The Grave Robber's Apprentice
4/5
()
Unavailable in your country
Unavailable in your country
About this ebook
Hans doesn’t know who he is or where he came from. When he was a baby, he washed ashore in a wooden box and was adopted by the conniving grave robber Knobbe the Bent. Now fate has thrown him together with Angela von Schwanenberg, a young countess fleeing for her life from the evil Archduke Arnulf and his dreaded Necromancer. Together, these friends go on a daring quest to discover Hans’s true identity and save Angela’s parents from the archduke.
Join Hans and Angela on their grand adventure as they ride through the depths of the great forest, sled down a mountain in a coffin and sneak along the secret passageways of the archduke’s palace. The Grave Robber’s Apprentice is a world of highwaymen, hermits and dancing bears—and of a boy separated from his family by the sea.
In this world anything is possible with luck and imagination—even for a grave robber’s apprentice.
Allan Stratton
Allan Stratton is the internationally acclaimed author of the Michael L. Printz Honor Book Chanda's Secrets. His novel Chanda's Wars was a Junior Library Guild selection, and his other novels, Borderline and Leslie's Journal, were both ALA Best Book for Young Adults selections. Allan has safaried in Africa, hiked the Great Wall of China, explored pyramids in Egypt, and flown over Cappadocia in a balloon. He lives with his partner in Toronto with four cats and a whole lot of fish.
Read more from Allan Stratton
The Grave Robber's Apprentice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChanda's Secrets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The Grave Robber's Apprentice
Related ebooks
Moby Dick Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsViking Boys Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Condensed Moby Dick: Abridged for the Modern Reader Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNan's Nan and the Pirates of Port Eynon Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTales From The Samodivi Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNightbirds on Nantucket Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5CAUTH MORRISY LOOKING FOR SERVICE - An Irish Children’s Story: Baba Indaba Children's Stories - Issue 183 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLaboulaye's Fairy Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChristie, the King's Servant A Sequel to "Christie's Old Organ" Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChildren's Rhymes, Children's Games, Children's Songs, Children's Stories A Book for Bairns and Big Folk Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Little Maid of Province Town Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Book of Shadows Vol 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDropping Out: A Tree Change Novel-in-stories Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRussian Children's Folk Tales Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVesty of the Basins Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHawke: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wandering Heath Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Legend of Burial Island: the third Bean and Ab mystery Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMy Treasure Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat the Moon Saw: and Other Tales Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Viking's Shadow Lady: Vikings of the Bronze Age, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA A Good Year Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTWO GHOSTLY CELTIC TALES - Children's stories from Ireland: Baba Indaba Children's Stories - Issue 171 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Story of the Mince Pie Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Nursery, No. 103, July, 1875. Vol. XVIII. A Monthly Magazine for Youngest Readers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBards and Sages Quarterly (October 2021) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBards and Sages Quarterly (October 2021) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWandering Heath Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEben Holden's Last Day A-Fishing Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMore Tales Of Snow & Ice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Children's Fantasy & Magic For You
The Hobbit Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Is Rising Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Phantom Tollbooth Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: The Classic Fantasy Adventure Series (Official Edition) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Howl's Moving Castle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Keeper of the Lost Cities Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Alice in Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Graveyard Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bridge to Terabithia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Into the Wild: Warriors #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Horse and His Boy: The Classic Fantasy Adventure Series (Official Edition) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coraline Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fortunately, the Milk Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Prince Caspian: The Classic Fantasy Adventure Series (Official Edition) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Over Sea, Under Stone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Chocolate Touch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Amari and the Night Brothers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Grimm's Fairy Tales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: The Classic Fantasy Adventure Series (Official Edition) Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Nightfall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Secret Garden: The 100th Anniversary Edition with Tasha Tudor Art and Bonus Materials Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Battle: The Classic Fantasy Adventure Series (Official Edition) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Everblaze Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Indian in the Cupboard Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coraline 10th Anniversary Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Exile Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Book of Three Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Grave Robber's Apprentice
