Series: Demonata | Publication Date: September 1, 2009
I'm a human sponge - I soak up memories. I feel like a thief, stealing secrets with an innocent touch. I don't like this gift. It's intrusive and sneaky. I think it's harmless, but I can't be sure. If knowledge is power, why do I feel so alone...?
The apocalypse came and the world burned. But it wasn't the end, and out of the destruction, new life has emerged. Bec is back to face the Demonata. After centuries of imprisonment, she's more powerful than ever, but the demons no longer stand alone.
Something else has crawled out of the darkness with her. Lord Loss is no longer humanity's greatest threat...
The seventh novel in the chilling Demonata series by Darren Shan, author of the New York Times bestselling Cirque Du Freak series, will terrify readers long after the last page.
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"I was born in London in 1972 and moved to Ireland when I was 6 years old, where I've lived ever since. I always wanted to be a writer - I've loved telling stories since I was a child. I started out writing books for adults, and managed to get a couple published. One day, on a whim, I decided to try a book for children. The result was Cirque Du Freak. Much to my surprise, it took off, and I became a de facto children's author! Since then I've used my ill-gotten gains to buy lots of comic-strip art and travel the world. When I'm not working or traveling, I like watching movies. I've even been known to read the odd book or two."
Darren is currently working on the terrifying, cataclysmic conclusion to the Demonata series, Hell's Heroes, coming May 2010, as well as a grisly adventure novel, The Thin Executioner, available August 2010.
Product Details
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition (September 1, 2009)
Darren Shan's real name is Darren O'Shaughnessy (pronounced O-Shock-Nessy, though it can also be pronounced O-Shawn-Essy_. Although he is Irish, he was born on July 2, 1972, in St. Thomas' Hospital, London -- directly across the river from the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, which may explain his fascination with evil bloodsuckers! He lived in South East London, near the Elephant & Castle. He started school at the early age of three (he was such a wild child, no pre-school facility would have him!), in English Martyrs. At the age of six, he moved to Limerick in Ireland, with his parents and younger brother, and has lived there ever since.
Shan went to primary school in Askeaton, where his mother was a teacher, then to secondary school in Copsewood College in Pallaskenry. Later, he went back to London to study Sociology and English at Roehampton University. He then worked for a cable television company in Limerick for a couple of years, before setting up as a full-time writer at the age of 23.
Although Shan always wanted to be a writer, it was only in his teenage years that he began writing in his spare time for fun (before that, he only wrote stories if they were for homework). He bought his first typewriter when he was 14, and never looked back, knocking out loads of short stories and comic scripts, and making false starts on several books, which he never completed. He enjoyed his first taste of literary success at age 15, as a runner-up in a television script-writing competition for RTE in Ireland, with a dark comedy script titled A Day in the Morgue (he was morbid even then!).
Shan was 17 when he finished his first novel. Although it was never published, he relished the writing experience, and found himself focusing more on novels in the coming years, leaving behind the short-story format. For the next several years, sandwiched between university and work, he wrote an average of one book a year, experimenting with different ideas, genres, lengths and styles. When he started writing full-time, his output shot up to 5 to 6 books per year! But that has dropped back to 2 to 3 recently, due to all the travelling around he's been doing to promote sales of his books.
All of these early books were adult-oriented. Although Shan quite liked the idea of writing a children's book one day, he considered himself an adult writer first and foremost. In fact, Shan's initial breakthrough was with an adult book, in 1999, titled Ayuamarca (since re-released in the UK as Procession Of The Dead, and coming to the USA in 2010).
In January 2000, his first children's book, Cirque du Freak, which he'd written as a fun side-project, was published. The first book in a series titled The Saga of Darren Shan (or Cirque du Freak, as it's known in America), it attracted rave reviews and an ever-growing army of fans hungry to learn more about vampires which were quite unlike any that anyone had ever seen before!
Shan loved writing for children so much, that for the next several years he focused exclusively on his books for younger readers. First, he wrote a total of 12 books about vampires. He quickly followed up his vampiric saga with The Demonata, a series about demons. Running to ten books in total, The Demonata cemented Shan's place in the UK as the Master Of Children's Horror, and saw him score his first UK #1 bestseller. He also wrote a one-off short book, called Koyasan, for Wold Book Day in the UK.
There was a very successful manga adaptation of Shan's vampire series, drawn by the Japanese artist, Takahiro Arai. It was originally serialized in Japan, but collected volumes are now on sale in the USA, UK and other countries.
In addition to writing for children, Shan has now returned to his first love and is once again writing for adults as well. He has had two adult books published in the UK, Procession Of The Dead and Hell's Horizon. They have been released in a number of other countries too, and are due to hit the USA in 2010. A third, City of the Snakes, goes on sale in the UK in March 2010. His first adult books were released under the name of D B Shan, but they are being reprinted under the name of Darren Shan in March 2010, and City of the Snakes will be released under the Darren Shan name.
