City of the Snakes (The City Trilogy, #3) by D.B. Shan

Jun 30, 2011 Ryan rated it it was ok

My favorite moment in Batman comics is when he descends from above, out of the darkness into the panel, crushing some criminal beneath him. Dangerous, right?

In fact, Batman is the most dangerous person in Gotham City, even though he never kills.

In City of the Snakes, Shan has a character, Al Jeery AKA Paucar Wami, who is supposed to be the most dangerous assassin in "The City," and of course in the world as well.

There's a trick to associating danger with your character. Some authors go for the p ...more

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Apr 25, 2015 Ahmad Sharabiani marked it as to-read

Shelves: 21th-century, fantasy, horror, mystery

City of the Snakes (The City Trilogy #3), D.B. Shan

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Feb 27, 2017 Drew Budds rated it it was amazing

loved this book so much from beginning to the end. a really good read and i hope darran shan continues writing adult books as good as this

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May 15, 2011 Donna rated it liked it

Shelves: thriller, fantasy, library

I like this trilogy because it's trying for something different than the usual genre fare, but I don't think this conclusion lived up to its potential.

It's ten years after the events of the first two books, and Capac Raimi is barely holding the City together when the ghosts of his past start distracting him from the problems of his present. Al Jeery haunts the streets in the guise of his legendary father, searching for the man who ruined his life. Then Capac disappears. Al agrees to find him in I like this trilogy because it's trying for something different than the usual genre fare, but I don't think this conclusion lived up to its potential.

It's ten years after the events of the first two books, and Capac Raimi is barely holding the City together when the ghosts of his past start distracting him from the problems of his present. Al Jeery haunts the streets in the guise of his legendary father, searching for the man who ruined his life. Then Capac disappears. Al agrees to find him in exchange for his shot at revenge, even though the case threatens to lead Al right into the hands of the scheming villacs, the blind priests who have spent centuries trying to claim control of the City.

The first book reads more like a thriller in a unique setting, the fantasy elements start light and at first the reader wonders if they may mostly be delusions. The second book takes place during the first one, so even though Al's mystery was satisfying, the big-picture aspects of the City were old news.

This third book mostly continues Al's journey, leaving Capac as the nearly untouchable Cardinal he became rather than the original series protagonist that we cared about. I guess I was expecting the two main characters of each previous book really work together (or at least share time), so watching Al try to rein in Paucar Wami while getting led around by the villacs felt like more of the same.

The mythology that proved the only drag on the first two books was even heavier here. The characters spent too much time getting lectured on it, especially during what should have been the most exciting part of the novel.

I was interested in the City and its inhabitants and the people ruthless enough to succeed in it. But secretive priests who we mostly saw when they'd mysteriously appear and act cryptic never hooked me as a concept. There's a point near the end where one character tells them it was a mistake to think he'd give a damn about them. That line made me smile, because that's kind of how I felt about them too.
...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Kevin rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 30, 2013 Nick Duijnstee rated it it was amazing

Pure Epic!

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Jul 25, 2015 Dan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Ten years after, Procession of the Dead and Hell's Horizon, our two leading men are emanating their fathers. Capac Raimi is the new Cardinal, early in his eternal rule of the city. Al Jeery has taken the guise of his father, Pacar Waimi the legendary murderer, only Al only kills those who "deserve" it.

When Capac goes missing, Al is sent to investigate his disappearance. It looks like the villacs, the blind Inca priests are behind it but if so what is their plan? And why do long dead people get Ten years after, Procession of the Dead and Hell's Horizon, our two leading men are emanating their fathers. Capac Raimi is the new Cardinal, early in his eternal rule of the city. Al Jeery has taken the guise of his father, Pacar Waimi the legendary murderer, only Al only kills those who "deserve" it.

When Capac goes missing, Al is sent to investigate his disappearance. It looks like the villacs, the blind Inca priests are behind it but if so what is their plan? And why do long dead people get appearing in the City?

The first two books were gangster books with a hint of magic and fantasy stuff. Here though the book spends more time with the fantastic as the villacs spend more time at the forefront at the story. I wasn't too keen of the book getting more fantastical as the first books worked because the fantasy stuff was only a small but important part of them. I also felt the magic stuff was more weird than enjoyable. And bringing back dead characters is never good storytelling-it lessens their original death and shows the author didn't know what to do without them.

