Customer Reviews

Cirque Du Freak #5: Trials of Death: Book 5 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book was so far the best of the series. The trials are extremely cool and there is even a traitor at the end of the book. Which leaves a cliffhanger that will make you think for months. If you are to impationt go order the 6th book off of amazon's united kingdom site they have nine cirque du freak books!

if you want to read the "Cirque Du Freak" books, please start with number 1. if you don't, it is unlikely that you will understand much. these books have a devoted fan base, and you can visit the authors website, (www.darrenshan.com) and look at the beautiful fan art that some kids have drawn. I have read every book in this series up to Trials of Death, and I am trying to get my hands on "the vampire prince". these books really make you want to keep reading, and most of the books end with you wondering what will happen next. and don't let reading level fool you- I am in the eigth grade, 13 years old, and I love these books. these books are written WONDERFULLY, they are full of emotion, action, violence, and gore. some parts are also very very sad, and I almost cried a few times, which is something I am not at all likely to do. but be warned, these books aren't for kids who are scared easily. there is an awful lot of death and graphic violence, which I think is great, but might upset the faint of heart. if you like books about vampires, fantasy, or just want something great to read, buy the first book in this series today! and these books aren't about dracula-style vampires- the creatures in these books are VERY believable. don't expect them to grow fangs or change into bats. from this series, my favorite characters were Evra Von, Darren Shan, and Kurda Smahlt (although he did something... well, read and find out). overall, this entire series is GREAT. please please please read them! each book seems better than the last one! and on a sad note, the author has sold the movie rights. you might think that is great, but I have a horrible feeling that the movie will be rated PG and the characters will be messed up. oh well. READ THESE BOOKS!

In my review of Trials of Death, I said that I was concerned with the way things were heading, and hoped that the trials Darren would be faced with would be not of the garden variety. I need to retract that statement.

The tests that Darren undertook were challenging and very well written. And the author did not spare Darren an ounce of respite. Authors *need* to hurt their characters, and this author put Darren through the wringer. These challenges slayed Darren to the bone - burned him, scarred him, and at one point nearly killed him if not for an intervention from an unlikely source.

Because of this, Darren is shamed, and the entire Vampire community is up in arms over what to do. Anyone who does not complete the Trials of Death, or has someone intervene on their behalf is dishonered, and the fate is death. As usual, the book is full of twists and turns, was delightful to read, and had a terrific, terrific cliffhanger.

Also, there was a stunning turn of events that I'm sure left most readers of the book with their jaw on the floor.

I finished this book in three days. You can't put it down, at the end of each chapter, it ends so that you want to keep reading. The way these stories are written is great. Darren Shan is a very good author. If you like books that make you feel like you are right there in the story, then get this book. It's an awsome story. (and also: I'm going into 8th grade, its not only for 5-7 graders)

Continuing approximately four hours after the conclusion from book four, "Trials of Death" tells of Darren's trials that he must undertake to gain support to the vampires. Although the book is a little slow at the begining, it really picks up pace when the trials are selected and what the trials involve. The ending is very cliffhanging because of a traitor that becomes known in the last chapter, and what happens to Darren when he finds out about the traitor. I cannot wait till September when the next book will come out.

Darren Shan is once again successful in continuing to build upon the interest already built up in this addictive series. Darren has to pass five trials to prove himself worthy to be a part of the vampire clan. If he fails, he dies.

This book includes several new plot lines that continue to make the series interesting. It takes a whole lot of talent to continue to create more interest in an extremely satisfying series.

