The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

The League of Princes #1

by Christopher Healy, Todd Harris (Illustrator)

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You’ve never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change.

Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, the princes stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it’s up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

Christopher Healy’s Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a completely original take on the world of fairy tales, the truth about what happens after “happily ever after.” It’s a must-have for middle grade readers who enjoy their fantasy adventures mixed with the humor of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Witty black-and-white drawings by Todd Harris add to the fun.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Humor, Adventure, Fairy Tales, Childrens, Fiction

436 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2012

About the author

Christopher Healy is the author of the Hero's Guide trilogy (The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle, and The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw), the Perilous Journey of Danger & Mayhem trilogy (A Dastardly Plot, The Treacherous Seas, and The Final Gambit), and This Is Not That Kind of Book. His newest book, No One Leaves the Castle—a fantasy mystery standalone spinoff of the Hero's Guide novels—comes out in August 2023.

Chris lives in New Jersey with his wife, two children, and a dog named Winston Bean. Visit him at ChristopherHealy.com. And visit the Hero's Guide/No One Leaves the Castle universe at TheThirteenKingdoms.com.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming. In a word, "The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom" is fittingly, and utterly CHARMING! I loved the imaginative spin on classic fairy tales and the fitting attention paid to the Princes Charming as they embark on their own adventures to be considered worthy of their respective princesses. Even cooler, I loved that this attention to the princes and getting them a fair shake as heroes does not come at the expense of the princesses.

Christopher Healy created well drawn and endearing characters, especially the heroes: Liam with his traditional Prince Charming-ness, the goofy Duncan with his magical good luck, Gustav and his brash stubborness, and Frederic with his surprisingly huge heart and wit. My favorites are Duncan and Frederic, naturally! It took me one page (well, a few sentences really) to make me realize that this book was going to steal every bit of my day until I finished it. And it did! It was magical, surprising, incredibly well-written, and so very funny. The book is also illustrated throughout with gorgeous sketches by Todd Harris, which are kind of similar to the art style in "Tangled". Finally, there are the unconventional princesses, an unlikely Bandit King, a gentle giant, vegetarian trolls, a few surly dwarves, and a lot of absurdity involved!

What else can I say? This is a wonderful, delightful, adventure novel that should be read and loved by young (and young at heart) readers everywhere. Preferably out loud! With voices!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was cute.
None of my kids wanted to touch it due to the length and the fact that none of them ever really liked fairytales or books about princes/princesses.
If your kids like those things, you may have better luck than I did.


Original review 2102
Edit:
I have no idea why this review gets so many people upset. Seriously. I gave it 3 stars! Anyway, it's JUST MY OPINION.
Also, it's now been 3 years, and my OPINION of what MY children would think about reading it has been proven to be TRUE. My kids (you hear that? MY KIDS) did not want to read it...for the exact same reasons I thought that I thought they wouldn't. If you feel differently?
WONDERFUL! May the Force be with you!

I originally grabbed this from the library thinking one of my boys might want to read it. Once I got a chance to look at it (and both of my boys rejected it as a reading option), I decided it looked cute enough for me to read.
What? I like fairytales...
Besides, I thought that maybe in a few years I would recommend it to my daughter if it was any good.

So was it any good? Will I recommend it to my kids?
Well, yes. And no.

I doubt my daughter will want to read a book about a bunch of princes who are trying to make a name for themselves. Princesses, yes. Princes, no.
Although, who knows?
Riiiiight.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a book geared toward middle school boys, and it's super-cute. Super-cute and boys who are in middle school...
Hmmm.
Yeah, not so much. It's like chocolate-covered strawberries and lice.
They don't mix.
And, sorry, but I don't know a single boy who claps his hands and squeals,
OMG! A fairytale retelling! Quick! Hand it over!
Uh-huh.

So, while it was cute and funny, I think the target audience for something like this would be adults. Female adults.
Which is why I (adult female) enjoyed it.
But I would have enjoyed it more if the story hadn't been written for middle school boys.
Does that make sense?
Yes. It does.
Now nod your head.

P.S.
At 400 plus pages, I also thought it was a bit long. You know, for middle school boys...

