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The Saga of Darren Shan #2
The Vampire's Assistant
The Vampire's Assistant is the second instalment in the saga of Darren Shan, which began with Cirque du Freak. Then, Darren made the difficult decision to become a half-vampire to save his best mate Steve Leopard's life. Now, he must leave his friends and family behind as he travels cross-country with the vampire Mr Crepsley and the Cirque du Freak. Early on, Darren dispels the vampire myth in his typically facetious fashion:
Crosses and holy water didn't hurt us. All garlic did was give us bad breath ... A stake through the heart would kill us, of course, but so would a bullet or a knife or electricity ... We were tougher to kill than normal people, but we weren't indestructible.However, despite Darren's seeming flippancy, The Vampire's Assistant is not for the squeamish or faint-hearted. How long can Darren go before he must drink human blood? How safe are Darren's new-found friends? Why don't the mysterious, blue-hooded dwarves speak or cry out in pain? And does their master Mr Des Tiny really feed on little children? No one is safe in this gruesome, macabre tale--more a who's-going-to-do-what than a who-dunnit:
And then the red monster was on him. Stanley opened his mouth to scream, but before he could, the monster's hands--claws?--clamped over his mouth. There was a brief struggle, then Stanley was sliding to the floor, unconscious, unseeing, unknowing.Familiar characters include Mr Tall, the wolf-man and Evra, the snake boy, who are more fleshed out in this follow-up. New characters include Darren's new mate Sam and R G (Reggie Veggie), an ecowarrior. If book one whet your appetite, then The Vampire's Assistant will certainly leave you hungry for more. Watch out for the next fang-tastic sequel. --Nicola Perry
169 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2000
736 people are currently reading
8786 people want to read
About the author
Darren Shan
243 books8,271 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 1,906 reviews
December 10, 2020
THIS IS NOT a unicorns-and-rainbows middle school book and I loved it for that.
Finally, something where morals do not outweigh the plot. Finally, there's evil characters who are truly evil (and not merely misunderstood). Finally, a book where death actually exists and poses a real threat.
Hallelujah.
Darren is still reeling from the events of the last book. He must cope with becoming a bloodthirsty creature of the night. He doesn't want to kill, but is finding the impulse increasingly more difficult to resist.
Meanwhile, he's becoming fast friends with a snake-boy (Evra Von), a human-boy (Sam Grest) and eco-activist (Reggie Veggie). I love Evra's personality - his dry humour combined with his outlandish snakeboyness. I wish he played a larger role in the series.
As with the first book, what first is a fun adventure, quickly turns onto a nightmare of both physical and mental anguish.
.
P.s. If you read the books, I'd recommend waiting at least 2-3 years prior to watching the movie. The movie was based on the first and second book. That way you'd forget enough so you won't say, "but that wasn't in the books," on repeat.
Audiobook Comments
Well read, if a bit monotone.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Finally, something where morals do not outweigh the plot. Finally, there's evil characters who are truly evil (and not merely misunderstood). Finally, a book where death actually exists and poses a real threat.
Hallelujah.
Darren is still reeling from the events of the last book. He must cope with becoming a bloodthirsty creature of the night. He doesn't want to kill, but is finding the impulse increasingly more difficult to resist.
Meanwhile, he's becoming fast friends with a snake-boy (Evra Von), a human-boy (Sam Grest) and eco-activist (Reggie Veggie). I love Evra's personality - his dry humour combined with his outlandish snakeboyness. I wish he played a larger role in the series.
As with the first book, what first is a fun adventure, quickly turns onto a nightmare of both physical and mental anguish.
.
P.s. If you read the books, I'd recommend waiting at least 2-3 years prior to watching the movie. The movie was based on the first and second book. That way you'd forget enough so you won't say, "but that wasn't in the books," on repeat.
Audiobook Comments
Well read, if a bit monotone.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
July 22, 2018
The book was a quick, enjoyable, fun read. I liked it!
Darren is miserable. His master, Mr. Crepsley, keeps pressuring him to drink human blood, but Darren refuses hoping to keep his humanity. But with each day that passes without drinking human blood Darren grows weaker. Crepsley warns Darren that if he does not drink he will die. On top of all this Darren is lonely for friends his own age. So Crepsley takes them back to the Cirque du Freak where this story takes place.
I am enjoying this series a lot more than The Saga of Larten Crepsley series I read previously. Darren seems much more of a real and relatable character. Though I think most boys would LOVE to be a vampire, Darren’s struggle with losing his humanity feels real even for someone young.
To read my review of the other books in this series, use the links below:
Book One: A Living Nightmare
Book Three: Tunnels of Blood
Book Four: Vampire Mountain
Book Five: Trials of Death
Book Six: The Vampire Prince
Book Seven: Hunters of the Dusk
August 13, 2013
I really had to think about my rating for this one for quite a while. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars for a few days because of one thing: the heavy-handed foreshadowing.
The more I thought about it though, and especially after finishing the book, I realized one really important thing: these books are not written for people my age. Without the foreshadowing and the constant mentioning that bad things are coming, I honestly think that what happens could be severely traumatic, upsetting, and disturbing for a child to read (and this is set at 12 and up, so if you're a parent I'd suggest reading these first before handing them off to your kids.) I'm being very serious when I say that this could be nightmare material. The foreshadowing is therefor quite necessary because it prepares the reader for the very awful things that happen.
And even then, with the foreshadowing and warnings, I still wasn't prepared for the ending; it still left me shaken and upset and even surprised at how wrong things went. I was almost left with my mouth hanging open (and a few tears in my eyes) when the shit hit the fan. It was intense and scary and pretty much everything you'd want in this type of book.
Cirque du Freak is turning into a great, and well, I don't want to say fun series because it's horror and that's not really fun, you know? But it's entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat and I read the third book the very next night in one sitting. The characters are well-written, the world is fascinating and strange and just terrifying enough for an adult, and the story is so different from any others I've encountered that I've actually continued reading the series instead of bouncing off to something else instead. I rarely continue on with a series but with this one I find myself opening up the next book as soon as I finish the last because I can't wait to see what will happen.
