Sons of Destiny (Cirque Du Freak, Book 12) by Darren Shan

Sons of Destiny by Darren Shan


Time seemed to collapse... There was a sharp stabbing sensation in my stomach... Steve crowed, "Now I have you! Now you're gonna die!"

Dead if he loses - damned if he wins. The time has finally come for Darren to face his archenemy, Steve Leopard. One of them will die. The other will become the Lord of the Shadows - and destroy the world. Is the future written, or can Darren trick destiny?

My review

I knew after reading the 11 other books in this series that we were not going to have a happily ever after. lol The ending was very imaginative. This young author has quite the imagination and gift for writing. I totally enjoyed the sagas of Darren Shan and leave wondering -- could it have happened that way?


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Lord of the Shadows (Cirque Du Freak, Book 11) by Darren Shan

Lord of the Shadows by Darren Shan


"All must fall to the Lord of the Shadows," Steve said softly. "This is my world now, Darren."

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...

My review

In this next to the last book in the Darren Shan sagas we see a lot of evil. Unfortunately it looks like Darren is leaving a bit of his humanity behind as he faces the continuous loss of friends arranged by the evil Lord of the Vampaneze. Will he leave his humanity behind completely and become the Lord of the Shadows? On to the last book to see what happens.


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The Lake of Souls (Cirque Du Freak, Book 10) by Darren Shan

The Lake of Souls by Darren Shan


"If you step through after Harkat, you might never come back. Is your friend worth such an enormous risk?" Darren and Harkat face monstrous obstacles on their desperate quest to the Lake of Souls. Will they survive the savage journey? And what awaits them in the murky waters of the dead? Be careful what you fish for...

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another interesting chapter in the Darren Shan Saga.



In this book Darren and Harkat take a fantastical journey into another world where they encounter giant toads, dragons and other horrendous creatures in an attempt to discover who Harkat was when he was alive. It was a good read, and kind of nice to leave the War of the Scars behind for a bit.



Looking forward to finishing up this series to see where it all ends up.


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Killers of the Dawn (Cirque Du Freak, Book 9) by Darren Shan

Killers of the Dawn by Darren Shan


Synopsis
Outnumbered, outsmarted, and desperate, the hunters are on the run, persued by the vampaneze, the police, and an angry mob. With their enemies clamoring for blood, the vampires prepare or a deadly battle. Is this the end for Darren and his allies?

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
There were times when this chapter of the Darren Shan sagas was a bit far fetched. But the author pulled it off in the end, if you can forgive him for a little over active imagination. lol
In this book Darren and the Hunters have 2 more encounters with the Lord of the Vampaneze and one of the prophesied deaths happens. This book really has it's ups and downs, but overall another great chapter and it leaves us wanting to read more.



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Allies of the Night (Cirque Du Freak, Book 8) by Darren Shan

Allies of the Night by Darren Shan


Darren Shan, Vampire Prince and vampaneze killer, is obliged to attend school! But homework is the least of Darren's problems. Bodies are piling up. Time is running out. And the past is catching up with the hunters fast!

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
While on a mission to find and destroy the Vampaneze Lord, Darren and the rest of the group decide to go to Mr. Crepesley's hometown where there have been a string of bizzare murders that Darren believes are the result of a mad vampaneze. While searching the city for the killer, Darren somehow finds himself enrolled in school and forced to attend so that the authorities do not get suspicious. So begins a challenge for Darren that he may not come out of alive.
As it all comes together, Darren and his group are hot on the trail of the killer when they are caught in a trap by the Vampaneze Lord and end up running for their lives.
Another good chapter in this series, but I hate how the author ends a book right in the middle of things. I am just glad that I have the entire series sitting here or I would be very upset.






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Hunters of the Dusk (Cirque Du Freak, Book 7) by Darren Shan

Hunters of the Dusk (Cirque Du Freak, Book 7) by Darren Shan

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another great read in the saga of Darren Shan.



The pursuit begins…

Darren Shan, the Vampire Prince, leaves Vampire Mountain on a life or death mission.

As part of an elite force, Darren searches the world for the Vampaneze Lord. But the road ahead is long and dangerous - and lined with the bodies of the damned.


After spending 6 years at Vampire Mountain training for his position as Prince, Darren finds out that he is one of three vampires who are destined to encounter and battle the Vampaneze Lord. If one of these three chosen can defeat the Vampaneze Lord then the War of Scars will end and vampires will survive. If not, then the vampire race is destined to be defeated and become extinct.
With this knowledge, Darren, Harkat and Mr. Crepsley leave Vampire Mountain to follow their destiny.
They have one of 4 predestined encounters with the Vampeneze Lord.
Looking forward to reading more of this series.


