From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7-This is the fifth novel in the continuing saga of the youthful half-vampire assistant to Larten Crepsley, a full vampire. Crepsley has brought Darren to Vampire Mountain to undergo the Trials of Death, an elective ritual periodically undergone by vampires in order to bond with the clan and prove their worth. As a half-vampire, Darren is in more danger of failing the trials than the others who usually participate, but he is determined to go ahead. The penalty for failing without dying is execution. In the background a new conflict looms, involving the vampaneze, purple-skinned killers who resemble vampires but who are nothing like the beings whom Darren has come to respect and admire. When it appears that he will not survive the trials, his vampire friends urge him to escape. Escorting him out through the mountain's underground tunnels, they run smack into an incoming vampaneze invasion. In the final pages, the plot and action finally pick up to fever pace as Darren is caught between invaders, defenders, and possibly a traitor in the ranks of the faithful. Characters are mostly one-dimensional, and the plot plods along until the final conflict heats up the action. Although the story stands on its own, there isn't much reason to read this one aside from following the series.Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PACopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
The Hall of Flames and Blooded Boars await Darren Shan -- and Cirque du Freak fans -- in this fifth installment of the author's popular vampire series.

Now that Darren is at Vampire Mountain, he's out to prove himself a worthy vampire by undergoing the five Trials of Death. After the boy escapes his first run-in with death in the Aquatic Maze, he faces a bloody journey through the Path of Needles and almost scorches himself in the Hall of Flames. But when the Blooded Boars -- his fourth trial -- are ready to take his life for good, a surprising rescue by a friend means almost certain execution at the hands of the Vampire Princes. That is, until he comes face to face with a traitor he thought was his friend.

With loads of bone-chilling action and near-death battles, Shan takes Cirque du Freak to an even scarier level in this fifth book. Scenes of Darren being gashed with stalactites and savagely burned are gruesome and cool, while the story provides surprises that will make your jaw drop. Trials of Death will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat -- and maybe even holding your stomach. Matt Warner

ANNOTATION

Darren begins the Trials of Initiation to prove himself worthy of being a half-vampire, even as the the clan's blood foes, the vampaneze, gather near Vampire Mountain.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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...

Darren Shan grew up watching old Dracula movies and reading spooky comics, which were the inspirations for this series.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The Cirque Du Freak saga continues in a fifth installment, Trials of Death by Darren Shan. Once again the protagonist takes readers into the heart of the vampire world, where he must face the Trials of Initiation to prove himself worthy of being a half-vampire-or die trying. The gory tale ends with a "to be continued" teaser and an excerpt from book six. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

VOYA - Teri Lesesne

Darren Shan is back for his fifth adventure. Still inside Vampire Mountain for the conclave of vampires, Darren has agreed to face the vampire trials. He must successfully accomplish five trials or forfeit his life. With assistance from his friends and fellow vampires, Darren navigates the Aquatic Maze and endures the Path of Needles and Hall of Flames. When he is fighting the Blooded Boars, however, Darren receives some unsolicited help, thus failing Darren at his trials and forcing him to face a certain death. Will Darren make his escape? Is this the end of the saga of Darren Shan? Fans of the series will again line up to devour this latest installment of Darren's story. Loads of action and gruesome adventures cram the story of a young man coming to terms with his vampiric nature. Darren begins to grow a bit as a person, a rarity in most serialized characters, making this book as interesting to read as the first installment in the story. Of course, there is plenty of gore to satisfy the bloodthirsty, with the promise of much more to come. There are far too few horror stories to offer middle school and junior high students. This series, although grisly in detail, is still appropriate for the younger fans of the vampire genre. Any chapter would make a riveting read-aloud as they end leaving the reader wondering what will happen next. VOYA Codes: 4Q 5P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Little Brown, 207p,

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