Ben Warner is leery about the invitation to a science camp about quantum mechanics at the college near his new school. He expects it to be a waste of time but attends to please his mother. What he doesn't expect to find is a type of magic, called "actuation" and a group of superheroes ranging in age from the very young to late adulthood. Unfortunately, the professor for the science camp, Dr. Hughes, has also discovered another technology that could make actuation easier and therefore more dangerous... and now the bad guys have her. Can Ben help recover the missing technology? What will joining The Quantum League cost him?

SPELL ROBBERS is sheer fun! Middle grade readers, particularly boys, will love the combination of sci fi technology with lots of action. Part of the fun is that Matthew J. Kirby takes the type of kid who is normally bullied or called a geek and makes him into an action hero, albeit a reluctant one. I love the concept!

Ben is a fantastic main character and Matthew J. Kirby does a great job at showing both his strengths and his insecurities. The scenes involving his mother are particularly heartbreaking and I'm hoping future books will address some of the issues that emerge as SPELL ROBBERS progresses. There are quite a few other characters, as we have The Quantum League, the Dread Cloaks, and Ronin's crew, each with their own agenda. It will be interesting to see how these characters weave in and out of Ben's life and whether they will remain- or become -- allies as the series progresses.

SPELL ROBBERS is the first in what looks to be an exciting new series for middle grade readers. The story does leave some loose ends but thankfully not the sort of cliffhanger that will have readers banging their heads in frustration until the next book releases. SPELL ROBBERS offers a new take on "magic", offering a science based approach and the resulting tale is pure entertainment.

Book Summary

A magical crime saga filled with marvelous thrills, high action, and extraordinary adventure, from critically acclaimed author Matthew J. Kirby.

After Ben Warner is recruited to join a "science camp" led by the eccentric quantum physicist Dr. Madeleine Hughes, he quickly realizes it's no regular science camp. Along with his new friend, Peter, Ben discovers the secret, powerful art of Actuation -- the ability to change reality by simply imagining it differently.

When a mysterious group of men invade Dr. Hughes's laboratory, abducting her and stealing her precious equipment, Ben and Peter are suddenly caught up in a turf war between dangerous actuators desperate for Dr. Hughes's innovative technology. And as Ben and Peter are pulled into a perilous, hidden world full of impossibilities now made possible, will their combined powers be enough to save Dr. Hughes and vanquish their enemies before it's too late?

From Edgar Award-winning author Matthew J. Kirby comes a fast-paced, boldly imagined tale of friendship, deadly adventure, and the infinite power of imagination.