Doncaster Book Award - Read Reviews

Doncaster: Discover the Spirit

Demon Apocalypse (Demonata)
by Darren Shan

So far we have received 35 reviews of Demon Apocalypse (Demonata). You can read them below - or why not add your own review?

Callum from Year 7, Ridgewood School:

This book is about demons and people with magic powers.
Beranabus, Kernel and Grubstich have to use their magic to try
and stop the army of demons from taking over the world.

I liked the part where Grubstich wasn't a coward and used his
magic to fight off demons and save the worls.

My favourite character was Grupstich, he is finding out how to
use his magic and everything they throw at him, most of the
time he prevails.

This book is gruesome in parts, it is an adventure-packed book,
it is good fun and you'd want to read it again and again and
again!

Marks out of 10: 10

Kyle from Year 10, Ridgewood School:

In this book, the main character, Grubbs, displays emotions so
realistic that we can't help but feel sorry for him. The story
is written in the first person of a boy who has previously
experienced killings and now has to kill those close to him for
everyone else to live. The story shows many aspects, including
family, death and betrayal.

The idea of it being set in our world but with threat from
another world was a fantastic one, allowing us to fear the fear
and mystery of the story. Is the story really fiction or is it
real, happening without us knowing?

My favourite character was Bec, a person who had died in the
story many years ago. She brought the unrealistic atmosphere of
a world that was realistic and made the situation seem
unbelievable.

Although it is a fantastic book, I disliked the detail that was
given about the deaths of the characters. It created a
horrifying, gruesome image in the mind that was enough to make
you feel sick.

This book however was impossible to take your eyes away from.
It captured me instantly, sending me into the world that the
book described. I would definitely recommend it to someone who
likes gruesome things or who likes reading about other worlds.

Marks out of 10: 6

Natasha from Year 9, Don Valley School and Performing Arts College:

I hated this book. I couldn't read all of it it was so bad!
It was all about blood and guts, e.g. a demon shaped like a
giant scorpion digs its stinger into a woman's eyes and that's
off the first page. Sometimes it is just like a normal book,
'I catch a glimpse of the future' Juni says smugly, 'I saw you
change into a werewolve a few months before it happened'
I really hated the book.

Marks out of 10: 5

Jad from Year 6, Dunsville Primary School:

If you won't to understand the book get the rest of the series
there are 5 more it was ok but i did not know what was
happening.

Marks out of 10: 5

Hannah from Year 10, Don Valley School and Performing Arts College:

Demon Apocalypse is a great book and i really enjoyed reading
it. It is fast-paced and all blood and guts which was great. I
like the idea of having two universe ours and the Demonatas
(though i wouldn't ever want to face a Demon). This book was
hard to put down and i was stucked into the story and didn't
want it to end.

Marks out of 10: 9

Connor adams from Year 7, Ridgewood School:

I really enjoyed this book. At first I didn't like it
but when I read on I really liked it. Thank you for making this
book.

Marks out of 10: 10

Oliver from Year 7, Ridgewood School:

This is the coolest,goriest,best and demon stabbing book ever.
Easily the best book on dba :)

Marks out of 10: 10

Oliver from Year 7, Ridgewood School:

This is the coolest,goriest,best and demon stabbing book ever.
Easily the best book on dba.

Marks out of 10: 10

from Year 9, North Doncaster Technology College:

This book is part of a series called the Demonata. It will be
hard to enjoy this book if you haven't read the rest of the
series.
This book is a gory horror-filled tale full of demons and
werewolves. From the very beginning there are gory descriptions
of blood and death. People who have a weak stomach should steer
clear of this book.
However, for those who do like gore, this book will be an
exciting and extremely enjoyable read. It is fast moving and
really draws you in. Once you have started reading it you will
be so into the tale that you will not be able to put the book
down.
In the main part of the book Beranabus, Kernel and Grubitsch
(who all have magical powers) have to work together to fight
demons. There are a lot of complications in this and plenty of
parts thta make you sad and parts that make you scared. Reading
this book is like going on an emotional journey full of shocks,
scares and surprises.
I highly reccommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the
horror genre.
10/10

Marks out of 10: 10

Joshua from Year 5, Saltersgate Primary School:

