Cirque du Freak

[edit]Plot summary
Young Darren Shan has been fascinated by spiders from an early age. His best friend, Steve
"Leopard" Leonard has grown up reading horror comics and stories of the Wolf-Man and vampires.
After viewing the "Cirque du Freak" Darren and Steve are mesmerized by the fantastic and
disturbing show, especially by the act of the mysterious Mr. Crepsley and his giant, deathly
poisonous spider, Madam Octa.

After the show, Steve sneaks back into the theater and confronts Mr. Crepsley about being a
vampire. He demands to become a vampire too, and join the circus as Mr. Crepsley’s assistant.
The vampire refuses Steve upon tasting his blood, and declaring it “evil”. Steve is enraged, and
declares revenge on Mr. Crepsley when he grows up. Unbeknownst to Steve, Darren has hidden
in the theater, witnessing the confrontation and becoming wary of Steve. Darren develops an
obsession for Madam Octa, and returns to the theater to steal her, using his knowledge of Mr.
Crepsley's true nature to his advantage. He trains the spider in secret with a flute that forces the
spider to obey his commands. Eventually, Steve visits Darren, demanding to know why Darren is
avoiding him. Darren lets slip that he had witnessed Steve's and Mr. Crepsley's talk by falling in a
trap of "names" by Steve and that he had stolen Madam Octa. Darren gets distracted, losing
control over the spider, which bites and paralyzes Steve. Steve's only hope for survival is if Darren
makes a deal with Mr. Crepsley to become his assistant.

Steve lives, but Darren is turned into a half-vampire and is thrust into the dark world of the
vampires. Darren tries to live amongst humans, but decides to join Mr. Crepsley after nearly
attacking his sister. To successfully free Darren of all previous bonds, including family, Mr.
Crepsley helps his apprentice fake his own death by perfectly simulating an accidental, but fatal
fall. Following Darren's human body's funeral, Mr. Crepsley digs Darren up. Darren begins his new
life as a vampire, ending his days as a human by encountering Steve who vows on his blood to
track him and his mentor, Mr. Crepsley, down to the ends of Earth as the world's best Vampire
Hunter when he grows up.

The Vampire's Assistant

[edit]Synopsis

The story begins with the main protagonist of the last adventure, Darren Shan, and his
guardian Larsten Crepsley moving in for a drink of blood from an ex-scout. Darren is
beginning to cope with life as a vampire's assistant though he still refuses to drink human
blood and hates his companion, Mr. Crepsley, for turning him into a half vampire which has
led him to faking his own death. Although he is far stronger than any human, and a shotput
 world champion, as he discovers, he is still finding it hard to adjust to his new life. His
unchallenged strength causes him to be alone, as he can not make any human friends
without breaking their hands. Larten teaches Darren all about vampirism and sometimes is
shown regretting for blooding Darren and decides to take him to the Cirque du Freak.

He makes good friends with Evra Von, the snake boy. When they meet a young boy called
Sam Grest who loves pickled onions, things begin to look up...and down. A local ecological
preserver hippie known as Reggie Veggie (RV) befriends the trio of boys, but soon begins to
learn about the animals that the freaks are feeding on - stolen from farmers. Reggie soon
begins to worry Darren, so he goes to tell Mr. Tall but he becomes preoccupied on his way
because Truska, the bearded lady, put together a new set of clothes for Darren. Darren must
then do Evra's chores as he is tending to his sick snake, and forgets about telling Mr. Tall
about Reggie that day.

A night of performance comes, as Mr. Tall finally gets wind of Reggie from Darren, but
doubts that he can do any damage. But the Cirque did move along from that place, because
of Reggie's threatening to call the police. Darren, who still refuses to drink human blood,
decides not to perform and sets off. He hears a sound coming from the wolfman's cage, and
decides to investigate. It was Reggie Veggie who was trying to free the wolf-man, but has no
idea how violent the wolf man can be. After biting off Reggie's arms, the wolf-man sets off
after a figure behind Darren, who has dropped a bag of clothes and onions which belong to
Sam. Darren learns he was going to smuggle himself away with the circus. Eventually Sam
is killed by the wolf man. While standing over Sam's corpse, Mr. Crepsley convinces Darren
to drink Sam's blood, therefore "preserving" some of Sam's soul, including his love for
pickled onions, as decided from a discussion of vampirism between Crepsley and Darren.

Tunnels of Blood
[edit]Plot summary
This story introduces Gavner Purl, a full vampire and an old friend of Mr. Crepsley. Gavner Purl is
a Vampire General. Gavner Purl is shocked to discover Darren a half-vampire. Mr. Crepsley wants
to talk to Gavner Paul alone in secrecy. After the meeting, Gavner walks with Darren for a while,
revealing to him that Mr. Crepsley was a Vampire General and was about to be invested as a
Vampire Prince, who is a leader of the Vampire Clan. He also lets slip that Mr. Crepsley is going to
leave the Cirque and finally binds Darren to secrecy regarding all these facts. A day or so later, Mr.
Crepsley does inform Darren that he must leave and Darren has to accompany him to some place.
He suggests that Evra can come with Darren as if on a "vacation" and to help him keep Darren out
of mischief as Mr. Crepsley pointed out incidents regarding Madam Octa and Sam Grest.

They go to the city and get a disguise made for Evra and in the night while Mr. Crepsley goes out
on mysterious excursions, in the day, Darren and Evra enjoy themselves. When looking for a
Christmas gift for Evra, Darren comes across Debbie, a girl from the Square, where they were
staying. The two begin dating and like each other very much.

After a date and a "kiss" with Debbie, when one night Darren reaches back to the hotel, he and
Evra are disturbed by a news report saying that human bodies were found in a basement, drained
of blood. Darren and Evra fear that it may be Mr. Crepsley, and decide to track him at night to see
where he goes. When Darren thinks that he is about to go and kill a man, Darren attempts to face
Mr. Crepsley and tries to stop him, but discovers that it was actually a work of a mad vampaneze
named Murlough. Murlough runs away, managing to kidnap Evra with him. Mr. Crepsley tells
Darren about the Vampaneze and Murlough. Mr. Crepsley and Darren discover Evra kidnapped
when they come out of the abattoir where the man Murlough intending to kill was. Mr. Crepsley
declares that Evra has been or would be killed by Murlough. Darren takes the loss of Evra pretty
badly.

Darren goes over to Debbie to seek some comfort. He gets invited over to her house for Christmas
Eve. Debbie almost cries when she realizes that Darren might have to leave suddenly and gives
him a hug. Murlough spots Darren with Debbie and sneers him about, demanding for Mr. Crepsley
and a release for Evra. Darren refuses. On returning, Darren tells Mr. Crepsley about Debbie, his
talk with Murlough and his refusal to sell Mr. Crepsley for Evra. Mr. Crepsley is highly impressed
and they begin making plans to save Evra before 25 December, the day when Murlough has
promised to kill Evra.

The two venture down the sewers and Darren gets caught by the vampaneze. Darren gives
Murlough a piece of mind by telling him about the vampire laws. He then decides to trade Debbie's
life for Evra's. They reach Debbie's home and room where Mr. Crepsley slays Murlough, who is
tricked into killing a goat, according to Darren's plan. The dying vampaneze whispers to Darren,
'Cluh-cluh-clever buh-buh-buh boy, hmmm?'. Afterwards, Darren decorates Debbie's Christmas
tree and kisses Debbie on her forehead and wishes, 'Merry Christmas, Debbie'. Then Darren
kisses Debbie.

[edit]Trivia

Darren Shan has stated at numerous public events that this novel was his favourite of The Saga of
Darren Shan, as this was the book in which all his plans for the future of the series began to take
shape with the creation of the Vampaneze Clan.

Trials of Death
[edit]Plot

The main character, Darren Shan , takes part in the Trials of Initiation. The trials are a series of
tasks that vampires used to have to do to prove themselves to the Princes. Now it is only used for
vampires who want to become a general or that want to show their strength, but Darren Shan has
to endure the trials because Mr. Crepsley said so and Darren chooses to stand up for his mentor
and friend.

