Revenge of the Witch (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles, Book 1)

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Revenge of the Witch (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles #1)

by Joseph Delaney, Patrick Arrasmith (Illustrations)

4.01 of 5 stars 4.01 · rating details · 11,165 ratings · 1,140 reviews

Capturing witchesBinding boggartsDriving away ghostsFor years, Old Gregory has been the Spook for the county, ridding the local villages of evil. Now his time is coming to an end. But who will take over for him? Twenty-nine apprentices have tried-some floundered, some fled, some failed to stay alive.

Only Thomas Ward is left. He's the last hope; the last apprentice.

Can Thom...more

Hardcover, 343 pages

Published September 6th 2005 by Greenwillow Books (first published July 1st 2004)

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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

Best Young Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series

54th out of 120 books — 35 voters

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Jan 18, 2010 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-books, series-books, ya-kids-teen, 2010, mc-guy

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
I have a very, very good feeling about the rest of the books in the Wardstone Chronicles after completing this book (it's called Revenge of the Witch in the US)...
- First of all, a very, very engaging and rather original plot! It's similar to HARRY POTTER in this: both take place in England, and both have a lot to do with folkoric creatures and legends: witches, boggarts, and the like. But there's where the similarities end. You can read the synopsis up at the to...more Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!
I have a very, very good feeling about the rest of the books in the Wardstone Chronicles after completing this book (it's called Revenge of the Witch in the US)...
- First of all, a very, very engaging and rather original plot! It's similar to HARRY POTTER in this: both take place in England, and both have a lot to do with folkoric creatures and legends: witches, boggarts, and the like. But there's where the similarities end. You can read the synopsis up at the top and know that this will be the story of Thomas J. Ward, the seventh son of a seventh son (hey Angie Sage--that's like your story!) who becomes the apprentice of the County's Spook (hold your horses - fellow Americans! That's the dude's title) and through all sorts of adventures learns the lessons of the trade.
- Second, I am a new, big fan of Joseph Delaney's writing style. His prose is simple (not highfalutin' like some other authors out there!) and yet incredibly descriptive; he draws you fully into the world of his story. Every word is engaging, every word flows with ease to create an image in your mind.
- With that in mind, I do want to make a declaration: I READ THIS BOOK AFTER DARK! The book warns readers specifically not to do that. And I huffed and I puffed and I said, "this book won't be scary! I'm 21 years old now!" and within a few minutes I was opening up my rommmate's door just to make sure I wasn't alone. So this book isn't really *scary* so much as it's incredibly eerie in some sections. There are parts that read like a good'ol fashion ghost story. In my opinion, Delaney doesnt overdo himself and really hammer home what's going on - rather he paces everything so that you are drawn in to the suspicion and the intensity of the story and you can't put the book down!
- Now here's my fine-print: I think this book would be enjoyed best by the +13 crowd. I got the number 13 just because that's the age of the main character and I personally think that anyone lower than maybe 7th-8th grade might potentially have a hard time with some details of the story. However, I didnt find anything "inappropriate" per see, and if there are any fellow religious people out there, this info is for you: there are a couple parts where characters speak critically of priests. Not God, priests. It all seems reasonable within the story, and if it didnt bother an ultra-sensitive person like me, it probably won't bother you, either. :)

So CHECK OUT this book!!!! Again, in America, it's called Revenge of the Witch and it's part of the Last Apprentice series. I usually don't give out 5-stars, but most every aspect of the story was superb! Definitely recommended---to the +13 crowd! (less)

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Apr 28, 2008 Cooper rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although clearly written as a children's book (over explanation and reminders of what has previously occurred) - it is quite dark, with bone witches and strip the flesh from fresh corpses and blood witches that drain blood from living children, eat babies and make blood cakes to increase their strength. It does a good job of watering these parts down, but they are still there, I would not recommend it for it's target audience, and it definitely would not be night time reading for that age unless...more

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Mar 24, 2009 Marian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Intensely scary. There was a time or two I raced up the stairs to jump into the safety of my bed after listening to this book. Thank goodness I'm left-handed which, according to the book, gives me a slight advantage over anything creepy that goes bump in the night.

One star had to go for things like coffin maggots and carnivorous hogs--gross!

