Eddie Fantastic

by Chris Heimerdinger

Chris Heimerdinger narrates his tantalizing tale of Eddie Fanta - a fifteen year old boy entangled in tragic secrets which leave him questioning life and questioning justice. Mysterious circumstances bring him face to face with Louis Kosserinski, a savagely scarred recluse whose genius for electronics and micro-circuitry place into Eddie's hands inventions which could change the universe. Although Eddie sees Luis' inventions as an opportunity to improve an imperfect world, he ends up wreaking havoc at every hair-raising turn. Join Eddie in his incredible journey through time and space, reality and spectacle, until at last he discover's an ultimate truth and a new understanding.

Genres: Lds Fiction, Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Lds, Science Fiction, Religion

2 pages, Audio Cassette

First published September 1, 1992

About the author

Chris Heimerdinger is an author and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) who has presently written sixteen adult and young adult novels, most of which center on religious themes familiar to LDS members. Most are published with Covenant Communications in American Fork, Utah. One title, A Return to Christmas was also picked up by Random House/Ballantine in 1995. When the title was released by Ballantine in 2004, it was republished by Covenant Communications.

Reviews

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about a young teenager who falls in with a fantastic scientist who looks at all the abilities of God and tries to explain them with science and creates a few inventions that allows you to duplicate some of the same abilities. The hero starts using them and gets himself into no small amount of trouble.

[G (galen) · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was... okay. Heimerdinger hit his stride with his tennis shoes series, this one just didn't measure up.

[Lorrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read but an enjoyable one. I wasn't a great fan of the Tennis shoes series but I liked this book

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book definitely had its moments but it set you up for a sequel that never happened. It left too many loose ends. This is written for the teen/pre-teen age group so I had to roll my eyes in many parts. It was an okay book but the lack of a sequel or one more chapter to tie things up makes me give it only a cautious recommendation.

[05BradenG · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDDIE FANTASTIC Year:2008

Author: Chris Heimerdinger. Number of pages: 233.
Who is the intended audience of this book: Anyone.
What is the main issue or problem of the book addresses: Eddie has all these tools that could help make the world a better place.
Setting: takes place in Utah.
Description of Main character: Eddie is fifteen attending Jordan view high in Utah he is average high and has dirty blond hair.
Story Summary: Eddie met this genius scientist who couldn't walk or do anything pretty much named Louis. Louis made these tools. These tools were a jacket that could stop time and speed through time and he made a manipulator that kin dove looked like a camera that could change your perspective on people good or bad he gave these tools to Eddie to make this world a better safer place will Eddie use it in the right way.
What did you like and/ or dislike about the book: I liked how the book setting was in Utah so I knew were all the places he was going to.
Two quotes from the book that illustrate what you liked and/ or disliked: Delirious Eddie thought. I’m completely delirious. Pg: 133
It was only a matter of time. He smiled deeply. His expression relaxed as he contemplated further. And then Eddie fanta smiled again. Pg: 233
State one theme of the book: People that hold the most powerful thing in the world tend to use it to help them self with their own troubles.
To whom do you recommend this book and why: People who like exciting books.
Is there anything unique about the book, something that sets it apart: It starts off really slow and you think it won’t be good but then it starts getting way good and you can’t stop reading it.
What rating did you give the book on good reads: Five

[Bryan Murdock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this when I was a kid in the 90's and I remembered liking it so we got it to listen to on our Thanksgiving road trip that we just finished. I had forgotten most of it, so it was fun to listen to again. It was pretty jarring when one of the characters mentioned his ipod, and then 9/11. I know I forgot a lot, but there is no way those thing were in the book I read back in the 90's. After reading other reviews here it seems the book has been updated by the author. Part of me is glad, but part of me thinks that's too bad because in 2014 it still sounds out of date: nobody has a cell phone, it's not Raging Waters anymore it's 7 Peaks, and the internet is not mentioned at all (to name a few things). He probably could have just left it as it was and the kids could have had fun asking their parents about all the 90's cultural references. Maybe he updated more than just the cultural references though? I just don't remember the original well enough. Oh well, the story was still fun either way. Like other books in this genre geared at this age group, you have to not worry about some details (I'm thinking of Michael Vey). My boys ate it up and it kept my wife and I awake for the long drive too.

[Andrea Pebbles]

Eddie Fanta, a 15-year-old attending high school, has lost his father to another woman and his mother to alcohol. Just when he thinks things couldn't get any worse, he meets a girl named Tanya, the "love of his life", who ends up tricking him to make her boyfriend (her ex at the time) jealous. The boyfriend's name was Mikey and Tanya's fake story ,accusing Eddie of taking advantage of her, resulted in the copperhead gang, lead by Mikey, landing a few punches before Eddie's escape. After all this, Eddie doesn't know where else to turn. Something, Eddie can't explain, beckons him him to the fabled "lizard man's" house. After a lot of asking around, Eddie and his friend Duck find out the "lizard man" isn't a lizard man at all, but a man named Louis. Louis is a disabled, extremely wealthy, old inventor whom Eddie visits and helps a lot. One day, seeking revenge on Eddie, the copperhead gang finds Eddie at Louis's house and take the "invention" Louis had given Eddie. With this powerful invention in their possession, who knows what they'll do?