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the funniest, cleverest, most entertaining story I've read in ages. Keep the tissues handy, because it will have you crying with laughter.

If you ever wondered what became of those Princes Charming from Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty (and especially if you didn't... they didn't even have names, after all...) this book will blow the socks off all speculations and surmises.

It's about four hard-done-by anti-heroes, and after 400 pages of their antics and adventures, the last thing you'll want to do is say good-bye.

In a nutshell, this book:
- has crying-laughter humour;
- has drastically unique characters who develop individually and together;
- has sensational plot twists;
- has mentally stimulating dialogue;
- is a word-crafter's paradise;
- is a magical combination of wit and wisdom;
- is perfect to read aloud;
- is best taken in large doses;
- is the perfect remedy for a hot day, a cold day, a boring day or a lazy day; and
- is so good it's topping my favourites for the year.

It may especially appeal to those ready to graduate from Alvin Ho or Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but it should go a whole lot further. www.GoodReadingGuide.com

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason, the cover of this book didn't immediately grab me. And the premise seemed a little too "wink wink nudge nudge see what I did there." But after having so many friends recommend this book, I just had to try it.

LAUGHED SO HARD.

This is an absolutely hilarious look at what life is like for "Prince Charming." Does he have a name? Is he the same guy who saved Rapunzel, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White? (The answers: yes, and no!)

The princes were instantly endearing, and their personality clashes and various backstories and mishaps were both humorous and heartfelt. I just adored this book so much! It was so cute (without being saccharine) that I just want to EAT IT! I am so excited to give this to my 8 year old, he will LOVE it!

[Nafiza · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about this novel that will properly convey to you how much I enjoyed it? I love fairy tales; they rock my world. I’ve studied them, wrote academic papers on them, retold them in my own words and so on. I find them to be fantastically illuminating on the goals of a patriarchal society and I find that fairy tales are often reflective on the needs of the society they are most famous in.

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is in particular very revealing of the shifting and evolving gender expressions so prevalent in contemporary society. Some would argue that gender itself is a social construct and that may be true if one considers that children often assimilate culture and gender behavior from fairy tales and/or other tales fed to them in their formative years. However, since everything is in flux at the moment and traditional norms are being challenged and overturned, Christopher Healy’s novel is both pertinent and entertaining. Gone are the days when Prince Charmings were satisfied being nameless beings of perfection. Now they demand to be seen for who they are rather than what they represent. Healy presents his princes as being less heroic and more real. Some are quite less than charming and some would not recognize bravery if it came and quacked at them.

What I appreciated about Healy’s characterizations was that they were dynamic. The characters grow and change and Healy does not promote the princes in favor of demonizing the princesses. There are brave princesses, good ones and even a bad one. The plotting remains awesome and there’s a skein of absurdity in the whole narrative that reminds the reader not to take anything seriously. This makes the novel accessible for both adults and children. Children will be immensely entertained by Tod Harris’s illustrations and tickled by the escapades of the princes while adults will appreciate the deeper and darker humour in the novel.

The various romances in the novel are also intriguing, showing that the matters of the heart are rarely as simple as love at first sight or kiss. I look forward to seeing how things play out in the sequel that I have been told is going to be released next spring or summer. If you love fairy tales, I suggest checking this out. It has all the elements of a wonderful book that should become a staple of childhood reads.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious book, just hilarious! Listened to this on a road trip to Wisconsin to visit the wife's 96 year old great aunt. Had never heard of it and was not looking forward to it, so I was surprised at how many times I actually laughed aloud, and loudly! This book is directed to tweens, which the car was actually carrying, but I actually think some of the humor--as in much of the best of humor for kids--is directed at the adults Healy is hoping are reading along with their kids. One indication of it is that I think I and the wife actually laughed more than they did. That kind of humor. I actually laughed so hard a couple of times that I cried, and this was never the case for the kids, though they all said they loved it.