Of the books I have recently listened to on CD this one has the best narration by far. It is excellent.

17 likes · like · see review

Aug 22, 2010 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, read-2010, middle-grade-lit, male-pov, motion-picture-tie-in

I did enjoy this book immensely.
It was eerie, creepy, and dark in a very good way.
And I don't think I've liked a main character this much when he is only expected to be a boy of 13 years old.
He was thoughtful and brave in a way you might think an actual 13 year old boy would've wrote the book.

I liked how the author kepet leaving hints for the books to come, guessing what it might become of this person and their secret just made me wanna keep on reading.

And of course the illustration!
I love...more

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Feb 13, 2009 Ordinary Dahlia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Atas request jeng Weni.

Mengherankan, putra ketujuh dari putra ketujuh selalu diangggap memiliki keistimewaan tertentu. Begitu pula yang dialami Thomas. Ketika berusia 12 tahun dia diserahkan oleh keluarganya untuk dilatih oleh Gregory seorang spook -sejenis pembasmi penyihir, hantu dan boggart- yang sudah tua. Seorang spook walaupun seberapa besar tenaganya dibutuhkan, orang-orang menganggapnya aneh dan menakutkan sehingga mereka dijauhi dan dikucilkan. Sepertinya kehidupan yang sepilah yang men...more Atas request jeng Weni.

Mengherankan, putra ketujuh dari putra ketujuh selalu diangggap memiliki keistimewaan tertentu. Begitu pula yang dialami Thomas. Ketika berusia 12 tahun dia diserahkan oleh keluarganya untuk dilatih oleh Gregory seorang spook -sejenis pembasmi penyihir, hantu dan boggart- yang sudah tua. Seorang spook walaupun seberapa besar tenaganya dibutuhkan, orang-orang menganggapnya aneh dan menakutkan sehingga mereka dijauhi dan dikucilkan. Sepertinya kehidupan yang sepilah yang menanti Tom di depan mata.

Kenyataannya, perasaan itu tidak sempat dirasakan Tom karena dia sudah mengalami kejadian-kejadian luar biasa yang mengharuskannya berjuang mati-matian. Dia harus menghadapi seorang penyihir kuat yang karena kelalalainya lepas dari sejenis lubang pengikat kekuatan sihir. Dia juga harus menghadapi niat balas dendam sang penyihir yang melibatkan anggota keluarganya. Yang terburuk dari semua itu adalah ketakutan, kecurigaan dan kesedihan yang harus dihadapinya terjadi sebelum dia benar-benar siap menjadi spook dan tidak tahu cara mengatasinya.

Ini novel fantasi yang misterius dan menegangkan. Masih banyak hal-hal yang jadi tanda tanya seperti siapakah Ibunya Thomas ini? Dia sampai mengatakan mau melahir enam anak lain hanya untuk mendapatkan Thomas anak ke tujuh dari ketujuh. Apa sebenernya keistimewaan Tom sampai salah satu penyihir menganggap dari baunya saja ada yang aneh. Kita mungkin baru akan mengerti d buku selanjutnya.

Walaupun katanya buku ditujukan untuk anak-anak, tapi ceritanya terlalu gelap.tidak cocok.

I understood something, too. For the first time I really feel what is was like to be the spook’s apprentice. I’d seen people move to the other side of the road to avoid passing close to us. I’d watched them shiver or cross themselves just because we’d passed through their village, but I hadn’t taken it personally. In my mind it was their reaction to the spook, not to me.

But I couldn’t ignore this, or push it to the side of my mind. It was happening to me directly, and it was happening in my own home.

I suddenly felt more alone then I ever had before
(page 315)

Hiks...Sini nak, mama naga peluk…

(less)

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Aug 04, 2011 Kat Hooper rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son. Therefore, his mother has always planned to apprentice him to the Spook — the traveling exorcist who services the surrounding villages, ridding them of ghosts, witches, ghasts, boggarts, and other troublesome creatures. The Spook performs a nasty, dangerous, and necessary job for the community, and he’s well respected, but his line of work makes him an outsider — people just aren’t comfortable around him. Th...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son. Therefore, his mother has always planned to apprentice him to the Spook — the traveling exorcist who services the surrounding villages, ridding them of ghosts, witches, ghasts, boggarts, and other troublesome creatures. The Spook performs a nasty, dangerous, and necessary job for the community, and he’s well respected, but his line of work makes him an outsider — people just aren’t comfortable around him. Thomas doesn’t want to become the next Spook — the Spook’s life is hazardous and lonely — but as the seventh son, he doesn’t have other options and he doesn’t want to disappoint his mother.

