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The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles #6
The Last Apprentice: Clash of the Demons
"You can't make alliances with witches and suchlike and hope to avoid being drawn toward the dark." As the Spook's apprentice, Thomas Ward's first duty is to protect the County from ghosts, boggarts, and other dangerous creatures. But now his mother has come back from her homeland to seek his help. One of the most dangerous of the old witches, Ordeen, is about to return to earth, bringing with her suffering and devastation. Tom's mother has mustered a powerful army—including Tom's friend Alice, the Pendle witches, and the assassin Grimalkin—to confront Ordeen. If Tom joins them, the Spook will refuse to take Tom back as his apprentice. What sacrifices will be made in the battle against the dark?
416 pages, Library Binding
First published June 4, 2008
303 people are currently reading
7073 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Delaney
59 books3,980 followersJoseph Delaney was a full time writer living in Lancashire, in the heart of Boggart territory.
He was the author of Wardstone Chronicles, Starblade Chronicles, Arena 13, Aberrations and a new book came out in April 2020, Brother Wulf. This is a new spooks story featuring Tom and Alice, but introducing a new character, a young monk called Brother Wulf.
He first got the idea for the Spooks series when he moved to the village where he lives now and discovered there was a local boggart - ‘a man like me needs boggarts around’. He made a note in his notebook ‘a story about a man who hunts boggarts’ and years later when he had to come up with an idea at short notice developed this into ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’, the first book in the series.
He continued to draw upon the folklore of Lancashire and has acquired much local knowledge over the years which he tweaks and modifies to create his fictional world. Another source of inspiration has been Lancashire's varied and atmospheric landscape. Many of the locations in the County are based on actual places in Lancashire.
In the early days of his writing career Joseph worked as a teacher at a Sixth Form College: his subjects were English, Film and Media Studies. He used to get up early and write every morning before work. That way he could write a book a year – which promptly got rejected! When the Americans bought the series he decided to give up teaching and write full time.
Prior to teaching he worked as an engineer in his twenties, completing an apprenticeship just like Tom Ward in the spook’s books.
Joseph described his method of writing as a process of discovery. He didn’t plot too far ahead and often didn’t know what is going to happen until he writes it down. In other words he made it up as he went along. He prefed writing dialogue to description, in which he said he is a minimalist and leaves much to the reader’s imagination.
Joseph had three children and nine grandchildren and was a wonderful public speaker available for conference, library and bookshop events.
The Spook's Apprentice, The Spook's Curse and The Spook's Secret have all been shortlisted for the Lancashire children's Book for the Year Award. The Spook's Apprentice is the winner of both the Sefton Book Award and the Hampshire Book Award.
www.josephdelaneyauthor.com
from publisher's website
He was the author of Wardstone Chronicles, Starblade Chronicles, Arena 13, Aberrations and a new book came out in April 2020, Brother Wulf. This is a new spooks story featuring Tom and Alice, but introducing a new character, a young monk called Brother Wulf.
He first got the idea for the Spooks series when he moved to the village where he lives now and discovered there was a local boggart - ‘a man like me needs boggarts around’. He made a note in his notebook ‘a story about a man who hunts boggarts’ and years later when he had to come up with an idea at short notice developed this into ‘The Spook’s Apprentice’, the first book in the series.
He continued to draw upon the folklore of Lancashire and has acquired much local knowledge over the years which he tweaks and modifies to create his fictional world. Another source of inspiration has been Lancashire's varied and atmospheric landscape. Many of the locations in the County are based on actual places in Lancashire.
In the early days of his writing career Joseph worked as a teacher at a Sixth Form College: his subjects were English, Film and Media Studies. He used to get up early and write every morning before work. That way he could write a book a year – which promptly got rejected! When the Americans bought the series he decided to give up teaching and write full time.
Prior to teaching he worked as an engineer in his twenties, completing an apprenticeship just like Tom Ward in the spook’s books.
Joseph described his method of writing as a process of discovery. He didn’t plot too far ahead and often didn’t know what is going to happen until he writes it down. In other words he made it up as he went along. He prefed writing dialogue to description, in which he said he is a minimalist and leaves much to the reader’s imagination.
Joseph had three children and nine grandchildren and was a wonderful public speaker available for conference, library and bookshop events.
The Spook's Apprentice, The Spook's Curse and The Spook's Secret have all been shortlisted for the Lancashire children's Book for the Year Award. The Spook's Apprentice is the winner of both the Sefton Book Award and the Hampshire Book Award.
www.josephdelaneyauthor.com
from publisher's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 571 reviews
November 30, 2025
"Human beings have hope. Not matter how desperate things are, they convince themselves that they can change things for the better."After barely surviving the wrath of the Bloodeye, Tom Ward is back in the county and under the Spook's tutelage once again. His newfound skills are going to be put to the test when his Mam comes back,begging for help.
After Tom's father passed, his Mam decided to return to her homeland of Greece. Tom knows that she once was part of the dark but found the light...but he didn't know how entrenched she used to be.
Regardless, a new evil has spread across Mam's homeland and it is so horrendous that it will soon threaten even the County.
The Spook is not happy to be forced to leave his County to fight this new evil, and he's even less happy with the necessary alliance that they forge with Alice, Grimalkin and the other witches...but without a compromise or two, they risk losing everyone to the dark.
I rather enjoy how Joseph Delaney always finds a way to add in more lore - this time incorporating creatures from Greek mythology - and weaving it seamlessly into the story.
"Don't judge yourself too harshly. Some things are meant to be, and you had to fall so that later you may rise and become what you are truly meant to be."
I was so happy to see Mam again - she's one of my favorite side characters and I'm so interested in her background. And Grimalkin? What a freaking badass. Love her.
Overall, I was rather pleased with the plot and how strong this series is, even when we are on book six!
Audiobook Comments
Read by Christopher Evan Welch - such a great reader!!
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March 7, 2020
Ok I'm a bit pissed off as I was really excited that Tom and the Spook where off to Greece and fight something other than the Fiend but the whole book felt like a freakin side track. THE WHOLE BLOOD JAR THING..... FFS... C'MON! Now Alice has to stick around.... because she'll die is she isn't LITERALLY glued to Tom's side, UGH!
Really disappointed and honestly I actually feel to angry to do a serious review and I just want to rant about how angry I am with how boring and pointless this story was.
Also, NO.ONE.LIKES.ALICE..... seriously she is not a good character, she is DEADWEIGHT!!!!!
Book 6 is a waste of time, don't bother.
1/5
Really disappointed and honestly I actually feel to angry to do a serious review and I just want to rant about how angry I am with how boring and pointless this story was.
