The Demon Sword Asperides
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- £6.49
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- £6.49
Publisher Description
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The demon sword Asperides, a sentient weapon, has spent the past 300 years physically pinning his most recent wielder, the dark knight Amyral Venir, inside a sarcophagus, when Asperides feels Amyral's soul mysteriously vanish. Asperides is soon drawn from his physical resting place by 13-year-old Nack Furnival, a disgraced knight-in-training seeking a heroic quest that will redeem him to his family of accomplished swordfighters; the only thing he needs is a virtuous angel blade. Asperides conceals his demonic nature and offers Nack a deal: he can wield Asperides, but in return, Nack must forfeit his soul to Asperides upon his death, to be used as a means of restoring the sword's power. Boy and sword forge an unlikely partnership, fighting evil across the kingdom. But even as the two gain helpful allies and discover what it means to be true heroes, Amyral's villainous might grows stronger, and Asperides dreads the day they'll be forced to face him. 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. Human characters read as white. Ages 9–12.