As Thomas begins his apprenticeship, he starts to learn a lot about the handling of supernatural creatures and he discovers that many of the former apprentices failed... as in died on the job. Then, when the Spook leaves town, a creepy little girl tricks Thomas into freeing a malicious and powerful witch who starts terrorizing Thomas and his family.

Revenge of the Witch, the first episode of a children’s fantasy series called The Last Apprentice in the US and The Wardstone Chronicles in the UK, is fast-paced, exciting, and absolutely terrifying. I liked it immediately when I started listening to it on audio (Harper Audio), especially with Christopher Evan Welch’s wonderful narration, so I picked up a copy for my 12-year-old son at the library (I prefer for my kids to read with their eyes). But that was before I got to the really scary part. Now I’m not so sure that my son can handle Revenge of the Witch — it’s that frightening. This is a book for kids who like to be afraid.

The hardcover version has some extra features — scary illustrations and a copy of Thomas’s journal in which he takes notes as the Spook teaches him. Revenge of the Witch has a satisfying conclusion, but it’s clearly only Thomas’s first adventure and Joseph Delaney has left us with plenty of questions about Thomas, his family, and his new friend that are sure to be answered in later installments. Children who can handle the fright (and teens and adults, too) will definitely want to continue with Curse of the Bane.(less)

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Jan 10, 2011 CHris.T.o.S rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. How Much can u love a book? Weird way to begin...Nuh..The Spook's Apprentice...Nuhuh...Should it start like:OMG I AM SO FUCKING EXCITED I READ IT or....ti was nothing new but another great howling story....Fuck it's late and i need to sleep....SO i'll start like this...The Spook's Apprentice is everything i mentioned before,a mixture of horror,guilt,suspicion,joy of life,ghouls,trolls,Ugly over-aged bitc...ehm.... witches with bad breath issues(i guess listerine is not an option),midnight haunti...more

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May 16, 2010 Larissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

Thomas J Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son, as such he is a natural enemy of the dark and all that dwell with it. It is because of this that Tom as been accepted as apprentice to the Spook, but there have been other apprentices before him, all of then seventh sons of seventh sons and not all of them had made it through their apprenticeships alive.

Not yet thirteen, Tom has been sent far from home and thrown into a world danger. He has been given a month to prove that he might have what it...more

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Mar 25, 2009 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: coming-of-age, historical-mystery, horror, occult-detective, owned-copy, part-of-a-series, reluctant-or-unlikely-hero, witch-sorcereress-healer, young-adult, dark-fantasy, kindle-book

I'd really rather give this one 4.5 stars, because it was an excellent book. Although a young adult book, it is definitely sophisticated enough for an adult to enjoy it (I don't consider myself sophisticated, but I still think a person who is would like it). I liked that the suspense builds. There are no cheap thrills or shock value scares. Instead, the author takes his time and builds up the menace so that you spend your time trying to prepare yourself for the scare. Even still, you won't hear...more I'd really rather give this one 4.5 stars, because it was an excellent book. Although a young adult book, it is definitely sophisticated enough for an adult to enjoy it (I don't consider myself sophisticated, but I still think a person who is would like it). I liked that the suspense builds. There are no cheap thrills or shock value scares. Instead, the author takes his time and builds up the menace so that you spend your time trying to prepare yourself for the scare. Even still, you won't hear someone yelling 'boo.' Instead the moment of dread will come and you will think, whoa, "I'm glad I'm not in Tom's shoes right now." I do love stories where a character comes into their destiny, and this is one of them. Tom wasn't really sure that he wanted to be a spook after all. But he didn't have any other trade in mind, and he definitely didn't like farming. But it turned out his destiny was waiting for him as the seventh son of the seventh son. He was apprenticed to train as the next Spook, which is a person who rids the towns of evil, supernatural creatures. It is a job that is looked down on by others, and promises to bring the bearer a lonely life. But at the time, Tom figures it's better than farming, and his mother doesn't really give him much of a choice. Let's just say she had his destiny determined long before he was born. You get to see Tom struggle with his role as the Spook's Apprentice, several times, deciding to quit but having his mind changed in various ways. He makes some mistakes along the way, but learns from them, so there is also a good coming of age story in this book.