So the title of the book is clearly a tween title, generic. And it has all these various Prince Charmings and princesses in it, so that feels kind of generic, right? But it's a contemporary feel. Think: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs--told from the perspective of the wolf, applied to the familiar fantasy world. The idea here is, step 1) Make fun of almost every one of the prince charmings, and reveal they all have "issues,"--anger management, memory, sufficient testosterone to truly be a hero, and so on--and make it clear that the bards who have told tales about them completely romanticized them. The princes are really, really imperfect, and hilariously so, but then, reverse course and 2) explore the idea of heroism through their ordinariness. They are like us, yes. And then, once we have broken them all down to our size, make it an actual adventure where they actually have to work with and help each other, through the League of Princes (yes, like the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen). So then the goofballs and schlubs actually become somewhat admirable and yes, even charming.

So it's a bit of a pomo/feminist/Rob Reiner critique, and believe me the Ellas and Snow Whites and the other princesses take their hits in this one, too, though it is really more about men as idiots.

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, in case you were wondering. And they have to battle trolls (all named Troll, and not too bright), and other monsters and witches.

I do not think I would have quite given this five stars had it not been for the pitch perfect reading of Branson Pinchot, who gets all the accents down: Scottish, Irish, English, French, California surfer dude (who is Prince Duncan, who comes up with idea of writing this tale to correct the bards's renditions), Troll, witch, and so on. Pinchot really nails it. But so does Healy, in his first book??! So good.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looney Tunes meets the League of Princes Charming (and that isn't a typo). This book reminded me of the cartoons I grew up with the slapstick characters, distinct voices, and nonstop gags. This fractured fairy tale begins with a bang painting the character of Prince Frederic as pompous and fearful along with his girlfriend, Ella (Cinderella), who is spirited and wants adventure. The two argue about how to spend their afternoon. Frederic wants tea and Ella wants adventure; in particular, she wants to find Pennyfeather, the bard of their kingdom who has gone missing. When Ella realizes Frederic won't go with her, she decides to find the inspiring Rapunzel as a potential adventure partner because Rapunzel freed herself from the witch and saved her prince. Ella toodle-oo's and leaves Frederic a note that explains her plans. Frederic takes off after her and meets the other prince charmings all with hangups and quirks that are quite funny.

"Whuddawedonow?" 

"Huh?" Gustav grunted, as he and Liam clipped along through the woods, all but dragging Frederic behind them. Duncan, free of the chains, was plodding by himself several years back. 

"Whawadoo, whuwedow?" the out-breath Frederic tried again. He sounded like an asthmatic cat trapped inside an accordion.

The four Prince Charmings from Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty have joined forces to rescue Cinderella who's been captured by a witch. Gustav, of Rapunzel, is a Viking-type brute who cares little for others feelings but is loyal and never backs down in a fight. Duncan, of Snow White's story, is an odd duck who believes he has magical powers and it makes him brave or foolish depending on how you look at it. Oh, and he chatters like a chipmunk.

"Gustav, hold up..." Liam said ...I think our companions could use a break." 

"I'm good," Duncan said cheerily as he jogged to catch up to the others. "The mud is a little hard on my felt boots but it makes a pleasant squishy noise when I step. It reminds me of the bog walks that Snow and I take sometimes. A bog might not sound like the kind of place you want to spend a lot of time in - and the smell would back up the assumption-but when it comes to examining mosses-"

"Pipe down, Nature boy," Gustav interrupted. "The Wheezing Wonder here is trying to say something.: 

Frederic had collapsed facedown in a pile of fallen leaves. He lifted his head and spit out a pinecone, "What do we do now?" he sighed.

"First order of business, we get rid of these chains," Liam said.

Liam (from Sleeping Beauty) is the planner and actually has had heroic exploits. His ego and pride get in the way at times and he thinks if he works alone he would be better off. The four learn that working together not only makes them stronger but they become friends that learn to appreciate the oddities in each other.

This meta-fiction has terrific writing with jokes galore and jabs at language that will make you laugh. The dwarfs insist on spelling "dwarves" because if "wolf" becomes "wolves" and "half" becomes "halves" then they should be "dwarves" not "dwarfs". They warred when the elves bragged that they got to pluralize with a "v". The nonstop humor is for kids and adults alike. There are also a ton of references to classics and comedies such as Frederic's horse is named, Gwendolyn, the same name as Cinderella's fairy godmother, and there's a squirrel named, Captain Spaulding, after Groucho Marx. There are probably a bunch more - I can only recall those two off the top of my head.

