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The Saga of Larten Crepsley #4
Brothers to the Death
Just as Larten is finding a new place for himself in vampire society, trying to help vampires escape the Nazi menace, horrifying tragedy falls on his own family, thanks to the nefarious Vampaneze.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
81 people are currently reading
2693 people want to read
About the author
Darren Shan
243 books8,269 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 238 reviews
May 10, 2012
An amazing ending to an amazing series. 'Brothers to the Death' was absolutely fantastic. So full of twists, surprises, excitement, heartbreak, romance, everything you need to make a book perfect.
I've loved Larten Crepsley since 'Cirque Du Freak' but this series has made me love him even more, if that was even possible. He's one of my favourite fictional characters ever. I would gladly defend him to the death.
He's such a unique character. You'll never ever read a book about a character like Larten Crepsley. There is no one like him. That's one of the things I love about him.
I also think he's brave, strong-willed and extremely caring, even if he doesn't usually show it in a very affectionate way.
I love his relationship with Gavner Purl. At first, it upset me a bit because Larten wouldn't act towards him in a fatherly manner but when Gavner became his assistant, I felt their relationship grow, even without open affection from Larten still.
I also loved both his relationships with Alicia and Arra. Two completely different women but who I love equally. Alicia is such a sweet character, so romantic and caring and loving. And then Arra is tough, brave, strong, everything a vampire is. She still loves Larten though, even if it's not as romantic or strong a relationship as Larten and Alicia's was.
I could probably talk for the world about this book but I won't. It really was perfect though. The nineteenth chapter had me in floods of tears. I won't say why. You'll have to read it to find out! ;D But really, it's so upsetting.
I also started crying again at the very end. I just felt so emotional. Knowing there'll be no more books about Larten Crepsley, just kills me. I just love him so much. It's sad to see him go. It's a very tough goodbye. But he'll live on in my heart. He has a special place there. All I need to do is re-read The Saga of Darren Shan and The Saga of Larten Crepsley many times in the future. He will never be forgotten.
I seriously recommend this book and ALL of Darren Shan's books to everyone, people of all ages. I can guarantee that even when I'm an adult, I'll still love these books as much as I do now. Darren Shan is a perfect writer. He's my inspiration. I love him so much. It's because of him that I want to be a writer.
I rated this book five stars because it deserves it and I loved it so much. Go read it! <3
July 18, 2023
This review is for this book and this series as a whole, because I read them all so close together.
This was a perfect prequel series to one of my favourite childhood series, and I'm happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this as an adult. This series is a perfectly paced journey through the life of a vampire. It's a historical fantasy, implementing real history in a way that made it work with the story. At times I almost thought of it like a middle grade Interview with the Vampire. The vampire society is explored well and I love how this last book led perfectly up to the beginning of Cirque Du Freak!
It's not a perfect series by any means, but there's not really anything wrong with it. It's either going to be something you enjoy or just feel neutral about.
I love books for this age group that are easy to read but still incredibly well-written and put together, and Darren Shan's books are a great example of this.
This was a perfect prequel series to one of my favourite childhood series, and I'm happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this as an adult. This series is a perfectly paced journey through the life of a vampire. It's a historical fantasy, implementing real history in a way that made it work with the story. At times I almost thought of it like a middle grade Interview with the Vampire. The vampire society is explored well and I love how this last book led perfectly up to the beginning of Cirque Du Freak!
It's not a perfect series by any means, but there's not really anything wrong with it. It's either going to be something you enjoy or just feel neutral about.
I love books for this age group that are easy to read but still incredibly well-written and put together, and Darren Shan's books are a great example of this.
February 8, 2016
Brothers to the Death is the final book of The Saga of Larten Crepsley series.
I have to admit that I enjoyed this book better than any of the others in the series. Most of the books just seemed to drag on with no point in mind. Although this book often felt the same way by the time I read the final chapters, it ended up being well worth it.
The books of this series are relatively short. Honestly I think they would have been better if somehow edited into one longer book with a more directed plot. But that's just my thoughts.
I have to admit that I enjoyed this book better than any of the others in the series. Most of the books just seemed to drag on with no point in mind. Although this book often felt the same way by the time I read the final chapters, it ended up being well worth it.
The books of this series are relatively short. Honestly I think they would have been better if somehow edited into one longer book with a more directed plot. But that's just my thoughts.
May 3, 2015
در کل مجموعه خوبی بود. هرچند جلد آخرش خیلی به نظرم نسبت به قبلی ها سرسری تر بود. ماجرای قتل الیشیا کاملا مشخص بود. از همون دیدارشون توی غار ، وقتی که داستان برای لارتن هم مشخص شد به نظرم اصلا شوک آور نبود.
ولی در کل مجموعه خوبی بود ، تحولات و سرگردانی ها رو به خوبی نشون داده بود.
یه بخش از کتاب که برام قابل تامل بود رو در ادامه آوردم:
لارتن اعتراف کرد:«حدود یکسالی هست که می خواهم از اینجا بروم.اما می ترسم.دنیای بیرون از اینجا همیشه به من آسیب زده و می ترسم که باز هم از آن آسیب ببینم.»
لورنس گفت:« دنیا به شکل های جورواجور به همه ی ما آسیب می زند، ولی ما خودمان هم می توانیم باعث آسیب دیدن خودمان بشویم.اگر تو دنبال سرنوشت خودت بروی، این فرصت را داری که شادی حقیقی را هم بشناسی. اما اگر خودت را از آن پنهان کنی، هیچ وقت به رضایت نمی رسی.»
صفحه 281 - 282
ولی در کل مجموعه خوبی بود ، تحولات و سرگردانی ها رو به خوبی نشون داده بود.
یه بخش از کتاب که برام قابل تامل بود رو در ادامه آوردم:
لارتن اعتراف کرد:«حدود یکسالی هست که می خواهم از اینجا بروم.اما می ترسم.دنیای بیرون از اینجا همیشه به من آسیب زده و می ترسم که باز هم از آن آسیب ببینم.»
لورنس گفت:« دنیا به شکل های جورواجور به همه ی ما آسیب می زند، ولی ما خودمان هم می توانیم باعث آسیب دیدن خودمان بشویم.اگر تو دنبال سرنوشت خودت بروی، این فرصت را داری که شادی حقیقی را هم بشناسی. اما اگر خودت را از آن پنهان کنی، هیچ وقت به رضایت نمی رسی.»