Also, NO.ONE.LIKES.ALICE..... seriously she is not a good character, she is DEADWEIGHT!!!!!
Book 6 is a waste of time, don't bother.
1/5
July 17, 2015
7/10
Not the best in the series with the Spook and his apprentice heading to Greece of all places! Aren’t the Greek’s having enough issues at the minute without some paranormal activity going down?! Part of the fun of the series is the old worldy northern English feel and this loses some of its charm because of the whole Greek escapade.
Don’t get me wrong, a weak Spooks novel is still probably a lot better than any YA stuff you’ll get out there. I applaud the lack of love triangles and teen angst throughout this series and the clever ideas that they keep coming up with.
In this one it starts off slow with the journey to Greece not taking place until half way through the novel but then, come the end, some serious things have happened that are sure to have repercussions in the future novels. The series has taken a different approach from the first few novels with an overarching plot taking place along with each specific “beast of the week” type element. I like the idea of the Fiend and Tom coming to blows at the end and also the part Alice and the Spook will play.
So whilst not the best in the series, it is still a good quick read with plenty of major points happening by the end which will no doubt shape the rest of this series. I look forward to see how this is going to play out.
If you liked this try: “Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone” by JK Rowling
Not the best in the series with the Spook and his apprentice heading to Greece of all places! Aren’t the Greek’s having enough issues at the minute without some paranormal activity going down?! Part of the fun of the series is the old worldy northern English feel and this loses some of its charm because of the whole Greek escapade.
Don’t get me wrong, a weak Spooks novel is still probably a lot better than any YA stuff you’ll get out there. I applaud the lack of love triangles and teen angst throughout this series and the clever ideas that they keep coming up with.
In this one it starts off slow with the journey to Greece not taking place until half way through the novel but then, come the end, some serious things have happened that are sure to have repercussions in the future novels. The series has taken a different approach from the first few novels with an overarching plot taking place along with each specific “beast of the week” type element. I like the idea of the Fiend and Tom coming to blows at the end and also the part Alice and the Spook will play.
So whilst not the best in the series, it is still a good quick read with plenty of major points happening by the end which will no doubt shape the rest of this series. I look forward to see how this is going to play out.
If you liked this try: “Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone” by JK Rowling
April 25, 2022
SPOILER FREE
When I first started reading The Spook’s Sacrifice by Joseph Delaney, I felt a little let down. It felt like it was sidestepping the main issue of the series that had been set up in the previous two fantasy books. By the end, however, I could see the relevance of this book and how important it is to the overarching story.
We see a lot more of Thomas’ Mam in The Spook’s Sacrifice. She’s an incredibly interesting character and we’ve seen some of her past in previous entries, but in this book, we get to learn a lot more, as well as see a lot more.
It was great to see characters from the previous two books come together to fight an enemy. It made character like Mab Moldheel stand out, and Grimalkin is quickly becoming a favourite. We get to see Bill Arkwright again, and his character development from The Spook’s Mistake is fantastic.
As this is the 6th book in The Wardstone Chronicles, it’s hard to talk about anything in particular without giving away spoilers! Thomas Ward is quickly growing into a powerful young hero, quickly catching up with his own master, John Gregory. Alice is also very quickly becoming a stronger character, but whether she will remain in the Light or fall to the Dark we are yet to see.
The Spook’s Sacrifice takes us out of the County for the first time and into Greece, where the old gods are strong, and their magic influences the world around them. We follow Thomas Ward and the others are they try to navigate this new land full of dangerous threats and it’s exciting.
This series only gets bigger and bigger, the further you go into it.
View the full review at The Fantasy Review
When I first started reading The Spook’s Sacrifice by Joseph Delaney, I felt a little let down. It felt like it was sidestepping the main issue of the series that had been set up in the previous two fantasy books. By the end, however, I could see the relevance of this book and how important it is to the overarching story.
We see a lot more of Thomas’ Mam in The Spook’s Sacrifice. She’s an incredibly interesting character and we’ve seen some of her past in previous entries, but in this book, we get to learn a lot more, as well as see a lot more.
It was great to see characters from the previous two books come together to fight an enemy. It made character like Mab Moldheel stand out, and Grimalkin is quickly becoming a favourite. We get to see Bill Arkwright again, and his character development from The Spook’s Mistake is fantastic.
As this is the 6th book in The Wardstone Chronicles, it’s hard to talk about anything in particular without giving away spoilers! Thomas Ward is quickly growing into a powerful young hero, quickly catching up with his own master, John Gregory. Alice is also very quickly becoming a stronger character, but whether she will remain in the Light or fall to the Dark we are yet to see.
The Spook’s Sacrifice takes us out of the County for the first time and into Greece, where the old gods are strong, and their magic influences the world around them. We follow Thomas Ward and the others are they try to navigate this new land full of dangerous threats and it’s exciting.
This series only gets bigger and bigger, the further you go into it.
View the full review at The Fantasy Review
June 26, 2020
A real start till the end battle, this volume truly took John Gregory, Tom, Bill Arkwright and the Alliance of witches against the Fiend(a long name, but I still have not thought of a better and shorter grouping) from their comfort zones, Goodbye dreary, rainy England, Onwards to Mrs. Ward's homeland Greece!!!
Such a treasure trove of fights, internal musings, war of principles(if you are a do-gooder, do you embrace evil or use evil ways to win, does the end really justify the means????)
Tell that to John Gregory the oldest Spook(that I have read of)who still fights the good fight and his unwavering and unswerving principle(but when it comes to female.......well we all have our shortcomings), to our embattled Tom and his beliefs, to Alice(the Fiend's daughter, yes unbelievable!!), Grimalkin the foremost Witch Assassin(the person who turned the table, from true defeat to a fighting chance, Book 5 that is.........) and finally Bill Arkwright(with the weight lifted up from his shoulders, a better Spook for me, for he gets the job done also without much dilly dallying unlike his mentor).
Finally, an adventure not in the county, nor the northern or southern part of the country. Welcome to the Greece, land of olives, the greek culture, their myths and lore, the lamia witches and their version of the Fiend, the Ordeen, a goddess from the Olden times(I wonder if she Golgoth are of the same pantheon), a blight on the Greeks, every seven years, she and her army from Ord would arrive and terrorize, slaughter and feast. The story revolves around the plan to finally end the Ordeen's reign of terror, again we see much griping from our traditionalist, the ingenuity of Mrs. Ward, her long term plans(imagine giving birth to not 3 or 4 children but 7, because the seventh son is the culmination of her plans) and the bravery of a mother, to sacrifice herself and one of her child to battle and give hope to their world.
