Title: Danny Chaucer's Flying Saucer
Author: Christopher Peter
Genre: Children's Books, Science Fiction
Book Blurb:
What if you found something so dazzlingly brilliant that you had to keep it a secret – even from your own family? A secret so amazing it could change the world forever? Something that dark forces would do anything to possess …?
Danny Chaucer’s lonely. He loves to gaze up at the sumptuous night sky, wishing he was up there …
Nat Ford is the new girl in class and spends half her time running from the school bullies. Nothing interesting ever happens in their dead-end town.
Until one night when something extraordinary lands in the trees behind Danny's house. Something unbelievable, revolutionary, wonderful!
Then the sinister Captain Frost appears, and the chase is on. There might be only one way to escape – into space ...
A thrilling and funny adventure story for kids – and educational too as you’ll learn cool stuff about space! Finalist in the 2015 Wishing Shelf Independent Book Awards (9–12 year olds category) – an award where books are rated by the kids themselves. Check out the reviews to find out what people are saying about it.
My Review:
Danny is your typical boy living in a small town of Brampton. Danny awakens one night to a humming sound. He looks out his bedroom window to see a flickering light. Could be his overactive imagination or maybe not. The next morning his Uncle Colin starts asking questions.
Danny goes off to school and meets the new girl. Her name is Nat and at once Danny says eww. I told ya, typical boy stuff. Before long, he and Nat start investigating what's going on and become fast friends.
I love science fiction and I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The characters are well-developed and it's filled with a lot of action.
Danny and Nat were a great duo and once Danny got over his cooties issue, they were great friends. Captain Frost aka Frosty-Knickers was a great antagonist from the start and I loved every thwarting of her plans.
Alas, this book deals with bullying. Sigh. Yes, I know almost every children's book nowadays has bullies (thanks to J. K. Rowling) but I personally don't think it's necessary to the plot here. The bullying is a touch over the top and it turned me off.
This is a book both children and adults will enjoy. There are two more books in the series and I look forward to reading the next installment.
Favorite Character: BOB (Brain on Board). I loved this character and I laughed at his boastfulness. It reminded me of the robot from the movie, Short Circuit.
Favorite Quote:
‘Sorry mate,’ said BOB. ‘The air pressure should be adjusting, innit, but we really are dropping from the sky like a big saucer-shaped stone weighed down with half a dozen pianos. Sit back and try not to stress. I won’t descend too quickly though. Not maximum speed – that would be mad.’
My Rating: 4.5 stars
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Author Biography:
For more information about me, visit my website: www.christopher-peter.com. But for now, a few random facts…
• I live and work in the UK, in the Oxford area.
• I’ve written three novels. One, Danny Chaucer's Flying Saucer, is for 8-12-year-olds. The other two are aimed at YA / teens – Falling Girl and BASIC Boy.
• My main hobbies / pastimes, in no particular order are: spending time with my family, writing, reading, church stuff, films, walking and cycling.
What do I write?
Aside from the novels mentioned above, I’ve written a few short stories.
Why do I write?
I’ve always enjoyed it, but hadn’t done much about it until I turned forty. You could call it my mid-life crisis – at least it was safer than buying a motorbike and cheaper than taking up golf.
Which writers have influenced my writing / who are my favourites?
There are so many, but a very important one is Robert Westall. He was my favourite author in my early to mid-teens, and still among my favourites now. Most of his stories had a supernatural theme, and this is a key reason why I like ghost stories so much. He had a fantastically gritty, terse prose style and his characters were always utterly believable. One of his books - The Scarecrows - remains one of my very favourite novels.
What are my writing plans now?
I'm working on two more books in the Danny Chaucer series.
Social Media Links:
Website https://christopher-peter.com/
Reviewed by: Mrs. N