By the start of 2010, Shan's books were on sale in every continent, in 39 countries, in 31 languages, and have been children's bestsellers in America, Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and other countries. The books have topped adult bestseller charts in Hungary, Japan and Taiwan. In total, Shan's books have sold close to 15 million copies worldwide!!!!
The movie rights to Cirque Du Freak were bought by Universal, and the first movie (which combines elements from the first three books in the series) was released on October 23rd, 2009, starring newcomer Chris Massoglia as Darren Shan, along with a wide array of established stars such as Josh Hutcherson, John C Reilly, Salma Hayek, Willem Defoe and Ken Watanabe. The movie was called Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant. It was released on DVD and Blu-Ray in February 2010.
A big film buff, with a collection of more than four thousand movies at home, Shan also reads lots of comics and books, and likes to study and collect original artwork, especially comic art and impressionist and post-impressionist art. He has recently started adding sculptures to his collection, making use of the large, empty field outside his back door. Other interests include long walks, watching football (he's a Tottenham Hotspur and Ireland fan), listening to pop and rock music, theatre, worldwide travel, sampling the delights of both gourmet cuisine and finger-licking junk food, and dreaming up new ways to terrify his readers!!!
Shan spends most of his time in Limerick, Ireland, with his girlfriend Bas. He has no pets, but a neighbourhood dog called Goldie joins him on his walks most days. He also feeds a variety of wild birds, and spots the occasional hare and pheasant strolling through his back yard. In addition to his main home in Ireland, Shan has an apartment in London, to which he escapes for a burst of high-speed living every so often, when he feels the need to get his juices flowing!! Shan rarely writes when in London or on the road, preferring to tie himself to his computer when at home in Limerick, where he can work away solidly without any distractions in the peace and quiet of the Irish countryside.
This review is from: The Demonata #7: Death's Shadow (Paperback)
So, Grandma freaked out when she saw the cover and the name of the series. I assure you, the hero is fighting the bad guys and it's not satanic or anything. My son loves this series and has read each book very quickly. He says they are hard to put down.
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At the moment, the Demonata is one of my favorite book series. Even though it was written for a younger audience I still find it very interesting because of the simple way in which it was written. "Death's Shadow" left you really wanting more in the sense that you wanted to know more answers than questions. This series really has been very entertaining for me and I can't wait for the next book :D
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"I felt myself drawn to the dead boy. As my spirit seeped into his corpse, I found myself capable of restoring the body's functions. ...Bill-E drew breath...and so did I. My first free breath after sixteen hundred years of imprisonment. No words can describe the deliciousness of that...but that's when my problems really began."
Bec has been able to take over Bill-E's dying body and is now living with his uncle Dervish in Carcery Vale. She has assumed Bill-E's memories and can (reluctantly) relate many of Bill-E's thoughts to the grieving Dervish. Bec finds all of this very painful. She wants to move forward, to enjoy her new "being" and to continue the fight against Lord Loss and the legions of demons. Unfortunately, Dervish seems unable to see Bec for the strong, spiritual force she is and seeks her out only as a link to Bill-E.
Being back among the living allows Bec access to Beranabus (now known as Bran). However, the old wizard has once again chosen to leave Bec behind as he and his assistants, Kernel Fleck and Grubbs Grady, enter the demon's universe to fight. He is protective of Bec (especially after her 1,600 years of imprisonment in the cave) and wants to save her from the hellish encounters. Another element comes into play as Beranabus knows that the combination of Bec, Grubbs and Kernel form the powerful Kah-Gash. Together, these three have the power to vanquish the demons that move to destroy them all.
One of Dervish's old friends, Meera, shows up at the old mansion to help her dear friend heal from his recent heartbreak. In the process she helps open up the communication between Dervish and Bec. As Bec struggles to find her new place in this world, she also discovers that sensations she gets when she touches people help her pick up their life images. This, along with Bill-E's memories, almost overloads her during her adjustments. All of these things come into play when, at last, she is forced back into a position of fighting the demonata.
Just as Bec, Meera and Dervish are feeling comfortable with one another, the house is invaded by werewolves.
"The first of the creatures sticks its head around the corner. It's recognizably human, but twisted out of normal shape. It has unnatural yellow eyes. Dark hair sprouts form its face, and its teeth have lengthened into fangs. They look too large for its mouth."
From here they are swept back into Lord Loss's realm. Not only do they face the brutal demonata again, but they discover that there is an even more powerful force known as the Shadow overseeing the potential destruction of the human race. Joining forces with Beranabus, the Kah-Gash and other friends face brutal horrors and death together. Not everyone will survive.
DEATH'S SHADOW is just as bloody and exciting as the previous books in Darren Shan's series. Fans are absolutely going to love it! With twists and turns the action heats up to an exciting climax. We can't keep it on our shelves, and as always, there's an eager audience awaiting the next Demonata installment.
--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts (stibbetts@maine207west.org)
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