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The Thin Executioner

4.14 of 5 stars 4.14 · rating details · 1,737 ratings · 235 reviews

In a kingdom of merciless tyrants, Jebel Rum's family is honored as royalty because his father is the executioner. But Rashed Rum is near retirement. And when he goes, there will be a contest to determine his successor. It is a contest that thin, puny Jebel has no chance of winning. Humiliated and ashamed, Jebel sets out on a quest to the faraway home of a legendary fire g...more

Hardcover, 496 pages

Published August 1st 2010 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

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Jan 27, 2010 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-mt-bookpile

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is not the book to read if you're looking for another Darren Shan horror/gorefest: it is very unlike the Cirque du Freak and Demonata series. It is the book to read if you're looking for an adventure/trek story set in a different world than ours.

Jebel is a third son, thin and unlike his brothers, not to mention his father, the Chief Executioner in a city that prizes strength and skill. His honor at stake after his father fails to mention him as a potential successor, Jebel decides to go on...more

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Dec 09, 2010 Audrey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: life, skills, personal, awareness, general, studies

Let me start off saying i love darren shan's books! i love how they are filled with adventure gore and humor! that being said this book is good but it dosen't stand up to the standards of his others. One of the things i disiked was the charcter tel hesani he was waaaaay to perfect. I mean there is no way in this whole book that he would say something to make you dislike him! Also i didn't understand why he put 'Bush' (George w bush) and 'Blair' (tony blair in the books. It seems odd because this...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Rim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: parralel-universe-theme

Plot summary
Jebel Rum is probably one of the most useless men and biggest dissapointments in the village. In his society there are no such things as prisons people get instead executed for their crimes even if they are petty crimes like slapping your master etc.

The story is set in a sort of parralel univers where things turned different in the old era e.g a bit like in Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman.

The executioners position is a very valuble one and if one gets the position, one is...more Plot summary
Jebel Rum is probably one of the most useless men and biggest dissapointments in the village. In his society there are no such things as prisons people get instead executed for their crimes even if they are petty crimes like slapping your master etc.

The story is set in a sort of parralel univers where things turned different in the old era e.g a bit like in Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman.

The executioners position is a very valuble one and if one gets the position, one is also able to pick his wife which is basically the main reason jebel sets out for the quest,he wants to marry the mayors daughter who despises him and likes hes more manly brother. However to get these inhuman powers you need a sacrifice and jebel uses Tel as a willing sacrifice who does this to save his faily from becoming slaves. But after many adventures together (which are amazing to read about!) jebel finds hiself unable to do the sacrifice and discovers there is more than just one price to pay for his inhuman powers.

I was at first reluctant to read the book and even more so when reading about jebels personality. He might be a dissapointment but unlike other characters in such situation hes no different from the stuck up rich evil ppl you read about (at least in the beginning). But what kept me reading was about the society he lived in , it was so weird i didnt know what to make out of it? e.g the book starts of with someone being excecuted and the children of the village play fotball with the head etc? Some of the customs made me laugh but what really got me was how casually darren shan wrote aboout these and how causally the main characters reacted to the new pieces of information/culture clashes?

Its like you having a conversation with someone and their like oh by the way i was born with a foot in my brain and its still there and
youre like oh ok and continue with the conversation normally!?!

Anyways i liked it , it was diffeent from the Darren shan Vampire series but nevertheless it was as good!

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Aug 01, 2012 Gabrielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely thrilling! Many people that have also read this book are saying things like it didn't live up to the standards of Shan's other books, or that there weren't any twists in the plot, but that's what made this book even better! People are missing the meaning of this book! Yes, it was a fantasy. A nice one at that, there were plenty of gorey details; executions, whippings, slaves, etc. But the best part of the book was that this spoiled brat, Jebel Rum, became a hero. Not som...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Xustine Yee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-2012-2013, summer-reading-2012-2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Thin Executioner was a decent book. I'd give it 3.5 stars. As a Darren Shan fanatic, i had high expectations for this book. i expected a twisted, complicated plot with sinister details and gruesome imagery that would make Steven Spielberg shiver. However, it wasn't that fulfilling at all.

Pro's:
1. the huge array of characters that the two protagonists meets. They were all interesting and had different personalities (some were freaking cannibals, some were people who hurt themselves to repent...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Lauren rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I'm a bit torn on this. I finished it in just an afternoon, but MAN, the pacing could be drastically improved. It took place over the period of a year and it all just felt kind of formulaic, dragging in some places but really speeding up in others, and I felt like a lot of the events could have been cut out or simplified and nothing would have been lost.

