| Birth of a Killer | |
|---|---|
| |
| Date Released | October 2010 |
| Author | Darren O'Shaughnessy (Darren Shan) |
| Series | The Saga of Larten Crepsley |
| Number of Pages | 299 |
| Succeeding Book | Ocean of Blood |
Plot Overview
This is the prequel to The Saga of Darren Shan and discusses Mr. Crepsley's life before he became a vampire.
The story begins with, a brief introduction to Lartens family, who lived in the 19th century in an unknown location. Larten's family is described as very crowded and poor. He has several brothers and sisters who all slept in one room and shared one bathroom. Larten also lived with his Cousin Vur Horston whose parents have passed away. Out of all his many family members Larten shared a strong bond with his cousin Vur.
Both Larten and Vur work at a silk worm factory. The factories foreman, Traz, is a ruthless tyrant that abuses his young employed children. He dyes their heads, in different colors corresponding to whatever position they work in. Therefore it would be easier to know which child belonged where. Lartens hair is dyed orange since he is a cocooner. Hence, this is why in The Saga of Darren Shan his hair is orange since the dye seeped into his system. His cousin Vur works by his side as well, and is particularly resented by Traz for being smarter than him.
As Vur, and Larten continue to do their job Traz is scanning the isles looking for the tiniest flaws. He approaches Vur, and sees the water he is dunking the cocoons in is not hot enough. Traz verbally lashes out on Vur and calls him "A disgrace to the memory of his mother." Vur questions if he knew his mother and Traz reveals that she used to work at the inn. Vur denies any of this, claiming that his mother was a seamstress. Traz then replies that he had "met with her" several times, implying something else that drives Vur crazy. A graphic fight breaks out between them, ending in the death of Vur due drowning.
Larten is traumatized by the violent death of his cousin and mad he ends up stabbing the foreman to death. Shocked by the murder that has happened at his hands Larten runs away never to be seen by his family again.
He ends up in a graveyard, in where he meets Seba Nile who takes him in as his vampire apprentice
larten crepsly
traz
Vur Hortson
Seba Nile
Wester Flack
Mr. Tall
Paris Skyle
Humans
'Larten Crepsley- A young boy who worked in a silk factory and later on escaped and met Seba Nile to learn the ways of becoming a vampire'Ok
Vampire
Seba- Larten Crepsley teacher to became a vampire.
Vampaneze
- Murlough - Killed all of Wester's family after Wester's father had killed one of his Vampaneze friends. Let Larten survive with Wester.
Other Characters
- Desmond Tiny - Destiny in a nutshell
- Vur Horston - Larten's human cousin, killed by Traz
- Traz - A cruel foreman where Larten and Vur worked, killed by Larten after Traz had killed Vur.
- Your mother - Larten's mother
Trivia
- Staffen Irve was the Vampire General at the beginning of Hunters of Dusk, who reported about the War of Scars to Darren and Paris Skyle.
- Yebba was the Vampire who won the howling contest in Trials of Death.
- When Larten returns to his hometown with Seba and Wester, he sees that the silk factory had been closed, and an abattoir opened in it's place. It is very likely that it is the same abattoir as the one in Tunnels of Blood
- A reference is made to the Demonata series when Larten asks Seba if demons are real, to which Seba answers, "Well, in five hundred years, I have not seen any.".