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The City Trilogy #1
Procession of the Dead
New York Times bestselling YA author Darren Shan makes his adult fiction debut with this first book in a new series set in a darkly imagined world called the City.
What had I done before coming to the city? I couldn't remember. It sounded crazy but my past was a blank. I could recall every step since alighting from the train, but not a single one before.
Young, quick-witted and cocksure, Capac Raimi arrives in the City determined to make his mark in a world of sweet, sinister sin. He finds the City is a place of exotic a legendary assassin with snakes tattooed on his face who moves like smoke, blind Incan priests that no one seems to see, a kingpin who plays with puppets, and friends who mysteriously disappear as though they never existed. Then Capac crosses paths with The Cardinal, and his life changes forever.
The Cardinal is the City, and The City is The Cardinal. They are joined at the soul. Nothing moves on the streets, or below them, without the Cardinal's knowledge. His rule is absolute.
When Capac discovers the extent of The Cardinal's influence on his own life, he is faced with hard choices and his own soaring ambition. To find his way, Capac must know himself and what he is capable of. But how can you trust yourself when you can't remember your past?
What had I done before coming to the city? I couldn't remember. It sounded crazy but my past was a blank. I could recall every step since alighting from the train, but not a single one before.
Young, quick-witted and cocksure, Capac Raimi arrives in the City determined to make his mark in a world of sweet, sinister sin. He finds the City is a place of exotic a legendary assassin with snakes tattooed on his face who moves like smoke, blind Incan priests that no one seems to see, a kingpin who plays with puppets, and friends who mysteriously disappear as though they never existed. Then Capac crosses paths with The Cardinal, and his life changes forever.
The Cardinal is the City, and The City is The Cardinal. They are joined at the soul. Nothing moves on the streets, or below them, without the Cardinal's knowledge. His rule is absolute.
When Capac discovers the extent of The Cardinal's influence on his own life, he is faced with hard choices and his own soaring ambition. To find his way, Capac must know himself and what he is capable of. But how can you trust yourself when you can't remember your past?
286 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
123 people are currently reading
2845 people want to read
About the author
Darren Shan
242 books8,268 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 281 reviews
July 20, 2022
یه کتاب فوق العاده خفن! با تمی شبیه جان ویک که هر لحظه نفس گیرتر میشه و پیچش های داستان غافلگیرت میکنه و ترجمه ش! ترجمه فوق العاده سامان کتال خوندنش رو چندین برابر لذت بخش تر کرد. هرچند غلط های املایی زیاد داشت ولی موضوع کتاب به حدی سرگرم کننده و جذاب بود که بعد از مدتی ایرادهای چاپی اصلا به چشم نمیومدن. بسی دوستش داشتم بسی...
همین.
همین.
September 10, 2023
4.5 stars
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this one. I read a lot of Darren Shan's horror works aimed at teens when I was younger, and read his whole Darren Shan saga as well as the Demonata. I only later became aware he published an urban fantasy trilogy aimed at adults before any of that, and honestly I didn't expect much.
I was very wrong. The fantasy elements are quite mild at the start, and we follow our main character as he arrives at the big city and embarks on a career as a gangster with his uncle. Before long, he becomes embroiled with the local crime boss. However the fantasy elements bubbling in the background were the most intriguing throughout, and I adored the ending.
Would recommend to fans of the Alex Verus series, or other urban fantasy
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this one. I read a lot of Darren Shan's horror works aimed at teens when I was younger, and read his whole Darren Shan saga as well as the Demonata. I only later became aware he published an urban fantasy trilogy aimed at adults before any of that, and honestly I didn't expect much.
I was very wrong. The fantasy elements are quite mild at the start, and we follow our main character as he arrives at the big city and embarks on a career as a gangster with his uncle. Before long, he becomes embroiled with the local crime boss. However the fantasy elements bubbling in the background were the most intriguing throughout, and I adored the ending.
Would recommend to fans of the Alex Verus series, or other urban fantasy
March 6, 2009
How I Came To Read This Book: The fine folks at Harper Collins sent me an advance readers edition.
The Plot: Capac is a young man that's recently arrived in 'The City', where he quickly gets involved in his Uncle's life of crime. It doesn't take long for Capac to catch the eye of The Cardinal, the primo mob leader in town and the true force behind everything that happens in the city. However, as Capac continues a rather meteoric rise, he becomes increasingly aware of mysterious happenings and disappearance that don't seem to flummox anyone but himself.
The Good & The Bad: When I first started doing 50-book challenges, I was quite generous with my rankings. I'm not sure if any books in 2008 got an A+, but Procession of the Dead scored an A and was my fave book I read last year...which is hilarious because when I got it in the mail I was DREADING reading it, and questioning why I'd ever signed up to get a copy in the first place, as it was labelled 'sci-fi'. Okay yes, there is a science fiction element to the book, which actually may irritate some readers when it's finally revealed, but I felt like the strength of the rest of the novel overshadowed the slight glimmer of disappointment I felt at the ending. So let's focus on the positive: This book is incredible. Everyone I've lent it to has powered through it in a day to under a week (for the less savvy reader) because it is written so well. There aren't cliffhangers at the end of every chapter - it's more like the end of every few pages. The sheer level of tension and excitement and twists is enough to propel you through this great, gritty, noir-type crime novel (with a touch of sci-fi, as mentioned). I don't have enough good things to say about this book - I truly hope it becomes a movie one day / gets exposure in the US cause it's fantastic. Even the character of "the City" itself is a wonderful feature of the book. Great!