صفحه 281 - 282
August 22, 2015
در کل کارای جدید دارن شان رو سرکاری می دونم
اما فکر می کنم این کتابش کلا بولتن بود تا داستان
اما بازم بهتر از اون دموناتا بود
یعنی میشد خوندش و به خاطر ارتباطش با سرزمین اشباح خوندمش
فکر نکنم به جز این دو مجموعه ( البته جلاد لاغر رو شهر رو نمیدونم) کارای دیگش مثل زامبی حتی ارزش خوندن داشته باشه
سپاس
اما فکر می کنم این کتابش کلا بولتن بود تا داستان
اما بازم بهتر از اون دموناتا بود
یعنی میشد خوندش و به خاطر ارتباطش با سرزمین اشباح خوندمش
فکر نکنم به جز این دو مجموعه ( البته جلاد لاغر رو شهر رو نمیدونم) کارای دیگش مثل زامبی حتی ارزش خوندن داشته باشه
سپاس
August 30, 2021
دوستانی که هنوز کتاب را مطالعه نکردهاند در ترجمه خانم کریمی از صفحه ۳۴ این قسمت حذف شده:
... “She thinks she is too old for me.” Larten thought that Arra would laugh, but she didn’t. Instead she stunned him with her next sentence.
“I have a mate. I mated five years ago with Darvin Allegra. You don’t know him. He’s a fine General, a fierce fighter, though not as passionate in the coffin as
I had hoped he’d be.”
“Arra!” Larten gasped. “You cannot say things like that!”
“I can if it’s true,” she retorted.
“What about Mika? I always thought…”
She shook her head. “I rejected his advances in the past, and I doubt if he will ever choose a mate now. He has no time for love these nights. He takes his duties as a Prince very seriously.”
“Why did Darvin not come here with you?” Larten asked.
“He wasn’t invited,” Arra said. “Business is business. Besides, he knows I plan to take you as a mate in the future and he’s jealous. I don’t think he—”
“Stop!” Larten roared, blushing furiously. “How can you say such things when you already have a partner?”
“I’ll be free in two years,” Arra said. “It was a seven-year agreement and I have no intention of signing up for another spell. I’ll be faithful to Darvin for the next twenty-four months, but after that…”
Larten gaped at the dark-haired vampiress. “You were never this frank in the past,”...
.
.
.
ادامه حاوی خطر لوث شدن
.
.
.
از نظر شخصی پیچش داستانی (plot twist) که کل جلد چهارم حول محور آن میچرخد کاملا قابل انتظار و پیشبینی بود(حتی از زمان ملاقات لارتن و وستر در غار) و همین موضوع به طور چشمگیری از جذابیت کتاب میکاهد.
مجموعه کتاب سرزمین اشباح (حماسه دارن شان) را در دوره نوجوانی مطالعه کردهام اما به نظرم به مراتب بهتر از این مجموعه چهار جلدی بود و البته نباید فراموش کرد کتاب بیشتر برای رنج سنی نوجوانان نوشته شده است...
... “She thinks she is too old for me.” Larten thought that Arra would laugh, but she didn’t. Instead she stunned him with her next sentence.
“I have a mate. I mated five years ago with Darvin Allegra. You don’t know him. He’s a fine General, a fierce fighter, though not as passionate in the coffin as
I had hoped he’d be.”
“Arra!” Larten gasped. “You cannot say things like that!”
“I can if it’s true,” she retorted.
“What about Mika? I always thought…”
She shook her head. “I rejected his advances in the past, and I doubt if he will ever choose a mate now. He has no time for love these nights. He takes his duties as a Prince very seriously.”
“Why did Darvin not come here with you?” Larten asked.
“He wasn’t invited,” Arra said. “Business is business. Besides, he knows I plan to take you as a mate in the future and he’s jealous. I don’t think he—”
“Stop!” Larten roared, blushing furiously. “How can you say such things when you already have a partner?”
“I’ll be free in two years,” Arra said. “It was a seven-year agreement and I have no intention of signing up for another spell. I’ll be faithful to Darvin for the next twenty-four months, but after that…”
Larten gaped at the dark-haired vampiress. “You were never this frank in the past,”...
.
.
.
ادامه حاوی خطر لوث شدن
.
.
.
از نظر شخصی پیچش داستانی (plot twist) که کل جلد چهارم حول محور آن میچرخد کاملا قابل انتظار و پیشبینی بود(حتی از زمان ملاقات لارتن و وستر در غار) و همین موضوع به طور چشمگیری از جذابیت کتاب میکاهد.
مجموعه کتاب سرزمین اشباح (حماسه دارن شان) را در دوره نوجوانی مطالعه کردهام اما به نظرم به مراتب بهتر از این مجموعه چهار جلدی بود و البته نباید فراموش کرد کتاب بیشتر برای رنج سنی نوجوانان نوشته شده است...
January 9, 2015
Cuando crees que ya lo viste todo, NO. Darren Shan te sorprende rompiendo tu corazón en mil pedazos :'(. Como quiera me gustó mucho el libro :)
November 26, 2020
پایانی رقّتانگیز بر یک جهانبینیِ مشوّه
روزی که «تولّدِ یک قاتل» اوّلین قسمت از این چهارگانه را شروع کردم، در آن پتانسیلهایی دیدم که بعید دانستم نتواند خود را به رقابت با «قصّههایِ سرزمینِ اشباح» برساند. با شروعِ قسمتِ دوّم از این مجموعه (دریایِ خون) این پندار به سردی گرایید، امّا همچنان چیزهایی از خود نشان میداد که بهعنوانِ یک اثرِ جذّاب (هرچند با اغماض) تلقّی شود. قسمتِ سوّم (قصرِ مردگان) باز گامی به عقب بود و با سختی توانست خود را از مهلکۀ نیمهکار رها کردن برهاند و امّا قسمتِ چهارم نابودیِ یک مجموعۀ خوبِ بالقوّه را رسماً رقم زد.
این طبیعی است که هرآنچه در قسمتهایِ گذشته بهعنوانِ خلأ داستانی، ضعفِ پرداخت و روایت و یا حتّی (با دیدی ایجابی) نقطۀ قوّت پنداشته شده، در قسمتِ پایانی جمعبندی شده و تعیینتکلیف گردد. قسمتِ پایانی برایِ این مجموعه اعلام میدارد که: «نهخیر، چیزِ خاصّی قرار نیست تفاوت کند.» و اینجاست که جهانبینیِ ضعیفِ دارن شان خود را نمایان کرده و سبب میشود نمرۀ قابلقبولی از این مجموعه کسب نکند.