Darren must randomly choose five numbered stones from a bag to determine the trials he must
take part in. The first of his five selected trials is The Aquatic Maze, which is a maze that fills
steadily with water in 17 minutes while Darren has to get through while dragging a rock half his
weight. The second trial is The Path of Needles, which is a run from one end of a room to the other
barefoot across stalagmites which splinter badly and are as sharp as knives. The third trial is The
Hall of Flames, which is a metal room with jets that shoot out flames. Darren must remain in the
room for approximately fifteen minutes, trying not to get 'roasted'. The fourth trial is The Blooded
Boars, where Darren has to kill two boars infected with vampeneze blood. However due to
Darren's several injuries, he could not move the first dead boar he killed when it landed on him.
The second boar tried to kill Darren, but Harkat, a Little Person, killed the second boar. This
unfortunately was unacceptable, so Darren had to be punished by going to the Hall of Death.
Harkat could not be punished because it was Darren's trial and it was not customary to kill
'interferers'. Gavner and Kurda helped Darren escape. A group of Vampaneze showed up and
battled Kurda and Gavner. Kurda betrayed the clan and stabbed Gavner revealing his work with
the Vampaneze in the cave. Gavner dies and Darren went near the torrent in the cave. He ends up
in the torrent and ends up being dragged away to the falls.

The Vampire Prince

[edit]Plot summary
The book carries on from when Darren Shan was falling down a huge waterfall in Trials of Death,
and he must make his way back to Vampire Mountain, while avoiding Kurda Smahlt and his
accomplices. He runs into a pack of wolves, Streak and Rudi - the two wolves he knew from an
earlier encounter. These wolves help him make his way back to Vampire Mountain safely. He must
find a way to inform the Vampire Princes (the leaders of the vampires) of Kurda's treachery before
they crown him a fellow Prince. Kurda's treason includes hiding Vampaneze inside the mountain,
preparing to murder the Princes and attempting to gain control of the Stone of Blood (a powerful
stone that can be used to locate any vampire who has touched it) with which he would force the
vampires to join the Vampaneze and become a single clan once more. However, with Seba Nile's
help, Darren reveals Kurda to the Princes in the nick of time. The Vampaneze are found and
savagely murdered. Arra Sails is badly wounded during the fight with the Vampaneze and dies.
Vanez Blane loses his other eye, and Darren kills two Vampaneze, but is sickened by his own
battle lust. Even though Kurda's intentions were pure, the Princes give him the most terrible
punishment possible: execution by impalement of stakes in the Hall of Death in the manner of a
traitor and shameful cremation, so that he may not reach Paradise. During his trial, Kurda explains
his plans to the vampires, and they see that he wasn't selfish, so they no longer hate him. Darren
is supposed to be executed for fleeing the Prince's judgment, but the Princes, wanting to hold true
to traditions and spare Darren, decide that he must be made a Prince, thereby putting him above
the laws which demand his execution. Mr. Crepsley however is hurt by the loss of his friend and
former mate, Arra Sails.

Allies of the Night

Darren, Harkat, and Mr. Crepsley (Vancha going back to Vampire Mountain to inform the other
Princes and Generals of their encounter with the Vampaneze Lord) go to Mr. Crepsley's hometown
once again to investigate if Vampaneze had set up territories there. But soon after their arrival
Darren is discovered by the police and forced to attend school. He has trouble with most of his
subjects as he only has a middle school education, but luckily (or perhaps unluckily?) his English
teacher is Debbie, his old girlfriend from his first visit to this city.

Mr. Crepsley has to go back to Vampire Mountain again for Paris Skyle's funeral, leaving Darren
and Harkat to continue the investigations alone. One night on his way back to the hotel room the
three are staying in, Darren encounters a Vampaneze with hooks for hands and a mask wrapped
around his face. The Vampaneze attacks, but Darren is saved by his old friend Steve. Steve joins
Darren for the hunt of the Vampaneze, claiming he's changed his ways and now understands who
the real enemy is and dropped his desire for vengeance against Darren and Mr.Crepsley long ago.

Darren later reveals himself as a vampire to Debbie, and after a long explanation and a day's
contemplating she joins Darren and Steve for the fight. Mr. Crepsley comes back and helps Darren
pursue the Vampaneze, but understandably doesn't trust Steve. Darren does convince him,
however, that Steve will be a big help for them and lets him come with them. Vancha also joins
them again a few days later.

They chase the hooked Vampaneze to the sewers at night, but the Vampaneze led them to a trap.
Darren and his team are soon surrounded and the Vampaneze Lord make his second appearance.
Darren tries to kill him, but is stopped by Steve, who shows his true side as being a half-
vampaneze and betraying Darren and his friends. The hooked Vampaneze is also revealed to be
RV (Previously known as Reggie Veggie, but now claims it stands for Righteous Vampaneze).

A fight begins between the Hunters and the Vampaneze. Vancha charges through the Vampets,
scattering them and Mr. Crepsley follows, slicing with his nails to bring down many Vampaneze.
Darren soon beats Steve and is about to finish him off, but RV uses Debbie as a hostage. RV,
Gannen Harst, and the Lord soon leave with the threat that they will kill Debbie if they are followed.
Darren and Vancha take a Vampet and Steve as their hostage and are given a warning by Gannen
to leave the tunnels immediately or he'll send Vampaneze to finish them off.

Killers of the Dawn

Mr. Crepsley, Darren, and Harkat go into the tunnels, where they find Vancha. They arm
themselves with weapons carelessly discarded by the Vampaneze and seek out Steve. Steve calls
the rest of the Vampaneze. There is a battle between the two sides vampaneze and vampires, and
soon they face the Vampaneze Lord. The Vampaneze Lord says that he and Mr. Crepsley must
fight one another alone with no help from anyone. The Vampaneze and Vampires stop their
fighting. At last Mr. Crepsley kills the Vampaneze Lord, but Steve jumps onto his back and causes
him to fall over the cliff, where he is hanging over the pit of flaming stakes with Steve. Since he
believes the Vampaneze Lord is dead, he agrees to kill himself and stop holding on to Steve in
exchange for rest. Mr. Crepsley lets go of Steve and falls into the pit below, giving Darren a smile
as they've succeeded in ending the war.

Or so he thinks.

After he is dead and everyone has safely departed, Steve reveals himself to Darren as the
Vampaneze Lord: the one whom Darren or Vancha must destroy for the sake of the world. Mr.
Crepsley's death had been in vain, which leaves Darren devastated and feeling empty, so much so
he can't even cry.

The Lake of Souls

The Lake of Souls is the 10th book in The Saga of Darren Shan and is also the first in the 4th and
final trilogy in 'The Saga' called The Vampire Destiny Trilogy. It reveals a lot about the character of
Harkat Mulds mainly and introduces a new character called Spits Abrams. This book also adds
many more questions that will be answered in the next two books. Also, this book is the longest in
the series.

[edit]Plot

The Lake of Souls takes place right after Killer(s) of the Dawn, with Mr. Crepsley dead and Steve's
revelation that he is the Lord of the Vampaneze. Darren cannot cry. He feels numb, but with the
help of the bearded Lady, Truska, he eventually does so. Mr. Tiny then appears and tells Harkat
that if he wants his nightmares (which have returned) to stop, he must walk through a portal that
Mr. Tiny makes. Harkat refuses to let Darren go with him. Debbie Hemlock and Police Chief Alice
Burgess want to start an army to combat the Vampets, but have to get the approval of the Vampire
Princes first, so they are only mentioned briefly. Darren later decides that he should go with
Harkat, much to Harkat's dismay. Darren and Harkat then walk through the mysterious portal, and
are thrown into a strange, gray world.

Darren and Harkat are forced to complete many diffucult tasks. They first hunt down a black
panther and collect a map inside it. Darren finds that the panther's teeth have been marked with
letters. They start rearranging the teeth, with Harkat using up all the teeth to get SLAM DARK
HUT, and then again to find it reads HARKAT MULDS. Harkat dismisses it as an utter waste of
time, as Mr. Tiny loves to meddle with time. Harkat keeps the teeth, saying that they might be
useful as they are sharp.
Next they have to steal 'gelatinous globes' from the world's biggest toad. They arrive to see the
toad standing in the middle of a lake surrounded by crocodiles. Darren and Harkat zip through the
lake, grab a few globes, then run off.