The Bottom Line: An excellent read, even with a slightly 'meh' ending, you'll still want to read the sequels in the series!!!
Anything Memorable?: Nothing, other than the fact everyone is very hooked on this book when I lend it out.
50-Book Challenge: Book #14 in 2008.
The Plot: Capac is a young man that's recently arrived in 'The City', where he quickly gets involved in his Uncle's life of crime. It doesn't take long for Capac to catch the eye of The Cardinal, the primo mob leader in town and the true force behind everything that happens in the city. However, as Capac continues a rather meteoric rise, he becomes increasingly aware of mysterious happenings and disappearance that don't seem to flummox anyone but himself.
The Good & The Bad: When I first started doing 50-book challenges, I was quite generous with my rankings. I'm not sure if any books in 2008 got an A+, but Procession of the Dead scored an A and was my fave book I read last year...which is hilarious because when I got it in the mail I was DREADING reading it, and questioning why I'd ever signed up to get a copy in the first place, as it was labelled 'sci-fi'. Okay yes, there is a science fiction element to the book, which actually may irritate some readers when it's finally revealed, but I felt like the strength of the rest of the novel overshadowed the slight glimmer of disappointment I felt at the ending. So let's focus on the positive: This book is incredible. Everyone I've lent it to has powered through it in a day to under a week (for the less savvy reader) because it is written so well. There aren't cliffhangers at the end of every chapter - it's more like the end of every few pages. The sheer level of tension and excitement and twists is enough to propel you through this great, gritty, noir-type crime novel (with a touch of sci-fi, as mentioned). I don't have enough good things to say about this book - I truly hope it becomes a movie one day / gets exposure in the US cause it's fantastic. Even the character of "the City" itself is a wonderful feature of the book. Great!
The Bottom Line: An excellent read, even with a slightly 'meh' ending, you'll still want to read the sequels in the series!!!
Anything Memorable?: Nothing, other than the fact everyone is very hooked on this book when I lend it out.
50-Book Challenge: Book #14 in 2008.
December 13, 2020
یکی از معدود کتابهای فانتزی رازآلود که اخیرا از خوندنش بسیار لذت بردم. خوندن این کتاب رو به طرفداران کتاب پدرخوانده، نایت ساید و سری فیلمهای ماتریکس بشدت توصیه میکنم
May 1, 2017
اولین کتاب از سه گانه شهر تو یه شهر خیالی که توسط گانگستر ها اداره میشه و در راس اونها یه دیکتاتور خودساخته به اسم کاردینال وجود داره. کتاب بیشتر به نظر می رسه ژانر جنایی - معمایی باشه تا ژانر فانتزی که دارن شان کتاباش رو تو این سبک مینویسه. بطوریکه تا اواسط کتاب اصلا المان های سبک فانتزی توش به چشم نمی خوره. اما رفته رفته کتاب به اون سمت سوق پیدا می کنه. لحن کتاب خیلی خوبه و آدم رو درگیر خودش می کنه. داستان قوی و چند لایه دنبال میشه ولی کتاب میتونست پایان قوی تری داشته باشه. فضای کتاب وجه مشترک هایی با کتاب پرتغال کوکی داره که تازه خوندمش و این برام جالب بود. همچنین کتاب برای مخاطب بزرگسال نوشته شده.
August 22, 2012
A grim and gritty account of the rise of Capac Raimi, wannabe gangsta and mysterious man-with-no-past. It reads like Sin City (the movie)... cool and detached. Almost mechanical.
I liked:
~The Inca stuff. It was a subtle flavor (at first) but a refreshing one.
~The main character, Capac. Although his story shoots in an Annakin Skywalker direction, I was still pulling for him, all the way to the end, even through the bad choices and his personality changes. Actually, I enjoyed what the author was suggesting about the way you are shaped by the roles others cast on you. Not sure how much I agree, but it was an interesting take on the Free Will Debate.
I appreciated:
~The ending and the fact that the author let the story come to that logical conclusion.
I didn't like:
~The voice. Cold and emotionless. Looking back, I understand why it should be that way, but I almost abandoned the book a few times at the beginning because it just wasn't grabbing me. Could it be the writing style? I found the same thing in Storm Front. (Dresden fans have mercy on my wayward soul!) Glad I stuck it out I suppose. It just seems like there was an opportunity missed there to inject an ambiance of mystery or superstition that really could have intensified the intrigue (and the green fog). Instead it felt like reading a police report.
~All the omniscience. Capac was able to tell us exactly what everyone else was feeling, and other characters were able to report things they weren't there to see. This really bloated the dialogue in a lot of places (wall of text incoming!) and felt unnatural. You know at the end of a movie when the hero is about to kill the bad guy, and the bad guy starts sounding off about his cunning plot to destroy the world, and you think... why is he blurting all this out - to his enemy? That's what I thought of, a few times near the end.