Shan does a lot of telling instead of showing (I suppose because the time period was so long), but if there had been fewer events, he could hav...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Ethan rated it 5 of 5 stars

The book “The Thin Executioner” by Darren Shan is a thrilling fiction book full of irony. It starts off in an ancient city called Um Aineh where the main character, Jebel, is embarrassed in front of the entire city by his own father! He is further shamed until redemption. To redeem himself he wishes to travel the treacherous journey to the Al-Meata mountain chain to petition the god of fire, Sabbah Eid. When petitioning this god you may or may not receive invincibility and righteousness. Jebel...more The book “The Thin Executioner” by Darren Shan is a thrilling fiction book full of irony. It starts off in an ancient city called Um Aineh where the main character, Jebel, is embarrassed in front of the entire city by his own father! He is further shamed until redemption. To redeem himself he wishes to travel the treacherous journey to the Al-Meata mountain chain to petition the god of fire, Sabbah Eid. When petitioning this god you may or may not receive invincibility and righteousness. Jebel must also bring a slave sacrifice for the god. Jebels people are very haughty and weathly and think very little of the underclass of society. Will Jebel actually sacrifice his slave in the end to redeem himself, or will he go against the rules he was raised on?
The book is set in a nonexistent planet of ancient cities. It resembles the human society of ancient Greece. It is probably way back in time, possibly BC. The author is very descriptive with the setting and everything is almost completely original. He created a whole new world. It’s very easy to picture the setting due to all the imagery and descriptive writing. The whole idea of the setting is very creative which makes the book even more enjoyable.
In this book, there are essentially 2 main characters. Jebel, being the main character, is a young boy who was raised in the highest social class of this time. He is disgusted at all things that is not from his homeland. He is very haughty, cocky, boastful, and self righteous. I do not initially like Jebel but some of his qualities can be quite admirable. Tel Hesani, Jebel’s slave sacrifice was raised in the land of Um Keshabaha which is a slave state. Tel Hesani is a leader, he is very optimistic in his work, he never loses hope, and he’s always trying to help people. He is a true example of a good Samaritan. He is very patient with anyone but always speaks his mind. Tel Hesani is a very admiral person and if I knew him in real life, he would definitely be a friend of choice.
The main theme of this book is to believe what you think is right. For example, Jebel was raised in the most prestigious city in his world. He was taught that they were the best and everyone below them was not considered equal. The point is that just because you were raised the way you were doesn’t always make it right. This is a common theme found in a lot of modern day religious or historical debates. The theme is shown loud and clear because it determines the ending of the book.
My overall opinion of this book is that it was simply marvelous. It eloquently displays morals I live by while also being extremely suspenseful and entertaining at the same time. The plot is creative and action filled. It’s even gruesome at some points which adds to the action. There were rarely any parts in the book that I did not enjoy. This book is so good I could’ve sat down and read all 600 pages in a few hours. Overall, this book is just fantastic and I woud recommend it to anyone!
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Jan 11, 2012 Jane Lee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-books, thrilling-and-suspenseful

I wouldn't have laid eyes on any of Darren Shan's works if it wasn't for my sister, who was the one who borrowed it for me. Initially, I was hesitant to read the book since I haven't heard of the author. Another reason why I was skeptical is because Jebel Rum wasn't exactly a protagonist that interested me to the very least. Unless of course he happened to be ran over by a tractor and bitten by twenty thousand eight hundred poisonous snakes. Jebel was arrogant, conceited and to put it bluntly, e...more

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Dec 13, 2011 Ahmad rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, child-yong

جیبل پسرکی با رویاهای دور و دراز است، که برای تحقق آرزوهایش راهی سفری شگفت انگیز میشود. او در زادگاهش از موقعیتی برتر برخوردار بوده، ولی در این سفر پر از رنج و وحشت، سختیهایی را تحمل میکند و در شرایطی قرار میگیرد که گاهی خود را حتی پست تر از حیوان می بیند. بارها امید از دست میدهد. از پیش گرفتن چنین سفری پشیمان میشود. به زانو درمی آید... و دوباره قد راست میکند. این افت و خیزها حاصلی دارند که نه او بلکه هیچ یک از اعضای خانواده یا همشهری هایش هم آن را تصور نمیکردند... برای کشتن وقت و دیدن تصاویر خی...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Nick K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would recommend the book, “The Thin Executioner” by Darren Shan because it is full of adventure and there are some suspenseful moments. “In a flash master bush clubbed the side of Jebel’s head with a cudgel. As he staggered backwards, Master Bush whipped the boy’s hands behind him and bounded them.”(227) This example shows that there is fast pace action that sometimes made me reread the lines a few times to figure out what exactly happened. It also makes you think a little bit, for example a q...more

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Feb 18, 2011 Jack Golis added it · review of another edition

