The Doomspell (The Doomspell Trilogy Book 1) Kindle Edition

Rating: 4/5Genre: Middle Grade FantasyPages: 240AmazonI was provided a free copy of this book by the author. Thank you so much! All opinons are my own.After having the same strange dream, siblings Rachel and Eric find themselves being transported to another world where Rachel's special powers come into play to help free the children that have been captured by the evil Dragwena. - Amazon.comSo to start this review off I do want to say that I do love books that have that Harry Potter/Narnia type feel to them and I felt this book fit that perfectly. The book was highly imaginative, the world building was fantastic, and the characters felt like real children instead of mini adults who know how to solve all the world's issues.However, I did feel like the book didn't keep my interest. I'm not sure why but I could walk off from the book and not feel a need to go back to it. I blame my funky mood I've been in lately. I also felt that the plot was a bit similiar to other middle grade books I've read.Verdict: If you're looking for a middle grade book that your child might love if they like magical books like Narnia then this book is for you! If you're an older reader this book might drag a bit for you.

Cliff McNish, a new British author being published in the US as well as the UK, produces a mixed bag in "Doomspell." On one hand he shows genuine imagination, sense of atmosphere and an intriguingly well-made magical system. On the other hand, his villain is a little too cartoonish, and his story a little too cutesy and cliched.The hideous, evil witch Dragwena has been pulling children with magical ability to the icy world of Ithrea for a long, long time. The kids always turn out not to be talented enough for Dragwena's purposes, and she allows them to live as aged, abused servants. But when she magically pulls the two children Eric and Rachel to Ithrea, she finds that Rachel possesses powers comparable to her own.Rachel and Eric are treated well initially by the strange woman with a serpent for a necklace. They befriend her servant Morpeth, who helps Rachel develop her powers in the desperate hope that she can help his enslaved friends. But Dragwena is still stronger than Rachel is -- and determined to transform the girl into a bloodthirsty witch as well.McNish definitely has a flair for fantasy. While not the best fantasy that I've read, it contained a number of surprises and intriguing elements to keep me guessing up until the climax. Unfortunately the plot is also saddled with a lot of rather cutesy cliches. The magically empowered preteen, the rhyming prophecy, Ithrea and its bizarre wildlife, and the idea of children being turned into broken slaves of the witch were all irritatingly cliched. And every now and then, McNish trots out something so ridiculous that it simply does not belong, such as the bickering bird-baby "prapsies." And often Dragwena becomes too gleefully evil to be convincing.However, he does have a talent for descriptive writing. His descriptions of Rachel's transformations are outstanding, as is the world of Ithrea. His characterizations, aside from Dragwena, are fairly good. While Rachel is hampered by the clear influence from the author's daughter, she is a fairly convincing heroine. More outstanding are Eric, the quiet background guy who serves an unexpected (though too convenient) purpose in the plot, and Morpeth, who manages to be both old and young, mature and insecurely boyish.Overall this is a cute little fantasy book. Not for those who like their stories hard-core, but good for the kids who are searching for something new and yet familiar.

At first there was something I didn’t like about this book. As I went on, drawn into the story, I read it in about 24 hours, I realized it’s simply that I am not used to reading or hearing for that matter children from England. That was it. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it, it was just weird for me, and I love that about this book. With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I see the comparisons to C.S. Lewis and I think they are well deserved. I look forward to digging into the next book!

The young girl Rachel and her brother Eric are taken from our world, by the evil witch Dragwena, to the cold world of Ithrea.Dragwena, the ruler of Ithrea, wants to prey upon the childrens magic abilities - abilites that all Earths' children have, although they are dormant.But Rachel and Eric are not quite like other children, and soon whispers spread on Ithrea, about the child hope.But will Dragwena suceed in turning Rachel into a witch? Or will Rachel and Eric be able to find allies on Ithrea and defeat the witch? And how can they return to Earth?It is true that you notice some inspiration from the Narnia books (though without all the christian symbolism), but I find that McNish uses it in his own context, and I find many of his characters - like Morpeth and the prapsies - both interesting and original.There are cliches as well, but all in all it's an energetic tale, with some original elements, and a good pace. The descriptions of the main character Rachel, her development and her friendship with Morpeth are good, and there are surprises here and there even for fantasy fans.So as long as you don't expect and oríginal masterpeice, this book is worth reading!

I recently bought Doomspell thinking that it looked and sounded interesting. When I got Home I noticed that it said in fine print that it was a children's story. At the time I have to say I was disappointed,But I figured 'What the hell,why not?', I am seventeen yrs old and I can safely say it was very entertaining, EXTEREMELY Exciting, all in all not bad for a kiddie book!!!!=)Fully recommend that you don't pay attention to the "little kid" comment and read this book!!!! Hell even my mom like it nuff said.

Two siblings are taken to a magical land where they find that they are perhaps destined to overthrow the evil witch and rescue the talking animals from the eternal winter that the witch has imposed on them.Thus is the plot of this book, set in the land of Narnia--oops, I mean Ithrea. If you've read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, you undoubtedly recognize the story. The main problem with The Doomspell is that it fails to become anything more than a meager copy of The Chronicles of Narnia geared for somewhat older readers.

This book will have the reader, young or old, gripped to the edge of their seat! Fantastic to read on your own or aloud for young ones.

I read this when I was 12. I'd forgotten all about it until I stumbled across this earlier. Within the day I've reread it and ordered the other two books. Loved it as much as a 27 year old as I did as a boy.

As you can tell from my title, I didn't realise it was for kids, I should have read the through the description more carefully. Still it was ok but I think young teens would enjoy it more.

Fab book for age 8-11years approx. Great detail and build up of characters. Well ended leaving teh way for the second two parts.

Gift

Fab book

I like this book I would recommend this book 12 year old and I gave because I love the imagination

エイゴが簡単なのはとっても有難かったのですが、何しろ登場人物のキャラが薄すぎて、ちょっと感情移入が出来なかった。そのせいで非常に平板な印象。物足りなさを感じる。もっとお腹いっぱい食べさせてくれ、と。同じストーリでももうちょっとキャラが強ければ違う感想をもったかもしれない。悪役の魔女が唯一キャラが立ってて、彼女の怒りや憎しみや恐れに一番シンパシーを覚えてしまったというのは如何なものでしょう。ストーリー自体も非常に淡々としてるし、何しろ全体的に薄味なのです。濃い目が好きな方々にはちょっとイマイチかも。あ、でも変身シーンの書き方は面白かったです。