All in all, not a terrible book. The cover is awesome. It probably deserves more than 3 stars but in the end it just wasn't my thing.
I liked:
~The Inca stuff. It was a subtle flavor (at first) but a refreshing one.
~The main character, Capac. Although his story shoots in an Annakin Skywalker direction, I was still pulling for him, all the way to the end, even through the bad choices and his personality changes. Actually, I enjoyed what the author was suggesting about the way you are shaped by the roles others cast on you. Not sure how much I agree, but it was an interesting take on the Free Will Debate.
I appreciated:
~The ending and the fact that the author let the story come to that logical conclusion.
I didn't like:
~The voice. Cold and emotionless. Looking back, I understand why it should be that way, but I almost abandoned the book a few times at the beginning because it just wasn't grabbing me. Could it be the writing style? I found the same thing in Storm Front. (Dresden fans have mercy on my wayward soul!) Glad I stuck it out I suppose. It just seems like there was an opportunity missed there to inject an ambiance of mystery or superstition that really could have intensified the intrigue (and the green fog). Instead it felt like reading a police report.
~All the omniscience. Capac was able to tell us exactly what everyone else was feeling, and other characters were able to report things they weren't there to see. This really bloated the dialogue in a lot of places (wall of text incoming!) and felt unnatural. You know at the end of a movie when the hero is about to kill the bad guy, and the bad guy starts sounding off about his cunning plot to destroy the world, and you think... why is he blurting all this out - to his enemy? That's what I thought of, a few times near the end.
All in all, not a terrible book. The cover is awesome. It probably deserves more than 3 stars but in the end it just wasn't my thing.
August 25, 2023
I don’t even know how many times I read this before I joined Goodreads but the book is in tatters! For the umpteenth read it still more or less holds up. One of those ‘utterly unputdownable’ types.
The mystery Shan delivers us in this creepy, seedy, bloody tale is second to none. Themes of espionage, gangsters, sleuthing and horror are peppered throughout this unique story of retaining or losing one’s humanity. The characters are vivid and cruel. The city is throbbing with life, mysteries and violence.
It’s possible that the overarching theme of how far would a person go to attain power is slightly lost at points in favour of the more fantastical, mystical twists and turns of the plot. But this can be forgiven because the twists and turns are so exciting! And in the end, Shan does make good on this theme in a haunting way.
This is the first in a trilogy. But this story could completely stand on its own if it wanted to. It certainly did for me. I didn’t clock on to ‘The City: Book One’ printed on the blurb for years.
In hindsight of reading the trilogy, there’s something to be said for the ambiguity that exists in this book, offering some but not all the answers to the more fantastical elements of this world.
The mystery Shan delivers us in this creepy, seedy, bloody tale is second to none. Themes of espionage, gangsters, sleuthing and horror are peppered throughout this unique story of retaining or losing one’s humanity. The characters are vivid and cruel. The city is throbbing with life, mysteries and violence.
It’s possible that the overarching theme of how far would a person go to attain power is slightly lost at points in favour of the more fantastical, mystical twists and turns of the plot. But this can be forgiven because the twists and turns are so exciting! And in the end, Shan does make good on this theme in a haunting way.
This is the first in a trilogy. But this story could completely stand on its own if it wanted to. It certainly did for me. I didn’t clock on to ‘The City: Book One’ printed on the blurb for years.
In hindsight of reading the trilogy, there’s something to be said for the ambiguity that exists in this book, offering some but not all the answers to the more fantastical elements of this world.
April 24, 2019
I really liked the mystery and some of the world building elements!
The resolution of said mystery felt a bit... forced though. As most this resolution was giving trough dialogue instead of 'showing'.
The characters were.. Ok. Not really interesting, and felt more card box then human at certain points (/especially/ the female characters).
The Cardinal was great though! I love the tension, the mind fuckery and tricks he brought to the table. He was the reason why I kept reading.
Overal the book was.. well 'Ok', I liked it.
The resolution of said mystery felt a bit... forced though. As most this resolution was giving trough dialogue instead of 'showing'.
The characters were.. Ok. Not really interesting, and felt more card box then human at certain points (/especially/ the female characters).
The Cardinal was great though! I love the tension, the mind fuckery and tricks he brought to the table. He was the reason why I kept reading.
Overal the book was.. well 'Ok', I liked it.
January 17, 2021
Unusual!
Completely different to what i expected.
Pleased that i took a chance and read it.
Very worth while.
Please enjoy!
Completely different to what i expected.
Pleased that i took a chance and read it.
Very worth while.
Please enjoy!
August 29, 2017
If you enjoy the work of Neil Gaiman, you’ll probably find much to like in YA author Darren Shan’s first foray into adult speculative fiction. It follows the story of Capac Raimi, a young man without a past who travels to the big city to work with his uncle, a small time hood. This unnamed city is run by The Cardinal, a combination gangster/corrupt politico/vengeful god, who takes Raimi under his wing, educating him in the mysterious ways of the city while grooming him for bigger things.