I like that there is definitely good and evil in this book. But there are also humans who could go either way. Yes there are bad witches, but there are some that are benign. There is one character that is likely to be in-between, and she has a very pivotal role. I believe that she will have a very important place in Tom's life as he matures. Perhaps there will be a romantic future for Tom and Alice when they get older.

The parts with the witches really did unnerve me. They are horrible creatures who kill and eat people and use their bones for dark magic. It was refreshing to read a book that actually had bad witches for once. I was very proud of young Tom for facing off on not one, but two witches that were out for his blood and his bones, and saving a young child that was likely to be one of their victims.

The author really did a great job of setting a sinister tone. It wasn't over the top, but very subtle and building. His use of words drew a very vivid image, where I felt as though I was standing there and the witch was crawling out of the grave to get me.

Another thing I liked was that this story was not predictable. You don't know how it's going to end. You don't know the way in which the witch will manifest herself. She could have possessed any one of the people in the house during the climax moments of this story.

Tom was a sympathetic, likable narrator. He was realistic for his age, but I truly did admire his bravery although he was scared when a rational person would have been scared. He was often left to deal with situations that would have been challenging for a grown-up, much less a boy of twelve. He risked his life to do the right thing, and that was very admirable to me.

There are questions that I would still like answers to, but reading the next books in the series, will definitely give insight into the enigmatic Spook, and Tom's mother, who has gifts that are still somewhat mysterious at this point.

If you want to read a young adult book that has the appeal of giving a good, sustained scare instead of a series of shock value, short-lived scares, I think you would enjoy this one. A cool bonus with this book is pages of Tom's journal, a map of the areas in the book, and the key to the codes used by a Spook in his trade.(less)

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Sep 03, 2007 LJ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal_fantasy, england, 1600s

THE SPOOK'S APPRENTICE (Fantasy-England-1600s) – VG
Delaney, Joseph – 1st of series
The Bodley Head, 2004 – UK Hardcover
Thomas Ward is the seventh son of the seventh son. His mother knew he had special talents and his father has apprenticed him to the local Spook. Thomas will learn to contain witches and bind boggerts, but he has already forgotten his first lesson; don't trust girls in pointy toed shoes. With Spook of helping another village, it is up to Thomas to undo the damage he has done.
*** F...more

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Jan 30, 2012 John Paul Capili rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, fiction

Plot: A young boy apprentices to the Spook and learns to defend the County and combat the growing threat from the witches.
Good: interesting plot, good illustrations
Bad: no character depth

I have decided to give this book a shot because it is being adapted into a major film. This was definitely a children's book, but the horror element may be too gory for very young kids. The writing was simple. It had an interesting plot, but the characters were under-developed. The book felt more like a summary...more

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Feb 29, 2008 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of shivers and that creepy-crawly feeling

This book made my skin crawl! It's a gripping read, but beware, it's pretty gruesome in some parts.

P.O., anyone?:
The seventh son of a seventh son, Thomas Ward is told by Mr. Gregory, the man to whom his is apprenticed, that it takes more than birth order to make someone fit for the role of Spook. Thomas soon learns that it will take all his intelligence and bravery to make the right decisions, and to make correct his wrong ones. Along the way he also realizes that loneliness often accompanies re...more

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Jan 17, 2009 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Beth, Carrie, Jo, Dark is Rising fans

Recommended to Megan by: My school librarian!

Fantastic! I couldn't put it down...started it Friday night and finished it Saturday morning. I am a wimp about horror books and movies, so there was one scene that scared the bejeezus out of me. The rest of it was pretty tame, but at the same time quite graphic and gruesome--babies' blood, torturing witches, etc. I can't wait to read the next ones...I wish I'd just checked the whole series out of the library. Ah, well.

