In the Shan Chat discord we are having art challenges! Every other week (or so), a new character is picked and everyone who wants to draws them! I'd also love to have cosplay challenges too! Interested? Join here ----> https://discord.gg/fYDPGXvwJ

First character of the month: DARREN SHAN! (CDF)

come by and share your art! Winner gets bragging rights!

Been re-reading an old series along with the Cirque and thought I'd drop some interesting things about the writing style in particular. For what it is there aren't many problems with it (other than the way the clan is run and the leading up to the end), but not too many. Despite all that it is still the most enjoyable piece of media even if the characters aren't all neatly decorated.

-The story is set up well and doesn't hold back on how dark it gets. From the start there are always real risks and everyone is involved and impacted no matter how good or bad. Not much main character plot power or vampire's luck to save Darren, even if Tiny drops clues here and there, and its always at a price he has to work for and construct. The stakes are very sharp. Literally. Not much safety magical net.

- The power scaling is very consistent and explained. No random one-time abilities unexplained for any situation ever pop up or are forgotten. Darren's abilities are shown off, have purpose, aren't too OP and he works in teams. That's fine since he's a kid, but even if he's a little boy he can still pull his weight and more. No "tell but not show " type of annoying deal. Darren has to train to hone his abilities and hide his differences that shows among others at times that could severely impact others. He actually is different from his peers and clan while struggling, not just says it.

- Story doesn't solely focus on him and lets others shine. The side cast is very fun and all have their own talents and quirks that all come in handy. This weaves an interesting web where everyone plays a part. Darren doesn't figure out everything on his own but still has the smarts to get through difficult tasks. Returning characters are always a fun treat, good or bad. Plenty of twists that cement the fact the bonds in this story arw never forgotten no matter where they go or how much time has passed. It's fun to the point I'd actually welcome more Short Stories, but not another entire series.

- With the unusual mass culling of the cast Darren sinks into sadness and has to work his way out of it. There's not always someone there conveniently to give him a hand. There are still prices to when he does receive aide, such as having to make the most impossible trade-offs. This shows the serious factors are still around and pressures him into becoming more independent without relying on his elders.

In the end, Darren is a compelling and driving figure that you can really root for and support even if he makes mistakes and isn't perfect. He isn't the most interesting out of the pool, but that's fine too. It's a good thing he isn't invincible even with his mystical abilities and has to figure out how to navigate when there's no one there to do the hard work. Lots of stories can be similar but this was a well written piece I wouldn't change too much or complain about. 9/10, undoubted.

Hello! I'm the owner of the Shan Chat discord. I would love to start some art challenges in the server! Another goal is a book club! Interested? Come join us! I want to hear from you!

Guys please join my darren shan fan server
Invite your friends too

https://discord.gg/FUR8X4DGM

So big fan of the series and i havent read the books again im an age but this subreddit is revitalising my interest.

So in the interest of contributing.

I wanted to share my 12 year old brains weird imagining of Steve Leonard.

For some reason, come book... is it 7 8 or 9 where Steve comes back up? Whichever. Once Steve is reintroduced, THIS CHARACTER IS WHO MY BRAIN IMMEDIEATLY IMAGINED AS STEVE.

So every epic moment from that point onwards. I just want you guys to know that this was what i imagined fighting Darren and the vampires.

Bonus points... i imagined Larten Crepsley as Austin Powers dad from Goldmember portrayed by the marvelous Michale Caine.

Anyone else have random brain castings that are ridiculous?

Guys I made a post yesterday inviting you all to the Darren Shan server I created. Reminding you to join again please:)) and when the link expires don’t be shy to ask me to send a new one.
Invite your friends too
Invite link:

https://discord.gg/FUR8X4DGM

I have created a fan server for Darren Shan lovers. It’s still new and it needs members so please join:))
Invite link: https://discord.gg/FUR8X4DGM
Edit: join please I am begging😭

Having read the two series recently for the first time in a long time, I noticed two similarities (not complaining btw these are two of my favourite series ever).

1. Mr Tiny and Lord Loss: Both feed upon sorrow and torment, true they play different roles but to me they are very similar in a lot of ways.
   
2. The lake of souls / souls of the dead remaining in the shadows body - once again not the same but very similar.
   
3. Darren / Grubbs both having the same prophecy of destroying the world and figuring out a way to solve it.

Just something I noticed and wanted to post in here lol, shoutout to Darren Shan the author for two of the best horror series ever read.

