the prior books so that's part of it
-Kind of was confused at the whole Ayumarcan creation thingy, the Incas should've been explained more, it was a little weird, but I did think it was interesting.
-Found one typo lol.
-Dragged a little bit
OVERALL, it was a PHENOMENAL ending to a PHENOMENAL series
P.S. Loved the title, Huck Finn references, revelations, and character development. Only thing was, it was similar to Shan's other conclusions, his conclusions usually have a good few things similar but are still TOTALLY unique so it's fine!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2016
Why did the ending make me cry ?!?!?!?
Omg I loved reading this book & the whole trilogy !!
I'm glad I finally did it , cause I got these books about 4-5 months ago , but I'd never gotten the chance to read them. Now I'm really happy that I did , and now I know it was worth it !
The first thing that amused me while reading this one , was that some parts were from Al's point of view , and some were from Capac's. And surprisingly that wasn't disturbing , cause I used to think this method could be disturbing & unappreciated by a reader , but to me , it wasn't in this case !
Actually now I think it was the best thing that could be done, since the first two books had two different point of views , the last one would've had to be from Omniscient point of view or something that would fit it and I think this "mixed" point of view fits it best !
I loved the ending , it both put a smile on my face and made me cry ( I don't know if they were happy tears or sad ones )
I enjoyed reading these books so much that I'm definitely gonna read them again in the future :)
Omg I loved reading this book & the whole trilogy !!
I'm glad I finally did it , cause I got these books about 4-5 months ago , but I'd never gotten the chance to read them. Now I'm really happy that I did , and now I know it was worth it !
The first thing that amused me while reading this one , was that some parts were from Al's point of view , and some were from Capac's. And surprisingly that wasn't disturbing , cause I used to think this method could be disturbing & unappreciated by a reader , but to me , it wasn't in this case !
Actually now I think it was the best thing that could be done, since the first two books had two different point of views , the last one would've had to be from Omniscient point of view or something that would fit it and I think this "mixed" point of view fits it best !
I loved the ending , it both put a smile on my face and made me cry ( I don't know if they were happy tears or sad ones )
I enjoyed reading these books so much that I'm definitely gonna read them again in the future :)
April 22, 2013
Again, I read these a while ago now but they still make me incredibly excited when I think back. I am a Shan worshipper (the newer books, eh, we'll come to that) Demonata and the Darren Shan Saga taking over my life for a good few years while they were being finished. This is a reprint (or rewrite, not sure) and thank god he released it because I'm in love.
You'll find the theme of weird books here, I find myself writing in every review that you can't pick apart the stories too much because it just ruins them. This story is balanced between vague and intricately detailed, so many questions unanswered and so many unexpected answers given. Just give it a go because the world he creates, at least for me, is enthralling around every twist and turn.
You'll find the theme of weird books here, I find myself writing in every review that you can't pick apart the stories too much because it just ruins them. This story is balanced between vague and intricately detailed, so many questions unanswered and so many unexpected answers given. Just give it a go because the world he creates, at least for me, is enthralling around every twist and turn.
July 15, 2012
Simply amazing! I thought the first book was ok but then the second and third one were just magnificent! In the third books we both follow the story from the point of view of Capac (main character from the first books) and Al (main character from the second book) but mostly Al. We finally get to know the solutions to all mysteries and solve all cases as well as free the city from the villacs!!! Haha i don't know what more to say about it besides that this trilogy I would recommend everyone to read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2012
Though not quite as dramatic as Hell's Horizon, this book ties up all the loose ends nicely. The book kind of has a bottle neck affect where the story continues at a gradual pace, but then everything major happens within the last 50 pages making it highly engaging. This trilogy is the one of the best I've read, if not THE best. I highly recommend it.
December 28, 2023
این پایانی برای سه گانه شهر، کاپاک رایمی،کاردینال، و الجری بود. پایان بندی خوب بود. داستان ابهامی نذاشت برای خواننده و همه چیز خیلی دارن شان بود. احساس میکنم دارن شان با تموم کردن داستان شخصیت هایی که درست میکنه خیلی مشکل داره. دلش نمیاد داستانهارو تموم کنه.
بین سه کتاب این مجموعه، همچنان جلد اول مورد علاقمه.
و پیشنهادم همیشه خوندن دارن شان از نشریه شهره🤝🏻
بین سه کتاب این مجموعه، همچنان جلد اول مورد علاقمه.
و پیشنهادم همیشه خوندن دارن شان از نشریه شهره🤝🏻
May 9, 2012
The most hitting book in the trilogy, fast and sad, in's and out's. What did Darren Shan leave behind? Nothing :)
April 20, 2013
Sad that this trilogy has ended. Great read!
