The Demon Sword Asperides
by Sarah Jean Horwitz
From the publisher:
"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."
My review:
I loved this book
5/5
What an awesome adventure.
I love books that instead of having one main character end up having a group of different personalities that add much to the plot. Knights, Seers, priestesses, necromancers, warriors...
The blurb says this is perfect for fans of Dianna Wynne Jones and Terry Prattchet. It has adventure, moon magic, and clever humor. I love that the sword sometimes needs a drink and visits the underworld tavern. He can't drink, but it's the intention that counts in his mood.
There is also a very moody horse who is too grumpy for his name. You'll see it when you read it. Ahah.
I think this story is also for those who love fantasy with world-building (it is not portal fantasy), and fans of RPG and D&D. It's creative, fun, and fast-paced with multi-POV. A lot is happening and fast, but the plot-driven sections are well balanced with the character ones making it a fun read.
Perfect for young readers (9-12) or those wanting to try a fantasy read. There's adventure, quests, prophecy, evil trying to vanquish good and conquer the world, demons, talking swords with strong personalities, and a wannabe knight kid (Nack) with a paladin's true heart who ends up being tricked by a sword (Asperides who is my favorite character) into a contract. Each character has a goal but as they journey and team up they discover a higher purpose and their true destiny.
Can be read as a standalone, but I hope there will be more featuring these characters. I read this novel in one sitting and this is my favorite book so far of this author. I can't wait for more of this or other of her projects.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.