Cirque Du Freak #3: Tunnels of Blood: Book 3 in the Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak: the Saga of Darren Shan) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "MY NAME'S DARREN SHAN..." (more)
Key Phrases: mad vampaneze, full vampire, Cirque Du Freak, Gavner Purl, Darren Shan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Following his blood-curdling adventures in A Living Nightmare and The Vampire's Assistant, half-vampire Darren Shan is settling into his day-to-day life at Cirque Du Freak, the traveling freak show he has joined. But before he can get too cozy, his vampire master, Mr. Crepsley, whisks him off to the big city for a mysterious mission. Soon, Crepsley, Darren, and Evra the snake-boy are embroiled in a bloody battle of wits between the vampire community and a mad, "vampaneze," a creature from a separate, more murderous race of vampires. Along the way, Darren meets his first girlfriend, and winds up putting her life, as well as everyone else's, in grave danger.

The latest installment of Darren Shan's bestselling saga will surely satiate his legions of bloodthirsty fans. As fast-paced and thrilling as ever, his writing will encourage even reluctant readers to devour the series. Luckily for all, it looks as though we haven't seen the last of this appealing, well-meaning (if occasionally bumbling) half-vampire. (Ages 10 and older) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

A visit to the city leads Darren and Evra, the snake boy, to a startling discovery (blood drained corpses) and sends them on a mission to discover the foul creature responsible, in Darren Shan's Tunnels of Blood, the third installment in the Saga of Darren Shan, that began with Cirque Du Freak.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316606081
• ISBN-13: 978-0316606080
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,556 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 3 in The Cirque Du Freak Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mystery, suspense, horror, oh my!, April 3, 2002

By	ckw (New Jersey, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cirque du Freak: Tunnels of Blood (Hardcover)

The third installation of Darren Shan's Cirque du Freak series takes us to an unnamed city plagued by an elusive killer. Darren and his mentor, Larten Crepsley, are paid a visit from an old friend of Mr. Crepsley's named Gavner Purl, a Vampire General. After a clandestine conversation with Gavner, Mr. Crepsley announces that he must leave the Cirque for a while and go live in the city, and Darren as his assistant has to go with him. Dismayed at the idea of having to be alone all the time in a strange place, Darren convinces his best friend Evra Von to join him.

While Mr. Crepsley is away or sleeping, Darren and Evra spend time enjoying themselves in the city, going to zoos and other interesting places. Darren even meets a girl, Debbie Hemlock, who adores the fact that he's just a little strange and that his best friend is a snake-boy. Coming home from Debbie's one night just before Christmas, Darren finds Evra transfixed by a TV news show that is reporting the finding of six dead humans, all drained of their blood. Evra and Darren argue as to who the culprit is, and Darren immediately suspects Mr. Crepsley, who is never home at night. He tracks Mr. Crepsley to a slaughterhouse, prepared to kill his master, but finds out that he's fighting an enemy he never could have dreamed about. It will take every wit Darren and Mr. Crepsley have to conquer the mad murderer, as well as a lot of luck.

Darren Shan has created yet another spellbinding volume in the story of a young boy's training as a vampire's assistant. This book gets four stars instead of five because the trademark suspense and thrills usually present throughout the books is left until the end. It seems that this books serves as more of a vehicle to show Darren's growth and knowledge of humanity, rather than scare the readers. Don't worry, though, there's plenty of gross stuff for everyone, and Shan sets up what promises to be a fascinating fourth novel, as Darren faces a new enemy and learns more about the vampire world.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet another great book by Mr. Shan, September 20, 2002

By	"yankeemb7" (Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cirque du Freak: Tunnels of Blood (Hardcover)

This book continues the nonstop action that is in the Saga of Darren Shan. When a mad vampaneze runs loose in Mr. Crepsley's hometown, Darren, the snakeboy, Evra Von, and Mr. Crepsley must journey there to stop him. Mr. Crepsley goes out every night to investigate. Darren and Evra become suspicious when they hear of several bodies that were found DRAINED OF BLOOD!!! (They do not yet know of the mad vampaneze.) Darren and Evra start following Mr. Crepsley. In a butcher's shop, Darren comes face to face with the mysterious vampire's cousin. In another heartpounding adventure, Darren once again delivers a brilliant book. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Author Darren Shan does it again!!!!, April 12, 2002

By	Lee T. Larsen (Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Cirque du Freak: Tunnels of Blood (Hardcover)

"Tunnels of Blood," the third volume in Darren Shan's "Cirque Du Freak" series, is buy far the best so far. In this volume, we learn lots more about vampires and one of their greatest enemies, and also a bit of history. Like all the "Cirque Du Freak" books, this one ends with the dreadful last three words (as all the books would I predict) TO BE CONTINUED, and the fourth book is not coming out till September!!!!! The publisher has got to get with it and start publishing more than two books in this series a year!!! People in the U.K. are soon to get the SIXTH book in the series. A great read!!!