If you're looking for something gory, scary, and well-written, then grab this series and give it a chance. I can say I'm enjoying it immensely and will probably read the whole series in the next week or two.
The more I thought about it though, and especially after finishing the book, I realized one really important thing: these books are not written for people my age. Without the foreshadowing and the constant mentioning that bad things are coming, I honestly think that what happens could be severely traumatic, upsetting, and disturbing for a child to read (and this is set at 12 and up, so if you're a parent I'd suggest reading these first before handing them off to your kids.) I'm being very serious when I say that this could be nightmare material. The foreshadowing is therefor quite necessary because it prepares the reader for the very awful things that happen.
And even then, with the foreshadowing and warnings, I still wasn't prepared for the ending; it still left me shaken and upset and even surprised at how wrong things went. I was almost left with my mouth hanging open (and a few tears in my eyes) when the shit hit the fan. It was intense and scary and pretty much everything you'd want in this type of book.
Cirque du Freak is turning into a great, and well, I don't want to say fun series because it's horror and that's not really fun, you know? But it's entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat and I read the third book the very next night in one sitting. The characters are well-written, the world is fascinating and strange and just terrifying enough for an adult, and the story is so different from any others I've encountered that I've actually continued reading the series instead of bouncing off to something else instead. I rarely continue on with a series but with this one I find myself opening up the next book as soon as I finish the last because I can't wait to see what will happen.
If you're looking for something gory, scary, and well-written, then grab this series and give it a chance. I can say I'm enjoying it immensely and will probably read the whole series in the next week or two.
July 26, 2016
I didn't know what to read next, even though Blood Song was already on my currently reading list, so I decided to rearrange a part of my bookshelf. I noticed book 3 lying around with a couple of other random books. I then had a slight feeling of wanting to continue on with the series. I heard nothing but great things, but book 1 managed to disappoint me. Setting the bad past experience of book 1 aside, I decided to read the book 2 and decide after if I would finish the series or not. Despite the 3 star rating I gave this, I have to admit that I can't wait to finish all of the books in the series.
This can be considered one of those YA-horror books that you should've read when you were actually a young-adult. I'm turning 20 this year, so I didn't find anything creepy about this novel. What I liked though would be the coming-of-age feeling it had. I like reading about an adventure of a kid growing up, so this series might be the thing to read, and hopefully resurrect the YA genre for me. I've given up on the genre way too long ago, but I still try to read a few of them once in a while and see if something floats my boat. This is one of those boat floaters, and I'm glad I continued on.
This second novel was way superior to the first one. All introductions aside, it was a great novel of adventure. The writing was okay for me, it didn't have any major issue so I don't have much to complain about. The plot was also consistent, and the latter parts had a good amount of action. I liked reading about how the main character had to make important life decisions. Hopefully he grows older in the next novels, because I would like to see the possible development of the main character.
While reading this, I remembered an episode from Fairly Odd Parents wherein Timmy Turner joined the circus for a day, but ended up missing his family so he decided to go home. This series seems like that at first, but the main character didn't go back, he became a full member of the circus. I would love to read more about his adventures with Cirque Du Freak, and thankfully there are 10 more books in the series.
3/5 stars. Nothing spectacular, but it's one of the few YA series that managed to catch my attention. I'm sure the author has more tricks up his sleeves in the next novels.
This can be considered one of those YA-horror books that you should've read when you were actually a young-adult. I'm turning 20 this year, so I didn't find anything creepy about this novel. What I liked though would be the coming-of-age feeling it had. I like reading about an adventure of a kid growing up, so this series might be the thing to read, and hopefully resurrect the YA genre for me. I've given up on the genre way too long ago, but I still try to read a few of them once in a while and see if something floats my boat. This is one of those boat floaters, and I'm glad I continued on.
This second novel was way superior to the first one. All introductions aside, it was a great novel of adventure. The writing was okay for me, it didn't have any major issue so I don't have much to complain about. The plot was also consistent, and the latter parts had a good amount of action. I liked reading about how the main character had to make important life decisions. Hopefully he grows older in the next novels, because I would like to see the possible development of the main character.
While reading this, I remembered an episode from Fairly Odd Parents wherein Timmy Turner joined the circus for a day, but ended up missing his family so he decided to go home. This series seems like that at first, but the main character didn't go back, he became a full member of the circus. I would love to read more about his adventures with Cirque Du Freak, and thankfully there are 10 more books in the series.
3/5 stars. Nothing spectacular, but it's one of the few YA series that managed to catch my attention. I'm sure the author has more tricks up his sleeves in the next novels.
March 28, 2022
my least favorite of the series i think, for no particular reason. maybe just darren’s refusal to drink human blood 😂 i’m like, i get it but let’s hurry up and get to the good plot. <3
July 6, 2025
دلم برای دارن شان تنگ شده بود . نویسنده ای که مجذوب کننده مینویسه درسته مثل بار اولی که این کتاب رو خوندم تحت تاثیر قرار نگرفتم ولی همچنان به شدت ازش لذت بردم ، خیلی خوشحالم که هنوز ده جلد دیگه برای خوندن دارم . بالاخره بعد مدت ها تونستم کالکشن دارن شان و همین طور آقای کرپسلی رو کامل کنم و الان موقع خوندن اوناست . پس باید یه تابستون خاطره انگیز ساخت مگه نه ؟ همراه دارن و آقای کرپسلی و دوستان دیگه .
پایان ۱۵ تیر ماه سال ۱۴۰۴
۱۰:۴۰ دقیقه شب
پایان ۱۵ تیر ماه سال ۱۴۰۴
۱۰:۴۰ دقیقه شب
January 11, 2021
I liked this book slightly better than the first, but it still has some flaws. The narrator of the audiobook is not the greatest and the writing style is not very complex, but the characters grew to be more likable in this book and some new interesting characters were introduced. This series is also very addicting and each book is really short, so if you're looking for a bingeable series, check out this one.
I was shocked by how gory and graphic this book was. It's considered a middle grade book yet some of the scenes made my stomach churn with nausea. Those scenes were not a fun experience for me.
