The Doomspell - Hardcover

McNish, Cliff

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1858817625 ISBN 13: 9781858817620

Publisher: Orion Children's Books, 2000

Synopsis

In a blaze of light, rush of wind, and scrabble of claws, Rachel and her younger brother are ripped through the wall and hurtled on to another world. Like thousands of children before them, they have been snatched away by the Witch. But this time the Witch has met her match. Rachel discovers that she has extraordinary gifts: she can transform herself into a speck of dust, or fly on an owl's back, just as the Witch can. The Witch is excited - she has found someone she can use for her own evil purposes. But for the Witch's victims, Rachel is their only hope. Cliff McNish's first book is a real page turner. A great narrative drive, strong characters and emotions, a beautifully imagined world and delicious touches of magic and humour show him to be a natural-born storyteller with an instinctive understanding of what children will enjoy. Rave reports are coming in from 10 to 12 year-olds and from adult fantasy lovers too, indicating that in Cliff McNish we have discovered a new and highly commercial author of huge talent and an exceptionally broad appeal.

About this title

About the Author

Cliff McNish is an IT specialist. He wrote this book as a response to a request for a story from his daughter Rachel, and is now working on the sequel.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Rachel and Eric have been having identical dreams about an evil witch on a frozen world, but no one takes their story seriously-until the witch breaks through to their world via their cellar wall, capturing them as their father tries to save them. Plummeting through immeasurable emptiness between the worlds, Rachel discovers that she has new powers to control her descent and the space around her, which she uses to catch Eric and bring them both to a safe landing on Ithrea. The witch Dragwena and her dwarf slave Morpeth are there to greet them. Each of them has awaited their arrival for a very different reason. Dragwena has kidnapped many Earth children with the hope of finding one with powers equal to her own to share her evil reign over Ithrea and feels that Rachel could be the one. Morpeth hopes that she will fulfill an ancient prophesy and free the dwarves from Dragwena's enslavement. The remainder of the story becomes a series of life-and-death battles between the witch and almost everyone else on Ithrea. There is an abundance of both good and bad magic, many spells and transformations, and plenty of blood and gore reminiscent of popular video games. Readers will enjoy the plot and action, and probably won't miss the details of character development and philosophy that are found in more detailed fantasies. There is room for a sequel, as the novel ends with Rachel, Eric, and Morpeth heading back through the cellar wall to Earth and home.
Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Orion Children's Books
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1858817625
• ISBN 13: 9781858817620
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 214