Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Bec has never led a normal life, or was never given the chance to. Born only remembering her mother and how she passed away, Bec was saved by a village's priestess who urged the village leaders to let her live. Making her the priestess's apprentice, Bec was able to learn the magic and potions that would be used in aid of those who fought in battles.

Unfortunately for Bec, she didn't know how many battles her village would be facing.

Never a quiet night, Bec's village is continuously invaded by demons, the Fomorii, who come to tear the village apart. And every night Bec must use what she has learned, which isn't much since the priestess was killed way before she was able to pass on everything she knew.

Used to having other villagers come through, Bec's village is visited by Run Fast, a boy who says that his village is in trouble. Unsure of his story or of what side he is on, the warriors feel an obligation to help and so set off to end their fight. Usually the priestess does not go along with the warriors, but this time Bec sees fit to travel with them, hoping that this journey will help her figure out what troubles her and hopefully to become one with her surroundings and her magic.

Fighting off the demons is not an easy feat, especially since both worlds have just been connected, making it easier for the demons to enter, multiplying their numbers every time one is killed. Magic is what destroys them -- and the lives of the villagers and the warriors are in the hands of Bec.

Thrilling and different from the other novels in the series, BEC is a courageous novel that leaps off the pages and plays with our imagination. The descriptions are vivid and the story is unique. With an ending that will leave you breathless, BEC is a great addition to the already popular series, THE DEMONATA. ( )

A group of people decide to hunt down the evil demons that plaque their small village. Bec is one of them. She is a teenage girl trying to save her people. With the so called help of her friends she must stop the demon in charge. But there is one proble. With every step they take more demons come and it gets harder to stop the demon's power. I liked Bec because it had some very interesting fight scenes in it. ( )

Darren Shan, the self-styled ‘Number One Master of Horror’, serves up another helping of blood-fuelled mayhem in Bec, the fourth instalment in his children’s horror series The Demonata. While his first three novels have been set within thirty years or so of the present day, Bec takes readers back to fifth century Ireland, when the dreaded St Patrick and his Christian followers were converting everyone they came across, and when, Shan insists, early settlements were under constant threat from otherworldly demons. This bygone era creates a medieval, Lord of the Rings-ish fantasy feel; mixed in, of course, with Shan’s usual horrific atmosphere. The monsters in Bec only come out at night, so most of the terror is fuelled by good old fear of the dark – not a new tactic, but still a scary one.

Scattered throughout the story are clever little links to the other novels and the overall plot of the series. Fans of previous books will recognise recurring themes, such as chess, lycanthropy and magic, as well as the familiar faces of Lord Loss and his minions. On the other hand, they will also notice that while Bec has its shining moments, it unfortunately does not quite manage to outstrip its prequels. At the moment, the four Demonata books are all just as much gruesome fun as each other – which, considering the exceptional standard of Shan’s writing, is more of an advantage than a drawback.

Without a doubt, the most outstanding part of Bec is the ending. In the final few chapters, Shan delivers the best (and longest) action scene in the entire series so far – a fast, bloody, full-on climax that will grip and shock readers right to the very last page. Once again, he demonstrates his prowess at perfectly balancing vivid description with relentless pace. Expect the unexpected – the inside of a demon tunnel is unlike anything you have ever imagined.

It goes without saying that Bec is a must read for Demonata devotees – a fresh new instalment that promises not to disappoint! Highly recommended for brave fantasy fans aged thirteen years and older. ( )

More of the same from Shan, but with an historical fiction twist. One of the better books of the Demonata series. ( )

This book is very creepy, yet thrilling. Makes you want to read more. ( )