تکلیفِ دارن شان برایِ ارائۀ جهانی که در این چهارگانه به تصویر کشیده است، مشخّص نیست. انگار نویسنده در دوگانگی (یا حتّی چندگانگی) برخورد با شخصیّتها، حوادث و وقایعِ داستانِ خود به دام افتاده است. منطقِ رواییاش میلنگد. تناقضاتش بسیارند و مهمتر از همه معلوم نیست که خودش کدام طرف ایستاده است، معلوم نیست انتظار دارد خوانندهاش کدام طرف بایستد و حتّی معلوم نیست که آیا حقیقتاً تنها قصدِ بیانِ مطلب و کنارهگیری از قضاوت را داشته است و همهچیز را به عهدۀ مخاطبش گذاشته است یا نه.
از اطّلاعاتی که از نگارشِ مجموعه بر میآید این است که این مجموعه پس از «قصّههایِ سرزمینِ اشباح» نگاشته شده است. این مطلبی است که تعجّب را چند برابر بیشتر میکند. از خالقِ «قصّههایِ سرزمینِ اشباح» بعید است که این چنین در صیانت از دنیایی که خلق کرده است ناتوان باشد. اشباحِ دارن شان نه تواناییِ ایجادِ همذاتپنداری در مخاطب را دارند، نه چندان میتوانند باعثِ برانگیختگیِ احساساتِ او شوند و نه حتّی در مقامِ آموزشِ زندگی و رفتارهایِ بشری به او درس دهند. این همان چیزی است که ضعف در پرداخت و روایت سببِ آن است. صداقت و رویارویی با ترس از ویژگیهایی است که برایِ اشباح ثابت و غیرقابلتغییر معرّفی میشوند، امّا به کرّات و توسّطِ اشباحِ مختلف خلافِ این مطلب مشاهده میشود. همخون شدن منوط به یک سری ویژگیهایِ ذاتی بیان میگردد که بروز در طعمِ خونِ آنها دارد (چیزی که توسّطِ سِبا نایل در لارتن مخلوط و آمیخته تشخیص داده میشود و در وِستِر اصیل و بینظیر،) امّا در انتها درست عکسِ آن را شاهد هستیم. خباثت از آنِ کسی است که خونِ وی اصیل و بینظیر معرّفی شده و بلافاصله همخون شدنش توسطِ مربّی پذیرفته شده بود. اشباح یکی در میان لاابالی، خوشگذران، بیتفاوت و مسخرهاند و جز اندکی از آنها (که باز هم توصیفاتشان به حدّ برقراریِ ارتباطِ کامل با خواننده نمیرسد) از فضایلِ حتّی شبنشینان برخوردار نیستند. شبحوارهها گنگند و بیهویّت. نه آن داستانِ یک خطّی از نحوۀ برخورد با قربانیانشان چیزی را در مخاطب عوض میکند و نه قانونشکنیشان در کشتن و کشته شدن آن هم به تعدادِ زیاد توسّطِ اشباح. آیا این صلحِ میانِ دو قبیله ریشخندی از نویسنده به خوانندهاش نیست؟
رقّتانگیز است که یکی از بهترین شخصیّتهایِ مجموعه همان «تانیش یول» باشد که حدّاقل به تصریحِ نویسنده در چندین جایِ کتاب از بیارزشترین اشباحبه شمار میرود. با این حال چه کنیم که نویسنده خود چنین تقدیری را برایِ داستان و آدمها (اشباح)ش رقم زده است.
روزی که «تولّدِ یک قاتل» اوّلین قسمت از این چهارگانه را شروع کردم، در آن پتانسیلهایی دیدم که بعید دانستم نتواند خود را به رقابت با «قصّههایِ سرزمینِ اشباح» برساند. با شروعِ قسمتِ دوّم از این مجموعه (دریایِ خون) این پندار به سردی گرایید، امّا همچنان چیزهایی از خود نشان میداد که بهعنوانِ یک اثرِ جذّاب (هرچند با اغماض) تلقّی شود. قسمتِ سوّم (قصرِ مردگان) باز گامی به عقب بود و با سختی توانست خود را از مهلکۀ نیمهکار رها کردن برهاند و امّا قسمتِ چهارم نابودیِ یک مجموعۀ خوبِ بالقوّه را رسماً رقم زد.
این طبیعی است که هرآنچه در قسمتهایِ گذشته بهعنوانِ خلأ داستانی، ضعفِ پرداخت و روایت و یا حتّی (با دیدی ایجابی) نقطۀ قوّت پنداشته شده، در قسمتِ پایانی جمعبندی شده و تعیینتکلیف گردد. قسمتِ پایانی برایِ این مجموعه اعلام میدارد که: «نهخیر، چیزِ خاصّی قرار نیست تفاوت کند.» و اینجاست که جهانبینیِ ضعیفِ دارن شان خود را نمایان کرده و سبب میشود نمرۀ قابلقبولی از این مجموعه کسب نکند.
تکلیفِ دارن شان برایِ ارائۀ جهانی که در این چهارگانه به تصویر کشیده است، مشخّص نیست. انگار نویسنده در دوگانگی (یا حتّی چندگانگی) برخورد با شخصیّتها، حوادث و وقایعِ داستانِ خود به دام افتاده است. منطقِ رواییاش میلنگد. تناقضاتش بسیارند و مهمتر از همه معلوم نیست که خودش کدام طرف ایستاده است، معلوم نیست انتظار دارد خوانندهاش کدام طرف بایستد و حتّی معلوم نیست که آیا حقیقتاً تنها قصدِ بیانِ مطلب و کنارهگیری از قضاوت را داشته است و همهچیز را به عهدۀ مخاطبش گذاشته است یا نه.