Book Review: The Thin Executioner
Jack Golis
My book report is on “The Thin Executioner” by Darren Shan. What I found interesting about the book that “The Thin Executioner” is that some characters in the story changed there personality rationally and altered the story completely. This made the main character go from a known questor, down to a slave that was treated like dirt. He then learned what it was like to be treated like Tel Hesani, his slave. He also felt incredibly bad for the dead people’...more Book Review: The Thin Executioner
Jack Golis
My book report is on “The Thin Executioner” by Darren Shan. What I found interesting about the book that “The Thin Executioner” is that some characters in the story changed there personality rationally and altered the story completely. This made the main character go from a known questor, down to a slave that was treated like dirt. He then learned what it was like to be treated like Tel Hesani, his slave. He also felt incredibly bad for the dead people’s grave he was robbing. Every time he was forced to rob a tomb, he said a prayer to each person in the tomb we robbed, which was every one.
There is a city called Wadi where the executioner is the highest respected career. Jebel the main character is the son of the executioner that has decided to retire and have Jebel or two other of his other son’s become the new executioner. Jebel dreamed of becoming the new executioner, but was too skinny and weak. When the son or daughter of the executioner is old enough, they compete in a competition to become the new executioner. Since Jebel knows that he will not win, he goes on a quest with his slave Tel Hesani to Tubuscany. But is required to travel by land and sacrifice the slave in the volcano in Tubuscany if he wants to complete the quest correctly. Along the way, Jebel starts actually listening to what Tel Hesani has to say, since in Wadi, Jebel was raised to believe that slaves are to be treated like dirt. Jebel is also doing the quest to get the most beautiful girl in the Wadi, Debbet Alg to like him. Jebel has a very long and unpleasant journey ahead of him, with some very surprising twists.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes some fantasy and a lot of action. Darren Shan makes you really feel the same feelings that Jebel is feeling, and Darren Shan makes you feel like you’re in the book with the characters. It’s one of those books that when you pick it up, you can’t put it down, it’s a real page-turner.
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Oct 02, 2010 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, dystopia, appropriate-for-high-school, horror, tearjerker, thriller

This is a surprizingly touching story packaged in a rather horrifyingly violent and gruesome world. If you can tolerate reading about inhumane practices in their gory details you'll actually find a gem inside. Because despite the icky parts (especially the people living with the snakes...I'm having shivers down my spine now...and they were some of the nicer people...sorry long intteruption, back to the main point) so like I said, despite the icky parts this story manages to show the humanity dev...more This is a surprizingly touching story packaged in a rather horrifyingly violent and gruesome world. If you can tolerate reading about inhumane practices in their gory details you'll actually find a gem inside. Because despite the icky parts (especially the people living with the snakes...I'm having shivers down my spine now...and they were some of the nicer people...sorry long intteruption, back to the main point) so like I said, despite the icky parts this story manages to show the humanity developing in the main character as he grows during his travels with his slave. It's their relationship that drives the story. The book clearly states that it is inspired by Huck Finn. The parallel's are obvious. By the way, it has a better ending than Huck Finn.

Also, because this is a story of travel through many lands, it reminded me of some of the literature I read from the enlightenment era when writers were commonly writing about what an ideal society would look like. I don't think any of Shan's societies are ones we want to model. (The snake & alligator people were the best & I'm so not moving to that town!) Still, this is a subtly sophisticated work wrapped up in a nice and creepy gross package that I think teen boys especially will enjoy.

I wanted to note the following since it's the last day of Banned Book Week (for this year) today:

I read good reviews of this book & so ordered it for my library. Plus Darren Shan's books have been popular here. I decided to read it myself because the reviewers said that it was really worthwile & did so despite the general disdain that I've had for Shan's books. (Now I have to say, sorry for undervaluing you, sir.)

Because here's the truth that a lot of people don't realize - librarians sometimes buy books for their collections that they personally think are stupid but that they know their patrons will want. We do this because we recognize that our personal opinions don't matter compared to our professional responsibility to provide readers with a wide variety of materials that fit their informational and personal needs. If we ordered books based only on our personal taste, we'd be as guilty as those who want to ban books from libraries because they find them offensive. So yes, there are books in my library's collection that I don't think are worth the paper they were printed on - but that's my personal opinion. Professionally, I will stand up for my patron's right to choose what they read. And since I work in a youth services department, I will also stand up for the right of individual parents to choose the books that are right for their own children. Ok, I'm stepping off my soapbox now.(less)

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Sep 26, 2010 Lawral added it

Shelves: arc, ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Among the Um Aineh, being the son of the executioner is almost as good as being the son of the king. In a world of warriors where strength and honor are valued above all, even the youngest son of the executioner, Jebel Rum, can't get the respect he thinks he deserves with a tiny frame. He sets off on a quest to save his honor, a quest that will require him to travel the length of Makhras with a slave by his side, a slave he must sacrifice to Sabbah Eid. In return he'll be granted invincibility t...more Among the Um Aineh, being the son of the executioner is almost as good as being the son of the king. In a world of warriors where strength and honor are valued above all, even the youngest son of the executioner, Jebel Rum, can't get the respect he thinks he deserves with a tiny frame. He sets off on a quest to save his honor, a quest that will require him to travel the length of Makhras with a slave by his side, a slave he must sacrifice to Sabbah Eid. In return he'll be granted invincibility that will allow him to beat any man in competition or combat and gain the confidence and respect of his father and his people.

The society in which Jebel has been raised is exceedingly violent. The executioner is an exalted member of society in the way that movie stars are exalted in ours. They are not only men who mete out "justice," but also the providers of entertainment. Anyone convicted of any crime is executed; the Um Aineh have no jails and don't really hold much regard for human life. And their slaves aren't even considered human. Slaves live in their own section of the city where the living conditions are very degraded, can be beaten without recourse, and can be sentenced to death at the wish of their owner for any reason or none at all. Tel Hesani volunteers to accompany Jebel on his quest, knowing he will be executed at the end of it, to free his wife and children from this existence.