The plot is fairly intricate and peppered with a polyglot of enigmatic minor characters (all with special powers and dark histories) but somehow Shan manages to sidestep the muddled confusion that befalls so much modern sci-fi/fantasy. There is a fair bit of action and suspense, not to mention mystery. I enjoyed trying to figure things out as the story unfolded, which made for swift and enjoyable reading.
However, much like Gaiman, Shan fails to conjure any concrete sense of place. At times, he seems to be trying to re-create the eerie, quasi-futuristic cities found in cult films like Dark City and Blade Runner but then he makes reference to several current cultural touchstones (like Steve Buscemi’s character in Reservoir Dogs) and the effect is strangely jarring. Much like Gaiman’s Neverwhere, the idea is better than the execution, with character development and world building definitely taking a back seat to storyline.
This is an entertaining read for anyone who enjoys a supernatural thriller, but isn’t so concerned with the characters and atmosphere. As for me, I'm much more interested in complicated characters than complicated plotlines, plus I want to get lost in the world a book creates for me - so that world better be all encompassing and real.
The plot is fairly intricate and peppered with a polyglot of enigmatic minor characters (all with special powers and dark histories) but somehow Shan manages to sidestep the muddled confusion that befalls so much modern sci-fi/fantasy. There is a fair bit of action and suspense, not to mention mystery. I enjoyed trying to figure things out as the story unfolded, which made for swift and enjoyable reading.
However, much like Gaiman, Shan fails to conjure any concrete sense of place. At times, he seems to be trying to re-create the eerie, quasi-futuristic cities found in cult films like Dark City and Blade Runner but then he makes reference to several current cultural touchstones (like Steve Buscemi’s character in Reservoir Dogs) and the effect is strangely jarring. Much like Gaiman’s Neverwhere, the idea is better than the execution, with character development and world building definitely taking a back seat to storyline.
This is an entertaining read for anyone who enjoys a supernatural thriller, but isn’t so concerned with the characters and atmosphere. As for me, I'm much more interested in complicated characters than complicated plotlines, plus I want to get lost in the world a book creates for me - so that world better be all encompassing and real.
unexamined
April 12, 2015I just cannot get into this one. Tried three times, and as of March 2, 2015, going to quietly return it to the library. Hope it suits others better.
April 8, 2020
!!!This review contains minor SPOILERS from the book!!!
Procession of the Dead is not my first Darren Shan novel, but definitely the most memorable one. It is the first book in The City Trilogy but it can be enjoyed as a standalone experience too, because the story concludes at the end of the book.
Capac, the main character was not really interesting to me at the beginning, because he had the characteristics of a 'template gangster persona', who is at the bottom but he wants to reach to the top and be a criminal elite in the city. His motives remained the same but his character changed immensely for me when the Ayuamarca mystery started to take shape in the story. Capac’s mental problems and missing memories added a lot to his personality and suddenly I started to enjoy his story a lot more than before.
My favorite thing in the whole story is the atmosphere of the environment. The City resembles a dark, dystopic construct which radiates bad feelings like depression and paranoia through the pages of the book. The City is certainly a place which I would never want to visit, but I love to read about. It is a mysterious, sinister and paranormal place filled with crime and criminals.
The main villain, the Cardinal felt not so villainous to me. Obviously, he is a strange, evil man who rules the whole city, but his plans and motives felt logical in most cases. He rules the city of crime by criminal ways and those ways may present him as a bad person but they are necessary to keep up the things all around the city.
As I mentioned above, Capac’s journey to be an elite gangster in the City started uninterestingly for me. The Ayuamarca mystery added a lot to it and when he met the Cardinal and became his henchman and apprentice was the turning point for me when the story finally felt like something really exhilarating.
The ending of the story is one of the best conclusions I’ve ever read. When Ayuamarcan mystery reveals its secrets and Capac fulfills his destiny I just couldn’t believe how unique and exciting this whole story was.
As I’ve said, the book does have an ending, so it is not necessary to continue the trilogy for those who like it as a unique experience, however for those who want to see more from the sinister City and want to descover all the secrets of the Ayuamarca mystery, I would gladly recommend the second and third books of the trilogy too, because the quality is similarly good like in the first installment. The story contains elements of horror, sexuality and vulgar language so I would not recommend it for a young audience but for those adults who like to be part of a terrifying journey and dive into a world of anti-heroes where nothing is black and white, this is one of the best options available.
P2KJFV
Procession of the Dead is not my first Darren Shan novel, but definitely the most memorable one. It is the first book in The City Trilogy but it can be enjoyed as a standalone experience too, because the story concludes at the end of the book.
Capac, the main character was not really interesting to me at the beginning, because he had the characteristics of a 'template gangster persona', who is at the bottom but he wants to reach to the top and be a criminal elite in the city. His motives remained the same but his character changed immensely for me when the Ayuamarca mystery started to take shape in the story. Capac’s mental problems and missing memories added a lot to his personality and suddenly I started to enjoy his story a lot more than before.
My favorite thing in the whole story is the atmosphere of the environment. The City resembles a dark, dystopic construct which radiates bad feelings like depression and paranoia through the pages of the book. The City is certainly a place which I would never want to visit, but I love to read about. It is a mysterious, sinister and paranormal place filled with crime and criminals.