Then there's the treatment of the two lead characters. At first it appears like Capac is going to be the lead character and narrator but within a few chapters he disappears and it's the last we see of him until the end of the book. It's a shame that a character who leads a whole book is shoved into the background for the finale.

Despite the fact Al Jeery takes the lead here, if anything he is even more badly served. The idea of him becoming his insane murderous father is ridiculous given his character in the previous book. Indeed the personality doesn't really feel like it's changed in the narration so it makes the transformation all the more odd. His personality seems to go through dramatic change after dramatic change in this book- the Bill Casey storyline is shoved into the plot which otherwise has nothing to do with it too, meaning the character's ongoing storyline becomes a fairly minor event.

Don't get me wrong, this is my no means an awful book. It has a lot of the good things it's predecessors had- the great gangster feel, lots of treacherous characters and real brutality but it is a weaker book. I felt like there was little more to tell in regards to Capac and Al and this book would have been far better focusing on a new lead character.

A disappointing end to the trilogy. ...more

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Dec 27, 2013 Dana Salman rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: darren-shan, read-2014, fantasy, series-finale, adult, regret-buying

I just ended up having to force myself to finish this. I really stopped caring about this book; I mean when I finished I didn't feel as though I gained anything out of this trilogy - the characters weren't likable or worth remembering, the story didn't leave an impact, I don't feel like I would've missed anything if I'd never read these books, and in all honestly I am kind of sick of having images of nudity, sex, and bodily torture stuffed into my brain. I gave the first book four stars because I just ended up having to force myself to finish this. I really stopped caring about this book; I mean when I finished I didn't feel as though I gained anything out of this trilogy - the characters weren't likable or worth remembering, the story didn't leave an impact, I don't feel like I would've missed anything if I'd never read these books, and in all honestly I am kind of sick of having images of nudity, sex, and bodily torture stuffed into my brain. I gave the first book four stars because I honestly did get pulled in by it - couldn't put it down. It wasn't the sort of book I would've imagined ever liking but I did. The second book, however, lost me the moment I realized I wouldn't even be catching a glimpse of Capac Raimi, the protagonist of the first book. Not that there's anything wrong with Al Jeery, just that he's the sort of protagonist who's only really there to fill in the role of protagonist - he had no substance to him. He was mechanical. He switches from being the honorable soldier to merciless, emotionless killer between books 2 and 3 in a way that makes me think of an on/off switch. 'This is how I used to be - this is who I am now.' No matter what happened to him, whether it was good or bad, I felt detached from him completely.

Capac, on the other hand, had a story that worked for him and that kept my eyes to the page; no memories of who he was, conflicting ideas about who to trust and what his own feelings towards murder are, and I liked it better when details concerning the Incan priests were kept ambiguous - it added a more mysterious flavor that complemented the setting.

I really only got back into City of the Snakes when Capac came back, in like the very last few chapters. Besides Capac, the only other interesting character was the Cardinal, one of the only reasons why I didn't write off book 2 completely. Paucar Wami also helped a little in giving the books some high points, but that's disregarding the fact that he is a complete and utter psycho and I really was hoping someone would just kill the guy and have done with it.

Overall, I'm a hundred percent sure that it would've been enough just to write Procession of the Dead as a single book. There really wouldn't have been much of a loss without the other two, either to the story or to me as a reader. In fact I dislike this book so much I'll be dumping it along with Hell's Horizon at a second-hand bookshop as soon as I possibly can - I need that space on my bookshelf for books with more depth and meaning. And in future I really hope Darren Shan sticks strictly to the children's/young adult's genre. He's much better at that. ...more

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Feb 17, 2015 Christine rated it liked it · review of another edition

I can sum up the way I felt about this book in three words: I'm quite disappointed.

Well, maybe not that disappointed, but I was, more or less, really disappointed. You see, the first book, Procession of the Dead, is a favorite of mine, and the main character, Capac Raimi, was a protagonist that I was somehow able to empathize with. I loved him. Sadly, I wasn't able to find the next two books anywhere, so imagine my thrill and excitement when I saw the third book just sitting there, on sale and I can sum up the way I felt about this book in three words: I'm quite disappointed.

Well, maybe not that disappointed, but I was, more or less, really disappointed. You see, the first book, Procession of the Dead, is a favorite of mine, and the main character, Capac Raimi, was a protagonist that I was somehow able to empathize with. I loved him. Sadly, I wasn't able to find the next two books anywhere, so imagine my thrill and excitement when I saw the third book just sitting there, on sale and waiting for the lucky person who'll buy it.