There is one massive thing about this series that doesn't make sense to me: why does everyone want to join the cirque? It is not described in a very appealing way and some of the freaks in the show are very dangerous yet people keep begging to join the cirque. It doesn't make sense...
I was shocked by how gory and graphic this book was. It's considered a middle grade book yet some of the scenes made my stomach churn with nausea. Those scenes were not a fun experience for me.
There is one massive thing about this series that doesn't make sense to me: why does everyone want to join the cirque? It is not described in a very appealing way and some of the freaks in the show are very dangerous yet people keep begging to join the cirque. It doesn't make sense...
May 14, 2019
داستان تو جلد دوم از نظر داستانی یه مقدار سرعت اتفاقاتش کمتر شد و بیشتر به شخصیتپردازی پرداخت که به نظرم بهجا بود. مشتاقانه منتظر فرصتم تا سراغ جلد بعدی برم.
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یادگاری از کتاب:
مگر قهرمان کیست؟ کسی است که زندگیاش را وقف یک کار خوب یا یک انسان میکند، اینطور نیست؟
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یادگاری از کتاب:
مگر قهرمان کیست؟ کسی است که زندگیاش را وقف یک کار خوب یا یک انسان میکند، اینطور نیست؟
November 18, 2007
What makes Darren Shan's books a great read is that even though they're over 200 pages long, I can easily finish them. The action within this book is very quick and there's always something new for you to read. The ending for me was a little shocking, but the way that Darren Shan writes makes you want to read the next book. The Vampire's Assistant is the 2nd book in a series of seven books. After reading the Dreamcatcher which was over 800 pages long this was an easy read and very quick. For many this book might seem scary especially just by looking at the cover. However, when you start reading personally I don't find it scary and I know it's unrealistic. Even though this book is fantasy Darren Shan creates a lot of imagery for me as a reader. I feel like I can imagine everything and it's like a movie playing in my head. The more you read the closer you feel to the characters and with a strong relationship you start to feel nervous, when they feel nervous, and relieved when they feel relieved. Darren Shan writes in a way that as a reader you become part of the book, and that's what makes it so fun to read his books.
November 29, 2021
Re-reading a favorite series from when I was younger!
December 31, 2017
بدايتها بطيئة، أحداثها غير مخيفة على عكس ما توقعت
النهاية أفضل ما فيها، آخر 30 صفحة تقريبًا كانوا الأفضل
الكتاب الأخير لهذا العام، عام 2017 وداعًا :)
النهاية أفضل ما فيها، آخر 30 صفحة تقريبًا كانوا الأفضل
الكتاب الأخير لهذا العام، عام 2017 وداعًا :)
June 5, 2016
“The hunger inside us must be fed to be controlled.”
Wow. This one blew my reading mind all over the place, being far superior to the first. Both stories were good and this was a continuation where the first left off; however, this one was more consistent with plot, pacing, and even richer in story detail. Generally the tales of "when all the big, bad begins" has the most suspense and ambition, but in this case the character slowly settling into his new world ended up kicking the previous books butt and taking names.
The ensemble of bizarre circus characters was truly intriguing - from his new friends and the unusual problems they face, to the leaders in charge who he must be wary of in both power and crossing lines, to some of the difficult and at times morally questionable work, Darren is also cursed with trying to accept what he now is and what he must do to survive.
Sounding more emo than it really is, the boy doesn't struggle too much on page but instead experiences with a rampage of other emotions relating to interesting plot details. Mr. Crepsley is slowly growing on me. I could have done without him the first book, took him or left him, but here he's more enjoyable in his role.
It's a little over 200 pages, and with the quick action and something new always happening, it's a quick read. Even if there is a vampire theme and the cover is a bit eerie for youngsters, it's more of a drama piece than anything thrillerish. There are horrifying incidents that occur, but these are all seriousness, no cheese.
There's a decent amount of gore compared to the first and as a young adult for this age level, but it's not on the adult plane. Whether a parent wishes for their children to read this or not....well, it would depend of the child's sensitivity level. This one takes it more into the realm of teenager, I think.
Shan certainly has an amazing ability with words, to where when reading it you can clearly picture whatever's going on, making it clear and real, mentally impressing and everlasting in memory.
The ending of this book was shocking, especially for a young adult.
It broke my heart.
The first one was addicting and easy to fall into after an awkward meeting; this one continues it to be such an awesome experience that it's forever on my "keeper shelf." Almost surreal sometimes, exciting others, tragic and powerful, this one packs a huge punch that you WANT to be hit by. I can't recommend this highly enough for horror fans, young adult enthusiasts, adults, and people who enjoy different sorts of fantastic worlds peppering with circus tricks, loners struggling to survive in a world which rejects them, and coming to term with life-altering changes. Basically this is recommended for all readers everywhere.
Wow. This one blew my reading mind all over the place, being far superior to the first. Both stories were good and this was a continuation where the first left off; however, this one was more consistent with plot, pacing, and even richer in story detail. Generally the tales of "when all the big, bad begins" has the most suspense and ambition, but in this case the character slowly settling into his new world ended up kicking the previous books butt and taking names.
The ensemble of bizarre circus characters was truly intriguing - from his new friends and the unusual problems they face, to the leaders in charge who he must be wary of in both power and crossing lines, to some of the difficult and at times morally questionable work, Darren is also cursed with trying to accept what he now is and what he must do to survive.
Sounding more emo than it really is, the boy doesn't struggle too much on page but instead experiences with a rampage of other emotions relating to interesting plot details. Mr. Crepsley is slowly growing on me. I could have done without him the first book, took him or left him, but here he's more enjoyable in his role.
It's a little over 200 pages, and with the quick action and something new always happening, it's a quick read. Even if there is a vampire theme and the cover is a bit eerie for youngsters, it's more of a drama piece than anything thrillerish. There are horrifying incidents that occur, but these are all seriousness, no cheese.
There's a decent amount of gore compared to the first and as a young adult for this age level, but it's not on the adult plane. Whether a parent wishes for their children to read this or not....well, it would depend of the child's sensitivity level. This one takes it more into the realm of teenager, I think.
