Dual World Heroes by Paul Cecchini

Ready for some exciting scifi? Today's read promises to pack tons of action and adventure...and hopefully, humor, too. This is the debut novel of a writer I ran into during the release of my own debut, middle grade novel. When he reached out to me earlier this year, I was thrilled to learn that he'd reached his goal of bringing out this tale.

The cover is screaming action heroes to me and a lot of attitude. At first, I thought this one might be a graphic novel, but it's not, which means there should be more depth in the characters and such, too. I've already had a sneak peek at it, and I'm excited to see what this one holds...so let's dive in!

DUAL WORLD HEROES

by Paul Cecchini

PopBlast Press

Middle Grade Science Fiction

245 pages

ages 8 to 12

The start of a sizzling new series made for fans of Power Rangers, Pokemon, and Digimon!

12-year-old adventure-seeker Rob Longford was itching for an eventful summer. But the last thing he expected on the first day of vacation was to stumble on a kid in futuristic battle armor laser-punching a monster across an alleyway.

That’s when he learns that creatures from another dimension are popping up all over the city. Only armored warriors called Guardians have the power to fight and teleport them back to their world. With only one Guardian left and countless monsters to round up, Rob jumps at the chance to join the team and even the odds.

He’ll be facing an uphill battle, though. The evil overlord Clonar has crossed dimensions as well, hunting down the most powerful monsters he can find to build an unstoppable army. Can Rob convince his three classmates—a cowardly homebody, a shy sweetheart, and a fashion-obsessed party girl—to join him in the fight? And what about Wyn, the original Guardian who would rather fight alone than have anything to do with any of them? It's the ultimate case of “united they stand, divided they fall." And if they fall, so does their world.

GOODREADS     /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Reminding a bit of Power Rangers, this is a read packed with personality, action, and imagination.

School's out for the summer, and Rob is more than ready to have some fun after finishing up the 6th grade. Too bad nobody seems willing to hang out and celebrate with him. While on his way home, he runs into several classmates at a police roadblock, where potholes seem to have been blasted into the road. Wanting to earn bonus points with the classmates, especially the two girls, he convinces them to follow him on a shortcut through the 'creepy' alleys, since he knows them like the back of his hand. The last thing he expects is a monster with three tails to attack them. When a superhero-like-fighter saves their lives and they overhear that he's the sole person standing between the monsters destroying two worlds, they aren't sure what to think. But when another monster immediately attacks and it becomes obvious that the fighter is going to loose, they realize they have no choice but to help. Next thing they know, they might be agreeing to join the war and fight alongside the lone warrior. Well, some of them much more hesitantly than others. But he doesn't really want their help anyway, and that isn't ideal considering the continued existence of two dimensions is counting on all of them.

This is an energetic, action packed read, which will have fans of unexpected superheroes smiling. The monsters pop up often and offer tons of vivid fighting scenes and tension. The heroes, on the other hand, are doing their best to come to terms with their possible, new situations...and that isn't just concerning the powers their suits mold and amplify. Rob and his classmates, while cordial, aren't considered friends, and the already seasoned warrior they join isn't cuddling up to the idea of working with them. Since each character holds a very distinct personality, the tension on this front is guaranteed and radiates the entire way through. So, there's a big arc on building trust, opening up to others, and forming friendships and bonds. But this book isn't about messaging. It's about fun.

There's never a boring moment as the monster attacks increase the entire way through. The first chapter or so does give the reader a little time to sink into the world and Rob's character. While it starts out with a school scene and him interacting with the others students, Rob's personality shines with quirks and will have readers already smiling. He's a force on so many fronts, and his reckless, go-get-them attitude draws in with its extra dose of heart. This also makes him exciting to follow as he takes on monster battles like a second skin with the others in tow. 

This fast-paced plot with humor and tons of action is sure to delight adventure fans, and it will be fun to see what this group will go up against next.

And here he is...

Since childhood, Paul Cecchini has been enamored with storytelling in all its forms—books, television, movies, video games, and everything in between. If there was a means of telling a gripping tale, Paul was there to embrace it. It has always been a dream of his to pen his own stories that can spark the imaginations of children the world over, just as those from his youth did for him. He’s scratched his writing itch over the years as both a copywriter and award-winning journalist, but his true passion lies in fiction writing for kids. The thought of walking through a bookstore or library and seeing a youngster enraptured in a book with his name on the cover and a wide grin on their face inspires him every day to keep writing. He lives in Springfield, Missouri, USA with his two cats.