I, unfortunately, haven't read the second book yet. So obviously, I was a bit disoriented with what's going on, asking myself who the heck is this Al guy, who's this, who's that, etcetera, etcetera. I prodded on however, thinking that I'll eventually get used to not reading the point of view of m'boy Capac. And I did get used to it. But I didn't like Al Jeery like I did Capac. (I liked his dad though, sometimes. Such sick humour!)

Yes, he was a good protagonist. Better than Capac, especially. But the main reason I fell in love with the first book was because of Capac's progress--from a man who was practically gazing starry eyed at the center of the city to a cold and calculating bastard. I have this thing with exploring about the human psyche, watching how it changes, exploring the darkness, which is why I loved Capac. He was a perfect example. Al Jeery on the other hand was, uh, how do I call it--a bit soft for me. And he's supposedly a dangerous assassin. Imagine that.

Sure, there were still times that I loved the book, times when I was shocked, times when I admired Al. But if you had read my review of the first book, you'd know that I really didn't like this one as much as it. (No 'Holy Crap', no anything. Not even at all speechless--I'm practically writing a novel now. I didn't feel anything at all, reading this.)

And the one thing I was most disappointed off--plot holes. There were so many things that weren't really explained.

Oh well.

On the bright side though, I've practically said it in every review I've done in Shan's book, but I really, really love his way of writing. Honestly, it's not that delicate, but it really heightens my imagination, it does. He is such a good storyteller. And though there were a few gritty times in the book--Bill Casey's revelation about his sister and the Coya's scene, I still liked it. Darren Shan is, and will seemingly still be in the near future, my favorite author. ...more

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Oct 27, 2015 Mahtab rated it it was amazing

Shelves: the-city

Why did the ending make me cry ?!?!?!?
Omg I loved reading this book & the whole trilogy !!
I'm glad I finally did it , cause I got these books about 4-5 months ago , but I'd never gotten the chance to read them. Now I'm really happy that I did , and now I know it was worth it !
The first thing that amused me while reading this one , was that some parts were from Al's point of view , and some were from Capac's. And surprisingly that wasn't disturbing , cause I used to think this method could ...more

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Apr 05, 2018 Linda Cummings rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

He's done it again! I've read every Darren Shan/Dash book I can get my hands on and have never been disappointed.
Mr. Shan's writing skills keep you in the story. Like you're actually with the characters. His imagination and creativity are astounding!
Unique story!
Totally intriguing!
Completely satisfying!
I can't wait to read more from him.

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Jun 24, 2011 Mihir rated it really liked it

Original review over at Fantasy Book Critic

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I was awaiting “City of the Snakes” since the moment I finished “Hell’s Horizon”. I knew that the third book would be taking a time leap and would be featuring characters from both the previous books. After liking the weird but excellent start to the series, I was curious how the author planned to end the series and how would Capac and Jeery interact with each other and what would this mean for the City.

The story opens up ten years a
Original review over at Fantasy Book Critic

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: I was awaiting “City of the Snakes” since the moment I finished “Hell’s Horizon”. I knew that the third book would be taking a time leap and would be featuring characters from both the previous books. After liking the weird but excellent start to the series, I was curious how the author planned to end the series and how would Capac and Jeery interact with each other and what would this mean for the City.

The story opens up ten years after the events of Procession of the Dead and we find that Capac has indeed risen to the top however he’s not been completely able to control his environment. He wonders whether he did the right thing in the climax of Procession of the Dead as things haven’t gone smoothly as per the Cardinal’s predictions. His henchmen have been constantly betraying him and somehow he has started seeing ghosts of past personae. Convinced he’s slowly losing his mind, he turns to Ford Tasso to help him however before he can be of any service, Capac is reunited with a particular person from his past. His besotted entanglement however leads him down a path from where return is nigh impossible. Al Jeery is then contacted by Ford Tasso to locate and retrieve Capac, that however is easier said than done as the usual suspects are the city’s worst kept secret, its Incan priests. As Al slowly makes his way through the twisted lanes of the City, he starts realizing that perhaps Capac was seeing something concrete after all. And the worst nightmare the City has ever faced, the deadly psychopathic assassin Paucar Wami, has returned and perhaps he will want to find out what Al has been up to for the past ten years.

