The Devil's Apprentice (The Great Devil War, #1)

by Kenneth B. Andersen

• ASIN: B07J9MRZVJ
• Publish Date: 2018
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Format: eBook (Kindle)
• Pages: 311
• Language: English

Reviews

[chymerra]

The Devil’s Apprentice is the story about Philip. Philip is a good boy. So Philip was puzzled when he dies after a car accident, and he goes to Hell. It is after meeting Lucifer that they realize a mistake has been made. The wrong boy died. Lucifer is desperate and he needs an heir because he is dying. So, he makes Philip his heir and is determined to teach him how to become evil.

Meanwhile, Philip is busy making friends (and enemies). He also discovers that what is happening to Lucifer is being done on purpose. Will Philip turn evil? Will he be able to find out what is happening to Lucifer?

The Devil’s Apprentice did get off to a slow start. I understand that the author was doing the character and world-building at the time. The slowness lasted only for a couple of chapters. Once Philip was in Hell, the book sped up. There was zero lag in the plotline. That, along with the nicely moving plotline, made The Devil’s Apprentice a good read for me.

I was a little skeptical about a young adult novel set in Hell. But, the author was able to make Hell approachable. There was a town where the demons lived with the main street called Maim Street. I loved that the author took a place that has been associated with evil and made it into something somewhat normal and relatable. Of course, it had its dark side, and that dark side showed up often.

I liked Philip. I did feel bad for him when he first realized he was in Hell. Talk about shock!! He did acclimate as well as a human could. I mean, he was surrounded by all sorts of devils and demons. I know I wouldn’t have acclimated as well as he did!

I wasn’t too sure about Satina for a good part of the book. I thought that she was using Philip right from the beginning. By the middle of the book, I was divided on how I felt about her. It wasn’t until Philip fought Aziel that my opinion of her turned.

The storyline with Philip trying to figure out why Lucifer was dying was interesting. The author did a great job of keeping why and who was trying to kill Lucifer under wraps. I was surprised when it was revealed at the end of the book.

The other main storyline, Philip being in Hell, was fascinating. I did wonder if he was ever going to go back to Earth. That was my thoughts for the first half of the book. My thoughts on the second half were “No freaking way.” Philip changed so much in that part of the book. Now, I am wondering how that is going to affect him in real life.

The end of The Devil’s Apprentice was satisfying. The author wrapped up some storylines but left other storylines open. I can’t wait to read the next book.

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

Thank you to the author for giving me this book, in exchange for my honest opinion. It’s available to purchase now.

Um…where do I start? First of all, I really enjoyed it. It felt like a mashup between The Magisterium series and The Screwtape Letters, but for a younger audience. On Amazon it’s listed as being intended for ages 12-18. I can tell you, though, that it would scare the snot out of my sixth grader. Of course, each reader is different.

Due to an unfortunate mistake, an incredibly sweet boy named Phillip finds himself named successor to the Devil’s job. Lucifer is dying, and needs someone who can continue the job, so to speak. Thanks to the mix-up, Phillip is going to have to become a prince of darkness, literally. It’s going to be a more difficult job than the Devil originally thought.

Parts of this book were a lot of fun. The author took the usual hellish things (horns, pits of fire, etc) and made them his own. My favorite character was just a minor one, but I loved him. The gatekeeper to hell was so much fun to read! He was actually pretty polite, for a hellish guardian. He even offered Phillip a drink. It was revolting, but the thought was there.

There were mysteries to solve, and small lessons hidden here and there along the way. I did have a slight quibble with the amount of progress (or regression?) that Phillip made so quickly. Considering what a sweet boy he was, it seemed unlikely that he would go so bad so fast.

It was well-worded, and mentioned some pretty big concepts without assuming that younger readers wouldn’t understand. I really hate when books talk down to younger audiences, so I’m glad that this author understands that kids are a lot more intuitive than they’re often given credit for.

I liked the ending for the most part. I’m not entirely sure how there’s room for a sequel because it wrapped up so nicely, but I enjoyed the book enough that I’m curious to find out.

[Quirky Cat]

I received a copy of The Devil's Apprentice in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Devil's Apprentice is a novel that is both familiar and unfamiliar; unique and complex. It's the tale of mistaken identity taken to extreme levels, and how one boy has to survive and make decisions that he can live with.
Philip is not the sort of kid that you picture when you think of the replacement for the Devil – yet that is exactly the situation he finds himself in. In life, Philip was a sweet kid. And he remains so even in death. Now he's trying to survive the underworld – while making decisions that feel right for him.
This is a fantasy novel perfect for a variety of ages. The description may make it appear like it shouldn't be available to younger readers, but the writing alone makes it a bit more approachable than you might otherwise expect.


Warnings: The Devil's Apprentice started off showing a rather intense bullying situation. It might be uncomfortable to many readers.
The Devil's Apprentice wasn't quite like anything I've read before. I went into it expecting the tone to be very heavy (given the description) but I was surprised by what I found. It was a bit intense at times, but it never hit the point where I found myself needing a break.
Honestly, I can see why The Devil's Apprentice has a solid rating on Goodreads – I was enthralled from start to finish. Kenneth B. Anderson managed to balance out the emotions in unexpected ways.
Philip is described as being a good boy, and his actions time and again proved the truth of that statement. It was refreshing to see a character like Philip – exactly as advertised. And of course, his behavior served as a fascinating mirror for the world he's been placed into.
As for the hell and demon elements? I was a little bit concerned, going into this novel. I'm saying that to be brutally honest here. But I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Anderson took the core elements of these themes and managed to twist them into something new. They were still recognizable for what they were (of course), but they didn't end up feeling tired or overdone; something that I had feared.
I really enjoyed The Devil's Apprentice, though I can't believe how quickly I got through it. I suppose that says something about the read, huh? I'm going to have to look up more of Kenneth B. Anderson's works in the future, because I'm curious about what else he's written.


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