The main villain, the Cardinal felt not so villainous to me. Obviously, he is a strange, evil man who rules the whole city, but his plans and motives felt logical in most cases. He rules the city of crime by criminal ways and those ways may present him as a bad person but they are necessary to keep up the things all around the city.
As I mentioned above, Capac’s journey to be an elite gangster in the City started uninterestingly for me. The Ayuamarca mystery added a lot to it and when he met the Cardinal and became his henchman and apprentice was the turning point for me when the story finally felt like something really exhilarating.
The ending of the story is one of the best conclusions I’ve ever read. When Ayuamarcan mystery reveals its secrets and Capac fulfills his destiny I just couldn’t believe how unique and exciting this whole story was.
As I’ve said, the book does have an ending, so it is not necessary to continue the trilogy for those who like it as a unique experience, however for those who want to see more from the sinister City and want to descover all the secrets of the Ayuamarca mystery, I would gladly recommend the second and third books of the trilogy too, because the quality is similarly good like in the first installment. The story contains elements of horror, sexuality and vulgar language so I would not recommend it for a young audience but for those adults who like to be part of a terrifying journey and dive into a world of anti-heroes where nothing is black and white, this is one of the best options available.
P2KJFV
February 12, 2024
Second time reading and definitely thinking it may be better to leave some books I enjoyed as a young adult to the memories without revisiting. It is OK, but it feels very much like it is written by someone who may have certain fantasies about themselves. I found the way being a gangster was often mentioned as trying too hard, and the characters weren't particularly likeable either. I didn't remember the whole story of course and neither the big revelations at the end, and I did enjoy that aspect, the blind men, and the green fog, less so the brief but cereal incan influence which felt again as trying too hard.
So it was OK, but not one I'll go back to again.
So it was OK, but not one I'll go back to again.
July 30, 2017
OK, I give up. DNF, stopped at 44%. I'm sorry Darren Shan, I love you very much, but this book just doesn't do it for me. Nothing really happens. It's not scary, not thrilling, no suspension. There are some weird placed sex scenes, it doesn't really does anything for the story.
The second star is for the Conchita story, I liked that bit.
The second star is for the Conchita story, I liked that bit.
November 7, 2010
I'll found it both boring and interesting, not enough though to finish it. Just did not get a feeling for the "hero"
August 30, 2012
Eh, it was ok.
February 21, 2018
3.5 Super intriguing, so much left to learn about
June 19, 2018
Complete waste of time. Spent the entire book waiting for a point to be made, which never happened. Messed up book, don’t waste your time.
March 27, 2016
Gory and thought-provoking. I love it!
April 27, 2024
Slow start for me, but once I was hooked, I was hooked.
June 8, 2016
Procession of the Dead is Shan’s first effort for adults, but this is its second chance. It was originally published as Ayuamarca in 1999, the first book of a trilogy that was never finished. This version was substantially re-edited for this release, and the trilogy finally completed.
Procession of the Dead is a brawler of a book, a violent mix of contemporary fantasy and gangster flick, set in a mysterious nowhere-city with Incan roots and American sensibilities. A dreamlike place with no name, run by a ruthless criminal overlord called The Cardinal, Shan’s city owes as much to Gotham or Sin City as it does to the Miami of Scarface, and little to reality.
Capac Raimi pitches up in the city with one thing on his mind, to become a gangster under the tutelage of his washed-up uncle Theo, once a big fish in this pool teeming with sharks. One thing leads to another, Capac finds himself working directly for The Cardinal, and discovers he is been lined up as heir apparent. But nothing is as it appears, and it gradually dawns on Capac that he cannot remember his life before he arrived in the city…
Procession of the Dead is a fast-paced, engaging book written with a clarity of purpose one tends to find in the prose of kids’ authors. You’ll stick with it, if only to find out exactly what Capac truly is.
But it’s a one dimensional affair, a selfish kind of narrative, focussed through Shan’s preferred first person entirely on Capac, whose character slews from extreme to extreme with little explanation. There are some interesting secondary characters, notably the amoral serial character Pauca Waimi and The Cardinal himself, but even these feel like stage dressing. There’s no depth to the city. Cities are complex ecosystems teeming with multiple layers of human life. Here we only see one stratum, and sketchily detailed it is too. There’s nothing here that does not serve the narrative, which itself only exists to mainline Shan’s ultimate, bleak revelation. This lack of veracity to the concrete jungle makes it little more than a grimy backdrop to the increasingly violent proceedings, and the book a lesser work than it could have been. There are others who do urban fantasy far more convincingly. Fun, but in the end it’s no more alive than The Cardinal’s collection of puppets.
Procession of the Dead is a brawler of a book, a violent mix of contemporary fantasy and gangster flick, set in a mysterious nowhere-city with Incan roots and American sensibilities. A dreamlike place with no name, run by a ruthless criminal overlord called The Cardinal, Shan’s city owes as much to Gotham or Sin City as it does to the Miami of Scarface, and little to reality.