We don't know what happens with Snow and Liam and some of the Prince Charmings seem to be interested in other princesses suggesting a sequel. I thought the gags overtook the plot. You know nothing bad is going to happen to the characters and it takes the tension out of the story. I got a little tired of the anachronistic jokes in the middle and thought the book could have been tightened to improve the pacing and provide more plot details. You decide. I guarantee you'll laugh.

Reading Level 6.1

[Sarah Grace Grzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't finish . . . .

First, I didn't like how nearly all of the princes were made into namby-pamby goofs, and the princesses were strong, capable, and able to save themselves. My sister (who finished it) tells me it got better in the end, but nonetheless, it was the theme throughout the first 3\4s and I did not like it. It felt very feministic to me.

Also, the crudity\violence\witch-stuff made me cringe a few times, and this is NOT something I would give to my middle-grade aged brothers! I am becoming increasingly disappointing with the kind of content you can put into a middle grade novel. :\

While there were funny parts, and I found myself chuckling a few times, and the story had an interesting premise, this just didn't cut it for me. I had a hard time getting into the writing style, and barely was able to make it halfway through before I quit. Not my thing, I guess.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at: http://www.teachmentortexts.com/2012/...

I LOVE retellings of fairy tales and this one is no exception. And what is even better about this one is it is HILARIOUS! It reminds me a bit of Shrek except I liked the humor in Hero's Guide better because I feel it is a very smart funny. Just the concept is funny and smart- the four Princes Charming from the Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty stories star in this book (unlike the original stories where they don't even get credit with their real name!) and the Princes each have such a fun, unique personality.

While reading this, the teacher in me found many different parts that I could use- specifically when talking about point of views. I already use The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and the movie "Hoodwinked" to discuss it and Hero's Guide will be a perfect addition. I even found a part that made grammar funny!! And there is foreshadowing, a perfect plot arc, and suspense.

[Hannah Greendale (Hello, Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In which four overlooked princes depart on an adventure with hopes of making their names known the world over. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom turns fairy tales on their heads and is replete with whimsical illustrations, princesses, mythical creatures, and -- above all else -- sidesplitting humor.

"Think! Frederic told himself. What would Sir Bertram the Dainty do? The answer came to him. In The Case of the Ill-Mannered Milkmaid, Sir Bertram had to get the attentions of a governess who was about to use the wrong kind of wineglass. Frederic could use the same tactic here. Eight years of yodeling lessons were about to pay off. Frederic cupped his hands to his mouth and let out a long: 'Yodel-odel-odel-odel-ay-hee-hooooooo!'"

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since when did fairytales become the realm of the girly? I blame Disney. Back in the days of Grimm your average everyday fairytale might contain princesses and pretty gowns and all that jazz, but it was also just as likely to offer its own fair share of dragons and murderers and goblins as well. Once the Disney company realized that princesses were magnificent moneymakers, gone was the gore and the elements that might make those stories appealing to the boy set. If you actually sat down and watched the films you'd see plenty of princes fighting beasts (or fighting beast princes) but the very idea of "Sleeping Beauty" or "Snow White" or any of those films has taken on a semi-sweet and sickly vibe. By the same token, it's hard to find fractured fairytale children's novels that can be loved just as much by boys as by girls. The great equalizer of all things is, to my mind, humor. Make something funny and gender is rendered irrelevant. There are certainly a fair number of funny fairytale-type stories out there, but to my mind none are quite so delightful and hilarious as Christopher Healy's newest series. Starting with The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (and followed by The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle), Healy takes that most maligned of all fairytale characters and finally gives "him" a voice. You heard right. Prince Charming is finally getting his due.

Meet Princes Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav. If their names don't ring a bell with you, don't be too surprised. Known better by their pseudonym "Prince Charming" the princes are a bit peeved at the lousy P.R. their adventures have garnered. The bards have found that their stories tell better when the girls get all the credit (and actual names) and it isn't just the princes that are peeved. A local witch is more than a little upset, and that anger may have something to do with the slow disappearance of the bards themselves. Now it's up to our four heroes, brought together through the strangest of circumstances, to band together to defeat an evil witch, strike down a giant or two, outwit bandits, and generally find a way to make their faults into strengths.