In the reviews I've read, nobody mentioned the similarities to the Dark is...more

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Jun 15, 2013 Lynne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“So there’s only you left now, son. You’re the last chance. The last hope. Someone has to do it. Someone has to stand against the dark. And you’re the only one who can.”
Mam in The Spook’s Apprentice by Joseph Delaney

I was completely unaware of The Wardstone Chronicles until I ran across it as the source material for a movie that is coming out, The Seventh Son. As the movie is set to star Ben Barnes, Jeff Bridges, and Julianne Moore, I know I will be seeing it, so I thought I should check out the...more “So there’s only you left now, son. You’re the last chance. The last hope. Someone has to do it. Someone has to stand against the dark. And you’re the only one who can.”
Mam in The Spook’s Apprentice by Joseph Delaney

I was completely unaware of The Wardstone Chronicles until I ran across it as the source material for a movie that is coming out, The Seventh Son. As the movie is set to star Ben Barnes, Jeff Bridges, and Julianne Moore, I know I will be seeing it, so I thought I should check out the book. When I read the description, I had a feeling I would like this book, and after I picked it up from the library I finished it in just a couple of days! In case there is some confusion, this book as a UK and a US title, in the UK it is Spook’s Apprentice, but in the US it is, The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch.

Tom Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son, and he needs to find an apprenticeship as he cannot inherit the family farm. His mother convinces the Spook to take him on as an apprentice because only a seventh son of a seventh son can become one. Spooks help the land fight off creatures from the dark, but Spooks are themselves feared and not trusted. Tom has to learn fast, especially when he finds out that there have been many apprentices before him but some of them are now dead and none have become a Spook. Just when he seems to be getting the hang of things, he meets a girl named Alice. Things start to go badly, especially when the Spook is away. What can a new apprentice do in the face of a truly evil witch?

While this book is listed as a children’s book, and is a little easier to read than some other YA books, it is not really a children’s book. I will talk about some of the reasons I feel this way below, but I think that this classification does a disservice to the novel, and to potential readers. All that being said I loved this book! It was a quick read and easy, but still interesting.

Most of you won’t know this, but I received an A+ at university in Witchcraft (it was actually a sociology course that studied the function witchcraft and accusations of witchcraft served in the community). This means I do know a little of the historical context of witches. Delaney does an amazing job mixing in references to the history of witches. The ones that I was able to notice included Malkin, another word for cat, the long time familiars of witches, the most famous being Grimalkin one of the familiars in Macbeth. Pendle, which is the land of the witches, presumably named after the infamous Pendle Witches case (which also involved a Malkin Tower). In that case, two of the accused are named Elizabeth, and another two Alice (Alice Nutter being the one I recognized). Bony Lizzie could also be related to Lizzie Borden, who was thought to have murdered her parents with a hatchet in 1892. There are probably more little things that Delaney included that I couldn’t catch, but I loved these little references.

I really liked the characterization of Tom. He actually feels like a boy in the writing, instead of being too old. He is scared of things, is not absolutely amazing, and makes mistakes. However, he is brave, and realizes he has to fix things when he makes a mistake. I feel that he is a good role model for others, and someone that young readers can identify with.

My favorite character was Alice. I love not knowing if she is really good or really evil. I love that even the other characters do not know which way she will turn, or if she will just remain a neutral entity. She feels like a realistic person, one who is not just in the story to assist Tom, but she has her own part to play outside his destiny.

One word of caution about this book is that some parts are a bit gruesome. Whoever reads this should probably not be prone to nightmares or an over active imagination. The descriptions of what the witches do to children and how Billy Bradly (the previous apprentice) died are a bit gross. I loved it, and I think many young boys will also love it!

I think this is a great start to a series, and can’t wait to read the rest of the series! I’m also looking forward to the movie (even though I can tell some things have been changed, I think this will be for the best!).

Final Verdict: A great start to a series and a good book for boys and girls that don’t mind some more gruesome witches!

Review originally posted here: http://francesandlynne.wordpress.com/...(less)

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Jun 08, 2013 Byron rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first of Joseph Delaney's Wardstone Chronicles. It is the origin story of a boy that get's apprenticed to a Spook. Spooks fight entities of the supernatural intent on harming the innocent.

