Vampire Mountain

Cirque du Freak: The Saga of Darren, Book 4

By: Darren Shan

Narrated by: Ralph Lister

Length: 4 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

In the fourth book of the best-selling Cirque du Freakseries, Darren Shan begins a grueling, three-part adventure....

Darren has settled into life as a vampire's assistant and feels at home in the Cirque du Freak. But now he must leave the freak show and his friends behind. With Mr. Crepsley as a traveling companion, he embarks on a dangerous trek to the very heart of the vampire world. But they face more than the cold on Vampire Mountain - the vampaneze have been there before them.

Will a meeting with the Vampire Princes restore Darren's human side or turn him further toward the darkness? Only one thing is certain: Darren's initiation into the vampire clan is more deadly than he can ever have imagined.

©2013 Darren Shan (P)2013 Blackstone Audio

These stories never get old!

I remember when I first started reading this series and how I was immediately drawn in! fast forward to now in 2021 and its still the same! I'll forever love these books! Well done to the Narrator as well! Fabulous.

Personal feelings aside…

I was not okay at first when I heard his voice for Kurda, because he sounded too old, and smug, even, at first (which is the exact opposite of Kurda’s personality), but he softened him up a bit as the book went on. By the end of book 5, he’s pretty spot-on.
I still think he would have been better off switching Kurda and Arra’s voices.

There are also some name pronunciation issues — he pronounces Mika like “Micah”, Arra like “Aura” (it should be more like “era”), and for some reason he keeps calling the eldest Prince “Paris Skylar” (it’s “Skyle”). It’s not the first - in book 3, “Murlough” should be pronounced with a k sound at the end, not an “ou” like the wine.

And I still can’t get over how smooth his voice for Harkat is. It’s supposed to be difficult for him to speak.

But other than personal protectiveness over these characters I’ve loved for 2/3 of my life, this is actually a really good recording (notice I gave it 4 stars).

As for the book itself, I *like* the fact that there’s more worldbuilding than action in this one. The worldbuilding and philosophy are what make books 4-6 such masterpieces.

This is where the story really picks up. If you’re going into the caves for the first time, I hope you enjoy — and please avoid spoilers!

love this narrator

the story is good. but the narrator keeps me so interested to keep going. unlike other books I've purchased and just stop listening to. soooo good

The book was great

I could read this book over and over again if I had enough time too.

Best one yet

My favorite so far in the series. Each book gets better and better. I love how the characters have developed from book one to now their relationship has completely flipped

man ol man

I have been smitten! The "to be continued" kills me! Now, onto the next one!

Amazing

Just when I thought the series couldn’t get any better, along came this book! Highly recommended

Enjoyable

This was a reread.

While parts annoyed me, this was overall another great oil in the series.

Best Story!

this is the best book I have listened to in a long long time. the story is amazing intriguing and the narration makes it even better! I cannot wait to listen to more!

My favorite take on vampires.

It was always fun to see them portrayed as a diverse bunch of daring, unwashed, illiterate drunks.