I take a gander at debut author Christopher Healy's credentials and I am oddly pleased. A reviewer of children's books and media he has written for Cookie, iVillage, Parenting, Time Out New York Kids, and Real Simple Family. In short, he's from the parenting sphere. Clearly he's taken what he's learned and applied it here because it's his wordplay that stands out. For example, he might list the jobs Cinderella has to perform as using "every waking hour performing onerous tasks, like scrubbing grout or chipping congealed mayonnaise from between fork tines." By the same token, the sneaky sidenote is a delicate beast. It requires of the author a bit of finesse. Go too far as a writer for children and you end up amusing only the adults who happen to pick up your book. With this in mind, Healy is a sneaky sidenote master. He'll give away a detail about the future and then say, "Oops, sorry about that. I probably should have said, `Spoiler alert'." That's 21st century foreshadowing for you. Or he might sneak in a Groucho Marx reference like "Captain Spaulding" once in a while, but it works within the context of the story (and amuses reviewers like myself in the meantime). Or he'll mention that part of the witch's plan is shooting bears at people out of cannons. It's hard not appreciate a mind that comes up with that kind of thing.

In his New York Times review of the book Adam Gopnik took issue with the sheer enjoyment one can have with the book, going so far as to say, "Each page offers something to laugh at, but it can be an effort to turn each page." His objections were steeped in the world building happening here, unfavorably comparing it to The Princess Bride (an unfair comparison if ever there was one) and even shooting quite low when he dared to invoke the name of the Shrek films. Oog. The fact of the matter is that if you're looking for deep insightful probes into the human psyche, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a perfectly fun story that meanders a bit but always stays on its feet, here's your book. The princes are broad portraits, stereotypes that break out of their chosen roles, if reluctantly. They are also fellows you would follow from book to book to book. They have on-page chemistry (my wordier version of on-screen chemistry). You believe in these guys and you want them to succeed and not get beaten up too badly. It's a fun and funny book and though it won't win huge children's literature awards it will be adored by its readership and discussed at length on the playgrounds of this good great nation. And that is just fine and dandy with me.

Considering how many contemporary updates to fairytales there are in pop culture right now (Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Snow White & The Huntsman, etc.) it's strange to me that I can't think of a book to quite compare with this one. A book that takes standard fairytales and familiar characters, renders them unfamiliar but human, and then loads the storyline up with bucketfuls of humor. I mean, books like A Tale Dark and Grimm and In a Glass Grimmly are newfound looks at old standards but they haven't the light bouncy breezy quality of Healy's work. These are fairytales for folks who love Disney, hate Disney, love fractured fairytales, love the original fairytales, and/or just like a good story in general. It's perfect bedtime fare and ideal for those kids who want something amusing to read on their own. You know when a kid walks up to you and says they want a "funny" book? This is for them as well. Basically it's for everyone, fantasy fans and fantasy haters alike. If ever you feel sick of the sheer seriousness of some fantasies (*cough* Eragon *cough*), this is a book for you too. Put it on your To Read list and pronto.

For ages 8-12.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This imaginative romp through not-so happily ever after finds the Prince Charmings (or Princes Charming for grammatical correctness) at the mercy of the reputations created for them by the bards of legend. These bards not only refused to use the princes’ actual names, they also sang their counterpart princesses into much more fame and valor. The four princes thus find themselves on a quest for both heroism and the recognition they deserve. Overall, this book was a humorous comedy of errors suitable for its intended middle-grade audience. I just found the silliness to be overbearing and eventually tiresome. I would LOVE to have dinner and drinks at the Stumpy Boarhound, though, and for that reason, I will read book #2.

[Soo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notes:

4.5 Stars for Narration by Bronson Pinchot
3 Stars for Story

All of the characters grew on me by the end of the book. This would be a great book for kids. The humor and character personalities were not as funny to me. I think an animated series of the book would be a lot of fun to watch.

