Mr Crepsley takes Darren to Vampire Mountain to present his assistant to the Vampire Princes, and also explain why he blooded a young boy. The very gothic setting reminded me of the Rex Stout novel Black Mountain, where Nero Wolfe takes his assistant Archie Goodwin to Montenegro, and the bonding process between Crepsley and Darren is much the same. Although the vampire names and medieval rituals of the mountain read more like a gothic fantasy novel - if vampires are originally humans who have been 'blooded' by other vampires, why do they sound like Star Trek characters? - the most important thread of the story for me is the understanding between the vampire and his assistant. Shan, author and character, starts to reveal the deep level of affection and respect Darren has for Mr Crepsley, which is mirrored in Crepsley's relationship with his mentor, Seba Nile. And the mystery of exactly why Mr Crepsley chose to break the rules by making Darren a half-vampire - which he either cannot or will not explain - tests the strength of their loyalty.

I really cannot explain why I love these books, which were written for a far younger audience, except to say that Larten Crepsley is a fantastic cha