Once Jebel and Tel Hesani are on the road, Jebel depends on Tel Hesani's knowledge of the world and other people in it to survive, but still treats him with disdain. Because Jebel is eager to spend time with people like himself, meaning not slaves like Tel Hesani, they end up in quite a few compromising situations. The trials and tribulations of traveling through Makhras add up quickly, much more quickly than the change of heart I was expecting from Jebel. Tel Hesani saves him time and time again, and yet he's still valued as slightly more than a piece of shit by Jebel. About halfway through the book, I had to set it aside. Jebel's attitude is a lot to take. It isn't until Jebel and Tel Hesani are separated and Jebel gets to experience the life of a slave for himself that his ideas about slavery, human life, and Tel Hesani begin to change. When they're finally reunited, they continue on the quest, but Jebel (finally) seriously doubts whether he'll be able to kill Tel Hesani in the name of a god he's not sure is real in exchange for supernatural powers that may or may not exist.

The Thin Executioner is a long book, and I think that a lot of the obstacles Jebel and Tel Hesani meet on their way to Sabbah Eid could have been cut out without risking important plot points or character development. Still, it can be a gripping story. I had a hard time being in Jebel's head for so much of the book when he was such a self-centered jerk, but the payout is worth it in the end. If like me, you're suffering from post-Mockingjay pre-Monsters of Men malaise, The Thin Executioner just might soothe your gratuitous-violence-with-a-message seeking soul for a little while.

If LibraryThing is to be believed, Shan dedicated this book to the country of Jordan "which inspired much of this book's setting and plot, and whose landmarks provided the names of all the characters (with three exceptions) and places" (my ARC doesn't have the dedications page). Jebel also describes his crush as "slim and curvy, with long legs, even longer hair, dazzling brown eyes and teeth so white they might have been carved from shards of the moon. Her skin was a beautiful dark brown color" (2).* He also repeatedly describes the off-putting paleness of Tel Hesani's people. Based on these three things and a vague memory of a description of Jebel himself, I'm thinking Jebel and the rest of the Um Aineh are middle eastern, making this a fantasy book featuring POC! A rare and wonderful thing!

Book source: ARC provided by publisher via yalsa-bk.

* All quotes and page numbers are taken from an Advanced Reading Copy and do not necessarily match the published copy.(less)

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Sep 08, 2010 Nicola rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reason for Reading: I'm a big fan of the author's. I was also very excited about this being his first standalone book.

The world of Makhras is made up of many different towns, empires, territories, etc. and each of these is peopled by it's own unique society with their own traditions, religions, ways of life and behaviour. Mainly they keep to themselves except for trading and capturing each other as slaves, at least those who keep slaves. Jebel Rum is the runt in his family and when his father, t...more Reason for Reading: I'm a big fan of the author's. I was also very excited about this being his first standalone book.

The world of Makhras is made up of many different towns, empires, territories, etc. and each of these is peopled by it's own unique society with their own traditions, religions, ways of life and behaviour. Mainly they keep to themselves except for trading and capturing each other as slaves, at least those who keep slaves. Jebel Rum is the runt in his family and when his father, the very respected town executioner announces that he will be retiring after a 30 year career, he only mentions Jebel's two older brother's as hopefully succeeding him in the contest that will be thrown to find the new executioner one year from that day. Jebel is fraught with shame, he has been dishonoured in his warrior society. With nothing left to loose he seeks a quest to a dangerous god's lair faraway where it is promised he can receive invincibility if he makes it there only by land and brings a slave to offer to the god as a sacrifice. Then he would return and win the contest or at least die with honour on the quest.

I'm going to start right off by saying this is very different than anything Shan has written before and unfortunately it didn't quite win me over. There were times I was very into the story, which I think just had much more potential than where Shan went with it. Other times, the story came over as very heavy-handed. The second main character, the slave, is a religious, non-violent person who explains all the different cultures they meet as they journey on and while he dare not say anyone is less equal than another in his one God's eyes he would stand by and let an aggressor tear him to pieces or take his friends and neighbours away as slaves rather than break any rule of his religion by defending himself. I had a hard time knowing, at times, if Shan was writing this character as an ideal or was using him as the extreme opposite example to Jebel and his people, which I'm sure, I think, was supposed to be the point. Heavy-handed with the morals as he was, he just wasn't the likable character to me that he should have been. Jebel starts off as an nasty piece of work, who thinks slaves are not human and possibly less worthless than animals. When meeting the other cultures, he quickly decides they are contemptible, stupid or crazy because of what they deem important compared to his own clan.

It is these two strange characters who embark on the hellish journey of Jebel's quest which is full of dark dangers, terrible creatures and death-inducing terrain. Certainly an interesting story that kept me reading. Plenty of action, violence and creepiness. The plot could be simply broken down to the basic fantasy quest but covered up by adding dark elements such as an executioner, cannibals, rocks that digest people and a colony of people who live with and depend upon vampire bats, to name a few. Not Shan's best work but worth a read by fans, at the least.(less)

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Jul 06, 2010 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Matt by: The publisher

An excellent, if unusual novel. The prose isn't quite impeccable, but is mostly quite good, as are the characters and story. This is basically an inversion of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but set in a dark fantasy/ horror setting. A genuinely scary, strange story about an executioner's son who goes on a quest for power, accompanied only by the slave who is his guardian and is meant to be the sacrifice that secures the inhuman power he is searching for.