The sixth book was truly riveting, so much ideas, nuances and finally so much death..........I will miss them, especially.........such a waste, really such a waste........but the development in both Tom and Alice's lives has finally intertwined!!!!! Onwards to Book 7!!!
Such a treasure trove of fights, internal musings, war of principles(if you are a do-gooder, do you embrace evil or use evil ways to win, does the end really justify the means????)
Tell that to John Gregory the oldest Spook(that I have read of)who still fights the good fight and his unwavering and unswerving principle(but when it comes to female.......well we all have our shortcomings), to our embattled Tom and his beliefs, to Alice(the Fiend's daughter, yes unbelievable!!), Grimalkin the foremost Witch Assassin(the person who turned the table, from true defeat to a fighting chance, Book 5 that is.........) and finally Bill Arkwright(with the weight lifted up from his shoulders, a better Spook for me, for he gets the job done also without much dilly dallying unlike his mentor).
Finally, an adventure not in the county, nor the northern or southern part of the country. Welcome to the Greece, land of olives, the greek culture, their myths and lore, the lamia witches and their version of the Fiend, the Ordeen, a goddess from the Olden times(I wonder if she Golgoth are of the same pantheon), a blight on the Greeks, every seven years, she and her army from Ord would arrive and terrorize, slaughter and feast. The story revolves around the plan to finally end the Ordeen's reign of terror, again we see much griping from our traditionalist, the ingenuity of Mrs. Ward, her long term plans(imagine giving birth to not 3 or 4 children but 7, because the seventh son is the culmination of her plans) and the bravery of a mother, to sacrifice herself and one of her child to battle and give hope to their world.
The sixth book was truly riveting, so much ideas, nuances and finally so much death..........I will miss them, especially.........such a waste, really such a waste........but the development in both Tom and Alice's lives has finally intertwined!!!!! Onwards to Book 7!!!
December 10, 2017
“Be less than what you are so that you can become more.”
This one was pretty good but I didn't love it. Tom has gotten farther in his training and Alice and he are still apart . Until his Mam comes back and says she needs his help to save the world.
So off they go to Greece. It was interesting to see them go so far from the County but less interesting than getting to know the area more. The time spent on the ship and in Greece was quick with a lot of new bad things introduced. Most of it was interesting and it was a fast paced story.
This one was pretty good but I didn't love it. Tom has gotten farther in his training and Alice and he are still apart . Until his Mam comes back and says she needs his help to save the world.
So off they go to Greece. It was interesting to see them go so far from the County but less interesting than getting to know the area more. The time spent on the ship and in Greece was quick with a lot of new bad things introduced. Most of it was interesting and it was a fast paced story.
April 6, 2016
The Last Apprentice/ Wardstone Chronicles Series-Book #6...
This has been a very consistent series; all of the books have been really good. I just finished the audio version of this sixth book, Clash of the Demons, and I liked it just as much as the other ones.
In this installment, Mam, Tom's mother, enlists the help of Tom, Alice, the Spook, the Pendle witches, Bill Arkwright and the assassin Grimalkin to travel to Greece to help her battle the Ordeen. Of course, the fighters of the dark are reluctant to actually join forces with their dark enemies but they agree that it's the only chance they have of successfully destroying the Ordeen.
In the end, a few lives are lost and Tom makes some heavy sacrifices that I'm sure he'll have to answer to the Fiend for in the near future. Overall, it was an entertaining story with all of the characters battling together. I also enjoyed the change of scenery to Greece and I'm curious to see how things play out between Tom and the Fiend.
This has been a very consistent series; all of the books have been really good. I just finished the audio version of this sixth book, Clash of the Demons, and I liked it just as much as the other ones.
In this installment, Mam, Tom's mother, enlists the help of Tom, Alice, the Spook, the Pendle witches, Bill Arkwright and the assassin Grimalkin to travel to Greece to help her battle the Ordeen. Of course, the fighters of the dark are reluctant to actually join forces with their dark enemies but they agree that it's the only chance they have of successfully destroying the Ordeen.
In the end, a few lives are lost and Tom makes some heavy sacrifices that I'm sure he'll have to answer to the Fiend for in the near future. Overall, it was an entertaining story with all of the characters battling together. I also enjoyed the change of scenery to Greece and I'm curious to see how things play out between Tom and the Fiend.
January 20, 2018
Young Thomas Ward is in danger once again!
He turns fifteen, and now is a grown man and becoming much more powerful, because of that the Darkness is trying to destroy him.
* It ripped my heart in pieces, but I would still recommend this serie*
He turns fifteen, and now is a grown man and becoming much more powerful, because of that the Darkness is trying to destroy him.
* It ripped my heart in pieces, but I would still recommend this serie*
April 1, 2025
Solidly fine continuation of this enticing series! The lore of the world and depth of story are getting more interesting but the individual entries are just keeping pace with a standard delivery.
December 4, 2011
This is the sixth book of the Wardstone Chronicles. It's been a while since I read the last one, almost a year but it wasn't too difficult to get back into the story. The previous ones had been getting a bit repetitive I thought but this book was completely different. Mam returns to the County and asks Tom (and the Spook) to go to Greece with her and help her fight the dark there. It was a nice change but at the same time, it was so completely different that it seemed to be rather outlandish in comparison. And that's saying something from a series that brought back the Devil in book 4. There was no explanation as to why this particular thing was happening in Greece - it was mentioned several times that the Ordeen returned every 7 years but as Mam had been over in Greece for some time, there's been no explanation as to what she was doing there or why. Is it linked to what's going on in the County, or to the Devil's return? Is this affecting the whole world? We're not told. It smacked a little bit of desperation, trying to make this book so vastly different from the previous ones for some reason, that it made it too different and it doesn't seem to fit.
It was nice to finally find out about Mam but it just seemed to be so completely over the top. I had suspected that she might be a lamia witch but no, she turned out to be Lamia herself, the very first. There was a nice info dump about Lamia right at the start which told us that she had a serpent form and was killed by her children. When Tom asks Mam about the latter part, he is told 'don't believe all you read in books'. It didn't explain why she no longer had a serpent form either but then he never asked about that. It was a nice line, although it went so completely against the Spook's ideas of keeping records and a library of information to pass down to other Spooks. That has been a recurring theme throughout the series, the difference between Mam's ideals and ways of doing things and the Spook's, and also how Tom is caught in the middle of them both. It was certainly very evident in this book where Tom has to decide whether to go with his mother or with his master.
