Product Description

The quest for the Vampaneze Lord continues for the hunters of the dusk. Darren gets an unwelcome taste of reality when he is forced to go back to school and his past catches up with him. THE SAGA OF DARREN SHAN BOOK 8 Maturing at one fifth the rate of a normal human, Darren has the looks of a fifteen year old, even though he is very much older. Vampire Prince and vampaneze killer he may be, but someone has shopped him to the authorities and it's time for Darren to go back to school. But school is not the only thing Darren has to come to terms with: faces from the past, the death of a clan member, a clash with a vampire hunter and blood-thirsty vampaneze mean Darren's past is catching up with him -- fast. It's time for the allies of the night to join forces. The hunt is on!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5493 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Review
Hunters of the Dusk The attention to detail is as great as ever and it will leave fans with the promise of bigger revelations and developments to come. Funday Times Cirque Du Freak A compelling book!a plot full of twists which leaves the reader hungry for more. J.K. Rowling One of the 50 Best Children's books of 1999 The Independent "I read Cirque Du Freak last week. I loved it. I love the way you manage to juggle the funny with the unpleasant, the affection with the hurt. It's great story-telling." Roddy Doyle A top notch supernatural thriller told with pace and tension! Leave the lights on! Books Etc Magazine The Vampire's Assistant The Vampire's Assistant blazes a thrilling, gruesome trail through a fascinating plot. The Good Book Guide

About the Author
Born in London in 1972, Darren O'Shaughnessy [writing as Darren Shan] moved to Limerick with his parents and younger brother. Returned to London to study Sociology and English then worked for a TV cable company. His first adult novel Ayuamarca has been published by Orion and his writing has been likened to Clive Barker and Iain Banks. He is now a full-time writer of TV scripts and novels.

Excerpted from The Saga of Darren Shan - Allies of the Night (The Saga of Darren Shan) by Darren Shan. Copyright © 2002. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
OUR DAILY POST, SEPTEMBER 15
BLOODY NIGHTS OF DEATH

This once-sleepy city is under siege. In the space of six short months eleven people have been brutally murdered, their bodies drained of blood and dumped in various public places. Many more have vanished into the shadows of the night and might be lying beneath the streets, their lifeless bodies decomposing in the lonely dark.

Officials cannot account for the gruesome killing spree. They do not believe the murders to be the work of one man, but nor have they been able to link the crimes to any known criminals. In the largest single police operation in the city's history, most local gangs have been broken up, religious cult leaders arrested and the doors of secret orders and brotherhoods smashed down...to no effect at all!

CUSTOMARY BLUNTNESS

Chief Inspector of police, Alice Burgess, when queried about the lack of results, responded with her own brand of customary bluntness. "We've been working like dogs," she snapped "Everyone's on unpaid overtime. Nobody's shirking responsibility. We're patrolling the streets in force, arresting anyone who even looks suspicious. We've initiated a 7pm curfew for children, and have advised adults to remain indoors too. If you find someone who can do a better job, give me a call and I'll gladly step aside."

Comforting words - but nobody here is taking comfort from them. The people of this city are tired of promises and pledges. Nobody doubts the honest, hard-working efforts of the local police - or the army who have been called in to assist in the operation - but faith in their ability to bring an end to the crisis has hit an all-time low. Many are moving out of the city, staying with relatives or in hotels, until the killings cease.

"I have kids," Michael Corbett, the forty-six-year-old owner of a second-hand bookshop told us. "Running away doesn't make me feel proud, and it'll ruin my business, but the lives of my wife and children come first. The police can do no more now than they did thirteen years ago. We've just got to wait for this to blow over, like it did before. When it does, I'll return. In the mean time, I think anyone who stays is crazy."

HISTORY OF DEATH

When Mr Corbett spoke of the past, he was referring to a time, nearly thirteen years ago, when horror similarly visited this city. On that occasion, nine bodies were discovered by a pair of teenagers, butchered and drained as the recent eleven victims have been.

But those bodies were carefully hidden, and only unearthed long after death had occurred. Today's murderers - rather, tonight's, since each victim has been taken after sunset - are not bothering to hide the evidence of their foul deeds. It's as though they are proud of their cruelty, leaving the bodies where they know they will be found.

Many locals believe the city is cursed and has a history of death. "I've been expecting these killings for fifty years," said Dr Kevin Beisty, a local historian and expert on the occult. "Vampires visited here more than one hundred and fifty years ago, and the thing about vampires is, once they find a place they like - they always come back!"

