by Darren Shan (Author)
`fast paced and compelling, full of satisfying macabre touches - Cirque du Freak explores the powerful fascination of the dangerous and unnatural and also, movingly, the obligations of friendship' J. K. Rowling
THE SAGA OF DARREN SHAN BOOK 1
Darren goes to a banned freak show with his best mate Steve. It's the wonderfully gothic Cirque du Freak where weird, frightening half human/half animals appear who interact terrifyingly with the audience. Darren - a spider freak - `falls in love' with Madam Octa - an enormous tarantala owned by the circus proprietor. Darren determines to steal the spider so that he can train it to perform amazing deeds. But his daring theft goes horrible wrong. The spider bites his best mate and Darren has to sell his soul to an evil vampire to get the antidote.
Something out of the ordinary is set against the background of children's normal lives to chilling effect. Atmospheric, funny, realistic, moving and... terrifying.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Edition: Special Sales edition
Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks
Published: 01 Jan 2000
ISBN 10: 0007139004
ISBN 13: 9780007139002
Children’s book age: 9-11 Years
Cirque Du Freak
...fast-paced and compelling book which engages the reader's attention early and keeps it up to the very end. Full of satisfyingly macabre touches, it explores the powerful fascination of the dangerous and unnatural and, also, movingly the obligations of friendship. The narrator struggles with his conscience and with the unforseen consequences of his actions, both foolish and noble, which make for a plot full of twists - while the climax is fittingly unexpected and leaves the reader hungry for more.
JK Rowling
`Brilliant, macabre tale.'
Guardian
I read Cirque Du Freak last week. I loved it. I love the way you manage to juggle the funny with the unpleasant, the affection with the hurt. It's
great story-telling.
Roddy Doyle
The Vampire's Assistant
The Vampire's Assistant blazes a thrilling, gruesome trail through a fascinating plot.
The Good Book Guide
Vampire Mountain
Get your teeth into it!
Funday Times
Born in London in 1972, Darren O'Shaughnessy [writing as Darren Shan] moved to Limerick with his parents and younger brother. Returned to London to study Sociology and English then worked for a TV cable company. His first adult novel Ayuamarca has been published by Orion and his writing has been likened to Clive Barker and Iain Banks. He is now a full-time writer of TV scripts and novels. Cirque du Freak is his first title for children.