The book is shorter than those I often read but this allows Delaney to set a wonderful pace. There was absolutely no part where I was bored. The problem is that I found the characters lacking in depth and complexity. Each character acts exactly the way you expect them to. The mother is wise and seem...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Phleghm rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: short

I give this 5 stars because of the shallow writing. True story! I suppose that calls for an explanation. See, I often get annoyed while reading some book, with incredibly intricate and in depth writing. Nothing wrong with that sort of a book. But in my opinion it is, when trying to paint a picture with words from a perspective of a young character - a child. At 10 years of age, we see world differently. In a simpler form (at least consciously). And this is often overlooked by authors. BUT not he...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book in a couple of days so it is a quick read for an adult. I read it in anticipation of the movie that is being released this year. I think the premise was a very solid one that has the potential to go in many directions. Tom Ward is apprenticed to the local Spook whose job it is to protect the villages from the forces of evil magic (ghosts, gasts, witches, boggarts. It is a typical teacher/apprentice story and the relationship between Gregory (the Spook) and Tom is good but could...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Maythavee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Reading this book at night and alone is not a good idea at all. I'm a person who is easy spooked (Haha, get it? Spook?) and is still afraid of the dark so even though this book is aim at a younger age group, it still scared me... I had to look over my shoulder a few times to make sure that there isn't a boggart or a ghast watching me. Yes, I am that paranoid...

I really enjoyed The Last Apprentice! Sure, it crept me out but that's the point wasn't it? I really like the concept of the Spook. It is...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Ira Mustika rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

'Not to be read after dark' katanya. Yap, aku berhasil membacanya tepat sebelum gelap. Ada banyak kejadian menyeramkan disini yang lumayan bikin ga nyaman.

Tom, kata Mam nya, sengaja dilahirkan sebagai putra ketujuh dari putra ketujuh, agar dia bisa menjadi Spook yang tugasnya menjaga daerah mereka dari kejahatan yang muncul di malam hari. Boggart, tukang sihir, ghast, ghost dan masih banyak lagi.

Ga tau harus iri atau tidak dengan Tom. Disatu sisi Tom beruntung dia sudah disiapkan untuk sebuah p...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Conner Torrence added it · review of another edition

This book is about when Tom Ward a farmers son is getting old enoght and his dad want him trained in a arsin so Tom's Mom told his dad to get the spook and enlist Tom as a spooks apprentice sence hes a seventh son of a seventh son and he was left handed. The spook exeps his dads offering to take him in as a apprentice so the spook took him to Hourseshaw to see if he is ready to be his apprentice. So the spook leads him to a house and leaves him in there. He said that Tom had to stay in there th...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Quoc rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, fantasy, paranormal, young-adult

The story is about a boy named Thomas J. Ward who is the seventh son of a seventh son and he is destined to be the apprentice of a Spook. A Spook, is someone the townspeople not only fear but someone who acts to get rid of evil that lurks; witches, boggarts and ghasts.

Thomas is a character the reader will enjoy he's; courageous, willing and understanding. Yet he is only a young kid. His parents are hard-working, and want the best for their children. Both parents teach and help Thomas on being t...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Guilherme rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

O Simbolista, http://www.osimbolista.blogspot.com - Guilherme Franco
"-Por que os únicos amigos que terá será os que puder comprar!"

Esse é uma série que estava ansioso demais para começar, o tema me agrada, sempre quis ler e quando vi que vai virar filme, sebo nas canelas acelerar a leitura!
Como vocês conferiram na sinopse Thomas Ward é o sétimo filho de um sétimo filho, e foi designado para ser o Aprendiz do Caça-Feitiço, ele passará por uma primeira prova para saber se será o próximo caça-feiti...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Duffy Pratt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, fantasy, horror

There is a lot to like about this book. It's paced well. The writing is clean and simple. The characters are well drawn, and have more depth than I would expect from a book targeted at kids. I liked this well enough that I will continue with the series. I especially liked that Tom was not an orphan, and that the characters were not either totally good or bad (including some of the very bad characters).

