Review on BookLover

In this second book, we see Larten and Wester staying with the Cubs, living life to the fullest before having to be part of the Clan and leave every human trait behind. We see Larten struggling with his life, a young Vampire who is not yet the Mr. Crepsley we met in the Cirque du Freak series.
And we see him trying to keep at bay his mixed blood, his evil and terrible side.

The reading slump got me right when I was reading this book, and it was hell because I REALLY love what I read so far by Darren Shan. I finally forced myself to continue, and I did not regret it.

I admit that the first few chapters were a bit slow, and nothing much happened action-wise. But it does get better from Part Two on.
In this book, we meet characters that are present in the Cirque du Freak series as their younger selves, and yet we see what they'll become and how.

I think the keyword of this book is "struggle", in particular Larten's. He's still young, still not sure of what he really wants, wandering like a lost puppy with a terrible temper. Really, he seems like such a different character than Darren's teacher. And yet, I found it quite interesting. The growth I saw and I expect in the next two books is immense, and I do not think I will be disappointed. It'll probably be sad, though. I'll get the tissues ready.
In this second installment, Larten meets characters we know from the Saga of Darren Shan, some for the first time. I'm speaking mostly about Evanna and Arra, and, well, Vancha.
I keep disliking Evanna, honestly. She's just... I don't know how to describe her. I can see there is some good in her, but, in this book, Evanna is even more strict and annoying than when I read of her in the Cirque du Freak!
What REALLY surprised me in this book was Arra! We never knew her backstory in the original series, and when she appeared for the first time I couldn't believe it. She's a long way from becoming the Vampiress I love and revere, and I really did not expect to meet her in those circumstances. I don't really know what to expect... Maybe a story similar to Larten's, maybe something different. But not what I was given. Not that it is bad, just unexpected.
And Vancha! Well... Apart from being a General and not a Prince, he's just his disgusting, handsome self. I love him so much and I am sorry for what the future has in store for him.
I do wish we knew more about Malora, even though her feelings for Larten were a bit.... meh. She was so young, how could she know that love truly is? How could she sacrifice her life to stay with and protect a man that clearly didn't see her in such a light? I'm sorry for how her story ended, it was gruesome and unfair, but her name in Italian is a bit telling, and even if I knew Darren Shan couldn't have thought of that, I expected her story to end badly.
Also, we get a baby. I suspect who he is because of some spoilers I got, and I cannot wait for him to be all grown up! Especially because he's, if spoilers are correct, my favourite character from the Cirque du Freak series.

In matters of style, the Saga of Larten Crepsley is written in a more "serious" and grown-up way, and it's clearly aimed at older readers. Even the language is at a higher level, and I think at least a B1 is required.

As a matter of fact, I'm overall liking this series a bit more than the Cirque du Freak books, and I can't wait to know what DesTiny (eheh) has in store for our young Vampire! ( )

review and rating to come.

I'm not sure how to start this review. I finished the book last night and was fighting the urge to pick the next one up and read straight away, but had planned to watch a film with the other half so didn't. I still haven't as I wanted to write this review first, only problem is I don't know where to start. I've been a fan of Darren Shan for about 8 to 10 years now, I've read just about everything he's written, with the exception of a few books, and he still never ceases to amaze me.

Warning: May contain spoilers

The book starts of with Larten and Wester leaving Seba to go explore the world before returning to their studies. On their travels they come across other vampires with the same interests, drinking and gambling, and soon take up home with them (where that may be). Even though Larten is surrounded by beautiful women, money and good company he is never happy, and it takes a encounter with a vampaneze for him to come to his senses and set off on a different path with Wester returning to Seba.

The story skips forward a few years to find a still unsure Larten on his way to see Lady Evanna, the Lady of the Wilds and Desmond Tiny's daughter, for the second time with her new assistant Malora. After a bit too much to drink and a bit of an misunderstanding Larten fleas from Evanna with a young Malora following ( I love how he got his scar. I've waited a long time to find out and now I have, well done Mr Shan. Well done haha)

(The first time we see Last Evanna in the book is when Wester, Latern, Seba & Vancha stumble apon her and we meet her assistant Arra Sails, a lady we first came across in The Saga of Darren Shan, but as a vampire. I found this bit of the story very interesting, short but interesting)

In the last section of the book Larten is ill with vampire flu. He's been ill for a few months and when he seems to be getting better Paris finds him with news from vampire mountain and to try and persuade him to continue his studies to become a vampire general, something he wanted from the moment he knew about them. Something that tickled me more than it should do about their encounter was the mention of a little author that had been fallowing Paris around for 3 years who was later reviled to be Bram Stoker haha. That and the little mention of Interview with a Vampire..

After rejecting Paris's offer, Lartens illness worsens and he becomes very paranoid , believing there are vampire hunters at land trying to get him, so to the displeasure of Malora they board and ship set to sail to Greenland. After a while a crew member gets suspicious and upon realising what he is the crew members turn and a fight starts.

This books was amazing. I loved every bit of it. I was surprised to see Arra and I'm really looking forward to reading what happens with her. Not only was the book funny but it tugged at your heart strings too. ( )

Ocean of Blood is the second book in the Saga of Larten Crepsley which is in turn the prequel of the Saga of Daren Shan.

This book follows the vampire equivalent of Lartens late teens where he and to a lesser extent his fellow assistant Western break from their master Seba and live a life of wild drinking an womanising. The story is fun an exciting with some brilliant humour and plausible (for a vampire story) plot. It’s also interesting to see Larten grow from the boy you see in the first book into something far more similar to the Larten that we know and love from the Saga of Darren Shan.
As with the first book “Birth of a Killer” this book tells the story of many events that are hinted at in the Saga of Daren Shan and provides insight into many of the characters within those books so if you haven’t read them yet I recommend that you do so to get the most out of the crossover.

This book is far more grown up than the first book and some of the concepts are surprisingly adult for a kids book but it’s very much a page turner and will leave you hungry for the next book! ( )

Ocean of Blood is the second book in a four book prequel series-- to author Darren Shan's wildly popular Cirque Du Freak series. Picking up not too long after the ending of Birth of a Killer the first book in the series, this book tells of Larten and Wester's life on their own.

Readers are taken on the journey with the two vampires as they explore what it means to be on their own. They also get to see where the two end up -- at least for now.

Ocean of Blood is more (than Birth of a Killer) about the vampire world and its politics. More of the hierarchy and how things are achieved is explored. Through the two men's (or boy's, depending on how you look at them) adventures, we get to meet new vampires and see more of how the vampires operate outside of the small society portrayed in Birth of a Killer.

A lot more of Larten's personality is also unveiled in this second novel. He's grown a lot, both from where he was at the start of the first novel and over the course of this second. Readers are taken with him as he explores what it is he might want out of this life as a vampire (but, of course, there are two more novels in which to possibly find that out).

Readers of the Cirque Du Freak series will probably know where everything is leading but should enjoy seeing how the character(s) make their way there. Readers who haven't read the Cirque Du Freak series will likely very much want to after reading Ocean of Blood.

Very much like Birth of a Killer, Ocean of Blood ends on a cliffhanger--with a 'to be continued'--something that seems much more like the end of a chapter than the end of a novel. It will leave readers nearly salivating for book three . . . ( )