February 21, 2016
I just ended up having to force myself to finish this. I really stopped caring about this book; I mean when I finished I didn't feel as though I gained anything out of this trilogy - the characters weren't likable or worth remembering, the story didn't leave an impact, I don't feel like I would've missed anything if I'd never read these books, and in all honestly I am kind of sick of having images of nudity, sex, and bodily torture stuffed into my brain. I gave the first book four stars because I honestly did get pulled in by it - couldn't put it down. It wasn't the sort of book I would've imagined ever liking but I did. The second book, however, lost me the moment I realized I wouldn't even be catching a glimpse of Capac Raimi, the protagonist of the first book. Not that there's anything wrong with Al Jeery, just that he's the sort of protagonist who's only really there to fill in the role of protagonist - he had no substance to him. He was mechanical. He switches from being the honorable soldier to merciless, emotionless killer between books 2 and 3 in a way that makes me think of an on/off switch. 'This is how I used to be - this is who I am now.' No matter what happened to him, whether it was good or bad, I felt detached from him completely.
Capac, on the other hand, had a story that worked for him and that kept my eyes to the page; no memories of who he was, conflicting ideas about who to trust and what his own feelings towards murder are, and I liked it better when details concerning the Incan priests were kept ambiguous - it added a more mysterious flavor that complemented the setting.
I really only got back into City of the Snakes when Capac came back, in like the very last few chapters. Besides Capac, the only other interesting character was the Cardinal, one of the only reasons why I didn't write off book 2 completely. Paucar Wami also helped a little in giving the books some high points, but that's disregarding the fact that he is a complete and utter psycho and I really was hoping someone would just kill the guy and have done with it.
Overall, I'm a hundred percent sure that it would've been enough just to write Procession of the Dead as a single book. There really wouldn't have been much of a loss without the other two, either to the story or to me as a reader. In fact I dislike this book so much I'll be dumping it along with Hell's Horizon at a second-hand bookshop as soon as I possibly can - I need that space on my bookshelf for books with more depth and meaning. And in future I really hope Darren Shan sticks strictly to the children's/young adult's genre. He's much better at that.
Capac, on the other hand, had a story that worked for him and that kept my eyes to the page; no memories of who he was, conflicting ideas about who to trust and what his own feelings towards murder are, and I liked it better when details concerning the Incan priests were kept ambiguous - it added a more mysterious flavor that complemented the setting.
I really only got back into City of the Snakes when Capac came back, in like the very last few chapters. Besides Capac, the only other interesting character was the Cardinal, one of the only reasons why I didn't write off book 2 completely. Paucar Wami also helped a little in giving the books some high points, but that's disregarding the fact that he is a complete and utter psycho and I really was hoping someone would just kill the guy and have done with it.
Overall, I'm a hundred percent sure that it would've been enough just to write Procession of the Dead as a single book. There really wouldn't have been much of a loss without the other two, either to the story or to me as a reader. In fact I dislike this book so much I'll be dumping it along with Hell's Horizon at a second-hand bookshop as soon as I possibly can - I need that space on my bookshelf for books with more depth and meaning. And in future I really hope Darren Shan sticks strictly to the children's/young adult's genre. He's much better at that.
July 30, 2015
Ten years after, Procession of the Dead and Hell's Horizon, our two leading men are emanating their fathers. Capac Raimi is the new Cardinal, early in his eternal rule of the city. Al Jeery has taken the guise of his father, Pacar Waimi the legendary murderer, only Al only kills those who "deserve" it.
When Capac goes missing, Al is sent to investigate his disappearance. It looks like the villacs, the blind Inca priests are behind it but if so what is their plan? And why do long dead people get appearing in the City?
The first two books were gangster books with a hint of magic and fantasy stuff. Here though the book spends more time with the fantastic as the villacs spend more time at the forefront at the story. I wasn't too keen of the book getting more fantastical as the first books worked because the fantasy stuff was only a small but important part of them. I also felt the magic stuff was more weird than enjoyable. And bringing back dead characters is never good storytelling-it lessens their original death and shows the author didn't know what to do without them.
Then there's the treatment of the two lead characters. At first it appears like Capac is going to be the lead character and narrator but within a few chapters he disappears and it's the last we see of him until the end of the book. It's a shame that a character who leads a whole book is shoved into the background for the finale.
