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The Devil's Apprentice
Philip is a good boy, a really good boy, who accidentally gets sent to Hell to become the Devil’s heir. The Devil, Lucifer, is dying and desperately in need of a successor, but there’s been a mistake and Philip is the wrong boy. Philip is terrible at being bad, but Lucifer has no other choice than to begin the difficult task of training him in the ways of evil. Philip gets both friends and enemies in this odd, gloomy underworld—but who can he trust, when he discovers an evil-minded plot against the dark throne?
The Devil's Apprentice is volume 1 in The Great Devil War-series.
The Devil's Apprentice is volume 1 in The Great Devil War-series.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2005
298 people are currently reading
1898 people want to read
About the author
Kenneth B. Andersen
15 books127 followersI was born in Denmark on a dark and stormy night in November 1976. I began writing when I was a teenager. My first book was a really awful horror novel titled Nidhug's Slaves. It didn't get published. Luckily.
During the next 7 years, I wrote nearly 20 novels--all of which were rejected--while working as a school teacher.
In 2000 I published my debut fantasy book, The Battle of Caïssa, and that's when things really took off. Since then I've published more than forty books for children and young adults in genres ranging from fantasy to horror and science fiction.
My books have been translated into more than 15 languages and my series about the superhero Antboy has been adapted for film, which is available on Netflix. An animated tv series is currently in development.
A musical of The Devil's Apprentice opened in the fall 2018 and the movie rights for the series have been optioned.
I live in Copenhagen with my wife, two boys, a dog named Milo and spiders in the basement.
During the next 7 years, I wrote nearly 20 novels--all of which were rejected--while working as a school teacher.
In 2000 I published my debut fantasy book, The Battle of Caïssa, and that's when things really took off. Since then I've published more than forty books for children and young adults in genres ranging from fantasy to horror and science fiction.
My books have been translated into more than 15 languages and my series about the superhero Antboy has been adapted for film, which is available on Netflix. An animated tv series is currently in development.
A musical of The Devil's Apprentice opened in the fall 2018 and the movie rights for the series have been optioned.
I live in Copenhagen with my wife, two boys, a dog named Milo and spiders in the basement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
November 26, 2022
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#1 The Devil's Apprentice - ★★★★★
#2 The Die of Death - ★★★★★
Possibly the best Young-Adult Fantasy I have read this year. Enter and discover Hell and see how it works, meet the Devil and learn why we need evil in order to be good! A fantastic story and great adventures await in Hell. Read this at your own risk!
I was lucky enough to receive the first two books of The Great Devil War Series by the author himself. I haven’t heard about Kenneth B. Andersen before, but after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to have these books - I knew I had to read the whole series.
Meet Phillip - he is a good boy. An angel. He helps his mum with the chores, he helps his friends with their homework, he loves and takes care of animals, and he never lies. But one day, he is sent to Hell by mistake, and he has to become the Devil’s Apprentice. The Devil is ill and before he dies he has to make sure to teach Phillip the worst tricks in Hell’s history, and teach him to be evil - but Phillip is simply terrible at being bad and keeps failing all his tests.
With very little time left for the Devil to teach Phillip everything, Phillip begins to make friends and enemies in this place. And on top of it all - someone might want the Devil’s throne for themselves…
I loved this book so much! The best thing about it is the setting. We enter a world and we get to see Hell through Phillip’s eyes. Everyone has their own place and role, there is a system of how they designate people and where they go - we meet Death and see the process of how he chooses who dies, and how they place people in either Heaven or Hell, depending on the actions people take throughout their lives, and also, how the Devil throws the dice as well.
Phillip is a typical boy, who goes to school, tries to be a good boy wherever he can. I loved Phillip’s character and could easily relate to him. When he gets in an unusual place, he begins to wonder, and discover and explore, and the way the author writes the scenes just keep you engaged in the book and you can’t put it down before you know what happens next.
The world in Hell is full of adventures, different creatures, lots of scenes where we can’t help but wonder what does ‘’EVIL’’ actually mean, and is it really true that we do need a little bit of evil in order to see the good in ourselves and others? Many moral messages are discovered through Phillip’s adventures, and I loved seeing him grow throughout the book. He keeps learning things and he kept growing. Do you really need to be evil to succeed in Hell?
I am so glad I have read this book, and I can’t wait to read the second book. If you enjoy Young-Adult fantasy, and if you even enjoyed Dante’s Inferno, this book will probably be something you might enjoy. It will make you giggle, and even make you wonder, and it will leave you restless with all the adventures, page after page.
Until next time! x
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#1 The Devil's Apprentice - ★★★★★
#2 The Die of Death - ★★★★★
Possibly the best Young-Adult Fantasy I have read this year. Enter and discover Hell and see how it works, meet the Devil and learn why we need evil in order to be good! A fantastic story and great adventures await in Hell. Read this at your own risk!
I was lucky enough to receive the first two books of The Great Devil War Series by the author himself. I haven’t heard about Kenneth B. Andersen before, but after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to have these books - I knew I had to read the whole series.
Meet Phillip - he is a good boy. An angel. He helps his mum with the chores, he helps his friends with their homework, he loves and takes care of animals, and he never lies. But one day, he is sent to Hell by mistake, and he has to become the Devil’s Apprentice. The Devil is ill and before he dies he has to make sure to teach Phillip the worst tricks in Hell’s history, and teach him to be evil - but Phillip is simply terrible at being bad and keeps failing all his tests.
With very little time left for the Devil to teach Phillip everything, Phillip begins to make friends and enemies in this place. And on top of it all - someone might want the Devil’s throne for themselves…
I loved this book so much! The best thing about it is the setting. We enter a world and we get to see Hell through Phillip’s eyes. Everyone has their own place and role, there is a system of how they designate people and where they go - we meet Death and see the process of how he chooses who dies, and how they place people in either Heaven or Hell, depending on the actions people take throughout their lives, and also, how the Devil throws the dice as well.
Phillip is a typical boy, who goes to school, tries to be a good boy wherever he can. I loved Phillip’s character and could easily relate to him. When he gets in an unusual place, he begins to wonder, and discover and explore, and the way the author writes the scenes just keep you engaged in the book and you can’t put it down before you know what happens next.
The world in Hell is full of adventures, different creatures, lots of scenes where we can’t help but wonder what does ‘’EVIL’’ actually mean, and is it really true that we do need a little bit of evil in order to see the good in ourselves and others? Many moral messages are discovered through Phillip’s adventures, and I loved seeing him grow throughout the book. He keeps learning things and he kept growing. Do you really need to be evil to succeed in Hell?
I am so glad I have read this book, and I can’t wait to read the second book. If you enjoy Young-Adult fantasy, and if you even enjoyed Dante’s Inferno, this book will probably be something you might enjoy. It will make you giggle, and even make you wonder, and it will leave you restless with all the adventures, page after page.
Until next time! x
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September 3, 2019
Synopsis
Philip is a thirteen year old boy who has always been well behaved. He's a boy scout, he does his chores on time, and he's always eager to help anyone who might need his assistance. But when he dies unexpectedly, a mix up causes him to find himself in hell. Not only is he expected to stay there, but he is required to enter training to become the successor of the Devil himself. Philip must learn to survive, but who can he trust? And, most importantly, will he still be the same person when--if--he gets out of this?
Plot
I generally don't read young adult books that are on the younger side, but when the author of this book reached out to me, I was intrigued by the premise, so I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did! This book reminds me of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, but less boring. It's a very quick read, with lots of action, adventure, some horror, and just a little bit of romance.
This book is a lot darker than I thought it would be! Of course, it's set primarily in hell, so it stands to reason that it wouldn't be filled with sunshine, rainbows, and frolicking kittens. However, there are quite a few gruesome parts that bumped up my age rating from middle grade to young adult. The story itself is quite intriguing throughout. As I said, it's very fast paced, and it has quite a few twists and turns along the way!
Setting
As you may have already figured out if you read the previous sections of this review, this book is set in hell! Andersen does a fabulous job of jumping right into the story, intricately weaving worldbuilding into the story itself. He's created a detailed world, but I never noticed being overloaded when this information was being revealed, which is a sign of a talented writer.
Language
The Devil's Apprentice was translated from the original Danish, but you could never tell by the way the words read on the page. Characters have amusing names, (again reminding me of a CS Lewis book), such as Grumblebeard and Shrillclaw, and there are little bits of humour thrown in, like when Philip takes a stroll down Maim Street (Hell's version of Main Street).
