This is the one, as they say, that started it all. This was the series that got me reading. I have a fantastic teacher from primary school to thank for that. He got the whole class into the first book and eager to read more than our limited time in class allowed, I sought out the rest myself. There are twelve books in total and they aren’t very long so I could imagine now they would be quick to reread.

The Saga is vampire fiction, and a good example of YA vampire fiction from the pre-Twilight years. It is dark and spooky and at the age of 9/10 we all loved it. It is told from the point of view of Darren Shan, a young boy who becomes a reluctant vampires assistant to save his best friend. What follows is a vast series with a rich world of interesting characters and mythology.

I think the reason I loved this series so much was that I grew up reading it, it expanded my emotional understanding and fuelled my creativity. Though I wasn’t happy with the end., I think if I read it now I would understand it better. I just need to buy some of the saga again (I read it in my library book phase so I only have odd numbers) and then I can reread.

I would recommend this to people who like the Percy Jackson books, vampire fiction and compelling series. I would also say this is a must read for writers who want to write vampire fiction. The skill and world building in this series is second to none.