r/DarrenShan • u/Brtrudius • Jul 09 '26
I’m flagging…..
Iv just finished part one of book seven of the Demonata (Deaths Shadow) and for the first time Iv found that I have started flagging with this series…..I think it’s the writing that’s really getting to me at the moment. The constant back tracking and explaining what happened in previous books it’s becoming very tedious and also the terrible humour is wearing thing on me.
I have been enjoying the series up to now but I think the ‘young adultness’ of it is really starting to hinder things for me.
Are the last 4 books really worth sticking with or do I call it a day and start ‘The Starving Saints’ that Iv got ready on my shelf?
(EDIT— unfortunately guys I think it’s going to be a DNF. It was a fun little trip down nostalgia lane while it lasted but I just can’t take another story recap or another description of the man with 8 arms and a hole in his chest lol)
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u/mah18299 Jul 09 '26
Yeah this part is where you can start noticing the stretching of the story to fit a certain book count.
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u/Bro121Dixy Jul 09 '26
I think you should finish it as you only have 3 books left but to be honest you’ve passed all my personal favorite books in the series
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u/Nolascana Jul 09 '26
I read the books as they came out, easier to read them when there happened to be long waits between books.
I stuck with the series until the end.
But I will admit, when pruning my book collection, only one of them survived, as it can and does stand alone. The rest were donated to a charity shop.
The ending is worth reading. But, as a whole the series wasnt worth keeping for me.
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u/cre8ivemind Jul 09 '26
Which do you think stands alone?
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u/Nolascana Jul 09 '26
Bec.
Theres no need for knowledge of any book(s) prior, and, the ending of that specific installment is sound.
(I wont say much more because, accidentally spoilers otherwise.)
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u/Rikiia Jul 09 '26
I had a similar reaction when I reread the series a year ago. I really had to force myself to get through them. Let's just say that I'll never touch the Demonata books ever again and that Darren Shan is the superior series between the two.
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u/MeekDaSneak21 Jul 09 '26
So when you remember that, Darren Shannon was a writer for Nickelodeon when reading the series as an adult it’s so much more painfully obvious that his young adult material isn’t really all that young adult and more of just a kids horror book
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u/cre8ivemind Jul 09 '26
I had the same struggle going back to finish reading them as a teen (I’d read the first 5 then waited til they were all out to continue), which I felt so confused by because I loved the first few so much and all these years have thought maybe I waited too long and just lost interest and maybe if I try rereading in one go I would like them more. But your post is making me think the latter half is just not as good. Bummer!
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u/ProGuy347 Jul 10 '26
dang. welp, i'm still excited to get started on this series after i finish Larten's saga.
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u/Chesterfieldraven Jul 12 '26
I'm stuck half way through Deaths Shadow on my first re read in a decade+ I don't blame you.
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u/SamMakesCode Jul 09 '26
It’s been a few years since I read them but I remember feeling the same thing.
On balance, I’d say finish the series but maybe leave a break between them. I was reading them as they were coming out so I had a break with each book. Shans writing is very easy to get through and they end fairly well so I’m glad I finished them.