از اطّلاعاتی که از نگارشِ مجموعه بر میآید این است که این مجموعه پس از «قصّههایِ سرزمینِ اشباح» نگاشته شده است. این مطلبی است که تعجّب را چند برابر بیشتر میکند. از خالقِ «قصّههایِ سرزمینِ اشباح» بعید است که این چنین در صیانت از دنیایی که خلق کرده است ناتوان باشد. اشباحِ دارن شان نه تواناییِ ایجادِ همذاتپنداری در مخاطب را دارند، نه چندان میتوانند باعثِ برانگیختگیِ احساساتِ او شوند و نه حتّی در مقامِ آموزشِ زندگی و رفتارهایِ بشری به او درس دهند. این همان چیزی است که ضعف در پرداخت و روایت سببِ آن است. صداقت و رویارویی با ترس از ویژگیهایی است که برایِ اشباح ثابت و غیرقابلتغییر معرّفی میشوند، امّا به کرّات و توسّطِ اشباحِ مختلف خلافِ این مطلب مشاهده میشود. همخون شدن منوط به یک سری ویژگیهایِ ذاتی بیان میگردد که بروز در طعمِ خونِ آنها دارد (چیزی که توسّطِ سِبا نایل در لارتن مخلوط و آمیخته تشخیص داده میشود و در وِستِر اصیل و بینظیر،) امّا در انتها درست عکسِ آن را شاهد هستیم. خباثت از آنِ کسی است که خونِ وی اصیل و بینظیر معرّفی شده و بلافاصله همخون شدنش توسطِ مربّی پذیرفته شده بود. اشباح یکی در میان لاابالی، خوشگذران، بیتفاوت و مسخرهاند و جز اندکی از آنها (که باز هم توصیفاتشان به حدّ برقراریِ ارتباطِ کامل با خواننده نمیرسد) از فضایلِ حتّی شبنشینان برخوردار نیستند. شبحوارهها گنگند و بیهویّت. نه آن داستانِ یک خطّی از نحوۀ برخورد با قربانیانشان چیزی را در مخاطب عوض میکند و نه قانونشکنیشان در کشتن و کشته شدن آن هم به تعدادِ زیاد توسّطِ اشباح. آیا این صلحِ میانِ دو قبیله ریشخندی از نویسنده به خوانندهاش نیست؟
رقّتانگیز است که یکی از بهترین شخصیّتهایِ مجموعه همان «تانیش یول» باشد که حدّاقل به تصریحِ نویسنده در چندین جایِ کتاب از بیارزشترین اشباحبه شمار میرود. با این حال چه کنیم که نویسنده خود چنین تقدیری را برایِ داستان و آدمها (اشباح)ش رقم زده است.
November 7, 2019
~Spoilers~
One of the first times I was right about an upcoming plot twist and wished I wasn't... I read the last few chapters (from the point Larten confronted Wester) in the train and couldn't contain my emotions, so at least some people found joy in my heartbreak.
Even though the (almost) ending of the book got me to embarrass myself in front of a bunch of strangers, I still really enjoyed the story. I loved reading about my favorite characters again, getting to know them a little better by their past.
The way Vancha's and Lady Evanna's relationship developed over time; Larten's struggle with Wester, the Vampaneze and becoming a Prince; The backstories on the other princes; Gavner's entire story; the way Arra joined the Clan. All of it gave enough information to answer questions I had while reading Darren's story without adding more unanswered questions.
One of the few things I disliked was Kurda's representation in this book. Every time he said something, it had to do with creating peace with the Vampeneze. Either directly or indirectly. It made him feel like a very one dimensional character to me.
The other thing I didn't really enjoy was Larten's introduction to Madam Octa. It felt hurried, as if the author realized he forgot to add her in so he just wrote a few sentences about her just before the ending.
Speaking of the ending, I loved how the author ended the series right at the start of The Saga Of Darren Shan in Larten's pov. A great way to end a great story.
One of the first times I was right about an upcoming plot twist and wished I wasn't... I read the last few chapters (from the point Larten confronted Wester) in the train and couldn't contain my emotions, so at least some people found joy in my heartbreak.
Even though the (almost) ending of the book got me to embarrass myself in front of a bunch of strangers, I still really enjoyed the story. I loved reading about my favorite characters again, getting to know them a little better by their past.
The way Vancha's and Lady Evanna's relationship developed over time; Larten's struggle with Wester, the Vampaneze and becoming a Prince; The backstories on the other princes; Gavner's entire story; the way Arra joined the Clan. All of it gave enough information to answer questions I had while reading Darren's story without adding more unanswered questions.
One of the few things I disliked was Kurda's representation in this book. Every time he said something, it had to do with creating peace with the Vampeneze. Either directly or indirectly. It made him feel like a very one dimensional character to me.
The other thing I didn't really enjoy was Larten's introduction to Madam Octa. It felt hurried, as if the author realized he forgot to add her in so he just wrote a few sentences about her just before the ending.
Speaking of the ending, I loved how the author ended the series right at the start of The Saga Of Darren Shan in Larten's pov. A great way to end a great story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2018
Proč není další díl? :-o Nutně ho potřebuji. Chci. Tohle byla skvělá, čtivá, oddechová série, kterou jsem přečetla během jednoho měsíce.
May 9, 2012
This review first appeared on The Book Zone(For Boys) blog
Brothers To The Death is Shan at his very best as a writer, and I challenge any fan of his vampire books not to find this a rewarding and deeply satisfying read. I have a feeling that, come the final words of this book there will be a legion of fans who, like I did, feel a broad grin erupt on their face, at which point they will probably, again like me, reach for their well-read copy of Cirque Du Freak and continue the story. I don't think I am spoiling anything when I say that, due to the way Brothers To The Death ends with everything slotting together perfectly, Cirque Du Freak will from this point on forever feel like the perfect sequel in a way that would have George Lucas going green with envy.
One of the things I like the most about Shan's vampires is that, with a minority of exceptions, they are not evil creatures. They are just different from humans, and by and large prefer not to interfere in the politics and actions of mortal man. This allows for much better character development of the vampires than we usually see in such novels, where the main protagonist is quite often a human, and Darren Shan is not afraid to turn our perception of these supposedly hateful characters on its head. As such, over this series we have seen Larten aid troops during the Great War, and even fall in love with a mortal (without wanting to drain her blood). In this instalment, much of it set during the horrors of WWII, we see even more humanitarian actions from Larten and some of his compatriots, as they help to heal victims of the war, both in Germany and post-atom bomb Japan. We also see Larten make friends with a community of monks. Unlike the majority of religious people in vampire fiction, these holy men do not look on the vampires as evil incarnate, but as just another of God's creations.
As I mentioned, some of this book is set in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s, and as such the Nazis play an important role in the plot. As a result of loose talk, Adolf Hitler has discovered the existence of the vampires, and sends emissaries to meet with members of the clan with a view to forging an alliance. Larten finds himself accompanying one of the vampire princes to one such series of meetings, and finds himself put on the spot and asked for his opinion. The answer he gives will go on to affect his life in a way he could not have dreamed, and leads to an event that sees him spend much of the rest of the book thirsting for revenge, travelling the world in search of the perpetrator.