Capac Raimi pitches up in the city with one thing on his mind, to become a gangster under the tutelage of his washed-up uncle Theo, once a big fish in this pool teeming with sharks. One thing leads to another, Capac finds himself working directly for The Cardinal, and discovers he is been lined up as heir apparent. But nothing is as it appears, and it gradually dawns on Capac that he cannot remember his life before he arrived in the city…
Procession of the Dead is a fast-paced, engaging book written with a clarity of purpose one tends to find in the prose of kids’ authors. You’ll stick with it, if only to find out exactly what Capac truly is.
But it’s a one dimensional affair, a selfish kind of narrative, focussed through Shan’s preferred first person entirely on Capac, whose character slews from extreme to extreme with little explanation. There are some interesting secondary characters, notably the amoral serial character Pauca Waimi and The Cardinal himself, but even these feel like stage dressing. There’s no depth to the city. Cities are complex ecosystems teeming with multiple layers of human life. Here we only see one stratum, and sketchily detailed it is too. There’s nothing here that does not serve the narrative, which itself only exists to mainline Shan’s ultimate, bleak revelation. This lack of veracity to the concrete jungle makes it little more than a grimy backdrop to the increasingly violent proceedings, and the book a lesser work than it could have been. There are others who do urban fantasy far more convincingly. Fun, but in the end it’s no more alive than The Cardinal’s collection of puppets.
December 23, 2017
It’s really hard to talk about this book. Because honestly? I don’t want to give too much away.
This story is one that you cannot spoil beforehand. You need to go into this book knowing nothing about the twist – because when that twist hits, man, does it send you through a hurricane of emotions.
As such, I won’t delve too much into the plot of the book (needless to say, it is good.) And instead, I want to put a spotlight on the main character, Capac.
Even though this book is relatively short, it is a masterclass on how to write a believable, compelling character arc. The Capac at the start of the story is a shadow compared to the man he becomes at the end – yet, the leap between the two isn’t unnatural. You can sympathise with him from moment to moment, even if his actions are, well, morally debatable.
While he doesn’t have the strongest personality at the start, by the end you can’t help but marvel at the change within him. It’s one of the major things that I love about this novel.
The other? The world building.
Good Lord, the city in this book is painted perfectly. And I’m not saying it is pretty – it is dingy, disgusting, violent, dark, mysterious. But it is crafted so carefully, with no two settings feeling the same, that every moment I was sucked into its pages.
There is a sense of dread hanging over every corner of this city. If you’re looking for pointers on how to build a horror setting, this is the book to read.
Now, there are elements that are a bit meh. Minus Capac and the Cardinal, the other characters feel a little 2D. It’s not too distracting, but more could have been done to flesh out their characters. And the style of the writing, while it is unnerving and brutal most of the time, can sometimes feel a little rushed.
But man, I guarantee that you will not see the twist coming in this book. And once you know what it is, you’ll never be able to read it in the same way again. So grab this book, strap yourself in, and jump into the dark, horrifying city.
This will be one horror story that you won’t forget.
This story is one that you cannot spoil beforehand. You need to go into this book knowing nothing about the twist – because when that twist hits, man, does it send you through a hurricane of emotions.
As such, I won’t delve too much into the plot of the book (needless to say, it is good.) And instead, I want to put a spotlight on the main character, Capac.
Even though this book is relatively short, it is a masterclass on how to write a believable, compelling character arc. The Capac at the start of the story is a shadow compared to the man he becomes at the end – yet, the leap between the two isn’t unnatural. You can sympathise with him from moment to moment, even if his actions are, well, morally debatable.
While he doesn’t have the strongest personality at the start, by the end you can’t help but marvel at the change within him. It’s one of the major things that I love about this novel.
The other? The world building.
Good Lord, the city in this book is painted perfectly. And I’m not saying it is pretty – it is dingy, disgusting, violent, dark, mysterious. But it is crafted so carefully, with no two settings feeling the same, that every moment I was sucked into its pages.
There is a sense of dread hanging over every corner of this city. If you’re looking for pointers on how to build a horror setting, this is the book to read.
Now, there are elements that are a bit meh. Minus Capac and the Cardinal, the other characters feel a little 2D. It’s not too distracting, but more could have been done to flesh out their characters. And the style of the writing, while it is unnerving and brutal most of the time, can sometimes feel a little rushed.
But man, I guarantee that you will not see the twist coming in this book. And once you know what it is, you’ll never be able to read it in the same way again. So grab this book, strap yourself in, and jump into the dark, horrifying city.
This will be one horror story that you won’t forget.
February 2, 2019
Finished the book over a few quick hours, but that's the only nice thing I can say about it.
The writing itself is very poor. The style was no more complicated than remedial high school. Sure, this is young adult and should be given some leeway, but I just found it distracting. The author relies too much on long, rambling exposition. Additionally, everything you learn is just stated outright - there is no discovery by inference. Too. Much. Spoon-feeding. This is quite disappointing in what is a mystery story.
The world also is nothing to write home about. This is particularly disappointing as that is the primary focus for the first 50% of the book. We are promised gritty noir, but neither attribute is particularly present. This is just a bland gangster's paradise which you as the reader are repeatedly broken out of due to constant pop-culture name dropping (without any real added value) and hints of "oh, maybe there might be a fantasy element to the world!"