This book is the last book in the trilogy and therefore it does bring into play all the characters which have been introduced so far. This is a good move on the author’s part as it further raises the scales. There is a theme of redemption which plays out between the pages and all characters have to face it. The plot of the book is coalesced a bit from the first two as in the first we had a crusade of one person to rise to the top and in the second there is the search for the missing person. This book manages to combine both these elements and gives the reader something new and familiar at the same time. The plot manages to recreate the intensity of the previous books while giving the characters a push in a newer direction. Both the POV characters are charismatic ones and while Capac does get a smaller role of sorts, he does manage to convey his growth as a character and a crime lord. The real scene stealer is Al Jeery who has spent the last ten years trying to live up a legend so he can find the man who has led him to become the very thing he despises. Al’s growth is very vividly described and the events of this book further test his mettle.

The prose does not disappoint in this one after the excellent turns in the previous books as the author vividly shows the city, its Incan priests and the strange world wherein they inhabit. The book has a strong climax and manages to tie up all the threads which have been introduced so far. I felt this was rather excellent because as a reader I got complete closure from the story. The author also has been brutal with all of his characters as many meet their ends and those who are left alive are worse for wear. Lastly I think the way the author ends the story is rather a mystical one, one can draw inferences from it about what might have happened and all possibilities stand true. The bittersweet nature of the ending does justice to this dark tale and this ending is one which cannot be predicted as well.

Drawbacks were few but present, namely that Capac gets a reduced role. While from a plot point-of-view it is justified, the reader would have definitely benefitted from seeing more of his grey nature. The ending to the story while action-packed ends with a literal bang and perhaps some readers might have liked to read a few more details about it. The book does do its best to keep the tension and intrigue throughout its pages however the weirdness sometimes does overwhelm it.

CONCLUSION: A powerful ending to a dark saga, the characters of the City are not ones which the reader will easily forget. City of the Snakes is a good book to end out a trilogy and it remains to be seen what readers down the line will make of it when they read all the three books together. I for one, enjoyed this gritty, weird urban fantasy story about power, corruption and the redemption of one’s soul. A must read for all readers of the previous books and for those who like their stories dark & with a slice of Noir. ...more

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Sep 08, 2010 Brittany rated it liked it

Recommends it for: People who've read the rest of the City trilogy

Shelves: fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, thriller, fiction

How I Came To Read This Book: I first read Darren Shan's 'Procession of the Dead' several years ago when I got an Advance Reader Copy from a publisher. I've since promoted the book and read the series, which ends here.

The Plot: It's ten years since the converging storylines of Capac Raimi and Al Jeery met at the end of the second book in the series, Hell's Horizon. Raimi is still instated as an uncertain head of affairs in the city, while Jeery is still in disguise as Paucar Wami, continually on How I Came To Read This Book: I first read Darren Shan's 'Procession of the Dead' several years ago when I got an Advance Reader Copy from a publisher. I've since promoted the book and read the series, which ends here.

The Plot: It's ten years since the converging storylines of Capac Raimi and Al Jeery met at the end of the second book in the series, Hell's Horizon. Raimi is still instated as an uncertain head of affairs in the city, while Jeery is still in disguise as Paucar Wami, continually on the hunt for the man who ruined his life, Bill Casey. When Raimi goes AWOL, Jeery/Wami is hired to seek him out in exchange for the goods on Casey, who indeed is still alive as Jeery suspected. Before he can get too far into the investigation however, a murder that takes him back a decade ago embroils Jeery once again in the plans of the Incan priests that have a secret hold on the city. As the story progresses, Jeery must choose between his no mercy alterna persona and that of his humanity as he comes to grips with the final battle that may destroy the city once and for all.

The Good & The Bad: I've lent and recommended Procession of the Dead to scads of people, despite the fact the general consensus is the ending is a little disappointing compared to the thrilling pace of the rest of the book. I've been hesitant to recommend the first sequel because while in POTD, it was easy to suspend your disbelief and look for a rational explanation to the plot, by the end, all bets are off as you debate whether what's happening is reality or a product of the mythology that plays heavily into the series. The third book makes me continually hesitant to recommend it as it's the most laden with mythology, much of which overtakes the bouts of page-turning action, character development, and overall flow. At times it feels like Shan is breaking the 'show not tell' rule as pages are bogged down with exposition, particularly towards what should have been a climactic end. Also the books being released so far apart made it hard to remember the relevance of some characters in this widespread cast, although Shan does an admirable job of continually reminding you of what each character did in the past.

