(4) YA This conclusion to the Last Apprentice spinoff trilogy (A New Darkness; The Dark Army) alternates between the viewpoints of spook Tom Ward and not-quite-alive witch assassin Grimalkin as the long-foreshadowed conflict with the Kobalos comes to a head. The plot meanders, particularly in the second half. Nevertheless, series fans will find the usual gore, and characters who aren't what they seem keep readers on their toes.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) YA In this second novel in the Last Apprentice spinoff trilogy (A New Darkness), hero Tom dies but is resurrected and prepares with his apprentice (and co-narrator) Jenny for battle with the brutal Kobalos. Series fans will find the usual action and gruesomeness, but there isn't much of a conclusion; the book's main function is apparently to set up the final volume.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) YA The first in an unillustrated follow-up trilogy to the Last Apprentice series shows Tom taking over the late Spook's work. The narration alternates between Tom's voice and his would-be apprentice Jenny's; Tom resists the idea of a female Spook. Last Apprentice fans will find the same creepy imagery and a few surprises, and the backstory is clear enough for readers new to the series.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) YA Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. With its usual dark magic and darker illustrations, this series-ender sees Tom Ward achieve several of his original goals. But the defeat of one problem creates a worse one, and a jump to the future raises even more questions, including questions of shifting loyalties. Fans will be pleased that the Last Apprentice ends up promoted to Chipenden Spook at last.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Scott M. Fischer. Fifteen-year-old orphan Billy takes a job as a castle prison guard, only to learn that ghosts there have sinister plans for him. Slightly younger readers who want the excitement of Delaney's Last Apprentice books will enjoy this eerie but manageable horror novella. Spooky sketchlike black-and-white illustrations adorn almost every page and add to the story's old-fashioned flavor.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(3) YA Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Reluctant witch Alice travels into the Dark in search of a blade for a ritual to defeat the Fiend, unaware that the ritual must involve her own death. Consisting mostly of flashbacks to Alice's early life, patient series fans will find the bleakness they've come to expect in the text; Arrasmith's black-heavy illustrations focus largely on faces, none of them cheerful.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) YA Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Slither, a creature from the brutal Kobalos land far north of hero Tom Ward's county, agrees to transport two young sisters to safety in exchange for ownership of the eldest sister, Nessa. Alternating Nessa's voice with Slither's is necessary to keep readers' sympathies engaged in perhaps the darkest Last Apprentice book yet. As usual, black-saturated pages are the illustrations' hallmark.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Witch Grimalkin narrates her own volume, which highlights the violent witch's point of view and makes this ninth installment even darker than usual for the series. Her alignment with the heroes from the previous books and the attachments she forms in this one make her a somewhat more sympathetic character. Heavy black illustrations contribute to the macabre atmosphere.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) YA Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. As always, this series' take on supernatural lore is as dark as Arrasmith's striking black-saturated illustrations. Spook's apprentice Tom is presented with a difficult decision: saving his master and defeating the Fiend for good will require Tom to betray someone he's closest to. Strong-stomached series fans who've lasted this long will welcome this horrifying, danger-ridden tenth installment.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) YA Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Julek Heller. This volume presents the characteristics of mythical creatures encountered in the Last Apprentice series and how to defeat them, including notes and anecdotes from the Spook and his apprentices. Series fans, especially those who enjoy nonfiction, will be entertained by the handbook format. Illustrations are softer-edged than those in previous volumes, but the stark and eerie are well represented.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. In his eighth adventure, Spook's apprentice Tom Ward faces the fury of Scarabek, sister of the witch he helped kill in the last installment. For readers who aren't afraid of a jibber, a Fiend, or a five-dollar word, the series continues to deliver. Arrasmith's stark images against pitch-black backgrounds make it even clearer that this is a dark world.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Delaney once again combines chills with character development as Tom and others face difficult questions. Should common enemies always create allies? Can Tom kill his friend Alice's murderous mother? Meanwhile, the soul-sucking demon buggane poses a constant threat. Arrasmith's black-and-white illustrations reinforce the idea that the supernatural creatures, even Tom's temporary cohorts, are worth a shudder.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Tim Foley & Patrick Arrasmith. The stories of four witches are told in this haunting volume. John Gregory describes his "dealings" with Meg Skelton and her dangerous sister; wicked Dirty Dora Deane relates her imprisonment and death; Alice Deane talks about her evil witch aunt; and spook's apprentice Tom Ward stands up to a banshee. Dark chapter-opening illustrations support the eerie tales.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Mysticism and mystery again intertwine with suspense as witch, witch assassin, and everyone in between fight the same enemy. Delaney sheds light on the past, bringing present loyalties into question; fans will share Tom's shock at this volume's events and revelations. The high-stakes battle is as grim as Arrasmith's atmospheric black-and-white illustrations portend, setting up a dangerous challenge for the series' protagonist.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Last Apprentice fans will be gratified by this volume, which includes the backstories of John Gregory (the Spook), witch Alice, and witch assassin Grimalkin (those new to the series will be mystified). Like the other entries, this book is clearly written, in an old-fashioned and deliciously gloomy way, and evocatively illustrated with Arrasmith's dark pictures.

Reviewer: T. Borregaard

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Jack (Tom Ward's brother) and the Spook battle warring witch families, both of whom want the contents of the mysterious boxes left to Jack by his mother. Although some of the battle scenes run too long, fans will appreciate the way this latest installment brings in elements from the previous books.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(3) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. The Spook sends Thomas off to work for dour and unpredictable Bill Arkwright. There, Thomas prepares to confront the Bloodeye, a terrifying water witch. In his fifth book, Tom's character and skills continue to develop in satisfying ways. As usual, the eerie setting is conveyed through Delaney's spare descriptions and Arrasmith's darkly evocative illustrations.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. Tom and the Spook are off to spend winter on the moor, where they face Morgan, an embittered former apprentice who's determined to raise the dark power residing beneath the moor. Delaney excels in navigating the territory between high and domestic fantasy: his characters are very much of this world, and the evils they face are grounded as much here as in myth.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2007

(2) 4-6 Last Apprentice series. Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith. The supernatural (and human) threats remain as fierce and deadly serious as in The Revenge of the Witch, and as challenging to apprentice Tom's growing skill at confronting them. Delaney does a fine job of presenting a stand-alone story while inveigling readers into both going back to the first book and eagerly awaiting the third.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2006