Fans of the the original books and now The Saga of Larten Crepsley have been asking numerous questions as this prequel series has progressed, and they will be very happy that those questions are all answered in this volume. There has been some speculation in the comments sections of some of my reviews of the books as to the fate of Wester, as he is not mentioned in original series. To those who took the time to comment on this I say you will not be disappointed! Other queries related to Larten's relationship with some of his fellow vampires that we know from the original series are also fleshed out, as is his connection with the Mr Tall and his Cirque, and also how Madam Octa came into his possession.
Much as I loved the original Saga of Darren Shan, and also his Demonata books, I think the four books that now comprise The Saga of Larten Crepsley are now my favourite Darren Shan books. His writing has matured considerably since Cirque Du Freak, especially in the way he develops his main characters. Larten is the ultimate anti-hero, deeply flawed and carrying some rather despicable baggage from his long life, but Shan manages to create an emotional bond in his readers that have them pitying him rather than condemning him. Many young readers will find themselves able to relate to this lonely wanderer, who goes through lengthy periods of low self-esteem, and I think many will be deeply moved by the events that happen in this book.
This books marks the end of an era for Darren Shan, as it is his goodbye to vampires and Harper Collins. In September we will see the release of his new twelve-books series, Zom-B, with Simon and Schuster, and after this brilliant end to The Saga of Larten Crepsley I am looking forward to that more than ever. However, I feel one must never say never where Darren Shan is concerned - it would not surprise me if he decided to return to writing about his vampire world again some time in the future.
Brothers To The Death is Shan at his very best as a writer, and I challenge any fan of his vampire books not to find this a rewarding and deeply satisfying read. I have a feeling that, come the final words of this book there will be a legion of fans who, like I did, feel a broad grin erupt on their face, at which point they will probably, again like me, reach for their well-read copy of Cirque Du Freak and continue the story. I don't think I am spoiling anything when I say that, due to the way Brothers To The Death ends with everything slotting together perfectly, Cirque Du Freak will from this point on forever feel like the perfect sequel in a way that would have George Lucas going green with envy.
One of the things I like the most about Shan's vampires is that, with a minority of exceptions, they are not evil creatures. They are just different from humans, and by and large prefer not to interfere in the politics and actions of mortal man. This allows for much better character development of the vampires than we usually see in such novels, where the main protagonist is quite often a human, and Darren Shan is not afraid to turn our perception of these supposedly hateful characters on its head. As such, over this series we have seen Larten aid troops during the Great War, and even fall in love with a mortal (without wanting to drain her blood). In this instalment, much of it set during the horrors of WWII, we see even more humanitarian actions from Larten and some of his compatriots, as they help to heal victims of the war, both in Germany and post-atom bomb Japan. We also see Larten make friends with a community of monks. Unlike the majority of religious people in vampire fiction, these holy men do not look on the vampires as evil incarnate, but as just another of God's creations.
As I mentioned, some of this book is set in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s, and as such the Nazis play an important role in the plot. As a result of loose talk, Adolf Hitler has discovered the existence of the vampires, and sends emissaries to meet with members of the clan with a view to forging an alliance. Larten finds himself accompanying one of the vampire princes to one such series of meetings, and finds himself put on the spot and asked for his opinion. The answer he gives will go on to affect his life in a way he could not have dreamed, and leads to an event that sees him spend much of the rest of the book thirsting for revenge, travelling the world in search of the perpetrator.
Fans of the the original books and now The Saga of Larten Crepsley have been asking numerous questions as this prequel series has progressed, and they will be very happy that those questions are all answered in this volume. There has been some speculation in the comments sections of some of my reviews of the books as to the fate of Wester, as he is not mentioned in original series. To those who took the time to comment on this I say you will not be disappointed! Other queries related to Larten's relationship with some of his fellow vampires that we know from the original series are also fleshed out, as is his connection with the Mr Tall and his Cirque, and also how Madam Octa came into his possession.
Much as I loved the original Saga of Darren Shan, and also his Demonata books, I think the four books that now comprise The Saga of Larten Crepsley are now my favourite Darren Shan books. His writing has matured considerably since Cirque Du Freak, especially in the way he develops his main characters. Larten is the ultimate anti-hero, deeply flawed and carrying some rather despicable baggage from his long life, but Shan manages to create an emotional bond in his readers that have them pitying him rather than condemning him. Many young readers will find themselves able to relate to this lonely wanderer, who goes through lengthy periods of low self-esteem, and I think many will be deeply moved by the events that happen in this book.
This books marks the end of an era for Darren Shan, as it is his goodbye to vampires and Harper Collins. In September we will see the release of his new twelve-books series, Zom-B, with Simon and Schuster, and after this brilliant end to The Saga of Larten Crepsley I am looking forward to that more than ever. However, I feel one must never say never where Darren Shan is concerned - it would not surprise me if he decided to return to writing about his vampire world again some time in the future.
May 29, 2018
" این سرنوشتش بود "
دارن شان همچنان منو غافلگیر میکنه ، هیجان زده میکنه و به وجد میاره .
روند داستان از بقیه کتاب های این سری روون تر بود . اتفاقات سریع می افتاد و داستان پیش می رفت .
راستش الان واقعا نمیدونم چی بگم . از دیشب که کتاب رو تموم کردم رفتم تو فکر و هنوز بیرون نیومدم .
داشتم به این فکر می کردم چقدر لارتن رو دوست داشتم . چقدر دلم برای دارن تنگ شده بود ( گرچه امیدم به حضور دارن در این داستان امیدی واهی بود و دارن بدون فلش فوروارد به مرگ لارتن کتاب رو تموم کرده بود . ) چقدر با شخصیت های این مجموعه ارتباط برقرار کرده بودم . چقدر غصه لارتن از اینکه فهمید الیشیا رو واقعا کی کشته برام واقعی بود . حس انتقام و ترحم لارتن وقت رو به رو شدن با قاتل واقعی - دوستش ، برادرش - چقدر ناراحت کننده بود و قابل درک .
فهمیدم چقدر توی ناخود آگاه ذهنم با شخصیت های کتاب ها ارتباط برقرار می کنم . که هر چند وقت باید برم سراغشون و یک دل سیر دوباره ماجراهاشون رو بخونم .
این کتاب امتیازش 5 نبود - کمی کمتر از آن - اما ارزش لارتن کرپسلی ، وور هورستون ، کوییک سیلور یا هر اسم دیگه ای که با آن شناخته میشد ، بیشتر از اینهاست ...
دارن شان همچنان منو غافلگیر میکنه ، هیجان زده میکنه و به وجد میاره .