I thought this book had great fiction in it and was fun to
read but the book carried on and it was difficult to understand
if you have not read any others but I rate it 5 out of 10

Marks out of 10: 5

Tom from Year 6, Saltersgate Primary School:

This book was was quite good altogether. the begining was the
best bit about the book. When it got into the middle of the
book it started to drag on so that is why i have rated this
book a 7 out of 10

Marks out of 10: 7

adam from Year 7, Ridgewood School:

This book is great! It's full of magic, gruesum parts, heroism
and anything anybody could want in a book. The book is really
well organised although I think you need to read at least one
of the other books to fully understand it. I would recomend
this book to anybody who likes magic , bloodshed and lots of
goryness. It's a winner!

Marks out of 10: 10

Jessica from Year 8, Don Valley School and Performing Arts College:

I thought this book was ace! I couldnt get into it at the start
because I hadnt read any of Darren Shan's books before. This
was my first. It took me a while to get into but when it did i
loved it. I like the characters too, especially Kernel and
Beranabus. I felt sad when Kernel was blinded. I had hoped it
to be slightly more bloody but I still really enjoyed it. I
would reccomend this book to everyone (except younger children
as it might scare them.) Its a real page turner.

Marks out of 10: 10

from Year 7, Ridgewood School:

Very exciting, darren wrote this book really well.

Marks out of 10: 10

Lauren from Year 7, Don Valley School and Performing Arts College:

I like this book because it is mysterious and intriguing. He
uses good words such as fierce, intense, shringe and he makes
you want to read on. I would recomend this book as it is really
good.

Marks out of 10: 10

David from Year 6, Hexthorpe Primary School:

I think this book is very exiting and it would be good if it
won the childrens book award. This book takes you into the
actual story it is an adventure book.

Marks out of 10: 10

Charlotte from Year 6, Edlington Victoria Primary School:

Demon Apocalypse was a book I didn't dislike but didn't enjoy
it was very gory. The very first sentence was the bit that made
me edgye about the book. Apocalypse was very confusing and was
hard to undestand.
I would definitely recommend this book to secondary children.
I disagree with Darren Shan saying it is a childrens book.

Marks out of 10: 7

Jack from Year 8, Danum School Technology College:

Demon Apocalypse is another horror book written by Darren Shan.
The content can be quite scary, but I think the book is not too
scary for younger readers. It is another book of the Demonata,
a horror series. It is about a werewolf called Grubsitch who
joins a man called Bernabus and a boy called Kernel to defeat
all of the evil demons and to block the path from the demon
world to the human world. However, Lord Loss, a very evil demon
opens the path and lots of demons come through. The earth is in
danger and only Grubsitch and his two new companions can save
it. Will they do it? Read the book to find out. I thought this
book was very unrealistic and really hard to understand at
times so I would only rate this book a 4/10. Darren Shan's
books are just not my favourite kind of books. They are more of
the fantasy horror genre and not the real truly grousome horror
type of books which you get a real reading experience from.
However, I think the book will do well because it seems to be
popular with a lot of my school mates, it is just not the book
for me. Sorry!

Marks out of 10: 4

Abie from Year 7, Don Valley School and Performing Arts College:

I really enjoyed this book. The beginning of the book was the
best and was described in excellent detail. This book is
definitley a winner or even one that will go into the final. I
definitley recommend this book!!!

Marks out of 10: 10

Rebecca from Year 10, Balby Carr Community Sports College:

Gruubs Grady has had an interesting few years. First, he
battled Lord Loss for the life of himself, his uncle, Dervish,
and his half-brother, Bill-E. Then he faced the demonic film
set of Slawter, where he battled Lord Loss yet again. Then in
Blood Beast he faced the worst enemy imaginable, himself.

Now Grubbs is in a plane, thousands of feet over the sea. His
company? Lord Loss, dead passengers, demons and the traitor
Juni Swan. He gets ready to send the Demon master back where he
belongs but his plan is interrupted. He is saved by none other
than the infamous Beranabus, leader of the Disciples. But is
Beranabus his savior or the man who locks the door to the
normal life and throws away the key? Grubbs has tried to avoid
his magical ability before now, but when he needs it more than
ever, can he embrace it, or is this the end of Grubitsch Grady?

