Darren Shan is undoubtedly a literary find for children. Still in his twenties, he has produced a genuinely original story that combines near-horror with mainly good-humoured, everyday reality. This story describes how the juvenile hero - who shares the author's name - finally decides to become a vampire in order to save his best friend's life. Many sequels are yet to come; children who read this story may have problems waiting for find out how it will all finish up, so great is the tension.