Cirque Du Freak (book)


 * For the show within the context of the book, see The Cirque Du Freak
 * For the movie, see Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant



Cirque Du Freak (or A Living Nightmare in the US) is the first book in The Saga of Darren Shan, and also the first book in the Vampire Blood Trilogy. Written by Darren Shan it is the start of the Vampiric life of Darren Shan, a young boy who is turned into a Vampire.

Plot Summary
It start with Darren narating saying he was always fascinated by spiders. When he was young, he used to bring spiders from the garden and let them loose in his house, and at the age of 9, he received the greatest gift of his life: a small tarantula. However, the joy of that gift was crushed when he, after watching a cartoon, killed the spider with a vacuum cleaner. The reason he started the 2 tale is because as the books unfold he said the story is real he doesn't expect the reader to believe but if he hadn't live through it he wouldn't believe it either. Darren makes then a statement that life, unlike a cartoon, is naturally evil, doesn't care about happy endings, and is always out to kill you. You just have to be careful. Also he said the story is real except the names.

His best friend, Steve &quot;Leopard&quot; Leonard has grown up reading horror comics and stories of the Wolf Man and Vampires.

One day, their other friend Alan comes across a flyer (which he has stolen from his older scary brother) advertising the "The Cirque Du Freak" and eagerly shows it to Darren, Steve, and Tommy (Darren's Other Friend). All the boys wanted to go. Each flyer could only get two tickets, however, so they play a game of chance to see who will go with Steve(Because he put the most money towards it), which Darren wins, After Listening To A Voice inside him!

Darren and Steve are mesmerized by the fantastic and disturbing show, especially by the act of the mysterious Mr. Crepsley and his giant spider Madam Octa. After witnessing a confrontation between Steve and Mr. Crepsley after the show in which Steve declares the latter to be a vampire, Darren sets his sight on Madam Octa, planning to steal her and use his knowledge of Mr. Crepsley's true nature to his full advantage.

Darren's plan succeeds, and after a few weeks of training Madam Octa, he is fully comfortable with having it in his bedroom, using Mr. Crepsley's flute as an excuse for privacy. During this time, he grows more and more detached from Steve due to overhearing Mr. Crepsley stating that Steve has bad blood and is not good enough to become a vampire's assistant. Steve figures out that Darren lied to him and witnessed what he did, but still chooses to be friends with him.

One day while Steve is at Darren's house playing with Madam Octa, Darren's younger sister Annie barges into his room unknowingly and shocks him, causing him to drop the flute and lose control over the spider, which bites and fatally wounds Steve.

Steve's only hope for survival is if Darren makes a deal with Mr. Crepsley to become his assistant and pay off the cost of the spider antidote. Steve lives, but Darren is turned into a half-vampire, half vampire and is thrust into the dark world of the vampires. In order to successfully free Darren of all previous bonds, including family, Mr. Crepsley helps his to-be apprentice fake his own death by numbing Darren's entire body, breaking his neck, and throwing him out of his bedroom window, perfectly simulating a fatal fall. Following the events of Darren's human body's funeral, Mr. Crepsley returns and digs Darren up. While trying to walk the stiffness out of his body, as Mr. Crepsley tries burying the dirt from the grave back in, Darren is attacked and restrained by an unsuspecting person: Steve holding him at stake-point. There, he reveals that he figured out that Darren became a vampire by looking at the cuts on his fingertips and that he was alive by putting litmus in his mouth before the funeral. He tells him that he wanted to be the one turned into a vampire, and wrongfully accuses Darren for taking his place as a vampire's assistant by convincing Mr. Crepsley that Steve was evil (although it was the latter who found out Steve's true nature on his own). Just as when he is about to kill Darren, he realizes that Crepsley is near and is aware of what will happen to him if he's discovered. He cowardly runs off, but not before swearing revenge on both Darren and Crepsley by killing them and cuts a cross on his palm to emphasize his claim.

Darren at first considers on informing Mr. Crepsley about Steve's presence and death threat and to go follow him, that way they could finish him and put an end to both Steve and threats, but didn't have the heart on doing that to his own friend. As he returns to Mr. Crepsley, the vampire lets him have one last look of his hometown before permanently departing. As Mr. Crepsley gloomily confirms all the problems all vampires, such as never settling down, marrying or having children true, Darren then asks if it gets lonely whereas he admits to be terribly so. The two of them then set off, starting their new life together while holding hands, as they walk off into the night.

First Appearances

 * Darren Shan
 * Annie Shan
 * Dermot Shan
 * Angela Shan
 * Steve Leonard
 * Mrs. Leonard
 * Alan Morris
 * Tommy Jones
 * Mr. Dalton
 * Larten Crepsley
 * Hibernius Tall
 * Rhamus Twobellies
 * Gertha Teeth
 * Madam Octa
 * Truska
 * Evra Von
 * Alexander Ribs
 * Wolf Man
 * Sive
 * Seersa
 * Hans Hands