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(More customer reviews)Thirteen is a difficult age for most young boys. It is an age where they are discovering the world around them and the world inside of them as well. The body is changing, emotions are developing and girls are starting to seem less icky and gross. John Smith has to deal with all of this, just like any normal kid. But John Smith is not normal; he is a super hero.
In the wrong place at the wrong time, John gets zapped by an atomic ray by an evil scientist, Dr. Angstrom, who is bent on finding the Stone of Knowledge that was capable of turning matter into gold and healing physical deformity. In a wheelchair, Angstrom wants nothing more than to walk again.
Hiring his brother to manufacture the stone, they instead invent an atomic ray that is capable of the same qualities as the stone. On the first experiment, something goes wrong. John is zapped and goes headlong into the Antiworld, a strange place inside John that is neither here nor there, real and not real, hence the term Antiworld. There, John meets The Master of the Perfect World, a guide for John to help him through his changes who sends John on a quest.
John must stop Angstrom before he destroys the real world and the Antiworld. By changing atomic matter, Angstrom is destroying both worlds and it is up to John to stop him. What is a thirteen year old boy to do against an evil scientist?
When John discovers that he can change his shape into anything he wishes, he knows he's in trouble. Friends come to his aid: two jocks Cal and Tex, and Kate - a girl that John has a crush on. Together, they must help John understand his changing body and try to save two worlds before they all end up as toast.
What Parker has done is essentially written a comic book with words. He has created a world, an evil arch enemy, a superhero with special powers, a love interest. All the elements of a comic book are here, but written with words instead. It is quite the feat to attempt, but Parker pulls it off with finesse. He has written the legend of a superhero and had done an amazing job.
The characters are great, there is real humor here. I laughed out loud a few times and always felt as if I was reading about a thirteen year old boy. He has a great ability to keep his characters fresh and lively and real, so you can relate to them. They live and breathe and I found myself cheering for their success.
Parker has also written a soundtrack to accompany "The Atomic Kid". Says Parker: "They're stand alone songs, true songs about wishes, hopes, desires, characters and experiences both imagined and real. It's a true soundtrack because the songs vary slightly in mood and style, again just like in life."
The CD is a perfect companion to "The Atomic Kid" and brings to life John and his trials and tribulations. Written and arranged by Parker, the songs are a reflection of his characters. I can't say enough good things about this CD.
Martin Kingman's vocals are incredible and the entire disc is amazing. Of the seven songs on the CD, Superhero is probably the best and it brings John's voice to life. Parker has given us a real treat with his music. Let's hope he makes another CD for all the other characters in "The Atomic Kid".
This is most likely the best book I have read in a long time. It was fresh, wonderful and exciting. I can hardly wait to read John's next adventure. In the meantime, I'll just have to read "The Atomic Kid" all over again. It's that good folks. If you want a good, fun read, this is your pick.
Now what are you waiting for? Go out and get your copy. Up, up and away!
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It's not easy being a super hero, as John Smith finds out in this adventure story that never let's up from the first page to the last. He's a normal kid, dogged by the same forces we all were at school, bully's, teacher's and the opposite sex. But John's life takes an abnormal turn when he gets caught up in a scientific experiment that literally blows him into a world of antimatter. Hard to imagine? Not really. You see two crazy half brothers who hate one another have teamed up to find the secret of eternal life and the ability to make your own cash. It's an ancient concept, it's what the alchemist's were after. But once in the Antiworld John is charged with the task of saving that world and his own from destruction by The Master of the Perfect Word. Add in two witty Jocks, a budding romance, a dragon lady, and a soldier of fortune, and the recipe for adventure is complete. The Atomic Kid is about change and adapting to it rather than running away from it, and using his new ability to change John shapes the course of history for everyone, but more importantly he changes his point of view about growing up, when in the end he turns the tables on himself.
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