6 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Very interesting book! It had the elements of a great story: action, adventure, horror, loveable characters and creepy villans. The Grave Robber's Apprentice tells the stories of Hans who has been raised by the grave robber, Knobbe the Bent and Angela who is a countess. Hans and Angela cross paths while they are each on the run from their current situations. What follows is an epic quest to discover Hans' true identity and save Angela's parents from the evil archduke. This was a well written story that keep you on the edge or your seat. I would recommend this book to fans of the Brothers Grimm or anyone who enjoys a good story
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5High adventure awaits in this Shakespearean tale of missing heirs, evil magicians, and a Bluebeard-style wicked ruler. The author's gleeful embracement of the conspicuously awful (torture chambers, descriptions of rotting corpses, and being buried alive...) reminded me of the more gruesome Grimm tales, with a bit of Lemony Snicket thrown in. I, personally, loved the various objects the over-the-top Necromancer used for eyeballs in his loathsome empty sockets. I was hoping for a bit more character development. The heroine and hero seemed little changed by their adventures. I also thought the heroine's love of puppetry was going to be put to more significant use.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I have has this book to read for a couple years; it ended up being an okay read. It’s decently written but very predictable. The story reads a lot like a fairy tale and has a lot of elements of stories you’ve probably read before (a young girl running from an unwanted marriage, a young man who doesn’t know his parents and finds out they have noble origins).Parts of the story are pretty gruesome. I know this is aimed at the middle grade audience but I doubt I would want my son (who is nine and reads lots of middle grade books) reading most of this. The grave digging parts can be pretty stomach turning; additionally the evil Archduke is marrying young girls and then killing them after he obtains their dowry (again pretty disturbing when you think about this old man marrying 12 year old girls). There is also talk of torture and gruesome taunts made to Angela’s parents (a raw human heart and gems are delivered to them on a platter at one point).The story wraps up decently and the writing is easy to read. The whole story has kind of a dark a gruesome atmosphere to it. I never really engaged with any of the characters that well and kind of just breezed through the story and then felt kind of “eh, that was fine” by the end of it.Overall this is an okay dark and creepy middle grade read. While the story is decently written...it is incredibly predictable and I am uncertain what the true target audience is (some themes are too mature for middle grade audience but the characters are middle grade in age).
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hans doesn’t know who he really is. He know he was washed ashore in a chest and was “adopted” by a grave robber. He also knows he has a strange birthmark. One night when robbing graves, he discovers he’s really helping Angela, a young countess escape from her marriage to an evil man. And this gets the necromancer involved. Now you may think I’m going to tell you what necromancer means, but I’m not going to. Look it up in a dictionary! As the both seek to escape, which includes a ride down a snowy mountain in a coffin, they discover a lot about themselves including who is Hans’ father. And like all good fantasies, the story ends happily—at least for those who deserve a happy ending. For the evil ones the ending is not so happy.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hans was adopted by the Graverobber but doesn’t want to follow in his foster-father’s footsteps. Angela is a young countess who is fleeing for her life from the evil Archduke Arnolf. When the two of them meet up they find they are in for a big adventure involving puppets, wolves, dancing bears, hermits and highwaymen. This is a rollicking adventure with a fairytale feel. Packed with likeable characters, humour, adventure and a bit of fear this book is sure to appeal to children aged 10 and up. It would make a great class read-aloud.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Good Stuff * Fabulous opening chapter - will grab the kids (and adults) attention right away * The banter between Angela and Hans is delightful * Angela is a fantastic heroine - feisty and brave, yet compassionate and hilarious * Hans is a perfect companion for Angela and they work so well together * Wonderful adventure story full of nasty villians and wacky secondary characters * Lots of scary and gross bits will attract the middle school boy reader * Young kids save the day -- kids eat that sorta thing up * Humor and scary stuff - what's not to like * The secondary characters are just as well written as the main characters * Has a fairy tale, quest feel to it with a hint of Peter Nimble thrown in * Good messages of friendship and forgivenessThe Not So Good Stuff * Some of the more complicated language may turn off the more reluctant reader which would be a shameFavorite Quotes/Passages"Tonight, the raging wind had promised a shipwreck- two or three, God willing - so Knobbe had scrambled down the steep cliff path to the beach, hoping to plunder the bodies of the drowned.""Don't play your baby tricks on me," Knobbe warned. "Your sort are all alike. Sneaky,little schemers, out to make a fellow weak.""Angela rolled her eyes at Hans: a hermit speaking in riddles was as irritating in real life as it was in storybooks.""Shush. Who knows the future. Do the best you can and never regret a kindness. To live a coward is not to live at all."Who Should/Shouldn't Read * I would say for the stronger middle school reader due to more sophisticated language * Not for the sensitive reader as there are some scary bits * Adults will enjoy just as much4.5 Dewey'sI picked this up at the 2012 OLA Superconference and my copy is signed