When thirteen-year-old Johnny's talking computer Kovac detects an extraterrestrial signal, his life is set to change for ever. Until then, stuck in his children's home in Castle Dudbury New Town, with the nasty cook Mr Wilkins watching his every move, football had been his only escape. But soon things start happening around him that Johnny doesn't understand: why is his mother, who is on life support in a hospital for the criminally insane, being guarded by sinister looking men? And why was a journalist murdered shortly after Johnny talked to him? When Johnny finds out he has a sister, he decides to run away to find her. His search for answers takes him farther from home than he could ever have imagined, on a spectacular journey through time and space. Along the way he visits new worlds, prehistoric Earth and the lost city of Atlantis before finally discovering the truth about his parents and who he really is.
Johnny Mackintosh and the Spirit of London
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'Exceptionally believable, lovable and fun characters. The writing is engaging and accomplished ... reminiscent of Rowling' Bookbag.
'an intelligent, engaging addition to the genre, with a likeable hero in the person of Johnny ... infectious energy in the writing style' Books for Keeps.
'Lots of action, twists and turns of plot, and a generous dollop of suspense make for a page-turning adventure that is, I think, just the ticket for a sci-fi loving upper middle grade reader' Charlotte's Library.
'an intelligent, engaging addition to the genre, with a likeable hero in the person of Johnny ... infectious energy in the writing style' Books for Keeps.
'Lots of action, twists and turns of plot, and a generous dollop of suspense make for a page-turning adventure that is, I think, just the ticket for a sci-fi loving upper middle grade reader' Charlotte's Library.
From the Author
Gaze out across the London skyline and what do you see? If you think your eyes have been drawn to the beautiful new curved tower known as `the Gherkin', then think again. The Spirit of London, the spaceship given to Johnny Mackintosh by the Emperor of the Galaxy, looks exactly like Lord Foster's Gherkin but, when Johnny's on Earth, it's this secret starship we see at the centre of London's financial district. The original building is folded away into hyperspace, yet still allows workers to pass in and out oblivious to the change - the spaceship's brain projects images from the outside world onto their windows, albeit with a 2 nanosecond delay.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is pitched as a children's book, but it's much, much more than that. The quote on the front cover mentions Dr Who and, truly, this is entertainment for the whole family. Parents will enjoy it every bit as much as the children they might be reading to (for an excuse to read it themselves) or kids (probably 9 or 10 upwards, but big kids like me in their thirties) will adore the adventure too. The point of view is all through the eyes of the title character, but it's a book for girls as well as boys, with Clara proving a strong female character every bit as important as Johnny.
The setting and the writing are reminiscent of Rowling, with Johnny beginning in today's world that we would all recognize. Yes he travels through space and time and I'd love to tell you all about that and how the time travelling expect is more accomplished than any I have read, but I'd hate to spoil things. Some of the set pieces are crying out to be filmed, even if they'd challenge the very best in the world of special effects, but this makes it a great book for today's children who think far more visually than I did when growing up. The characters are tremendous and this is also a great book for dog lovers (Johnny comes complete with an Old English Sheepdog by his side for some of the story). And I challenge anyone who reads this not to think of Johnny Mackintosh and the book whenever the London Gherkin makes an appearance on the telly.
Johnny's journey is not always an easy one and the story is sometimes dark, but all the better for it. The ending ties up some loose ends but leaves plenty of scope for a sequel - I can't wait to read it.
The setting and the writing are reminiscent of Rowling, with Johnny beginning in today's world that we would all recognize. Yes he travels through space and time and I'd love to tell you all about that and how the time travelling expect is more accomplished than any I have read, but I'd hate to spoil things. Some of the set pieces are crying out to be filmed, even if they'd challenge the very best in the world of special effects, but this makes it a great book for today's children who think far more visually than I did when growing up. The characters are tremendous and this is also a great book for dog lovers (Johnny comes complete with an Old English Sheepdog by his side for some of the story). And I challenge anyone who reads this not to think of Johnny Mackintosh and the book whenever the London Gherkin makes an appearance on the telly.
Johnny's journey is not always an easy one and the story is sometimes dark, but all the better for it. The ending ties up some loose ends but leaves plenty of scope for a sequel - I can't wait to read it.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Pick up this book and before you know it you'll be whole-heartedly transported into an exciting journey through time and space with two unusual children. Johnny, a normal football-playing thirteen year old, has an uncanny ability with a computer and a healthy interest in the stars. Combining the two, he picks up extra-terrestrial signals he feels he just has to investigate. His mother is in an unexplained long-term coma and the mystery surrounding it deepens as Johnny discovers Clara, a sister he didn't know he had, directly below the source of these signals from space. Johnny and Clara are catapulted into space by extra-terrestrial forces at work on the earth and sent headlong into a fast and furious adventure in incredible organic spaceships.
This book is vivid with colour, life and texture and spans the streets of London, a galaxy of intriguing aliens, jurassic rainforests and a thriving city of Atlantis. With the choicest elements of Star Wars and The X-files, a touch of Indiana Jones, and the twists and turns of superluminal time travel [think Hermione's Time Turner operating across 65 million light years], Mansfield has taken created a brilliantly original and multi-dimensional story which I recommend whole-heartedly.
Harry Potter, look to your Laurels. Johnny Mackintosh is an awesome read. BUY!
This book is vivid with colour, life and texture and spans the streets of London, a galaxy of intriguing aliens, jurassic rainforests and a thriving city of Atlantis. With the choicest elements of Star Wars and The X-files, a touch of Indiana Jones, and the twists and turns of superluminal time travel [think Hermione's Time Turner operating across 65 million light years], Mansfield has taken created a brilliantly original and multi-dimensional story which I recommend whole-heartedly.
Harry Potter, look to your Laurels. Johnny Mackintosh is an awesome read. BUY!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jane Clare
Format:Kindle Edition
I loved this - supposedly for children but this 'child' of nearly 70 cannot wait to read it again having rushed through the first time to see what would happen next. I hope the second one lives up to expectations.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
SciFi for the younger generation
Easy read and brought back some memories of my teenage years when I was an avid SciFi reader. Got a little convoluted at times, but good ending and felt satisfied at the end.
Published 2 days ago by Graham
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic sci fi
Johnny Macintosh books are fab for completely losing yourself in.
If you like sci fi then this book is a hit. Great story line and keeps you entertained throughout. Read more
If you like sci fi then this book is a hit. Great story line and keeps you entertained throughout. Read more
Published on 4 Jun 2010 by S. Sutherland
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect after Potter
The perfect next book for Potter lovers everywhere. It's written with the same depth of story, characters and, above all, imagination, but instead of magic and dragons Johnny... Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2008 by The Whitechapel (Book)Worm
5.0 out of 5 stars
My son's new favourite book
I started reading this out loud to my 9-year-old son but that wasn't fast enough for either of us. After the first couple of chapters we were both so keen to know where Johnny went... Read more
Published on 13 Aug 2008 by Bea Waterfield
5.0 out of 5 stars
The stars have called me.
I am 37 and i love reading great stories. When i read Johnny, i felt i was a kid again dreaming of travelling amongst the stars. My fisrt book as a child was The Little Prince. Read more
Published on 8 Aug 2008 by R. Hennebert
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best chidren's book you will read this year
Johnny Mac is a fantastic read, it kept my two boys on the edge of their seats from the first word all the way to the last. They are desperate for more of his galactic adventures.
Published on 7 July 2008 by D. Twyford
5.0 out of 5 stars
"best book I have ever read"
My 10 year old son says this is the best book that he has ever read. It's a great read for adults too..
Published on 5 July 2008 by S. Hewitt
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