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  • Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare

  • The Saga of Darren Shan, Book 1
  • By: Darren Shan
  • Narrated by: Ralph Lister
  • Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (64 ratings)

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Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare cover art

Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare

By: Darren Shan
Narrated by: Ralph Lister
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Publisher's Summary

In the tradition of Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes and Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot, New York Times best-seller Cirque du Freak is the first title in the popular Saga of Darren Shan series.

Darren Shan and his best friend, Steve, get tickets to the Cirque du Freak, a wonderfully gothic freak show featuring weird, frightening half human/half animals who interact terrifyingly with the audience. In the midst of the excitement, true terror raises its head when Steve recognizes that one of the performers - Mr. Crepsley - is a vampire!

Steve confronts the vampire after the show finishes - but his motives are surprising! In the shadows of a crumbling theater, a horrified Darren eavesdrops on his friend and the vampire, and is witness to a monstrous, disturbing plea. As if by destiny, Darren is pulled to Mr. Crepsley and what follows is his horrifying descent into the dark and bloody world of vampires.

This is Darren’s story.

©2013 Darren Shan (P)2013 Blackstone Audio

What listeners say about Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great to listen to while falling asleep.

Disliked NOTHING! The reader wasn’t plain but he used expressions, voices and lots of other things.
Recommended to parents with young kids.
Wouldn’t change a thing.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

amazing story

the story is full of character and puts an interestibg twist on vampire lore. to date my favourite vampire story

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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easy to listen too

listened with 8 year old Grandaughter who is really enjoying the story so far keen to hear the next book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

Just as brilliant as I remember, read this more than 15 years ago and loved it then, love it now
Also the performance is excellent too

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

perfect story and preformance I love it and all

10/10 amazing preformance and story read
all of the books exept this 1 10/10

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Nothing amazing, but it's certainly a fun read!

This book is not terrible in the slightest but it can feel slow at times. However, the story is interesting overall and the narration is well done. I plan to continue listening to the rest of these books and would gladly recommend others to do the same.

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good listen

the narrator has a nice relaxing voice. the story is easygoing and enjoyable looking forward to the rest

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