Half-vampire Darren Shan risks death to help Vampire Mountain fight off a "vampaneze" invasion, during which Darren's unconvincing crisis of conscience takes the plot nowhere. If author Shan paid attention to consistency, either in motivations or the rules he set up for his world, the series wouldn't be quite as much of a tedious exercise in self-indulgent hack writing peppered with plot holes.

The sixth installment of the Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan, The Vampire Prince, finds Darren accused of being a traitor, after Kurda betrays him, and being pursued by the vampire clan. To save his skin, he must outfox a vampire prince, as his initiation on Vampire Mountain comes to a surprising close (though a teaser indicates yet another book). Vampire Mountain, book four, is also being released in September as a paperback.

Gr 5-8-As this sixth volume in the series opens, Darren Shan is surviving a near drowning and struggling to return to Vampire Mountain in order to warn the others of the secret plan to invite the vampaneze into Vampire Mountain, where they are certain to gain control. The story has numerous plot twists and decent characterization. There is plenty of blood, gore, and suspense. However, this novel doesn't stand on its own. The fantasy setting is consistent throughout the series, but readers have to know what the protagonist has already been through to see why he is motivated to take the risks he does. Strictly for fans of the previous books.-Sharon R. Pearce, Chippewa Elementary School, Bensenville, IL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.