Vampire Blood Trilogy

The Vampire Blood Trilogy is the first three books in the Cirque Du Freak Saga. These provide a general introduction to the Saga and Mostly follow the Cirque Du Freak.

A Living Nightmare
In A Living Nightmare Darren Shan is blooded and becomes a half vampire. This happens because Darren steals Mr Crepsley’s deadly spider Madam Octa, who bites Darren’s best friend Steve Leonard. Darren then strikes a Deal with Mr Crepsley to save Steve in exchange for Darren becoming his assistant and a half vampire. Steve however wanted to become a Vampire and when he found out that Mr Crepsley was a vampire he tried to make him blood him, Mr Crepsley was going to blood Steve but he found out that Steve had evil blood and stopped. Steve was hurt that Mr Crepsley Said he was evil and swore to hunt him down, Steve also found out that Darren was Mr Crepsley’s assistant and swore to kill him as well. Mr Crepsley then faked Darren’s Death and they left Darren’s home. They then travel for a 1 to 3 months before the events of The Vampire’s Assistant.

The Vampire’s Assistant
In Vampire’s Assistant Darren and Mr Crepsley join up with the Cirque after a few months of travelling around. Darren shares a tent with anther performer; a snake boy called Evra Von who he befriends instantly(after a small incident with Evra’s Snake). Darren and Evra soon befriend Sam Grest who they find wondering round the camp site, all three of them go to an abandoned railway station where they meet R.V.(Short for Reggie Veggie) who is an eco-warrior. Darren then invites Sam and R.V. to the Cirque’s next performance. During all of these events Darren is still refusing to drink blood and is becoming weak and suffering dizzy spells. R.V. sees the wolf man locked up in the cage and after the show he tries to release him; Darren sees R.V. doing this and tries to stop him but the wolf man escapes and bites R.V.’s arms off(which R.V. blames on Darren) and the wolf man runs off into the forest where Sam is hiding. Darren follows Sam and the wolf man to the railway station where Sam is hiding. Darren and Sam try to run to a safer hiding space but the wolf man attacks them. Darren could have bested the wolf man but he was very weak due to lack of human blood. Darren is knocked unconscious and wakes up to find the wolf man eating Sam who is dead; Mr Crepsley comes and knocks the wolf man unconscious(using a special knockout gas that full vampires can breathe) and some little people come to take the wolf man back to his cage. Mr Crepsley then tells Darren of how he can preserve some of Sam’s memories by draining his blood and Darren reluctantly drinks Sam’s Blood. They then travel around with the Cirque for a few months before the events of Tunnels of Blood.

Tunnels of Blood
In Tunnels of Blood Darren, Mr Crepsley and Evra return to Mr Crepsley’s pre-vampire home. They go there to stop a mad Vampaneze called Murlough who is killing humans at an alarming rate. Mr Crepsley doesn’t tell Darren and Evra about Murlough and acts very secretively, so when Darren and Evra hear that people are being murdered and found with all their blood drained they think it is Mr Crepsley. Mr Crepsley meanwhile sets a trap for Murlough as he chooses his next victim. As Mr Crepsley is about to catch Murlough, Darren and Evra spring their own trap thinking Mr Crepsley is going to kill Murlough’s victim and Murlough escapes with Evra, taking him to his base in the sewers. In order to get Evra back Darren and Mr Crepsley set a trap using Darren’s girl friend Debbie, Murlough falls for the trap and is killed by Mr Crepsley and they rescue Evra.