There are a lot of questions raised in this book but they're either not answered at all or are brushed off with a vague explanation. From the start, I had been wondering what had been in Mam's letter to the Spook that made him change his mind so drastically. When it's finally revealed at the end, I felt let down. There didn't seem to be anything in it that was worth such a massive change of heart from such a stubborn and arrogant person. It just didn't ring true. I think the biggest question that wasn't answered at all was the title. What exactly was the Spook's sacrifice? His dignity in changing his mind and helping Mam along with all the Pendle witches? It hardly seems something worthy of the title.
My only other gripe would be that there seems to be no character growth in Tom or Alice at all. Tom is supposed to be 15 at the end of the book - I presume Alice is around the same age - but they both act and speak the same as they did in the first book when they were 11. Tom is constantly deferring to what his mother says or the Spook says, as if he is unable to think for himself. He has no backbone and doesn't seem to be a strong enough character for what he's supposed to achieve. Still it was as enjoyable a read as all the others have been despite the completely outlandish plot.
It was nice to finally find out about Mam but it just seemed to be so completely over the top. I had suspected that she might be a lamia witch but no, she turned out to be Lamia herself, the very first. There was a nice info dump about Lamia right at the start which told us that she had a serpent form and was killed by her children. When Tom asks Mam about the latter part, he is told 'don't believe all you read in books'. It didn't explain why she no longer had a serpent form either but then he never asked about that. It was a nice line, although it went so completely against the Spook's ideas of keeping records and a library of information to pass down to other Spooks. That has been a recurring theme throughout the series, the difference between Mam's ideals and ways of doing things and the Spook's, and also how Tom is caught in the middle of them both. It was certainly very evident in this book where Tom has to decide whether to go with his mother or with his master.
There are a lot of questions raised in this book but they're either not answered at all or are brushed off with a vague explanation. From the start, I had been wondering what had been in Mam's letter to the Spook that made him change his mind so drastically. When it's finally revealed at the end, I felt let down. There didn't seem to be anything in it that was worth such a massive change of heart from such a stubborn and arrogant person. It just didn't ring true. I think the biggest question that wasn't answered at all was the title. What exactly was the Spook's sacrifice? His dignity in changing his mind and helping Mam along with all the Pendle witches? It hardly seems something worthy of the title.
My only other gripe would be that there seems to be no character growth in Tom or Alice at all. Tom is supposed to be 15 at the end of the book - I presume Alice is around the same age - but they both act and speak the same as they did in the first book when they were 11. Tom is constantly deferring to what his mother says or the Spook says, as if he is unable to think for himself. He has no backbone and doesn't seem to be a strong enough character for what he's supposed to achieve. Still it was as enjoyable a read as all the others have been despite the completely outlandish plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2019
Wardstone Chronicles Book 6
*The Spook's Sacrifice*
SO here we are, now that I've finished the sixth book in the series it surely feels a lot more different. Again, for the fifth time in the row, the story takes place at a different place than the Chipenden. This time the destination is Greece, the home of Tom's Mam and the antagonist is the Ordeen, yet another powerful malevolent Old Goddess. This is a very different book from the series, and its pace is not steady. Sometimes its too fast and sometimes too slow. I just have to say that it is full of emotion though. The plot is straightforward with one thing happening at one time, but takes a lot twists and turns. I won't bother to get into the story as you will find it anywhere. It mainly focuses on revealing the secrets of Tom's Mam (Mother). A lot of dark secrets and backstories follow as our young (and old) heroes get towards Greece. The book starts with an attack from the maenad assassin and then slowly the story starts developing faster and faster and then there's a lot of action and fight scenes, a lot of then. I'd like to inform you that there a only just a few lessons in the book given to Tom by the Spook. I personally think that there's a lot of new characters introduced in the book but most of them die, so that's not much of a big deal. I think that the plot of was slow in the beginning but i read it very quickly and later after the interlouge, the plot went very faster and it seemed that I read slow. It may seem controversial but it's true. I read this book for the fourth time, so there was not much of a surprise for me but still it was enchanting, especially in the end. There's a lot of change in the charachters, especially that of Tom and Alice. they seem distant and grown up and full of sadness. I don't know why but they do not seem to have their original qualities. Things have really grown darker after the summoning of the Fiend. (Damn those Pendle Witches!) I hate to break it to you but the most major character in the book after Tom is not the Spook or Alice but Tom's Mum. She may even be the central character. It's odd to see Mam summoning all those Pendle witches for help, the Spook and Tom think that its too dark and unnecessary for the witches to be an ally. The Spook just overdoes it, thankfully at the last moment he joins he team for their journey to Greece along with Mam. Sometimes, the Spook annoys me too much as he keeps talking how the dark influences Tom to get towards the dark side. To my Amazement, the book brings back amazing characters like Bill Arkwright, Grimalkin, Mab Mouldheel, the Fiend. The journey on the ship is also remarkable, with the attack of the Sirens and all. But most of the story takes place at Greece and what a great description! I must surely thank Delaney for such a great detail about the climate, landscape, bio-diversity in Greece. It seems as if you yourself are roaming the great arid deserts. As I said, Mam reveals a lot of history about how she was the first lamia witch and her conversion to the light and how she wants to bind and destroy the Ordeen once and for all. I love the storyline of the attack of lamias in the night, Alice's death in the cave(don't worry, Tom saves her using the Dark wish given to him by Grimalkin), approach to Kalambaka which is a town in Greece consisting of monks who pray for the light. Now, the most interesting that that I would like to inform you about this book is the architecture and the detailing of the Ord which is a large building in which the Ordeen will awaken. It has got hidden chambers, defence barriers made up of fire, traps, demons and elementals hidden in it. The creatures in the Ord are nothing compared to the ones in the county. Once, the delegation of thirteen consisting of Tom, Spook, Alice, Grimalkin, Mab are inside the Ord the story flows much faster and impressive. It just hooks you to read and complete the book. First, the impressive fight between Grimalkin and the servant of Ordeen is just gripping. Later, the result of the Or seen being released is shown to Tom by the devil and even reading it makes you shiver. All those flying vengars and the demons flying with Fiends unlimited backup of power is terrifying. There is not even a bit sign of joy and happiness in the book, which makes it monotonous and very serious. Arkwright gets killed while fighting an elemental. That was very sad. The next most interesting thing is the bargain with the Fiend. Tom risking his soul for the greater good is just heroic, not really. Then, the moment comes when atom faxes the Ordeen herself, at this moment you really realize that Delaney has planned this book very carefully, taking in consideration the minute details that will influence and change the plotline. Toms blood makes the Ordeen appear confused and gives him a few abilities. Anther skill of Tom is brought into spotlight, namely the ability to mock the tide of time as the Ordeen calls it. I forgot to tell you that the Ordeen look really gross, not scary but weird. And the moment Mam reveals her lamia form, its the moment that you will remember till the end of the Wardstone Chronicles, its unforgettable. Mam tries to ell Tom about his destiny and her sacrifice for him. This is surely a very emotional situation. The it's breaks as Mam and Ordeen fight and both die. Later, Alice saves Tom yet again from the Fiend, whoc arrives to takeTom's soul. I personally think that Tom does not turst anybody, not evn his Mam for some time. I think the Fiend has clouded his judegement, and rather than it being the Spook's sacrifice, I think that Mam was the real one to sacricie herself, so there. There's alot of inspirationin the book, especiailly in Mam's letters. It really motivates Tom to forget abou the past adn get ahead in the future. A great book, with a lot of sadness, action, journey, growth, inspirationand advenunture. A real treat for the Wardstone Chronicle fans. Just let me warn you not to read this book more than once or it really spoils the magic, you won't be amazedif you readt it more than once or max twice. Nice Reading!!!
