Darren begins the Trials of Initiation to prove himself worthy of being a half-vampire, even as the clan's blood foes, the vampaneze, gather near Vampire Mountain.

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

This is the fifth title in the compelling and chilling saga of Darren Shan, but the second part in a new trilogy, following Darren’s initiation into the vampire clan.

The trials: seventeen ways to die unless the luck of the vampire is with you. Darren Shan must pass five fearsome Trials to prove himself to the vampires clan - or face the stakes of the Hall of Death. But Vampire Mountain holds hidden threats. Sinister, potent forces are gathering in the darkness. In this nightmarish world of bloodshed and betrayal, death may be a blessing...

The middle segment of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy by Darren Shan, the New York Times bestselling YA author of Cirque Du Freak. "Archibald Lox is sure to ensnare, mesmerize, and astound readers of all ages." The Literary Connoisseur. When a couple of assassins catch up with Archie, he's forced to flee to the Merge in search of friendship and safety. In a city of ice, the greatest grop players of the six realms have assembled for a legendary Tourney, and Archie ends up with a ticket to every match. But plans have been drawn up to kidnap a prince, and Archie soon finds himself fighting for his freedom and his sanity. Having become a pawn in a cunning game of political chess, he must travel to the heart of an enemy empire, but it's a dark, menacing place from which he might never return... This is the Complete Volume Two of the Archibald Lox series, bringing together the first three novels, Archibald Lox and the Forgotten Crypt, Archibald Lox and the Slides of Bon Repell, and Archibald Lox and the Rubicon Dictate. "Easy, fun read with lots of surprises. We were on the edge of our seats!" The Bookbag. "I devoured this book in a day and I am still smiling and eager for more." The Word Cubby. "Shan has built an ambitiously original fantasy world populated with fully rounded characters who take us on unforgettably compelling journeys." Books, Films & Random Lunacy. "The first three books were unlike anything I'd read before, and book 4 truly proves that Shan is a master storyteller." Kelly Smith Reviews. "With every page, author Darren Shan weaves a richer and more colourful world." Addicted To Media. "Full of adventure and intrigue. I've really enjoyed how this has blended the familiar with the fantastical to craft a captivating world." T. Higgs Reviews. "Tension! Drama! Badassery! Volume two of Archibald Lox has it all." Rachel Hobbs, author of Shadow-Stained.

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.

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.