Those of you familiar with the source...more

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Jul 02, 2010 Newengland rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-in-2010, ya

I owe Darren Shan a debt of gratitude. My son, who loathes reading, loved Shan's CIRQUE DU FREAK books. Some of my students ran through the entire series like they were bags of Doritos, too. Whatever makes 'em read, when it comes to reluctant readers. And this might please that crowd, too. I'm being tougher on it due to all of the cliches that pile up.

It's a classic quest book with all the questy things you expect: an underdog hero, a trusted and wise sidekick, incredible odds, great obstacles,...more I owe Darren Shan a debt of gratitude. My son, who loathes reading, loved Shan's CIRQUE DU FREAK books. Some of my students ran through the entire series like they were bags of Doritos, too. Whatever makes 'em read, when it comes to reluctant readers. And this might please that crowd, too. I'm being tougher on it due to all of the cliches that pile up.

It's a classic quest book with all the questy things you expect: an underdog hero, a trusted and wise sidekick, incredible odds, great obstacles, fierce "monsters" on the way, and, against all odds, success. I waited for Shan to throw a surprise, but he just wouldn't bite, stubbornly adhering to script.

Jebel Rum, wastrel third son of a renowned executioner, Rashed Rum, is humiliated big time when Daddy announces an early retirement and claims that either of his two sons is fit to replace him (apparently Daddy can't add... or else Jebel IS a runty nobody after all). Jebel takes action by deciding to quest to a distant and dangerous mountain harboring a fierce god who will bestow upon him superhuman strength (take THAT, number one and two sons!). Of course, he must bring a slave. And he must sacrifice said slave to said god in exchange for said superhuman strength (fantasies love to go on the barter system, don't they?).

The back of the book claims Mark Twain's HUCKLEBERRY FINN as inspiration, but I fear ole Mark is rolling in his Elmira grave if he's reading along. About the only connection I can see is slavery. After that? Nice try, is about all. So Jebel finds his slave, a desperate dude named Tel Hasani, who agrees to go despite certain death at the end in exchange for the freedom of his wife and family. What a guy! Only Jebel couldn't care less because, in his tribe, slaves are sub-human, right down there with Texas Republicans.

Did I just inject politics? It's not gratuitous, trust me. Mr. Shan creates two characters who at first come across like Chip and Dale, the possible gay chipmunks. Very polite and suave, but deadly, it turns out. And their names? Why, Masters Bush and Blair! So you see, the joke is on George and Tony, partners in crime for the Iraq misadventure, and I am totally within my rights to create similes using Texas Republicans. If I'm not, I'll just whip out my poetic license and silence any critics (they're always out there).

Passably amusing, this quest, and I think many kids might find it fun. It's clean enough for middle school libraries, too. Some violence, but not a swear in sight. If you're an adult reading along, you can guess the ending from this review, never mind from the book once you start it. It's that made-for-TV obvious. As for Shan, he takes a few stabs at religious subjects, but it's the wrong venue, really, and will probably fall on deaf ears.

Overall? Thinly executed, but younger readers might take me to task for being such a tough grader. I'll let you know in the fall.

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Jul 04, 2012 Bryer Cole rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book I think, tried way to hard to pose religious and philosophical questions on the human condition that it came off full of itself, unoriginal and rushed through very important thought process steps. As a reader it seemed that the main character just skipped the why's of his change and just showed him on the other side. And while the why's are obvious, it didn't show him going through the process and coming to that conclusion. As a matter of religion, been there done that, is all I have t...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Milana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jebel Rum is the son of a very admired executioner. He is a very weak looking boy, and many are sure that he wont be able to take his father's place when he retires. Rashed Rum also thinks that his son wont be able to become an executioner, because when he announces that there will be a tournament to see who will be the next executioner, he doesn't make eye contact with Jebel or mention that Jebel will compete. Instead, Rashed mentions Jebel's older brothers, who definitely look fit for the job...more

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May 22, 2013 Nishanth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bloody-awesome, favorites, great, darren-shan

5 stars. THWACK!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Jebel Rum is a thin kid. Even if he eats like me, he still remains thin and small and weak.

His father, Rashed Rum, is the EXECUTIONER! And that's not a fact to sneer at. Executioners are only second to the Ruler of the Abu Aineh.

Rashed is the best Executioner they ever had ir ever would have. Only one chop and heads roll. In Abu Aineh, Every crime, whether it was murder of a king or stealing a piece of moldy rotten bread, was punished in one way and one way only...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Julianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was a surprise. I'm not sure how or where I came across it...I just saw it and decided to read it for something a bit different than I'd been reading.

It's a tale about a quest, which I'm beginning to realize I generally like. (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, A Wizard of Earthsea, etc.) So if you don't like those sorts of books, you probably won't enjoy this one.

The writing was good because I really did not like the protagonist at the beginning of the story but I did by the end, whic...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Claudia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-book-challenge-150-books, sci-fi-fantasy

I liked this...didn't LOVE it. It has the whole 'hand-drawn' map thing going against it to start with. If there's a map in a book, I know it's a quest. I know most of the words I can't pronounce 'cause the author invented them. I know the geography may or may NOT behave 'real' geography does.

