Darren Shan
Encyclopedia
Darren O'Shaughnessy who commonly writes under the pen name
Darren Shan, is an Irish
author
. Darren Shan is also the main character in Shan's The Saga of Darren Shan
young-adult fiction series
. He also wrote The Demonata
series as well as the stand-alone books, Koyasan and The Thin Executioner. The City Book Trilogy
was written for older adult
s readers. He is currently releasing a four-book series, The Saga of Larten Crepsley
, and he also has an upcoming series of 10 books, and information has yet to be released about it.
, where he has lived ever since.
He received his primary education
in Askeaton
, and attended secondary school
at Copsewood College
, Pallaskenry
. He returned to London to take a degree in Sociology
and English
from Roehampton University
.
He lives in Limerick
, Ireland
, with his girlfriend Bas.
when he was fourteen and wrote many short stories
, comic scripts, and books that he never finished. His first success came to him at age fifteen, when he was a runner-up in a TV script-writing competition for R.T.É.
in Ireland
, with a dark comedy
story entitled A Day in the Morgue. He finished his first novel at age seventeen. Mute Pursuit was never published, but he loved the writing experience, so he started focusing on novels more and not on short stories.
His breakthrough came with Ayuamarca, written under his full name instead of a pen name. It was published in February 1999 by Orion Publishing Group
, and did not sell very well. The sequel, Hell's Horizon, published in February 2000, was thought by some to be a better book, but sold fewer copies than the first. Ayuamarca was re-released in March 2008 under the title of Procession of the Dead and under the pen-name D.B Shan. Hell's Horizon followed in March 2009, and the third in the trilogy, City of the Snakes in March 2010 (but this time under the name of Darren Shan). In January 2000, Shan released Cirque du Freak, the first book of The Saga of Darren Shan
series in the UK and Ireland and America.
s, taking long walks, watching football (he is a huge Tottenham Hotspur and Republic of Ireland fan), listening to pop
and rock music
, and travelling worldwide both to promote his works and for leisure.
The Vampire Blood Trilogy
The Vampire Rites Trilogy
The Vampire War Trilogy
The Vampire Destiny Trilogy
is a ten-book series.
was written for adult readers and was originally released under the name of Darren O'Shaughnessy. The third book was never published and the original versions are now out of print
. They were published by Orion Publishing Group
. However, in March 2008, Ayuamarca was re-published as Procession of the Dead (with substantial changes) by the Voyager imprint of Harper Collins
(Shan's children's publisher). Hell's Horizon was released in March 2009 and City of the Snakes was released in March 2010. All three books are now also available in the US, as well as in several other countries.
Jebel Rum is a thin, scrawny boy. His father is the famed executioner in the city where they live. When Jebel is humiliated in public, he sets off on a quest to gain great strength and invincibility. If successful, he will be able to compete in a gruelling contest to prove himself and replace his father as the wielder of the axe. Failure, on the other hands, means certain death.
To win the favour of a fire god, Jebel must make a human sacrifice. He finds a slave who is willing to pay this grisly price, and the pair set off on a trek through lands deadly and unwelcoming. In the course of their travels they will encounter hatred, bigotry, slavery, death and a whole lot more. It is the nightmarish adventure of a lifetime…
Shan has often stated that this is his favourite out of all of the books he has written over the years
bought the film rights to the first three books of The Saga of Darren Shan and combined them to make a single movie. Lauren Shuler Donner
produced the film, Paul Weitz
directed. Original screenplay by Brian Helgeland
but rewritten entirely by Paul Weitz. The first movie is called The Vampire's Assistant and was released in the US on 23 October 2009.
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Darren Shan, is an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. Darren Shan is also the main character in Shan's The Saga of Darren Shan
The Saga of Darren Shan
The Saga of Darren Shan is a young adult 12 part book series written by Darren Shan about the struggle of a boy who has become involved in the world of vampires. As of October 2008, the book is published in 37 countries around the world, in 30 different languages...
young-adult fiction series
Book series
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher....
