Customer Reviews

The Last Apprentice: Night of the Soul Stealer

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Last Apprentice series, while dark and sinister, has many white knuckle scenes, leaving you holding your breath with anticipation. Delaney is masterful, his fine crafting of words creates a world far different from other fantasy/horror writers. The beyond-sinister witches and other creatures make you want to take that running jump into bed at night, in case there is something underneath that may just grab you. I never know what to expect next, his many twists and turns in the plot leave you amazed and wondering where he is leading you. My son and I are huge fans of his books we can hardly wait for the next installment.

The book continued along nicely with the series. It was good to see more into the past life of the Spook. Can't wait to see what the apprentice finds in his mom's room in the next book of the series.

The Last Apprentice: Night of the Soul Stealer is a great follow-up to the first two books in this series. Just like it's counterparts, Soul Stealer kept me on the edge of my seat with terror, while at the same time wanting MORE, MORE, MORE! I was a bit apprehensive when I got the book, wondering how Mr. Delaney could possibly come up with new ideas, but as usual, he did not disappoint! As usual, I was terrified of going into my basement alone after I read this! This series is fantastic for adults and kids (10 and over) alike, especially for anyone who likes to be scared! My eleven-year-old son has read the series and cannot wait for the next book to come out. I just can't wait to see what kind of trouble Tom Ward will get into next! Keep up the GREAT work, Mr. Delaney!

I really enjoyed this series and I can't wait for the continuation. The writing style was excellent and the plot was well developed. I would recommend this series to any fantasy lover.

With this dark tale of supernatural mayhem, Delaney has launched a fine fantasy series that should appeal to kids and adults alike. Initially the pace is leisurely. Delaney doesn't rush in setting up his dark story world and introducing a cast of intriguing characters: young, earnest Tom, the seventh son of a seventh son; his enigmatic master the Spook; Alice who wears pointy shoes and can't decide whether to choose the side of darkness or light; the tame boggart that cooks their meals and appears from time to time in the guise of a ginger cat; and Tom's wise and mysterious Mam.

The monsters, witches, ghosts, and evil boggarts bring in plenty of complications soon enough as Tom begins his apprenticeship with the Spook. This isn't the Hogwarts brand of training, and you won't find the humor or occasional zany misadventures that are served up in a Harry Potter book. Instead, the tone stays serious as if Delaney doesn't want us laughing at the ghasts that haunt the night, lest we let our guard down too far. Tom spends a lot of time digging holes of the proper dimension to hold boggarts, and if that seems spun out a bit too long, be patient. Delaney's pacing in this book reminds me of a Hitchcock movie, slow and leisurely at first, but before you know it he's got you by the throat and you don't want to put the story down, especially when Tom has to confront the scariest witch I've met in recent fiction.

I'll also add that the second book in this series, THE CURSE OF THE BANE, opens with grim, hair-raising urgency. But read NIGHT OF THE SOUL STEALER first.

I ordered this book in used-good conidtion. Upon receiving it I was surprised, it looks brand new. Very happy with my purchase!

This is a wonderful series, most especially because of the ongoing development of Tom's relationship with the Spook, and of Tom's connection to Alice. Be warned that in later volumes this development is much less pronounced and the books become more interchangeable episodic adventures. But for now, and the next two volumes, if you are interested in Tom's mother's history, and in Tom's development as an apprentice, this book will be very rewarding.
This volume in particular provides a lot more back story for the Spook. It also moves the tale out of the County, and adds much more detail about the world around Tom. The plot is also a bit more complex, and moves beyond just "find and trap" the monster.

This is such a great series...and this installment is no exception. Delaney keeps the pace going and doesn't get bogged down in his characters' thought process. We get just enough to draw our own conclusions. I like it that way.

The best part about these books is the earthy magic they offer. It's feels very real and not the fantasy-driven hocus pocus wand waving magic of the Harry Potter series. That's the best part. These characters feel like real people having real experiences.

I'd head they were making a film of this series. I hope so. IF...they do justice by it; it could be incredible. I just hope that because this is technically a Young Adult series they don't try to sanitize it or soften the horror of it. I'd love to see this series done in the vein of what Tim Burton did with Sleepy Hollow. That would be fantastic.

This book takes a bit of a turn (an interesting one). We finally get more than a peak at the Spook's life before Tom's arrival and it is this past that helps move the story.

As the days get colder, it approaches time to move to the Spook's winter home in Anglezarke. Tom doesn't really want to go. He is comfortable in Chippenden, it's warmer there, Anglezarke is more overrun by the dark, and Alice will be leaving them. A letter from Morgan, one of the Spook's old apprentices prompts an earlier departure than expected. Once in Anglezarke, things get moving quickly. Meg (a witch and the Spook's love) lives in the house but she is kept drugged to keep her memory from returning. There is dangerous stone-chucker boggart on the loose, and that is the least of their worries. There is something Morgan wants from the Spook and he will stop at nothing to get it.

Definitely driving this book is the Spook's back story and, to a lesser degree, Tom's family drama. The Spook, it turns out, is a much more complex character than he first appears. And he isn't nearly as harsh and uncaring as he seems to want to appear either. This book employs the typical mentor not telling his mentee everything he needs to know device (though at least in this case it is because it is too personal, not because he thinks Tom "isn't ready"), which is always frustrating because of the number of issues that could be prevented had he simply told him everything.

The strangest thing about the book is that we know Tom has six brothers, but because we never actually see anyone but his oldest brother Jack, it is hard to really imagine him having other brothers. Do we even get their names? It would be interesting to see Tom and Jack's relationship develop beyond Jack being uncomfortable with him as a Spook. I'm also hoping we see Tom's mother again, and I imagine we will eventually, but I am more curious to see what is in her room and learn more about her.

Alice and Tom's relationship remains the most intriguing aspect of the book in many ways, but in this book Tom seemed to look at her as though they had something more than friendship between them. While I don't doubt that sometime in the future this may be the case (even if only for a little while), it seemed a little early for it.

My one issue with the book is the Spook's resolution for Meg seems more like he just fostered a dangerous issue on someone else who is unsuspecting of it.

My son who is 9 LOVES this series. He has read many series books from Harry Potter, The Mysterious Benedict Society to the Last Olympian The Percy Jackson series. And this series rates high amongst his books!