The characters are all flat and uninteresting. The main character is the one exception as he has a little bit of depth, but that is solely in the form of the mystery around his past, the only real hook in the story. The final reveal around this is just so mind-blowingly terrible that I considered not finishing the final chapter.
Overall, this was just a bland, disjointed read with a single hook that fizzled. If it tried to be more noir or more fantasy from the get-go it might have been better. More focus on character, their interactions, and why they feel how they do would have made it better; without spoiling too much, the characters feelings to each other are primarily dictated by the only mantra "because I said so". I understand why it works in the context of this world, but it is just so boring as a reader.
I do not recommend this book. The fact that two sequels exist just confounds me....
The writing itself is very poor. The style was no more complicated than remedial high school. Sure, this is young adult and should be given some leeway, but I just found it distracting. The author relies too much on long, rambling exposition. Additionally, everything you learn is just stated outright - there is no discovery by inference. Too. Much. Spoon-feeding. This is quite disappointing in what is a mystery story.
The world also is nothing to write home about. This is particularly disappointing as that is the primary focus for the first 50% of the book. We are promised gritty noir, but neither attribute is particularly present. This is just a bland gangster's paradise which you as the reader are repeatedly broken out of due to constant pop-culture name dropping (without any real added value) and hints of "oh, maybe there might be a fantasy element to the world!"
The characters are all flat and uninteresting. The main character is the one exception as he has a little bit of depth, but that is solely in the form of the mystery around his past, the only real hook in the story. The final reveal around this is just so mind-blowingly terrible that I considered not finishing the final chapter.
Overall, this was just a bland, disjointed read with a single hook that fizzled. If it tried to be more noir or more fantasy from the get-go it might have been better. More focus on character, their interactions, and why they feel how they do would have made it better; without spoiling too much, the characters feelings to each other are primarily dictated by the only mantra "because I said so". I understand why it works in the context of this world, but it is just so boring as a reader.
I do not recommend this book. The fact that two sequels exist just confounds me....
March 2, 2018
I couldn't believe this was a debut when I first read it (and by an author who was only in his twenties, at the time.) The setting is brilliantly original, well ahead of the urban fantasy curve when it was published. The pacing is breakneck, with a perfect balance between unfolding the world while quietly obscuring the plot.
In particular (MINOR SPOILERS) the author does a good job of relying on the reader's expectation that back story will be filled in slowly to exploit the fact that the MC is themselves unaware of the backstory, and therefore learns about it at the same speed as we do. The revelation that the MC doesn't know his own past is skillfully handled, with big and little surprises at every turn.
Sometimes, you read a book and have a pretty idea of how things are going to pan out. I can safely say that for Ayuamarca, I did not see that coming (the ending, that is) and was pretty blown away by the creativity of the underlying concepts.
I wasn't that keen on the sequels (I won't say too much on that though, or it's off topic) but it doesn't matter much. The book is absolutely solid as a standalone, if you choose to read it that way.
Nota bene: this book has been rereleased under a different title more recently but I love the original title more, and that's the copy I own, so that's what I've chosen to review under.
In particular (MINOR SPOILERS) the author does a good job of relying on the reader's expectation that back story will be filled in slowly to exploit the fact that the MC is themselves unaware of the backstory, and therefore learns about it at the same speed as we do. The revelation that the MC doesn't know his own past is skillfully handled, with big and little surprises at every turn.
Sometimes, you read a book and have a pretty idea of how things are going to pan out. I can safely say that for Ayuamarca, I did not see that coming (the ending, that is) and was pretty blown away by the creativity of the underlying concepts.
I wasn't that keen on the sequels (I won't say too much on that though, or it's off topic) but it doesn't matter much. The book is absolutely solid as a standalone, if you choose to read it that way.
Nota bene: this book has been rereleased under a different title more recently but I love the original title more, and that's the copy I own, so that's what I've chosen to review under.
November 21, 2013
Capac Raimi arrives in "The City" to become a gangster and to begin a sinful life. Before he knows it though he has become favoured by the Cardinal, the ruthless gangster who runs the City and begins to discover how much of his life the Cardinal has control over.
It begins as a decent gangster story with a few weird elements, from an impossibly good assassin to a woman whose face looks considerably younger than her age. The move to fantasy is a bit sudden but for me it worked really well.
Capac is a great character because despite being a nasty villain and someone you wouldn't want to be friends with, you still feel for him and want him to have a good life, although you know he won't. He really is ruthless in the latter stages of the book and Shan leaves nothing to the imagination. This is gory and brutal and there's some pretty graphic sex scenes too. The way it reads might feel like Shan's young adult books but this is properly for adults.
An original fantasy story which is grounded in reality. Impossible to predict and full-on, this is Darren Shan showing he is at least as good at writing for adults.
It begins as a decent gangster story with a few weird elements, from an impossibly good assassin to a woman whose face looks considerably younger than her age. The move to fantasy is a bit sudden but for me it worked really well.
Capac is a great character because despite being a nasty villain and someone you wouldn't want to be friends with, you still feel for him and want him to have a good life, although you know he won't. He really is ruthless in the latter stages of the book and Shan leaves nothing to the imagination. This is gory and brutal and there's some pretty graphic sex scenes too. The way it reads might feel like Shan's young adult books but this is properly for adults.
