Revenge of the Witch

Starred review from October 10, 2005
Delaney may plumb familiar subjects but expert storytelling and genuinely scary illustrations on Arrasmith's part keep this debut novel fresh. This first in a planned series, the Last Apprentice, introduces nearly 13-year-old narrator Tom, whose parents arrange for him to apprentice with the Spook, as their farm will be given to their eldest son. A haunting description gives readers a sense of why Tom might be fearful of the Spook, who roams the countryside, protecting farms and villages by supernatural means ("His long black cloak and hood made him look like a priest, but when he looked at you directly, his grim expression made him appear more like a hangman weighing you up for the rope"). However, as a seventh son, like his father, Tom "can see things that others can't," such as the corpses of long-ago hanged soldiers that moan and sway at the far end of his family's property. This is the stuff of skin-prickling campfire stories: Tom must overcome a series of trials to prove himself worthy of the apprenticeship. Readers can almost hear the thumps in the cellar of a haunted house where the hero must spend the night ("Who could have been digging down there in the darkness? Who could be climbing the stairs now? But maybe it wasn't a question of who
was climbing the stairs. Maybe it was a question of what
"). After readers race through this tantalizingly creepy tale of solitude and sorcery, they will clamor to learn about Tom's future adventures. Ages 9-12.

November 1, 2005
Gr 5-8 -When 12-year-old Thomas, seventh son of a seventh son, is apprenticed to the local Spook, whose job is to fight evil spirits and witches, he expects a life of danger. However, the boy doesn't realize just how soon he'll face a powerful enemy alone, as Mother Malkin escapes her confinement while the Spook is away. Thomas is forced to use his wits, and the help of his enigmatic new friend, Alice, to fight the evil witch. And defeating her is only the start of the boy's problems. Delaney's characters are clearly presented and have realistic depth, and Thomas's mother and Alice stand out for their strong words and actions. The protagonist's voice is clear, and his conflicts over his actions ring true. This first entry in a proposed series is an excellent choice for readers who are looking for a more sophisticated alternative to R. L. Stine's -Goosebumps - books (Scholastic), and the pacing and edgy illustrations at the start of each chapter will appeal to reluctant readers. Delaney's rural, quasi-medieval world is populated by a variety of magic creatures, and readers will look forward to discovering more of them, along with Thomas, as the series continues. A solid choice, particularly for middle school boys." -Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2005
Gr. 5-8. Delaney grabs readers by the throat and gives them a good shake in a smartly crafted story in which the horror is set within the parameters of a boy's new job. In an unspecified England some centuries ago, Thomas, the 12-year-old seventh son of a seventh son, is taken on as an apprentice by the local Spook. It's the Spook's job to keep the surrounding area free from witches, bogarts, and the creepy things that cause shivers in the night. Tom is not sure he's cut out for the solitary, scary life, and he soon finds himself in trouble, inadvertently freeing a terrifying witch, Mother Malkin, at the behest of a girl named Alice because he's desperate for a friend. Like Anthony Horowitz's " Raven's Gate "(2005), this is a gristly thriller; Delaney's descriptions of moldering bodies hoisting themselves from the earth and hairy pigs tearing into a witch's heart will have readers' eyes opening wide. Yet the twisted horror is amply buffered by an exquisitely normal young hero, matter-of-fact prose, and a workaday normalcy. Still, like Mother Malkin popping out of her earthy pit, bad things are always there to catch readers off guard. As the warning label on the cover notes, this is "Not to be read after dark."(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)

Starred review from November 14, 2005
It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Rid the county of boggarts, witches, ghosts and other evils, that is. And that's what the Spook's business happens to be. But current spook, Old Gregory, is getting on in years and he needs to train a successor. He takes on as his apprentice young Thomas Ward, a seventh son of a seventh son. Listeners are in for some chills, courtesy of Delaney's first book and Welch's commanding reading, in which he portrays the Spook with a good dose of sonorous gravitas and matter-of-fact superiority. The roles of hissing, spooky witches Mother Malkin and Bony Lizzie prove spinetingling entertainment. And with the skillful portrayals of the often fast-talking characters of Tom's mam, and his new friend (and future witch), Alice, listeners are intrigued, never sure what they're going to get. By recording's end, Tom seems especially well-suited to his burgeoning, unusual career, even though he's still terrified by his duties (and, yes, a little afraid of his boss). Luckily for listeners, there are more tales of Tom's adventures in the works. An enhanced CD feature here allows listeners to view and print "Tom Ward's Secrets for Survival" and other bonus materials on a personal computer. Ages 10-up.

January 1, 2006
Tom Ward is apprentice to the Spook, who defends the living against ghosts, ghasts, boggarts, and witches. When Tom helps a local girl feed an imprisoned witch, the witch escapes. Unless Tom can stop her, she will continue to commit unspeakable evils. The spare evocation of the creepily inhuman witches leaves space for readers' own imaginations to supply the terrifying details.

(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from November 1, 2005
Tom Ward, seventh son of a seventh son, is apprenticed to the Spook, whose job is to defend the living against ghosts, ghasts, boggarts, and witches. While the Spook is away, Tom agrees against his better judgment to help a local girl who asks him to give some cakes to Mother Malkin, a witch the Spook has imprisoned in a pit; strengthened by a child's blood in the grisly treats, the old witch breaks out of the pit. Unless Tom can figure out how to stop her, the witch will continue to commit unspeakable evils. Simple, straightforward, easy-to-follow writing is matched with a plot that progresses in predictable increments; the book's design, with its generous margins and friendly leading, makes it even more accessible. The story is anything but tame, however. Using a dark tone and setting (furthered by sinister black woodcut-style illustrations at the beginning of each chapter), Delaney employs ancient superstitions, such as belief in the supernatural powers of salt and iron, to give his narrative an authentic feel. The spare evocation of the creepily inhuman witches leaves space for readers' own imaginations to supply the terrifying details. And although there are enough breaks in the action to keep readers from feeling overwhelmed, Delaney knows just how to scare kids: the back jacket contains a warning -- "not to be read after dark" -- that is more than justified.

(Copyright 2005 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)