The Demon Sword Asperides

De: Sarah Jean Horwitz

A scheming demon sword and a wannabe knight band together on a (possibly wicked) quest in this fantasy, perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones and Terry Pratchett.

For the past two hundred years, the demon sword Asperides has led a quiet life. While his physical form has been tasked with guarding the body of an evil sorcerer, the rest of his consciousness has taken a well-earned vacation. That constant need to trick humans into wielding him (at the price of their very souls, of course) was rather draining.

Nack Furnival, on the other hand, is far from satisfied with his existence. Nack has trained since birth to be a brave and noble knight—but, unfortunately, he isn’t especially good at it. Determined to prove his worth, Nack needs a quest. And to complete that quest, he’ll need the one thing no knight can do without: a sword.

When an attempt to resurrect the evil sorcerer throws Asperides into Nack’s path, the demon sword can’t help but trick the boy into making a contract to become his new owner. And with the newly undead (and very, very angry) sorcerer on their trail, Asperides and Nack find themselves swept up in a bigger adventure than either of them bargained for: saving the world.

Reseñas de la Crítica

* Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year * 2023 CYBILS Award Finalist *

★ "The rollicking story is endlessly inventive and terrifically funny, and the chatty text is suffused with sarcasm and silliness, though kindness beats at the heart of it all…. Fantasy fans will adore the hilarious but incredibly heartfelt adventure."

—Booklist, starred review

★ "Horwitz’s middle-grade fantasy is quirky and fun but also nuanced and complex. Chapters shift in point of view as the narrative threads are woven together with masterful dexterity. Readers are clued in before the characters, and the journeys to their various places of self-discovery are wholly enjoyable. Asperides is delightful, imbued with hilarious snark and a gray moral compass…. An exciting and well-wrought romp."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Employing thoughtful subversions of classic fantasy tropes to explore themes of good vs. evil and the power of change, Horwitz (The Dark Lord Clementine) crafts a clever adventure that is at once humorous, thrilling, and touching."—Publishers Weekly

"Perfect for fans of Howl's Moving Castle. . . A perfect first step into fantasy for any reader, big or small."—Young Adult Books Central

“Horwitz gives us a narrative with well-written characters, dialogue, and action, all packaged in a neat story of honor, good vs. evil, and doing the right thing.”—Youth Services Book Review

Praise for The Dark Lord Clementine:

“A hilariously heartwarming magical adventure . . . Clementine [is] a remarkably three-dimensional character. Her imperfections, many failures and constant letdowns make her likable and relatable. Her ridiculous antics…will charm and delight young readers. . . The Dark Lord Clementine is infused with humor and adventure, but the foundation of the story—friendship, loyalty and compassion—never wavers. . . This clever, inventive novel knows the value of a good-versus-evil story that is served fresh, yet familiar.”—The New York Times Book Review

"Chock-full of the cheerfully macabre . . . This quirky novel stands out from the crowd in its hilarity and its compelling premise; give it to readers who like villains who aren’t, really."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Horwitz has created a perfect blend of wit and heart in this fresh fantasy adventure . . . Highly recommended, this title will keep a wide variety of readers entertained with its compelling characters and witty twists on the fairy-tale universe."—School Library Journal

"Horwitz primes readers to expect the unexpected—and delivers. . . .Horwitz’s ingenuity for bizarre enchantment and characterization proves boundless . . . In a wry, satisfying ending, Clementine hints at future enchantments ahead.”—Publishers Weekly

Fun middle grade fantasy!

This was such a fun book! I believe that this middle grade fantasy is a perfect read for both younger readers and adults. We meet the sword Asperides right away once I realized a sentient sword would be one of the main characters, I knew that I was in for a good time. I was entertained by this fascinating tale from beginning to end.

Nack has been cast out by his family and hopes to prove his worth by completing a task to win back his place. I felt horrible for Nack since he was truly on his own with no place to go and even loses his sword right away. He decides to go on a knight’s quest where he finds Asperides and enters into a contract believing it is an angel sword. Nack was such a great character and I adored his interactions with Asperides. I found this story to be really exciting with quite a few surprises worked in. The characters all grow and change over the course of the story as they try to do what is right.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Mark Sanderlin did a great job with the story. I have listened to this narrator’s work on a couple of adult romance novels so it was fun to see him tackle a different genre. I thought that he did a great job with the various character voices which helped to bring the story to life. I do believe that his narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. It was an entertaining story featuring wonderful characters that should appeal to a wide range of readers. I would not hesitate to read more of this author’s work in the future.

I received a review copy of this book from Algonquin Young Readers.