. He also wrote The Demonata
The Demonata
The Demonata is a series of books by best selling author Darren Shan. It deals with the world of demons . The series is told by three different protagonists: Grubbs Grady, Kernel Fleck, and Bec MacConn, the latter of which is the first female protagonist in a Darren Shan book...
series as well as the stand-alone books, Koyasan and The Thin Executioner. The City Book Trilogy
The City Book Trilogy
The City Trilogy was written for adult readers and was under the name Darren O'Shaughnessey originally, before the pen name Darren Shan was used for his children's books. The third book was originally never published, and the books went out of print until 2008...
was written for older adult
Adult
An adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age....
s readers. He is currently releasing a four-book series, The Saga of Larten Crepsley
The Saga of Larten Crepsley
The Saga of Larten Crepsley is a series of novels written by Darren Shan, published by Harper Collins in the United Kingdom and Little Brown in the United States. It covers the first 200 years of Larten Crepsley's life...
, and he also has an upcoming series of 10 books, and information has yet to be released about it.
Biography
Darren O'Shaughnessy was born in 1972 at St Thomas' Hospital, London. At the age of three he started school at English Martyr's near the Elephant & Castle. When he was six, he moved with his parents and younger brother, to LimerickLimerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, where he has lived ever since.
He received his primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in Askeaton
Askeaton
Askeaton is a town in County Limerick, Ireland. Located on the N69, the town is built on the banks of the River Deel some 3 km upstream from the estuary of the River Shannon. There is also a secondary school in Askeaton...
, and attended secondary school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
at Copsewood College
Copsewood College
Copsewood College is an Irish secondary school located outside the village of Pallaskenry in County Limerick. The grounds of the school are owned by the Salesians and an agricultural college is also on the grounds. There are about 400 students in the school and the principal is Mr...
, Pallaskenry
Pallaskenry
Pallaskenry is a village in County Limerick, Ireland. The village is located about west of Limerick city close to the River Shannon estuary. The town is reached by travelling about five kilometres north off the N69 National Route that runs west from the city...
. He returned to London to take a degree in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
from Roehampton University
Roehampton University
The University of Roehampton is a campus university in the United Kingdom, situated on three major sites in Roehampton, south-west London.-History:...
.
He lives in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, with his girlfriend Bas.
Career
Darren Shan, before he decided to become a full-time writer, worked for a cable company in Limerick for two years, and he bought his first typewriterTypewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
when he was fourteen and wrote many short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, comic scripts, and books that he never finished. His first success came to him at age fifteen, when he was a runner-up in a TV script-writing competition for R.T.É.
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, with a dark comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
story entitled A Day in the Morgue. He finished his first novel at age seventeen. Mute Pursuit was never published, but he loved the writing experience, so he started focusing on novels more and not on short stories.
His breakthrough came with Ayuamarca, written under his full name instead of a pen name. It was published in February 1999 by Orion Publishing Group
Orion Publishing Group
Orion Publishing Group Ltd. is a UK-based book publisher. It is owned by Hachette Livre. In 1998 Orion bought Cassell.-History:Full history of the group can be found on Orion Publishing Group is owned by -Imprints:...
, and did not sell very well. The sequel, Hell's Horizon, published in February 2000, was thought by some to be a better book, but sold fewer copies than the first. Ayuamarca was re-released in March 2008 under the title of Procession of the Dead and under the pen-name D.B Shan. Hell's Horizon followed in March 2009, and the third in the trilogy, City of the Snakes in March 2010 (but this time under the name of Darren Shan). In January 2000, Shan released Cirque du Freak, the first book of The Saga of Darren Shan
The Saga of Darren Shan
The Saga of Darren Shan is a young adult 12 part book series written by Darren Shan about the struggle of a boy who has become involved in the world of vampires. As of October 2008, the book is published in 37 countries around the world, in 30 different languages...
series in the UK and Ireland and America.
Interests
Shan is in possession of thousands of films and collects original artwork. He enjoys reading books and comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s, taking long walks, watching football (he is a huge Tottenham Hotspur and Republic of Ireland fan), listening to pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, and travelling worldwide both to promote his works and for leisure.
The Saga of Darren Shan
(Also known as "Cirque Du Freak Series")The Vampire Blood Trilogy
Vampire Blood
Vampire Blood is the first trilogy in The Saga of Darren Shan by the author Darren Shan. It contains the books Cirque Du Freak, The Vampire's Assistant and Tunnels of Blood. These starting books explore how Darren must adapt to his new life, and what that entails...
- 1. Cirque Du Freak ISBN-0316605107
- 2. The Vampire's Assistant ISBN-0316905720 (0316606847)
- 3. Tunnels of BloodTunnels of BloodTunnels of Blood is the third novel of twelve in the The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan .-Plot summary:...
