The Last Apprentice: Attack of the Fiend [Hardcover]

Joseph Delaney (Author), Patrick Arrasmith (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 26, 2008 | Series: The Last Apprentice (Book 4)

"I see your future clearly. Your master will be dead, and you will be alone. It would be better if you had never been born."

Thomas Ward is the apprentice for the local Spook, who banishes boggarts and drives away ghosts. But now a new danger is threatening Tom's world: the witches are rising and the three most powerful clans are uniting in order to conjure an unimaginable evil.

Tom and the Spook set out to stop the witches before they unleash the demon. But when Tom finds himself on his own, he wonders if he has the courage and cunning to defeat the most powerful enemy he has ever encountered.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–8—Apprentice witch-hunter Tom Ward and his master, the Spook, must now travel into deep enemy territory. The three witch covens of Pendle Hill have been at odds for a long time, but somehow they've been persuaded to put aside old enmities. The aim of this unholy alliance is no less than raising the Devil himself. The key to defeating the witches may rest in a set of trunks willed to Tom by his mysterious mother, but they have been stolen by the Malkin clan, along with Tom's older brother and his family. Delaney does a good job of tying in information from previous books, but the prosaic writing style means the story only occasionally achieves an atmosphere of excitement and dread. Still, fans of the series will welcome the surprising revelations and further questions unveiled in this chapter of the tale.—Christi Esterle, Parker Library, CO
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About the Author

Joseph Delaney lives in Lancashire, England, in the middle of boggart territory.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (February 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060891270
• ISBN-13: 978-0060891275
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6.4 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,998 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joseph Delaney formerly taught media and film studies at a high school in Blackpool, England. He lives with his family in Lancashire, in the middle of boggart territory.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Mr. Delaney, As Usual!!!, March 11, 2008

By 

Gail - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Apprentice: Attack of the Fiend (Hardcover)

I just finished reading "Attack of the Fiend" last night and I was not disappointed! My eleven-year-old son and I have been waiting for this one to come out, as we have read the entire "Last Apprentice" series and absolutely love every book. As usual, Joseph Delaney did a great job of scaring the pants off of us! From the first chapter, I was on the edge of my seat, terrified for Tom, the Spook's apprentice. Several times I had to put the book down and walk away to calm my nerves, but of course, couldn't stay away for long because I just had to see what would happen next. My husband even asked once, "What is the problem? I thought this was a kids' book?" and I had to explain that reading the Last Apprentice books is like watching a terrifying movie: your stomach is clenched with worry for these characters, but you're also dying to see what trouble they'll get into next. "Attack of the Fiend" had action and suspense from beginning to end and still, left us wondering when the next book will come out so that we can find out how Tom and the Spook plan to defeat the creatures of darkness. This is great book for anyone 10-100...as long as you're not afraid of the dark!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They get Better and Better and Better, March 17, 2008

By 

Jeannie Mancini "vernefan" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Apprentice: Attack of the Fiend (Hardcover)

I had the lay down date marked on my calendar, and couldnt wait to run down to the store as soon as the day came to get my copy. I had read the previous three installments and did a 5 star review on book two, The Curse of the Bane. Delaney just keeps these books remarkably riveting, scary and intense. This was the longest book yet but by far the best of the four. Our young Apprentice is getting stronger in his abilities and getting more independant to work on his own now without the constant guidance of the mighty Spook. I like that his character is growing and not staying stagnant even though the time period between book one and this book four is only a year and a half's time. This installment, Attack of the Fiend, offers more wonderful suspenseful, edge of the seat action. The scare level is right up there from page one to the end. Last Apprentice fans can not be disappointed in this new book in any way and are sure to just say "more please". Delaney does leave this installment a little open ended so that we for sure know that book five is on it's way so that we readers get resolvement on the episodes we get in this book. This is a fabulolus horror series for kids and adults and truly topnotch. I'd like to add praise too to the sensational illustrator. Not only are the cover designs remarkable but each chapter head page evokes true dark and eerie scenes that seem to scream off the page. High praise here, very very high praise for a series that is not sliding in interest, it is escalating into greatness. I eagerly await book five. I just cant wait!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Wonderful Book! Maybe the best yet?, March 1, 2008

By 

KeepItSimple - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Last Apprentice: Attack of the Fiend (Hardcover)

I just got my copy. I had preordered this and had been waiting a while; it was well worth the wait! I could not put it down. My only regret is that I read it too quickly. If you're a fan of this series, you won't be disappointed. Lots of action and suspense from the characters we love. You'll stay on the edge of your seat from the beginning. Super, super book. I loved it!!!