Birth of a Killer - Softcover

Shan, Darren

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007315872 ISBN 13: 9780007315871

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, 2011

Synopsis

Following the massive success of the Demonata series, Darren Shan is back where it all started -- telling the life story of the vampire Larten Crepsley. Spanning centuries and continents, taking in sea voyages, murder, war and love, this is the epic, bloodsoaked tale of a vampire who started out a nobody! and ended up changing the world forever. For every vampire, the end! is just the beginning. When terrible events force young Larten Crespley to flee his home he finds himself alone in the world. Then he meets the mysterious Seba Nile, who introduces him to the ways of the vampire clan. But will Larten turn his back on humanity and join a world from which there can be no return!? So begins the blood-soaked tale of a vampire who starts out a nobody ! but will change the world forever.

About this title

About the Author:

Darren Shan is the number-one best-selling author of the twelve book series THE SAGA OF DARREN SHAN, and more recently the DEMONATA series. Birth of a Killer is the first title in his new SAGA OF LARTEN CREPSLEY, which takes readers full circle, to before the beginning of THE SAGA OF DARREN SHAN. Darren's books have been read by millions of people around the world and translated into more than 25 languages. Darren lives in seclusion in the depths of Ireland. He is a big film buff, and also loves theatre, comics and books, and collecting art. He loves dreaming up new ways to terrify his readers, but never drinks blood. Or so he claims.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 6-8-This adventure story traces the early life of master vampire Larten Crepsley. Sent to work in a Dickensian factory, young Larten kills the abusive foreman and flees. He takes shelter in a cemetery crypt where he meets the 500-year-old vampire General Seba Nile, who explains to the terrified youngster that vampires aren't evil. Although they drink human blood, just as the legends say, they do not harm those on whom they feed. When he invites Larten to travel with him as his assistant, the boy agrees. As the first entry in a projected series, this story includes quite a bit of exposition. The plot action covers more than 20 years, taking Larten through his first "blooding" and into full vampire status, and features his first meetings with mysterious Cirque owner Hibernius Tall; Seba's vampire ally Paris Skyle; and the vampaneze Murlough. At times, the pacing feels rather rushed with the effort to introduce many important characters, settings, and themes from Shan's "Cirque du Freak" saga (Little, Brown). Transitions are often abrupt, jumping several years between chapters. A cliff-hanger ending promises further revelations. "Cirque du Freak" aficionados will be intrigued by this glimpse into Crepsley's formative years, but the uninitiated will want to read the original books first.-Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0007315872
• ISBN 13: 9780007315871
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256