[Tanja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is another I tried to encourage my teens to read. So far, that hasn't happened, but I enjoyed reading it. It's about a boy whose family has recently gone through a divorce who has moved to West Valley with his mom. He works through his personal problems and tries to "fix" everything with the help of a recluse neighbor and his inventions.

I was quite enetertained, and it was less predictable than I thought it would be. Unfortunately, my boys haven't picked it up yet, but if and when they do, there will be some great conversation items in this book. Some topics we could disucss are: using technology for selfish purposes, the power of our thoughts, lust vs. love, how substances can block our ability to feel, and how a higher power can help us triumph over outside influences as well as internal conflict.

[Mark Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I also grew up listening to the author read this book on tape during trips (along with his other tennis shoes among the nephites books). He does a great job, and I couldn't help but assign the characters his voices he used while I read it on my kids now. It was a great book, and I hear the author would like to do a sequel (I hope he does it, I would love to see how he carry's on the characters story). My kids also loved this book and is one he still talks to me about. The only issue I had with the story was probably the nonsense in vegas (seemed pointless and didn't help the story and should have either been re-edited to tighten it up, or removed entirely). Overall though, don't let that stop you from reading this great book.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an update to my last review. I wasn't quite finished with the book when I wrote the last review. The book starts out strong and catches your interest. It gets you to really like the characters and then a couple of chapters from the end it "wets the bed". The ending doesn't make any sense at all. If this is how all of this authors books go I'm glad I've never read any of them and I don't intend on reading any of them. This book turned out to be a turkey!!! I wouldn't recommend this book or author to anyone.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember listening to this book on tape while going on a family vacation. Yes, I said tape, not CD. So, I thought I would read it, to see if it was as good as I remembered. I wasn't aware that I had bought an "updated" version, until all of a sudden it mentions 9/11, Wii, and XBOX. I do have to agree with someone's comment about the fact that he wouldn't have been able to board a plane with something metal strapped under his jacket. But other than that, it is still a good book, and still enjoyable.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just had fun with this book because the "sick old man" and his wife are actually my parents. They lived in Chris's neighborhood and he just added them to his story. They loved it! My teenage kids have really enjoyed it, and it's being released again as an updated version. Pretty fun for the kids... of all ages.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Came across this book last week and remembered that I had read it years and years ago.

I only remember the plot vaguely--something about a misfit kid in high school who is assigned to home teach a seriously burned/disfigured man who happens to be a super genius that invents some jacket that allows the main character to time travel.

[Wendi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was frustrating to me. It is so obviously going to be the first book in a series. By the end I was just as confused and had just as many unanswered questions as I did in the beginning. It does not stand alone very well. I suggest waiting till the whole series is out and then reading them all together.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really, would it be that hard to look up the difference between nuclear fusion and fission? Especially given that the second main character is a super-genius physicist? And, maybe it should have been left in the 90's... or at least updated better. Who's gonna believe that he can board an airplane in 2008 wearing a metal jacket under his shirt?

[Jeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was my favorite book by Chris Heimerdinger. I think I liked it because it was not about traveling back in time, but about stopping time.. which is a little different than the regular tennis shoes books. Plus it all takes place now, rather than in the past. It was an exciting, easy read.

[Gwenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember laughing a lot while listening to this book on tape. It's completely independent of the "tennis shoes" books where the kids go back into the Book of Mormon. Guess I'll have to listen to it again when I need a good laugh. (How about now?)

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really didn't like this book. I really didn't get the storyline as anything other than a set-up for more novels instead of being good on its own.

The premise of a kid being given scientific marvels could have been good, but it got caught somewhere in just plain nonsense.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was another great book by Chris Heimerdinger. It's been a few months since I finished it, but I think I remember wanting the ending to be different. Seems like that is the case a lot of the time. Still a good book. Recommend it.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first novel I read by an LDS author, I read this in seventh grade and really loved the idea and plot of the story. There were some parts that were a little predictable, or that were a bit too unbelievable, but all together a great story.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun story about a boy who meets a scary man in the neighborhood who has not left his house in forty years. The old man is a genius who has cool inventions for the boy to experiment with as he plots to make changes in his and other people's lives. Fun fast read.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as a kid, it's a YA FIC book that is a little bit sci fi, but not a lot. Basically it's about a high-school boy who runs into some pretty awesome futuristic technology. I loved it as a kid, makes you think a little about human relationships, but it's not that deep

[Arlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just reread recently. I do like this one.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Chris's books as a teenager and absolutley loved them! They were so captivating!

[Esther Rigby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my all time favorites. I love this author and I really enjoy reading this book again...and again...and again!

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember thinking this one was certainly different, but still good. I made sure to buy a copy on Amazon when I found out they are out-of-print.

[eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family classic.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My parents bought me this book because it was by the same author as the tennis shoes series, and again it was a cute heartwarming story. Nothing to get overly excited about.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my second time because I own it. It's written more for a young audience but it has some interesting ideas and inventions and story...

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

hated the end like the book.!!!