The Georgia Straight 

 In this Jules Verne-ish story of high fantasy, young Elliot is sent to live with his grandfather after a fire destroys his family home. The old man is a stranger to him, but it's his grandfather's space memorabilia that most attracts Elliot, particularly a fragment of moon rock that calls to him. Soon, Elliot is on the moon itself, torn between sides in a civil war that seems to turn on where he places his loyalty. Boriana Todorov's lengthy storytelling (the book is 110 big, dense pages) is exciting, if wooden, but Vladimir's photo realistic illustrations–many of them two-page spreads of impossible, medieval magic mixed with Victorian high science–are extraordinary. Vladimir Todorov has worked on such films as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, The Polar Express, and Beowulf, and it shows. What a stunning piece of work.

CMIS (Curriculum Materials Information Services) Evaluation

The illustrator's background in cinema animation is evident in the remarkable images that accompany this science fiction / fantasy story. Full and double-page colour spreads break up a fairly dense, but interesting text. Even reluctant readers will be tempted to browse the images of fantastic machines and curious characters. Any page could provide a trigger for student writing. Elliott finds himself living with a previously unknown grandfather after a house fire puts his mother into hospital. Always fascinated with astronomy, Elliott is amazed to find a rare moon rock in his grandfather's collection. His decision to 'borrow' it for further examination leads to an amazing adventure to the Far Side of the Moon, where he meets an array of people, becomes involved in a civil war and learns that he has the power to change events on earth. The characters and contraptions are reminiscent of Doctor Who, so fans of this series will be particularly intrigued by this title.