Shan's only stand-alone book thus far, the fantasy is fun and the characters okay. However, it takes some time before the story really kicks in, and there are two characters who stays in the story for far too long without being anything other than an obstacle. Overall, I liked it, and the reveals at the end are smart, interesting and pretty clever (although I saw some of them coming).

When the fantasy kicks in, this book is very, very good. Sadly, that takes sometime, and there aren't enough interesting characters or happenings to keep it rolling. It all comes together to a nice ending, so if you like Shan's stuff (or YA fantasy) this comes recommended. For the full Shan-experience, however, stick to his first series, The Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak-series in the U.S.) and The Demonata. Those are YA fantasy/horror at its best.