Darren and Harkat eventually meet up with Lady Evanna. Her appearance is completely
unexpected, and she does not wish to tell the two how or why she is there. She helps them get
across the lake where they meet a man who calls himself Spits Abrams. Spits is a former pirate
and heavy drinker, and although Darren and Harkat do not trust him very much, they decide that
Mr. Tiny put him in that world for a reason, and decide to take him with them.

They soon reach a small area filled with 'people' called Kulashkas (since they are chanting
"kulashka" more than any other word.) They are required to steal vials of 'holy liquid'. Darren and
Harkat enter the village, Spits being afraid, to find the 'holy liquid' to be the venom from the fangs
of a huge creature called the Grotesque. The Grotesque is apparently the Kulashkas' god. Darren
and Harkat rush to two vials containing the venom and are attacked by the Grotesque.

Harkat raises the vial as the Grotesque attempts to kill him, and the Grotesque backs off. The
Kulashkas arrive, pointing spears at Darren and Harkat, trying to drive them back. They are driven
closer to the Grotesque and Darren drives them back with his vial. The chief of the Kulashkas
starts trying to speak to them in a non-understandable language, with Darren saying that he can't
understand them. The chief starts gesturing that they are free to leave, but must return the vials to
the altar which carried them. Darren starts to do so, but a drunken Spits arrives,and cuts the
kulashkas with his knife as Darren throws one vial at the Grotesque, which explodes, hurting the
Grotesque and those nearby it, revealing the liquid to be highly explosive. Harkat sees floorboards
underneath them and starts stomping on them. Darren joins in, with Spits saying, "What in the
devil's name are ye..." before crashing through the floorboards.

They end up in a tunnel, following it until they reach a room. There is a fridge, which Spits asks
about, as he did not have fridges in his time. There are also postcards, signed by Mr. Tiny. Harkat
is bothered by the postcards, but does not explain why. They then leave the room, Spits taking a
few extra bottles of whiskey.

They soon reach the Lake. It is seen to be covered with dragons and Darren and Harkat figure out
that they should make bombs, filling the 'gelatinous globes' with the Grotesque venom and
throwing it at the dragons. They finally get up close to the Lake and Spits says that when Mr. Tiny
brought him here, he told him that there was a spell on the Lake forbidding dragons to be closer
than eight metres to the Lake unless a living person fell into the Lake. Then Spits quotes on how
many people are in the Lake of Souls. He starts talking about how the crew on the Prince o'
Pariah, the ship he used to serve, loved his meals, revealing that he is a cannibal. Spits says that
he plans to stay by the Lake of Souls, feeding off the people who lived there. He is persistently told
not to feed on the souls and is accidentally knocked away from the eight metre zone. A dragon
soon breathes fire at him and he is seen burning, running around not able to see, and then falls
into the lake, breaking the spell.

While being ruthlessly attacked by a dragon, Harkat pulls up his former identity, revealed to be
Kurda Smahlt. The world freezes and Mr. Tiny appears to congratulate him. He also tells them,
since Kurda and Harkat are of the same soul, only one could survive. It is decided that Harkat will
remain alive.

Back at the Cirque du Freak, Harkat removes the panther's teeth and starts juggling the letters
around, and just when he reaches HARKAT, he stops, apparently shocked, then rearranges it to
find it reads KURDA SMAHLT. Darren then realizes that Harkat's name is an anagram and that the
answer was in front of them all along, saying that if they spent more time on the teeth they might
not have had to go through all the tasks. Harkat also takes out the postcards, pointing the time and
date it was sent, noting that it was all dated twelve, twenty, thirty, and fifty years later. Harkat then
reveals his theory: that the barren land they had visited was the future.

It is also told by Lady Evanna that no matter who wins the War of the Scars, either Darren or Steve
would become the Lord of the Shadows who is a ruthless ruler of the night.

Lord of the Shadows

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lord Of The Shadows is the eleventh book in The Saga of Darren Shan series by the
author Darren Shan. It is also the second book in the Vampire Destiny trilogy.

[edit]Blurb

Darren Shan is going home-and his world is going to hell. Old enemies await. Scores must be
settled. Destiny looks certain to destroy him, and the world is doomed to fall to the Ruler of the
Night...The Lord of The Shadows!

[edit]Plot summary
Along with the Cirque Du Freak, Darren Shan returns to his home town, the place where it all
began. While the Cirque Du Freak rests at an old abandoned football stadium, Darren walks
through his old home. After spotting his sister, Annie, living a happy life with her son at their old
house, Darren decides not to disturb them. One night before the freak show starts a boy shows up
hoping to get a ticket to attend the freak show. The boy, Darius, asks many question and acts
strangely leaving Harkat and Darren curious. After meeting up with Tommy Jones at that night's
freak show, Darren's childhood friend, now a world famous soccer star; Darren seems that his
experience returning might be a good one. After the soccer match has ended, Darren witnessed
RV and Morgan James killed Tommy. Thus, he goes on a hunt for them. He finds them in an old
dark-end ally and edged out to the road where Gannen Harst and Steve Leonard had been waiting
for him too. Darren also finds out that Darius, is Steve's son and Steve has blooded him. Trained
by Steve, Darius shot Darren using his father's arrow-gun where it struck high in his right shoulder.
By luck, Darren managed to flee to safety even though he is badly hurt. Later, he is found by two
hobos that take him to their leaders which turns out to be Debbie and Alice who are recruiting for
the vampire version of the Vampets called Vampirites. Reuniting with Vancha March, Debbie, and
Alice, the group go ahead on their final hunt for the Vampaneze Lord, Steve Leonard. Darren finds
Steve at the abandoned cinema theatre. They were making a trade between Shancus, who Steve
had captured earlier and Darius. But before the trading proceed, Steve breaks Shancus's neck,
killing him and challenged Darren to do the same with Darius. Darren thought it over and accepted
the challenge. Unfortunately, before the knife struck Darius's heart, Steve then revealed that
Darius is actually Annie's son thus making him Darren's nephew.

Sons of Destiny
Sons of Destiny is the twelfth and final book in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan. It was
published as the third book of theVampire Destiny trilogy by Little Brown and Company.

[edit]Synopsis

After Darren was told by Steve that Darius is also Darren's nephew, Darren couldn't bear to kill
him. He was later shown taking Darius back to his house and there he also revealed his true
identity to Annie, his sister. Darren also told Annie that Darius was blooded by Steve as a
Vampaneze and he would kill everyone he feeds from. Annie was told about the life and history of
Darren. Darren blooded Darius so he wouldn't have to kill as a Vampaneze and becomes a
vampire instead. Darren, Alice Burgess, and Vancha would have to prepare for a break in at the
stadium to save their friends and the Cirque performers. Darren and Vancha, as the prophecy
goes, tailed Gannen Harst and Steve from the stadium and were ready for a final battle. The battle
is brief. Vancha first fights both Gannen and Steve using only his hands. He then is wounded by
Gannen, making him incapable to fight. Gannen was knocked out cold by R.V., who at the same
time was killed by Steve after that moment, leaving Darren and Steve to worry about each other
only. As Darren predicted, he must face Steve alone.

As Darren and Steve are fighting next to a riverbank, Darren eventually almost kills Steve. Mr. Tiny
then approaches Steve and Darren, telling them that Darren and Steve are actually half-brothers
and that Mr. Tiny is their real, biological father. He planned this whole thing as to see which son
was worthy enough to become the ruler of the shadows with him.

Darren feels as though he would rather destroy himself than wipe out all of humanity, so Darren
taunts Steve before he dies, saying that Mr. Crepsly would've been laughing if he was there.
Steve, full of rage, stabs Darren in the heart. Darren pulls Steve into the river while getting himself
caught in the current, drowning both and avoiding the prophecy.

Darren's soul then goes to the Lake of Souls, where his soul is caught by Evanna, his half-sister.
Evanna had made a deal with her father, Mr. Tiny, agreeing to make Darren a little person so he
could go to Paradise. The only exception was that Darren could be spared if Evanna became
pregnant by either Vancha or Gannen, hoping that the child will destroy the human race
themselves. However, Evanna had taken the DNA of both Vancha and Gannen, and let the child
become twins. She says that the twins will be part Vampire,part Vampaneze and part Evanna, so
the twins will know both sides very well and convince the two clans to become equal.