روند داستان از بقیه کتاب های این سری روون تر بود . اتفاقات سریع می افتاد و داستان پیش می رفت .
راستش الان واقعا نمیدونم چی بگم . از دیشب که کتاب رو تموم کردم رفتم تو فکر و هنوز بیرون نیومدم .
داشتم به این فکر می کردم چقدر لارتن رو دوست داشتم . چقدر دلم برای دارن تنگ شده بود ( گرچه امیدم به حضور دارن در این داستان امیدی واهی بود و دارن بدون فلش فوروارد به مرگ لارتن کتاب رو تموم کرده بود . ) چقدر با شخصیت های این مجموعه ارتباط برقرار کرده بودم . چقدر غصه لارتن از اینکه فهمید الیشیا رو واقعا کی کشته برام واقعی بود . حس انتقام و ترحم لارتن وقت رو به رو شدن با قاتل واقعی - دوستش ، برادرش - چقدر ناراحت کننده بود و قابل درک .
فهمیدم چقدر توی ناخود آگاه ذهنم با شخصیت های کتاب ها ارتباط برقرار می کنم . که هر چند وقت باید برم سراغشون و یک دل سیر دوباره ماجراهاشون رو بخونم .
این کتاب امتیازش 5 نبود - کمی کمتر از آن - اما ارزش لارتن کرپسلی ، وور هورستون ، کوییک سیلور یا هر اسم دیگه ای که با آن شناخته میشد ، بیشتر از اینهاست ...
May 22, 2012
Damn it Wester!
July 5, 2020
Review also on BookLover
Let's begin by saying I was left speechless for a few days but now, I think, I am ready to tell you about this amazing book and series finale.
In this fourth book, we follow Larten as he finds out about the Nazi danger and tries to find as many Vampires, telling them to flee Europe as fast as they can. But something terrible sends him astray, sending him again into a vengeful rampage that won't end as the Vampire expects.
I still have difficulty speaking about this book; I think that, although short, it was packed with information: I don't want to make any spoilers, but I am glad we found out how Laren got Madam Octa, along with other things...
This book is also filled with a lot of action because of the coming of the Nazi, the threat of the Vampanze and... something that happens towards the end, which I knew was bound to happen as for spoilers I got.
Overall, I really loved this book. I think it's my favorite of the four! Darren Shan really knows how to write the last book in a series. Well, all of them, but especially the final one! I was really satisfied with Brothers to the Death and I'm already tempted to read it again.
One of Darren Shan's strong suits is the characterization: for the most part, these were characters we already met in the Cirque du Freak series, but not all. I really loved how the writer made the characters evolve into the ones we knew and cherished and how we got little glimpses of the character of certain Vampires (like Gavner) that we see really little of in the main series.
In this fourth installment, I really loved Larten, Gavner, and Arra, while I came to really hate Wester and was a bit surprised about my least favorite character of all times, the only and only Kurda Smahlt. I still hate the later, but * maybe * a bit less.
In conclusion, I loved these prequels just as much as the main series. I can't wait to read more by this author and that I like it (given I already bought the whole Demonata series, the whole Zom-b series, and his book for adults Molls like it hot).
Let's begin by saying I was left speechless for a few days but now, I think, I am ready to tell you about this amazing book and series finale.
In this fourth book, we follow Larten as he finds out about the Nazi danger and tries to find as many Vampires, telling them to flee Europe as fast as they can. But something terrible sends him astray, sending him again into a vengeful rampage that won't end as the Vampire expects.
I still have difficulty speaking about this book; I think that, although short, it was packed with information: I don't want to make any spoilers, but I am glad we found out how Laren got Madam Octa, along with other things...
This book is also filled with a lot of action because of the coming of the Nazi, the threat of the Vampanze and... something that happens towards the end, which I knew was bound to happen as for spoilers I got.
Overall, I really loved this book. I think it's my favorite of the four! Darren Shan really knows how to write the last book in a series. Well, all of them, but especially the final one! I was really satisfied with Brothers to the Death and I'm already tempted to read it again.
One of Darren Shan's strong suits is the characterization: for the most part, these were characters we already met in the Cirque du Freak series, but not all. I really loved how the writer made the characters evolve into the ones we knew and cherished and how we got little glimpses of the character of certain Vampires (like Gavner) that we see really little of in the main series.
In this fourth installment, I really loved Larten, Gavner, and Arra, while I came to really hate Wester and was a bit surprised about my least favorite character of all times, the only and only Kurda Smahlt. I still hate the later, but * maybe * a bit less.
In conclusion, I loved these prequels just as much as the main series. I can't wait to read more by this author and that I like it (given I already bought the whole Demonata series, the whole Zom-b series, and his book for adults Molls like it hot).
March 29, 2022
“There are some things in life we can never understand, things we are better off not understanding.”
I really enjoyed the final installment in The Sage of Larten Crepsley. It lived up to the hype surrounding its fulfilling background of Mr. Crepsley to the point where I wouldn't mind reading future related series surrounding other character's backgrounds (Vancha, Mr. Tiny, etc.).
The ending was very surprising - I can't say I was expecting that.
If you liked Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak series, then I definitely recommend picking up this series. I mean, I did finish both series (16 books) in less than two months so it must be good!
I really enjoyed the final installment in The Sage of Larten Crepsley. It lived up to the hype surrounding its fulfilling background of Mr. Crepsley to the point where I wouldn't mind reading future related series surrounding other character's backgrounds (Vancha, Mr. Tiny, etc.).
The ending was very surprising - I can't say I was expecting that.
If you liked Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak series, then I definitely recommend picking up this series. I mean, I did finish both series (16 books) in less than two months so it must be good!
July 8, 2024
The way I cried reading this..... So many People died in this book which made my heart break. The fact that Wester killed Alicia hurts me even more and Larten killing Wester was So heartbreaking to read. 5/5 stars. Im not okey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2015
Readers tend to forget one simple fact about a prequel, you already know the fate of most of the characters. You know it before you ever open the book. Some of the reviews I'd read of this book scoffed at what they felt was too obvious a title...but with a prequel, obvious is kinda bread and butter for the genre. There's an old saying, it's not the destination it's the journey. That yes we know what happens to them in the end but we read this to see the journey to get there, what made them who they are. Every person, real or fictional, is a product of the experiences of their lives. These experiences form a person, mold them into who they are and, for better or worse, they become different people because of that. We read prequels to see what experiences formed these characters we thought we knew so well. In that way, this series succeeds at its goal. You can feel Larten forming throughout the different volumes and by the end of this one he HAS become who we expected. So yes it's obvious but it's supposed to be obvious, that's the point.