Characters
It's refreshing to read a book where the nice guy actually gets ahead in life (or death). That said, the main character, Philip, has some interesting personality developments throughout the story. I won't say more about that at the risk of revealing too much. I will say that some parts felt a little cliche; however, this book is targetted to younger audiences and has a fresh take on these cliches, so I didn't mind one bit.
Philip develops several relationships over the course of the book, including ones with a young female devil named Satina, Lucifax, the Devil's cat, and one with Lucifer himself. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like these relationships were explored quite to the depth of my liking. The book is on the shorter side, with more of a focus on Philip's individual personality development and the plot. The progression of Philip's relationship with certain characters felt a little rushed to me. I do think that future instalments in this book will likely explore these relationships more.
Ultimately, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a younger young adult fantasy book, one that has a compelling take on what living in a hell dimension would be like.
*Thank you to the author for a ebook for review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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My 2019 Reading Challenge
Philip is a thirteen year old boy who has always been well behaved. He's a boy scout, he does his chores on time, and he's always eager to help anyone who might need his assistance. But when he dies unexpectedly, a mix up causes him to find himself in hell. Not only is he expected to stay there, but he is required to enter training to become the successor of the Devil himself. Philip must learn to survive, but who can he trust? And, most importantly, will he still be the same person when--if--he gets out of this?
Plot
I generally don't read young adult books that are on the younger side, but when the author of this book reached out to me, I was intrigued by the premise, so I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did! This book reminds me of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, but less boring. It's a very quick read, with lots of action, adventure, some horror, and just a little bit of romance.
This book is a lot darker than I thought it would be! Of course, it's set primarily in hell, so it stands to reason that it wouldn't be filled with sunshine, rainbows, and frolicking kittens. However, there are quite a few gruesome parts that bumped up my age rating from middle grade to young adult. The story itself is quite intriguing throughout. As I said, it's very fast paced, and it has quite a few twists and turns along the way!
Setting
As you may have already figured out if you read the previous sections of this review, this book is set in hell! Andersen does a fabulous job of jumping right into the story, intricately weaving worldbuilding into the story itself. He's created a detailed world, but I never noticed being overloaded when this information was being revealed, which is a sign of a talented writer.
Language
The Devil's Apprentice was translated from the original Danish, but you could never tell by the way the words read on the page. Characters have amusing names, (again reminding me of a CS Lewis book), such as Grumblebeard and Shrillclaw, and there are little bits of humour thrown in, like when Philip takes a stroll down Maim Street (Hell's version of Main Street).
Characters
It's refreshing to read a book where the nice guy actually gets ahead in life (or death). That said, the main character, Philip, has some interesting personality developments throughout the story. I won't say more about that at the risk of revealing too much. I will say that some parts felt a little cliche; however, this book is targetted to younger audiences and has a fresh take on these cliches, so I didn't mind one bit.
Philip develops several relationships over the course of the book, including ones with a young female devil named Satina, Lucifax, the Devil's cat, and one with Lucifer himself. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like these relationships were explored quite to the depth of my liking. The book is on the shorter side, with more of a focus on Philip's individual personality development and the plot. The progression of Philip's relationship with certain characters felt a little rushed to me. I do think that future instalments in this book will likely explore these relationships more.
Ultimately, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a younger young adult fantasy book, one that has a compelling take on what living in a hell dimension would be like.
*Thank you to the author for a ebook for review*
This review appeared first on https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/
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My 2019 Reading Challenge
December 6, 2019
12 year-old Philip's life has completely gone to hell.....literally. As in, he finds himself in the fiery depths of the place where the naughty people go after being struck by a car. After a meeting with the devil himself, Philip finds out that his being in hell is actually a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and that someone else was actually supposed to have descended in his place. You see, Philip is actually a very good boy, in fact according to the devil he's 99% pure as the driven snow.
The problem is, Lucifer is dying and needs someone to be his replacement, and despite the young boy's obvious lack of evilness, he still believes that Philip can fit the bill. So begins Philip's training, albeit reluctantly. What becomes almost immediately apparent as his training progresses is that Philip really sucks at being evil. And that's sort of a prerequisite for the job.
Philip simply can't understand why Lucifer would even want to train someone who has no desire to be the new Prince of Darkness. But the devil is undeterred and continues to try to convince Philip that evil is a necessity in any society and that if there was no evil in the world, it actually would be detrimental to humanity as there would be no adversity to help make people stronger etc..
There is a twist in all of this however as there is an unknown entity in hell who has ambitions of their own. Those ambitions seem to suggest that they want to sit on the devil's throne and engage in a hostile takeover so to speak. The question then becomes not if Philip will complete his training and become the new Beelzebub, but whether someone else may actually take him out before that can even happen and subsequently claim dominion over the entirety of hell and its tortured inhabitants.
This was a fun read that I found myself flying threw in a matter of a few days. The writing is crisp, the story is entertaining and humorous and I found myself chuckling out loud through many sections. THE DEVIL'S APPRENTICE is classified as YA fiction, ages 12-18 and it definitely has that feel overall. However, there are quite a number of dark and borderline scary moments that should make the book appeal to older readers as well.
If you are looking for a YA Dark Fantasy read that is similar in tone to Sabriel by Garth Nix or Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, you should give THE DEVIL'S APPRENTICE a shot. It's an easy read with a decent amount of action and excitement which should delight most readers and keep them reading well past their usual bedtime.
The problem is, Lucifer is dying and needs someone to be his replacement, and despite the young boy's obvious lack of evilness, he still believes that Philip can fit the bill. So begins Philip's training, albeit reluctantly. What becomes almost immediately apparent as his training progresses is that Philip really sucks at being evil. And that's sort of a prerequisite for the job.
Philip simply can't understand why Lucifer would even want to train someone who has no desire to be the new Prince of Darkness. But the devil is undeterred and continues to try to convince Philip that evil is a necessity in any society and that if there was no evil in the world, it actually would be detrimental to humanity as there would be no adversity to help make people stronger etc..
There is a twist in all of this however as there is an unknown entity in hell who has ambitions of their own. Those ambitions seem to suggest that they want to sit on the devil's throne and engage in a hostile takeover so to speak. The question then becomes not if Philip will complete his training and become the new Beelzebub, but whether someone else may actually take him out before that can even happen and subsequently claim dominion over the entirety of hell and its tortured inhabitants.
This was a fun read that I found myself flying threw in a matter of a few days. The writing is crisp, the story is entertaining and humorous and I found myself chuckling out loud through many sections. THE DEVIL'S APPRENTICE is classified as YA fiction, ages 12-18 and it definitely has that feel overall. However, there are quite a number of dark and borderline scary moments that should make the book appeal to older readers as well.
If you are looking for a YA Dark Fantasy read that is similar in tone to Sabriel by Garth Nix or Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, you should give THE DEVIL'S APPRENTICE a shot. It's an easy read with a decent amount of action and excitement which should delight most readers and keep them reading well past their usual bedtime.
Want to read
September 13, 2020The synopsis sounds so outlandish and odd that my hand acted on its own accord and clicked want to read. A good boy sent to hell to be trained as the Devil's heir? I honestly can't help myself.
January 24, 2024
I understand why so many are up in arms about this book, why they are flailing over KBA's world. My only regret is not reading it sooner, because it was great. So great.
I will definitely be continuing this series and immediately!
---
Denne anmeldelse blev første gang udgivet på min blog i april 2019.
Har jeg sovet i timen? Måske lidt, men det bliver der lavet om på nu. Strengt taget er Djævelens lærling en genlæsning. For et par år siden hørte jeg den som lydbog, og hvis man er interesseret i lydbøger, så kan jeg klart anbefale den. Det er forfatteren selv, der læser den op og det er nærmest hypnotiserende at lytte til.
Denne her gang har jeg så læst den i papirform og det kan altså også virkelig anbefales. Det kan godt være, at Djævelens lærling har hele 14 år på sig, og jeg var 12 år dengang det udkom, men det føltes ikke sådan. Jeg er nogle gange lidt forsigtig med at læse især fantasy eller bøger til unge, der er så gamle, for de kan let komme til at føles outdatede. Det gør Djævelens lærling på ingen måde, det er fantasy i særklasse, der stadig er lige så læseværdig efter halvandet årti.
