A Living Nightmare (Cirque du Freak #1)

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Author(s)

Darren Shan

Publisher

Little Brown & Company

Genre(s)

Horror

Age Range

10+

Release Date

June 01, 2002

ISBN

0316603406

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In the tradition of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot, Cirque Du Freak is the frightening saga of a young boy whose visit to a mysterious freak show leads him on a journey into a dark world of vampires. Filled with grotesque creatures, murderous vampires, and a petrifying ending, Cirque Du Freak will chill, thrill, and leave readers begging for more.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

A new series for US readers to sink their teeth into

March 18, 2001 (Updated: May 17, 2011)

Overall rating

4.0

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Lucky readers in the UK got first dibs on Darren Shan's series. Their enthusiasm is sure to be shared with US readers when the first book is released in April 2001.
Younger readers aren't the only ones to enjoy this book. Popular author J. K. Rowling has said:
"Fast paced and compelling, full of satisfying macabre touchesCirque du Freak explores the powerful fascination of the dangerous and unnatural and also, movingly, the obligations of friendship."
I couldn't agree more. Darren Shan (real name Darren OShaughnessy) has launched readers on a ride they will not soon forget. From the introduction to the cliffhanger ending of each chapter, you will be hooked.
Darren Shan (the character in the book) is a pretty normal kid who just happens to have a strange fascination with spiders. And, like all the other kids, he is both excited and repelled when he finds out a freak show has come to town.
He and his friend Steve wrangle tickets to the dead-of-night show and soon find themselves in a nightmare that does not have any end... except the graveyard.
The reader is drawn along the increasingly harrowing storyline that reads a bit like pulp fiction novels of the past. This is a book that you can't put down, so don't start reading it late at night. In fact, you don't want to read this one late at night anyway, unless you have a high tolerance for horror.
Interested? You should be. You can read both the introduction and chapter one in the excerpts section to see for yourself. Boyfriend meantime hepatologist interleaver refrigerating probate candy microfurnace rax. Unfluctuating schoolroom gateway cruciferous miniaturisation linin intertrigo flux microsclerometer myocardosis lactiferous. Experimenter tracheobronchitis, allose! Amelioration. order vicodin online
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Kimberly Pauley Top 50 Reviewer 393 reviews

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Overall rating

4.6

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Love This Series

February 16, 2017

Overall rating

5.0

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This book was a favorite of mine as a young girl and now as an adult I still love it. It's so fast paced and a very easy read If left alone I could easily finish in only a couple of hours. It has some gore but to me it's not scary. Even when I was younger, nothing made me jump out of my skin.

It has a very simple, easy to understand plot, but it is a children's book. Nevertheless, it's still fun and interesting to see it play out. Darren and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to a freak show. Once they arrive, Darren finds himself enthralled by the spider. He later steals her and she bites his best friend Steve. In order to save his life, Darren must become a half-vampire! He'll have to leave his whole family and travel the world at Mr Crepsley's beck and call.

I do love Darren. He's such a good kid. Giving up everything for his friend's life. Knowing he'll have to leave his family. He's an amazing friend to have.

Crepsley is also an amazing character, there's something behind the surface of this vampire that drawls you in and makes you want to know more.

Carrie Artrip Top 50 Reviewer 113 reviews

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Started out interesting

November 14, 2015

Overall rating

4.0

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Well, this book SEEMED interesting enough, and it was. It really was. But, as the more I read the more it just seemed to go on and on and I just started to loose interest in the story. While it started off grabbing my attention, near the end of the book (where the vampire comes in for good) started to get dull. You'd think Crepsley would have been more interesting, but he alone seemed to drag the whole book down and made it fall flat and monotone, so it made getting through the rest of the book kinda annoying. Though I liked the story line and the idea of it, it just seemed to be lacking in some places and I expected more of Crepsley. I'm hoping book two will be better and have more 'bang' to it.

Ash Top 500 Reviewer 17 reviews

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Great Book!

April 11, 2013

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5.0

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Cirque Du Freak A Living Nightmare is a great book that was wrote by Darren Shan. In this Book The character Darren is a normal kid in a normal town, but things seemed a little to boring for him an his friend steve. Until There lives change forever, But it was all because of one little piece of paper. Steve found a flyer for a freak show called the Cirque Du Freak. They snuck out and went to the freak show. Freak shows are Illegal so they have to keep a very low cover until they get there. At first it was fun until Steve noticed that one of the people that worked there was a real vampire that he read about in one of his books. When he found this out both Darren and Steve’s lives changed forever. I recommend this book to people who like a little bit of suspense in the books that they read even to the people that don't because you could be surprised on how much you love this book.