ISBN-0316905739
The Vampire Rites Trilogy
Vampire Rites
Vampire Rites is the second trilogy in The Saga of Darren Shan by author Darren Shan. It contains the books Vampire Mountain, Trials of Death and The Vampire Prince...
- 4. Vampire MountainVampire MountainVampire Mountain is the fourth book in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan . It is part of the Vampire Rites Trilogy, which consists of books four to six in the 12 book saga. It was first puplished by Collins in 2001 in the Great Britain in 2001.-Summary:Eight years have passed since Darren...
ISBN-0316905747 - 5. Trials of DeathTrials of DeathTrials of Death is the fifth book in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan . It is part of the Vampire Rites Trilogy, which consists of books four to six in the 12 book saga...
ISBN-0316603953 - 6. The Vampire PrinceThe Vampire PrinceThe Vampire Prince is the sixth book in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan. It is also the third and final book of the Vampire Rites trilogy.-Plot summary:...
ISBN-0316000973
The Vampire War Trilogy
Vampire War
Vampire War is the third trilogy in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan. It contains the novels Hunters of the Dusk, Allies of the Night and Killers of the Dawn. This trilogy continues the war between vampires and vampaneze...
- 7. Hunters of the DuskHunters of the DuskHunters of the Dusk is the seventh novel in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan . It is part of the "Vampire War Trilogy", which comprises the seventh-ninth novels of the 12 book saga.-Plot summary:...
ISBN-0316000981 - 8. Allies of the NightAllies of the NightAllies of the Night is the eighth book of The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan . It is part of the Vampire War Trilogy, which comprises three books: Hunters of the Dusk, Allies of the Night and Killers of the Dawn. Allies of the Night was first published in Great Britain by HarperCollins in 2002...
ISBN-000713780X - 9. Killers of the DawnKillers of the DawnKillers of the Dawn is the ninth book in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan . It is also the third book in the Vampire War trilogy....
ISBN-0316106542
The Vampire Destiny Trilogy
Vampire Destiny
Vampire Destiny is the fourth and final trilogy in The Saga of Darren Shan by author Darren Shan. The trilogy included The Lake of Souls, Lord of the Shadows and Sons of Destiny. This series goes more in depth on the Lord of Shadows and the future where he rules.Darrren embarks with a Little Person...
- 10. The Lake of SoulsThe Lake of SoulsThe Lake of Souls is the 10th book in The Saga of Darren Shan and is also the first in the 4th and final trilogy in 'The Saga' called The Vampire Destiny Trilogy. It reveals a lot about the character of Harkat Mulds mainly and introduces a new character called Spits Abrams. This book also adds many...
ISBN-0316016659 - 11. Lord of the ShadowsLord of the ShadowsLord Of The Shadows is the eleveth book in The Saga of Darren Shan series by the author Darren Shan. It is also the second book in the Vampire Destiny trilogy.-Blurb:...
ISBN-0316156280 - 12. Sons of DestinySons of DestinySons of Destiny is the twelfth and final book in The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan. It was published as the third book of the Vampire Destiny trilogy by Little Brown and Company.-Synopsis:...
ISBN-0316016640
Koyasan
a short novel released for World Book Day in the UK in 2006. Out of print. It has also been translated and released in several other countries.The Demonata
The DemonataThe Demonata
The Demonata is a series of books by best selling author Darren Shan. It deals with the world of demons . The series is told by three different protagonists: Grubbs Grady, Kernel Fleck, and Bec MacConn, the latter of which is the first female protagonist in a Darren Shan book...
is a ten-book series.
- Lord LossLord LossLord Loss is the first novel in the fictional Demonata series book by best-selling teenage horror author Darren Shan. It was originally published in the UK on 6 June 2005. Soon after, it appeared in Japan and America, where Shan's previous series, The Saga of Darren Shan, had sold millions...
- Demon ThiefDemon ThiefDemon Thief is a book in Darren Shan's Demonata series. Though it is the second book in the series, it is a prequel to Lord Loss, the first book in the series. The protagonist is also different from that of the first book. The narrator here is a new character called Kernel Fleck, as opposed to...
