Ship of the damned
David, James F.
Ship of the damned
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
by David, James F.
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content is very intense with mature or graphic material.
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About This Book
When a Navy ship disappears under mysterious circumstances, Dr. Wes Martin and Elizabeth Foxworth race against time to uncover the terrifying truth behind its fate. Haunted by dark secrets and nightmarish visions, they confront unimaginable horrors lurking beneath the waves. Danger and dread escalate as the mysteries of teleportation and lost souls unravel.
Themes
Quick Assessment
This is a Level 6-7 book with very intense content intensity. Content themes include graphic violence, torture, sexual assault. Written for readers ages 13+.
Why we rated Ship of the damned 11VE
Ship of the damned is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 383 pages (approximately 121,919 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.3 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Ship of the damned works for readers up to grade 8.3.
Read aloud, Ship of the damned runs about 13.6 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.
We rate Ship of the damned as 11VE ("Vivid — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Very Intense" range — very intense or graphic content — peril, violence, trauma, or mature themes treated head-on. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Graphic Violence, Torture, Sexual Assault, Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Emotional: Fear & Anxiety, Physical/Safety: Physical Danger, Physical/Safety: Genital Trauma/Mutilation, Emotional: Emotional Distress.
Thematically, Ship of the damned explores adventure, mystery, psychological horror, supernatural, and science & nature — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, mystery, psychological horror.
Maybe not for
- ! Sensitive readers who get overwhelmed by intense conflict or scary scenes.
- ! Children younger than 13+ — the content intensity is above what most younger kids can process comfortably.
- ! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11VE — Vivid — EmotionalGraphic or sustained depictions of trauma, violence, or mature content.
Content Flags
Was our "Very Intense" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
1/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0312872038
- Pages
- 383
- Publisher
- Macmillan
- Published
- 2000
- Type
- Fiction
- Word Count
- 121,919
- Read-Aloud
- ~13h 33m
- Text Density
- Dense