Shan certainly has an amazing ability with words, to where when reading it you can clearly picture whatever's going on, making it clear and real, mentally impressing and everlasting in memory.
The ending of this book was shocking, especially for a young adult.
It broke my heart.
The first one was addicting and easy to fall into after an awkward meeting; this one continues it to be such an awesome experience that it's forever on my "keeper shelf." Almost surreal sometimes, exciting others, tragic and powerful, this one packs a huge punch that you WANT to be hit by. I can't recommend this highly enough for horror fans, young adult enthusiasts, adults, and people who enjoy different sorts of fantastic worlds peppering with circus tricks, loners struggling to survive in a world which rejects them, and coming to term with life-altering changes. Basically this is recommended for all readers everywhere.
February 4, 2021
Oh me oh my!!! This series has suddenly taken off and I’m loving it!!! Darren’s story has seriously because super interesting, funny, and kind of intense. I mean intense in the best of ways. I couldn’t stop listening to it!! And I was so psyched that I immediately downloaded the next in the series.
Darren is much more likable now and I’m starting to care about what happens to him and his friends. So much happened in this one and considering how short it is, it’s nonstop awesomeness!! I especially like the wolf man in this one, even considering... well, I’m not going to spoil it.
This is a book/ series that I can highly recommend!! But be careful, it’s an addictive read!!
Darren is much more likable now and I’m starting to care about what happens to him and his friends. So much happened in this one and considering how short it is, it’s nonstop awesomeness!! I especially like the wolf man in this one, even considering... well, I’m not going to spoil it.
This is a book/ series that I can highly recommend!! But be careful, it’s an addictive read!!
November 15, 2009
The Vampires Assistant
By: Darren Shan
Twilight? Evermore? No, this isn't your average vampire book. Not all lovey-dovey, but real vampires. This book has no love, but it had cruelty. This book has things that Twilight and Evermore hid from you. This is just the second of the twelve books.
Darren, the main character in the book, gives up his human life to become a vampire in order to save his best friend, Steven. Steven, in the first book, A living Nightmare got bitten by Mr. Crepsley's spider, Madam Octa. Mr. Crepsley is the person who blooded Darren to make him a vampire. You should read the first book before reading this. In this book, Darren is the assistant of Mr. Crepsley, he learns the way of becoming a vampire, learns the danger of becoming a vampire, and learns the behavior of a vampire. Vampires don't kill when they feed, they just get enough blood to satisfy them. If I was Mr. Crepsley, I would be patient with Darren because Darren became a vampire at such a young age. Patience is needed to teach someone that became blooded at the age of 14.
I absolutely loved this book. I borrowed the whole series at once, just so I can finish it all within about 5 days, so I don't need to leave myself hanging. Although I've reread this book tons and tons of times, I still get the same feeling when certain things happen. This book can't compare to Harry Potter though, cause that is my first favorite book. I loved this book because it was interesting to see how many different kinds of vampire books are there.
I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't like Twilight. This book has a bit of love in it, but isn't all over love like Twilight. Every library has this book, probably even the school library. This book is so awesome, don't miss a chance to read it!
By: Darren Shan
Twilight? Evermore? No, this isn't your average vampire book. Not all lovey-dovey, but real vampires. This book has no love, but it had cruelty. This book has things that Twilight and Evermore hid from you. This is just the second of the twelve books.
Darren, the main character in the book, gives up his human life to become a vampire in order to save his best friend, Steven. Steven, in the first book, A living Nightmare got bitten by Mr. Crepsley's spider, Madam Octa. Mr. Crepsley is the person who blooded Darren to make him a vampire. You should read the first book before reading this. In this book, Darren is the assistant of Mr. Crepsley, he learns the way of becoming a vampire, learns the danger of becoming a vampire, and learns the behavior of a vampire. Vampires don't kill when they feed, they just get enough blood to satisfy them. If I was Mr. Crepsley, I would be patient with Darren because Darren became a vampire at such a young age. Patience is needed to teach someone that became blooded at the age of 14.
I absolutely loved this book. I borrowed the whole series at once, just so I can finish it all within about 5 days, so I don't need to leave myself hanging. Although I've reread this book tons and tons of times, I still get the same feeling when certain things happen. This book can't compare to Harry Potter though, cause that is my first favorite book. I loved this book because it was interesting to see how many different kinds of vampire books are there.
I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't like Twilight. This book has a bit of love in it, but isn't all over love like Twilight. Every library has this book, probably even the school library. This book is so awesome, don't miss a chance to read it!
January 26, 2022
What an incredible second installation to the Cirque Du Freak series! Darren isn't too keen on the new life that was all but forced upon him, but it does prove to be exciting and full of interesting characters. We meet several new and fun people, and a few not-so-fun and interesting people (possible villains!). The atmosphere isn't as sinister as we originally thought in Book 1, and yet the characters prove they aren't all what they seem to be at first meeting.
Darren's new friendships at first bring him solace with his new life, but he's still not fond of Mr. Crepsley or the vampire world. A vampire novel trope is, naturally, going through the motions of leaving one's humanity behind and adapting to this new way of life; this is my favorite version of that process, this series. Darren is going to be 12 (I don't think his age is ever officially mentioned but the Wiki says he's 12) for a long time, and not exactly a normal, average human 12-year-old.
The first book opened the door to Mr. Crepsley creepy world; the second book kicks the door ajar and invites in to get a firsthand experience. It's a great setup to the future adventures Darren and his freak friends are going to go on, and I'm super excited to continue with him!
Also, note: My 12-year-old brother loved this series! He read all 12 books in less than a week!
Darren's new friendships at first bring him solace with his new life, but he's still not fond of Mr. Crepsley or the vampire world. A vampire novel trope is, naturally, going through the motions of leaving one's humanity behind and adapting to this new way of life; this is my favorite version of that process, this series. Darren is going to be 12 (I don't think his age is ever officially mentioned but the Wiki says he's 12) for a long time, and not exactly a normal, average human 12-year-old.