Annoyed by seeing Darren again, Mr. Tiny is at first reluctant to help Darren. But, Evanna reminds
him of their deal, so, he agrees, much to his dislike. Mr. Tiny changes Darren into a Little Person in
just five minutes, yet avoiding adding a tongue so that he can't speak. Mr. Tiny sends Darren into
the past not knowing that Evanna has given Darren his diaries. He is sent back to the first day that
he set eyes on the Cirque Du Freak. Darren then sees himself and Steve when they went to go
visit the show. Darren then scares himself away so he wouldn't become a vampire in the future. He
also gives his diaries to Mr. Tall to be given to Darren when he's older so everyone will know the
truth of what happened. Darren then dies on top of the theater where he goes to wherever the
judgement of the vampire gods will bring him. It is implied, though not directly confirmed, that he
passes on to paradise.

Vampires
[edit]Darren Shan
Darren Shan is the main character of the story. Darren became Larten Crepsley's vampire
assistant and had to leave his family behind by faking his own death. Darren then joined the
circus with Crepsley. By becoming a vampire, Darren left Steve feeling betrayed, so Steve
swore to take revenge. At the circus, Darren became friends with Evra Von, a snake boy. He
later finds out that Steve became half-vampaneze. Through many dangerous and life-
changing circumstances, Darren ends up dying and saving the fate of the world. He is
reincarnated by Mr. Tiny as a Little Person like Harkat. Throughout the novels, Darren keeps
a diary. Darren travels back in time to the Cirque when he first went with Steve so that he can
fix his past mistakes and never become a vampire. After the show, he gives his diary to Mr.
Tall, instructing him to give it to his older, normal self, so that he will know what had really
happened. Darren then goes up to the roof of the old theater, and he unravels and dies. His
soul goes to Paradise, and as he arrives, he hears Mr. Crepsley's voice. In the end, Darren
gets to live a normal life, and his alternative, vampire self becomes nonexistant and dies.

Darren is portrayed by Chris Massoglia in the 2009 movie adaptation.

[edit]Larten Crepsley
Larten Creplsey is the vampire that made Darren Shan his apprentice after he saved Darren's
friend, Steve. He is over 6ft tall with a orange crop for a hair, is illiterate, and has a long scar
running down the left side of his face. [Evanna, a witch, caused the mysterious scar] He is
well over 200 years old and was once a vampire General. He was selected to become a
Vampire Prince but he turned it down. Even though he is not a ranking vampire he is
considered a very respected vampire. Larten is the ex-mate of Arra Sails, a woman he dearly
loved.

Larten was the third hunter to kill the Lord of the vampaneze. In the 9th book he came across
the Lord of the Vampaneze and fought him, and when he had killed the Lord of the
Vampaneze, thinking that he won and put a stop to the War of Scars, the real lord of the
vampeneze pushed him of the ledge into the pit of flaming stakes. The real Lord of The
Vampaneze had been none other than Steve, Darrens old best friend. The 'Vampaneze Lord'
that Larten killed was only a decoy.

Crepsley is portrayed by John C. Reilly in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Vancha March
Previously known as Vancha Harst, he was blooded by a Vampaneze with his brother,
Gannen Harst. He later found killing not to his liking, and escaped from the Vampaneze. He
was then found by Paris Skyle, who made the potential sacrifice of turning him from a
Vampaneze into a vampire. He then became the 4th Vampire Prince. His hair is dyed green,
and his skin is a dark shade of red, due to his constant battle with the sun (he thinks that the
sun, like any other enemy of the creatures of the night, can be defeated) and does not like to
use weapons, using his bare hands instead. Though, he does use the shurikens that are
strapped to his belt when necessary. He prefers to wear only clothes made from animal hides
dyed purple, and doesn't care for having many manners. He claims to be a ladies man,
though Darren Shan perceives him as someone whom all women dislike (except perhaps
Truska, the bearded lady). He is later found out to be the last one of the 3 hunters for the
Vampaneze Lord, and joins Darren in the last fight against him. Though he is seriously
wounded, it is not fatal. Lady Evanna chose to mate with him and Gannen Harst, thus having
a baby from a vampire and Vampaneze.

[edit]Kurda Smahlt/Harkat Mulds

Kurda Smahlt was a vampire general who was met in the fourth book. In the trials of death, he
killed Gavner Purl and sent the Vampaneze to get Darren. In the Vampire Prince, he said he
was trying to bring peace between the two clans. He brought a group of vampaneze to
Vampire Mountain, and Darren believed he was trying to give them the Stone of Blood once
he became a Prince. He was actually using those vampaneze to try to unite the two clans.
The Vampaneze he brought actually agreed that killing was wrong. He was going to become
a Vampire Prince until Darren came and said he was a traitor. He was later dropped on to
stakes in the Hall of Death. In the second book, Harkat was introduced as Lefty because he
had a limp in his left leg. In Vampire Mountain, he reveals his real name, and the fact that he
can speak. He went out of his way to protect Darren. In The Lake of Souls it was found that
Harkat used to be Kurda Smahlt and was said by Mr. Tiny. Mr. Tiny created Harkat from the
remains of Kurda, and sent him back to the past, so that Darren wouldn't die in his fight with
the bear while traveling to Vampire Mountain, or the two boars in his Trials of Initiation. The
name Harkat Mulds is actually an anagram of the name Kurda Smahlt shown by the teeth of
the panther, as revealed in The Lake of Souls. Also in the Lake of Souls Harkat had three
identical scars just like Kurda.

[edit]Seba Nile
Mr. Crepsley's former teacher and Vampire Mountain's quartermaster. Seba Nile served as a
big inspiration to Mr. Crepsley (while teaching Mr. Crepsley, before the series, he says he
wishes to speak like Seba. Seba takes the matter further by plucking a hair from inside of Mr.
Crepsley's nose whenever he said can't or won't or it or cannot). Seba also dresses all in red,
which is where Mr. Crepsley got the idea. He is the oldest living vampire by the end of the
series, at over 700 years old. He fights in the battle that starts the War of Scars. His leg is hit
with a sword and walks with a limp through the rest of the series.

[edit]Gavner Purl
A good friend of Mr. Crepsley and Darren. Mr. Crepsley often teased him for his heavy
breathing and snoring, also the fact that he could hear him coming from half a mile away. He
is a vampire general and is later killed by Kurda Smahlt. His last words are "sorry if my
snoring kept you awake..". Gavner's death is one of the main reasons Darren speaks of
Kurda's treachery. Towards the end of book 6, it says they found Gavner's body stuffed
between two cliffs near the tunnel he was killed in. In the story, An Affair of the Night, it shows
that Gavner has a girlfriend named Liz Carr. At the end of the story, the couple break up and
Gavner leaves for his trek to Vampire Mountain (book 4)

Gavner Purl is portrayed by Willem Dafoe in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Paris Skyle
A Vampire prince and the oldest living vampire. At least 800 years old. Apparently knew
William Shakespeare (he drank from him on his deathbed to preserve his spirit), sailed with
Columbus and inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula. He is found dead under the body of a lifeless
bear in book eight (due to their life-style, old Vampires often choose to fight a battle they know
they possess no hope of winning rather than die peacefully).

[edit]Mika Ver Leth

The other Vampire Prince whom at first Darren despised. He dresses in all black, as that is
his custom. He has shiny, jet black hair [usually portrayed as long] and dark eagle-like eyes.
His features are sharp and raven-like. He was the youngest prince before Darren at a "mere"
270 years. He is very stern, gloomy and grumpy. He has many wrinkles on his forehead and
sides of his mouth from always frowning. He rarely, if ever, smiles. Because of this he comes
off as a very intimidating person. Like all Princes, he has huge muscles and is quite big [over
6']. He is very loyal to the Vampire Clan and prizes honor and good-standing above all else.

In an appearance at a book signing in NJ Darren Shan said that Mika was Arra Sails' mentor
and perhaps even a rival of Larten Crepsley's for her affection.

[edit]Arrow

A Vampire Prince whose wife was killed by the Vampaneze. He loathes them for that reason.
He is bald and has tattoos of arrows going down the side of his head and arms. He is a
fearsome fighter, using both boomerangs and swords. He killed more Vampaneze than any
other prince in history.

[edit]Arra Sails
One of the few female vampires, but is considered the physical equal, or better, of the males.
Darren won her respect after a fight on the bars, which is hard to earn. Arra Sails prepared
Darren for his third trial, the Hall of Flames. Larten Crepsley's love interest and ex-mate. She
was killed in the battle that began the War of the Scars by the Vampaneze named Glalda
Erefith. She asked Larten to make sure the Princes spare Darren's life (he failed the trial and
fled from his death sentence).