En af de ting, der virkelig slår mig, når jeg læser bogen, er hvordan Kenneth Bøgh Andersen formår at bygge Helvede op. Det er et enormt fascinerende sted med mange forskellige djævleracer, vil jeg kalde dem, med forskellige arbejdsopgaver og meget forskelligartede udseende. Bøgh Andersens Helvede har mange lang, et mærkbart samfundssystem, og på mange måder minder det mig lidt om Dantes berømte Inferno, der er mærkværdigt fascinerende i sin grusomhed og kreative system. På samme måde er jeg vild med Bøgh Andersens opbygning af denne her verden og den måde han får læseren til at forestille sig det hele baseret på de ting Filip ser og oplever.
Sammen med opbygningen af universet er der karaktererne. En af mine favoritkarakterer overhovedet, ikke kun fra denne her serie, er Djævelen selv, også kaldet Lucifer. Første gang man møder ham er han nærmest midt i en administrativ krise der får en til at grine og det er et af kendetegnene for hele bogen. Det kan godt være den foregår i Helvede og de taler om at pine sjæle, men der er også en masse humor og helt almindelige hverdagsting. Jeg kan rigtig godt lide Kenneth Bøgh Andersens karakter af Djævelen, fordi han både kan være skræmmende og meget djævleagtig, og også nogle gange opfører sig lidt om en hyggelig person. Det meste af tiden. Filip er selvfølgelig også en spændende karakter, hans oplæring i ondskab er spændende at følge med i, selv om jeg synes det er ærgerligt at det store fremskridt sker på baggrund af hans forelskelse.
Lad være med at gøre som mig og soven i timen. Djævelens lærling er uden tvivl værd at læse, både for de yngre læsere der vil more sig over humoren og det anderledes og kreative univers, mens de ældre læsere også sagtens kan nyde begge dele uden at det bliver kedeligt. Findes der virkelig nogen, der ikke har læst denne her bog endnu? I Djævelens lærling blander Kenneth Bøgh Andersen humor og mytologi med et mystiske komplot og det hele foregår i et både spændende og meget anderledes univers. Bogen er den første i en serie på seks, og min plan er at fortsætte med resten af serien i løbet af forårets og sommeren. Jeg kan ganske enkelt få nok.
I will definitely be continuing this series and immediately!
---
Denne anmeldelse blev første gang udgivet på min blog i april 2019.
Har jeg sovet i timen? Måske lidt, men det bliver der lavet om på nu. Strengt taget er Djævelens lærling en genlæsning. For et par år siden hørte jeg den som lydbog, og hvis man er interesseret i lydbøger, så kan jeg klart anbefale den. Det er forfatteren selv, der læser den op og det er nærmest hypnotiserende at lytte til.
Denne her gang har jeg så læst den i papirform og det kan altså også virkelig anbefales. Det kan godt være, at Djævelens lærling har hele 14 år på sig, og jeg var 12 år dengang det udkom, men det føltes ikke sådan. Jeg er nogle gange lidt forsigtig med at læse især fantasy eller bøger til unge, der er så gamle, for de kan let komme til at føles outdatede. Det gør Djævelens lærling på ingen måde, det er fantasy i særklasse, der stadig er lige så læseværdig efter halvandet årti.
En af de ting, der virkelig slår mig, når jeg læser bogen, er hvordan Kenneth Bøgh Andersen formår at bygge Helvede op. Det er et enormt fascinerende sted med mange forskellige djævleracer, vil jeg kalde dem, med forskellige arbejdsopgaver og meget forskelligartede udseende. Bøgh Andersens Helvede har mange lang, et mærkbart samfundssystem, og på mange måder minder det mig lidt om Dantes berømte Inferno, der er mærkværdigt fascinerende i sin grusomhed og kreative system. På samme måde er jeg vild med Bøgh Andersens opbygning af denne her verden og den måde han får læseren til at forestille sig det hele baseret på de ting Filip ser og oplever.
Sammen med opbygningen af universet er der karaktererne. En af mine favoritkarakterer overhovedet, ikke kun fra denne her serie, er Djævelen selv, også kaldet Lucifer. Første gang man møder ham er han nærmest midt i en administrativ krise der får en til at grine og det er et af kendetegnene for hele bogen. Det kan godt være den foregår i Helvede og de taler om at pine sjæle, men der er også en masse humor og helt almindelige hverdagsting. Jeg kan rigtig godt lide Kenneth Bøgh Andersens karakter af Djævelen, fordi han både kan være skræmmende og meget djævleagtig, og også nogle gange opfører sig lidt om en hyggelig person. Det meste af tiden. Filip er selvfølgelig også en spændende karakter, hans oplæring i ondskab er spændende at følge med i, selv om jeg synes det er ærgerligt at det store fremskridt sker på baggrund af hans forelskelse.
Lad være med at gøre som mig og soven i timen. Djævelens lærling er uden tvivl værd at læse, både for de yngre læsere der vil more sig over humoren og det anderledes og kreative univers, mens de ældre læsere også sagtens kan nyde begge dele uden at det bliver kedeligt. Findes der virkelig nogen, der ikke har læst denne her bog endnu? I Djævelens lærling blander Kenneth Bøgh Andersen humor og mytologi med et mystiske komplot og det hele foregår i et både spændende og meget anderledes univers. Bogen er den første i en serie på seks, og min plan er at fortsætte med resten af serien i løbet af forårets og sommeren. Jeg kan ganske enkelt få nok.
October 17, 2023
(Danish review below)
ENG//
This was a great YA fantasy book! 😍 I don’t know why I hadn’t read this when I was younger, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying it, while being older. The book is about a 12 year old boy, Filip (maybe Philip in English) who by accident ends up going to hell. Literally. He’s brought to Hell by the devil himself, Lucifer, to become The Devil’s Apprentice. Lucifer is sick and dying. But the thing is, they got the wrong boy, from the beginning. Philip is literally the best and pure boy you can find. I really liked this little gem. It was funny, it was serious. It had themes as morality and evilness, how feelings makes us human’s behave. The book was in some ways predictable and in some ways not, and I kinda liked the mix. Now I need to get the rest of the series. This series is a Danish one, but it has been translated to English. So I recommend it to everyone 😍.
It felt great to be reading something else in Danish than only my law text books, reading this fantasy felt like coming home in a cozy-hygge way 🎃🍁 .
DK//
Nøøøj hvor var den her bog skøn 😍. Jeg forstår ikke, hvordan jeg ikke har læst den her bog i mine yngre dage. Fantasy har altid været min favorit-genre, og jeg nød denne bogs univers, i helvede! 12 årige Filip ender ved en fejl i helvede som Djævelens lærling, da djævelen er syg. Men Filip er den sødeste, pligtopfyldende dreng man kan finde. Jeg synes det var en skøn YA bog der udforskede tematikker som morale og hvad “ondskab” er, nuancer af det osv., hvilken rolle følelser spiller for menneskets handlinger. Djævlen hedder Lucifer, allerede der smilte jeg. Hans kat hedder Lucifax. Der var super mange navne man kunne genkende, hvilket også var rigtig hyggeligt og fik mig til at smile. Selvom bogen på sin vis var forudsigelig på nogle punkter, var den overraskende på andre, og kunne godt lide det mix. Og det var SÅ skønt at læse #meredanskfantasy. At læse dansk fantasy føltes som at komme hjem igen😍. Må anskaffe mig resten af bøgerne nu.
ENG//
This was a great YA fantasy book! 😍 I don’t know why I hadn’t read this when I was younger, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying it, while being older. The book is about a 12 year old boy, Filip (maybe Philip in English) who by accident ends up going to hell. Literally. He’s brought to Hell by the devil himself, Lucifer, to become The Devil’s Apprentice. Lucifer is sick and dying. But the thing is, they got the wrong boy, from the beginning. Philip is literally the best and pure boy you can find. I really liked this little gem. It was funny, it was serious. It had themes as morality and evilness, how feelings makes us human’s behave. The book was in some ways predictable and in some ways not, and I kinda liked the mix. Now I need to get the rest of the series. This series is a Danish one, but it has been translated to English. So I recommend it to everyone 😍.
It felt great to be reading something else in Danish than only my law text books, reading this fantasy felt like coming home in a cozy-hygge way 🎃🍁 .