That being said, there still were lots of interesting page-turning bits and mysteries, and I was grateful to be brought fully in the fold of understanding just what was going on. Shan is a unique writer with a gritty, gruesome style unlike anything else I've read, and this book is certainly the most disturbing of them all. It was nice to go back to the city although I could have done with less Jeery and more Raimi, and the action was certainly pulse-pounding throughout. Still, I can't shake the feeling that the final entry in The City series felt kind of like Season 6 of Lost - you get the explanations you've been looking for, but at the expense of seeing the man behind the curtain and being a bit underwhelmed.

The Bottom Line: The City trilogy is possibly best enjoyed as a single series rather than spread out, but the gritty noir feel of the first book is unmatched by what transpires in the latter two.

Anything Memorable?: Nope

50-Book Challenge?: Book #43 in 2010 ...more

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Sep 04, 2010 Nicola Mansfield rated it it was amazing

Reason for Reading: Next and last in the series.

Starting ten years after the events of the first two books we meet up with Capac Raimi again whom we last really saw in Book One, though he was referred to in Book Two. We see that his rule as Cardinal has not gone as smoothly as he had hoped but this is in fact his own doing as he wants to put his plans into action and slowly watch them unfold since he has eternity to fill. But what he hadn't counted on was the power the rival gangs were gaining a Reason for Reading: Next and last in the series.

Starting ten years after the events of the first two books we meet up with Capac Raimi again whom we last really saw in Book One, though he was referred to in Book Two. We see that his rule as Cardinal has not gone as smoothly as he had hoped but this is in fact his own doing as he wants to put his plans into action and slowly watch them unfold since he has eternity to fill. But what he hadn't counted on was the power the rival gangs were gaining and that has him worried. Also though he has started to see and have encounters with people from his past who are dead and that can only mean the mysterious blind Incan priests are up to something. When Capac disappears, his second in charge hires professional killer Al Jeery to find him and this leads to the realization that the Ancient priests have been secretly plotting to take back the City for themselves for years.

Darren Shan has brought all the aspects from books 1 & 2 together in this conclusion to the series in an explosive showdown between the gangs, the Cardinal's mafioso and the powerful Incan priests. The plot is fast-paced and keeps its energy throughout. Just as expected from the previous books this is a dark, gritty, violent urban fantasy. All threads are pulled together and story arcs run to conclusion many in unexpected endings. I was a bit disappointed that Capac's part was limited to the opening and closing sections, with Al Jeery being the protagonist throughout the main portion of the novel. But that's just because I was fascinated with his character in book one; this story needed to be told the way it was. There is a huge revelation for Jeery which is a big shocker and a very disturbing one as we thought we knew all there was to know about serial killer Paucar Wami.

I'm not usually a big fan of urban fantasy or the level of violence that comes with type of story but Darren Shan is a favourite author and he truly has come out with a tour de force for his first series written to an adult audience. I was so looking forward to reading this last book and my expectations were more than met. I definitely plan on re-reading the series someday in the future where I can read the books altogether in a row as I think it will be an even more intense experience when I don't have to wait a year between books. If you can handle mafioso style violence, I definitely recommend this urban fantasy trilogy. The Incan mythology gives it a unique flavour especially when combined with a mafia-type organization and mysterious powers that control certain peoples lives, I should say deaths.

As a P.S., in Shan's dedications he says good-bye to his previous pen names "Darren O'Shaughnessy" his real name I believe, which he wrote under in his early days and "D.B. Shan" the name he wrote under for his two famous YA series. At this point we can expect all Shan's future books to be written under "Darren Shan" which also includes this adult series and two new YA novels published this year. ...more

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Jan 16, 2017 Cameron Moseley rated it really liked it

