Kenneth Bøgh Andersen

"The Devil's Apprentice" is like no other Young Adult book I've read. It takes you directly to the Christian Hell and then makes you think through what exactly Hell is and how and why it works the way it does.

It sets Philip, a (very) good boy, who seems to have been sent to Hell through a misunderstanding, a series of challenges where to save Lucifer from death, he has to learn to make the evil choices rather than the good ones. Philip's challenges confront him with a variety of ethical show more problems, some simple, some not.

In the beginning, Philip's goodness blinds him to the choices he should be making but when he's put under pressure, experiencing anger and jealousy and betrayal and just how terribly unfair everything is, other choices open up for him.

When he's not being tested, young Philip is out and about making friends and enemies of demons and devils and falling in love with Satina, a young temptress devil who is trying to help him solve the puzzle of why the immortal Lucifer is dying.

I liked the fact that the book goes beyond the simple humour of making Hell and inversion of our world - making everything tonight or yesternight rather than today or yesterday, praising demons for behaving even worse than they're expected to, having rotting food as a delicacy - and takes an, often gruesome look, at the nature of endless, pointless, punishment.

The longer he is Hell, the less clear right and wrong is to Philip. He is innately good but even good people stumble over some choices, especially when some of the devils and demons around him are so likeable and so welcoming and when he has the opportunity to acquire huge amounts of power.

The plot is clever but it's the fearless world-building, underpinned by rigorous subjecting difficult situations to an examination that often seems to pit logic against ethics that sets the book apart.

It's hard to imagine "The Devil's Apprentice" getting published in the US, never mind finding its way into school libraries. The US struggled with Harry Potter (not because it constantly pitched decency and courage against power and privilege but because it used witchcraft), what would they make of a YA series that generates sympathy for the Devil? As for having King David in Hell because he arranged the death of the husband of a woman he desired, while the logic is unassailable, my guess is that it's too much of a dog whistle item for American school libraries. The banned book folks would be lubricating their corruption of youth arguments with glee.

Fortunately, this book is Danish so it not only made it into print but spawned the hugely popular series "The Great Devil War" series since its publication in 2005. The first English translation of the six books in the series was published in October 2018. I'm hoping it's going to attract a huge following. show less

Although I'm quite a bit older than the target audience, I absolutely loved this book. It's witty and forces you to realize that good and evil aren't always black and white absolutes. I giggled a bit I must admit, following Philip's adventures as the devil tries to instruct him in the art of evil. After all, how do you turn a boy scout into the next Lucifer? A delight to read for any age, no matter whether you believe in Hell or not.

4.5

Book source ~ Tour

Philip Engel has died twice. The first time was a mistake when the boy Lucifer picked for his heir is supposed to die, but Philip does in his place. After he’s restored to life he dies a second time when Mortimer (or Death) needs his help to find his lost Die. Now, Philip is back on Earth (again) when he has to die (again) in order to save the school bully (now his friend) from a death that he caused. So, Philip dies and when he goes to the Underworld he has to find show more Sam. Except the Underworld is vast and it’s next to impossible to find Sam on his own so he enlists the help of friends he’s made there. Except, even they can’t find Sam. Lucifer suggests that God should know where Sam is so off they go for a quick visit in Paradise. But their journey doesn’t end there. Grab a copy and join Philip on his 3rd death adventure.

This story just gets better and better. You’d think it would get a bit repetitive, having Philip die so many times, but it doesn’t. Not for me anyway, since I’m a Supernatural fan and we all know how many times people die and come back to life on that show. Anyway, Philip’s journey this time is a good one. He has to fix what he screwed up (Sam’s death) and I got to see way more of the Underworld than in previous editions. There’s trouble brewing in Hell, Paradise isn’t what everyone thinks, and in the end, Philip’s personal journey takes a huge leap. So huge that I’m dying (hehe see what I did there?) for the next book! show less

The Devil’s Apprentice by Kenneth B. Andersen is a witty and adventurous tale about an unexpected friendship between a boy and the Devil. With a refreshingly unusual premise, the story transports readers deep into the structured and surprisingly fascinating world of Hell. The descriptions are richly atmospheric, making it feel as though you are experiencing the fiery underworld firsthand. Yet, despite the setting, the characters are far from terrifying; instead, they come across as show more layered, humorous, and oddly endearing. The novel balances mischief with warmth, offering a fun, imaginative read that humanizes the Devil in an unexpectedly charming way. The book is a 5 part series and thanks to the author for providing me an opportunity to read the book. show less