Demonata: Demon Thief

by: Darren Shan

Demon Thief is book two in the Demonata series by the New York Times bestselling author of the Cirque du Freak series, Darren Shan. This book is the prequel to the first one, Lord Loss. With most beginnings of stories they're usually slow and this one is no exception. The story starts to pick up at the point of the main character Cornelius, call me Kernel; Fleck enters the realm of Demons after his baby brother, Art.

Throughout Kernel's life he's been able to see little patches of light. No one, including his parents, believes him. One day Kernel disappears for several days and come back bald with his little brother Art. His parents are relieved and the reunited family steals away from the city in the night for a small town named Paskinston because they deem it safer. All goes well for an entire year before things go haywire. A portal from Demonata opens up and a demon named Cadaver steals Art away after causing much damaged and death. Kernel follows after the demon when he realizes that the group of humans who came out after him is hunting the demon. Once through the portal Kernel's world and life are turned upside down for good.

In the Demonata universe anything is possible. There are infinite worlds within this universe and the reader only sees a small fraction of it. Time also runs differently than the normal human world. In the first world Kernel finds out that the land is alive and his lights are here as well. But the major insight he has is that he is a Demon Hunter and joins the group of humans and becomes a Disciple. But unlike the other special humans in the group Kernel can open and close portal doors without spells, he's a very rare variety.

The group of Disciples follows Cadaver through the different worlds until they finally reach the realm of Lord Loss. A deal is struck between the lead Disciple Beranabus and Lord Loss to ask questions of Cadaver, because he might know the whereabouts of the Kah-Gash, a device that can destroy Demonata. But Kernel has another plan. He strikes his own bargain with Lord Loss. He gets three shots to find and name the demon thief who took Art. The 'game' takes place in the first chess board ever created where the soul of a person can get sucked into and each square is a different universe. If Kernel guesses correctly he can have Art back.

Who's the actual demon thief? Does Kernel get Art back? Or does his soul belong to Lord Loss along with two other Disciples that go with him and Art? Like the Cirque du Freak series the Demonata series is a quick read full of adventure and twists that were never seen coming.

 

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