Last Apprentice: Night of the Soul Stealer (Book 3)

Written by Joseph Delaney

Narrated by Christopher Evan Welch

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, binds boggarts, 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 leave Chipenden and travel to Anglezarke, his winter house. Tom has heard it will be a bleak, forbidding place, and that there are menacing creatures 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 fully revealed?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Aug 28, 2007
• ISBN: 9780061554315

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.

Reviews for Last Apprentice

[wickedshizuku · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Yes! I adore this. Only so far is the setting up of the plot. Delaney is one of the only authors I've came across in some time that takes 90 pages to set this up. I'm really wondering what this character Morgan's agenda is?

Not only does Alice insert herself into the thick of the situation. Tom has had a lot to deal with in this installment of the series. It was a bit depressing by many of the events. I did find the settings of this book very realistic and interesting. The bitter harshness and barrenness of the landscape of the bound Lamia witches was disgusting. I, in a way couldn't sympathize with Meg, a Lamia witch.

I found myself baffled by the character Morgan. This man was utterly delusional. Completely obsessed with summoning the old winter god Golgoth. I was reminded by the Great Loaf being compared to a fairy mound.

I really hope that anyone who reads gets the chills, and enjoys this thrilling spooky installment.

[johnb0good · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

SUMMARY: The Last Apprentice: Night of the Soul Stealer is about a boy named Tom

[literarychanteuse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although this is the only book of this series that I have read I can tell that this is a series worth getting into. A fantastic story with thrilling and captivating events around every corner. For fantasy fans this is a great choice however it is on the darker side so I would recommend it for an older middle grader to young adult. Loved the narrator that this is one of the best audio books that I have listened to, to date.

[smallmeadow_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

While I haven't finished reading this book yet, I have read the first two of the series, and while they are on the dark side, and I can't read all of them without some books in between, these books are gripping. The black and white illustrations by Patrick Arrasmith compliment the book so well. This is yet another British piece of work. I must say a Golden Age seems to be in progress for children's literature in Britain, and while this is for mature children, or more appropriately young adults, it is wonderful. It's a scary read for young children.

[eurekas_5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the third book in the Last Apprentice series. It takes place in the Spook's winter home in Anglezarke. The characters are the Spook, Tom, Alice, Andrew (the Spook's brother), Meg (a lamia witch), her sister Marcia (a feral lamia witch), Morgan, and the Hursts. It is not just business as usual in this book. Tom and the Spook are nearing the end of their first year as master and apprentice and are working better as a team but for the first time the reader sees a much more emotional side of the Spook.

[animeshon_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Wardstone Chronicles simply get better and better with each book that Joseph Delaney writes. The mysteries surrounding Tom Ward and his master Mr. Gregory, not to mention those of his parents and his friend the witch-girl Alice, mount. More and more the series seems to be pointing toward some final confrontation of Alice and Tom versus some overwhelming evil.In Night of the Soul Stealer Tom, Alice and Mr. Gregory head to their winter quarters where the mysterious Meg is kept and an enemy of Mr. Gregory is trying to raise the Lord of Winter, Golgoth.

[larissabookgirl_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tom is about to experience his first winter as the Spook's apprentice and take his first trip to Anglezarke, the Spook's winter home. Anglezarke is nothing like Chipenden, it is a dangerous and cold place where the dark is felt the strongest. It's going to be a long winter.When a stranger appears on the Spook's doorstep darkness follows and secrets that have been long buried will surface to bring havoc to Tom and those he cares most about. But the Spook is not the only one who has been keeping secrets, Tom risks loyalty to the Spook and his friendship with Alice when forced to keep secrets of his own.The Spook's Secret will reveal a whole new perspective to the Spook that will leave you guessing as to who and what to believe. The darkest story yet in this richly chilling and exciting series, The Wardstone Chronicles is a series that can not be overlooked for a witty, dark and thrilling read. Each book just gets better and better...

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I continue to enjoy this series. In this one, the reader finds out more about the Spook's back story and Tom conquers his fears (mostly) and becomes stronger. The story moves quickly and keeps the reader engaged.

[loriephillips · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and when he is almost thirteen years old he is apprenticed to Old Gregory, the Spook, whose job it is to keep the County safe from ghasts, ghosts, boggarts, witches, and other dark creatures.Night of the Soul Stealer is the third book in The Last Apprentice series where Tom faces Morgan, the Spook's former apprentice, who has turned his back on the light and embraced the dark. Morgan plots to summon Golgoth, an evil and powerful spirit worshipped in ancient times, whose powers can bring a never ending winter.This series, so far, is moderately spooky. I would think they would be even scarier for the 8-12 year old targeted reader. There is religious undertone to the stories, especially in books two and three, and this religious aspect does not seem to be integral to the plot. It's a typical good against evil story line and Delaney seems to be suggesting that organized religion is somewhat on the fence and could fall on either side in the fight against the dark. Still, it's an enjoyable read, and I plan to read the next book in the series.

[empressreece · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

More Spook's Business This is the 3rd installment of the The Last Apprentice/ Wardstone Chronicles series. The Spook and his apprentice Tom, go to Anglezarke to spend the winter and deal with more Spook's business. They are faced with a failed, out-of-control, apprentice-turned Necromancer, one of the Spook's old flames who is also a Lamia witch and an irritating Boggart set on destruction. Tom also deals with some family issues and life changes in this one.