- SlawterSlawterSlawter is the third book in the The Demonata series written by Darren Shan. Even though all the Demonata books can be read separately this book follows on from the 1st in the series, Lord Loss and the 2nd in the series, Demon Thief...
- Bec
- Blood BeastBlood BeastBlood Beast is the fifth book in Darren Shan's The Demonata series and was released 4 June 2007. It is narrated by Grubbs Grady, the narrator of Lord Loss and Slawter. The plot is part of a two part story, along with book six. Though the previous four books have not been in chronological order,...
- Demon Apocalypse
- Death's ShadowDeath's Shadow (novel)Death's Shadow is the seventh installment in Darren Shan's The Demonata series. It was released in May 2008 in the UK, and November 2008 in the USA.-Plot:...
- Wolf IslandWolf Island (novel)Wolf Island is the eighth installment in Darren Shan's The Demonata series. It was released in Ireland and the UK on September 22, 2008, and in the USA on May 2009. The book is narrated by Grubbs parallel to the events of Death's Shadow....
- Dark CallingDark Calling (novel)Dark Calling is the ninth installment in Darren Shan's Horror/Adventure book series The Demonata.-Plot:Since rebuilding his eyes, Kernel has been able to see new lights that he cannot move, and which seem to be whispering to the Disciples, manipulating them. However Kernel realizes that he is...
- Hell's HeroesHell's Heroes (book)Hell's Heroes is the tenth and final installment in Darren Shan's The Demonata series.- Overview :The book was released in the UK and Ireland on the 1st of October 2009 and in the US on the 1st of May 2010. Darren Shan's personal blog confirmed the title of the book in the December edition of...
The City Trilogy
The City TrilogyThe City Book Trilogy
The City Trilogy was written for adult readers and was under the name Darren O'Shaughnessey originally, before the pen name Darren Shan was used for his children's books. The third book was originally never published, and the books went out of print until 2008...
was written for adult readers and was originally released under the name of Darren O'Shaughnessy. The third book was never published and the original versions are now out of print
Out of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
. They were published by Orion Publishing Group
Orion Publishing Group
Orion Publishing Group Ltd. is a UK-based book publisher. It is owned by Hachette Livre. In 1998 Orion bought Cassell.-History:Full history of the group can be found on Orion Publishing Group is owned by -Imprints:...
. However, in March 2008, Ayuamarca was re-published as Procession of the Dead (with substantial changes) by the Voyager imprint of Harper Collins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
(Shan's children's publisher). Hell's Horizon was released in March 2009 and City of the Snakes was released in March 2010. All three books are now also available in the US, as well as in several other countries.
- Ayuamarca - Re-named Procession of the DeadProcession of the Dead (novel)"The Contender " and "The Contender " redirect here. For the 1967 novel by Robert Lipsyte, see The Contender ...
- First published in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in February 1999 and later in RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Re-released in the UK in March 2008. - Hell's HorizonHell's Horizon (novel)Hell's Horizon is a novel written by Darren Shan, first published in 2000, with a modified version re-published March 2009, with significant changes made by the author. It is the second book in Shan's The City trilogy, being preceded by Procession of the Dead and followed by City of Snakes...
- Sequel to Ayuamarca. First published in the United Kingdom in February 2000. Re-released in March 2009. - City of the Snakes - Last book of The City TrilogyThe City Book TrilogyThe City Trilogy was written for adult readers and was under the name Darren O'Shaughnessey originally, before the pen name Darren Shan was used for his children's books. The third book was originally never published, and the books went out of print until 2008...
. It came out in the United Kingdom on the first of March 2010.
The Thin Executioner
A one-off novel, The Thin Executioner was released in April 2010. Inspired in part by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and based in a brutal, fantastical world, it details the perilous quest of Jebel, the thin son of a respected executioner, to petition a fire god for invincibility, so that he can succeed his father.Jebel Rum is a thin, scrawny boy. His father is the famed executioner in the city where they live. When Jebel is humiliated in public, he sets off on a quest to gain great strength and invincibility. If successful, he will be able to compete in a gruelling contest to prove himself and replace his father as the wielder of the axe. Failure, on the other hands, means certain death.