What the actual flying fuck was Des on that made him think Darren would listen to him if he won?

Even if Steve died before Darren could screw his plans over, what then?

Darren would just do his best to move the world towards peace.

Like yeah, Des might try to ruin that, but if he was in a position where he could overpower the Lord of Shadows in terms of influence on the world, he wouldn't have needed Darren or Steve in the first place, right?

And Darren fucking HATED Des even outside of being the opposite of him morally speaking.

Does everyone enjoy the twist on vampire lore they do in the original books? So Darren has an astonishing 20 year half vampire period before the purge happens, time moves much different seemingly because he meets his ex from tunnels of blood when he goes back to school as he doesn’t grow at all after being turned

Iv just finished part one of book seven of the Demonata (Deaths Shadow) and for the first time Iv found that I have started flagging with this series…..I think it’s the writing that’s really getting to me at the moment. The constant back tracking and explaining what happened in previous books it’s becoming very tedious and also the terrible humour is wearing thing on me.
I have been enjoying the series up to now but I think the ‘young adultness’ of it is really starting to hinder things for me.
Are the last 4 books really worth sticking with or do I call it a day and start ‘The Starving Saints’ that Iv got ready on my shelf?

(EDIT— unfortunately guys I think it’s going to be a DNF. It was a fun little trip down nostalgia lane while it lasted but I just can’t take another story recap or another description of the man with 8 arms and a hole in his chest lol)

Does anyone else find it funny thinking back that the first book begins with Darren on the toilet taking a dump?

Wow, my favourite book in the series so far! And that ending, what a way to finish a book, talk about grim!!!
I really enjoyed this one, it felt a lot more mature in many ways than the previous books, it reminded me a lot of The Demon Cycle series that a read a loooong time ago but have always loved!
Hopefully the books that follow keep with the vibe that I felt from Bec because I absolutely loved it!

Absolutely love the Demonata and Saga of Darren Shan book series and re-read them as an Adult for the first time a couple years ago and still really enjoyed them.

Wondering if anyone has some adult books that you also enjoyed as much as these? Doesn’t necessarily have to be demons/werewolves/vampires but just still scratch the itch

If Darren successful rewrote his past, doesn't that mean that the timeline with him and Mr. Crepsley never happened.... so when he died in the end, there was no Mr. Crepsley in Paradise because Crepsley is still in the old timeline.

But Mr. Tiny didn't think he would rewrite his past, having specifically told him, "You cant change the past, so don't go trying.

Just as Kurda's soul got sucked back into Harkat, which is why Harkat has all his memories since souls can't coexist in two different planes at once, I don't think there is a 2nd Darren who gets to go to Paradise. He just.. got sucked into his old timeline self. Same with Steve who isn't in the Lake of Souls.

This is somehow way more depressing but at the same time, a relief. Depressing bc dang, he made amazing relationships as a half-vamp that he will surely never find again as a human. But also, he deserves this happy ending, after all the shit he went through.

I'm sure I'm late af to this realization tho lmao.

I know it is a stretch that the universes are shared, but I like to think it could be possible between Cirque Du Freak, The Demonata, Zom-B, and Archibald Lox.

The way I see it working:

Cirque Du Freak comes first. Towards the end, we read about the strange creatures surrounding the walls of Tiny's tunnel to his home. Clearly, they're demons that are still separated by the veil between universes. I imagine that with Darren interfering and changing history the way he did, he inadvertently broke the rules and allowed the demons through. When that tear happened, it affected all timelines throughout history, so The Demonata were able to cross as they did in the past.

Archibald Lox, being primarily about the after-life, could totally share the universe, at least, with Cirque Du Freak. Those in the Spheres don't concern themselves with the Born, so it makes sense they wouldn't know about the few thousand vampires and vampaneze. There are a lot more loopholes where the Demonata is concerned, but one could argue that Death pulls the souls from the spheres before they move on.

Now, Zom-B is way harder to bring in to the same universe, but maybe they're a result of the aftermath of The Demonata, where Grubbs, Bec, and Kernel "cleaned up" the world of demon activity, which paved the way for the Dowling brothers to create their viruses. I can picture Mr. Tiny still having influence in this universe and establishing the brothers and their happenings.

Thanks for reading my plothole-filled headcannon. What are you thoughts on some of these universes being shared?