This starts with so many lovely elements of fairy tales and quests...three brothers, the third is the weak one, not admired by their father. A quest, complete with a companion who ended up being my favorite...more I liked this...didn't LOVE it. It has the whole 'hand-drawn' map thing going against it to start with. If there's a map in a book, I know it's a quest. I know most of the words I can't pronounce 'cause the author invented them. I know the geography may or may NOT behave 'real' geography does.

This starts with so many lovely elements of fairy tales and quests...three brothers, the third is the weak one, not admired by their father. A quest, complete with a companion who ended up being my favorite character, two girls...a journey of self-discovery. Jebel goes on a quest to the mountain of Tubaygat to become invincible, to return home, claim his spot as Executioner, replacing his legendary father. Oh, and claim the most beautiful girl in the kingdom as his bride.

At the beginning, and for well over the first half, I DID NOT like Jebel. He was such a creature of his culture that executes people for trivial things, that holds the lives of slave to be worth nothing, he had SO much to learn, and he seemed like a slow learner.

He must, according to the rules of the quest, sacrifice a human being, a companion, when he reaches the mountain. Interesting twist on the quest pattern, especially since the companion, Tel Hesani, is the most noble character in the book. So, if you must sacrifice a human life, just get a slave to accompany you. Easy. Heartless. Typical.

Jebel has so much to learn, and at first he refuses to. He meets new peoples, new cultures. He's forced to face his prejudices but he holds onto them much longer than a more insightful character would.

And in typical quest fashion, what he gains may or may not be what he intended to gain...

One note about the writing. It bothered me that for the most part the book was told from Jebel's POV even tho it was third person.But the few insights into Tel Hesani's POV jarred me. We don't know what's going on in his mind and heart most of the time, and there would be flashes occasionally. And then every once in a while, there would be second person commentary: now you might have noticed...blah blah...

Much longer and more involved than his Cirque du Freak series. I'm glad he tried something more ambitious. Just not sure, FOR ME, if it was completely successful.(less)

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Sep 09, 2010 Ace rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jebel is one of the sons of the executioner in their town (I forgot the name), a thin and accused as weak unlike his brothers. Time has come for his father to retire from being an executioner, so he endorse his two sons excluding Jebel to join a competition to become the next executioner.Because of his pride, Jebel think of joining the competition, but he knows it himself that he can't win the game.

There is only one way for him to gain the strength he needs to win the competition, Jebel need to...more

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May 16, 2013 Zach Blomquist rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is about a man who lives in a family line of executioners. But when his father is retiring, he needs to get ready for the trials of the executioners, but he is too small and weak to do them. He sets off on a journey to find a god that will give him inhuman strength, by sacrificing a slave on top of a mountain. During the journey, he starts becoming friends with this slave, and its getting harder for him to sacrifice him.

This book isn't a movie. Though, I wish it was since it has a very well...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Victoria P rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 40-book-challenge, favorites

Book Review:
Book: The Thin Executioner
By: Darren Shan

The Thin Executioner by Darren Shan, or Darren O’Shaughnessy, is about the executioner’s, Rashed Rum, youngest son who feels shamed when his father does not name him as a candidate to be the next executioner. He then decides to go on a long journey to see the legendary fire god and offer a human sacrifice for invincibility and superhuman powers. On his journey, he learns valuable lessons and about other cultures in his world.

Darren Shan’s...more

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May 19, 2010 Ardis rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

The good folks at Little, Brown were good enough to send me a review copy of Darren Shan's latest. I never really got into his Cirque du Freak series or the Demonata, but I was intrigued by a stand-alone.

Jebel is the son of the city's executioner, a position that comes with wealth and status. In his world, strength and aggression are valued above all else. Jebel, the runt of the litter is unlike his big strong brothers and father, and is a bit of an outsider in this warlike world. When his fathe...more

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May 29, 2013 Areeba rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-for-boys-too, ya-books

After finishing this book, I wasn't really looking forward to writing a review. Not because I didn't like it (see rating) but because I didn't know how to say what I wanted to say. And I have a lot to say. I think writing a review will get it all off my chest but there is so much to write that it will probably be all over the place!

This book was just WOW.

But before we start with the formal review, lets start with some 'disclaimers'.

For those of you wondering why all the names have a Middle-Easte...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Kayla (the bookish owl) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the cover and the blurb on the back. I’m glad that I bought this book because it really taught me a lot.

I liked it because there was a lot of character development throughout the story. We see the protagonist, Jebel Rum, as the weakling or the black sheep of the family since he is thin and scrawny unlike his father or his two brothers. He’s the son of the greatest executioner in the country, Rashed Rum and his father unknowingly publicly humiliate...more I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the cover and the blurb on the back. I’m glad that I bought this book because it really taught me a lot.

I liked it because there was a lot of character development throughout the story. We see the protagonist, Jebel Rum, as the weakling or the black sheep of the family since he is thin and scrawny unlike his father or his two brothers. He’s the son of the greatest executioner in the country, Rashed Rum and his father unknowingly publicly humiliates him. At the start of the story, Jebel is a spoiled and superficial boy. He cares only for himself, he’s selfish and he’s a coward. He despises his slave companion, Tel Hesani simply because Tel Hesani is a slave. By the end of the book, Jebel has undergone a complete transformation both inside and outside as an effect of his quest.

