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Doctor Who: The Darksmith Legacy #3
The Colour of Darkness
The Doctor travels to Karagula to meet the fabled Darksmiths in a bid to outwit the Agent and get the crystal. Can the Doctor uncover the mystery of the childless village? Who is the travelling Dreams-Merchant? Is there a link with the Dark Cathedral of the Darksmiths? Will the Agent arrive and identify the Doctor to the Darksmiths? Find out by reading the third exciting instalment of "The Darksmith Legacy"!
128 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2009
2 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Richard Dungworth
93 books7 followersRichard has written over forty books for children and began his writing career as an in-house author, working on non-fiction, first at Usborne Publishing, and later at Ladybird Books. Since going freelance, he has created original stories to support a wide range of exciting licensed properties such as Doctor Who; Wallace and Gromit; Transformers; MI High; Captain Scarlet and The Incredibles. Richard lives in Leicestershire with his wife and two young children. Richard's rather unfortunate surname comes from a village in South Yorkshire, where his ancestors lived. It means 'a dwelling with dried cow pats for roofing'.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 29, 2021
This was pretty good! The last two books, along with this series of course, is aimed at young readers but they were written in such a simplistic way that no one watching Doctor Who would really enjoy. They over explain things. It's like being baby-talked. Not this book though! It has sci-fi-esque language that the Doctor uses frequently and while it explained things in a simple way, it's not way too simple that you'd lose interest. I enjoyed the plot and the characters. I know this is a one-off but I wish I can read about them again in a future series or something. Also, because this book is good, I might not be dropping this series.
December 17, 2020
ダークスミスの本拠地カラグラにクリスタルを追ってきたドクター。しかし、ダークスミスの幹部に侵入者として牢屋に入れられてしまう。そこで同じく牢屋に幽閉されている老人に会いに来た少年ロートンと出会う。ロートンは老人の孫で、彼から青いケーブをきた魔女がこの星にきてから老人の様子がおかしくなりここ幽閉されていることをきく。その魔女は死者を生き返らせたり、不治の病いや怪我を治すなど奇跡をおこし、その代価として彼らの子供を求めた。ロートンの姉も連れて行かれたという。話をきいたドクターは、ロートンに姉を助け出す約束をし、脱獄を手伝ってもらい、ダークスミスの幹部フアァ・ヴィラともう一度話す機会を得る。
ドクターはダークスミスには二階層あり、注文を請け負い、高度な発明品を生み出してきたダークスミスの職人組合は地下に、その他は地表に住み、地下に住むダークスミスが地表にすてる廃品でどうにか命をつないでいるということを知る。魔女は地下のダークスミスのクライアントで楯突くことができないというヴィラに自分が交渉すると地下への入り口まで送ってもらう。ロートンとともに地下に赴いたドクター。
ドクターが職人協会の幹部たちの気を引きつけている間に、ロートンは連れ去られた子供たちを探すことに。
ドクターはクリスタルの情報を探るべく、客のふりをして、商品カタログが保管されている図書館へ案内させることに成功。そこで、クリスタルの作成日誌をみつけターディスにデータを転送する。
やがてクリスタルも発見。魔女のからくりを見抜き、子供達を助け出し、地上に脱出。
地表のダークスミスに感謝されつつ、ドクターはクリスタルの機能を永遠に封じるために、クリスタルを創作したヴァロスの消息を追う旅に出る。
一方、ドクターの正体がタイムロードであることを知った地下ダークスミス職人協会の幹部たちは、クリスタルを奪われたことを根拠に合法的にドクターを処刑しようと大軍を動かす。
持ち前の明るさで過酷な状況に果敢に立ち向かっていくドクター。クリスタルの謎解きをしながら、人助けもやってのける、ドクターにとってはいつも通りな展開。とはいえ、援軍をどこにも期待できないのが孤独すぎて切ない。
ドクターはダークスミスには二階層あり、注文を請け負い、高度な発明品を生み出してきたダークスミスの職人組合は地下に、その他は地表に住み、地下に住むダークスミスが地表にすてる廃品でどうにか命をつないでいるということを知る。魔女は地下のダークスミスのクライアントで楯突くことができないというヴィラに自分が交渉すると地下への入り口まで送ってもらう。ロートンとともに地下に赴いたドクター。
ドクターが職人協会の幹部たちの気を引きつけている間に、ロートンは連れ去られた子供たちを探すことに。
ドクターはクリスタルの情報を探るべく、客のふりをして、商品カタログが保管されている図書館へ案内させることに成功。そこで、クリスタルの作成日誌をみつけターディスにデータを転送する。
やがてクリスタルも発見。魔女のからくりを見抜き、子供達を助け出し、地上に脱出。
地表のダークスミスに感謝されつつ、ドクターはクリスタルの機能を永遠に封じるために、クリスタルを創作したヴァロスの消息を追う旅に出る。
一方、ドクターの正体がタイムロードであることを知った地下ダークスミス職人協会の幹部たちは、クリスタルを奪われたことを根拠に合法的にドクターを処刑しようと大軍を動かす。
持ち前の明るさで過酷な状況に果敢に立ち向かっていくドクター。クリスタルの謎解きをしながら、人助けもやってのける、ドクターにとってはいつも通りな展開。とはいえ、援軍をどこにも期待できないのが孤独すぎて切ない。
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2018
An short enjoyable read
June 11, 2018
Not as good as the previous one in the set - lots of on-going plot details, and an o.k story.