The first book opened the door to Mr. Crepsley creepy world; the second book kicks the door ajar and invites in to get a firsthand experience. It's a great setup to the future adventures Darren and his freak friends are going to go on, and I'm super excited to continue with him!
Also, note: My 12-year-old brother loved this series! He read all 12 books in less than a week!
November 19, 2016
The adventure continues of Darren, the half-vampire, as a vampire's assistant with the freak show. In this book he makes two new friends as he is adjusting to life as a half-vampire. He's coming to terms with drinking human blood -- stubbornly refusing to do so -- and meets an ecowarrior vegetarian nicknamed "Reggie Veggie" who will cause some trouble for Darren. I loved the book's age-appropriate discussion on environmental protection and animal rights. As someone who has been a vegan for quite a while now, I thought the conversations between R.V. and Darren were true to life and the author did a great job in having a vegetarian character who wasn't dumb or obnoxious and who could offer a unique perspective on the freak show. Once again the book is very dark and macabre, which I love, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!
May 28, 2018
The Vampire's Assistant was an excellent young adult novel that is full of thrills and chills!
I watched the movie adaption of this series YEARS ago, and I had been dying to pick up this series. Unfortunately for me, the bookstore is big and full of millions of books so I'd forget what I was looking for the minute I walked in. Luckily for me, I walked into a bargain bookstore and found an old, extremely damaged version of this book for clearance - so of course I bought it! A little water never hurt anybody!
I hadn't read the first book in this series, but jumping right in was super easy! This book was fun, full of silly frights and awesome character development, and made me remember why I loved vampire novels in my youth!
This book is quick - it moves fast and keeps you interested at every turn. There's some really creepy bad guys, Evra (the snake boy), a wolf man, and some awesome parental-yet-not-so-parental adults hanging around. It's definitely the type of horror book I would read as a kid (but it doesn't scare me at all now - adult me has worse things to be afraid of...like politics and bills...ick).
I highly recommend this book to anyone considering introducing their children to YA books with horror or vampires in it. It's fun and creepy in all good ways! It'll keep the adults interested too!
Four out of five stars!
I watched the movie adaption of this series YEARS ago, and I had been dying to pick up this series. Unfortunately for me, the bookstore is big and full of millions of books so I'd forget what I was looking for the minute I walked in. Luckily for me, I walked into a bargain bookstore and found an old, extremely damaged version of this book for clearance - so of course I bought it! A little water never hurt anybody!
I hadn't read the first book in this series, but jumping right in was super easy! This book was fun, full of silly frights and awesome character development, and made me remember why I loved vampire novels in my youth!
This book is quick - it moves fast and keeps you interested at every turn. There's some really creepy bad guys, Evra (the snake boy), a wolf man, and some awesome parental-yet-not-so-parental adults hanging around. It's definitely the type of horror book I would read as a kid (but it doesn't scare me at all now - adult me has worse things to be afraid of...like politics and bills...ick).
I highly recommend this book to anyone considering introducing their children to YA books with horror or vampires in it. It's fun and creepy in all good ways! It'll keep the adults interested too!
Four out of five stars!
June 5, 2024
4.25 stars
February 24, 2024
2024 Reread:
Still holds up - a real fun and easy read.
----
Resist the urge Darren, do not succumb to the dark side.
I kid, you're a vampire's assistant now boy - go do the thing where the thing needs doing.
These books were amazing as a kid, I'm not going to tarnish my joyful memory of these books by rereading them - but alas, I just love the evil.
Muahahahaha - insert diabolical laughter echo here.
Still holds up - a real fun and easy read.
----
Resist the urge Darren, do not succumb to the dark side.
I kid, you're a vampire's assistant now boy - go do the thing where the thing needs doing.
These books were amazing as a kid, I'm not going to tarnish my joyful memory of these books by rereading them - but alas, I just love the evil.
Muahahahaha - insert diabolical laughter echo here.
July 6, 2015
I definitely need a break after tolerating this amount of stupidity!!!
But I can't leave the story. I'll start the series again some other time.
But I can't leave the story. I'll start the series again some other time.
July 27, 2021
I don’t write reviews.
This was a nice story. Friendship forms the heart of it. Nothing too amazing, but I’ll continue the series I think. Light light easy reading.
This was a nice story. Friendship forms the heart of it. Nothing too amazing, but I’ll continue the series I think. Light light easy reading.
December 27, 2024
The Vampire assistant
Author: Darren Shan
"For a long time that's all I could do, howl and scream and cry like the wild animal of the night that I'd become."
Darren's life is changed forever after he decides to work as the assistant to the vampire Mr. Crepsley in exchange for a favor that would completely change his future...
Becoming a vampire's assistant is not something you do overnight. Darren must say goodbye to his human life for good. He will permanently change into a half vampire and in time he will transform into a full vampire.
The history of the vampires is very extensive. They have an enemy clan called the Vampanese who cause quite a stir. In this part they are added to the storyline and in the later parts more and more gets revealed about their way of thinking and history.
There is so much going on in this volume. The world of vampires is expanded and the author adds a large cast of new characters that are all very diverse and original.
There are a number of elements in the storyline that can be experienced as shocking by young children. I read online that the series can be read from 9/11 years and older, but I do not completely agree with that.
Trigger warnings:
Body horror (limbs being torn off), Blood (ritual), spider, ilness, coma, near death experience, violence, murder, grief
Author: Darren Shan
"For a long time that's all I could do, howl and scream and cry like the wild animal of the night that I'd become."
Darren's life is changed forever after he decides to work as the assistant to the vampire Mr. Crepsley in exchange for a favor that would completely change his future...
Becoming a vampire's assistant is not something you do overnight. Darren must say goodbye to his human life for good. He will permanently change into a half vampire and in time he will transform into a full vampire.
The history of the vampires is very extensive. They have an enemy clan called the Vampanese who cause quite a stir. In this part they are added to the storyline and in the later parts more and more gets revealed about their way of thinking and history.
There is so much going on in this volume. The world of vampires is expanded and the author adds a large cast of new characters that are all very diverse and original.
