ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED UNDER THE title Ayuamarca back in 1999, Procession of the Dead has now been heavily revised by DB Shan for what the publishers describe as the “director’s cut” version, and is the first offering in Shan’s City Trilogy for adult readers. In the intervening eight years the London-born Irishman’s been a busy lad, producing a 12-part children’s saga under his Darren Shan monicker.
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So Darren Shan has moved onto adult aimed books, in fact he’s actually re-releasing The City series he released back in 1999. The expression “Don’t judge a book by its cover” comes to mind here, as when I read the back of the book I was immediately put off by the gangster theme, but after the first few pages I was already hooked. So even if you’re not a fan, give the book a go.

It is definitely a page turner, which I think is due to how you’re made to feel like you’re going on Capac Raimi’s journey with him — from when he arrives in the city for the first time and when he comes face to face with the powerful Cardinal, to the climax of this gripping first in the series of The City. All the characters are different and intriguing, and the narrative pace set by Shan will keep you glued to the page.

reviewed by Owen O’Hagan.

When Capac Raimi arrives in the city, ambitious and determined, he has one goal only: to become a ruthless gangster and gain as much power as possible. Like everyone else in the city, he has heard the stories about The Cardinal – the merciless, all-seeing mastermind who controls his empire of sin from the fifteenth floor of Party Central. Capac knows that if his dreams are to be realised, he will eventually have to cross paths with The Cardinal. He knows that this meeting will change his life – but he has no idea just how irreversible that change will be.
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an existential, minimalist crime fantasy.

[Written in a] literary mode is Procession of the Dead, Darren Shan’s first book for adults. Written in 1999, it has been extensively revised and, although it can stand on its own, it is the first volume of his City Trilogy.
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Darren Shan has for a few years now been a favourite of Tara’s. So when this title, his first book written for adults, became available, I had to read it in order to find out what all the fuss was about.
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Renowned for his very spooky young adult novels, Procession of the Dead is Shan’s first foray into the world of adult horror fiction – and it’s certainly creepy.
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Best known for his children’s books, and building on their success, Procession of the Dead (part of The City Trilogy) - first published 10 years ago, but now revisited - sees Shan’s first foray into adult literature surface as a gritty, noirish, urban fantasy.
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Fave book of 2008 to date! *****

I was actually unfamiliar with D.B. Shan prior to reading this book, but I’ve genuinely become a bit of a convert and am interested in seeing what else he’s got to write! I hope this book is released in a wider format in the states at some point, but for now, keep it on your radar or find a copy on eBay.
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As trilogies go, D B Shan’s ‘City’ has been a long time coming. Procession of the Dead was originally released, as the author’s début novel, under the title Ayuamarca, in 1999. The second book swiftly followed, but the third never saw light of day. Given the author’s success – oddly enough, in children’s literature – the trilogy has been extensively re-edited by the author and re-released to a more receptive and eager public.
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Procession of the Dead comes from the Incan word Ayuamarca, which literally translated gives the book its title. It is also the Incan name for the month of November, and the title of the novel’s 11th chapter. In fact all of the chapter titles are taken from the Incan names for the months. It is a clever hook that Shan bases his narrative on; were the reader so inclined, they could research and dissect the minutia that Shan has layered into what was in 1999 his first novel. Sadly, I was not so inclined.
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