*The Spook's Sacrifice*
SO here we are, now that I've finished the sixth book in the series it surely feels a lot more different. Again, for the fifth time in the row, the story takes place at a different place than the Chipenden. This time the destination is Greece, the home of Tom's Mam and the antagonist is the Ordeen, yet another powerful malevolent Old Goddess. This is a very different book from the series, and its pace is not steady. Sometimes its too fast and sometimes too slow. I just have to say that it is full of emotion though. The plot is straightforward with one thing happening at one time, but takes a lot twists and turns. I won't bother to get into the story as you will find it anywhere. It mainly focuses on revealing the secrets of Tom's Mam (Mother). A lot of dark secrets and backstories follow as our young (and old) heroes get towards Greece. The book starts with an attack from the maenad assassin and then slowly the story starts developing faster and faster and then there's a lot of action and fight scenes, a lot of then. I'd like to inform you that there a only just a few lessons in the book given to Tom by the Spook. I personally think that there's a lot of new characters introduced in the book but most of them die, so that's not much of a big deal. I think that the plot of was slow in the beginning but i read it very quickly and later after the interlouge, the plot went very faster and it seemed that I read slow. It may seem controversial but it's true. I read this book for the fourth time, so there was not much of a surprise for me but still it was enchanting, especially in the end. There's a lot of change in the charachters, especially that of Tom and Alice. they seem distant and grown up and full of sadness. I don't know why but they do not seem to have their original qualities. Things have really grown darker after the summoning of the Fiend. (Damn those Pendle Witches!) I hate to break it to you but the most major character in the book after Tom is not the Spook or Alice but Tom's Mum. She may even be the central character. It's odd to see Mam summoning all those Pendle witches for help, the Spook and Tom think that its too dark and unnecessary for the witches to be an ally. The Spook just overdoes it, thankfully at the last moment he joins he team for their journey to Greece along with Mam. Sometimes, the Spook annoys me too much as he keeps talking how the dark influences Tom to get towards the dark side. To my Amazement, the book brings back amazing characters like Bill Arkwright, Grimalkin, Mab Mouldheel, the Fiend. The journey on the ship is also remarkable, with the attack of the Sirens and all. But most of the story takes place at Greece and what a great description! I must surely thank Delaney for such a great detail about the climate, landscape, bio-diversity in Greece. It seems as if you yourself are roaming the great arid deserts. As I said, Mam reveals a lot of history about how she was the first lamia witch and her conversion to the light and how she wants to bind and destroy the Ordeen once and for all. I love the storyline of the attack of lamias in the night, Alice's death in the cave(don't worry, Tom saves her using the Dark wish given to him by Grimalkin), approach to Kalambaka which is a town in Greece consisting of monks who pray for the light. Now, the most interesting that that I would like to inform you about this book is the architecture and the detailing of the Ord which is a large building in which the Ordeen will awaken. It has got hidden chambers, defence barriers made up of fire, traps, demons and elementals hidden in it. The creatures in the Ord are nothing compared to the ones in the county. Once, the delegation of thirteen consisting of Tom, Spook, Alice, Grimalkin, Mab are inside the Ord the story flows much faster and impressive. It just hooks you to read and complete the book. First, the impressive fight between Grimalkin and the servant of Ordeen is just gripping. Later, the result of the Or seen being released is shown to Tom by the devil and even reading it makes you shiver. All those flying vengars and the demons flying with Fiends unlimited backup of power is terrifying. There is not even a bit sign of joy and happiness in the book, which makes it monotonous and very serious. Arkwright gets killed while fighting an elemental. That was very sad. The next most interesting thing is the bargain with the Fiend. Tom risking his soul for the greater good is just heroic, not really. Then, the moment comes when atom faxes the Ordeen herself, at this moment you really realize that Delaney has planned this book very carefully, taking in consideration the minute details that will influence and change the plotline. Toms blood makes the Ordeen appear confused and gives him a few abilities. Anther skill of Tom is brought into spotlight, namely the ability to mock the tide of time as the Ordeen calls it. I forgot to tell you that the Ordeen look really gross, not scary but weird. And the moment Mam reveals her lamia form, its the moment that you will remember till the end of the Wardstone Chronicles, its unforgettable. Mam tries to ell Tom about his destiny and her sacrifice for him. This is surely a very emotional situation. The it's breaks as Mam and Ordeen fight and both die. Later, Alice saves Tom yet again from the Fiend, whoc arrives to takeTom's soul. I personally think that Tom does not turst anybody, not evn his Mam for some time. I think the Fiend has clouded his judegement, and rather than it being the Spook's sacrifice, I think that Mam was the real one to sacricie herself, so there. There's alot of inspirationin the book, especiailly in Mam's letters. It really motivates Tom to forget abou the past adn get ahead in the future. A great book, with a lot of sadness, action, journey, growth, inspirationand advenunture. A real treat for the Wardstone Chronicle fans. Just let me warn you not to read this book more than once or it really spoils the magic, you won't be amazedif you readt it more than once or max twice. Nice Reading!!!
January 16, 2022
Je relis souvent cette saga, un peu trop similaire à Harry Potter mais sans l'être beaucoup non plus et je voulais me reconfirmer qu'elle était toujours aussi bien, à 20 ans, presque 5 ans après ma première lecture.
