“The first step towards knowledge is to accept your own ignorance. – Joseph Delaney, The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane”

The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane Review

By: Claire Rankin

Now the inspiration for a popular film, The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane, also titled in the UK and Europe as the The Spook’s Curse, first hit bookshelves on June 30, 2005. Now I know a decade is a longtime coming for a review, but in all fairness the series was a hidden treasure until the debut of The Seventh Son starring Ben Barnes, Jeff Bridges, and Julianne Moore. So here we go with the second novel in the series that inspired a fun and adventurous film.

    The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane picks up where the first novel dropped us off. After months, of peace in Chippenden the Spook, Mr. John Gregory, and Tom Ward, his most recent apprentice and also a seventh son of a seventh son, set out for Priestown. Here folks are especially malevolent towards them including Mr. Gregory’s own cousin, the resident priest. In the catacombs beneath the city lives the force of the Bane.

Behind silver gate and a small door the Bane waits to be set free. Meanwhile the Quisitor waits for Mr. Gregory so he can arrest him and Tom, despite their good work. The stakes get higher and the dark comes this much closer to toppling Tom and his master as your favorite character’s return.

Alice remains halfway between the dark and the light as she makes mistakes that endanger Tom. Despite these, Tom and she become better friends much to Mr. Gregory’s dismay. Tom has difficult decisions to make and plans to free his master from the Quisitor’s prison cells. In addition to the darkness creeping all around you as a reader, you’ll be drawn into the secret’s of Mam Ward as she speaks to her son about the future and what his holds.

The novel is a fun adventure that shouldn’t be read at night. An excellent addition to what promises to be a adventurous and fulfilling series The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane, or The Spook’s Curse will make you feel as if the ending has come too soon. As always please, don’t take my word for it see what others had to say.

Other Opinions:

“This book is phenomenal and would be perfect for people who don’t like magic, the supernatural or sci-fi. Sure it is a long series but its worth the read and time.”— Fan Review Via Amazon.

“[The] best aspect of the book the love relation between the two main protagonists is permanently ruined and damaged in the final book which also permanently changes the tone of the whole series from a sweet coming of age, first love, friendship and perseverance to that of a smutty cheesy soap opera…will not buy any more books from this awful Author” — Fan review via Amazon.

“A really brilliant story, with some background given on “Mam” really makes this a satisfying sequel to the first. A must read for those who enjoy a good “ghost story” that is well written. A bit darker than the Potter books, but that is what makes this series better! I hope Alice remains a prominent character in all the books!” — Fan Review via Amazon.

The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane is available on amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and other books stores near you.

If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read of this book please pick up a copy. If not enjoy all your reading choices! Have fun in all those stories! 🙂

Want more? Visit the author’s website here.