SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Now that 'Cirque Du Freak' is complete, it's time to enjoy Larten Crepsley's story.

Beginning this story brings me many unique feelings for several reasons. Some of the reasons are hard to put into words.

I don't necessarily consider 'The Saga of Larten Crepsley' a part of my Big Three favorite series, of course if I did so it would be considered the Big Four huh?

I've only read this series once. The nostalgia factor is there, but not quite as intense as some of my other books. While not as intense, this nostalgia factor is really special, and stands out for other reasons. Some feelings are hard to put into words, and I'm unsure I can find the words here but I'll try.

I first read this series when I was in a very strange, new, fairly lonely part of my life. Not as lonely as I am these days but, still pretty lonely and in a very different way.

I had left my mom's house, and was living with my sister who I had not seen in years really. It was an incredibly confusing time. I went from a tense, quiet or shouty home, to a family home with it's own dynamic. My mom did a lot for me but was very intense and emotionally unstable and unpredictable. Often distant and more. There's more I could share but, no need to get into all that, nobody cares, nobody ever has, and frankly probably nobody should. Everyone has hard times, and from the outside looking in I probably seem ungrateful. I beg to differ but, again, who cares.

My sister wanted to play the hero or something and while I was mildly confused by it due to the years apart, I of course loved her and appreciated the gesture. My sister was a constant in the early part of my life and so, I sort of trusted her and everything etc.

To make a long story short, getting back to the books here, 'The Saga of Larten Crepsley' was one of the first series I had read, and bought, after leaving my mom's. It was the first time I actually moved out, anywhere. I was in a totally new location, feeling like an alien, plopped in a new life. I've always felt like an alien honestly. I wasn't terribly young by any means but.... Again looking back now, I don't think I appreciated/understood the chaos of it all. I won't even bother getting into it. I was always told no excuses, don't be ungrateful, suck it up etc. Everyone has a sob story. I've probably shared a lot of stuff in past forgotten blogs already anyway. Maybe I'll share details again one day, but not today.

I was in limbo, dropped out of highschool, wasn't quite an adult, only so many job options etc. Just immensely inexperienced with life in general.

I noticed that Darren Shan had released this prequel series and well, that was exciting! Hardcover, baby. Beautiful.

I'm 98% sure this countdown thing indicates that this is a U.S. First Edition. It also says it in writing on the information page or whatever the heck this page is called. This is cool to me ya know? I've lost a ton of books over the years, it means a lot that I somehow still have this one.

I think I bought this at Borders. My instincts tell me that anyway. Could have been Barnes and Noble.

In many of my books, I write the date I received it on the inside somewhere. I'm not even sure why. I guess it's a sentimental thing. A way to make it uniquely mine?

So yeah, I got this copy of 'Birth of a Killer' fresh in the 2013 New Year. While I only read this series once, I have a fairly good memory and seeing this date helps jumpstart a lot of memories as well.

I instantly remember reading this series, and the cold of that winter specifically. What a special time. It was odd living with my sister back then, but not bad either. This series helped. I miss it to an extent.

Thinking of that time is slightly difficult but this book is like a time capsule. I remember the feeling of that time instantly. It was a bit intimidating, but interesting. Scary, but oddly freeing. Again, I remember the cold. I remember wearing hoodies and pajama bottoms. Niece and nephew running around the house. Sister making great food downstairs.

These page designs and fancy font doesn't bring back vivid memories, but just enough memories to make it powerful. I can't recall these 'vivid' memories sharply, but the book does bring back the feelings in an impossible to describe way. Again, it does bring back a lot of genuine memories as well. Man, where has the time gone?

'Birth of a Killer' while still spooky, grim, and scary at times, feels to me, pretty elegant and even slightly whimsical? Perhaps it also helps since it's written in third-person. Darren's story was written in first-person.

Funny enough, I wrote four blogs per 'Cirque Du Freak' book, and it appears, at least in this first book, that 'The Saga of Larten Crepsley' will be divided into four parts! Pretty cool!

Yeah so, with the art, the point of view, and the four part structure, this prequel series already sets a different but similar enough tone from the main series.

This first part is already filled with tragedy and mistakes. The relatively swift plot movement is familiar and fun. It's so sad and interesting to know why Larten uses the name Vur Horston as a cover name.

It's also so cool to learn about Seba Nile from a whole new perspective. I'm reminded of that brief time when Darren, Larten, and Seba walked together once upon a time in the tunnels of Vampire Mountain. This series really demonstrates time and time again how precious certain moments are. Insane. Also, Seba is already dropping wisdom!

At the end of part one, Seba says to Larten after offering him a new life as a vampire assistant, the following:

"You do not have to be alone. The world never inflicts loneliness upon us. That is something we choose or reject upon ourselves."

Ok Seba!

I've often complimented how strong Darren Shan is at writing. One of his notable strengths is how he can condense such grand time spans in a beautiful way if that makes sense. Perhaps he simply uses the inherent beauty and bittersweet idea of time passing, nevertheless he has a real knack for doing this I feel. It's highly likely easier said than done ya know?

With Darren, he captured his approximately 32-ish year life in 12 books. With Larten, Darren Shan is going to cover roughly 200 years in just four books.

That's so trippy, and fascinating to me. This will really play to Darren Shan's strengths as a writer I feel.

This series in general, feels like an extended good-bye to the 'Cirque Du Freak' fans and story. Future fans as well if course. Whatever. It feels like a really amazing sense of closure to the series in general.

I read this prequel series at a younger age, during a very new, very odd period of my life. I'm now at a similar, completely new time once again. I'm grateful I've held on to these books. I remember this series bing quite dark and/or serious in certain moments, I'm curious how I interpret it nowadays.

In many ways, similar to Larten, I'm beginning a new life too. This book is eerily hitting home already.