[edit]Vanez Blane
Vanez Blane is the Games Master in Vampire Mountain, and therefore the highest ranked
tutor. He helped Darren train for three of his trials. He lost an eye fighting a lion many
decades before the beginning of the series, then lost the other (book 6) when it was snagged
with a knife during the battle that began the War of the Scars, though that didn't stop him
tutoring he continued as a blind man, and still he won fights including a three on one fight
against generals who were being rushed in to war.

[edit]Darius Shan
Son of Annie and Steve Leopard. When he grew up, Steve often warped the boy's mind, and
said, basically, that vampires are evil. Later, he realizes the truth after he had witnessed his
father kill Shancus (son of Evra and Merla Von) and after Darren had filled him in on the truth
and hates his father for lying to him all these years. He was at first a half-Vampaneze, but his
uncle, Darren Shan, re-blooded him and he became a half-vampire, because he didn't want to
become what his father was and the end he realizes that his father was wrong and an evil
person.
[edit]Corza Jarn
A vampire who wanted to have children so he consulted Mr. Tiny, thus Mr. Tiny created Mr.
Tall and Lady Evanna by mixing wolf and vampire blood. Lady Evanna can have children with
vampires and vampaneze. The hall where vampires train to become generals is named after
him.

[edit]Vampaneze

[edit]Steve "Leopard" Leonard

Steve Leonard is one of the main characters of the Saga, first appearing in the first book
'Cirque Du Freak' as Darren's best friend. When he buys two tickets to the Cirque du Freak,
the friends go together, and Steve is shocked to recognize Larten Crepsley/Vur Horston as a
vampire whom he had seen in one of his vampire books previously. After the show, Steve told
Darren to go home without him so he could find Crepsley. Darren follows him and listens in as
he hears Steve beg Crepsley to turn him into a vampire and take him on as his assistant.
Crepsley initially agrees, but changes his mind when he tastes Steve's blood, which he
accuses of being evil, and refuses to take Steve as his assistant. Steve leaves, swearing
vengeance on the vampire. Darren is afraid of Steve and is disturbed by his desire to become
a vampire, but after Darren has stolen Crepsley's spider, Madame Octa, the two reconcile
and Darren shows Steve how he controls the spider. However, as the two are handling the
creature, an unfortunate series of events results in Steve being bitten and poisoned by her.
There appears to be no cure, and out of desperation, Darren goes to Crepsley for help,
begging for a cure. Crepsley agrees, but only on the condition that Darren becomes a half-
vampire and Crepsley's assistant. Darren reluctantly agrees, and successfully cures Steve,
and then attempts to abandon Larten Crepsley. However, he cannot control his bloodlust and
drinks from one of his friends, and then almost his sister. Steve realizes the truth after
witnessing Darren drink blood from his friend after he got a large gash playing soccer. Darren
returns to Crepsley and agrees to becomes his assistant. After Darren fakes his death to his
friends and family, Steve comes into the livingroom where Darren had been laid and did some
tests of his own to see if he was really dead. after Crepsley dug him up, he takes a walk.
Steve then attacks Darren by putting a stake against his heart and accuses him of instructing
Madame Octa to attack him and conspiring with Crepsley against him. Steve cannot bring
himself to kill Darren, however, but swears to become the world's greatest vampire hunter
and return and kill both Darren and Larten Crepsley in the future.

Although Darren, Harkat and Vancha trust him, Crepsley remains suspicious of him
throughout the majority of the book. It is believed that Steve's actions are benevolent up until
the climax of the book, when the vampires are ambushed by the vampaneze in the tunnel,
where Steve takes Debbie hostage and reveals he is a half-vampaneze, having manipulated
the Hunters the whole time. In the following battle, Debbie is taken by the vampaneze, but the
Hunters manage to take Steve hostage. In The Vampire's Assistant movie, Steve became a
Vampaneze much more before the time he was discovered as one in the books. Murlough
blooded him and Mr. Tiny assisted him to his destiny. He is not yet the Lord of the
Vampaneze in the film but Mr. Tiny mentioned him leading his people or kind. Steve
kidnapped Darren's family to lure him to a battle. Mr. Tiny wanted him to solve his differences
with Darren later. In the following book, Killers of the Dawn, Steve eventually manages to
escape and is not seen again until the end of the story, where he is with the vampaneze in the
Cavern. Crepsley agrees to engage him, Gannen Harst and the apparent Lord of the
Vampaneze in battle above a pit of flaming stakes. As the Vampaneze Lord is believed to be
dead, the Hunters believe the War of the Scars to be over, until the final stages of the book
where Steve reveals the truth to Darren: that he himself is in fact the true Lord of the
Vampaneze and therefore potentially the Lord of the Shadows. Steve then leaves with his
fellow vampaneze. Steve does not appear in the following book, The Lake of Souls, albeit in a
dream in which Darren is battling him in a nightmarish world. Steve returns again in the
penultimate book, Lord of the Shadows, with R.V., Gannen Harst, Morgan James and a new
assistant, Darius, who is revealed to be his son. In the closing stages of the book, Evra's son
Shancus is taken hostage by the vampaneze and taken to the stage area which was the
former theatre of the Cirque du Freak. Steve appears at the theatre, where the Hunters arrive
with Steve's son Darius as their hostage. Steve initially agrees to swap Shancus for Darius,
but before the swap is made, he snaps Shancus' neck, killing him. In revenge, In Sons of
Destiny it is revealed that during Darren's absence, Steve returned to Darren's hometown
after leaving, and befriended Annie Shan, and started a romantic relationship with her,
impregnating her with Darius, before revealing to Annie that he has no love for her and
leaving Annie with the baby, secretly meeting with Darius and converting him into a half-
vampaneze, brainwashing him with propaganda. Darren and Vancha find Steve and the
vampaneze at the Cirque du Freak, where they engage Steve and Gannen in battle. Vancha
is wounded during the battle by Gannen and unable to fight any longer. Shortly afterward,
Gannen is knocked unconscious, leaving Steve and Darren alone to fight. During a long,
vicious battle, Evanna later reveals that Steve's spirit is trapped in the Lake of Souls.

In the last book it is said that; Des Tiny made both Darren and Steve his kids. Des Tiny said
he made them so they could bring destruction to the human race.

All throughout the series, Steve is lead to believe that Darren made a deal with Mr. Crepsley.
The deal was that Darren would take his "rightful place" with the vampires. In the last book, as
Steve is dying, Darren lies and says this is true in order for Steve to reach over and stab
Darren, so that neither of them become the Lord of the Shadows. It is said that his soul went
to the Lake of Souls.

Steve Leonard is portrayed by Josh Hutcherson in the movie.

[edit]Gannen Harst
Vancha's brother. Remained a Vampaneze when his brother was re-blooded and became a
Vampire. Gannen becomes Steve's personal protector and the one who blooded Steve.
Gannen is by Steve's side wherever he goes. It is clear that Gannen strongly disagrees with
many of his master's decisions, but remains loyal to him out of his devotion to the
vampaneze, and continues fighting alongside Steve until the final battle, between himself,
Steve, his brother Vancha and Darren Shan. During the battle, Gannen stabs and wounds
Vancha, shortly afterward being attacked and knocked unconscious by R.V. Gannen survives
the War of the Scars, and Evanna reveals that she bears the child of both Gannen and
Vancha.

[edit]RV

(aka Reggie Veggie/Righteous Vampaneze) A former friend of Darren's who first appears
in The Vampire's Assistant as an eco-warrior, who befriends Darren, Evra and Sam Grest as
his troupe is near where the Cirque du Freak are performing. He is a vegetarian and sensitive
about animal rights, and so when he visits the Cirque, he is appalled to see the Wolf Man
locked up and goats being killed, and stays behind when his group leaves to keep an eye on
the Cirque. After witnessing Darren kill an animal as food for the Little People, R.V. goes
insane with rage and vows to bring the Cirque down. After threatening him, Darren believes
he's gotten rid of R.V. However, R.V. later returns in the book, freeing the Wolf Man from the
cage, but getting his hands bitten off in the process. After accusing Darren of being
responsible for his loss of hands, R.V. runs away, screaming insanely.

