From the Master of Horror comes the first gripping book in the twelve book New York Times bestselling Saga of Darren Shan. Start the tale from the beginning in the book that inspired the feature film The Vampire's Assistant and petrified devoted fans worldwide. A young boy named Darren Shan and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to the Cirque Du Freak, a wonderfully gothic freak show featuring weird, frightening half human/half animals who interact terrifyingly with the audience. In the midst of the excitement, true terror raises its head when Steve recognizes that one of the performers-- Mr. Crepsley-- is a vampire! Stever remains after the show finishes to confront the vampire-- but his motives are surprising! In the shadows of a crumbling theater, a horrified Darren eavesdrops on his friend and the vampire, and is witness to a monstrous, disturbing plea. As if by destiny, Darren is pulled to Mr. Crepsley and what follows is his horrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires. This is the beginning of Darren's story.

Now in paperback--the gut-wrenching first book in The Vampire Mountain trilogy.

Darren goes to a freak show with his friend. It's the gothic Cirque du Freak where weird, half human/half animals appear and interact with the audience. Darren falls in love with a spider and tries to steal it so that he can teach it to perform.

In the seventh entry of this New York Times bestselling series, Darren Shan, part of an elite force, searches the world of the Vampaneze Lord. But the road ahead is long and dangerous.

In this fourth book in the bestselling Saga of Darren Shan, Darren Shan and Mr. Crepsley embark on a dangerous trek to the very heart of the vampire world. But they face more than the cold on Vampire Mountain? The vampaneze have been there before them. Will a meeting with the Vampire Princes restore Darren's human side, or turn him further toward the darkness? Only one thing is certain? Darren's initiation into the vampire clan is more deadly than he can ever have imagined.

One boy's terrifying journey from human to half-vampire to Vampire Prince. Where he will rule the night and destroy the world.

The lives of Darren and Harkat are at risk as they face monstrous obstacles on a desperate quest to the Lake of Souls.