An original fantasy story which is grounded in reality. Impossible to predict and full-on, this is Darren Shan showing he is at least as good at writing for adults.
June 13, 2022
The first book in "The City" trilogy, and the first of his offerings that is not horror based that I have read. The story starts off with dipping a toe into the vaguely bizarre and does not pay much heed to it. However, when the bizarre returns, it is ratcheted up to eleven and continues down this roads at full tilt with no holds barred.
Interesting characters, well thought out plot which flirts with being cliched at times, but is saved by Shan's penchant for the slightly strange and compelling. A great storyteller and captivating author who is always working to subvert the expectations of the reader.
The story itself flows well with enough intrigue and developments to keep the reader wanting more. As the story progresses, much like the name, it gets steadily darker, complex and leaves you asking more questions than answering them. That is until the ending, which has Shan's signature bleak yet satisfying tone and is wonderfully bleak and a touch nihilistic.
An overall good read and I would give it a 7/10. Would recommend.
Interesting characters, well thought out plot which flirts with being cliched at times, but is saved by Shan's penchant for the slightly strange and compelling. A great storyteller and captivating author who is always working to subvert the expectations of the reader.
The story itself flows well with enough intrigue and developments to keep the reader wanting more. As the story progresses, much like the name, it gets steadily darker, complex and leaves you asking more questions than answering them. That is until the ending, which has Shan's signature bleak yet satisfying tone and is wonderfully bleak and a touch nihilistic.
An overall good read and I would give it a 7/10. Would recommend.
July 15, 2022
Procession of the Dead merupakan buku pertama dari trilogi The City. Ceritanya campuran antara fantasi urban, horor, misteri, kriminal, dan thriller. Paduan antara dunia gangster dengan unsur budaya Inca membuat Procession menjadi unik dan menarik. Siapa sangka di balik sosok kejam The Cardinal ternyata dia sangat mystical dan terobsesi dengan kultur Inca. Meski, menurut saya, budaya Inca masih kurang tereksplorasi. Di sini hanya terbatas pada tokoh-tokoh yang memakai nama Inca.
Karena ini mengambil setting dunia mafia maka jangan kaget kalau ceritanya brutal, tapi saya masih bisa tahan untuk membacanya. Unsur misterinya sukses membuat saya penasaran. Jawaban dari berbagai pertanyaan Capac terjawab di akhir cerita. Sebuah twist yang membuat saya tercengang. Darren Shan sungguh brilian!
Resensi lengkap ada di sini.
August 25, 2010
How to describe this book? Well, it reminded me of one of those strange indie movies that you watch and have no idea what's going on, but you keep watching just to know how it's going to end. That's sorta what Procession of the Dead was like.
The book is well written and incredibly unique, but it's also so very dark and twisted. Halfway through I had absolutely no idea what was going on, it was frustrating, but at the same time interesting. I can't even describe a simple plot outline - it's like a maze and puzzle all in one.
Added note: This is NOT one of Dhan's young adult books, it's for adults only.
Overall, it was an intelligent and VERY bizarre read. If you are into darker depressing books then I suggest picking it up, otherwise stay far away - it's not a happy book.
Honestly, I would have given this 3.5 stars if I could, but I'll just give it 4.
The book is well written and incredibly unique, but it's also so very dark and twisted. Halfway through I had absolutely no idea what was going on, it was frustrating, but at the same time interesting. I can't even describe a simple plot outline - it's like a maze and puzzle all in one.
Added note: This is NOT one of Dhan's young adult books, it's for adults only.
Overall, it was an intelligent and VERY bizarre read. If you are into darker depressing books then I suggest picking it up, otherwise stay far away - it's not a happy book.
Honestly, I would have given this 3.5 stars if I could, but I'll just give it 4.
January 6, 2019
The city trilogy are the last 3 books by Darren Shan/Darren Dash that I haven't read yet (obviously I have finished the first one now ^^') and I was super excited going into this because I liked every other book by him so far. The beginning though was slow and a little boring for me, because gangster stories aren't really my cup of tea. But the story got interesting after the first third due to the beginning weirdness and mysteriousness I love about Shan's stories.
The city and its inhabitants also reminded me of the city in his Darren Dash book "An Other Place" which is one of my all time favorite Shan/Dash books.
The ending suprised me and I can't wait to start the second book in the trilogy!
The city and its inhabitants also reminded me of the city in his Darren Dash book "An Other Place" which is one of my all time favorite Shan/Dash books.
The ending suprised me and I can't wait to start the second book in the trilogy!
June 4, 2017
For now, I'll just say that this book was just amazing. I was practically shouting words like, "Holy Shit!", or "Damn!" half the time I was reading it. I loved every bit of the book, from the Inca names and phrases, the mobster, and really, just the whole concept of the story. The book was shocking, riveting, and immensely fascinating. Capac was a character that I well loved, even if of course, he let his dark side win at the end. I just really loved this book, and I'm practically thanking every god that I can think of for giving me the chance to accidentally stumble into this book's shelf during the last book sale that I went to.
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