05/22/2023
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. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary. (July)
* 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
“The castle is full of sorcery and cleverly devised magical objects, and the legends about the mountains surrounding it give Horwitz’s imagined world a unique history. The story has plenty of heart and charm. Themes of trust, forgiveness, and belonging deepen this enjoyable fantasy.”—The Horn Book
“The descriptions of magical beings are fittingly awe-inspiring. . . This inventive fantasy twists conventions while involving readers through good storytelling laced with irony and wit."—Booklist
“After luring readers in with wordplay and tongue-in-cheek, genre-savvy humor, the plot takes an emotionally rich thematic turn, dwelling on community and forgiveness—all the while building toward a mythical, mystical arc involving the unicorn. The few action sequences are mined for utmost impact, as are the slice-of-life scenes and flashback vignettes. . . Absolutely delightful.”—Kirkus Reviews
12/02/2023
Gr 4–7—The Demon Sword Asperides has been enjoying his retirement in the underworld, hard-earned after centuries of reaping the dark souls of those who wielded him in life. So he is not thrilled to feel the tug of his last master, infamously evil Amir Venir, whose mortal body Asperides's physical sword form has been keeping pinned securely to its tomb. Newly risen, Venir sets out on the search for his soul, and Asperides uses deceit and magic to find help to stop him. Coming to his aid are Nack Furnival, struggling to find his path to knighthood after being cast out; young necromancer Cleoline, undead Venir's aide who realizes too late the terrible force she's let into the world; and seer Sister Dawn Therin, who works with the two to understand the world-altering prophecy she's been handed. Their personal quests culminate in the final attempt at stopping Venir. Unlikely heroes abound, along with plenty of wit, humor, and thrills. The characters drive this story, including the darkly hilarious talking sword who is a great foil to the honest and good Nack. This magical quest book is more likely to work as an independent read for stronger readers at the lower end of middle grade. VERDICT A good next read for fans of Cressida Cowell and Jessica Townsend, recommend this one to fans of funny fantasy with a setting that rings of medieval Europe.—Jill Shepard
There's both humor and poignancy in this middle-grade fantasy. Mark Sanderlin animates the cast of characters, including young Nack Furnival, who desperately wants to be a knight; a goth girl necromancer and the bad guy she helps resurrect; a seer; and knights Willa and Barb. Nack thinks the sword he happens upon in a cave is an angel blade like the ones other knights carry, but it's actually an ancient demon sword named Asperides, which trades power for human souls. Narrated in a British-esque accent, Asperides sounds both imperious and long suffering, and even though he's technically a demon sword, he's hard not to like. The ensuing adventure in which Nack seeks to prove himself and Asperides tries to stop the big bad is good listening fun. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
★ 2023-05-09
A motley crew must stop an undead villain from opening a portal to the underworld.
Asperides is a 2,000-year-old semiretired demon sword whose power is sourced from the imprisoned souls of his previous masters. Despite lacking a mouth or hands, he enjoys spending his days in a dark corner of the Wet Fang, an underworld pub, nursing a warm drink. One day, Asperides feels the trapped soul of his last master, Amyral Venir, go missing. Unbeknownst to him, 18-year-old dark sorcerer Cleoline has attempted to fully resurrect Amyral but finds her spell did not go exactly as planned. Meanwhile, across the kingdom, Nack Furnival has been banished from his knightly family. He is determined to complete a quest, receive an angel blade, and return to their good graces. Nack meets Asperides, who hides his true demonic nature, impersonating an angel blade to win his trust and claim his soul. The duo encounter Sister Dawn Therin, a 12-year-old Seer who shares a significant prophecy that will bring them all together. 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. The main cast reads White; there are some queer secondary characters.
An exciting and well-wrought romp. (Fantasy. 8-12)