On est toujours dans cet esprit fantasy light avec des personnages jeunes certes mais matures et extrêmement attachants. Le point fort de ces derniers réside dans le fait qu'ils ne soient ni complètement gentils ni complètement méchants, l'auteur est assez malin et joue sur le "et si" beaucoup trop avec ses personnages et c'est ce qui rend cette histoire beaucoup plus alléchante, l'on ne sait jamais qui va tomber sur qui, mais au fur et à mesure que la lecture avance, beaucoup de révélations entrent en jeu et le puzzle de l'histoire devient de plus en plus visible 🤓
On est toujours dans cet esprit fantasy light avec des personnages jeunes certes mais matures et extrêmement attachants. Le point fort de ces derniers réside dans le fait qu'ils ne soient ni complètement gentils ni complètement méchants, l'auteur est assez malin et joue sur le "et si" beaucoup trop avec ses personnages et c'est ce qui rend cette histoire beaucoup plus alléchante, l'on ne sait jamais qui va tomber sur qui, mais au fur et à mesure que la lecture avance, beaucoup de révélations entrent en jeu et le puzzle de l'histoire devient de plus en plus visible 🤓
December 20, 2017
My favourite middle-grade series along with Ranger's Apprentice, but as we head into book 6 Tom is turning 15 so the books are getting a bit darker and more YA.
I just love the characters, the continuing storylines, and of course the "spooky" stuff :)
I just love the characters, the continuing storylines, and of course the "spooky" stuff :)
September 15, 2019
Review to come.
April 8, 2025
In terms of excitement and non-stop action, The Spook's Sacrifice is right up there with the first book in the series. I read this installment in just 2 days' time and now I'm a little bummed that I read so fast, because this is it until May!
This book has a formula that I consider to be successful in nearly all cases: there's a quest - an actual journey that takes the characters out of a familiar setting and plunges them into a totally new atmosphere. That tension nearly always creates a fun and exciting read for me. Also, there's a battle: the whole story revolves around this major good-evil confrontation and the suspense surrounding the planning and execution of the goal. Action, when done right, is definitely a winning element. And Delaney is a master when it comes to setting up scenes, particularly in the visual elements. He's also really good at drawing you in to the suspense and excitement of what's going on, particularly through the narrative voice of the MC, Tom Ward.
- That being said, there were a few plot revelations that really didn't work for me. I'm one the readers who believes that not everything an author writes has to be devoured with this "Oh sure thing!" attitude. I didn't like a few things that happened - they just seemed a little too far-fetched for my liking. But hey, I'm obviously not docking stars or anything...
- Characterization, though, has regressed a little throughout the last 2 books. I still like Tom and everything, but lately he's kind of gotten on my nerves, and he seems at times like a major walking contradiction, especially when it comes to how he deals with the Spook, his Mam, and Alice. He'll do something really noteworthy, and then just a little while later he'll revert back to the same old self that he was before...so I don't really know what to think of him sometimes. He's a well-rounded character, sure, but his actions/emotions seem very contradictory. I don't want to drop spoilers, so I won't elaborate. And this is bad for me since he's like one of the MCs, but I pretty much don't like the Spook. He annoys the crap out of me - gah he's so hypocritical! It drives me so crazy! I just want to thrust my hand through the page and smack him! It seems like everything to Spooks says and does is justified by the author, because I'm not picking up on any "well, clearly the Spook is wrong" message, and that annoys me. I like my Authoritative Figures (the Dumbledores and the Chirons and other teacher-mentor characters) to either be relatively flawless OR flawed-and-used-as-an-example. But by the end of the book, the Spook seemed to have been slipped some Compassion Pills so maybe we're good...
If you haven't started this series already, they are highly recommended! I like to muse and rant, sure, but the bottom line is that this is a highly engrossing series by a very creative and talented author that you will DEVOUR! Now I'm off to Wal-Mart to find a pet boggart :P
This book has a formula that I consider to be successful in nearly all cases: there's a quest - an actual journey that takes the characters out of a familiar setting and plunges them into a totally new atmosphere. That tension nearly always creates a fun and exciting read for me. Also, there's a battle: the whole story revolves around this major good-evil confrontation and the suspense surrounding the planning and execution of the goal. Action, when done right, is definitely a winning element. And Delaney is a master when it comes to setting up scenes, particularly in the visual elements. He's also really good at drawing you in to the suspense and excitement of what's going on, particularly through the narrative voice of the MC, Tom Ward.
- That being said, there were a few plot revelations that really didn't work for me. I'm one the readers who believes that not everything an author writes has to be devoured with this "Oh sure thing!" attitude. I didn't like a few things that happened - they just seemed a little too far-fetched for my liking. But hey, I'm obviously not docking stars or anything...
- Characterization, though, has regressed a little throughout the last 2 books. I still like Tom and everything, but lately he's kind of gotten on my nerves, and he seems at times like a major walking contradiction, especially when it comes to how he deals with the Spook, his Mam, and Alice. He'll do something really noteworthy, and then just a little while later he'll revert back to the same old self that he was before...so I don't really know what to think of him sometimes. He's a well-rounded character, sure, but his actions/emotions seem very contradictory. I don't want to drop spoilers, so I won't elaborate. And this is bad for me since he's like one of the MCs, but I pretty much don't like the Spook. He annoys the crap out of me - gah he's so hypocritical! It drives me so crazy! I just want to thrust my hand through the page and smack him! It seems like everything to Spooks says and does is justified by the author, because I'm not picking up on any "well, clearly the Spook is wrong" message, and that annoys me. I like my Authoritative Figures (the Dumbledores and the Chirons and other teacher-mentor characters) to either be relatively flawless OR flawed-and-used-as-an-example. But by the end of the book, the Spook seemed to have been slipped some Compassion Pills so maybe we're good...
If you haven't started this series already, they are highly recommended! I like to muse and rant, sure, but the bottom line is that this is a highly engrossing series by a very creative and talented author that you will DEVOUR! Now I'm off to Wal-Mart to find a pet boggart :P
April 27, 2022
هیجانش از جلدهای قبلی هم بیشتر بود. نویسنده بدون هیچ مقدمهچینی خاصی و فقط با بیان مسائل اصلی ماجرا رو جلو میبره و این باعث میشه کتاب کمحجم بشه ولی ریتم تندی داشته باشه. ازش لذت بردم.
May 14, 2010
This latest Tom Ward book was just as good as all the others. I tore through it in a matter of days and now I have to wait until August to read the 7th installment!
I just love the characters in this one. Tom Ward, the Last Apprentice himself, is such a touching character. He is innocent in many ways, and yet has seen great evil in his short life. His best friend/girlfriend, Alice, was born to a witch family and there is the constant threat that she may turn to the dark side, but she loves Tom more than anything, which keeps her on the side of good more often than not. The Spook himself, Tom's master, is another amazing and complex character--you really, really like him and yet you can be so frustrated with him at how he dislikes Alice simply for her lineage and cannot accept any of the good things she does for Tom. (She has saved Tom's life over and over. . .)