January 17, 2014
ya no hay mas cirque du freak, mi vida se acabó.
April 13, 2014
It s the best in this Series.
July 10, 2014
فقط به عشق لارتن به کل مجموعه پنج ستاره دادم... آه ه ه ه ه... لارتن !
April 8, 2023
جلد اول رو ب زور خوندم ولی رفته رفته بهتر شد 😊
July 12, 2020
*furiously sobs in a corner*
July 15, 2018
Nechápu, proč mi trvalo tak dlouho tuhle sérii dočíst... Darren je prostě láska, a Larten ještě víc. Co si budeme povídat, bylo to dokonalé. Spousta věcí vysvětlených, boj s vampýry, Pan Sudd, Kurdíšek, Gavner, Arra, Vandža... Awwww! A Nazi Mika!
4/5*
English Review:
Brothers to the Death is fourth and final book in Larten Crepsley Saga. Darren Shan is my most favourite author in the world which is why I don't understand why I waited so long to read this book. Anyways, I am not regretting it. Events in this book are surrounded by incoming World War II. and rise of Nazis, who play their role in the story as well. That was one of the things I loved the most (haha, I am masochist, I know). Anyways, it was nice to see humans and vampires interact with each other, especially Mika and Larten combo against Nazis (the best was when Vancha encountered Hitler though).
Apart from Nazi invasion, we get to see Alicia once more. That part of story was kind of sad when you realize there was another woman before Arra (and I am hard Arra x Larten shipper myself). We follow Larten and his journey of revenge. Another sad story because towards the end of the book, you start to realize what happened. Some characters from Darren's Saga make cameo too and I was surprised about selkies... I mean... selkies! Mr. Tiny was creepy as always. Also a lot of explanations of some minor events in Darren's Saga. That was golden! For example why Vancha has his hair dyed green.
You'll never go wrong with Darren's books. I live them since my childhood. Kurda will be always in my heart. Always!
4/5*
4/5*
English Review:
Brothers to the Death is fourth and final book in Larten Crepsley Saga. Darren Shan is my most favourite author in the world which is why I don't understand why I waited so long to read this book. Anyways, I am not regretting it. Events in this book are surrounded by incoming World War II. and rise of Nazis, who play their role in the story as well. That was one of the things I loved the most (haha, I am masochist, I know). Anyways, it was nice to see humans and vampires interact with each other, especially Mika and Larten combo against Nazis (the best was when Vancha encountered Hitler though).
Apart from Nazi invasion, we get to see Alicia once more. That part of story was kind of sad when you realize there was another woman before Arra (and I am hard Arra x Larten shipper myself). We follow Larten and his journey of revenge. Another sad story because towards the end of the book, you start to realize what happened. Some characters from Darren's Saga make cameo too and I was surprised about selkies... I mean... selkies! Mr. Tiny was creepy as always. Also a lot of explanations of some minor events in Darren's Saga. That was golden! For example why Vancha has his hair dyed green.
You'll never go wrong with Darren's books. I live them since my childhood. Kurda will be always in my heart. Always!
4/5*
October 25, 2017
Really sad to be leaving these characters and their world, but it was a bittersweet ending to the quadrilogy.
The title gives away what is going to happen, but HOW was the question on my mind. If you've read the original saga (the Saga of Darren Shan) then you already know Larten's fate by the time book 1 of the series begins, but HOW that comes about intrigued me.
I continued to love Larten's flawed character, and it was interesting to see how he has grown over 200 years from the headstrong 'thinks-he-knows-it-all' young vampire to the solemn, wise, older vampire that Darren comes to know.
I also loved the way the author used pivotal points in human history and famous people from the past in these books so we could relate it to a certain time period.
Overall, a great ending to this series. Larten has had a hard life, and having read the Saga of Darren Shan I know what lays in store for him.
I just want to give the orange-haired vampire a hug :(
The title gives away what is going to happen, but HOW was the question on my mind. If you've read the original saga (the Saga of Darren Shan) then you already know Larten's fate by the time book 1 of the series begins, but HOW that comes about intrigued me.
I continued to love Larten's flawed character, and it was interesting to see how he has grown over 200 years from the headstrong 'thinks-he-knows-it-all' young vampire to the solemn, wise, older vampire that Darren comes to know.
I also loved the way the author used pivotal points in human history and famous people from the past in these books so we could relate it to a certain time period.
Overall, a great ending to this series. Larten has had a hard life, and having read the Saga of Darren Shan I know what lays in store for him.
I just want to give the orange-haired vampire a hug :(
August 12, 2021
یک پایان بینظیر برای حماسهی لارتن کرپسلی
واقعا از خواندن خط به خطش لذت بردم. به نظرم این چهارگانه فوقالعاده بود و با خوندنش حتی یک ذره هم تصوراتم نسبت به مجموعهی اصلی خراب نشد، اتفاقا بیشتر از جامعهی اشباح و سیستم زندگی و عقایدشون فهمیدم.
لارتن کرپسلی شخصیت خاکستری محشری بود. ذرهای کارهای بدش توجیه نمیشد و همونطور که سبا توی جلد اول گفته بود، یه مقدار شرارت توی خونش وجود داشت.
واقعا از خواندن خط به خطش لذت بردم. به نظرم این چهارگانه فوقالعاده بود و با خوندنش حتی یک ذره هم تصوراتم نسبت به مجموعهی اصلی خراب نشد، اتفاقا بیشتر از جامعهی اشباح و سیستم زندگی و عقایدشون فهمیدم.
لارتن کرپسلی شخصیت خاکستری محشری بود. ذرهای کارهای بدش توجیه نمیشد و همونطور که سبا توی جلد اول گفته بود، یه مقدار شرارت توی خونش وجود داشت.
November 24, 2017
The end of another amazing era. I love these books so much, the entire world of Larten and Darren's is amazingly built and wonderful and part of me wishes I'd never have to leave it. Both saga's will definitely be those I will return to.
January 19, 2018
The best in the series, wanna be surprised? Wanna some bloody adventures?
It’s your shot, take it.
It’s your shot, take it.
March 7, 2021
This one was absolutly stunning and now i'm so sad this was the last one...
October 8, 2014
* Earlier books in the serie: Birth of a Killer (#1), Ocean of Blood (#2), and Palace of the Damned (#3) - this review may contain spoilers for some of those *
Just when Larten is finally ready to make his way back to Vampire Mountain and his vampire kin, he's pulled into a very human conflict. The Nazis are coming to power and while the vampires have made it their way not to interfere with human struggles, the Nazis have made their own efforts to pull the vampire in, though, so they can't completely turn a blind eye.