DK//
Nøøøj hvor var den her bog skøn 😍. Jeg forstår ikke, hvordan jeg ikke har læst den her bog i mine yngre dage. Fantasy har altid været min favorit-genre, og jeg nød denne bogs univers, i helvede! 12 årige Filip ender ved en fejl i helvede som Djævelens lærling, da djævelen er syg. Men Filip er den sødeste, pligtopfyldende dreng man kan finde. Jeg synes det var en skøn YA bog der udforskede tematikker som morale og hvad “ondskab” er, nuancer af det osv., hvilken rolle følelser spiller for menneskets handlinger. Djævlen hedder Lucifer, allerede der smilte jeg. Hans kat hedder Lucifax. Der var super mange navne man kunne genkende, hvilket også var rigtig hyggeligt og fik mig til at smile. Selvom bogen på sin vis var forudsigelig på nogle punkter, var den overraskende på andre, og kunne godt lide det mix. Og det var SÅ skønt at læse #meredanskfantasy. At læse dansk fantasy føltes som at komme hjem igen😍. Må anskaffe mig resten af bøgerne nu.
August 22, 2019
Man oh man was this read refreshing!
This was my first time reading a book by Kenneth B. Andersen, and I had no idea just how entertaining this book was going to be.
To start, I really loved Philip's character. He's virtuous and has a good head on his shoulders for his age. And let's be honest, who doesn't love a hero? Throughout this novel, Philip's morals are tested as the influence of the evil around him attempts to seep in. It was really easy to relate to since we all deal with these kinds of decisions every day.
Next, the writing. This novel is Young Adult and I personally felt that it was expertly written in that style. It was easy to read, concise, and those pages flowed like melted butter. The descriptions were well-executed, and I could imagine the hellish scenes that Andersen created easily because of it.
I also loved the strange and eerie characters we were introduced to. Very imaginative, creative, and well thought-out.
The plot and theme were interesting and honestly, right up my alley. I love all things creepy, and what is creepier than Hell? Not many things! This definitely satisfied my thirst for the macabre while keeping things PG-13. There wasn't any excessive gore or swearing either, which I understand can be a point of contention with the YA genre.
I honestly can't think of anything negative to say about this book. I loved it from cover to cover.
Ultimately, The Devil's Apprentice is a great YA fantasy filled with chills, thrills, and just a little bit of heartache. Definitely binge-worthy and a helluva read!
This was my first time reading a book by Kenneth B. Andersen, and I had no idea just how entertaining this book was going to be.
To start, I really loved Philip's character. He's virtuous and has a good head on his shoulders for his age. And let's be honest, who doesn't love a hero? Throughout this novel, Philip's morals are tested as the influence of the evil around him attempts to seep in. It was really easy to relate to since we all deal with these kinds of decisions every day.
Next, the writing. This novel is Young Adult and I personally felt that it was expertly written in that style. It was easy to read, concise, and those pages flowed like melted butter. The descriptions were well-executed, and I could imagine the hellish scenes that Andersen created easily because of it.
I also loved the strange and eerie characters we were introduced to. Very imaginative, creative, and well thought-out.
The plot and theme were interesting and honestly, right up my alley. I love all things creepy, and what is creepier than Hell? Not many things! This definitely satisfied my thirst for the macabre while keeping things PG-13. There wasn't any excessive gore or swearing either, which I understand can be a point of contention with the YA genre.
I honestly can't think of anything negative to say about this book. I loved it from cover to cover.
Ultimately, The Devil's Apprentice is a great YA fantasy filled with chills, thrills, and just a little bit of heartache. Definitely binge-worthy and a helluva read!
August 25, 2019
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lately there have been tons and tons of YA Fantasy books and I've seen a lot of readers getting sick of it, since it's very often much of the same. This is another YA Fantasy book, but it's like NOTHING you've ever read. The story was so unique, and although it takes place in hell, the story is mainly about being good, and about what is good and what is evil. I think this was one of my favorite books this summer!
A longer review can be found at BiteIntoBooks
One of the most unique YA Fantasy books I've read in awhile. Highly enjoyable, easy to read, great world building, great characters, lots of questions and mystery. A book that explores the line between good and evil.
Definitely worth your time and I'm going to read the second book SOON!
Lately there have been tons and tons of YA Fantasy books and I've seen a lot of readers getting sick of it, since it's very often much of the same. This is another YA Fantasy book, but it's like NOTHING you've ever read. The story was so unique, and although it takes place in hell, the story is mainly about being good, and about what is good and what is evil. I think this was one of my favorite books this summer!
A longer review can be found at BiteIntoBooks
One of the most unique YA Fantasy books I've read in awhile. Highly enjoyable, easy to read, great world building, great characters, lots of questions and mystery. A book that explores the line between good and evil.
Definitely worth your time and I'm going to read the second book SOON!
August 9, 2019
Book Reaction: https://nildivision.blogspot.com/2019...
Rating: 4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Thank you to the author, Kenneth B. Andersen, for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Thank you to the author, Kenneth B. Andersen, for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2015
Bogen har en helt forrygende og sjov humor. Jeg grinede højt flere gange, dog synes jeg den mister lidt af flowet til sidst. Men generelt var jeg godt underholdt det meste af tiden.
Historien er lyttet som lydbog og jeg var meget imponeret over forfatterens behagelige og helt perfekte oplæsning.
Historien er lyttet som lydbog og jeg var meget imponeret over forfatterens behagelige og helt perfekte oplæsning.
February 7, 2011
If you like Dennis Jürgensen, then this is a must read book, as it's universe is very similar to that of this other author.
An epic and fun journey into the depths of hell and the soul of humankind.
An epic and fun journey into the depths of hell and the soul of humankind.
February 2, 2011
Virkelig virkelig god bog! fantastisk skrevet og et rigtig godt plot! endelig er der en forfatter der tør tage en ind i selveste helvede! dette er en oplevelse man ikke må gå glip af!
August 14, 2019
A book which can transport me from the realities of my life is certainly a book to gaze at in wonderment. This book did that, the only fact which made it all the more fun was that the book transported me to the realms of Hell!! With Lucifer as its King!! Oh boy, was I in for a rocking ride.
A mistaken identity, and Philip was taken in to Hell by the hands of Death instead of Sam, a bully at his school. Lucifer was dying, and he needed a Heir to succeed the throne. Philip was it! The boy who has done only good through his entire life. He became The Devil's Apprentice, and that started his entire journey of transformation to evil with horns and wings. A sudden reveal of the truth and the need to be true to himself placed him at the crossroads. What would he do now?
My first book by Kenneth B. Anderson saw me hurrying through this book, the author was a great spinner of tales. The entire world in this story was Hell, every nuance was touched upon. The kids even went to school. The detailing was quite amazing with a vast array of characters. Some of whom touched my heart. They were not all bad, just a bit of tricksters.
Philip as the boy who was soon seduced by evil was interesting to read. The reason why he gave in, was slightly clichéd. The devil did use the oldest trick in the book. Ah well, that was Hell. The story traversed between different layers of good vs evil, villains and heroes, goodness vs plain old wickedness. The characters were varied and not all of them were black or white. Many had shades of gray.
The devil in me did bring out the niggles, more thrill and more depth to the world building would bring out the various colors shading it. But this was book 1 in the series. I would assume it would only improve.
Overall, the book kept me enraptured by the vagaries of the world and its characters unfurling before my eyes. A fun breakfast read, indeed.
A mistaken identity, and Philip was taken in to Hell by the hands of Death instead of Sam, a bully at his school. Lucifer was dying, and he needed a Heir to succeed the throne. Philip was it! The boy who has done only good through his entire life. He became The Devil's Apprentice, and that started his entire journey of transformation to evil with horns and wings. A sudden reveal of the truth and the need to be true to himself placed him at the crossroads. What would he do now?
My first book by Kenneth B. Anderson saw me hurrying through this book, the author was a great spinner of tales. The entire world in this story was Hell, every nuance was touched upon. The kids even went to school. The detailing was quite amazing with a vast array of characters. Some of whom touched my heart. They were not all bad, just a bit of tricksters.
Philip as the boy who was soon seduced by evil was interesting to read. The reason why he gave in, was slightly clichéd. The devil did use the oldest trick in the book. Ah well, that was Hell. The story traversed between different layers of good vs evil, villains and heroes, goodness vs plain old wickedness. The characters were varied and not all of them were black or white. Many had shades of gray.
The devil in me did bring out the niggles, more thrill and more depth to the world building would bring out the various colors shading it. But this was book 1 in the series. I would assume it would only improve.
Overall, the book kept me enraptured by the vagaries of the world and its characters unfurling before my eyes. A fun breakfast read, indeed.