The book is surprisingly dark for a kid's book. There are bone witches and blood witches. The f...more

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Sep 20, 2012 Jared L rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thomas ward is a 12 year old farm-boy that comes of age to become an apprentice. Being the youngest of all his siblings, thomas ward can't take over the farm so he must find another profession. He gets apprenticed to the most hated/feared face in the whole county. Nobody likes the spook because it is the spooks job to deal with paranormal problems such as witches and ghosts. thomas ward is prefect for the job because he is the seventh son of a seventh son, therefore, granting him the ability to...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Cat Treadwell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was recommended this book by a friend who happened across it by chance - it sounded interesting, so I dipped into it, unsure of what to expect.

I finished it in an afternoon's mad surge of engrossed reading.

This is the sort of book (and series) that you want when you're ill; when you remember what it's like to be a child confined to bed with just the otherworlds of books to keep you company. Fast-paced, imaginative, with the right amount of dark humour and a protagonist who's a mix of insightfu...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Lucinda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Spooks series comprising of nine volumes has to be one of the most gripping young adult/ children’s books that I have had the pleasure of reading, being truly fantastic in their design and execution by a genius of a writer who certainly has spent a lot of time on his work and done the research into the specific genre. This series begins with book one; the apprentice which ‘hits the nail right on the head’ in terms of reaching out to its target audience, incorporating everything that this you...more The Spooks series comprising of nine volumes has to be one of the most gripping young adult/ children’s books that I have had the pleasure of reading, being truly fantastic in their design and execution by a genius of a writer who certainly has spent a lot of time on his work and done the research into the specific genre. This series begins with book one; the apprentice which ‘hits the nail right on the head’ in terms of reaching out to its target audience, incorporating everything that this younger reader wants to explore in such a way as to enthrall, delight and mesmerize. It is a character-driven tale that takes you on the most thrilling and somewhat scary journey, which will leave you breathless and with chills sent down your spine. I absolutely love how the author structures his storyline around the main character of Thomas Ward (aka; apprentice) so that we come to see his world and imaginative creation through his eyes, making it utterly realistic and believable. Throughout the Wardstone Chronicles you begin to personally connect with the main character that you are by then able to relate to and empathize with, as the writing just gets better and better with the story becoming more exciting and thrilling as the fast-paced action intensifies. It is Joseph Deleaney’s memorable characters that draw you into this story and which pull you along so as to be unable to put the book down, without leaving the memories fresh and vivid etched within your mind. It is the distinctive settings and environment that create the most atmospheric and realistic background to an intense plot, with one complimenting the other so as to bring It all to life. I love the symbols, the character profiles and maps at the beginning of the book which again helps to bring the author’s creation and world to life and turns the black & white pages to full luminous color, so that you are able to visualize the surroundings with complete clarity. I also love the beautiful illustrations within each book, with everything so well thought out from not just the incredible writing but also the visual and marketing side of the books as a product; with an additional accompanying book to add to your collection and a most well thought out and detailed website. The series as a whole is totally original and something completely unique that many readers will find themselves getting lost within as I myself did, hence once you have read book one you will then want to read and collect them all! Completely brilliant and utterly unique, a spectacular story that deserves to take pride of place on anyone’s bookshelf. (less)

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Apr 23, 2012 Mikaela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recommend

I received all of these books on my Kindle for free sometime last year. I finally got around to reading the first one. This is a typical mythical, magical themed book. But I enjoyed the angle it took using an apprentice to a Spook - someone whose job it is to keep the county safe from these magical creatures.
Much of the book was predictable, but I enjoyed the set-up that was happening that makes me want to read the rest. How will things work out with Alice? I'm pretty sure Tom's "mam" is a witc...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Mark Soone rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am still petitioning goodreads to develop a 10 star system rather than 5...or at least give us the option of a half star. I would go 3.5 for this book, but came just short of being able to justify a rating of 4 stars,

I have never heard of Delaney, but recieved a recommnedation comparing this to the Rangers Apprentice. It really is not even remotely similar (other than the title of Apprentice), and by my preferences not quite as enjoyable as Flanagan's work.