The impending human war is not the only one to worry about. The vampires and vampaneze conflict still has not gone away. Some are even back to calling for all out war. Both wars will take their toll on Larten and those closest to him as he finishes his journey towards becoming the vampire from Cirque Du Freak series.
Brothers to the Death pulls in a almost all of the characters (vampire as well as a few human) who were involved in the three previous books of this series. It's great to see how they've all progressed and how they're relationships all weave together - sometimes causing conflict.
This last book, more so than the others, involves current events - from World War II era and both before and after - to help shape Larten and tell his tale.
The story covers a long time period - about a century - while focusing on a pretty contained set of events and their aftermath - so readers get a great sense of how those things affect Larten and how he both deals with them and grows from them without the story getting too bogged down in the day to day (or even week to week or month to month) which wouldn't fit with the character.
We've seen Larten as a young, impoverished boy working with silk worms in a factory, we saw him as the young Cub vampire finding his way - drinking and making a general ruckus - we saw him find love and now we see it all come full circle, really. Whether readers have read the Cirque Du Freak series or not, this is a great either introduction to or expansion on the Larten Crepsley character. You really have a great sense of not only who he is but why he is that way and how he got that way, where he's come from after reading this prequel series.
This series works well as a standalone but likely much, much better as a supplement to the original or a brilliant introduction for new readers who have yet to start that series.
Thank you to LBYR for my copy of this book for review :)
Just when Larten is finally ready to make his way back to Vampire Mountain and his vampire kin, he's pulled into a very human conflict. The Nazis are coming to power and while the vampires have made it their way not to interfere with human struggles, the Nazis have made their own efforts to pull the vampire in, though, so they can't completely turn a blind eye.
The impending human war is not the only one to worry about. The vampires and vampaneze conflict still has not gone away. Some are even back to calling for all out war. Both wars will take their toll on Larten and those closest to him as he finishes his journey towards becoming the vampire from Cirque Du Freak series.
Brothers to the Death pulls in a almost all of the characters (vampire as well as a few human) who were involved in the three previous books of this series. It's great to see how they've all progressed and how they're relationships all weave together - sometimes causing conflict.
This last book, more so than the others, involves current events - from World War II era and both before and after - to help shape Larten and tell his tale.
The story covers a long time period - about a century - while focusing on a pretty contained set of events and their aftermath - so readers get a great sense of how those things affect Larten and how he both deals with them and grows from them without the story getting too bogged down in the day to day (or even week to week or month to month) which wouldn't fit with the character.
We've seen Larten as a young, impoverished boy working with silk worms in a factory, we saw him as the young Cub vampire finding his way - drinking and making a general ruckus - we saw him find love and now we see it all come full circle, really. Whether readers have read the Cirque Du Freak series or not, this is a great either introduction to or expansion on the Larten Crepsley character. You really have a great sense of not only who he is but why he is that way and how he got that way, where he's come from after reading this prequel series.
This series works well as a standalone but likely much, much better as a supplement to the original or a brilliant introduction for new readers who have yet to start that series.
Thank you to LBYR for my copy of this book for review :)
January 23, 2014
Larten has finally found his place in society-being friends with and looking after Alicia and helping to save humans and vampires from the Nazis during WW2. However tragedy, betrayal and Desmond Tiny are lurking to push Larten into starting the war against the Vampaneze.
I really enjoyed this book as it used the backdrop of WW2, which I have studied myself in great detail. I enjoyed seeing how both vampire clans actually have standards and believe the Nazis to be the true monsters. With the addition of Holly's story, you can see the vampaneze aren't just the bad guys we saw them as in the SODS. These books have given you a bit more depth and understanding of their motives and beliefs, which I found interesting.
Larten goes from peaceful to bloodthirsty in this book, determined to take his revenge even if it means starting a war that will kill lots of vampires on both sides. His relationship with Gavner has changed for the better but the disaster pulls them apart, while shared loss and politics brings him closer to Wester. Kurda disapproves of the war and tries to promote peace, which shows why he did those terrible things in SODS. It was great to see his back story, having him helping Holocaust victims, and you wish he was going to make better choices in his future! And don't you just want to kill Desmond Tiny? The horrid cretinous toad of a 'man' creeps me out and I really hate him and his meddling. Of course we are meant to hate the evil bamstick which shows how well written his character is.
The humour was good, especially from Arra, when she was asked to use her saliva to help heal Kurda's humans. 'Show us where to gob!'
But I HATE the title, which when combined with the blurb, leaves it pretty damn obvious who is going to betray Larten and it is then obvious what the betrayer has done. This did spoil the book a bit for me as I didn't want to know from the beginning how this was going to end. You know the fate of most characters because there is a prequel series and that is ok but I didn't want this book's main story spoiled before I even started! Boo, hiss!
Overall I did enjoy reading this series about Larten Crepsley and his vampire friends.
I really enjoyed this book as it used the backdrop of WW2, which I have studied myself in great detail. I enjoyed seeing how both vampire clans actually have standards and believe the Nazis to be the true monsters. With the addition of Holly's story, you can see the vampaneze aren't just the bad guys we saw them as in the SODS. These books have given you a bit more depth and understanding of their motives and beliefs, which I found interesting.
Larten goes from peaceful to bloodthirsty in this book, determined to take his revenge even if it means starting a war that will kill lots of vampires on both sides. His relationship with Gavner has changed for the better but the disaster pulls them apart, while shared loss and politics brings him closer to Wester. Kurda disapproves of the war and tries to promote peace, which shows why he did those terrible things in SODS. It was great to see his back story, having him helping Holocaust victims, and you wish he was going to make better choices in his future! And don't you just want to kill Desmond Tiny? The horrid cretinous toad of a 'man' creeps me out and I really hate him and his meddling. Of course we are meant to hate the evil bamstick which shows how well written his character is.
The humour was good, especially from Arra, when she was asked to use her saliva to help heal Kurda's humans. 'Show us where to gob!'
But I HATE the title, which when combined with the blurb, leaves it pretty damn obvious who is going to betray Larten and it is then obvious what the betrayer has done. This did spoil the book a bit for me as I didn't want to know from the beginning how this was going to end. You know the fate of most characters because there is a prequel series and that is ok but I didn't want this book's main story spoiled before I even started! Boo, hiss!
Overall I did enjoy reading this series about Larten Crepsley and his vampire friends.
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