October 20, 2019
In a world without evil “There is no envy, so there are no sports leagues or competition. The killer instinct is dead, because if you lose you’re not angry or disappointed – you’re happy for your competitor. And when the loser’s joy is equal to the winner’s, what’s the point in playing? Books and films would be about nothing, because in this world there are no bad guys to be captured and therefore no heroes.”
Wow. Did this book ever have me thinking! It’s very true that without evil, there can be no good. Plus, HOW BORING WOULD A WORLD OF ALL GOOD BE?? Also, who’s to say what IS good and evil, anyways? If my friend asks if those jeans make her look fat, and I say no (when they ABSOLUTELY DO!) Does this make me an evil person? Hell, if I tell her they DO make her look fat…. is that any more “good”?? It’s all a world of grey out there and the only thing we can do is learn to walk that fine line.
I absolutely LOVED all of the tie-in’s with the biblical references…. usually I start rolling my eyes when religion is brought into something. But, how do you have a book about Lucifer and Hell without reference to God and Heaven? And, this was done very well! (I really want to read the book in Lucifer’s study “The Bible- As the Devil reads it”… can someone figure out where I can find a copy? Would we think differently about him?
“We can’t see without light, but we can’t see without darkness, either. We need both to be able to navigate.”
This book (even though I hate comparing things to other things…. sometimes I can’t help it) is a little bit of “Labyrinth, a little bit of Piers Anthony’s “Incarnations of Immortality” (one of my ALL TIME favourite series!), and a little bit of “The Wizard of Oz”. So, I guess what I’m saying, is that it was ALL PARTS FANTASTIC!
Wow. Did this book ever have me thinking! It’s very true that without evil, there can be no good. Plus, HOW BORING WOULD A WORLD OF ALL GOOD BE?? Also, who’s to say what IS good and evil, anyways? If my friend asks if those jeans make her look fat, and I say no (when they ABSOLUTELY DO!) Does this make me an evil person? Hell, if I tell her they DO make her look fat…. is that any more “good”?? It’s all a world of grey out there and the only thing we can do is learn to walk that fine line.
I absolutely LOVED all of the tie-in’s with the biblical references…. usually I start rolling my eyes when religion is brought into something. But, how do you have a book about Lucifer and Hell without reference to God and Heaven? And, this was done very well! (I really want to read the book in Lucifer’s study “The Bible- As the Devil reads it”… can someone figure out where I can find a copy? Would we think differently about him?
“We can’t see without light, but we can’t see without darkness, either. We need both to be able to navigate.”
This book (even though I hate comparing things to other things…. sometimes I can’t help it) is a little bit of “Labyrinth, a little bit of Piers Anthony’s “Incarnations of Immortality” (one of my ALL TIME favourite series!), and a little bit of “The Wizard of Oz”. So, I guess what I’m saying, is that it was ALL PARTS FANTASTIC!
December 15, 2019
Thank you to The_WriteReads and the author for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my open and honest review. Please check out my other reviews at www.beforewegoblog.com
Phillip's life is the pits. He is 13 years old, which let's be frank, is no good for anyone. On top of that, he is the frequent target of a vicious school bully who takes bullying to a whole new level, he is a genuinely kind person, and most of all, he is dead. Even worse, is that upon dying he finds himself in the fiery pits of hell instead of heaven and he is confused. And, so are all the demons around him.
There has been a grave mistake.
Thus starts Phillip's adventure, which is part Dante's Inferno and part Percy Jackson. Lucifer is dying, and he needs an heir. Is it Phillip? Can Phillip look past all his good ways to be the bad boy that he might be inside? It is a fun and smart thought. Most novels are always on the side of good and looking down their nose at the bad. But not this one. It is fun! Everyone is bad, wrong. Demons, tempters, ghosts, the devil - this story has it all in spades.
Phillip is also a very likable character. His goodness could come off as a goody-goody character with a less skilled writer, but in the hands of Anderson, Phillip is a recognizable and empathetic character. You like him, and you root for him. Plus, the twist at the ending of the story kept this from being predictable.
Overall this is an enjoyable read. I can see it being engaging for a 12-year-old or an adult. It was absolutely engaging for this adult. There are themes in the story that is understandable for everyone. Give this story a try. It will be well worth the read.
Phillip's life is the pits. He is 13 years old, which let's be frank, is no good for anyone. On top of that, he is the frequent target of a vicious school bully who takes bullying to a whole new level, he is a genuinely kind person, and most of all, he is dead. Even worse, is that upon dying he finds himself in the fiery pits of hell instead of heaven and he is confused. And, so are all the demons around him.
There has been a grave mistake.
Thus starts Phillip's adventure, which is part Dante's Inferno and part Percy Jackson. Lucifer is dying, and he needs an heir. Is it Phillip? Can Phillip look past all his good ways to be the bad boy that he might be inside? It is a fun and smart thought. Most novels are always on the side of good and looking down their nose at the bad. But not this one. It is fun! Everyone is bad, wrong. Demons, tempters, ghosts, the devil - this story has it all in spades.
Phillip is also a very likable character. His goodness could come off as a goody-goody character with a less skilled writer, but in the hands of Anderson, Phillip is a recognizable and empathetic character. You like him, and you root for him. Plus, the twist at the ending of the story kept this from being predictable.
Overall this is an enjoyable read. I can see it being engaging for a 12-year-old or an adult. It was absolutely engaging for this adult. There are themes in the story that is understandable for everyone. Give this story a try. It will be well worth the read.
July 31, 2016
Min søn har for ganske nylig læst denne serie, og han var ganske opslugt af den, så nu ville jeg også give den et forsøg. Jeg blev rigtig positivt overrasket. Det overordnede plot er, at den ellers meget artige dreng Filip havner i helvede ved en fejl, udset til at være Djævelens efterfølger. Underverdenen er virkelig opfindsomt beskrevet på en måde som minder lidt om Inferno i Dantes Guddommelige Komedie. Der er masser af humor og sjove episoder, som når Filip møder en gammel lærer eller flere historiske personer. Men samtidig indeholder romanen også en fin indsigt i den menneskelige natur, og i løbet bogen lærer Filip en hel del om sig selv og må træffe nogle personlige valg. Fin børne og ungdomsbog. Jeg glæder mig til at se hvordan resten af serien udvikler sig.
October 15, 2017
Sikke en god roman! Den er helt klart den mest sjove i serien, da de andre bøger er ret mørke, og ikk lige så mange lyse øjeblikke.
Fillips rejse som djævelens lærling, bragte mange gode minder, fra da jeg læste sen første gang. Man skal virkelig nyde dem, fordi hvis man ikke stopper, i fornuftig tid, kan man ikke stoppe! Det var også meget sjovt at genopdage sjo små detaljer om verden, da de ikke er så vigtige, men samtidig er.
Fillips rejse som djævelens lærling, bragte mange gode minder, fra da jeg læste sen første gang. Man skal virkelig nyde dem, fordi hvis man ikke stopper, i fornuftig tid, kan man ikke stoppe! Det var også meget sjovt at genopdage sjo små detaljer om verden, da de ikke er så vigtige, men samtidig er.
September 8, 2015
Basically the Danish Percy Jackson I loved this series sooo much Satina was my absolute favourite character (childhood icon) although she, in hindsight, sounds like the character Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way was based on. Anyway I love this and I still have the 2 or 3 first books xx
December 8, 2019
I loved it!!! ★★★★✬ 4.5 stars
I can’t believe a book like that just randomly landed on my reading list. (Remember when I said, take that, universe? Well, maybe there is balance. Thanks, universe!) I would have never chosen to read this book on my own – the cover choice would have kept me off it. I usually steer clear of books that look “too epic fantasy”, because it’s usually not my thing. And it does seem to be that from the cover. But it’s not! This is a middle grade with a lot of paranormal in it, but it reads more like an adventure or a fairytale, with a moral to the story as well. It was very good! And I’m very glad I got to read it.
Anyway, to tell you more about the story – Lucifer is… *gasp!* dying. And despite all you might think, the world DOES need a Hell, just as much as it needs a balance between good and evil. So, Lucifer gets a boy from earth in a last attempt to train a successor. Sadly… A mistake gets in the way, and instead of getting the worst bully the world has ever seen, Lucifer ends up with a boy who does all his chores because he wants to be good, would rather volunteer to be a punching bad so that others wouldn’t get punched and has also never told a lie, even a white one – even at the cost of losing a friend.
I loved the writing of this book – it reads really easily and is instantly engrossing. The Hell in which Phillip, the boy, ends up, is pretty imaginative as well! It had a lot of interesting things in it. It actually reminded me of another book that was about the afterlife, called List of 13, which I also greatly recommend.
