Volume 5 of the Cirque Du Freak manga omnibus went on sale last week, meaning this is the perfect time to share a review of Volume 4 that appeared on AMP (Asian Movie Pulse) a while back.

The reviewer praises Takahiro Arai's art (which I'm always happy to praise too!) and notes that this is "a series that is easy to recommend, and ideal to share with the upcoming generation of manga fans – it perfectly bridges the gap with elements that both young and mature readers can appreciate. In addition, the work continues to wonderfully capture that macabre aesthetic that will appease horror fans along with kids who are just beginning to find interest in all things creepy and crawly."

I second that! Indeed, I think it's one of the reasons why Cirque Du Freak continues to be so popular all these years after its first release. When I was writing it, I wanted to create a story that would be as easy to read as a Goosebumps book, but which would also be as dark and unsettling as a Stephen King book for adults. Praise from an occasional parent or teacher in the early years inclined me to believe that I'd struck the right balance, but I've been hearing more and more from older fans in recent times, people who'd read the books as children, and are now re-reading them as adults, and they've all been reporting that the books are just as much fun to read ten or twenty years later -- indeed, some of them are preferring the series as adults, as they're picking up on things that they didn't clock first time round!!

Anyway, I think the manga captured that same appeal for both younger and older readers, so if you ARE returning to my story after years (or decades!) away, you might want to consider reading it in its adapted manga format this time round, as it will provide you with the familiar storyline from your youth, but with a whole new world of visual wonders to drool over and relish.

You can read the full AMP review by clicking here: https://asianmoviepulse.com/2022/01/manga-review-cirque-du-freak-vol-4-omnibus-2021-by-takahiro-arai-and-darren-shan/

And you can find out where you can buy the latest Volume of the manga omnibus in the current issue of my monthly online newsletter, by clicking on the following link -- you can even enter a competition through it, and maybe win a rare signed and dated copy of Volume 3!! https://darrenshan.com/news/shanville-monthly