Review Detail

Make way for a newer and so much cooler Howl's Moving Castle, without Howl of course. And Calcifer is a sword. And Sophie is a a young boy named Nack Furnival, who wants to be knight instead of a hatter.

The Demon Sword Asperides by Sarah Jean Horwitz is a middle grade fantasy that follows the dual perspectives of Nack Furnival, a boy aspiring to be a world famous knight, and (you guessed it) the demon sword Asperides. Trying to prove his worth, Nack sets off a quest that will finally prove his worth. But not without a sword, of course. When an attempt to resurrect the evil sorcerer Asperides has been trying to guard goes awry, he is thrown into Nack's path. Thus he has no choice but to make a deal with Nack, in order to save the world from the newly awoke evil sorcerer. No big deal, right.

What I loved most about Horwitz's work is the tone it presents the story in. Most fantasy stories presenting plot lines like these, will set it up to be much darker and grittier. But The Demon Sword Asperides is witty and fun. But still doesn't hold back it's punches with the more darker side of life. And you can't exactly go wrong with the set of characters Horwitz provides. I will forever loved Nack and Asperides, and the only way you'll get to them is by prying them from my cold dead fingers.

I feel like this book is a perfect firs step into fantasy for an reader, big or small. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a great need to track down Horwitz's last book, The Dark Lord Clementine.