A theme in the book is murder, this is a theme in the book because as the story progresses the main character Al Jeery “becomes” his dad Paucar Wami and starts killing all of the people who deserved to be killed (killers, lunatics, criminals, thugs, etc.). The moral in the story is never be someone that you are not, this is the moral because as the story goes on Al learns that becoming his dad has started destroying everything around him and everyone he cared about was disappearing or getting ki A theme in the book is murder, this is a theme in the book because as the story progresses the main character Al Jeery “becomes” his dad Paucar Wami and starts killing all of the people who deserved to be killed (killers, lunatics, criminals, thugs, etc.). The moral in the story is never be someone that you are not, this is the moral because as the story goes on Al learns that becoming his dad has started destroying everything around him and everyone he cared about was disappearing or getting killed. The story takes place in the crumby and bad Eastern part of town in Brooklyn, New York, where there is many gangs and a lot of other bad people. I can connect this book to the movie “Funny Movie” 1-6 because Scream is taking out the teens one-by-one until one is left. I can connect Paucar Wami to Freddy Kruger because they both kill people that live in the city, a difference between the two is that Freddy kills the innocent people while Paucar only kills the guilty. Paucar Wami is cold-hearted guy who is afraid of and very well known in the city for all of his murders. I can also connect Paucar Wami to Michael Myers because both are very well know for the murders and crimes that they have convicted and they have never been caught doing them, they are just very well known for what they do. The main idea of the book is that a man named Al Jeery turns into his father and kills all that have done terrible things to his city, he also goes to find Bill Coesy, the man who ruined his life. Another theme in the book is disaster, this is a theme in the book because in the middle of the book many things start to happen that appear as disasters for Paucar, these disasters include of losing the city’s “Cardinal”, many people getting killed, and many more stressful things that happen to Paucar as the storyline develops and progresses. The “Cardinal” is the person that runs the city, basically Capac is taken by the “Ayumaricans” (ghost sprits) and it is Paucar’s job to find Capac, but he is side-tracked by everything going on in his life takes him away from the job of finding the missing and immortal cardinal.
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Jan 13, 2012 Chris rated it really liked it · review of another edition

'City of the Snakes' is the third and final book in Darren Shan's urban-fantasy thriller series. Taking place ten years after the first and second books, it sees Al Jeery (book two's narrator) investigate what the mysterious Incan priests are up to, and what has happened to Capac Raimi, the city's Cardinal, who has suddenly disappeared without a trace.

The book opens first of all with a few chapters from the viewpoint of Capac, which I hugely enjoyed; it was great to be back inside Capac Raimi's 'City of the Snakes' is the third and final book in Darren Shan's urban-fantasy thriller series. Taking place ten years after the first and second books, it sees Al Jeery (book two's narrator) investigate what the mysterious Incan priests are up to, and what has happened to Capac Raimi, the city's Cardinal, who has suddenly disappeared without a trace.

The book opens first of all with a few chapters from the viewpoint of Capac, which I hugely enjoyed; it was great to be back inside Capac Raimi's arrogant, cocky head again. In fact, it almost made returning to the much more mellow, almost robotic Al Jeery a shame. I was longing for Capac's voice; I'm not saying I don't like Al, but he is a little... dry.

One fear I had before starting this book was that it would all be abou the Incan priests and that would spoil it (in the previous books, they only played a small role, and I glossed over most of their bits). As predicted, the story does revolve around them, but luckily there are lots of more interesting things going on to gain my attention, such as gang warfare which was exciting to read.

One thing I do like about Al's perpsective is that it is much more gritty and down-to-earth. With Capac's story in 'Procession of the Dead', you never really get the sense that the City is all that bad, as Capac spends his time in the biggest, best hotels and resteraunts around, with the power of the Cardinal his to utilise whenever he desires. But with Al, we see the much seedier, darker side of the City, and there are some truly horrific moments that made this reader shudder.

It's a shame the Cardinal's gone, I enjoyed his character, but I'm also relived Shan didn't exhaust his role and spoil the fun of him.

There were some things I didn't like about this book: the Incan priests bore me, and they play a crucial role in this book, and I missed Capac's character. On the whole though, this was a well written, well thought out novel, perhaps not as stunning as books one and two, but still just as enjoyable.

4/5. ...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Kristina rated it really liked it

Annnnnnnnnd done.

Again, another story that kind of dragged and nagged my brain. More of the gangster and mystery type solving that isn't my cup of tea, at all. Though, I can still appreciate the fine and sometimes strange details that were put into it. Darren Shan is a fantastic story teller, and I most definitely won't let this deter me from any future books.

