The English assassin
Michael Moorcock
The English assassin
Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide
a romance of entropy
by Michael Moorcock
The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for middle graders (ages 9–12), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.
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About This Book
There’s a secret world behind the ordinary, where a mysterious figure named Cornelius moves unseen. He’s not just anyone — he’s an English assassin with a story darker than you’d expect, but that’s only the beginning.
Quick Assessment
This middle-grade fiction follows the adventures of Cornelius, a complex character involved in espionage and intrigue. Suitable for ages 9-12, the story includes themes of mystery and suspense with some mature concepts woven subtly into the narrative. Parents should note the book’s darker tone and thematic depth as part of a series.
Why we rated The English assassin 11ME
The English assassin is written at a Level 6 reading level across 254 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 7.0 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The English assassin works for readers up to grade 8.0.
We rate The English assassin as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, thematic difficulty — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.
No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.
Thematically, The English assassin explores adventure, mystery, and fantasy world-building — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.
Good fit for
- ✓ Children in the Ages 9-12 range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
- ✓ Kids drawn to stories about adventure, mystery, fantasy world-building.
Maybe not for
- ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
For Parents
Content Intensity
11ME — Moderate — EmotionalReal stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.
Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?
Reading Insights
Hook Factor
3/10A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.
Discussion Potential
2/10A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.
Book DNA
Multi-dimensional content fingerprint
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Details
Book Length
- ISBN
- 0850310431
- Pages
- 254
- Publisher
- Allison & Busby
- Published
- 1976
- Type
- Fiction