Cirque du Freak

Cirque du Freak is a book series by a guy named Darren Shan and its probably one of the best book series I've ever read. I first came across it when I saw the movie in theaters and though it looked like a low budget movie. I wasn't disappointed. Instead I actually liked the movie so much that I decided to read the books. The books are essentially about a boy named Darren Shan (also the author's name) who goes to a circus (the Cirque du Freak) with his best friend Steve and encounters a vampire named Larten Crepsley. In the show, Crepsley performs with a tarantula named Madam Octa. You learn that Darren has a strange fascination with spiders and is immediately entranced by Octa's beauty and later steals her from Crepsley. On the other hand, Darren's best friend Steve has a fascination with vampires and later begs Crepsley to turn him into a vampire. Crepsley declines and Steve, in anger, says he will one day get back at him for turning him down. Darren ends up witnessing the whole thing while stealing Octa. Several days later, Steve finds out Darren stole the spider from Crepsley and acts if he could hold her. Darren hesitates at first, but then agrees to it. But Octa doesn't like Steve and bites him. Frightened for his friends life, Darren goes to Crepsley, hoping he will give him an antidote that will save Steve. Crepsley says he'll save his friend only if Darren agrees to become Crepsley's assistant. Darren agrees and Crepsley saves Steve. Darren later fakes his death so his family thinks he is dead, so he can live a life as Crepsley's assistant.
 (Darren and Larten Crepsley)
Before you jump to any conclusions about Crepsley he is actually my favorite character from the series. At first he may seem like a mean and awful guy but as the series goes on you get to know him more and end up really appreciating his character. There are twelve books in the series but the are all quick reads. The books are dark, especially the second book but are very addicting to read. Out of the twelve, my favorite is the third one titled 'Tunnels of Blood'.