Ten years after Capac Raimi took over as Cardinal of the City, things don't appear to be running so smoothly. Things get even worse when ...more

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Mar 13, 2016 Christine Jones rated it liked it

In this final book of the trilogy that began with the Procession of the Dead and continued in Hell's Horizon, Darren Shan finally reveals the mysteries of the Villacs blind priests, the connections between Al Jeery and Capac Raimi and the mysticism that has clouded so much of the story. All is revealed in a slow and drawn out process. We see revenge taken, lost love found, redemption offered and perhaps taken.
I liked the tale that was spun, and there were parts of this book that I really enjoyed ...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Lottie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Again, I read these a while ago now but they still make me incredibly excited when I think back. I am a Shan worshipper (the newer books, eh, we'll come to that) Demonata and the Darren Shan Saga taking over my life for a good few years while they were being finished. This is a reprint (or rewrite, not sure) and thank god he released it because I'm in love.

You'll find the theme of weird books here, I find myself writing in every review that you can't pick apart the stories too much because it ju ...more

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Apr 26, 2013 Dwayne Shugert rated it it was amazing

Sick, dark, evil, twisted, ugly yet brilliant. The City Trilogy takes you on a journey that is full of magic and adventure into a city full of darkness and evil. This book is not for the faint of heart, yet the characters are stunning in their own way. Brilliantly conceived and brilliantly told, this story moves at such a pace that leaves you simply tired and spent. The death, and darkness and evil and the manipulation seems to have no bounds. Yet, there is a choice that needs to be made, a choi ...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Gregory Gay rated it really liked it

Shelves: supernatural, crime, mystery, modern-fantasy, read-in-2011

Darren Shan's writing is still a bit clumsy, but damnit - I enjoyed this trilogy!

City of the Snakes combines the frantic, action-y style of the first book with the noir-tinged detective style of the second, and the result is pretty good. Overall, this was probably my least favorite of the three, but just by a smidgen.

Not a ton to say here, but check this series out if you're looking for a good dark crime thriller with just a touch of the supernatural (a really neat touch, based on Incan mythol ...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Sandra rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 19, 2016 Nola rated it really liked it

I have really mixed feelings about the series of books (don't even consider buying only one of them). The plot was interesting, but not compelling. It was very well written, and I enjoyed the characters enormously. It may be the unusual structure of the story that has me confused about how I feel - yet I enjoyed that too. I would recommend it - but only if you're interested in something a bit different: plot & structure.

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Jul 20, 2011 Trae Brookins rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy

While I enjoyed the first novel in this series, this was a let down. I felt that Shan was rewriting some of the mythology that he set out in the first novel just to squeeze in specific storylines and scenes. The characters were uninteresting and I didn't have compassion for (m)any of them. The political machinations were sophomoric and, again, unengaging. By the end of the novel, I just didn't care what happened to any of the characters or the city.

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Jan 21, 2012 Matt Hott rated it liked it

The weakest book in the City Trilogy. I was excited to read this after reading the first two books, but this book disappointed. The characters seemed tired and worn, and the story seemed to be recycled (even if it wasnt). The interest in the main characters has grown weak and this book finishes the trilogy with a limp versus a sprint.

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Aug 12, 2012 Jack Shearrer rated it it was ok

Oh Mr. Shan, what are we going to do with you? The City trilogy had promise, but his over the top language and eye roll worthy dialogue drowned it. He tries too hard to be an adult author, but never realized that an adult author needs subtlety. Also, exclamation points have no place in prose outside of dialogue.

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Jun 10, 2012 Sonja English rated it it was amazing

Though not quite as dramatic as Hell's Horizon, this book ties up all the loose ends nicely. The book kind of has a bottle neck affect where the story continues at a gradual pace, but then everything major happens within the last 50 pages making it highly engaging. This trilogy is the one of the best I've read, if not THE best. I highly recommend it.

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Jun 14, 2011 Rebecca eley rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: anyone who liked first two

Shelves: my-cult-fiction

Capac rami and al jeery come together in the last of the trilogy. Heaps more twists and turns you don't really know for sure what is happening to the end. Gets a bit random too which I like. A good end to the trilogy

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Jun 28, 2013 Hanna rated it liked it

I enjoyed the read, but after all we have been lead up to in the first two books, it was quite the anticlimax. Slightly disappointed, but still read it in one go to get all the final answers. Because you do get them.

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Feb 13, 2014 Sara Shaw rated it it was amazing

OH MY GOD. HOLLY SHIT. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!!?!?!? OMG OMG Paucar Wami the most evil person I ever read about omg omg omg. OMG How could he do that??!?!?!?!!? Al Jeery has the worst life ever huh. Amazing trilogy!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!! BEST ENDING!!! BEST EVERYTHING!!!!! 10000 STARS

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