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    Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch (Book 1)
    Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch (Book 1)
    Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch (Book 1)
    Audiobook5 hours

    Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch (Book 1)

    Written by Joseph Delaney

    Narrated by Christopher Evan Welch

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Warning: Not to be listened to after dark

    Capturing witches, Binding boggarts, Driving away ghosts

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

    Only Thomas Ward is left. He's the last hope; the last apprentice. Can Thomas succeed? Will he learn the difference between a benign witch and a malevolent one? Does the Spook's warning against girls with pointy shoes include Alice? And what will happen if Thomas accidentally frees Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the county ... ?

    Performed by Christopher Evan Welch

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateSep 6, 2005
    ISBN9780060887865
    Author

    Joseph Delaney

    Joseph DELANEY is the author of the internationally best-selling The Last Apprentice series, which is now a major motion picture, Seventh Son. He is a former English teacher who lives in the heart of boggart territory in Lancashire, England. His village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.

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    Reviews for Last Apprentice

    4.5/5

    167 ratings62 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      What a wonderful start to a highly promising series! The book is eerie and dark, leaving readers just a little nervous next time the lights go out, but impatient for book two.Thomas Ward is apprenticed to the Spook and begins to learn how to deal with beings of the dark in order to protect the innocent. But the dark is growing more powerful and Thomas could be the last hope in an ever-deepening twilight. This is a great introduction to an interesting world in which the dead aren't always gone and girls with pointy shoes can't be trusted. I was immediately pulled in and love to get lost in the spookiness of the story. The characters are well-developed, making them fun to get to know as they embark on dangerous adventures. It's a book I will reread over and over.
    • 2/5
      Not sure what all the hype is about. But I can now check it off of my school to-read list.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book- so very different from other books I have read. 12-yr.-old Thomas Ward becomes the Spook's apprentice. Thomas finds that a little learning can be dangerous. The Spook is in and out of thestory. He gives Thomas instructions which he does not always follow. When Thomas encounters the witch, Mother Malkin, he's in big trouble. This book is scary, well-written, and unpredictable.
    • 4/5
      This was an enjoyable, well-told, spooky story, with plenty of action. I look forward to reading more in the series.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoy this series. I believe I got the first one free, and immediately after finishing it, had to buy the next one!
    • 5/5
      I loved this series too. I think that I am just a big kid at heart. Some of the students put me onto this series.Very good
    • 3/5
      A fun read, although not the most well-written kids' book I've ever read. Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son, and as such, becomes apprentice to the local Spook. His job is to protect the local communities from all manner of supernatural creatures. Thomas is taught how to deal with malevolent witches, unruly boggarts, ghasts and ghosts. This is the first in the Wardstone Chronicles series.
    • 4/5
      Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son, gifted with an awareness of the supernatural. Arrangements have been made for him to become the next apprentice to the Spook. He'll learn how to combat and trap frightful creatures in order to protect the countryside. When he unknowingly releases a powerful witch from her imprisonment, he must rely on his limited knowledge to defeat her. This is the first book in The Last Apprentice series.Revenge Of The Witch is a middle grade, young adult story. It's an engaging blend of fantasy and horror. It manages to create an eerie undertone that enhances the suspense.I enjoyed reading this story and was surprised by how creepy it was at times. The settings were wonderfully portrayed and atmospheric. I especially enjoyed the large amount of paranormal and supernatural elements packed into the story. It has everything from hauntings, possession, ghasts, boggarts, witches, and gruesome magic. All while remaining appropriate for the intended audience. I loved the ink illustrations by Patrick Arrasmith included throughout the book. Each illustration enhanced the tone and mood of each chapter beginning. I also liked the map and journal entries included at the end of the book. I especially liked how they mirrored information given within the story and felt like they came from the main character. I really liked how Thomas' character demonstrates the concept of bravery by facing his fears. Each new frightful encounter further develops his character and I couldn't help rooting for him. I also liked that the story touched on different ideas such as loneliness, tolerance, independence, and compassion through his character.The story is a quick read with interesting characters and exciting adventures. I did lose a bit of interest towards the end because I didn't care much for the extended storyline with Alice but I'm curious about what role she will play in the future. The story sets the foundation for the series and I definitely plan to continue reading The Last Apprentice series.
    • 5/5
      An amazingly rich and well-written book, Joseph Delarney spins a fantastic tale of a young boy apprenticed to the local Spook, a man that rids the world of things that go bump in the night. Mistakes are made, friendships form, and choices are made in the nightmare of boggarts, witches, and the boogeyman. A wonderful read that makes even the most run and hide personalities glue themselves in place and keep reading. Phenomenal.
    • 4/5
      This is one of those books that I always knew from the description and everything I'd enjoy, but at the same time never quite made it to the top of my reading pile. I always seemed to be occupied with other titles instead. Nonetheless, it is right up my alley. A nice short read, it tells the story of Thomas Ward's start as apprentice to the Spook, and his adventure in those early days. I suppose this is actually more of a middle grade read than a YA one, or at least so it struck me to be the case, but it's a nice slightly creepy read that was, for me, long overdue.
    • 3/5
      Nicely spooky - I picked up the first four at the library and am looking forward to reading the rest. (Definitely not at night, though.) I enjoy that there is much more ambiguity than there usually is in YA witchy fantasy. The story felt a little rushed in some ways, but I have a feeling that will remedy itself.
    • 3/5
      A readable text. It is worth reading and entering the mind of Joseph Delaney. The language however is poor and I am sure the editor thought it dialect to pass it. The second book 'The Spook's Curse' is a much better proposition.
    • 3/5
      A good book, but not great. It's right on the 'okay' line. Pretty well-written, though the characters aren't spectacular, and the plot is decent. There's not really anything -wrong- with it, there's just no real spark.
    • 4/5
      Really solid first entry in the Last Apprentice series. I enjoyed the characters, the plot moved quickly and nothing was overly predictable. I got this for free on kindle, but I would have paid for it. Quite enjoyable bit of fantasy.
    • 2/5
      Lancashire libraries have been publicising this as the Lancashire Reads 2008 book. It's the first book in the Wardstone Chronicles and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I expected it to be reminiscent of Harry Potter but I think it is aimed at an older audience, young adults (and older ones like me!!!) as it does cover some more sinister topics.
    • 3/5
      Thomas is taken from his home to begin his apprentiship with the County's Spook from whom he learns about ghosts, boggarts and witches. This feels very much like a set-up novel for things to come but introduces a couple of characters with some potential and offers a few scenes bordering on the grim and grizzly.
    • 4/5
      *Not for Middle Grade- more like YA!