The character development wasn’t outright. It was given in small doses, Jebel changing little by little with an event ultimately pushing him to change big time. Jebel wasn’t a paper cutout character. He had depth and you actually felt for him although sometimes he felt so real to me that I just wanted to strangle him for his stupidity.

Tel Hesani was a superb character. I really admire Darren Shan for the way Tel Hesani was portrayed.

During the first few pages, I was a little bit confused with the world setting but I quickly got the idea that you have to use context clues to understand all the little bits and pieces that made up the fictional world. So yeah, you have to have an eye for details if you’re going to read this book.

There were some parts which I thought were a bit too slow for my taste but they all helped with Jebel’s character development so it was alright.

I really loved this book. It had an enormous impact on me and I was really struck by the way their society is similar to our society. Both societies discriminate against people simply because of their race, physical appearance, social standing etc. It also showed me that if we are to change the world, we have to change ourselves first and it won’t be an easy thing. There will be backlash, insults, jeers and ridicule but that’s life. Deal with it.

The whole story was thought provoking and touched on issues that are relevant in today’s world. A definite must read.(less)

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Jun 10, 2011 Shiku rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jebel Rums Vater ist der Henker von Wadi, einer Stadt in Abu Aineh. Dort ist dies ein hoch angesehener Beruf, was in dem Land zählt, ist Stärke. Dementsprechend groß ist Jebels Schmach, da er eher dünn und schwach ist, ganz im Gegensatz zu seinem Vater und seinen Brüdern. Es wird aber noch schlimmer, als Jebels Vater seinen Rücktritt im folgenden Jahr ankündigt und zum Mukhayret aufruft, einem Wettbewerb, aus dem der neue Henker hervorgehen wird. In seiner Ansprache erwähnt er jedoch nur seine z...more Jebel Rums Vater ist der Henker von Wadi, einer Stadt in Abu Aineh. Dort ist dies ein hoch angesehener Beruf, was in dem Land zählt, ist Stärke. Dementsprechend groß ist Jebels Schmach, da er eher dünn und schwach ist, ganz im Gegensatz zu seinem Vater und seinen Brüdern. Es wird aber noch schlimmer, als Jebels Vater seinen Rücktritt im folgenden Jahr ankündigt und zum Mukhayret aufruft, einem Wettbewerb, aus dem der neue Henker hervorgehen wird. In seiner Ansprache erwähnt er jedoch nur seine zwei ältesten Söhne – Jebel lässt er vollkommen außen vor.
In seiner Frustration trifft der Junge eine folgenschwere Entscheidung: Er wird sich auf die Reise zum Tubaygat begeben, um dort den Feuergott Sabbah Eid zu treffen. Schafft er dies und bringt ihm ein menschliches Opfer dar, wird dieser ihn mit Unverwundbarkeit und Stärke belohnen. Also zieht er mit dem Sklaven Tel Hesani los und lernt auf dieser gefährlichen Reise mehr, als dass es vielleicht gar nicht so schlimm gewesen wäre, mit der Schande zu leben ...

Einer der tollsten Aspekte ist, dass Darren Shan sich sehr an Jordanien orientiert hat, was Namen und Orte angeht. Für mich als frischer Arabisch-Lerner macht so das Lesen gleich noch mehr Spaß - vor allem wenn mir der Gedanke kommt, bevor es auf die Notiz des Autors stoße.
Ich habe jetzt nicht alles nachgeprüft, aber dabei kommen wirklich ein paar interessante Verbindungen zu Tage, so zum Beispiel bei Jebels Namen und der Stadt Wadi - in Jordanien gibt es tatsächlich einen Ort, der Wadi Rum heißt. Wadis sind allgemein ausgetrocknete Flussläufe - ein Großteil der Bevölkerung Abu Ainehs (das Land, in dem Wadi liegt) ist dunkelhäutig, es ist also vermutlich wirklich sehr warm und damit eher trocken dort. Ein bekanntes Wadi ist dabei jenes "Wadi Rum" und eine Erhebung dort trägt den Namen "Jabal Rum/Ram". (Anmerkung: Im Arabischen wird Jabal durch zwei "fatha" vokalisiert; die spricht man in dem Fall nicht wie ein richtiges A, sondern wie irgendetwas zwischen E und A - wobei wir wieder bei Jebel wären. Eine Erhebung würde auch zu ihm passen, einfach weil er sich anfangs und am Ende aus der Masse heraushebt.) Die Namen sind also ganz dicht miteinander verflochten und sowas ist wirklich toll, einfach weil klar wird, dass auch hinter diesem Buch viele Gedanken stecken!
Ein anderes kleines Beispiel ist der Siq - im Buch ein Durchgang zur Stadt Abu Siq, in unserer Welt der zur Stadt Petra mit in Stein gehauenen Häusern, die wohl ziemlich sicher die Vorlage für die fiktive Stadt waren. Googlet ruhig mal nach Bildern - auch wenn man das Buch nicht liest, lohnt es sich!
Solcherlei Verbindung gibt es sicher noch öfter, auch bei den genannten Beispielen. Das Problem hierbei ist nur: Man muss es wissen.