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Time's Eye (A Time Odyssey, Book 1) by Arthur C. Clarke, Stephen Baxter

Time's Eye by Arthur C. Clarke


In an instant, Earth is carved up in time and reassembled like a huge jigsaw puzzle. Suddenly the world becomes a patchwork of eras, from prehistory to 2037, each with its own indigenous inhabitants.

The explanation for this cataclysmic event may lie in the ancient city of Babylon, where two groups of refugees from 2037 - three cosmonauts and three U.N. peacekeepers - have detected strange radio signals. The peacekeepers find allies in nineteenth-century British troops and in the armies of Alexander the Great. The cosmonauts join forces with the Mongol horde led by Genghis Khan. Both sides set out for Babylon, vowing to win the race for knowledge - as a powerful and mysterious entity watches, waiting.

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
While I did enjoy this book, it was not as good as I was hoping it would be. I love time travel stories and was really looking forward to this one considering who the authors are. While the story was good enough to keep me reading it was not great. Too much historical information for me and while I know that there is a second book, I was a little disappointed that we really did not find out why or who caused the Discontinuity. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, but only because I want to know who and why.


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The Vampire Prince (Cirque Du Freak, Book 6) by Darren Shan

The Vampire Prince by Darren Shan


Branded a traitor, betrayed by a friend, hunted by the vampire clan -- Darren Shan, the vampire's assistant, faces certain death. Can Darren reverse the odds and outwit a Vampire Prince, or is this the end of thousands of years of vampire rule? Darren's initiation on Vampire Mountain draws to a stunning, bloody conclusion -- but the Saga continues ...

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very much enjoying this series of books.



In this 6th installment in the series, Darren survives his mad flight from Vampire Mountain and a death sentence, but just barely. After recovering with a pack of wolf friends he decides that he must go back to Vampire Mountain to warn the clan about the imminent vampaneze attack and the traitor among them, even if it means his death.



What follows is a battle with the hidden vampaneze that results in several deaths and results in the possible extinction of the vampires.



Looking forward to moving on with this series.


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Trials of Death (Cirque Du Freak, Book 5) by Darren Shan

Trials of Death by Darren Shan


The trials: seventeen ways to die unless the luck of the vampire is with you. Darren Shan must pass five fearsome trials to prove himself to the vampire clan - or else face the stakes of the Hall of Death. But Vampire Mountain holds hidden threats. Sinister, potent forces are gathering in the darkness. In this nightmarish world of bloodshed and betrayal, death may be a blessing. . . .

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was an nice step back into Darren Shan's world of vampires.



Most of the books in this series take right up where the one before it stops. In this one we are with Darren at Vampire Mountain as he faces the Trials of Death to prove that he is worthy of being a vampire. There are 5 trials all together and if Darren is unable to complete them then he is put to death. We follow him through the trials. The triumphs and the failures. When Darren fails to complete all 5 trials and is awaiting a decision that he knows will mean his death, he is talked into running away from Vampire Mountain to save his life. In doing so he uncovers a plot that involves some of his fellow vampires and the vampaneze.



As with all of these books we are left right in the middle of a life and death struggle.



My only complaint about this series is that it seems that the author took a larger novel and pieced it into smaller books, leaving off right in the middle of something with one book and taking it right up with the next.






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Key to Conflict (Gillian Key, ParaDoc, Book 1) by Talia Gryphon

Key to Conflict (Gillian Key, ParaDoc, Book 1) by Talia Gryphon


Synopsis
Meet Gillian Key-a paramortal psychologist who can treat the mental distress of nonhumans. And she's a Marine Special Forces operative who can get physical with them when the situation calls for it.

Gillian's two worlds collide when she travels to the Carpathian Mountains in Romania to counsel a dangerously attractive local master vampire-and becomes embroiled in a brewing turf war with the legendary Dracula.

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
After reading other reviews here and after reading the first few chapters of this book I had my doubts as to rather I was going to enjoy it. The main character, Gillian Key, renowned ParaMortal Psychologist and decorated marine captain, seemed a bit flitty and out of control. I was not thrilled with her apparent ease of sleeping with whoever interested her at the moment. But she grew on me. The beginning of the story was very romancy and a bit historical, but it moved on to become quite and interesting action packed book. I loved the various characters, including those on Gillian's 'team'. I am very much looking forward to going right on to read the next book in the series as this book leaves us on quite an interesting note.






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