Two boys who are best friends visit an illegal freak show, where an encounter with a vampire and a deadly spider forces them to make life-changing choices.
After agreeing to be Mr. Crepsley's assistant, Darren becomes a half-vampire and begins making friends at the Cirque du Freak, but struggles with his urges to drink human blood.
Darren Shan leaves Vampire Mountain as part of an elite force on a life-and-death mission to find the newly-risen Vampaneze Lord, who is set to lead the vampaneze into war against the vampires.
After traveling with Mr. Crepsley, the vampire who made him into a half-vampire, Darren returns to the freak show known as the Cirque du Freak and continues to fight his need to drink human blood.
Along with two other members of the Cirque du Freak, Darren and Mr. Crepsley travel to Vampire Mountain, where they meet evil vampaneze and the boy's fate is decided after he faces the council.
After traveling with Mr. Crepsley, the vampire who made him into a half-vampire, Darren returns to the freak show known as the Cirque du Freak and continues to fight his need to drink human blood.
Betrayed by Kurda and reeling from the brutal slaying of Gavner, the vampire's assistant, Darren Shan, finds himself branded a traitor and hunted by the vampire clan.
Mr. Crepsley leads Darren Shan on a dangerous trek to Vampire Mountain, the very heart of the vampire world, to be presented to the Council, but an encounter with the Vampanese along the way means trouble.
Darren begins the Trials of Initiation to prove himself worthy of being a half-vampire, even as the clan's blood foes, the vampaneze, gather near Vampire Mountain.
After traveling with Mr. Crepsley, the vampire who made him into a half-vampire, Darren returns to the freak show known as the Cirque du Freak and continues to fight his need to drink human blood.
