Fraser, Tom, Beth, Ethan, Jess T and Jess P from Warblington School tell us what they think of the first volume of the The Darksmith Legacy - a linked series of novels with additional online elements.
What is the story about?
Tom: The Doctor is on his way to Earth, but a powerful force drags him to the Moon instead.
Beth: On the moon, the Doctor tries to help the humans in a base to fix a machine, but then they get attacked by some dust monsters.
What are the characters like?
Ethan: The Doctor speaks just like he does on the television.
Jess T: You could imagine David Tennant saying the words.
Tom: There could have been more description of the characters.
Jess P: Some characters appear in the story, but you are not sure why. Their roles could have been taken by characters already introduced.
Fraser: The writing introduces the Darksmith Collective, but keeps them mysterious.
Jess T: I hope that some of the characters from this story crop up again in later books.
Was it exciting?
Tom: Although the book wasn't written with my age group in mind, I still found it entertaining, with a couple of good twists.
Ethan: The story moved along very quickly.
Jess T: It was very fast-paced.
Jess P: The last chapter's title added to the tension!
Fraser: Sometimes it seemed a bit repetitive, but its fast pace helped to maintain the excitement.
Were there any particular highlights?
Tom: My favourite bit was the ending as it came with a very strong, unexpected cliff-hanger.
Jess P: I enjoyed the activity pages and liked the way they led onto the next part of the story.
Fraser: I liked the description of the statue as they suddenly realise it's the Doctor.
Beth: The ending and the part where the statue changed into different people were the best.
Jess T: I also like the activity pages, and the way the answers moved the story on.
Ethan: I liked the dust!
Jess T: The last chapter was a real highlight.
What were your least favourite bits?
Tom: I don't think the book had any particular low points. It had a good "ebb and flow" and a slower section would quickly be followed by an exciting bit.
Fraser: The dust creatures could have done with more variety to what they did.
What do you think of then story so far?
Tom: The series has started well and will hopefully make for a good read.
Fraser: It's good because it leaves a lot of questions unanswered, which makes you want to read on.
Does this book make you want to read on?
Tom: This book did make me want to read on as it kept throwing surprises out to keep you hooked.
Fraser: The cliff-hanger with the Doctor in danger makes you want to read on.
Jess T: Definitely! The cliff-hanger was really good.
Beth: What has happened to the TARDIS?
Would you recommend it?
Tom: I'd recommend it to anyone my age who wanted a quick read, or to anyone younger.
Jess T: I'd recommend it as the story is good, and I hope they all link in together.
Jess P: I think it would be a good read for anyone who likes the programme and so I would definitely recommend it.
What age range do you think it was suitable for?
Tom: I think it was written for children aged 10-13, although the story would appeal to older readers who want a quick entertaining distraction.
Fraser: Year 7 students or any Doctor Who fans.
Jess T: It would fit in well to any Junior or Secondary School library.
Jess P: My 7 year-old sister read it, so I would recommend it for younger readers, although she did need some help with some of the words.
What do you think of the website?
Ethan: I like the website and the challenges it sets.
Beth: It has good info on all the books and the authors.
Tom: I hope each story has a different type of activity to keep the challenge!
Jess P: I liked the way you had to enter words from a certain page in the book to get access to the tasks.
Thanks to Bruce Ashcroft and Paul Davies for arranging the review and photo.
