With this book, we come to the end of the CIRQUE DU FREAK series by Darren Shan, the one we have been waiting for and dreading. Now the Vampire Prince must face his archenemy, Steve Leopard. It is a complex and difficult problem -- He will be dead if he loses and damned if he wins. One of them will die -- the other will become the Lord of the Shadows and destroy the world. Vampire or Vampaneze; who will win? Can Darren cheat destiny? The action is fast and non-stop The complex plot will keep you guessing until the very last page. The story is full of violence with blood and gore. Some of the characters are human, but most are not, and some are very frightening, but most are loyal, and fierce.Kids can't seem to get enough of Shan's brand of compelling, scary stories, but they also address some serious issues, and show the importance of friendship and sticking to your moral and ethical standards. It seems to me to be a bit too frightening for kids ten years old and under, but maybe just the thing for older teens that are reluctant readers. It's an ongoing story that you might want to start reading with volume one and work your way through the series, but this one has enough background information that you can enjoy it by itself.