For those who claim the author is without skill, I say Charna's guts! You just don't get it. This series continues to be all readers can think about until. . .

the next installment--The Vampire Prince

Cirque Du Freak #5
By: Darren Shan
Reviewed by : K. Arita
P:1

Cirque Du Freak #5 is the fifth book of the Cirque Du Freak series. There are 17 ways to die in the trials of death unless the luck of the vampire is with you. He has to prove to the vampire clan that he is good enough to be one of the Princes. He has to risk his life in 5 deadly ways. The first three ways is finding a secret door in a maze that slowley fills up with water in aproximately 17 minutes. The second trial is when he has to walk through the Hall of Flames. That trial is when he has to survive in a big box for 15 minutes while furious bursts of flames are coming straight at him. The third trial is the Cave of Needles. This is when Darren has to climb through a slippery cave that has needle sharp stalagmites and stalagtites. Any faint noise will cause some of the stalagmites and stalagtites to fall and maybe pierce through his body and kill him. But in the end, one of his close friends, a Prince, turns out to be a vampeze prince (an eviler version of the vampire. The vampeze actually kills its victims while sucking the blood out of it.)
I liked this book because it keeps you in suspense. Lots of cliff hangers. One of the cliff hangers is at the very end when Darren finds out that his friend, Gavner Pearl, is the Vampeze Prince. The vampires hate the vampeze because it kills its victims, so Gavner decides to spare his life and Darren makes a run for it. He runs to the Hall of Princes, but the Vampeze are all over the place, so he was trapped. And thats where the book ended. Now I really want to buy the 6th book!
Also I liked it when he was in the Hall of Flames. It said, "It was a lousy choice, but there was no time to complain. I covered my fave with my arms and darted forward into the wall of crackling flames." I was planning to only read a chapter a day, but when i read those sentences at the end of the chapter, I just HAD TO read on! I couldn't stop myself. This book is really good at the suspense that he leaves you with at the end of each chapter.
My favorite part was during the Hall of Flames. During the resting period before he had to go on with the next trial, the Blooded Boars, he was really messed up because of all of his burns. He had only 2 days as a resting period, and his feet couldn't even support his weight because his feet were badly burnt. So when the Trials came, he had to do them so that he wouldn't be exicuted. When he was about to die because he was pinned down by a boar and another boar was headed straight for him, his friendm Harakat, saved him. That was the most exciting part of the book.

"May luck be with me even in times of death," said Darren Shan as he let go of the rock and is taken by the strong current down a dark river tunnel. This is the fifth book in the Cirque Du Freak saga and this has to be the most suspenseful. Darren is the half-human, half-vampire that is the assistant to another vampire, Mr. Crepsley. Darren wants to earn the respect of his peers and can also be made into a general by taking the trials of death. The trials of death are very simple to complete; there are five trials and then you are welcomed in the vampire world. If you fail one of them, you will die in one of the thirteen ways in the hall of death. This book expands the mind of kids like me. The words are hard and the plot is full of twists and turns. Also there are surprises that will shock and dismay you. Overall, I really like this book. Darren Shan is a great writer and I hope he continues this heart pumping saga.

Great book. This has the most action out of the first 5 books in the series. In Trials Of Death, Darren is really tested physically and mentally by the vampire clan. He has to undergo Trials, that will test him mainly physically, but also mentally. Has to fight through water, fire, sharp objects and so on but i'll let you read about that.

This is the best book out of the first 5, because there are big turns of events in the middle to end of the book. At the end, Darren thinks he might be doomed, but is he? When you reach the end of this book, your gonna want to read book 6 directly after to find out what happens. Get this!

One of the main characters, Darren Shan, was living a normal life until he met a vampire at a freak show by the name of Vur Horston but everyone calls him Mr. Crepsely. Now he has become the assisstant of Mr. Crepsly. Darren has begun his journy of becoming a Vampire Prince and to do so he has to complete 5 trials. The trials are held in Vampire Mountain(a secret temple inside a mountain). Each trial is very difficult and if Darren shall fail any then he will be killed from a fall into a pit of stakes. Will Darren make it out alive? A couple of the trials include fire, SHARP nails, and 2 vampire blooded boars. During one of the trials something happens, I'm not saying he failed, but Darren has to make a decision of a lifetime. Die or runaway. You must read to find out what happens next. You will NEVER expect it. This book has a cliffhanger at the end of EVERY chapter making you read more so you can't stop. If you like horror books then this would be perfect for you, boy or girl. be sure to read the other 4 books first because there will be so much detail missing, enjoy!