Darren Shan is a New York Times bestselling author whose novels have sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Darren is currently working on The Saga of Larten Crepsley, the much-anticipated prequel to Cirque Du Freak. Birth of a Killer, the first book in this quartet about the master vampire, will be available in October 2010. Darren lives in Ireland, where he writes and collects art, comics, and film.

Before Larten Crepsley was a vampire general...

Before he was Darren Shan's master...

Before the War of Scars...

Larten Crepsley was a teenager. And he was sick of the pomp and circumstance of fusty old vampires telling him what to do. Taking off on his own with his blood brother, Wester, Larten takes off into the world to see what his newly blooded vampire status can get him in the human world. Sucking all he can out of humanity, Larten stumbles into a violent, hedonistic lifestyle, where cheats beckon, power corrupts, and enemies are waiting.

This is his story.