What I most love about this series though is that despite the outlandish nature of the evil encounters they face in each installment, I find myself drawn in by the incredible plots, round, fully-developed and real characters, the palpable sense one gets of the County, where Tom lives in England and the mood of the books.
Joseph Delaney is a master story-crafter--it would be a pity to miss out on this incredibly riveting series. . .
I just love the characters in this one. Tom Ward, the Last Apprentice himself, is such a touching character. He is innocent in many ways, and yet has seen great evil in his short life. His best friend/girlfriend, Alice, was born to a witch family and there is the constant threat that she may turn to the dark side, but she loves Tom more than anything, which keeps her on the side of good more often than not. The Spook himself, Tom's master, is another amazing and complex character--you really, really like him and yet you can be so frustrated with him at how he dislikes Alice simply for her lineage and cannot accept any of the good things she does for Tom. (She has saved Tom's life over and over. . .)
What I most love about this series though is that despite the outlandish nature of the evil encounters they face in each installment, I find myself drawn in by the incredible plots, round, fully-developed and real characters, the palpable sense one gets of the County, where Tom lives in England and the mood of the books.
Joseph Delaney is a master story-crafter--it would be a pity to miss out on this incredibly riveting series. . .
March 4, 2012
Exciting book, but one of the darker books in the series.
Likes:
* Spook Arkwright, Claw and 2 pups
* Witch assassin, Grimalkin
* Tom Ward's mother, Mam
* Big battle
* Great monsters and evil things
Dislikes:
* Alice trying to corrupt Tom
* Tom Ward keeping things from his master, Spook
* Spook being so uncompromising and stiff and condescending
With-reservations:
black magic, compromising values, ends justifying the means,
Likes:
* Spook Arkwright, Claw and 2 pups
* Witch assassin, Grimalkin
* Tom Ward's mother, Mam
* Big battle
* Great monsters and evil things
Dislikes:
* Alice trying to corrupt Tom
* Tom Ward keeping things from his master, Spook
* Spook being so uncompromising and stiff and condescending
With-reservations:
black magic, compromising values, ends justifying the means,
March 5, 2017
I can't believe how fast this is going. I struggle a long time to get through book one. And know I can't seem to stop reading this series. Book 6 if 13 is done. And I'm a little bit sad. It's going for the end. Tom is growing up. He is now 15 years old. When we first meet him he was 12. This story's about him and his friends is written like it's suppos to be his journal. I can't believe how good it is.
March 14, 2018
Another action-packed, bloody adventure, this time to Greece. While it wasn't the best in the series, it was one of the most suspenseful ones, with a shocking twist in the middle that'll leave readers breathless. With the twist at the end of Wrath of the Bloodeye, I did not expect another so soon!
Will definitely be picking up the next in the series! I can't wait to see where Tom and Alice will end up next, and what the Fiend has in store for them.
Will definitely be picking up the next in the series! I can't wait to see where Tom and Alice will end up next, and what the Fiend has in store for them.
October 3, 2009
Didn't grab me in the first half like the others in the series, but by the end I was hooked as always. Can't wait to see what happens next. Seriously, if you have a reluctant reader in your life, child or adult, recommend this series. You will be doing them a solid!
June 16, 2015
Poate cel mai dur roman din serie, dramatic si trist, insa evolutia lui Tom este uimitoare. Daca nu eram stresata cu licenta, citeam toata seria in 4 zile.
November 26, 2016
A solid installment in the series. Tom continues to develop nicely, having faced so much. However, I didn't like the Greece addition. For some reason it takes away from the overall plot progression.
September 11, 2025
I liked how it was a side quest leading to important revelations
February 29, 2020
Tom Ward's next adventure starts off with him going home to meet up with his mom. He's not seen her in quite some time and she doesn't have the best news. She informs Tom that she needs him to join her in traveling to her homeland in order to fight an ancient evil witch, known as the Ordeen. If Tom doesn't help, and the Ordeen comes out into the world, everybody will die. The Spook isn't fond of this idea, of course, but he does eventually join up with Tom, Tom's mother, and everyone else (witches, other allies, and Tom's best witch friend, Alice). I love that Tom is reunited with his best friend, Alice. Tom is also reunited with the witch, Grimalkin, in this adventure and she offers Tom a dark wish to use at any time he needs. He ends up using it to save Alice's life. In this particular adventure, Tom's mom confides in him her darkest secret. Tom learns that his mother is the original Lamia witch, the mother of them all. She was very evil but after meeting Tom's human father, and him saving her life, she wanted to be good and turned her life around. She has tried to walk in the path of light as much as possible since that time. Tom ends up having to bargain even more of himself with the darkness as they get closer to the Ordeen. In order to have a fighting chance at all and to save the lives of everybody else, including himself, Tom bargains his soul to The Fiend. The Fiend promises to come to collect in several days time. Tom's mother reverts to her former Lamia form and attacks the Ordeen. She saves everybody but sacrifices herself. She makes Tom promise to get out so he won't perish with her. He has to leave his mother to her fate but he, Alice, the Spook, Grimalkin, and several others make it out alive. And when The Fiend comes to collect on his soul, Alice has a trick of her own and had mixed her blood and Tom's blood in a jar to keep the Fiend away from Tom. And while the world is safe for now, Tom realizes that ultimately, if he's to be okay, he has to defeat the Fiend before he perishes or else his soul will belong to the Fiend for eternity. He also realizes that if the Spook ever finds out just how close to the dark he's getting, things would change and not for the better...the Spook only wants Tom walking a path in the light and that has ultimately become impossible for Tom. I look forward to seeing where the next adventure leads Tom.
June 24, 2017
I don't know how to feel about lot of this book. :/
Tom Ward's mum went back to her homeland a while back, (which is in Greece) to help fight the forces of the dark. One foe in particular is going to awake, the Ordeen, one of the most dangerous of the old gods, who will bring slaughter and devastation to the earth. So Mam need's more people to help face this coming foe and has summoned a powerful group to her side, among them are Tom's old enemy, the Pendle witches, including the assassin Grimalkin (YES! I love her!), and the cunning clan leader Mab Moldheel - who Tom deferentially doesn't like.
So this arrangement and using powers of the dark to destroy the dark, was completely unacceptable to Tom's master the Spook and he leaves to go home... but not for long. And the Spook Bill come's too.
