Book Description The Spook has never been able to defeat the Bane, a force so evil that the whole county is in danger of being corrupted by its powers. Will the Spook be able to escape the Quisitor's clutches? Can Thomas defeat the Bane on his own? Is his friend Alice guilty of witchcraft? Publisher Comments : Now it's the dark's turn to be afraid. The Spook and his apprentice, Thomas Ward, deal with the dark. Together they rid the county of witches, ghosts, and boggarts. But now there's some unfinished business to attend to in Priestown. Deep in the catacombs of the cathedral lurks a creature the Spook has never been able to defeat; a force so evil that the whole county is in danger of being corrupted by its powers. The Bane! As Thomas and the Spook prepare for the battle of their lives, it becomes clear that the Bane isn't their only enemy. The Quisitor has arrived, searching for those who meddle with the dark so he can imprison them — or worse. Can Thomas defeat the Bane on his own? Is his friend Alice guilty of witchcraft? And will the Spook be able to escape the Quisitor's clutches? From Booklist When readers met Tom Ward in The Revenge of the Witch (2005), the first entry in the Last Apprentice series, he was a callow lad, apprehensively apprenticed to the Spook, who routs the Dark from the County. The malevolent forces that came into play last time seem almost mundane compared to the challenges Tom and the Spook face now: a violent, deadly bane growing in strength and power to become the embodiment of evil. Despite the blood and gore, this tale is more than a well-crafted horror story. Delaney infuses his characters with depth and emotion, but equally important, he grows his world by contributing significantly to the back story. Readers learn the reason the Spook has strong feelings about women in general and witches in particular, and Tom discovers something unexpected about his mother and her wisdom. Delaney also does an exceptional job of interweaving stories, with one plot point leading insistently to the next; at the book's conclusion, readers can go over all Tom has learned by leafing through his journal. Kids will breathlessly await Tom's next adventure. Ilene Cooper From School Library Journal In this second book in the series, Delaney chronicles the spine-tingling adventures of Thomas Ward, seventh son of a seventh son, and the last remaining apprentice of monster hunter Mr. Gregory, aka the Spook. The most dangerous monster of all, the Bane, has been imprisoned in the catacombs under Priestown. He kills by squashing his victims completely flat, and he appears to be succeeding at controlling the minds and actions of some of the town's inhabitants. He needs to be dealt with once and for all. Priestown holds its own dangers for Thomas and the Spook, however, as their work makes them subject to being declared witches and executed by the Quisitor. In the scary and dangerous events that follow, Thomas, accompanied by his friend Alice, faces the most difficult choices of his life so far, and learns to trust himself rather than simply follow his master's instructions. His first-person narration gives this truly spooky story an immediacy and a sense of reality that heightens the tension and impending danger. While part of a series, the story stands successfully on its own. Occasional eerily atmospheric woodcuts enhance the story's mood. –Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City AudioFile Christopher Evan Welch does his best with an uneven and gory tale of exorcism. As young Thomas Ward and his mentor, the Spook, battle the Bane beneath a cathedral in Priestown, they must also struggle with the high church official who is bent on eradicating all who practice the dark arts. Welch is a bit too good at his portrayal of the Quisitor's sadistic glee at burning people alive and torturing confessions out of them. Welch clearly delivers Ward's insecurity and growing knowledge and bravery. His portrayal of Alice, the young witch who aids Ward, is equally good. However, there is an unevenness to his early voicings of the Spook, and the Bane's delivery is less menacing than it purports to be. About Author Joseph Delaney lives with his family in Lancashire, England, in the middle of boggart territory. Book Dimension: length: (cm)20.5 width:(cm)16

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