To win the favour of a fire god, Jebel must make a human sacrifice. He finds a slave who is willing to pay this grisly price, and the pair set off on a trek through lands deadly and unwelcoming. In the course of their travels they will encounter hatred, bigotry, slavery, death and a whole lot more. It is the nightmarish adventure of a lifetime…
Shan has often stated that this is his favourite out of all of the books he has written over the years
The Saga of Larten Crepsley
This is a four-book series covering 200 years in the life of Larten Crepsley, a vampire first introduced to readers in Cirque Du Freak.- Book 1, Birth Of A KillerBirth of a Killer (novel)Birth of a Killer is the first installment in Darren Shan's The Saga of Larten Crepsley series.-Overview:The book was released in the UK and Ireland on the 30th of September 2010 and in the US on 28 September 2010 by best-selling teenage horror author Darren Shan...
. Released in the UK and US in October 2010. - Book 2, Ocean Of Blood. Released in UK and US in April 2011.
- Book 3, Palace of the Damned. Released in UK and US in September 2011.
- Book 4, Brothers to the Death. Released in UK and US in April/May 2012.
Zom-B
On 12th October 2011, it was announced that Darren Shan's next series for teenagers would focus on zombies, and that the title of the series was Zom-B. There will be twelve books in total. The first book will be released in the UK and USA in late September 2012, and the sequels will follow at a rate of one every three months.Lady of the Shades
On 12th October 2011, it was announced that Darren Shan's next book for adults would be called Lady of the Shades. It is dues for release in the UK in September 2012.Online short spin-off stories
- "An Essay on Vampires" "by" Steve Leopard - book 1 tie-inTie-inA tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
story. - "Annie's Diary" - book 1 tie-in story.
- "Tiny Terrors" - book 2 tie-in story.
- "Transylvania Trek" - a short story "written" by Sam Grest.
- "Shanta Claus" (only available at Christmas)
- "Lonely Lefty" - book 3 tie-in story.
- "Bride of Sam Grest" - another short story "written" by Sam Grest.
- "An Affair of the Night" - book 5 tie-in story (should be read just before or after book 5).
Short stories
- "Hagurosan" - Originally written for Kids' Night In.
- "Young Alan Moore" - Originally written for Alan Moore: Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman, a book written to celebrate the 50th birthday of Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
. - "The Good Ship Tree" - Originally written for the Times Educational SupplementTimes Educational SupplementThe Times Educational Supplement is a weekly UK publication aimed primarily at school teachers in the UK. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in The Times newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 1914, the supplement became a separate publication selling for 1 penny.The TES...
, and accepted. - "Life's a Beach" - Originally written for the Times Educational Supplement, but rejected.
- "Guyifesto—Who We Are" - Originally written for Guys Write For Guys Read. (Play on words of "manifestoManifestoA manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
") - The Saga of Darren ShanThe Saga of Darren ShanThe Saga of Darren Shan is a young adult 12 part book series written by Darren Shan about the struggle of a boy who has become involved in the world of vampires. As of October 2008, the book is published in 37 countries around the world, in 30 different languages...
tie-in short stories - See above
Unpublished books
In July 2009, Shan revealed that he has written first drafts of 53 books in total. 31 of those are published or due for publication over the next few years. The rest include some books that he is working on for the future, along with some he might one day return to and publish, and others that he will probably never do anything more with. We know the names of two of these unpublished books.- Mute Pursuit - A futuristic cross between The TerminatorThe TerminatorThe Terminator is a 1984 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron, co-written by Cameron and William Wisher Jr., and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, and Linda Hamilton. The film was produced by Hemdale Film Corporation and distributed by Orion Pictures, and filmed in Los...
and Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's The Dark TowerThe Dark Tower (series)The Dark Tower is a series of books written by American author Stephen King, which incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy, science fantasy, horror and western. It describes a "Gunslinger" and his quest toward a tower, the nature of which is both physical and metaphorical. King...
; Shan's first completed book, when he was 17 years old. Shan has written lots of books which have not been published, mainly for adults, and most of these books are still at the first draft stage. - The Cannibal King - This was originally going to be the 12th book of The Saga of Darren Shan—book 11 was originally meant to be much longer, including elements from the first half of what became Sons of Destiny. The Cannibal King was never published because it was originally part of the planned 24-book Saga. Shan had planned to write 18—24 books for The Saga, with half of them taking place in the future wasteworld shown in Book 10, The Lake of Souls. For reasons explained on his web site, Shan decided to end the series with Sons of Destiny, which was written and released instead of The Cannibal King. He never reveals anything that he wrote in this book, because there is a possibility that he might one day write a follow-up series to The Saga, which would take parts of this book as its starting point.