But this isn’t just a book about a good boy landing in Hell, as great as that premise sounds! It’s so much more. While Hell itself is plenty simplified, the balance between good and evil is not. When Phillip comes to Hell, he has this one-sided understanding of life. Good things are only good, bad things are only bad. It’s so very natural for us to think that – I think all of us feel this way when we are children, and some of us never do grow out of it, because it’s hard. It’s hard to imagine that “bad people” have families and friends they love and respect. It’s hard seeing “bad people” as “just people”. We always want to exalt the good and demonize the bad. It makes life easier.
But that’s what Phillip learns – the good, as well as the evil, can all be found inside of your own self.
It’s incredibly easy to be tempted into evil – it doesn’t matter how “good” you essentially were. Good and evil is a choice, and we all make it every day. Every second of each day! Sometimes we may be forced into a choice, and sometimes it may be that we’ve been tempted. But it is important to OWN that choice. To realize that it was you who made it.
Another thing I really loved about this book was how it portrayed growing up – the change from a child to a teen. Learning to stand up for yourself and learning how to defend yourself isn’t “evil”. Being strong and decisive doesn’t have to be “evil”, and being meek and soft doesn’t always have to be “good”. Embracing your anger and understanding it is a natural part of growing up – in fact, I think that’s what we are learning through our teenage years. Shutting up all that anger inside of you won’t make you a better person – understanding the anger is what does.
Apart from these bigger themes, The Devil’s Apprentice is one big adventure a nice boy experiences in the evilest place of the world – Hell. Surprisingly, he makes friends and even manages to convince some devils that there is virtue to kindness. Because that’s what life is – it isn’t black or white. Life is a lot of grey. And when you realize that, the adventure becomes fun.
I can truly recommend this book! It was fun to read and made me ponder bigger themes. I can’t wait to read the sequel!
I thank the author, publisher and The Write Reads blog tours for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Triggers:
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
I can’t believe a book like that just randomly landed on my reading list. (Remember when I said, take that, universe? Well, maybe there is balance. Thanks, universe!) I would have never chosen to read this book on my own – the cover choice would have kept me off it. I usually steer clear of books that look “too epic fantasy”, because it’s usually not my thing. And it does seem to be that from the cover. But it’s not! This is a middle grade with a lot of paranormal in it, but it reads more like an adventure or a fairytale, with a moral to the story as well. It was very good! And I’m very glad I got to read it.
Anyway, to tell you more about the story – Lucifer is… *gasp!* dying. And despite all you might think, the world DOES need a Hell, just as much as it needs a balance between good and evil. So, Lucifer gets a boy from earth in a last attempt to train a successor. Sadly… A mistake gets in the way, and instead of getting the worst bully the world has ever seen, Lucifer ends up with a boy who does all his chores because he wants to be good, would rather volunteer to be a punching bad so that others wouldn’t get punched and has also never told a lie, even a white one – even at the cost of losing a friend.
I loved the writing of this book – it reads really easily and is instantly engrossing. The Hell in which Phillip, the boy, ends up, is pretty imaginative as well! It had a lot of interesting things in it. It actually reminded me of another book that was about the afterlife, called List of 13, which I also greatly recommend.
But this isn’t just a book about a good boy landing in Hell, as great as that premise sounds! It’s so much more. While Hell itself is plenty simplified, the balance between good and evil is not. When Phillip comes to Hell, he has this one-sided understanding of life. Good things are only good, bad things are only bad. It’s so very natural for us to think that – I think all of us feel this way when we are children, and some of us never do grow out of it, because it’s hard. It’s hard to imagine that “bad people” have families and friends they love and respect. It’s hard seeing “bad people” as “just people”. We always want to exalt the good and demonize the bad. It makes life easier.
But that’s what Phillip learns – the good, as well as the evil, can all be found inside of your own self.
It’s incredibly easy to be tempted into evil – it doesn’t matter how “good” you essentially were. Good and evil is a choice, and we all make it every day. Every second of each day! Sometimes we may be forced into a choice, and sometimes it may be that we’ve been tempted. But it is important to OWN that choice. To realize that it was you who made it.
Another thing I really loved about this book was how it portrayed growing up – the change from a child to a teen. Learning to stand up for yourself and learning how to defend yourself isn’t “evil”. Being strong and decisive doesn’t have to be “evil”, and being meek and soft doesn’t always have to be “good”. Embracing your anger and understanding it is a natural part of growing up – in fact, I think that’s what we are learning through our teenage years. Shutting up all that anger inside of you won’t make you a better person – understanding the anger is what does.
Apart from these bigger themes, The Devil’s Apprentice is one big adventure a nice boy experiences in the evilest place of the world – Hell. Surprisingly, he makes friends and even manages to convince some devils that there is virtue to kindness. Because that’s what life is – it isn’t black or white. Life is a lot of grey. And when you realize that, the adventure becomes fun.
I can truly recommend this book! It was fun to read and made me ponder bigger themes. I can’t wait to read the sequel!
I thank the author, publisher and The Write Reads blog tours for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Triggers:
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
December 17, 2024
This middle school book probably winds up on a lot of banned lists, which is a shame. It's an adorable story about a very good 13yo boy who is accidentally killed and gets sent to Hell to become Satan's heir.
On face value, I guess I can see how it might ruffle some feathers.
Philip Engel was being chased by a school bully when an old man hits him with his car. An apparent mixup gets him sent to the underworld. Under Lucifer's tutelage, and with influence from the devilishly pretty Satina, sheltered Philip sees that he may have missed out on a bit of fun by living such a staunchly wholesome life. The demons around him, meanwhile, might just become accustomed to hearing "please" and "thank you," too!
Balance, people - everything in balance! A positive message, methinks. I had a good time reading this one, and if my son was still of the target audience age, I'd definitely let him read it.
On face value, I guess I can see how it might ruffle some feathers.
Philip Engel was being chased by a school bully when an old man hits him with his car. An apparent mixup gets him sent to the underworld. Under Lucifer's tutelage, and with influence from the devilishly pretty Satina, sheltered Philip sees that he may have missed out on a bit of fun by living such a staunchly wholesome life. The demons around him, meanwhile, might just become accustomed to hearing "please" and "thank you," too!
Balance, people - everything in balance! A positive message, methinks. I had a good time reading this one, and if my son was still of the target audience age, I'd definitely let him read it.
February 25, 2020
3.5 stars
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
More to come
This book was a funny and lighthearted reading, and even if I was a tad skeptical at the beginning, I quickly found myself drawn into it.
Philip is a good MC, and I loved following him around while he is living the adventure of his life (or death, in this case). And I liked quite a lot also the other characters, Satina, Lucifer and Lucifax and all the other demons that aren't so evil. Yes, the beginning was a bit slow for me, because it is quite cliches all around, but you don't have to read so much of it to start liking it! And I had a good time enjoying this reading.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
More to come
This book was a funny and lighthearted reading, and even if I was a tad skeptical at the beginning, I quickly found myself drawn into it.
Philip is a good MC, and I loved following him around while he is living the adventure of his life (or death, in this case). And I liked quite a lot also the other characters, Satina, Lucifer and Lucifax and all the other demons that aren't so evil. Yes, the beginning was a bit slow for me, because it is quite cliches all around, but you don't have to read so much of it to start liking it! And I had a good time enjoying this reading.
September 22, 2024
Ser frem til at læse "Dødens Terning"....
December 14, 2019
Tour ~ My review is voluntary and honest.
Thirteen-year-old Philip has the honor of dying and being sent to Hell. Honor, you say? Well, yeah. He’s slated to be Lucifer’s successor. Except he’s not. Due to a massive screw up Philip has landed in Hell in someone else’s place. Lucifer has one foot on a banana peel and the other in a grave, so he has to make the best of the situation. He must mold Philip, who never lies, into the leader of Hell and do it quickly. Oh, boy. Does Lucifer have his work cut out for him? Hell yes.
This is a fun story that fits into the younger end of Young Adult, teetering on the cusp of Middle Grade. It’s got a fine mystery to be solved, but it’s a simplistic straightforward one. Just because it’s set in Hell doesn’t mean it has to be dark and disturbing. The world is a bit weird. For Hell anyway. Philip is an amenable teen, typical in some ways and atypical in others. The plot is interesting (the reason I picked it up) and the characters are well-defined, most are actually quite likeable. Philip’s dilemma is a decent one and his development over the course of the book is a bit surprising. Even a little disappointing at times. But then he is only 13-yrs-old, so I cut him some slack. If you’re looking for a different kind of YA adventure then I recommend this one for a few hours of pleasurable reading.
