Once, Darren Shan was an ordinary teen. That is, until a fateful trip to the mysterious traveling show known as the Cirque du Freak embroiled him in a nightmare world of vampires and monsters. In Tunnels of Blood, the third book in the series, we catch up to him after he’s had some time to adjust to his new status as a half-vampire assistant to the powerful Mr. Crepsley, master of the Cirque. Frankly, once he got over the need to drink blood and slowed aging process (which for him means a long, long time as a teenager), Darren’s been enjoying himself for the most part, mastering what powers his vampiric side has granted him, and making friends with the rest of the oddities and unique people of the Cirque. His best friend is Evra, a boy with the characteristics of a great snake.
When one of Mr. Crepsley’s old friends drops by for a brief visit, Darren learns just enough of his boss’s past to tantalize and awaken his curiosity. The world of the vampires is a much bigger, complex place than he ever could have imagined, and Crepsley has many secrets. Whatever the friend wanted, he brings odd news with him, and before Darren knows it, he, Evra, and Crepsley are off to a certain city, to take care of business.
Left to their own devices, Darren and Evra soon wonder where Crepsley goes without them every night, and why he won’t explain himself. When six bodies are discovered, they begin to suspect their boss has foul play on the mind. It’s up to them to investigate, each fearing the distinct possibility that Crepsley’s gone rogue. But the truth is worse than that. Soon, Darren and Evra are caught up in a deadly cat-and-mouse game between vampire and one of the murderous vampaneze. One wrong move, and Darren could lose boss, best friend, and even his new girlfriend, who’s really just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’ll take split-second timing if he wants to survive the climatic showdown in the sewers, and get everyone out alive.
Tunnels of Blood might be the third in the series, but to my relief, it’s accessible to the new reader, and I had no trouble at all picking up the storyline. Darren’s voice is entirely appropriate to the story, keeping us entertained without talking down to us. He’s a pleasant and sympathetic viewpoint through which we survey this dark world of vampires and things that go bump in the night. Best of all, the Cirque du Freak series approaches vampires from a new perspective, completely rewriting some of the ground rules with regards to powers, strengths, and weaknesses, giving them the fresh feel that prevents them from being overused and predictable. It’s nice to know there’s still life in the genre. If you’re looking for something different, this is a good place to start, although I might suggest reading the books in order if you get the chance, starting with Cirque Du Freak. More information may be found at www.twbookmark.com.