This book had a decent premise and pl...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Michael Sean rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: haunt

Passing by the shelf in Barnes & Noble that contains book covers with spirals of fire and bony fingers reaching out of swamps, I thought to myself "Huh, these 'Last Apprentice' books look interesting. The art is certainly cool, and I have been needing a good fantasy that brushes on nostalgia with witches and ghouls. Lets try it out."

I am happy to report that nostalgia is delicious, if not youthful and not excellently written.

Coming from an era of concepts such as Shadow Eaters and Time Bende...more Passing by the shelf in Barnes & Noble that contains book covers with spirals of fire and bony fingers reaching out of swamps, I thought to myself "Huh, these 'Last Apprentice' books look interesting. The art is certainly cool, and I have been needing a good fantasy that brushes on nostalgia with witches and ghouls. Lets try it out."

I am happy to report that nostalgia is delicious, if not youthful and not excellently written.

Coming from an era of concepts such as Shadow Eaters and Time Benders and other made-up fantasy creatures that tend to staple the whole book (not always a bad thing), its refreshing to see something old with a newish twist. Witches? Cool. Ghouls? Yep. Ghosts? Definitely. All things that have been ingrained in society to the point where they maintain the form of clay: anyone can really shape them how they please. In "Revenge of the Witch", Joseph Delaney sticks to the traditional while adding a few new twists here and there. Full moons help evil things, chanting in front of mirrors at night is...evil, and possession is a pretty real threat (Are YOU tired of being possessed? Just Dial-A-Priest!). All good things, with an interesting, albeit well-used plot. Kid comes under the wing of some wise master, the whole thing sucks at first, bad things happen quicker then they should have, yadda yadda. Known but still enjoyable. Worn but not yet old.

Writing. Mm, where to begin. Well, being 17 and intelligent, I can say that the writing will not wow you or impress you or suck you into beautiful passages of moors and towns and faces. Its passable, but if the reading level scale was from 1-10 (1 being Cat In The Hat, 10 being The Selective Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson) I would soundly give it a 5. Nothing to coo about, but nothing choppy and inconsistent either.

On the topic of youthfulness, this book is probably for a younger audience. I enjoyed it, but I'm strange. Make sure you think hard about your tolerance for lower level books, because it's still recommendable to a group of older individuals.

Tasteful plot direction, interesting concepts, passable writing. I'm truly interesting in seeing what the series has in store and will make sure to review each one as goes.

Veni.

~MSZW(less)

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Jul 18, 2011 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, young-adult

This was my first experience with an audio book. I've joined an audiobook community in order to get free YA audio books all summer. I've never listened to an audio book before, and it was an interesting experience. This review may be more about that experience than it is about the book itself.

This is the story of Tom Ward, the seventh son of a seventh son who is apprenticed to "Old Gregory" the county Spook. A spook is someone who is hired to rid houses and locations of supernatural and evil ent...more

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The Movie Adaptation	14	74	Apr 06, 2013 05:45am
has anyone else read this book or series?	53	57	Mar 20, 2013 12:31pm
What's The Name o...: A BOOK WITH BOGGARTS IN IT [s]	11	98	Mar 15, 2013 07:22am
Is it like the Harry Potter series?	3	22	Nov 21, 2012 07:22pm
Scary???	26	91	Aug 09, 2012 06:59am

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About Joseph Delaney

Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher living in Lancashire. He has three children and seven grandchildren and is a wonderful public speaker available for conference, library and bookshop events. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.

Most of the places in the Spook'...more

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Books by Joseph Delaney

Night of the Soul Stealer (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles, #3)

Curse of the Bane (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles, #2)

Attack of the Fiend (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles, #4)

The Spook's Mistake (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles, #5)

Rise of the Huntress (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles, #7)

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Trivia About Revenge of the Witch

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Quotes from The Spook's Apprentice

“And an unaware witch means a witch who doesn't know she's a witch, and because she's a women that makes her double trouble. Never trust a women."
My mothers a women," I said, suddenly feeling a little angry, "and I trust her."
Mothers are usually women," said the Spook. "And mothers are usually quite trustworthy, as long as your their son. Otherwise look out!” — 55 people liked it

“He who never makes a mistake never makes anything. It's part of learning the job.” — 19 people liked it

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Revenge of the Witch (The Last Apprentice / Wardstone Chronicles #1)

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