Let's be honest -- of all the characters I've ever created across the 54 or so books that I've published, I don't think anyone can argue that the smartest, the bravest, the most ingenious, the toughest, the most handsome-looking and the most modest, simply has to be...

Darren Shan!!!!!

:-)

Heh heh -- only kidding! Actually, I've never considered Darren the character any more of an extension of myself than any of my other narrators or leading characters. I sometimes get criticised on Facebook or Twitter (usually either by ex-fans of mine who have grown older and feel embarrassed to have ever thought my books were cool, or by people who haven't read the books of all and are simply judging them on the basis of a quick synopsis) for "inserting myself in the story" of Cirque Du Freak by naming the main character after myself, but as any true Shanster knows, my real name isn't Darren Shan -- it's Darren O'Shaughnessy. Neither Darren Shan the character nor Darren Shan the author are actually ME -- they're both just names and figures that I made up. Although, having said all that, I must admit it does tickle me when fans draw Darren Shan, so maybe I do secretly and subconsciously feel a bit closer to young Darren than to the rest of my freaky cast and crew...

Anyway, here are four splendid drawings of the character Darren Shan, by four different Shansters. The first, in which a peckish Darren is about to tuck into a cobweb (I'm sure you all remember the line, "Are cobwebs a treat where you come from?"), was drawn by a fan called Fuji.

The second portrait was made by a fan called Jade, who crafted it out of perler beads. Jade said it took her four hours to make -- time well, spent, I'm sure you'll all agree!

The third, an angelically lovely black and white drawing, is by Nicole.

The fourth is by HashKron, and captures Darren during that time of his life when he liked to dress like a pirate. Aaaaarrrrrrr!!!!