Customer Reviews

The Vampire's Assistant (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Cirque Du Freak: Saga of Darren Shan (Pb))

5 star:		(64)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Darren Shan's existence as a human is over. When he sacrificed himself to save his friend his life was destined to change forever. Now a half-vampire, Darren is forced to abandon his family and friends to travel as an assistant to Mr Crepsley. Already struggling to come to terms with what he has left behind, Darren is now about to face a new dilemma, because animal blood alone is not enough to keep him alive and despite Mr Crepsley's concerns, he refuses to betray the person he used to be by drinking from a human. Returning to the Freak show where his nightmare began, Darren soon strikes up a friendship with Evra, the snake boy and a local kid named Sam. When it seems to Darren that his life is finally taking a turn for the better, tragedy strikes and he is forced to make a choice that will change him forever...

After reading "Cirque du Freak", the first instalment in the saga of Darren Shan, I was hoping that these books weren't just Goosebumps for older readers, and now The Vampire's Assistant has proved to me that they definitely are not. If anything, I enjoyed it even more than the first part of the series. Easy and fun to read, The Vampire's assistant, like its predecessor is one of those books that you read straight through, rush to finish and find out what happens, and then feel sorry when it's over. The main character, Darren is a narrator who is easy to like and identify with as he struggles to come to terms with what he has become. New characters are introduced and are even more vivid and interesting than those revealed in "Cirque du Freak". This was an enjoyable, action-packed book that is difficult to put down and should appeal to adults and kids alike. Having read #3 Tunnels of blood and #4 Vampire Mountain, I can safely say that this series just keeps on getting better and better. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoyed "Cirque du Freak" - you won't be disappointed.

~Jenna~

Have you ever thought what it would be like to become a vampire? In most movies and books it's simple: if you join the ranks of the walking dead, you turn into an evil monster who loves to drink blood. But what if vampires weren't evil? What if you were to hold onto your humanity when you changed, but needed to drink blood to survive? Could you bring yourself to attack a fellow human being ... to bite them ... to drink from their veins? This is the key problem Darren Shan faces in the second book of his Saga, THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT. As Mr Crepsley's assistant, he must tend to the needs of his master. But Darren has needs too -- he needs B*L*O*O*D! Can he bring himself to drink, or will he cling to his principles ... and DIE? Join him - and others, including the performers of the Cirque Du Freak, such as the Snake Boy and Cormac Limbs - inside the pages of THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT and find out. But be warned: blood WILL be shed in its gruesomely fierce finale ...

"The Vampire's Assistant," book 2 in Darren Shan's Saga, starts two months after the first one leaves off. Darren and Mr. Crepsley (spelling?) return to the Cirque Du Freak, and the terror starts!!! I liked it even better than the first. I can not wait till book 3 comes out. And yes, this one also has the dreadful last three words, TO BE CONTINUED. I reccommend this book to anyone who has read "Cirque Du Freak" and enjoyed it.

I just finished reading The Vampire's Assistant, and I found myself more than satisfied. I have to agree with many reviewers here: this book was better than the first.

The book starts were the first book left off. Darren, now half-vampire, travels with Mr. Crespley from place to place. Crespley urges Darren to drink human blood, for no vampire (not even half) can survive without it. Even though Darren doesn't have to kill his victim, he doesn't relent. He will drink animal blood but not human. He wants to keep his humanity.

Mr. Crespley and Darren go back to Cirque Du Freak, so Darren have friends and be with people who understand him more. He befriends Evra, the snake boy in the first book, and two humans, Sam and R.V. Darren grows close to Sam, but their friendship is soon in jeopardy when tragedy strikes and leaves Sam (and others) in danger.

As said, this book was better than the first. We learn more about chracters like Mr. Crespley, Mr. Tall, all the other freak members. This book has more excitment, suspsense, and dept than the first one (but I did enjoy the first one immensely). For fans of the first one, you definitely don't want to miss this installment!

I thought the first book was amazing, after I read this I was SPEECHLESS. JK Rowling probally learned all of her outstanding writing from the half vampire, the talented writer, Darren Shan. Well 5 stars to me isnt enough to give this book. All the readers will die for the next book, Tunnels of Blood, possibly better than the seccond.

In this book Darren learns how it is to be a Vampire's Assistant; He joins the cirque and makes friends. More action with the Wolf Man, Mr. Tall, and many others. Lots of action with Darren regreting of trading his life for a vampire and thretening to kill Mr.Crepsely, not only Darren fights off the creatures is friends do to. Does Mr. Crepsley trust Darren with his life, there are many times that Darren could kill him, but does he want too, does he need Mr. Crepsely to teach him the ways of being a vampire, you will find out in the Vampire's assistant.