There are a number of elements in the storyline that can be experienced as shocking by young children. I read online that the series can be read from 9/11 years and older, but I do not completely agree with that.
Trigger warnings:
Body horror (limbs being torn off), Blood (ritual), spider, ilness, coma, near death experience, violence, murder, grief
May 24, 2017
Another lively chapter book for children
Now we have a werewolf
And an animal rights activist
Do the two mix?
Now we have a werewolf
And an animal rights activist
Do the two mix?
July 17, 2022
مرگ سام سریع و عجیب بود
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2020
Me gusta que sea cruel y sangriento, porque la historia es así y las consecuencias de distintos errores tienen que ir acorde al tono del libro. Dicho eso, me esperaba completamente el final, pero porque el autor siempre dice "pero yo no sabía que eso sería un gran error", "jamás creí que debido a eso ocurriría un baño de sangre" y así durante casi todos los capítulos. Una o dos veces está bien para crear suspenso, pero llegó un punto en el que me aburría.
Quiero decir que Mr Crepsley me parece una gran persona y se merece más respeto y amor del que recibe. En serio. Es más considerado y bueno que el 90% de los humanos que conozco y Darren no le da ni de cerca lo que ese pobre vampiro merece.
Me estresa Darren, como persona, no como personaje. Entiendo que es un niño y es parte de esa etapa de la vida las continuas incoherencias y torpezas, por eso lo aguanto. Sin embargo, me parece bastante hipócrita y cruel con Mr Crepsley. Al menos al final le da un abrazo, pero no es suficiente considerando lo que ese vampiro hace por él.
Sigo sintiendo que todo es muy introductorio, al menos los libros se leen rápido y son divertidos. Creo que lo que estoy extrañando es un antagonista, quizá Steve, o un villano. En este libro con R.V. no se sintió como un villano, al final él tenía razón, el problema es cuando intentas imponer tu forma de ver el mundo a los demás y, bueno, pagó por ello. Sin embargo, no era como tal una contraparte, así que estos dos libros que llevo hasta ahora son muy de historias del día a día de un asistente de vampiro.
Claro que seguiré con los demás libros, ya quiero que empiece a agarrar más fuerza la historia y que aparezca una trama para salir de esta gran introducción. Y, para qué negarlo, quiero leer más de Mr Crepsley, quiero felicidad para él y todas las cosas buenas.
Quiero decir que Mr Crepsley me parece una gran persona y se merece más respeto y amor del que recibe. En serio. Es más considerado y bueno que el 90% de los humanos que conozco y Darren no le da ni de cerca lo que ese pobre vampiro merece.
Me estresa Darren, como persona, no como personaje. Entiendo que es un niño y es parte de esa etapa de la vida las continuas incoherencias y torpezas, por eso lo aguanto. Sin embargo, me parece bastante hipócrita y cruel con Mr Crepsley. Al menos al final le da un abrazo, pero no es suficiente considerando lo que ese vampiro hace por él.
Sigo sintiendo que todo es muy introductorio, al menos los libros se leen rápido y son divertidos. Creo que lo que estoy extrañando es un antagonista, quizá Steve, o un villano. En este libro con R.V. no se sintió como un villano, al final él tenía razón, el problema es cuando intentas imponer tu forma de ver el mundo a los demás y, bueno, pagó por ello. Sin embargo, no era como tal una contraparte, así que estos dos libros que llevo hasta ahora son muy de historias del día a día de un asistente de vampiro.
Claro que seguiré con los demás libros, ya quiero que empiece a agarrar más fuerza la historia y que aparezca una trama para salir de esta gran introducción. Y, para qué negarlo, quiero leer más de Mr Crepsley, quiero felicidad para él y todas las cosas buenas.
October 23, 2021
7.71 on CAWPILE
December 21, 2012
About the Book:
After witnessing a freak show, Darren Shan meets Mr. Crepsley, a vampire, and Madam Octa, Crepsley's performing spider. Shan ends up stealing Madam Octa, but when something goes wrong, he has to return to Crepsley for help. However, there is a condition and now Darren is Mr. Crepsley's half-vampire assistant. Of course, becoming a half-vampire has its disadvantages. Darren has to leave behind his family and friends, it's impossible for him to make new ones, and there is also the fact that he will die if he refuses to drink human blood. Now, there is nothing that can be done with the first problem, but Crepsley decides to help with the second by taking him back to the Cirque so that he can make some new friends that will prove tougher than humans. Unfortunately, other problems are still bound to arise...
Review:
This book was much more enjoyable to me than its prior counterpart. Although I am still unable to decipher Darren's age (I'm guessing twelve) and the dialogue is still flimsy, I found myself easily overlooking these faults and enjoying the story and adventure. It was really nice to see Darren interacting with more people his age, and his new friend, Evra Von, the snake boy, seems like he could be a pretty interesting guy. We are also introduced to Mr. Tiny in this book, who manages to be almost too weird to be frightening yet at the same time manages it quite well and has you wondering what sort of part he will play in the series. Granted, some of the characters are stereotypical, something that I have always disliked in a good portion of youth books. For example, Darren and his friends meet R.V., who is a vegetarian fighting against roads being built to help save the environment. Of course, he is an extremest, does drugs, smells bad, and says "man" a lot. I find it really disheartening when cliches like this are written, especially in books geared toward a younger audience. After all, shouldn't we be showing them that people aren't always the cliche? That aside though, I found this book an enjoyable read and have already opened up the next one. It's fast paced with a good macabre twists and originality.
After witnessing a freak show, Darren Shan meets Mr. Crepsley, a vampire, and Madam Octa, Crepsley's performing spider. Shan ends up stealing Madam Octa, but when something goes wrong, he has to return to Crepsley for help. However, there is a condition and now Darren is Mr. Crepsley's half-vampire assistant. Of course, becoming a half-vampire has its disadvantages. Darren has to leave behind his family and friends, it's impossible for him to make new ones, and there is also the fact that he will die if he refuses to drink human blood. Now, there is nothing that can be done with the first problem, but Crepsley decides to help with the second by taking him back to the Cirque so that he can make some new friends that will prove tougher than humans. Unfortunately, other problems are still bound to arise...