DEMONS OF THE NIGHT

Vampires. If Dr Beisty’s was the only voice crying out against demons of the night, he could be dismissed as a crank. But many other people believe that we are suffering at the hands of vampires. They point to the fact that the attacks always occur at night, that the bodies have been drained of blood – seemingly without the aid of medical equipment – and, most tellingly, that although three of the victims were photographed by hidden security cameras when they were abducted, their attackers faces did not show up on film!

Chief Inspector Alice Burgess is dismissive of the vampire theory. "You think Count Dracula’s on the rampage?" she laughed contemptuously. "Don’t be ridiculous!" This is the twenty-first century. Warped, sick humans are behind all this. Don’t waste my time blaming bogeymen!"

Customer Reviews

Allies of the night, the best yet?
Darren Shan, half-vampire and Vampire prince, continues his quest to hunt down and kill the vampaneze Lord. Darren and the Allies journey to Mr Cresley's home town after they hear about a series of killings sounding all too familiar; humans drained of blood!
This book is written in a similiar style to the first trilogy with all of the excitment and suspense, and more. However, because there are many old faces from the first three books, it is probably not a good idea to read this book without reading the preceding books in the series first, as you will not experience the pleasure of coming across some of Darren's old friends (and enemies) once again. Allies is a fantastic read for anyone who has read the other Shan books and also a fine read for anyone who loves action,suspense and most importantly Vampires!It starts with a huge twist and ends with another,and the cliffhanger at the end is sure to leave you biting your nails until the next book comes out. Roll on book 9!

Reviewer: Mr.Zhang from Chinatown, NYC
'' According to the mysterious and powerful Mr. Tiny, only three vampires stood a chance of stopping the Vampeneze Lord. They were the Prince, Vancha March, Larten Crepsly, and a half-vampire-me-Darren Shan." Vancha March is a vampire who had been living in the wild for a very long time and is a vampire Prince. Darren Shan is a half-vampire and also is a vampire Prince. Larten Crepsly is a full-vampire and was the one who had blooded Darren first making Darren a half-vampire. Larten and Darren are so close together, you call them "father & son." The three vampires are on a quest to vanquish the Vampire Lord to win the War of the Scors. The vampires are enemies of the Vampeneze. (The vampires only feed on a little bit of blood, but the Vampeneze suck the victim dry. In this action, the Vampeneze are really killing when they feed.) Only these three vampires may help. A school inspector came to their hotel one day and said Darren should be in school. Since Darren has very little experience in English, math, and science, he agrees to have a private tutor, Debbie. One night when Darren was walking home from his tutoring session, a Vampeneze attacked Darren! Darren is weaponless! What will happen to Darren Shan? Read this book to find out.

My favorite part of the story is when Darren took on a big bully all by himself. Darren just picked him up by the collar. The bully's voice got all shaky. Darren wasn't doing it for fun, he had to save a kid named Richard from being killed by the Vampeneze. A girl next to Darren, Tara, already got killed. Even though Darren is a half-vampire, he still has a kind heart. In book 1, "Cirque de Freak," Darren gives up his humanity and becomes a half-vampire just to save a poisoned friend, Steve Leonard from dying.

I was first attracted to this series when my after school teacher started reading this book. After a while, I had grown to like the excitement and adventures of these books. Pretty soon, I was reading this series fast. I wanted to learn more about Darren and know what happened. This book, "Allies of the Night," is the 8th book.

I would recommend this book to people who are 10 & above. This book has lots of cruel fighting like people using weapons (knives, harpoons, etc.). It also shows a person, once good friends with Darren actually betray him. Plus, this book would be great for people who enjoy books that have daring moments and exciting adventures. If you also really like vampires, then this book is right for you. Within a few minutes, you will be "engaged" with it so choose your favorite spot and get ready to read!

Allies of the Night sure to Brighten your day
Darren Shan is a wonderful author. With each new book he publishes a whole new story of courage, excitement, and enjoyment. Each Cirque Du Freak book is wonderful, and keeps you reading and guessing till the very end. Allies of the Night is no different. I will not spoil the story by telling what it is about, because I could reveal too much. Lets just say there might be a surprise character... For a first time buyer of this series, you must have this book. You must have read all the other books too, or you might get a bit lost. So lose yourself in the world of Darren Shan's Cirque Du Freak, Allies of the Night specifically, and let it brighten your day.