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WWII Fighters and Dragons?
The Lost Son follows the journey of a teenager who is transported to the mystical land of Zargothia, where he navigates a battle of good versus evil with a unique band of allies. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The original inspiration came from a quote I read from a famous scientist where he thought that Atomic Bombs could potentially form a ripple or open a hole in space to another world. So I was actually going to use the Enola Gay, which dropped the Atomic Bomb but decided not to as to not cause offense. So I really wanted WWII planes attacking dragons in the opening chapter, so when I read about the Flight 19 incident that occurred in 1945, that sparked an idea. As for Henry, he was a character in another short story that was going nowhere. So I sat down and had a rethink and decided to combine some of the characters from Henry’s short story with the idea of the WWII Plane attacking dragons over the Bermuda Triangle. It took a bit of tweaking, but it eventually was a happy marriage of the two ideas coming together.
Can you elaborate on the process of creating your characters, particularly Henry Simmons, and making them relatable to your young readers?
Some of Henry’s characteristics are based on mine, but when I create a character, I always create an Excel spreadsheet where I have several headings like name, age, description, hobbies, dislikes, pet peeves, etc. By doing this and focusing on each character, it allows me to make them more realistic. To me, it fleshes them out and helps give each their own individuality or personality.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I think for me, the main themes are: accepting and believing in oneself, overcoming our greatest fears, and you are enough to overcome any obstacle in life.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
I loved writing the dogfight between the WWII Plane and the dragons. I also loved writing the epic battle scene at the end. The latter proved tough because it took a couple of days to finish it and re-edit it, but I love writing high-octane action scenes/battles like that. My tip is to play a song that makes you feel energized or upbeat beforehand, and that will get you ‘into the groove’. The song that I played to help me write the battle scene at the end was John Williams’ Superman The Movie theme tune.
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Henry Simmons is your average seventeen-year-old kid until one day, he isn’t.
All Henry cares about is gaming and ogling his long-time crush, Tracey Maxwell. It feels to him that the universe has granted his wishes when he stumbles upon a mysterious gold coin in his family’s garden.
From manipulating physical objects to getting Tracey to go to prom with him, Henry basks and revels in the power he believes the coin has granted him. Until one day, he finds himself mystically transported to an entirely new dimension, a realm of war and bloodshed.
Henry’s life takes a 180, as he is trapped in this dimension and given the responsibility of helping to save its people from King Zakarius and his bloodthirsty Sadarkian army. He must fight for the humans in this realm alongside the human king, or he stands to lose his life and his way back home.
While Henry is burdened with this ambiguous task, he makes a few unexpected allies, from former World War II pilots to his neighbor’s cat who can now talk. Will Henry and his little troop defeat King Zakarius’s army, or will they fail and be trapped in this strange world forever?
The Lost Son (Second Edition)
The Lost Son by Aidan Lucid is an engaging fantasy story that will captivate young readers with its thrilling narrative centered around the journey of Henry Simmons. Transported to a mysterious realm on his prom night, Henry, accompanied by his date Tracey, becomes entangled in a profound struggle between forces of good and evil. This enthralling tale introduces readers to a diverse array of characters, including two British-American WWII pilots, a skilled healer’s apprentice, and a young boy with aspirations of knighthood, forming an ensemble that embarks on a transformative odyssey in the mystical land of Zargothia.
The novel adeptly combines elements of time travel, fantasy, and alternate worlds, intricately weaving them into a tapestry of intrigue and adventure. Notably, it is the overarching themes of perseverance and friendship that lend a distinctive and commendable quality to the book. Despite being burdened with the weight of the “Chosen One” mantle, Henry remains a relatable protagonist, navigating the trials and tribulations of his journey with fallibility and earnest effort. His relatability is further enhanced by his positive attitude, which resonates amidst the complex decisions and conflicting emotions he grapples with throughout the narrative. Furthermore, the dynamic camaraderie shared among Henry, Hannorah, Daniel, and Tracey, the core friend group, provides delightful interludes of entertainment, adding depth and humor to the story’s vibrant action sequences.
The exposition, although informative, could have been artfully presented to enhance reader engagement. Some sections, such as the introduction to the new world and the historical “movie” depicting the conflict, occasionally inundate readers with an abundance of information, potentially overshadowing the narrative’s flow. The teenage love segments lacked the necessary chemistry to immerse readers in the characters’ romantic entanglements fully. However, it is essential to highlight that this does not detract from the book’s primary focus, allowing readers to remain immersed in its captivating storyline and overall essence.
The Lost Son by Aidan Lucid is an excellent choice for young readers seeking an enthralling and action-packed fantasy experience set within alternate worlds. The novel’s adept blend of various genres, coupled with its emphasis on perseverance and friendship, ensures an engaging and fulfilling reading adventure for its intended audience.
Pages: 257 | ASIN: B0BHJLSCBL
LITERARY TITAN 