July 11, 2020
More fun with my son
October 31, 2020
A fun, easy read with some awesome little activities. Quite enjoyable
August 2, 2022
WOW is all i have 2 say!
December 1, 2023
Interesting
July 30, 2015
Re-read in 2015. 2,5 stars.
Of the first three Darksmith Legacy books, this one was the slowest. However, this is not a series of books that is easy to review one by one, because I'm enjoying the series as a whole, but I didn't like this specific book. The information about the general plot is not as big as you may think, as the Darksmiths don't know that much about the crystal and the one Darksmith who does (the one who created the crystal), is missing.
The adventure of this book didn't have as much mystery as the ones of the previous two books. The kids of a group of people are missing, because a woman conned these people into giving them to her. It's also very easy to figure out what the woman did and why only one person didn't fall into her trap. While a child may find it much more mysterious, from the point of view of an adult, the only interesting part is that the Doctor uses his screwdriver as a pen drive to get information of a computer-like book that the Darksmiths haven't managed to open. We don't get to see what this information is in this book though, because the Doctor is busy rescuing the children.
Of the first three Darksmith Legacy books, this one was the slowest. However, this is not a series of books that is easy to review one by one, because I'm enjoying the series as a whole, but I didn't like this specific book. The information about the general plot is not as big as you may think, as the Darksmiths don't know that much about the crystal and the one Darksmith who does (the one who created the crystal), is missing.
The adventure of this book didn't have as much mystery as the ones of the previous two books. The kids of a group of people are missing, because a woman conned these people into giving them to her. It's also very easy to figure out what the woman did and why only one person didn't fall into her trap. While a child may find it much more mysterious, from the point of view of an adult, the only interesting part is that the Doctor uses his screwdriver as a pen drive to get information of a computer-like book that the Darksmiths haven't managed to open. We don't get to see what this information is in this book though, because the Doctor is busy rescuing the children.
November 25, 2012
After two mediocre adventures that didn't really get this 10 part saga started we are finally rewarded with an exciting story that takes us to the very roots of the "big picture".
Richard Dungworth writes well, with just the right kind of pacing and language to make this a compact and fascinating tale. This book makes you look forward to the following volumes much more eagerly than its predecessors.
Richard Dungworth writes well, with just the right kind of pacing and language to make this a compact and fascinating tale. This book makes you look forward to the following volumes much more eagerly than its predecessors.
June 28, 2014
A good read, though not quite as good as the previous two instalments in this Darksmiths series. The setting was evocative and the characters were good, it's just that the plot was a little slight in this volume.
Overall, however, the series continues to be impressive, with a good strain of gothic horror continuing to dominate proceedings.
Overall, however, the series continues to be impressive, with a good strain of gothic horror continuing to dominate proceedings.
October 28, 2015
Review written: sometime before April 20, 2015
The Colour of Darkness by Richard Dungworth
Why I read it: Still Doctor Who.
Rating: 4/5
What I thought: I remember liking this one a lot. Not sure why. I think the ideas and characters appealed to me in a way that they didn't in the first one.
The Colour of Darkness by Richard Dungworth
Why I read it: Still Doctor Who.
Rating: 4/5
What I thought: I remember liking this one a lot. Not sure why. I think the ideas and characters appealed to me in a way that they didn't in the first one.
October 18, 2016
A fantastic part 3 while not as action packed or full of horror and tension as the first two it does progress the plot on nicely and again the characters and location are well written. The Horror and action moments that this part does have are well thought out and definatly entertain.
August 14, 2011
Suitaable for 8 - 11 year olds.
The Doctor finally meets the Darksmiths, and looks for missing children. Lots of running about again in this volume. Nothing special.
The Doctor finally meets the Darksmiths, and looks for missing children. Lots of running about again in this volume. Nothing special.
April 18, 2015
Another good Darksmith Legacy story, as we begin to learn more about the characters behind the plot.
December 18, 2015
Pretty good. I liked the descriptions of the caravans and how they avoided the sun.
June 30, 2021
2.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews