Night of the Soul Stealer

February 1, 2008
Gr 5-8-"I've seen some scary things, but living in a house with witch graves, bound boggarts, and live witches in the cellar didn't make me rest easy." With a move across the county to the damp, dark winter house in Anglezarke, 13-year-old Tom Ward returns for his third adventure, completing his first year as the Spook's apprentice. In this installment, Mr. Gregory (the Spook) and Tom, with the help of Alice, an untrustworthy young witch, try to gain power by raising the ancient god of winter, Golgoth. Along the way, they face a stone-chucker boggart, two lamia witches, and a failed former apprentice dabbling in necromancy. Readers new to the series will get filled in on some of the past adventures, making this volume stand alone, but the growth of the characters of the Spook and Tom's mam will be more appreciated by fans. The straightforward, simple language, reflecting the way that the Spook is teaching Tom to deal with fear and the Dark, along with wide margins and illustrations at the head of each chapter, makes this an excellent choice for reluctant readers. It's head and shoulders above formulaic horror series, and fans of Darren Shan's "Cirque du Freak" (Little, Brown) or kids looking for "scary stories" will not be disappointed."Kelly Vikstrom, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, MD"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2007
The third book in theLast Apprentice series follows the same pattern as previous titles, even as it raises the stakes. Thirteen-year-old Tom Ward, apprentice toMr. Gregory, a Spook who clears the countryside of witches, ghasts, and boggarts, accompaniesMr. Gregory tothe mansdesolatewinter home. Theres trouble in the Spooks cellar, mostly dangerous witches bound in pits, but even more disquieting is a former apprentice, Morgan, who has learned the secrets of necromancy. Morgan is harrassing Toms recently deceased father from beyond the grave and will continue to do so until Tom accedes to his wishes. One of the best things about this well-written series is the uncompromisinghorror Delaney provides at every turn. However, although the terror level is high here, readers may beinured to some of the crashing and bashingthat goes along with evil run amok. Betterare the nuanced interpersonal relations, especially the relationship between Tom and his mother, who is off to fight her own battles against evil.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2007
After an eventful but meandering second volume (Curse of the Bane, rev. 9/06), Delaney brings this series back to its virtues with a strong narrative line, economical but atmospheric scene-setting, and a boo-worthy antagonist (not to mention three implacable witches). Tom and the Spook are going off to spend the winter up on the moor ("folk need us up there -- especially when the nights draw in"), where Tom finds out that his master has many secrets -- like his love for the lamia witch Meg, who is kept drugged and imprisoned in the Spook's winter house. (Then there is her sister, the feral lamia witch Marcia...) The great battle, though, is with Morgan, an embittered former apprentice to the Spook who is determined to raise the dark power that resides beneath the moor. Delaney excels in navigating the territory between high and domestic fantasy: his characters are very much of this world, and the evils they face are grounded as much here as in myth. Readers will be pleased that the young witch Alice is along for the adventure and that we see growth in the relationship between the Spook and Tom -- although it's gratifyingly clear that the latter's apprenticeship is far from finished.

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2008
Tom and the Spook are off to spend winter on the moor, where they face Morgan, an embittered former apprentice who's determined to raise the dark power residing beneath the moor. Delaney excels in navigating the territory between high and domestic fantasy: his characters are very much of this world, and the evils they face are grounded as much here as in myth.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)