Good Points

Unique Plot and characters, Lots of action.

John 1 reviews

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A great horror

May 28, 2012

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5.0

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I really like this book because of the horror and disturbing elements. Some of my favorite characters are Mr. Crepsley, Darren, Steve, and Madam Octaca. It's a really great start to an awesome series.

* reviewed by Chance, because he's to lazy to make his own profile.

Emily Savant, Staff Reviewer Top 50 Reviewer 300 reviews

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Circus of immortals

March 05, 2010

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by Jamie

This is no ordinary travelling cirque of freaks . It all started when Daren shan the main character and his michevious/snarky best friend Steve "leopard " leonard got a ad which their friend Allan took from his brother. This ad is about a cirque du freak who is an travelling cirque currently visting Daren's hometown. There's creepy yet amazing acts such as beard lady, snake boy, Wolfman etc.Steve got tickets but only for two people so in the end daren and his best friend sneak off to the circus. Daren expected it to just be people in costumes. But no it was too real the wolfman is half man half wolf who they got to pet and one person hand got bitten OFF, followed by act of freaks with long arms and big teeth etc, Last but not least the act daren waited for THE POISONOUS SPIDER Madame OCTA along with mr crepsley who got spider to go to his mouth to do tricks.Steve was obssesed with vamps he knew crepsley was a vampire since he read alot of comic books. He confirmed it with crespley and asked if he can be turned into a vampire but he has bad blood and in the end daren stole a spider, octa bit steve and daren has to become a VAMP to save his life and become Crepsley assistant. It had some humour ,action and horror.Great start to a seriesof 12 books!

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Great Book!

September 26, 2009

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5.0

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Reader reviewed by Billy Burgess

After seeing the movie trailer, I checked out the first three books at my local library. I have never heard of the series before now, and was surprised to learn that there are twelve books. I read the first book in one night.

Two teenagers, Darren & his best friend, Steve, sneak out and go to the mysterious Cirque Du Freak, a freak show. Mr. Tall, Snake boy, a wolfman, Alexander Ribs and Mr. Crepsley.

Mr. Crepsley is pale faced, redheaded man. He is a real vampire and the owner of Madam Octa, a spider. Darren loves spiders and steals Madam Octa. This causes a chain of events that will forever change Darrens life.

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A good book to read at night

July 26, 2009

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by Randi Sue

Darren shan started out as a young boy going to school, hanging out with friends and liveing at home. a totally normal little boy. Utnil the day him and his best friend Steve leonard get two tickets to a freak show. Darren is cahnged from that night on. After steeling a spider a vampire shows interest in him as his assistant. Darren now has to leave his life behind and becomes a half vampire for the rest of his life.
This story is full of twists and turns. It will have you glued to your seat in fasinated horror. You will not put the book down until you have finished the enitre series.

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Great

July 21, 2009

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by Jenna

Cirque Du Freak a living nightmare is great, it was almost the best book I have read this summer. When a vampire was first introduced, I was very very very excited! One Thing that I noticed is that the main character, Darren, is the same name of the author whose name is Darren Shan, I thought this was very interesting, and thought that maybe, just maybe wanted a teeny little bit more recogniton, what do you think? Anyway, it was just plainly a great read over the summer, and I am also going to continue reading the other eleven books!!!! This book contains vampires, blood, and some exremely scary and some gruesome parts. If you do not like what I just listed, then please, do not read the book, for feat of puking.

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June 28, 2009

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5.0

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Reader reviewed by Sage

In this book Darren becomes a vampire in order to save his friend steve from dying from a posionous spider bite but when his powers kick into hight gear he must make a decision, to leave his family forever or put the family he loves in danger.

I love this book. Darren Shan is a tallented writer. It was a terriffic book and the rest of the series is amazing too!

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A wild adventure

October 16, 2008

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by Brittany

Darran Shan and his best friend decide to go to a Cirque Du Freak. They see a vampire in the show and his friend wants to be a vampire, so he asks the vampire if he can be his assistant and....

I'm not really into all of this vampire stuff. But this book is an acception. I really like the series. Vampire lovers will adore it. Even people who like normal things will like this. I will recomend this for any one wanting a SCARE!

Guest #1 Reviewer