All of the books so far have been pretty action packed and very entertaining. I'm listening to the audio books and they are fairly short so you can breeze right through them. I'm kind of disappointed though that my library doesn't have an audio version of the next book, Attack of the Fiend, so looks like I'll have to read it. I've gotten so use to the voices of the characters, Tom, the Spook & Alice, that it won't be the same without the narration. : (

[ameliaiif · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Much, much, MUCH better than the Spook's Curse, thank goodness! In this third installment of the Wardstone Chronicles, Thomas Ward and his master, the Spook, head over to Anglezarke for the winter season. While there, Tom uncovers more secrets about the Spook's shady past, including a menacing former apprentice bent on destroying the Spook - and the whole County. Delaney's flair for descriptions has returned full force! Like in The Spook's Apprentice, the setting played a substantial role in the shaping of the story, and Delaney has an obvious knack for truly illustrating each scene. - One of the things I didn't like about its immediate predecessor was the impertinent and condescending tone of the story - in other words, there was way too much of an agenda. Here, for the most part, we go back to a basic story: there's action, there are revelations, there's character development, there's intrigue and suspense, and true to the series' overall nature, a bit of horror too. Now I will say that the Designated Supernatural Creature of this story is almost identical to the Designated Supernatural Creature of The Spook's Curse: a mysterious and seemingly all-powerful spirit-figure that is likened to a pagan god. That bit of repetition was a drawback, as was the Spook's continued crabbiness to all things "churchy". - But the bread-and-butter of Spook's Secret lies in the revelations: we learn so much about the Spook's past here and it's a rollercoaster of a story, too. There were so many twists and turns (like on a rollercoaster - only without the tummyache) that every time I thought I had things figured out, I found myself mistaken. I liked the Spook, then I hated him, then I liked him again, etc. - The best characters, though, are Tom and Alice. Tom especially goes through so much in this book, and it's so enjoyable to watch him mature! I'm ready for him to start aging, though. The three books so far have amounted to only a year's time and I personally like series books to get a bit more sequential: 1 year between each installment seems ideal, not one-right-after-the-other. I think going into Book #4 he'll be 14...hopefully. I want him to grow up! - So much, much better than The Spook's Curse, but still not as good as Apprentice. The series lacks a Main Villain character, so there seems like a lack of focus...idk, that may just be me. And Delaney still is really ambiguous when it comes to philosophical stuff... and that gets on my nerves. For example, he's got this godlike spirit that is powerful enough to "snuff out your soul," yet he's pretty much at the beck-and-call of human summonings? That's awkward, Mr. Delaney! Make up your mind! Oh, well. Mr. Delaney probably knows that I'll keep reading the series anyway, cause I'm a sucker for Tom Ward, haha. On to the next!

[2wondery_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed books 1 and 2 enough to plan on finishing the series, but I had a hard time finishing this installment. Characters' abilities to think and act seemed too driven by the need for suspense and drama. For instance, the feral witch is weak and slow without nourishment. She is also slow when sated, because it suits the author. Thomas sometimes acts independently when it suits, and other times obeys without thought or struggle. I got very impatient with the author's manipulations. It doesn't make for good story telling.

[8f_sam · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was pretty good. I think in this book, you found out more about the Spook's personal life. In this book, the Spook, Tom and Alice moved to the Spook's winter home in Anglezarke. But before they left, the Spook recieved a mysterious letter from Morgan, a failed apprentcie of the Spook. The letter deeply disturbed the Spook, and Tom is curious about why. When they get to their winter home, Tom discovers yet another thing about the Spook. Meg, a lamia witch, and the Spook's past love, is free to roam the house. Soon one thing leads to another, and Tom is in trouble again!

[tiffanyak_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's hard not to enjoy these books. They have a mix of of action, horror, and Gothic atmosphere that is just simply too hard to pass up once you read one of them. Thomas Ward's adventures as the seventh son of a seventh son continue, forming a story arc that only gets more intriguing as it goes on.

[crewman_number_6 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've truly enjoyed this series. It feels original and fresh. It is also chilling, yet not too scary. I like the fact that Tom is not perfect. He makes mistakes, but is always willing to take responsibility for them.

[clurb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A change of scenery and an encounter with one of the Spook's old apprentices lead to more secrets being unearthed about the Spook's past. Tom still hasn't learned to do as he's told, and bad decision-making abounds.

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the third book in the Last Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney. This was an excellent book and a great follow up to the first two books.In this book Gregory and Tom move to the Spook's winter home after being contacted by a man named Morgan, who is a former apprentice of the Spook's. In Gregory's winter home Tom learns many more secrets about Gregory's past and finally gets to meet the mysterious Meg. Things get more dangerous than Tom ever expected when Morgan starts to dabble in some seriously dangerous magic. Can Tom and Gregory make it through the winter and survive?This book was great. Easy to read, well-written, fast-paced, and suspenseful. This was a great "horror" book for kids. Tom is a likable character that you can't help rooting for and Alice is also very engaging. Meg made for an interesting addition to the book too. It was great to learn more about Gregory's past and it was also wonderful to spend more time with Tom's Mam.I eagerly await the next book. What will happen next as the dark continues to rise? What will Tom find in the secret room that Mam has left him? Will Alice be able to stay on the path of the light? I am excited to find out. I love these books there are just such a nice pleasant, and spooky, read.