Thirteen-year-old Philip has the honor of dying and being sent to Hell. Honor, you say? Well, yeah. He’s slated to be Lucifer’s successor. Except he’s not. Due to a massive screw up Philip has landed in Hell in someone else’s place. Lucifer has one foot on a banana peel and the other in a grave, so he has to make the best of the situation. He must mold Philip, who never lies, into the leader of Hell and do it quickly. Oh, boy. Does Lucifer have his work cut out for him? Hell yes.
This is a fun story that fits into the younger end of Young Adult, teetering on the cusp of Middle Grade. It’s got a fine mystery to be solved, but it’s a simplistic straightforward one. Just because it’s set in Hell doesn’t mean it has to be dark and disturbing. The world is a bit weird. For Hell anyway. Philip is an amenable teen, typical in some ways and atypical in others. The plot is interesting (the reason I picked it up) and the characters are well-defined, most are actually quite likeable. Philip’s dilemma is a decent one and his development over the course of the book is a bit surprising. Even a little disappointing at times. But then he is only 13-yrs-old, so I cut him some slack. If you’re looking for a different kind of YA adventure then I recommend this one for a few hours of pleasurable reading.
August 23, 2019
Let that be your first lesson, Philip. Down here, humor is always dark.”
The Devil's Apprentice, Is the First in a series of The Great Devil War Books
A fun an intriguing adventure fantasy that is full of dark humor, and fantasy world building.
A mistake and a twist of fate, sets in motion the storyline.
Cleverly written in third POV of Philip Engle, a thirteen-year-old boy who lives with his mother and who lost his father when he was very young.
The book is a page-turner, there are heroes and villain and it’s absolutely hilarious. Rich fantasy world building that is both imaginative and engaging.
Descriptive details, along with snarky humor keep you captivated.
The author combines Christian theology, mystery with coming-of-age twisted plot. It made good use of biblical mythology and tries to give a convincing argument as to why evil is necessary. Anderson, creatively draws you into feeling empathy for Lucifer and the fate of his hellish kingdom.
The writing PG since this is a middle grade book but its concept and dark humor might elevate it to an older audiences.
Most of the book takes pace in fictional Hell and deals with themes like evil, death and free will. A bookish tale about good and evil seen from a different perspective.
August 23, 2019
To be honest, I wasn't sure I was going to like The Devil's Apprentice. Mainly because of the fact that it's...well, a story about Hell. The whole Christian guilt thing. I know. I know. "But, Valerie, you read horror and about vampires and magic!" Yes, yes indeed and that's why I pulled up my big girl pants and cracked this baby open! Sacrilegious though it may be, it was a riot.
Read more at Cats Luv Coffee
Read more at Cats Luv Coffee
July 25, 2019
OK, but to me overly simplistic and so flawed. E.g., I didn’t care for (1) how all of the devils, who by definition were supposedly deeply evil - weren’t, (2) how easily (and cluelessly) the upstanding young protagonist was enticed into evildom- but then easily redeemed himself or (3) how all of the suffering of the tormented souls was simply ignored by the various characters. Some YA books work equally, and superbly, well for adult readers - but this was not one of those books.
September 26, 2019
“Everything is twisted crookedly and tied together in ways that don’t make sense. A geometric craziness with triangles at more than 180 degrees, squares with only three sides, and parallel lines that cross each other. The road he’s standing on curls like a ribbon. It makes his eyes hurt to see all this madness... This is how the condemned experience Hell.”
The premise of this story is a fun interpretation that makes it hard to put down!
The premise of this story is a fun interpretation that makes it hard to put down!
December 26, 2016
jeg kan rigtig godt lide sådan nået med andre væsener. Denne bog var rigtig god. klart en af mine yndlingsbøger
July 20, 2020
After reading the blurb for this novel there was no way I could resist. A year ago I’d have probably politely declined on the basis that it’s just not my genre but after gently testing the YA Fantasy waters I now consider myself a converted fan and this one just looked way to good to miss out on.
Written for YA and a fairly quick read this novel does have it’s dark moments but these are complimented by equally light and humorous parts including a hint of romance. it’s a fast paced narrative that doesn’t sit too heavily on the brain making it easy to sink into Phillip’s new world and become completely immersed. I’m a big fan of Lucifer (TV Series) so loved the idea that the devil would need an apprentice and was even more delighted that he was such a good boy in Hell through a case of mistaken identity. Such a unique idea.
I read a lot of certain genres and I adore them but every once in a while something comes along that is so stunningly unique and captivating that my mind is blown. The Devil’s apprentice is just superb and so different to anything I’ve seen personally before. It has a dark theme to it but in all honesty, it’s just an all round fun and immersive experience.
Through the novel the character of Phillip really develops. In the beginning he is so unbelievable good. So good in fact that he is the worst at being bad and really is clueless. As the plot thickens glimpses of Phillip’s darker side begin to emerge and the transformation is astounding. The friends and foes he meets along the way equally as well developed and add some real depth to the story. I found myself completely participating in the game of working out ‘who’s good and who’s bad?’
The world of Hell is created with care and much thought considerably beyond the way we usually see it portrayed. Delicate details and vivid descriptions really brought the setting to life and I’ll be honest – I wasn’t too worried about going there.
This is a fabulous book that delves into the thought provoking questions about Hell, good vs bad and all the grey areas in between. To put it simply – I Loved it! A refreshingly unique story that was a pleasure to read. I cannot wait to read book 2.
Written for YA and a fairly quick read this novel does have it’s dark moments but these are complimented by equally light and humorous parts including a hint of romance. it’s a fast paced narrative that doesn’t sit too heavily on the brain making it easy to sink into Phillip’s new world and become completely immersed. I’m a big fan of Lucifer (TV Series) so loved the idea that the devil would need an apprentice and was even more delighted that he was such a good boy in Hell through a case of mistaken identity. Such a unique idea.
I read a lot of certain genres and I adore them but every once in a while something comes along that is so stunningly unique and captivating that my mind is blown. The Devil’s apprentice is just superb and so different to anything I’ve seen personally before. It has a dark theme to it but in all honesty, it’s just an all round fun and immersive experience.
Through the novel the character of Phillip really develops. In the beginning he is so unbelievable good. So good in fact that he is the worst at being bad and really is clueless. As the plot thickens glimpses of Phillip’s darker side begin to emerge and the transformation is astounding. The friends and foes he meets along the way equally as well developed and add some real depth to the story. I found myself completely participating in the game of working out ‘who’s good and who’s bad?’
The world of Hell is created with care and much thought considerably beyond the way we usually see it portrayed. Delicate details and vivid descriptions really brought the setting to life and I’ll be honest – I wasn’t too worried about going there.
This is a fabulous book that delves into the thought provoking questions about Hell, good vs bad and all the grey areas in between. To put it simply – I Loved it! A refreshingly unique story that was a pleasure to read. I cannot wait to read book 2.
December 15, 2019
4.5 STARS
The Devil’s Apprentice, by Kenneth B Andersen is a fun and entertaining story of morality and childhood, perfect for younger ya readers, and even entertaining for an older audience.
Synopsis: Philip is a star child, well behaved, hard-working, polite and he never lies. However, an unfortunate series of events results in Philip being sent to Hell so he can become Lucifer’s apprentice, only to find out it was a mistake.
Philip is not who Lucifer was looking for. In fact, Philip is the polar opposite to the boy Lucifer wanted. He is dreadful at being evil, he fails at every turn, but Luficer has no other options and has to train Philip to be bad.
During this chaotic and amusing time in the underworld, Philip makes both friends and enemies. But, there is a sinister plot going on and Philip has been drawn in. Without knowing who he can truly trust – will Philip be able to uncover who is plotting against the throne?
— Interesting And Effective —
The Narrative And Writing Style. Andersen uses a very direct and simple writing style which, for this book, was very effective. However, despite the direct style, Andersen also uses some very vivid imagery and his descriptions are rich, interesting and effective. His metaphors are beautifully crafted and are, at times, amusing and comical. They draw you into the story and the writing itself is incredibly well paced. There are no drawn out scenes that are boring or simple average, instead it is full of fun and interesting events and action. Overall the writing style is relatively light and tailored towards amusing and comical, setting the perfect tone for this book. The sinister aspect of the underworld cuts through the comedy pretty effectively, and makes the horrible events more impactful while maintaining the fun element of the story.