      In my quest to find an audio series for my son and I to listen to in the car I came across this one. It's about a 13 year old boy who is starting his apprenticeship to be a "Spook" which is someone who fights evil such as witches and boggarts etc. The back of the audio cd says its for middle grade,10 and up, but it was pretty scary and gory!  The narrator, Christopher Evan Welch, is really good and he does the perfect witches voice and cackle but it is way too creepy for younger kids! I ended up taking the CD out because it was too much for my 9 year old. I did end up listening to it by myself though and even started the second book because I liked this one so much. It just seems to be more appropriate for high school students or young adults then middle grade. So even though I found an audio series for me to listen too :  )  I'm still on the hunt for something for kids. 
    • 3/5
      While this book doesn't stand out as being one of my all time favorites it's still a decent book if you've got nothing else on your list to read at the moment. If you like to be creped and like a good adventure then this is for you with a likable cast of characters and a good well rounded, young hero I found it to be an enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      A good romp tinged with darkness. Built up the fear/suspense nicely.
    • 4/5
      love the book, just entertaining and full of well timed adventures
    • 3/5
      The last apprentice is about a witch that lives in the woods and he lives in a creepy house that makes a lot of noise.
    • 5/5
      Ghasts, Ghosts, Witches, Boggarts! Young Tom Ward, the 7th son of a 7th son is his mother's gift to the County. She envisions him as becoming the next Spook (the person who keeps away all the creepy crawlies. He's who you call when there's something evil afoot!)Although a children's book (ages 10 & up according to Harper Collins) I truly enjoyed this book. Most of the writing was easy to digest (while some sentences didn't seem to run smoothly the first time, you must remember that the author is British.)Some things that are said in the book (particularly about women) are cringeworthy. "Girls can't be trusted. Especially those with pointy shoes." But it's also laughable. (I can think of many women who say the same of men.) Then again, when malevolent witches are a very real thing, it seems to be good advice to follow.Prior to finishing the first book, I'd already purchased the second. (I also look forward to the movie set for production in 2009.)If you like your books with something supernatural and a twist or two this is the story for you. There are definitely suspenseful parts and at times it is very hard to put down. (Luckily the chapters are of a digestible length.)
    • 3/5
      Tom is the seventh son of a seventh son, and is taken on as apprentice to the County Spook whose job it is to keep the residents safe from bad magic. Tom makes a couple of dangerous errors on his first encounter with a witch which puts his own family in danger.
    • 3/5
      Young Tom Ward, seventh son of a seventh son, is apprenticed to the County Spook, a man named Old Gregory who is responsible for fighting the boggards, ghasts, ghosts, and witches in the area. No one much likes the Spook because his work scares people. Tom doesn't really want to be the Spook's apprentice, but he also doesn't want to let his old Mam down, so he goes willingly to begin his apprenticeship. He makes several mistakes in his first months, the biggest of which might be ignoring the Spook's advice and making a promise to help Alice, a girl with dark clothes and pointy shoes. The Spook told him to beware of girls wearing pointy shoes, but Tom has to figure out some people for himself.Original enough to avoid being a Harry Potter ripoff, Delaney's first novel is charmingly told from Tom's point of view. Excellent book design by Chad W. Beckerman with illustrations by Patrick Arrasmith help bring Tom's story alive. The book is a fun fantasy tale that is an easy read and will be popular with the Potter and maybe even the Buffy crowd.
    • 4/5
      This book was really, really spooky... creepy enough to influence any potential recommendations. I'm not usually one for this much scary stuff, but it was really well done. Do heed the warning: not to be read after dark. Eep.
    • 4/5
      Picked this up a while ago but decided it would be a fun Halloween read. I wanted to preview it for my 10 year old son. He's been a fan of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps for years and from the general premise, I thought The Last Apprentice might be a fun series for him.For being a middle-reader book, I found this rather engaging. I really enjoyed the character development. I liked the language and imagery used. And I found the story entertaining. The concept of the book (the first in a series) is somewhat intriguing. We're in some "County" that feels loosely based on 18th/19th century America. A collection of small towns and villages spread over the countryside with generally religious/righteous people who are very superstitiously afraid of all things supernatural. Which is where the story comes in. Gregory is a "Spook" which basically means he wanders around the County taking care of these supernatural problems….witches, ghosts, boggarts, etc. He's sort of like a colonial era version of the Ghostbusters. And he's taken our central character