Film
Universal StudiosUniversal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
bought the film rights to the first three books of The Saga of Darren Shan and combined them to make a single movie. Lauren Shuler Donner
Lauren Shuler Donner
Lauren Shuler Donner is an American film producer who specializes in mainstream youth and family-oriented entertainment.-Early life and career:...
produced the film, Paul Weitz
Paul Weitz (filmmaker)
Paul John Weitz is an American film producer, screenwriter, actor, and film director.-Personal life:Weitz was born in New York City, New York, the son of the actress Susan Kohner and novelist/fashion designer John Weitz, and the grandson of producer Paul Kohner and Mexican actress Lupita...
directed. Original screenplay by Brian Helgeland
Brian Helgeland
Brian Thomas Helgeland is an American screenwriter, film producer and director. He is most known for writing the screenplays for L.A...
but rewritten entirely by Paul Weitz. The first movie is called The Vampire's Assistant and was released in the US on 23 October 2009.
The Saga of Darren Shan
- In 2001, Cirque Du Freak (Book 1) received 2nd prize at the Sheffield Children's Book Award.
- In 2001, Cirque Du Freak (Book 1) was shortlisted for the WHSmith Children's Book Of The Year in the UK.
- In 2002, Cirque Du Freak (Book 1) received an IRA-CBC Children's Choice Award, in the US. (IRA = International Reading AssociationInternational Reading AssociationThe International Reading Association is an international professional organization that was created in 1956 to improve reading instruction, facilitate dialogue about research on reading, and encourage the habit of reading....
, and CBC = Children's Book Council). - In 2002, Cirque Du Freak (Book 1) received a certificate of Outstanding Achievement in Books from the Parent's Guide to Children's Media Inc, in the US.
- In 2004, Cirque Du Freak (Book 1) won the Wyoming Soaring Eagle book award.
- In 2005, The Vampire's Assistant (Book 2) was shortlisted for the Wyoming Soaring Eagle book award.
- In 2007, The Allies of the Night (Book 8) was shortlisted for the I Love This Book book award.
The Demonata
- In 2006, Lord Loss won the Redbridge Teenage Book award, in the UK.
- In 2006, Lord Loss was shortlisted for the Berkshire Book award, in the UK.
- In 2006, Lord Loss was shortlisted for the Doncaster Book award, in the UK.
- In 2006, Lord Loss was shortlisted for the Lancashire Children's Book Of The Year award, in the UK.
- In 2007, Lord Loss was shortlisted for the Leeds Children's Book award, in the UK.
- In 2007, Demon Thief was shortlisted for the Doncaster Book award, in the UK.
- In 2007, Demon Thief was shortlisted for the Irish Children's Book Of The Year award, in Ireland.
- In 2007, Demon Thief was shortlisted for the Lancashire Children's Book Of The Year award, in the UK.
- In 2007, Slawter was shortlisted for the Staffordshire Young Teen Fiction book award, in the UK.
- In 2007, Blood Beast was shortlisted for the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award, in the UK.
- In 2008, Lord Loss was shortlisted for the Flume: NH Teen Reader's Choice award, in the US.
- In 2008, Blood Beast was shortlisted for the Doncaster Book Award, in the UK.
- In 2008, Demon Apocalypse was shortlisted for the Worcestershire Teen Book Award, in the UK.
- In 2009, Death's Shadow was shortlisted for the Worcestershire Teen Book Award, in the UK.
The Saga Of Larten Crespley
- In 2010, "Birth of a Killer" was shortlisted for the Berkshire Book Award, in the UK.
- In 2011, "Birth of a Killer" was shortlisted for the Independent Booksellers Week Award, in the UK.
- In 2011, "Ocean Of Blood" was shortlisted for the Children's Book Of The Year, in the Irish Book Awards.
External links
- Darren Shan Demonata website
- Darren Shan website
- D.B Shan website
- Darren Shan blog
- Darren Shan talks about Cirque du Freak
- Darren Shan lists his favourite books at bookarmy.com
- Darren Shan reads extracts from his books for an hour as part of the One & Other art installation in Trafalgar Square
- Interview with Darren Shan on Veronika Asks
- Darren Shan Interview with Scottish Book Trust, October 2009 (audio)