Ps. This book is amazing better than Harry Potter and those other books that dont stand one damn chance against, THE VAMPIRE'S ASSISTANT.

This book is the sequel of Cirque Du Freak A Living Nightmare. Darren Shan still has a problem of drinking human blood, and human blood is something that vampire's have to drink once a month, or they will become pale and die after awhile. They cannot just survive off of animal blood. Darren Shan can't play with any of his friends, because he can hurt someone. So he joins Cirque Du Freak. There, he meets many strange humans and creatures such as the wolfman, so dangerous that it has to be locked up in a cage with chains tied to him. There is a boy about the same age as Darren and has a pet snake and is sort of a snake himself. They also meet a boy who lives near by. There is also a nature specialist, someone who cares for animals and the environment. The environmental person hears about Cirque Du Freak and comes to investigate. Then he calls the police. But before he calls, he does a little handiwork himself. He sees the wolfman and starts to clip the heavy chains off the wolfman. Darren sees him and tries to stop him . So Darren sticks the person's hand into the cage and the wolfman bites it right off. He yells, "Where are my hands, what did you do to my hands,where are my hands!!!",then runs off into the woods. The third book is to come out at April and is called, the Tunnels of Blood.
Why I recommend this book is because it is as scary as the first. There are even better cliff-hangers. This book keeps you from doing anything else until you are finished with it. It also makes make-believe characters come to life as you read it. It is also one of the best books that I have ever read in my life. That is why I recommend this book.
My favorite part of the story is when the nature specialist comes to Cirque Du Freak and cuts the chains off the wolfman. Then the wolfman bites the guys hands right off, leaving the bone showing at the elbow, while he yells, "Where are my hands!!!" The wolfman then escapes and runs wild. But Mr. Crepsley, a vampire catches him and put it back in the cage.

Many sequels pale in comparison to the original, as they tend to lose steam. Not so with The Vampire's Assistant. If anything, this had more steam than the original.

What's very impressive with this series is the wonderful pacing. The books are nearly impossible to put down, because at the end of every chapter there's a hook to draw you into the next chapter. As a result, I tend to read these books in one sitting.

Perhaps even more impressive is the risks that the author takes. In the first book, Mr. Crepsley, a vampire, "killed" Darren Shan (who is "writing" the books) to make him a vampire, and take him away from his family. These are gut wrenching and terrifying things; even an adult can't help but cringe at the thought of a child being removed from their family. In this book, the author goes one step further. Darren has an aversion to drinking human blood, but instead of sounding like a whiny brat, his protestations are perfectly aligned with the nature of his character. In other words, the tone - the character's voice - stays the same. Mr. Crepsley is pushing Darren to drink human blood, stressing that Darren will die if he doesn't. How Darren comes to drink human blood shocked me, and would, I imagine, shock the socks off a nine year old.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was the silly and ridiculous "costume" that Darren was given to wear. That didn't make sense to me. With all of the money that the circus brings in, and the seeming endless amount of money that Mr. Crepsley has, why not a stage costume (the "pirate" costume he was given), and then a regular pair of Levi's and a suitable shirt with sneakers?

That, though, is a minor - if irritating - point. I loved this book, and am hurrying my way through the series.

And to think I don't really care much for stories about vampires, as I've always considered them blasé. My mind has been changed - for this series, at least.

This book was the best of the series well I have only read 2 but this one was really good. Darren shan leaves cliff hangers after every chapter. I read this book in three days I loved it! Darren Shan is my favorite author he has a great plot. If you start to read this book you will not be able to put it down.

Darren was an ordinary kid with and ordinary life when he and his friend, Steve, go to a freak show. Darren has to give up his humanity and become a vampire to save Steve. He hates every thing about being a vampire. He is reluctant to drink human blood. Darren and his vampire friend,. Mr. Crepsley decide to join Cirque Du Freak. He makes friends with the snake-boy and the other performers. Soon he has another friend named Sam. Little does Darren know this story will end in a blood bath.

This book is about a boy Darren Shan who is half vampire. He is lonely with only Mr.Crespely (the full vampire)so they move to the Cirque Du Freak(a freak show). At the show Darren meets Evra Von and is his friend. He also meets a boy Sam Grest. During this time at the show Darren wont drink human blood witch he needs. The three boys encounter hardships and good times also.
In this book I like the way the action gets larger and larger. At the is the best part but I can't tell you. the suspense is like a race cars throttle during a race. It gets faster and then slower at the same rate up and down.
There are a few lessons in this story too. One is don't always trust everyone. Also you have to sacrifice some thing. get this book if you like books that build up, such as Harray Potter.