Slawter - Darren Shan

Slawter
The Demonata: Book 3
Darren Shan
Little, Brown and Company

Young Adult/Horror

NOTE: If you haven’t read the first two books in this series, this review contains plot spoilers.

Grubbs Grady (last seen in Book 1, LORD LOSS) is getting back to a normal life. He and his Uncle Dervish survived an encounter with demons, and while Grubbs is anxious to move on, Dervish sometimes shows signs that he’s not quite over it. Aside from that, life is pretty good with school and friends and all the usual stuff. Then something completely amazing happens. Dervish gets a call from David A. Haym, perhaps the best-known producer of horror movies in the world today. Haym wants to make another movie, a masterpiece, and wants Dervish to consult about occult stuff.

At Grubbs’ urging, Dervish agrees. Filming takes place in an abandoned town that the production crew dubbed Slawter. Grubbs is thrilled to go along with his uncle and watch a new horror movie being made by a master. But something isn’t quite right. Or, rather, something is a little bit too right. When the first movie demon appears, it looks much too real to Grubbs. Naturally, everyone tells him that it’s just movie magic. But Grubbs thinks it’s real magic and decides to investigate. It isn’t long before he discovers that the Demonata are back.

While it isn’t strictly necessary to have read the first two books to enjoy this one, you’ll understand Grubbs and Dervish a lot better if you do so. This time around, the action and scares start out a big slowly, but everything starts moving a lightning speed once they arrive on the movie set. The ending makes it clear that there’s more to come, and the next book is due out in May. If you haven’t discovered this series yet, now is the time. If you’re already a fan of this author, you won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 8
November 2006
ISBN# 0-316-01387-0 (hardcover)