Review:
This book was much more enjoyable to me than its prior counterpart. Although I am still unable to decipher Darren's age (I'm guessing twelve) and the dialogue is still flimsy, I found myself easily overlooking these faults and enjoying the story and adventure. It was really nice to see Darren interacting with more people his age, and his new friend, Evra Von, the snake boy, seems like he could be a pretty interesting guy. We are also introduced to Mr. Tiny in this book, who manages to be almost too weird to be frightening yet at the same time manages it quite well and has you wondering what sort of part he will play in the series. Granted, some of the characters are stereotypical, something that I have always disliked in a good portion of youth books. For example, Darren and his friends meet R.V., who is a vegetarian fighting against roads being built to help save the environment. Of course, he is an extremest, does drugs, smells bad, and says "man" a lot. I find it really disheartening when cliches like this are written, especially in books geared toward a younger audience. After all, shouldn't we be showing them that people aren't always the cliche? That aside though, I found this book an enjoyable read and have already opened up the next one. It's fast paced with a good macabre twists and originality.
January 30, 2018
این کتاب رو هم من مثل یکش خیلی دوست داشتم.یکی از دلیل هاش به خاطر معناش بود،یکی دیگه از دلیل هاش هم به خاطر نوع نوشتار و داستانش بود.قابل توجه اونهایی که میخوان این مجموعه رو بخونن:این مجموعه اصلا ترسناک نیست.فقط شب قبل از خواب نخونیدش
راستی.من دیگه خوندن این مجموعه رو ادامه نمیدم.چون زیادی تخیلیه و من دارم تاریخ میخونم.از کتاب کوهستان اشباحشم زیاد خوشم نیومد.ولی فکر نکنید که من از تاریخ خوندن خسته شدم و بر خلاف میلم دیگه تخیلی نمیخونم.تاریخ عالیه.این کتاب اخرین کتاب تخیلی منه.ولی از کجا معلوم شاید یکی دوتا کتاب تخیلی هم بعدا بخونم.وقتی سنم رسید پندراگون هم میخونم چون داداشم خونده ش و گفته که خییییلی قشنگه ولی گفت که حداقل پونزده سالم بشه چون که کتاب سختیه
به نظر من همه ی اثار تخیلی شبیه هم هستند.و دلیلی که خیلی فروش میکنند اینه کسی که اون رو میخونه با اتفاقاتی مواجه میشه که واقعی نیست و بسیار هیجان انگیزه.و یه چیز دیگه هم اینکه به نظر من فهمیدن مفهوم ژانر فانتزی از همه ی ژانر ها سخت تره.به دو دلیل:1-فهمیدن مفهوم از بین اون همه اتفاقات دور از ذهن و همینطور هیجان انگیز کار بسیار سختیه.2-چون اتفاقات هیجان انگیز هستند ادم تا ته کتاب رو میخونه بدون اینکه به مفهوم داستان توجه کنه و بنابرین خوندنش تبدیل میشه به تفریح و سرگرمی.واینکه وقتی به تهش میرسی دیگه نمیتونی دقت کنی تا مفهومشو بفهمی و باید از اول بخونی که اینم سخته.ولی اگه در حین خوندن به مفهوم دقت کنی میشه.من توی یک قسمت از یک کتاب به اسم "چگونه کتاب بخوانیم" که اسم اون قسمت هم این بود:چگونه آثار تخیلی را بخوانیم،خوندم که برای فهمیدن مفهوم آثار تخیلی باید به اتفاقاتی که توی داستان میفته دقت کنیم و اونو به چیزی تشبیه کنیم.مثلا میبینیم توی کتاب اول سرزمین اشباح (اسپویل) همه فکر میکردند که توی سیرک عجایب همه با ادم های عجیب و غریب،مثلا کسایی که چند تا دست یا پ دارند بسیار بد رفتاری میشه و اونا رو توی قفس میذارند.که میتونی اینو به نژاد پرستی تشبیه کنی.و وقتی اون دو تا پسر رفتند به سیرک و دیدند که اینطوری نیست میتونی به این تشبیه کنی همه از روی ظاهر بقیه قضاوت میکنند.
حتی تو خیلی از آثار تخیلی بعد از یک اتفاق یا حتی قبلش خودش به طور غیر مستقیم بهت مفهوم رو میگه.من به همه پیشنهاد میکنم کتاب چگونه کتاب بخوانید را بخونید چون خیلی کسایی که توی ایران کتاب میخونند(و خیلی هم میخونند) حتی نمیدونند که چجوری کتاب بخونند و حتی متاسفانه برای تفریح میخونند
راستی.من دیگه خوندن این مجموعه رو ادامه نمیدم.چون زیادی تخیلیه و من دارم تاریخ میخونم.از کتاب کوهستان اشباحشم زیاد خوشم نیومد.ولی فکر نکنید که من از تاریخ خوندن خسته شدم و بر خلاف میلم دیگه تخیلی نمیخونم.تاریخ عالیه.این کتاب اخرین کتاب تخیلی منه.ولی از کجا معلوم شاید یکی دوتا کتاب تخیلی هم بعدا بخونم.وقتی سنم رسید پندراگون هم میخونم چون داداشم خونده ش و گفته که خییییلی قشنگه ولی گفت که حداقل پونزده سالم بشه چون که کتاب سختیه
به نظر من همه ی اثار تخیلی شبیه هم هستند.و دلیلی که خیلی فروش میکنند اینه کسی که اون رو میخونه با اتفاقاتی مواجه میشه که واقعی نیست و بسیار هیجان انگیزه.و یه چیز دیگه هم اینکه به نظر من فهمیدن مفهوم ژانر فانتزی از همه ی ژانر ها سخت تره.به دو دلیل:1-فهمیدن مفهوم از بین اون همه اتفاقات دور از ذهن و همینطور هیجان انگیز کار بسیار سختیه.2-چون اتفاقات هیجان انگیز هستند ادم تا ته کتاب رو میخونه بدون اینکه به مفهوم داستان توجه کنه و بنابرین خوندنش تبدیل میشه به تفریح و سرگرمی.واینکه وقتی به تهش میرسی دیگه نمیتونی دقت کنی تا مفهومشو بفهمی و باید از اول بخونی که اینم سخته.ولی اگه در حین خوندن به مفهوم دقت کنی میشه.من توی یک قسمت از یک کتاب به اسم "چگونه کتاب بخوانیم" که اسم اون قسمت هم این بود:چگونه آثار تخیلی را بخوانیم،خوندم که برای فهمیدن مفهوم آثار تخیلی باید به اتفاقاتی که توی داستان میفته دقت کنیم و اونو به چیزی تشبیه کنیم.مثلا میبینیم توی کتاب اول سرزمین اشباح (اسپویل) همه فکر میکردند که توی سیرک عجایب همه با ادم های عجیب و غریب،مثلا کسایی که چند تا دست یا پ دارند بسیار بد رفتاری میشه و اونا رو توی قفس میذارند.که میتونی اینو به نژاد پرستی تشبیه کنی.و وقتی اون دو تا پسر رفتند به سیرک و دیدند که اینطوری نیست میتونی به این تشبیه کنی همه از روی ظاهر بقیه قضاوت میکنند.