I guessed by the end of the first book what Mam really is, and I knew she would play a bigger part in this series - and I was right!!! :D
One of my problems with the 5th and 6th book is that in this book Tom is supposed to be 15, and I presume Alice is around the same age but they both act and speak the same as they did in the 1st book when they were 11. And Tom is constantly deferring to what his mother says or the Spook says, as if he is unable to think for himself. He has no backbone and doesn't seem to be a strong enough character for what he's supposed to achieve in here and for what is to come as the fight isn't over.
The Dark is coming Tom and the Fiend is closing in on you. Do you have what it takes to survive him and anything else he, and his minions of the Dark throw at you? Can you survive the Dark.
Tom Ward's mum went back to her homeland a while back, (which is in Greece) to help fight the forces of the dark. One foe in particular is going to awake, the Ordeen, one of the most dangerous of the old gods, who will bring slaughter and devastation to the earth. So Mam need's more people to help face this coming foe and has summoned a powerful group to her side, among them are Tom's old enemy, the Pendle witches, including the assassin Grimalkin (YES! I love her!), and the cunning clan leader Mab Moldheel - who Tom deferentially doesn't like.
So this arrangement and using powers of the dark to destroy the dark, was completely unacceptable to Tom's master the Spook and he leaves to go home... but not for long. And the Spook Bill come's too.
I guessed by the end of the first book what Mam really is, and I knew she would play a bigger part in this series - and I was right!!! :D
One of my problems with the 5th and 6th book is that in this book Tom is supposed to be 15, and I presume Alice is around the same age but they both act and speak the same as they did in the 1st book when they were 11. And Tom is constantly deferring to what his mother says or the Spook says, as if he is unable to think for himself. He has no backbone and doesn't seem to be a strong enough character for what he's supposed to achieve in here and for what is to come as the fight isn't over.
The Dark is coming Tom and the Fiend is closing in on you. Do you have what it takes to survive him and anything else he, and his minions of the Dark throw at you? Can you survive the Dark.
May 25, 2022
Po stanowczo zbyt długiej przerwie wróciłem do "Kronik Wardstone" i doskonale wiedząc, jakich atrakcji mogę się spodziewać po kolejnym tomie tego, utrzymującego niezmiennie wysoki poziom cyklu, otrzymałem dokładnie tego, czego potrzebowałem. Wartka akcja, interesująca przygoda a do tego garść wyjaśnień dotychczas skrywanych przed czytelnikiem tajemnic i spora dawka nowych, oraz masa wzruszeń, bowiem autor nie zwykł oszczędzać swoich bohaterów, z głównym na czele.
Tom Ward tym razem wyrusza poza granice dobrze nam już znanego Hrabstwa, by w odległej Grecji stawić czoła potężnemu demonowi, zwanemu Ordyną - bestii, która pała żądzą zemsty względem rodziny Ucznia Stracharza, oraz pragnieniem zniszczenia całego świata. Tym razem naszemu bohaterowi towarzyszy grono postaci, które zazwyczaj stoją po różnych stronach barykady i w wyprawie tej łączy je nie tylko cel zapobieżenia "większemu złu", ale także własne, niekoniecznie służące temu, plany.
Joseph Delaney mistrzowsko buduje intrygę i napięcie, oraz rozgrywa tu zręcznie motyw niedopasowanej drużyny, która przed stawieniem czoła Złemu, musi przełamać lody nieufności i uprzedzeń. Jak zwykle jest to książka opowiadająca jedną odrębną historię - i w jej ramach Delaney serwuje doskonale skonstruowaną i pozbawioną dłużyzn, absorbującą fabułę. Jednocześnie ponownie udaje się autorowi wzbudzić apetyt na tyle, że ma się ochotę sięgnąć po kolejny tom, zbliżający do - z dawna przepowiadanej - konfrontacji z "przeciwnikiem ostatecznym". "Starcie demonów", jak i cały cykl, jak pewnie się domyślacie, polecam!
Tom Ward tym razem wyrusza poza granice dobrze nam już znanego Hrabstwa, by w odległej Grecji stawić czoła potężnemu demonowi, zwanemu Ordyną - bestii, która pała żądzą zemsty względem rodziny Ucznia Stracharza, oraz pragnieniem zniszczenia całego świata. Tym razem naszemu bohaterowi towarzyszy grono postaci, które zazwyczaj stoją po różnych stronach barykady i w wyprawie tej łączy je nie tylko cel zapobieżenia "większemu złu", ale także własne, niekoniecznie służące temu, plany.
Joseph Delaney mistrzowsko buduje intrygę i napięcie, oraz rozgrywa tu zręcznie motyw niedopasowanej drużyny, która przed stawieniem czoła Złemu, musi przełamać lody nieufności i uprzedzeń. Jak zwykle jest to książka opowiadająca jedną odrębną historię - i w jej ramach Delaney serwuje doskonale skonstruowaną i pozbawioną dłużyzn, absorbującą fabułę. Jednocześnie ponownie udaje się autorowi wzbudzić apetyt na tyle, że ma się ochotę sięgnąć po kolejny tom, zbliżający do - z dawna przepowiadanej - konfrontacji z "przeciwnikiem ostatecznym". "Starcie demonów", jak i cały cykl, jak pewnie się domyślacie, polecam!
November 11, 2018
I really enjoyed this thrilling fantasy book. I really like how much suspense there was in the book it always had wondering what was going to happen as you turned to the next page. It had multiple cliff hangers but one major cliff hanger during the climax of the book which was when they were fighting the Ordeen which is a super powerful demon that comes every 8 years in Greece. Another I liked was the character I really like The Apprentices mom. They call Mam through the story and I really liked her because she was so fearless and selfless. In the story she sacrificed herself to save people and risked herself for others. I really enjoy a character who is selfless and mentally strong. If you enjoy Fantasy you should think about reading this series it has a lot of good traits.
October 5, 2018
an epic journy of the main character tom ward,his master the spook/mr gregory and alice as they go to greece to defeat tom wards mothers long time enemy the ordham before she defeats the last remaining defence keeping her issolated in one area,if she breaks free she can "spawn" in anywhere in the world and will take her revenge on the county,the place tom ward and his master live. however along the way they discover more about the dark that resides in the area like fire elementals and the natives there.
March 20, 2023
SPOLIER FREE - Once again I was not expecting half of the things that were unearthed in this book!
The development of relationships of the characters both between each other and within themselves has been amazing.
I really do not know what to expect as I know there's another 7 books to go in the series and with the amount of shocking things that's happened in the last 2 I've read I am excited (yet nervous) for what on earth is to come next!
The development of relationships of the characters both between each other and within themselves has been amazing.
I really do not know what to expect as I know there's another 7 books to go in the series and with the amount of shocking things that's happened in the last 2 I've read I am excited (yet nervous) for what on earth is to come next!
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