Despite the fact Al Jeery takes the lead here, if anything he is even more badly served. The idea of him becoming his insane murderous father is ridiculous given his character in the previous book. Indeed the personality doesn't really feel like it's changed in the narration so it makes the transformation all the more odd. His personality seems to go through dramatic change after dramatic change in this book- the Bill Casey storyline is shoved into the plot which otherwise has nothing to do with it too, meaning the character's ongoing storyline becomes a fairly minor event.
Don't get me wrong, this is my no means an awful book. It has a lot of the good things it's predecessors had- the great gangster feel, lots of treacherous characters and real brutality but it is a weaker book. I felt like there was little more to tell in regards to Capac and Al and this book would have been far better focusing on a new lead character.
A disappointing end to the trilogy.
When Capac goes missing, Al is sent to investigate his disappearance. It looks like the villacs, the blind Inca priests are behind it but if so what is their plan? And why do long dead people get appearing in the City?
The first two books were gangster books with a hint of magic and fantasy stuff. Here though the book spends more time with the fantastic as the villacs spend more time at the forefront at the story. I wasn't too keen of the book getting more fantastical as the first books worked because the fantasy stuff was only a small but important part of them. I also felt the magic stuff was more weird than enjoyable. And bringing back dead characters is never good storytelling-it lessens their original death and shows the author didn't know what to do without them.
Then there's the treatment of the two lead characters. At first it appears like Capac is going to be the lead character and narrator but within a few chapters he disappears and it's the last we see of him until the end of the book. It's a shame that a character who leads a whole book is shoved into the background for the finale.
Despite the fact Al Jeery takes the lead here, if anything he is even more badly served. The idea of him becoming his insane murderous father is ridiculous given his character in the previous book. Indeed the personality doesn't really feel like it's changed in the narration so it makes the transformation all the more odd. His personality seems to go through dramatic change after dramatic change in this book- the Bill Casey storyline is shoved into the plot which otherwise has nothing to do with it too, meaning the character's ongoing storyline becomes a fairly minor event.
Don't get me wrong, this is my no means an awful book. It has a lot of the good things it's predecessors had- the great gangster feel, lots of treacherous characters and real brutality but it is a weaker book. I felt like there was little more to tell in regards to Capac and Al and this book would have been far better focusing on a new lead character.
A disappointing end to the trilogy.
February 22, 2015
I can sum up the way I felt about this book in three words: I'm quite disappointed.
Well, maybe not that disappointed, but I was, more or less, really disappointed. You see, the first book, Procession of the Dead, is a favorite of mine, and the main character, Capac Raimi, was a protagonist that I was somehow able to empathize with. I loved him. Sadly, I wasn't able to find the next two books anywhere, so imagine my thrill and excitement when I saw the third book just sitting there, on sale and waiting for the lucky person who'll buy it.
I, unfortunately, haven't read the second book yet. So obviously, I was a bit disoriented with what's going on, asking myself who the heck is this Al guy, who's this, who's that, etcetera, etcetera. I prodded on however, thinking that I'll eventually get used to not reading the point of view of m'boy Capac. And I did get used to it. But I didn't like Al Jeery like I did Capac. (I liked his dad though, sometimes. Such sick humour!)
Yes, he was a good protagonist. Better than Capac, especially. But the main reason I fell in love with the first book was because of Capac's progress--from a man who was practically gazing starry eyed at the center of the city to a cold and calculating bastard. I have this thing with exploring about the human psyche, watching how it changes, exploring the darkness, which is why I loved Capac. He was a perfect example. Al Jeery on the other hand was, uh, how do I call it--a bit soft for me. And he's supposedly a dangerous assassin. Imagine that.
Sure, there were still times that I loved the book, times when I was shocked, times when I admired Al. But if you had read my review of the first book, you'd know that I really didn't like this one as much as it. (No 'Holy Crap', no anything. Not even at all speechless--I'm practically writing a novel now. I didn't feel anything at all, reading this.)
And the one thing I was most disappointed off--plot holes. There were so many things that weren't really explained.
Oh well.
On the bright side though, I've practically said it in every review I've done in Shan's book, but I really, really love his way of writing. Honestly, it's not that delicate, but it really heightens my imagination, it does. He is such a good storyteller. And though there were a few gritty times in the book--Bill Casey's revelation about his sister and the Coya's scene, I still liked it. Darren Shan is, and will seemingly still be in the near future, my favorite author.
Well, maybe not that disappointed, but I was, more or less, really disappointed. You see, the first book, Procession of the Dead, is a favorite of mine, and the main character, Capac Raimi, was a protagonist that I was somehow able to empathize with. I loved him. Sadly, I wasn't able to find the next two books anywhere, so imagine my thrill and excitement when I saw the third book just sitting there, on sale and waiting for the lucky person who'll buy it.