Tom as his apprentice. Tom is a bit frightened and wary of what this means, but he puts his heart into the effort and learns a lot, but also makes a number of very BAD mistakes which lead to a lot of bad problems for himself, the community, the Spook and others.I felt like the story arc was pretty cohesive and the trajectory was generally believable. It was a bit of a stretch for me when Tom kept quiet about his encounter on the way back from town (I don't want to spell out what he kept secret, as it's a semi-spoiler). The Spook is Tom's authority figure and he'd given him very specific and particular advice. It didn't seem odd to me that Tom would have an opportunity to go against the Spook's advice…but it did seem odd that he didn't let the Spook know what happened. I guess perhaps he was ashamed/embarrassed, but since nothing had really happened, there shouldn't have been any need for hesitation. Still, I guess that's probably just me trying to put an adult mindset on a child's behavior.Anyway, the story progressed well and I found myself caught up in the suspense and horror of the events as they unfolded. Things went from bad to worse to disastrous. And it felt like a natural rather than contrived flow. I was somewhat surprised at how everything finally came to a resolution.So, overall, I enjoyed the book and found it an entertainingly creepy read. But, would I recommend it for my ten year old? NO. I would not. Part of me wants to because it was an entertaining read…but the larger part of me doesn't want to because this is a dark and gritty book. It's definitely written with children in mind. The horror stays on the tamer side of things…but it's still very creepy and very dark. The elements of violence and segments of gruesome interactions would certainly be frightening to anyone with tender sensitivities. Perhaps I'm being over protective as a parent…but I don't feel like this is the sort of book for a young reader. I could see the content working for a teenage audience…but by that point, it may come off as a little thin for teens who would rather graduate up to adult horror/thrillers.Generally, I give the writing and the story 3.5 out of 5 stars, but even though it's a "kids" book, I can't recommend it for youngsters.****3.5 out of 5
    • 5/5
      Wow.. just.. WOW... I picked this book up at Borders last weekend and started reading it almost immediately. Now at first it took me awhile to get into it, but when it did... It was brilliant. I have to say quite refreshing to see all the things that go bumping through the night in their original forms. Our current literary culture has sort of white washed all things paranormal so that they're aren't scary anymore. That is not the case with this series. This book was written for mid-teens and here i am almost 25 and i got scared.The setting it what i would say 17th century Europe. Young Tom is the seventh son of the seventh son and it is his mother's wish that he become a "Spook". Spooks are people who deal with all things evil, paranormal, or just not right. People need them, but they don't want to be around them. Needless to say Tom isn't looking forward to the job. It doesn't help matters that barely two weeks into his apprenticeship he meets Alice. A girl with pointy shoes. Someone the spook said he should avoid at all cost. That mistake basically sets forth the whole series and book.It's after this point that Mr. Delaney starts to weave a suspenseful tail. Just like Tom you're not sure whom to trust and or what to do. All you know is that you have to keep on reading. Needless to say i've already ordered the next two books from amazon. ^^Rating: 5 stars. Brilliant and original.
    • 1/5
      I hated this book! At first I though I might give it 2 stars because it did have some ok creepy moments, but then it got annoyingly repetitive and weirdly misogynistic and so yeah one star. Also it was pointlessly gross and I didnt like any of the characters.
    • 4/5
      My 9 year old daughter started reading Spooks, and she raved about it so now I have been reading them too.The strength of these books lies in the fantastic storytelling of teh author who spins a tail that really will achieve that suspenful state of tension that will delight younger readers. For adults too, the story is well written and never becomes tedious. Good interesting stuff.The stories are quite original, and well constructed, but not of great depth, and some of the themes feel like they are aimed at an older age group than 9, although the stories are perhaps not sufficiently complex to be branded young adult. Nevertheless I have a hard time recommending them to 9 year olds because while this first one is just fine, there are theems in some of the later books that are downright disturbing. Without wishing to write spoilers it is hard to go into details, but there is one particular theme, several books into the series, that led me to speak to teh school about placing these in an older section of the school library. The only time I have ever behaved like such an interfering parent! So please don't hold that against me.My recommendation is that children and young adults 11 and up would love this series.
    • 5/5
      This was so fun! I am so disappointed in myself that it took me this long to finally read. Imagine all the creepy parts of Harry Potter were compiled together. That's the vibe of this book. Definitely reading the rest of the series.