Books Articles | 02 January 2011 |

This is a brief evaluation of the new book by Darren Shan: The Thin Executioner.

Jebel Rum is the youngest, and smallest, of three sons, whose father is the revered executioner of Wadi. Following each day of beheading criminals, his father can make an sudden announcement to the crowd; sudden simply because he had hardly ever said a phrase in his lengthy profession. He announces that he’s happy with his two sons who’re intending to enter a competitors to win the honor of turning into the new executioner. Jebel Rum was not mentioned. Publicly disgraced, Jebel, in a second of rashness, decides to set out on the quest to petition a God for powers that might make him invincible, and thus able to enter and win the competitors to become the new executioner.

What follows is really a tale that sweeps us on a perilous journey through a terrifying realm of criminals, madmen, grave-robbers, demons and cannibals. I will allow you to read the book your self to determine if Jebel succeeds in his quest!

Darren Shan is usually asked which of his books is his preferred. He has lately admitted on his own website that the Thin Executioner is that guide. What he desired to do is create a guide that was reminiscent of your Adventures of Huckleberry Finn but more accessible to a contemporary audience. He achieves this, in my opinion.

The globe that Jebel inhabits is completely believable; as too would be the characters. Jebel is a complex character who we should “grow” to like. His cohort, Tel Hesani, is really a likable character who turns into somewhat of a father-figure to Jebel; though he is the boy’s slave. Other characters we experience are equally interesting and come to life easily in our minds. Although we have a couple of stock characters, such as the surly bar proprietor, all of the main characters are very original and definitely entertaining.

Shan also manages to highlight his personal political leanings in an entertaining way. Two villains of the book are called Bush and Blair!

The pace of your story by no means lets up. Shan admits that the authentic novel was whittled away significantly to remove any sluggish areas from the finished story.

Overall, I would concur with Darren Shan. The Thin Executioner is his greatest guide to date. And, although it’s a fantasy novel, his legion of horror fans won’t be disappointed; there are plenty of components within the novel that any fan of your horror genre will adore.
 

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