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Author (Platform): Darren Shan (Kindle)
Publisher (Release): HarperCollins (2006)
Length: 257 pages
Genres: Young Adult; Horror; Fantasy; Action
❗️Disclaimers❗️:
strong scenes of blood and gore with detailed depictions of body horror
this review contains low-level spoilers
recommendation: must read
👍 Pros 👍
Expands on the strong foundations of the previous book exponentially
Colourful characters
Stunning twists
👎 Cons 👎
None
👀 Synopsis 👀
When Kernel Fleck’s brother is stolen by demons, he must enter their universe in search of him. It is a place of magic, chaos and incredible danger. Kernel has three aims:
learn to use magic,
find his brother,
stay alive.
But a heartless demon awaits him, and death has been foretold…
🛎️ Introduction 🛎️
Demon Thief is everything a sequel should be: bigger, badder, and bolder. It uses the rock-solid foundations of Lord Loss to propel its universe(s) forward, expanding the lore into a riveting river of blood and potential. This entry comes very, very close to being my favourite (only usurped by…well, you’ll find out, I can say some find it surprising).
On the heels of deciding not to review every entry in the Demonata series again, it’s cast its spell and has me helplessly in its gut-covered hooks.
🧩 Plots 🧩
Told from a first-person, present-tense narrative, Demon Thief is fast-paced and nicely plotted. It threatens to be short, but Shan has a way of imbuing such concentrated adventure into his stories that even the reader comes out of them feeling like they’ve been put through the wringer. While not a direct sequel (we follow a new protagonist), Demon Thief fits seamlessly, with enough links to keep the story tethered without affecting the incredible world-building.
While Lord Loss takes place mostly on Earth, Demon Thief expands the reader’s horizons and takes us on a brutal fight through the universe of the Demonata. Terror, deception, and betrayal ensue, giving us a crash course in a much bigger, deadlier world and a depressing look at demonic tendencies and politics. Shan imagines some vivid and visceral visions that are impossible to pull away from.
Shan was bouncing around universes long before the hype
It’s Demon Thief’s heartbreaking twists that throw the hardest punches, however. They’re just masterfully foreshadowed. I remember just how impacted I was when I was younger, so I revelled in the opportunity to look at them with more-adult eyes and see the baits and switches. They’re pristine. The series as a whole is just so well planned, sure of itself without ever betraying its secrets to the reader…a lot like Lord Loss himself…
Terror, deception, and betrayal ensue…
🎭 Characters 🎭
Introducing Kernel Fleck, those looking for a continuation of Grubbs’s story after Lord Loss will have to wait a second. Kernel is a little more withdrawn and introverted than Grubbs, but he also has some biting wit and a coward-to-less-coward origin story. His arc is so raw and, if I’m being honest, he’s the character I connected with most. His reactions and fear of the Demonata and horror strike hard. We all like to think we’re heroes, but the truth is often greyer than that.
Sometimes fire doesn’t birth a hero; often it just destroys
Demon Thief takes place a decade or two (more?) before the series’s first instalment, so readers can enjoy the beginnings of some returning characters and some colourful introductions. Distinctive newcomers complete the cast with individuals from all walks of life bringing their experience and pain to war.
Tantalising threads are left hanging to allow everyone’s development to breathe. Like the plot beats, everything feels painstakingly constructed and, in my opinion, it’s done with remarkable effectiveness.
We all like to think we’re heroes, but the truth is often greyer than that.
🧠 Final Thoughts 🧠
Packed with magic, demons, and all the horror a reader could wish for, Demon Thief is a smashing successor to the series’s first instalment Lord Loss. Riveting adventures and visceral vistas create a world of pure imagination, and the arcs of characters compliment the horror with relatable emotions. However, Demon Thief’s juicy expansion of its lore pales in comparison to the terrific twists it has in store for the reader. Action-packed and powerful, it’s no surprise that Demon Thief is one of my favourite books ever.
The Phoenix Project 
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