Night of the Soul Stealer by Joseph DelaneyNight of the Soul Stealer by Joseph Delaney

fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsNight of the Soul Stealer, the third book in Joseph Delaney’s LAST APPRENTICE (or WARDSTONE CHRONICLES) series is another intense scary story for children. Fans of the first two books, Revenge of the Witch and Curse of the Bane, which readers should finish first, will be pleased. I’m listening to Christopher Evan narrate HarperAudio’s version of the series.

The weather is getting colder, so it’s time to travel to the Spook’s winter residence, a solitary little house set in a harsh and desolate landscape. On the way, Alice, Tom’s only friend, is dropped off at a distant neighbors’ house. There’s some reason why the Spook doesn’t want her at his depressing winter estate. When they arrive, Tom founds out why — there are nasty things locked in the cellar, including witches and boggarts. It’s not that the Spook is afraid for Alice’s safety. Rather, he’s afraid that Alice isn’t trustworthy and that she may ally with the witches against him. One particular witch is especially powerful and persuasive and Tom soon discovers that she and the Spook have a secret and complicated relationship.

Then Tom finds out that the people that Alice is living with have a son named Morgan who is an evil necromancer and also has a questionable relationship with the Spook. Morgan is trying to awaken an inert pagan god so he can bring more evil into the world. Tom and Alice must try to stop him which, of course, turns out to be a dangerous endeavor. Besides all of this drama, some tragedies occur with Tom’s family and home, too. There are severe losses, and Tom’s family life will never be the same.

As you can tell, Night of the Soul Stealer is just as dark and frightening as the previous books. The bleak and isolated setting, the baddies in the cellar, the practice of necromancy, and all the mystery surrounding his master and the tragic occurrences at home combine to create an unsettling experience which leads to some serious existential questions for Tom and the reader.

This series is probably not suitable for sensitive children, but those who enjoy being scared will love it. I recommend the audio version.

Publisher: It’s going to be a long, hard, cruel winter. And there couldn’t be a worse place to spend it than up on Anglezarke. Thomas Ward is the apprentice for the local Spook, who captures witches and drives away ghosts. As the weather gets colder and the nights draw in, the Spook receives an unexpected visitor. Tom doesn’t know who the stranger is or what he wants, but the Spook suddenly decides it’s time to travel to his winter house, Anglezarke. Tom has heard it will be a bleak, forbidding place, and that menacing creatures are starting to stir somewhere on the moors nearby. Can anything prepare Tom for what he finds there? What if the rumors about the evil beast called the Golgoth are true? And how much danger will Tom be in if the secrets the Spook has been trying to hide from the world are revealed?

Joseph Delaney The Last Apprentice (The Wardstone Chronicles) 1. Revenge of the Witch 2. Curse of the Bane 3. Night of the Soulstealer 4. Attack of the Fiend 5. Wrath of the BloodeyeJoseph Delaney The Last Apprentice (The Wardstone Chronicles) 1. Revenge of the Witch 2. Curse of the Bane 3. Night of the Soulstealer 4. Attack of the Fiend 5. Wrath of the BloodeyeJoseph Delaney The Last Apprentice (The Wardstone Chronicles) 1. Revenge of the Witch 2. Curse of the Bane 3. Night of the Soulstealer 4. Attack of the Fiend 5. Wrath of the BloodeyeJoseph Delaney The Last Apprentice (The Wardstone Chronicles) 1. Revenge of the Witch 2. Curse of the Bane 3. Night of the Soulstealer 4. Attack of the Fiend 5. Wrath of the BloodeyeJoseph Delaney The Last Apprentice (The Wardstone Chronicles) 1. Revenge of the Witch 2. Curse of the Bane 3. Night of the Soulstealer 4. Attack of the Fiend 5. Wrath of the BloodeyeJoseph Delaney The Last Apprentice (The Wardstone Chronicles) 1. Revenge of the Witch 2. Curse of the Bane 3. Night of the Soulstealer 4. Attack of the Fiend 5. Wrath of the Bloodeye 6. The Clash of the Demons A Coven of WitchesThe Last Apprentice Rise of the Huntressfantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsfantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsfantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsfantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsfantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsfantasy book reviews science fiction book reviews

Other Last Apprentice Tales:

Joseph Delaney The Last Apprentice (The Wardstone Chronicles) 1. Revenge of the Witch 2. Curse of the Bane 3. Night of the Soulstealer 4. Attack of the Fiend 5. Wrath of the Bloodeye 6. The Clash of the Demons A Coven of WitchesJoseph Delaney The Last Apprentice: The Spook's Tale: And Other Horrorschildren's fantasy reviews Joseph Delaney The Spook's Stories: WitchesSpook's Bestiaryfantasy book reviews science fiction book reviews

The Starblade Chronicles — (2014- ) Publisher: The first book in a chilling new trilogy from the author of the internationally bestselling Last Apprentice series! Tom Ward is an apprentice no longer—he is a full-fledged spook battling boggarts, witches, and other creatures of the dark. First in a three-book arc that introduces brand-new readers to Joseph Delaney’s haunting world. Tom Ward is the Spook, the one person who can defend the county from bloodthirsty creatures of the dark. But he’s only seventeen, and his apprenticeship was cut short when his master died in battle. No one trusts Tom’s skill, not till he’s proven himself. And a fifteen-year-old girl named Jenny knows more about the three mysterious deaths in the county than Tom does. She is a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, and she wants to be Tom’s first apprentice—even though a female spook is unheard of. Together, Tom and Jenny will uncover the grave danger heading straight toward the county, and they’ll team up with a witch assassin to confront it. A New Darkness begins a three-book arc that will introduce new readers to Joseph Delaney’s deliciously scary imagination and electrify his longtime fans. A New Darkness is perfect for every reader who loves thrills, chills, action, and adventure—no prior knowledge of The Last Apprentice series necessary! The Last Apprentice series, the first internationally bestselling series about Tom Ward, is soon to be a major motion picture, Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, Ben Barnes, Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Olivia Williams, Antje Traue, Djimon Hounsou, and Julianne Moore as Mother Malkin.

fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsThe Dark Assassin (Starblade Chronicles - Trilogy) Kindle Edition by Joseph Delaney (Author)

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  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.