In book 8 Allies of the Night, the crazed, hook-handed vampaneze responsible for the majority
of murders in the city is revealed later on to be R.V., who survived the encounter with the Wolf
Man, and was taken in and blooded by the vampaneze, who replaced his hands with hooks.
He claims to no longer be a vegetarian and relish meat, and no longer has the peaceful views
he once had, obsessed with gaining revenge on Darren whom he still deems responsible for
handicapping him. By the end of the book, R.V. has taken Debbie hostage and runs away. He
returns in book 9 Killers of the Dawn, fighting in the Cavern along with his fellow vampaneze,
battling Harkat, only to have his hooks removed by the Little Person. He survives the battle
and leaves with the rest of the vampaneze.

In book 11 Lord of the Shadows R.V., along with vampet Morgan James, attacks the Soccer
game and kills Tommy Jones. He is chased by Darren, whom he leads to his superiors, Steve
Leonard and Gannen Harst. After Steve wounds Darren, R.V. leaves with them. He later
attacks the Cirque du Freak, taking Evra's son Shancus hostage and to the vampaneze
hideout. However, he starts to show signs of doubts about his loyalties when he shows strong
reluctance at the prospect of killing the snake-boy, and when he believes that he no longer
has to kill the child, he shows signs of relief. It is then that Darren realizes that R.V. is not
genuinely evil like Steve, but insane and mislead. After Steve murders Shancus, R.V. is
shocked, and leaves looking horrified.

In book 12 Sons of Destiny, it is revealed that Shancus' murder had a deep effect on R.V.,
who no longer knows whose side he's really on. When he has Debbie prisoner, although
Steve instructs him to murder her, R.V. does not, and claims it was wrong of Steve to kill
Shancus and that he thought the only real enemy was Darren.He also claims to like Debbie
and when the vampires and vampeneze are attacking each other, he lets Debbie go and
apologizes to her for what he's done.

When the battle at the Cirque begins, R.V. initially takes no part in the fighting, attacking
neither the vampires nor the vampaneze. When he is attacked by Cormac Limbs, he initially
backs away, but is provoked into chopping Cormac's head off. However, after he believes
he's killed Cormac, he begins to cry and says that he wanted to help people and never kill
anyone. He flees after Cormac returns to life.

He comes back later in the book, however, having ultimately switched sides, attacking
Gannen in an attempt to save Vancha, accusing the vampaneze of being evil. He defeats
Gannen, knocking him unconscious, but before he can kill him, Steve slits his throat, killing
him. In his dying moments, R.V. sees an imaginary pair of hands in place of his hooks, and
dies happily.

[edit]Murlough

An insane and crazy Vampaneze who speaks in third person. Murlough terrorized Mr.
Crepsley's home town until Darren and Mr. Crepsley stopped him. He abducted Evra, tortured
him by cutting off some of his scales and tried to kill Darren's girlfriend; Debbie Hemlock. He
was killed by Mr. Crepsley and after his death, his soul became trapped in the Lake of Souls.
He tried to eat Darren but knew that he would die afterward. In the film, Murlough was killed
by Mr. Crepsley in the same theater where Darren and Steve first went to go see the Cirque.
Murlough played a big role with Steve and blooding him. He appeared that he wanted Darren
on his side too. His death did not send his soul to the Lake of Souls, instead Mr. Tiny revived
him as a little person. In the film, Murlough's name was changed to the spelling of Murlaugh,
though it still holds the same pronunciation.

He is portrayed by Ray Stevenson in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Glalda

A friend of Kurda Smahlt. A fierce vampaneze who fought against the Vampires in the battle
that began the War of the Scars. He killed Arra Sails, but Arra was avenged by Darren Shan.
It is described that he has a red birthmark on his left cheek. He was also in the cave when
Gavner Purl was killed.

[edit]The 'Fake' Lord of the Vampaneze

The fake Lord who wears green robes. Mr. Crepsley tossed him into the pit with burning
stakes. Mr. Crepsley later died not realizing Steve was the true Vampaneze Lord, so he died
in vain shortly after the fake Lord did. The fake Lord was also a half-vampaneze.

[edit]Humans

[edit]Annie Shan
Darren's younger sister. Mother of Darius Shan. She encounters Darren one last time in Sons
of Destiny and had given birth to Darius out of wedlock with Steve. Steve also tries in the
series to impregnate her with his child and soon succeeds. Darren got furious and almost
tried to kill his own nephew for killing Shancus until Steve reveals that he is Darren's nephew.

Annie is portrayed by Morgan Saylor in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Dermot Shan
Annie's father. Darren's alleged father. It is revealed in Sons of Destiny that Mr. Tiny is
Darren's father, though it is not explained if Dermot is the father and Mr Tiny merely meddled
with the DNA or whether he actually replaced Dermot's DNA with his own (or even replaced
his mother's DNA also), He does however say that Darren's mother has absolutely no
knowledge of this information, which would mean that in any case Mr. Tiny did not have an
affair with Darren's mother.

He is portrayed by Don McManus in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Angela Shan
Unknown if she is Darren's mother. She is definitely Annie's mother.

She is portrayed by Colleen Camp in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Tommy Jones
One of Darren and Steve's best friends from childhood, who played soccer with them. He
later became a professional soccer player and goalie. Killed by R.V. and Morgan James in
book eleven.

[edit]Alan Morris
Darren's friend who showed them the flier he stole from his brother. Alan becomes a famous
scientist. He specializes in the area of cloning. In Sons of Destiny it is revealed that he helped
to create the first dragon.

[edit]Tony Morris
Alan's big brother. (school bully in the first book.) He was the one that discovered the freak
show when Mr. Crepsley gave him a flier for the cirque.

[edit]Sam Grest
A local boy that Darren and Evra became friends with when they stopped for a show in book
two. He liked pickled onions and had a large family with lots of pets. Sadly, he was brutally
killed and ripped to shreds by the wolf man, but Darren drank from him to preserve his soul.
He was also the second person Darren ever drank from, which he only did to preserve Sam's
memories. The first was Alan Morris. Although never touched in on the main story, he
seemed to possess somewhat clairvoyant abilities (see short stories Transylvania Trek, and
Bride of Sam Grest). He inadvertently predicted the manner in which he died, and the
existence of the vampaneze Murlough when he was only 9 years old.

[edit]Debbie Hemlock
Darren's off and on girlfriend. Darren meets her when she is a young girl, about 13 years old.
Later on, when she is an adult, she helps the vampires in the war of the scars and has the
idea for human fighters for the vampires like the vampets for the vampaneze; she calls this
new army the vampirites. She loves Darren but refuses to kiss him because he still is one of
her students and he has aged only two years. She agrees to kiss him after the second purge
because he will look more like an adult, this moment never arrives however because Darren
dies before the end of the second purge. Debbie is described as being a pretty, kind-hearted,
joyful girl with dark hair and skin. She always gets captured.

[edit]Walter Blaws
A school inspector who made Darren go to Mahler's where he met Debbie Hemlock as his
teacher. 23 .

[edit]Tara Williams
A sweet, shy girl in Darren's English class. She was a student of Debbie's before being
murdered. Darren was said to kill her but she was really killed by a vampaneze. Most likely by
RV.

[edit]Alice Burgess
Police Chief Inspector of Larten Crepsley's birthplace. She later allied herself with the
vampires and aids them in the War of Scars by recruiting an army of street people who can
use modern weapons in the War of Scars, the vampirites.

[edit]Spits Abrams
A mad, cannibalistic sailor/pirate who Darren and Harkat meet in The Lake of Souls. He was
a cannibal and planned to fish out souls and eat them. Then as he tried to kill Darren and
Harkat, he was killed by a dragon who blasted fire onto Spit's head, who jumped into the lake
to extinguish it, drowning in the progress. It is possible that he is partially responsible for the
death of Madame Truska's husband and daughter, who claimed her family was murdered by
ëvil fishermen" in the same book that Spits is introduced - and he introduces himself as being
a fisherman.
[edit]Oggy Bass
Short for Augustine Bass. A minor character who at first sight is mistaken by Darren to be
Annie's son. He is also Darius' friend.

[edit]Mr. Dalton
He's Steve's favorite teacher and is the one that informs Darren that the freak circus are
illegal and banned.

