I am writing this review while I am still reding the manga.

Darren Shan (Cirque de Freak) is a manga version of the novel by Darren Shan. Darren Shan used his name for the main character even though it is not based on his life, however certain things in the manga did actually happen in his life!

The story starts with Darren Shan and his best friend Steve Leonard. A mysterious person gives Darren a flyer to a freak cirus and Darren and Steve end up going. Darren is fascinated by spiders and Steve by monsters.

At the freak circus Steve recognises that one of the performers Mr. Crepsley is in fact the famous vampire, Von Hurston. Steve asks Vur Horston to turn him into a vampire, but Vur Horston refuses because Steve has bad blood.

Further in the manga Steve get's bitten by a deadly spider (madam octa) and to save him Darren makes a deal with Vur Horston. Darren agrees to become a vampire and subordinate of Vur Horston in exchange for the antidode of the spiders venom.

The first volume ends with a schoking outcome. Steve decides to become the world's best vampire hunter, and so starts the two friends fate against each other.

If you like vampires this manga is deftinetly for you.