I, unfortunately, haven't read the second book yet. So obviously, I was a bit disoriented with what's going on, asking myself who the heck is this Al guy, who's this, who's that, etcetera, etcetera. I prodded on however, thinking that I'll eventually get used to not reading the point of view of m'boy Capac. And I did get used to it. But I didn't like Al Jeery like I did Capac. (I liked his dad though, sometimes. Such sick humour!)
Yes, he was a good protagonist. Better than Capac, especially. But the main reason I fell in love with the first book was because of Capac's progress--from a man who was practically gazing starry eyed at the center of the city to a cold and calculating bastard. I have this thing with exploring about the human psyche, watching how it changes, exploring the darkness, which is why I loved Capac. He was a perfect example. Al Jeery on the other hand was, uh, how do I call it--a bit soft for me. And he's supposedly a dangerous assassin. Imagine that.
Sure, there were still times that I loved the book, times when I was shocked, times when I admired Al. But if you had read my review of the first book, you'd know that I really didn't like this one as much as it. (No 'Holy Crap', no anything. Not even at all speechless--I'm practically writing a novel now. I didn't feel anything at all, reading this.)
And the one thing I was most disappointed off--plot holes. There were so many things that weren't really explained.
Oh well.
On the bright side though, I've practically said it in every review I've done in Shan's book, but I really, really love his way of writing. Honestly, it's not that delicate, but it really heightens my imagination, it does. He is such a good storyteller. And though there were a few gritty times in the book--Bill Casey's revelation about his sister and the Coya's scene, I still liked it. Darren Shan is, and will seemingly still be in the near future, my favorite author.
February 10, 2017
A theme in the book is murder, this is a theme in the book because as the story progresses the main character Al Jeery “becomes” his dad Paucar Wami and starts killing all of the people who deserved to be killed (killers, lunatics, criminals, thugs, etc.). The moral in the story is never be someone that you are not, this is the moral because as the story goes on Al learns that becoming his dad has started destroying everything around him and everyone he cared about was disappearing or getting killed. The story takes place in the crumby and bad Eastern part of town in Brooklyn, New York, where there is many gangs and a lot of other bad people. I can connect this book to the movie “Funny Movie” 1-6 because Scream is taking out the teens one-by-one until one is left. I can connect Paucar Wami to Freddy Kruger because they both kill people that live in the city, a difference between the two is that Freddy kills the innocent people while Paucar only kills the guilty. Paucar Wami is cold-hearted guy who is afraid of and very well known in the city for all of his murders. I can also connect Paucar Wami to Michael Myers because both are very well know for the murders and crimes that they have convicted and they have never been caught doing them, they are just very well known for what they do. The main idea of the book is that a man named Al Jeery turns into his father and kills all that have done terrible things to his city, he also goes to find Bill Coesy, the man who ruined his life. Another theme in the book is disaster, this is a theme in the book because in the middle of the book many things start to happen that appear as disasters for Paucar, these disasters include of losing the city’s “Cardinal”, many people getting killed, and many more stressful things that happen to Paucar as the storyline develops and progresses. The “Cardinal” is the person that runs the city, basically Capac is taken by the “Ayumaricans” (ghost sprits) and it is Paucar’s job to find Capac, but he is side-tracked by everything going on in his life takes him away from the job of finding the missing and immortal cardinal.
March 13, 2016
In this final book of the trilogy that began with the Procession of the Dead and continued in Hell's Horizon, Darren Shan finally reveals the mysteries of the Villacs blind priests, the connections between Al Jeery and Capac Raimi and the mysticism that has clouded so much of the story. All is revealed in a slow and drawn out process. We see revenge taken, lost love found, redemption offered and perhaps taken.
I liked the tale that was spun, and there were parts of this book that I really enjoyed. But I feel like this final book in the trilogy dragged a little bit where it could have been kept tight. The previous book was so tightly written that regrettably I hold this up in comparison and feel that it just wasn't as good.
If you have read the first two novels, this is a necessary book to read, just to find out what is up with the blind priests. I didn't like some of the twists those characters took and I feel like part of the first book was never addressed fully. However, I am happy that this bumpy ride has come to a distinct conclusion and I am now ready to try other novels by this author.
I was reading this novel and was about 20 pages from the end when I actually bumped into the author at the Emirates Airlines Literary Festival 2016. I am glad that I had the chance to hear him speak about his work, it actually added to the feel as I read the final pages. I think that this is the least of the trilogy, but it was still a book I enjoyed.