حتی تو خیلی از آثار تخیلی بعد از یک اتفاق یا حتی قبلش خودش به طور غیر مستقیم بهت مفهوم رو میگه.من به همه پیشنهاد میکنم کتاب چگونه کتاب بخوانید را بخونید چون خیلی کسایی که توی ایران کتاب میخونند(و خیلی هم میخونند) حتی نمیدونند که چجوری کتاب بخونند و حتی متاسفانه برای تفریح میخونند
March 9, 2011
1. Darren Shan adds very macabre touches to his writing, and uses good cliffhangers and suspense to add to the feeling. All of the foreshadowing ("I know what's happening, and I'll stop it!"), gives you a stronger feeling,and enhances the feeling of being in the book.
2. Darren Shan gives the main character (Darren Shan) lots of characterization. From his feelings on becoming a half-vampire to being Mr. Crepsley's assistant, you see a lot of anger in our kid vampire.
3.This installment in the saga of Darren Shan starts with Darren and Mr. Crepsley traveling, and later they head to the Cirque Du Freak, where they meet new friends, such as Evra the snake-boy, and the young human Sam. Sam really wants to join the Cirque, but his countless attempts to become a member don't work. Further on, they meet R.V., an eco-warrior, who is curious about the Cirque. When Darren manages to get a ticket for them, RV feels very sympathetic for the wolf-man....almost too sympathetic. He tries to free it the same night that Sam tries to sneak in, and both of his (RV's) arms are ripped off by the wolf-man. He runs off screaming into the night "My arms!My arms! Where are they?!". Darren sees Sam's backpack, and, realizing what happened, chases the wolf-man, and finds himself in an abandoned train station. He sees Sam hiding, and joins him, but the wolf-man attacks! Darren tells Sam to run, but Sam tries to protect Darren, and is fatally wounded. Suddenly, Mr. Crepsley appears, and knocks the wolf-man out. Then he tells Darren that if he sucks all of Sam's blood out, Sam's spirit will live forever in Darren's body. Grudgingly, Darren does so. The story ends with Darren having a craving for pickled onions-Sam's favorite food.
2. Darren Shan gives the main character (Darren Shan) lots of characterization. From his feelings on becoming a half-vampire to being Mr. Crepsley's assistant, you see a lot of anger in our kid vampire.
3.This installment in the saga of Darren Shan starts with Darren and Mr. Crepsley traveling, and later they head to the Cirque Du Freak, where they meet new friends, such as Evra the snake-boy, and the young human Sam. Sam really wants to join the Cirque, but his countless attempts to become a member don't work. Further on, they meet R.V., an eco-warrior, who is curious about the Cirque. When Darren manages to get a ticket for them, RV feels very sympathetic for the wolf-man....almost too sympathetic. He tries to free it the same night that Sam tries to sneak in, and both of his (RV's) arms are ripped off by the wolf-man. He runs off screaming into the night "My arms!My arms! Where are they?!". Darren sees Sam's backpack, and, realizing what happened, chases the wolf-man, and finds himself in an abandoned train station. He sees Sam hiding, and joins him, but the wolf-man attacks! Darren tells Sam to run, but Sam tries to protect Darren, and is fatally wounded. Suddenly, Mr. Crepsley appears, and knocks the wolf-man out. Then he tells Darren that if he sucks all of Sam's blood out, Sam's spirit will live forever in Darren's body. Grudgingly, Darren does so. The story ends with Darren having a craving for pickled onions-Sam's favorite food.
October 25, 2011
This book kept me up all night. Although it was on the paranormal side (and I'm pretty sick of this genre after the Twilight craze), but at least it's more adventurous than romantic (oh yeah! So my type!)
This book is about a guy, Darren, who went to a freak show set up by some gypsy with his best friend. After the show, his friend told him to go home because he needed to talk to one of the performers. And Darren hide behind some curtains and overheard that the performer is actually a vampire and that his friend wanted to become the vampire's assistant and begged the vampire to change him. The vampire didn't change his friend because he claimed that the blood was evil.
After that, he went home and started avoiding his best friend. He stole the vampire's special spider and then somehow, the spider bit his best friend and his best friend went into a coma. In order to save him, he agreed to become the vampire's assistant and went around the world, travelling with him and in turn met a lot of people.
A very interesting book.
This book is about a guy, Darren, who went to a freak show set up by some gypsy with his best friend. After the show, his friend told him to go home because he needed to talk to one of the performers. And Darren hide behind some curtains and overheard that the performer is actually a vampire and that his friend wanted to become the vampire's assistant and begged the vampire to change him. The vampire didn't change his friend because he claimed that the blood was evil.
After that, he went home and started avoiding his best friend. He stole the vampire's special spider and then somehow, the spider bit his best friend and his best friend went into a coma. In order to save him, he agreed to become the vampire's assistant and went around the world, travelling with him and in turn met a lot of people.
A very interesting book.
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