[edit]Mrs. Quinn
The geography teacher in the first book.

[edit]Mrs. Leonard
Steve Leonard's mother. Makes one short appearance in the first book. Steve is mean to her
in book one. She's heartbroken when she finds out Steve might die. Later in Lord of the
Shadows Darren learns that she dies. It is suspected that Steve might have something to do
with her death.

[edit]Jimmy Ovo
A pathologist, makes only one short appearance in the second book. Darren refuses to drink
blood from a corpse that is in Jimmy's possession.

[edit]Jesse and Donna Hemlock

Debbie's mother and father, makes only one short appearance in the third book, they are
used as bait to lure Murlough into a trap where he is killed by Mr. Crepsley.

[edit]Vampets

The vampets are humans recruited by the vampaneze for the War of the Scars. While
vampaneze are not allowed to use projectile weapons, vampets can use them freely since
they are not bound with any of the vampaneze laws. Vampets wear a brown shirt and black
pants, and they are all shaven-headed and have a purple "V" tattooed above either ear.

[edit]Morgan James
Former police guard. Worked with Alice Burgess until he revealed he was a vampet. One of
Steve's main body guards. Had half of his face blown off by a gun shot by Alice Burgess.
Later his head is chopped off by Harkat.

[edit]Mark Ryter
A vampet in book 9 who was tortured and killed by Vancha March.

[edit]Vampirites

Vampirites are a bunch of street people recruited by Debbie Hemlock and Alice Burgess in
order to help the vampires in the War of the Scars. The Vampirites are mostly homeless
people, but they all strike back against society in the big battle of book 12. Vampirites are the
Vampires' counterpart to vampets. They, like vampets, are allowed to use projectile weapons.

[edit]Declan

One of the street people that was recruited by Debbie Hemlock and Alice Burgess to help the
vampires in the War of the Scars. He and his friend, Little Kenny, helped save Darren when
he was wounded during his encounter with Steve "Leopard" Leonard in Darren's hometown.

[edit]Little Kenny
A friend of Declan's who helped him save Darren.

[edit]Cirque du Freak members

[edit]Evra Von
Known as the snake-boy, or the snake-man as he grows older, and performs at Cirque Du
Freak. He helped Mr. Crepsley and Darren defeat Murlough in the third book, but was injured
permanently when Murlough ripped scales off of Evra's right shoulder. He became one of
Darren's best friends, yet because Evra ages normally and Darren ages 1/5 the normal rate,
their bond thins as time goes on. Evra was born to normal parents, but they were horrified
when they saw him, and left him at an orphanage at the age of two, where he was picked on
by the other children. When he was four, he was sold to a traveling circus where he was
abused, locked in a glass tank, and forced to feel ugly, useless, and freakish. Seven years
later, when he was eleven, he was rescued by Mr.Tall, joined the Cirque Du Freak, and
stayed for the rest of his life. In book 12 he almost killed Steve himself for revenge for killing
Shancus but is stopped by Mr. Tiny. Evra speaks with an American accent and is shy, which
Darren thinks is due to his abusive childhood. After a time skip of several years, Darren
returns to find that Evra has fallen in love with another freak called Merla who throws her ears
like boomerangs and has three children, Shancus (who was named after Darren, was the
oldest, and considered Darren his godfather even though he wasn't), Urcha (he was mad
because he was the only one without the snake skin) and Lilia (the smallest). Shancus
performs with him at the Cirque until he died when Steve snapped his neck and hung him in a
noose.

He is portrayed by Patrick Fugit in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Merla Von
Merla Von is Evra's wife and the mother of his three children. She can detach her ears and
use them as boomerangs. The means by which she became part of the Cirque Du Freak are
never mentioned inside the series. Merla often uses the threat of the Wolfman when her
children misbehave, particularly when they're annoying Alexander Ribs, trying to mess around
with his xylophone-like bones. Merla's described throughout the series as pretty and nice.

[edit]Shancus Von
The oldest child of Evra and Merla. Along with Lilia, Shancus has scales like his father. He
believes Darren is his godfather, because he was named after him. He is later killed by Steve
in the end of Lord of the Shadows.

[edit]Urcha Von
Evra and Merla's middle child. He is the only one out of his siblings who does not have
scales, and so is deeply upset. However, Darren gives Shancus a new snake for his birthday,
and his old snake was passed down to Urcha.

[edit]Lilia Von
Evra and Merla's youngest child. She is the only girl out of her siblings, and like Shancus, she
has scales.

[edit]Rhamus Twobellies
A performer who can eat literally anything in a very short time, and actually has two bellies.
Some of the things Rhamus can eat include a full grown elephant or a tank, and can wrap
forks and spoons around a chain inside his belly and pull it back out again. When he is
fighting he literally rolls and crushes his opponents.

He is portrayed by Frankie Faison in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Truska

A woman who can grow a beard (which nothing can cut) at will and then suck it back in. She
was the one who gave Darren his pirate costume. Truska is from a strange land, and initially
helped Harkat come across a pirate fisherman called Spits Abrams who is a cannibal. So it
could be that Truska's husband and daughter were killed, cooked and eaten by Spits. It is
often hinted that she is in a relationship with Vancha March in the books and Larten Crepsley
in the movie. In Sons Of Destiny she fights her opponents using and controlling her beard like
snakes.

She is portrayed by Salma Hayek in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Gertha Teeth
One of Cirque Du Freak's female performers. She has super strong teeth which can bite
through almost anything and withstand almost anything, including hammers and chainsaws to
her teeth. She was introduced in the first book as chubby and having a strict voice and she
claims to have bit off two of her father's fingers when she was a baby.

She is portrayed by Kristen Schaal in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Cormac Limbs
When his limbs are removed (cut off), he can grow them back at will. Cormac Limbs
discovered his powers when he accidentally cut off part of his nose when he was younger.
Throughout Darren's first meeting with Cormac, he explains that he can regrow all of his body
parts as far as he knows, although states he has never tried regrowing his head for the risk of
death. However, when his head is cut off by R.V. in Sons of Destiny, he re-grows two heads
(each slightly smaller than the original), driving R.V. insane.

He is portrayed by actress Jane Krakowski in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, as

Corma Limbs.

[edit]Hans Hands
One of the Cirque's performers. He can walk and run on his hands faster than a normal man
can run on his feet. He was introduced in the first book and claimed his father was born with
no legs and learned to walk with his hands.

He is portrayed by Jonathan Nosan in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]The Wolf Man

A ferocious beast who is half man and half wolf. The mix of wolf and human blood has driven
him mad. For that reason, he must be locked up or else he will kill all the time. He killed
Darren's friend Sam Grest and bit off R.V.'s hands. For these reasons, Darren despises the
wolf man. He is possibly a connection to the Demonata saga, as one of the main themes is
lycanthrophy. However this was denied by Darren Shan, as a question asked by a fan at the
Darren Shan message boards, Questions for Shan section.

He is portrayed by Tom Woodruff, Jr. in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Alexander Ribs
More of a comedy act than a scary one which was needed to calm down the audience after
the terrifying start with the wolfman. The skinniest man that Darren has ever seen, he played
the 'London Bridge is Falling Down', songs by the Beatles and TV theme tunes by opening his
mouth and hitting his bony ribs with a drumstick. (Cirque Du Freak) He was killed in the last
book, Sons Of Destiny

Alexander Ribs is portrayed by Orlando Jones in the movie adaptation of this book "Cirque
Du Freak - The Vampires Assistant".

[edit]Jekkus Flang
A ticket man at the Cirque who later has his own act. He excels at throwing and juggling
knives. At the end of Sons of Destiny he is seen young not yet has his own act and is in
charge of the gifts also commands the little people.

[edit]Sive and Seersa

The Twisting twins, Sive and Seersa that are identical twins and were contortionists like
Bradley Stretch. Their act involved twisting their bodies around each other so they looked like
one person with two fronts instead of a back, or two upper bodies and no legs. They were
skillful and interesting, but dull compared to the rest of the performers. Often used as a fake
climax to the shows, only to be tricked by Evra Von's snake.