I liked the tale that was spun, and there were parts of this book that I really enjoyed. But I feel like this final book in the trilogy dragged a little bit where it could have been kept tight. The previous book was so tightly written that regrettably I hold this up in comparison and feel that it just wasn't as good.
If you have read the first two novels, this is a necessary book to read, just to find out what is up with the blind priests. I didn't like some of the twists those characters took and I feel like part of the first book was never addressed fully. However, I am happy that this bumpy ride has come to a distinct conclusion and I am now ready to try other novels by this author.
I was reading this novel and was about 20 pages from the end when I actually bumped into the author at the Emirates Airlines Literary Festival 2016. I am glad that I had the chance to hear him speak about his work, it actually added to the feel as I read the final pages. I think that this is the least of the trilogy, but it was still a book I enjoyed.
May 1, 2013
Sick, dark, evil, twisted, ugly yet brilliant. The City Trilogy takes you on a journey that is full of magic and adventure into a city full of darkness and evil. This book is not for the faint of heart, yet the characters are stunning in their own way. Brilliantly conceived and brilliantly told, this story moves at such a pace that leaves you simply tired and spent. The death, and darkness and evil and the manipulation seems to have no bounds. Yet, there is a choice that needs to be made, a choice that changes everything, that could possibly lead the City into a new light, and peace.
March 17, 2019
I don't know how to put my feelings about this finale into words.
So much happened and got revealed and I even gasped out loud some of the times. The beginning was a little slow even though I liked the twist to Jeery's personality after what happened to him in the previous book. I enjoyed the middle part a lot and was at the edge of my seat for most of it. The ending was ok but especially the final fight was just too convenient for Jeery and co. in my opinion.
This series was definitely not what I expected but it was a fun and suspenseful read.
So much happened and got revealed and I even gasped out loud some of the times. The beginning was a little slow even though I liked the twist to Jeery's personality after what happened to him in the previous book. I enjoyed the middle part a lot and was at the edge of my seat for most of it. The ending was ok but especially the final fight was just too convenient for Jeery and co. in my opinion.
This series was definitely not what I expected but it was a fun and suspenseful read.
January 27, 2016
I have really mixed feelings about the series of books (don't even consider buying only one of them). The plot was interesting, but not compelling. It was very well written, and I enjoyed the characters enormously. It may be the unusual structure of the story that has me confused about how I feel - yet I enjoyed that too. I would recommend it - but only if you're interested in something a bit different: plot & structure.
February 27, 2019
Good story and definitely worth reading. It wraps up the previous two novels in the trilogy in a satisfying manner.
One issue with the kindle version is the formatting - very poor. Missing speech marks, new paragraphs starting for no reason and a table of contents at the end of the book. Quite distracting, but the same issues are in the kindle version of the second in the trilogy as well.
Apart from that, highly recommended.
One issue with the kindle version is the formatting - very poor. Missing speech marks, new paragraphs starting for no reason and a table of contents at the end of the book. Quite distracting, but the same issues are in the kindle version of the second in the trilogy as well.
Apart from that, highly recommended.
July 2, 2020
A wonderful ending to an absolutely gorgeous trilogy. The author was leading up to something and he knew it, and it was executed so amazingly well. I loved the characters, the way things unfolded in all of the books, and I damn near never wanted it to end! It used many elements that I haven't seen much before if at all and even then give it a spin within the span of three books. Absolutely amazing.
April 29, 2024
Vyvrcholení skvělé trilogie Město. Jak je tím již Darren Shan známý, tak bez bezproblémově a ladně propojuje různé dějové linky předchozích dvou dílů i v této knize. Ford Tasso, ochránce Kardinála se společně s Al Jeerym snaží vypátrat, kam Kardinál zmizel. Čím blíže se ale dostává k odpovědi, tím blíže se dostává do pozice moci. Co s nově získanou mocí a zkušenostmi podnikne se dozvíte v posledním díle tohoto urbánního thrilleru.
April 5, 2018
He's done it again! I've read every Darren Shan/Dash book I can get my hands on and have never been disappointed.
Mr. Shan's writing skills keep you in the story. Like you're actually with the characters. His imagination and creativity are astounding!
Unique story!
Totally intriguing!
Completely satisfying!
I can't wait to read more from him.
Mr. Shan's writing skills keep you in the story. Like you're actually with the characters. His imagination and creativity are astounding!
Unique story!
Totally intriguing!
Completely satisfying!
I can't wait to read more from him.
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