While it does appear tailored to the lower end of the YA spectrum, the story, characters and writing style are incredibly appealing and entertaining to an older audience.
The narrative perspective we get is that of Philip, thus we learn about the underworld alongside him, very organically. His perspective allows for comedy and mystery to build up as we watch him struggle to become bad. It was a great choice of perspective and aided the story wonderfully.
— Fun And Entertaining —
The Plot. This story, the plot and the world is magnificent. It is fun and entertaining and incredibly well paced. The story follows Philip as he tries to become ‘bad’ and succeed at being Lucifer’s apprentice. The concept itself is very interesting and unique in terms of ow it plays out. The plot deals with the themes of good and bad, death, relationships and friendships, and overall morality. Following the story through the eyes of a child gives it a unique perspective as he grasps the balance of morality.
The plot is perfect for the intended audience. It has comedy, action and mystery entwined together to create an epic start to the series. The mythical/supernatural element adds an interesting dimension to the story with the demons being tricksters and shapeshifters who inconvenience each other. It was a fun and interesting way to highlight the mischievousness of the demons.
Moreover, the exploration of friendship and trust was entertaining and important for the audience. It was a great plot device that added nother element to the story and allowed for Philips character to change and develop.
Furthermore, the way in which Philip is trained under Lucifer is amusing and intriguing. It focuses more on the prank/trickster aspect, things children would see as bad, fitting with the intent of the story, while also having subtle hints at more serious elements of evil. The balance worked very well and made the story unique, original and entertaining throughout.
Finally, the world is well developed, while more could be added there is enough and it is complex, however, there is never an overload of information and everything is explained organically and gradually. While some elements of the story are a little obvious or cliche, it doesn’t take away from it, partly because of the intended audience, but also because it is so expertly written.
— Dynamic And Enjoyable —
The Characters. Every characters Andersen created was dynamic and enjoyable to read about. Moreover, the development of the characters, particularly Philip, is very interesting to watch and highly entertaining.
Philip. The main character is a boy-scout. He is extremely well-behaved, does all of his homework (and more), and NEVER lies. This means that his flaws revolve around having little to no friends since he will not hesitate to tell the truth if they have been bad. When he finds himself in the underworld he struggle to become bad himself but slowly develops to realise not all lies are ‘bad’ and trusting friends can be a good thing. He builds up relationships with Lucifer, Lucifax, Satina and more. His developments are wonderful to watch and the ending itself is quite suprising.
Lucifer. The devil himself is an interesting character, sharp and witty with comical additions. The character is complex and evil, happy to manipulate but is also interesting and deeper than what is expected.
Satina. Headstrong, kinder than expected and a master at mischief, she is Philip’s first friend in Hell and is kind to him and helps hime learn about the underworld. She is also key to his character development and their relationship is interesting to watch develop as it is complex and realistic.
All of the characters are so well crafted but I have not gone through them all in order to avoid spoilers! Overall they are fun, intricate and perfect for the story.
— Amusing And Exciting —
Overall. The Devil’s Apprentice is a fun and entertaining story full of action and and important themes from friendship to morality. Perfect for younger YA audiences and adults alike, it is devilishly amusing and witty.
This book is perfect for people wanting to enter into the world of fantasy! And for previous lovers who want a light fun read they can breeze through but enjoy immensely.
*I received a free digital edition of #DevilsApprentice by Kenneth B Andersen from @The_WriteReads #TheWriteReads in exchange for an honest review for a #UltimateBlogTour #BlogTour*
The Devil’s Apprentice, by Kenneth B Andersen is a fun and entertaining story of morality and childhood, perfect for younger ya readers, and even entertaining for an older audience.
Synopsis: Philip is a star child, well behaved, hard-working, polite and he never lies. However, an unfortunate series of events results in Philip being sent to Hell so he can become Lucifer’s apprentice, only to find out it was a mistake.
Philip is not who Lucifer was looking for. In fact, Philip is the polar opposite to the boy Lucifer wanted. He is dreadful at being evil, he fails at every turn, but Luficer has no other options and has to train Philip to be bad.
During this chaotic and amusing time in the underworld, Philip makes both friends and enemies. But, there is a sinister plot going on and Philip has been drawn in. Without knowing who he can truly trust – will Philip be able to uncover who is plotting against the throne?
— Interesting And Effective —
The Narrative And Writing Style. Andersen uses a very direct and simple writing style which, for this book, was very effective. However, despite the direct style, Andersen also uses some very vivid imagery and his descriptions are rich, interesting and effective. His metaphors are beautifully crafted and are, at times, amusing and comical. They draw you into the story and the writing itself is incredibly well paced. There are no drawn out scenes that are boring or simple average, instead it is full of fun and interesting events and action. Overall the writing style is relatively light and tailored towards amusing and comical, setting the perfect tone for this book. The sinister aspect of the underworld cuts through the comedy pretty effectively, and makes the horrible events more impactful while maintaining the fun element of the story.
While it does appear tailored to the lower end of the YA spectrum, the story, characters and writing style are incredibly appealing and entertaining to an older audience.
The narrative perspective we get is that of Philip, thus we learn about the underworld alongside him, very organically. His perspective allows for comedy and mystery to build up as we watch him struggle to become bad. It was a great choice of perspective and aided the story wonderfully.
— Fun And Entertaining —
The Plot. This story, the plot and the world is magnificent. It is fun and entertaining and incredibly well paced. The story follows Philip as he tries to become ‘bad’ and succeed at being Lucifer’s apprentice. The concept itself is very interesting and unique in terms of ow it plays out. The plot deals with the themes of good and bad, death, relationships and friendships, and overall morality. Following the story through the eyes of a child gives it a unique perspective as he grasps the balance of morality.
The plot is perfect for the intended audience. It has comedy, action and mystery entwined together to create an epic start to the series. The mythical/supernatural element adds an interesting dimension to the story with the demons being tricksters and shapeshifters who inconvenience each other. It was a fun and interesting way to highlight the mischievousness of the demons.
Moreover, the exploration of friendship and trust was entertaining and important for the audience. It was a great plot device that added nother element to the story and allowed for Philips character to change and develop.
Furthermore, the way in which Philip is trained under Lucifer is amusing and intriguing. It focuses more on the prank/trickster aspect, things children would see as bad, fitting with the intent of the story, while also having subtle hints at more serious elements of evil. The balance worked very well and made the story unique, original and entertaining throughout.
Finally, the world is well developed, while more could be added there is enough and it is complex, however, there is never an overload of information and everything is explained organically and gradually. While some elements of the story are a little obvious or cliche, it doesn’t take away from it, partly because of the intended audience, but also because it is so expertly written.
— Dynamic And Enjoyable —
The Characters. Every characters Andersen created was dynamic and enjoyable to read about. Moreover, the development of the characters, particularly Philip, is very interesting to watch and highly entertaining.
Philip. The main character is a boy-scout. He is extremely well-behaved, does all of his homework (and more), and NEVER lies. This means that his flaws revolve around having little to no friends since he will not hesitate to tell the truth if they have been bad. When he finds himself in the underworld he struggle to become bad himself but slowly develops to realise not all lies are ‘bad’ and trusting friends can be a good thing. He builds up relationships with Lucifer, Lucifax, Satina and more. His developments are wonderful to watch and the ending itself is quite suprising.
Lucifer. The devil himself is an interesting character, sharp and witty with comical additions. The character is complex and evil, happy to manipulate but is also interesting and deeper than what is expected.
Satina. Headstrong, kinder than expected and a master at mischief, she is Philip’s first friend in Hell and is kind to him and helps hime learn about the underworld. She is also key to his character development and their relationship is interesting to watch develop as it is complex and realistic.
All of the characters are so well crafted but I have not gone through them all in order to avoid spoilers! Overall they are fun, intricate and perfect for the story.
— Amusing And Exciting —
Overall. The Devil’s Apprentice is a fun and entertaining story full of action and and important themes from friendship to morality. Perfect for younger YA audiences and adults alike, it is devilishly amusing and witty.
This book is perfect for people wanting to enter into the world of fantasy! And for previous lovers who want a light fun read they can breeze through but enjoy immensely.
*I received a free digital edition of #DevilsApprentice by Kenneth B Andersen from @The_WriteReads #TheWriteReads in exchange for an honest review for a #UltimateBlogTour #BlogTour*
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