I would give this book 8 out of ten, as it is my second
favourite book out of the longlist and my fifth out of the
eight Demonata books so far. It is a rollercoaster ride of the
ultimate in horror. This isn't a book for a squeamish person as
it is gruesome and horrific. This is a book I'd recommend to
people who are 13+ because it's a great book and is evidence of
Darren Shan's immense talent.

Marks out of 10: 8

Jake from Year 8, Danum School Technology College:

I really liked this book because it hit all the right areas in
a horror story but it wasn’t too scary so the reader enjoyed
the book. I like all the books Darren Shan has written and I
liked this book a lot. I thought he really captured the story
and it is a good read, it was an amazing book but to understand
you have to read the rest. I would defiantly buy it and it
should win the dba awards. There were no problems with this
book and most people will like it, it’s an almost funny horror.

Marks out of 10: 10

Charlotte from Year 8, Hayfield School:

Demon Apocalypse is a gripping story where Grubbitch (Grubbs
for short) is trapped in a plane, rescued, kills his brother
and gives a dead person their life back!
I thought that Demon Apocalypse is a good book and it was my
first horror book but I enjoyed it sooo much! I would recommend
this book to teenagers who want a break from soppy kids books
or those who love horror books.

Marks out of 10: 8

Brad from Year 5:

This was a realy good book i enjoyed reading this book i dont
really read books but this caught my eye and really was great

Rossington All Saints

Marks out of 10: 10

Kelsey from Year 8:

school: rossington all saints

I think Demon Apocalypse is good because the action in this
book .The magic and demonds are makebelive fun and the best
book to me is this one !!!

Marks out of 10: 9

daryl from Year 9, Ridgewood School:

i loved this book

it was creepy and my favourite character was bernabous because
he wasnt from the demonta world.

it is about a group of people that stop the demonds from taking
over the world.

it is a gory book and one that i could read again and again

Marks out of 10: 10

from Year 10:

I am from Bangor grammer school in Bangor Northern Ireland we
call our school BGS. It is a amazing book that I love and have
read more that 1 time I want a new Darren Shan book for me to
read.

Marks out of 10: 9

Jacob from Year 8:

I think this book is really good! its better than his other
books! Grubs starts on a plane and lord loss finds him the
demons start to kill every one on the plane he escapes you'll
have to read the book to find out!

Bangor Grammar school

Marks out of 10: 10

Semra from Year 9, Danum School Technology College:

this book is horror and i hate horror books.

Marks out of 10: 3

Yunil from Year 6, Intake Primary School:

All the people who have Voted this 10 out of 10 have given this
the rating but below 10 it has been underated.This book is the
horror book and book of the century.

Marks out of 10: 10

Silla from Year 6, Intake Primary School:

i felt sorry for all the people

Marks out of 10: 10

kyle from Year 6, Intake Primary School:

I like the book:its adventurous .I found the vampire books more
intresting than demon books because the vampire books leaves
you on cliffhangers and makes you want to read more and
more.

Marks out of 10: 8

Usama from Year 8:

I think the book is a very gripping adventure that takes you
into the world of demons. It is a great read which is just
unputdownable. An amazing world of horror and demons. It takes
you into a new level of horror, just brilliant. It is about a
young person and a tramp and many demons, one of the best books
I have ever read. A book which is a must read. One bad thing
though, it is sometimes complicated to understand, you need the
amazing previous novels.

Marks out of 10: 9

lewis from Year 6, Saltersgate Primary School:

in the second chapter the conversation between grubbsitch and
beranabus went on and on and on and on and on...and still did
not get anywhere!!!! a very big dissapointment.

Marks out of 10: 4

james from Year 7, Armthorpe School:

get it get it get it get it get it get it get it get it get it
get it get it get it get it get it get it get it get it get it
get it get it get it get it get it get it get it get it get it
get it get it get it get it get it get it get it get it get it
get it its realy
ace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marks out of 10: 10

JOSH DRURY ROCKS from Year 7, Armthorpe School:

DARREN SHANN IS THE BEST AUTHER IN THE
WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GET A DARREN SHANN BOOK NOW
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marks out of 10: 10

Colony
J A Henderson

Doncaster Book Award · www.doncasterbookaward.net · Contact Details · Website redeveloped by Intexta