Book Review: The Devil’s Apprentice by Kenneth B Andersen

Author: Kenneth B. Andersen

Title: The Devil’s Apprentice (The Great Devil War #1)

Publisher: Kenneth Bogh Andersen

Date: 2018

Plot: Philip is a good boy, a really good boy, who accidentally gets sent to Hell to become the Devil’s heir. The Devil, Lucifer, is dying and desperately in need of a successor, but there’s been a mistake and Philip is the wrong boy. Philip is terrible at being bad, but Lucifer has no other choice than to begin the difficult task of training him in the ways of evil. Philip gets both friends and enemies in this odd, gloomy underworld—but who can he trust, when he discovers an evil-minded plot against the dark throne?

Book Review: The Devil's Apprentice by Kenneth B. Andersen

I received The Devil’s Apprentice as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s been a while since I was able to join a book tour. I checked out the average star rating before joining after a few bad experiences, but my initial thoughts were that this was going to be a fun and enjoyable read.

I was right.

The Devil’s Apprentice is the type of book that doesn’t take itself too seriously and the end result is an enjoyable read about what it means to be good or evil. A young adult book (on the younger side) addressing deep issues: heaven, hell, good, evil and listening to your conscience – if you’ve got one.

When Philip – a boy known for being truly good – finds himself mistakenly in Hell, believed to be the next to take over Lucifer’s throne, it seems his troubles are only just beginning. Philip must find his devil side if he has any chance of succeeding, but listening to his darker impulses comes at a cost: losing himself. Time is running out for Lucifer – and the one boy who can help him is the one he is training to not help anyone.

Philip had to admit that he was lost. In the middle of the night. In the Devil’s castle.

I won’t say more than that because it will give things away. But Philip is a strong protagonist: he’s intrinsically good but not to the extent it becomes irritating. Considering this book is narrated by a thirteen-year-old boy, I engaged more than I thought I would; it doesn’t read as childish, or written just for children – often the case with such a young narrator. I honestly forgot how old he was for most of the book.

There is a real mix of characters. Lucifer, Death, devils – one of which quickly becomes a love interest for our young hero -, a cat who is far more than he seems and a cook who is a force all on her own. Philip has various relationships with each: from an early crush, to teenage enmity, respect through to fear and everything in-between.

As with any book with a young narrator, there are plenty of lessons scattered throughout, mainly focus on good and evil. But no character is completely black and white and none of the lessons feel too overpowering. I was worried you’d constantly be hit with the message to be good, but it’s not like that at all; in fact, the opposite! Philip does appear to go from one extreme to another, but there is a reason behind his character change and when things balance out a little, it’s refreshing to see he has been changed by his experiences, even if not necessarily for the better!

Despite the nature of the book, religion isn’t touched apart from in a casual couple of comments about the relationship between God and Lucifer (they’ve got a good thing going on here).

Articulating how I feel about this book is proving harder than I anticipated, but it was an enjoyable, fun read that I got swept up in and – you know what? – I’d be quite happy to see where Philip’s story takes him next.

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