[edit]Bradley Stretch
A Cirque performer with the ability to stretch himself into all sorts of shapes. He went missing
and was (apparently) eaten by the Little People some years before Darren joined the Cirque.
It states Evra saw the bones and a bracelet (a gift from a Bradley Stretch fan) left over when
cleaning the Little People's things. Evra fed Bradley's remains to the wolf-man, and when
Darren and Evra contemplate this later, Evra says that he must have tasted rubbery. He had
a valuable bracelet, too. In addition to that joke- about Bradley Stretch tasting like rubber-
Darren and Evra burst out laughing.

[edit]Others

[edit]Desmond Tiny
He has short white hair, thick glasses and pudgy face, with a warm but mocking smile. He
wore a shabby yellow suit and a pair of green wellington boots. He has no toes, webbed feet,
carries a heart shaped watch, and has six cat-like claws on each foot. He sometimes asks
people to call him Des, which makes him Des Tiny, or Destiny.

Father of Hibernius Tall, Lady Evanna, Darren Shan, and Steve (Leopard) Leonard and
grandfather to Darius Shan. Also the creator of the Little People plus vampires/vampaneze,
he is known to have future predicting abilities, time traveling and other magical powers. He
can also control dragons. He is believed to be the most powerful being in the world, and is
also believed to be immortal. He can travel through time, and likes to meddle with it. In Sons
Of Destiny, Desmond possess many original objects designed by famous people such as
theMona Lisa painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. He collects many things from mankind except
books due to his lack of interest in reading (mainly fiction). He always wants to see a good
fight and no peace. It is also supposed that his own cunning got the best of him when he
agreed to allow Lady Evanna to fish Darren out of the Lake of Souls, ultimately causing his
Lord of the Shadows' future to become nonexistent.

In the film The Vampire's Assistant, he is fat and bald and travels in an old style limousine
and not along with the Little People at all. Desmond visited Steve and Darren before they
choose their destiny. He was seen with Murlough too and when Murlough died, he returned
him as a Little Person. His skin also contains a bluish peachy hue and he sometimes wears
small purple glasses. He also reads books, unlike his novel counterpart.

He is portrayed by Michael Cerveris in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Hibernius Tall
The leader of the Cirque Du Freak who was loved and highly respected by the performers. He
has telepathic powers to read minds, precognition (to see the future), he could also move as
fast as lightning. Desmond Tiny's son and Lady Evanna's brother. He is also the brother of
both Darren and Steve. Later killed by Morgan James in the 11th book by interferring in the
war.

He is portrayed by Ken Watanabe in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

[edit]Lady Evanna
A "witch" with many powers (who takes great offense to anybody who calls her that). Normally
wears ropes instead of clothing. Desmond Tiny's daughter and Hibernius Tall's sister (also
Darren and Steves sister). Evanna has the ability to breed faces of vampires onto the backs
of frogs, and the faces are actually the only way to see an image of a vampire (vampires can't
be photographed). She is half vampire, and the only one born a vampire. She was the only
one because vampires are sterile, but evolved from wolves. Desmond Tiny mixed vampire
and wolf blood to create Evanna. She is the only vampire who is able to carry a child. Later in
the series She becomes pregnant with twins (each one one third vampire, one third
vampaneze, one third herself), the fathers being Vancha and Gannen, as part of a deal with
her father to help Darren get to Paradise. She is also the one responsible for Mr Creplsey's
trademark scar (see Larten Crepsley).

[edit]Lord of the Shadows

A destructive being, destined to be Darren's or Steve's future self, depending which side wins
the War of Scars. If the Vampires win Darren will become the Lord of the Shadows, but,
should the Vampaneze win, Steve will become the Lord of the Shadows. The Lord Of The
Shadows is a being that will become so powerful it will literally destroy the whole world. It is
said that Darren will become evil after killing Steve, which will make him the Lord of Shadows,
and create the destruction of the world. Darren fears this, and in the end of the series,
manages to avoid it and go to Paradise after striking a deal with Mr. Tiny with the help of
Evanna. The deal was that Darren must become a little person to go to Paradise.

[edit]Lady Evanna's twins

Lady Evanna's unborn, nameless twins. As told in Mr. Tiny's Prophecy, the weaker one out of
Darren or Steve will be defeated by the other. The victorious one would become the Lord of
the Shadows. After Darren killed Steve, he allowed Steve to kill him so that the Lord of the
Shadows wouldn't come to power. Since Mr. Tiny had nobody to end the war of the scars and
become the Lord of the Shadows, he made Evanna mate with either a vampire or a
vampaneze. Evanna's baby will decide the outcome of the war of the scars, depending on
whether it's a vampire or vampaneze, and become the Lord of the Shadows. Evanna mated
with both Vancha March and Gannen Harst, causing her to have twins. She crossed the
bloodlines of the twins, making each of them one-third vampire, one-third vampaneze, and
one-third Evanna. This was an attempt to unite the two clans, thus ending the war of the
scars, and once again preventing the Lord of the Shadows.
[edit]Guardians of Blood
Humans who eat organs in order to live longer (up to 160 years), they provide vampires with
blood in exchange for dead vampire's organs.(As it says in Vampire Mountain, they save the
brains and heart for important events such as weddings.) It is unknown whether or not they
are the 'Kulashkas' which Darren and Harkat met in the future or whether they descended into
the Kulashkas.

[edit]Madame Octa
Larten Crepsley's spider. Madam Octa is a telepathic spider, and can do many different tricks.
She is highly intelligent and poisonous, she can even be trained to control how much poison
she injects. She can live up to 30 years, according to the monk who sold it to Mr. Crepsley. In
the first book, she bites Steve causing Darren to go to Mr. Crepsley to ask for an antidote, but
the condition is Darren must become a half-vampire in order to save him. Later in the series,
Darren releases Madam Octa into the cave of spiders inside Vampire Mountain, where she
mates and produces offspring, which are named after Darren; The Ba'Shan's spiders.

[edit]Ba'Halens' Spiders
Spiders that live within Vampire Mountain. Are revealed in Book 5 Trials of Death. The
cobwebs of these spiders have healing abilities and aid Darren quite a bit after his second
trial. Seba Nile is supposedly the only person who knows of their existence and whereabouts.

[edit]Ba'Shan's spiders
Offsprings of Madam Octa and Ba'Halens spiders. They appear in the book The Lake of
Souls the spiders are in the temple where Darren and Harkat were looking for the holy liquid.
They have been altered because they were blind.Seba Nile named them after Darren.

[edit]Streak

A wolf that Darren encounters on his trek to vampire mountain. He was nicknamed by Darren
after the design on his fur. Streak, along with the rest of his pack, travel to vampire mountain
with Darren, Mr. Crepsley, and Gavner for some of the way before departing. Streak and his
pack reappear in book 6 to help Darren survive after he falls into the river. Darren stays with
the pack to recover from injury before going back to the mountain to warn the vampires about
Kurda.

[edit]Magda

A she wolf from Streak's pack. She was nicknamed by Darren after his Grandmother. She
was one of the wolves Darren first encountered after being attacked by the mad bear. She
helped Darren back up vampire mountain, and dies on the journey. Darren believed she knew
she would die soon, and wanted to die honorably, much like vampires.

[edit]Rudi
A wolf cub in Streak's pack. He was the wolf who discovered Darren after he was washed to
the base of vampire mountain.Rudi also means famous wolf. Rudi was first introduced to
Darren as a cub in the fourth book (Vampire Mountain)Darren developed a unique fondness
for the cub and was sad when Rudi departed, he next returns to Darren in the fifth book, as a
young adult. He along with Streak and another she wolf nursed Darren back to health in his
time of need.

[edit]The Dark-Furred wolf

A wolf in Streak's pack who Darren never nicknamed but he was identified by his darker fur.
He disapproved of Darren staying with the pack, and often snarled angrily at him. Darren tried
to stay away from him as much as possible. Eventually Streak and the dark-furred wolf got
into a fight. Neither of them were seriously injured but afterward the dark-furred wolf never
bothered Darren again.

[edit]Other classmates in the first book

 Dave Morgan - Was on Darren's soccer team, but broke his leg.

 Sam White - Was on Darren's soccer team, but family moved and went to another
school.

 Danny Curtin - Was on Darren's soccer team, but stopped playing to be with his
girlfriend.

 Sheila Leigh - Danny Curtin's love interest.

 Delaina Price - A girl near the front of the classroom in Darren's maths class with Mr
Dalton, who wasn't very good at math.