Trotzdem ist die präsentierte Welt auch ohne dieses Wissen wieder sehr interessant und klasse. Sie passt einwandfrei zu den beschriebenen Kulturen, die meistens auf ihre eigenen Art und Weise rau und unbequem ist, damit aber perfekt mit der Umgebung harmoniert. Ich will nicht behaupten, dass Darren Shan hier das Rad irgendwie neu erfunden hat - bestimmt nicht. Und so gruselig und übelkeiterregend die um Biyara beispielsweise sind - siehe Seite 253/54:

As Jebel tried in vain to fall asleep, he became aware of a small clicking noise. He turned and looked at the woman. Her robe was raised above her knees and she was scratching at a wound on her thigh. She had worked her way through to the bone and was picking at it with her nails.

- es ist nichts komplett neues. Trotzdem packt er all diese Dinge in einen eigenen, schönen Kontext und hat damit seine grausame, aber schöne Welt von den östlichen Nationen von Makhras.

Warum überzeugt es also nicht? Ich beschwere mich nicht einmal über den schlichten Schreibstil - das ist Darren Shan, wer was anderes erwartet, ist schlichtweg an der falschen Adresse. Auch Jebels anfängliches widerliches Verhalten ist nicht ausschlaggebend - er muss ja so sein, er wurde so erzogen, so ist es in Abu Aineh Sitte. Außerdem ist die Wandlung, die er später vollzieht, nachvollziehbar und nicht nur erfreulich. Der Junge lernt wirklich; nicht in der "Puff - jetzt ist alles anders!"-Art und Weise, sondern Schritt für Schritt, mit jeder Erfahrung ein bisschen mehr. Auch andere Charaktere sind kein Grund zur Beschwerde; sie alle haben ihre Rollen und ihre Berechtigung, allen voran der kluge Tel Hesani, ohne den Jebel wirklich aufgeschmissen wäre.

Das Problem ist die wenig überraschende Handlung. Interessanterweise ist diese gerade dann nicht sonderlich spannend, wenn Jebel ein unerträglicher Idiot ist. Es passiert zwar einiges, aber nichts davon hat mir irgendwie vom Hocker gerissen - ich habe einfach erwartet, dass es so kommt.
Erst später, als auch Jebel sich ändert, baut Darren Shan wieder diese "twists and moves" ein, die ich sonst so an ihm liebe. Da sind sie dann endlich wieder da, diese unerwarteten Begebenheiten, die mich überrascht oder gar entsetzt haben weiterlesen lassen. Schade nur, dass das nicht das ganze Buch über so war!
Das Ende ist schon wieder wenig überraschend, obwohl es zum Teil ganz Shan-untypisch ist, wie ich zu behaupten wage. Trotzdem ist es nicht schlecht - wie das ganze Buch auch.

Ein wenig mehr Spannung und das hätte richtig gut werden können. Die fehlt aber und so bleiben eine kreative, interessante Welt und ausgearbeitete Charaktere samt typisch-schlichten Schreibstil - ein Buch für nebenbei, aber gewiss kein Muss!
(less)

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Jun 14, 2013 Starish6 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everybody

Shelves: definitely-gonna-read-again, epic, exciting, mysterious, thought-provoking, master-servant, brilliant-plot, character-development

God...Where do I start?
I have no words to describe this book...but what I can say is that it made me feel thousands of...emotions...those which I thought I never had.

To be honest, the entire thing was completely different from what I expected. When I first saw the cover, I thought it'd just be another lame horror story, but, damn, was I proven wrong.
The story, the characters, the setting, and especially the adventure. It was all damn brilliant.

My favourite character was Tel Hesani. The thing I r...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Juveria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, alternate-universe, family-dynamics, historical, horror-macabre, informative, mystery, spirituality

If you expect this book to be like the "Cirque du Freak" or the "Demonata" then you'd be surprised at how different it is. This novel follows Jebel Rum who takes on a quest to Tubaygat to redeem his honour. Along the way he and his slave Tel Hesani face lots of challenges that show their determination. This quest changes Jebel Rum for the better he goes from being a spoiled brat to a hero. He has to travel through the land of Makhras.
What I really found interesting first is that Tel Hesani is a...more

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About Darren Shan

Librarian's note: Also writes under the name D.B. Shan.

Darren Shan (born July 2, 1972 in London, England) is the pen name of the Irish author Darren O'Shaughnessy, as well as the name of the protagonist of his book series The Saga of Darren Shan, also known as The Cirque Du Freak Series in the United States. He is the author of The Demonata series, as well as some stand-alone books, and a series o...more

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Books by Darren Shan

A Living Nightmare (Cirque Du Freak, #1)

The Vampire's Assistant (Cirque Du Freak, #2)

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Quotes from The Thin Executioner

“But when Tel Hasani wasn't looking, he cast a worried eye over the snake, just incase there were any family resemblances.” — 3 people liked it

“The pair smiled desperately at one another. And for the first time ever, despite the fact that everyone he knew - even the gods themselves - would condemn him for it, Jebel didn't think of Tel Hesani as a slave, but as an equal.” — 2 people liked it

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