[Joseph Leskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

===============
Original review:
===============
Ahhaahhahahahaahha, to put it in Layman's terms. (Layman has a lot of terms, incidentally.) This is probably the funniest book one could read. I say probably because of perspective, relativity, and imagined reality, which are probably the most important concepts to remember when one takes finger to keyboard with the intent of reviewing a book.

Anyway, the book. It's funny. It's well thought out and created. The writing is superb. Actually, there is nothing in the world to prevent a person from saying, "y'know, y'all, this is pretty good," except for, seeing as "a person" refers to a very generic entity, there may be some exceptions, like the person who is currently attempting to yodel or hold their breath in a glass of cherry gelatin all while juggling little plastic fish sticks—which you really should not try at home. Or your home away from home. Or Rivendell, but I don't know that they have little plastic fish sticks there.

Bother. I don't think my mind is on reviewing at all. Maybe I'm being distracted by that little critter that's having itself a nice snack on the ceiling boards up there. Very rude, right?

Any way, about the book—and only the book, because I SHALL NOT DIGRESS ANY MORE (AFTER THESE THREE SENTENCES) IN THIS REVIEW. DO YOU HEEEEEEEEAAAR ME? NO YOU DON'T, BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST READING THIS AND NOT LISTENING TO MY VOICE. This is a very good book; have all the recommends.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An irreverent, hilarious retelling of what happens after the most famous fairy tales...and the princes who starred in them!
Although this book occasionally felt slow, it ended up being really funny with good lessons and memorable characters. Worth pushing through till the end.

[Trike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novel by Christopher Healy: 4/5

Narration by Bronson Pinchot: 3000/5

[J.M. (Joe) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take these two movies; take the absolute adorableness of Disney's Tangled, smoosh it with the satirical tone of The Princess Bride, then have Christopher Moore write it, and you have Christopher Healy's The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. Okay, well, just have Christopher Healy write it. Which he did. So...yeah.

I reeeeally liked this. Like, really. It fired on all cylinders with me, and I'm planning on reading the next in the series soon. The book's also illustrated with the perfectly "charming" drawings of one Todd Harris.

Four solid stars. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes the above blurb I just spat out.

Endnote: Aye, some reviewers say this book is too long for its intended audience, but since I'm not 13, it was a fine length for me. I think if I were 13, I still would have enjoyed this, but if you do plan on getting it for a young person, consider whether or not they are voracious readers or merely casual ones. Also, the main characters are four goofy male princes, with the much more capable and stronger princesses such as Cinderella and Rapunzel more or less taking on bit roles.

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If I get killed, I want it to be because of my own stupidity, not someone else's."

I needed a mental escape, something I could just enjoy and chuckle at and not have to think too hard about, and this book provided that perfectly. The story of the Princes Charming stumbling their way through being heroes, with tons of *wink wink nudge nudge* references to the fairy tales that inspired them, I laughed a lot and very much enjoyed the friendship vibes. Definitely intrigued to pick up the further adventures of the League of Princes and see what other shenanigans they can get up to! Four stars!

(also Frederic is the best boy and I love him so much xD)

[Karissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got an advanced reading copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. I was super excited to read this book. It sounded like a lot of fun and I love fairy tale retellings. I ended up not liking it that much. The dialog and characters went beyond funny to the point where they were very campy. This book is a really neat idea, but the execution of the story needs some work.

That Prince Charming you hear about...well he's not really Prince Charming. He's actually Prince Liam, Prince Frederic, Prince Duncan, and Prince Gustav. These princes are in the doghouse with their respective Princesses and end up on a journey together in which they encounter various baddies and save the kingdom from a witch who steals bards to gain notoriety.

This is a really cool idea. I love funny, fairy tale mixups and this seemed like a wonderful concept. The book has a light tone and doesn't take itself seriously. Unfortunately I had some serious problems with both the plot and the characters.

Let's start with the characters. Prince Liam is your typical hero; rescues things and is your all around good-boy. Prince Frederic is the resident fop; he dresses to the nines, loves planning picnics and is scared to set foot outside his castle. Prince Duncan is the token space cadet; he is eternally distracted, names random woodland creatures, and is generally completely random in everything he does. Prince Gustav is the strong man; always rushes into danger, tries to be manly, and disdains everyone.

So that's quite a variety of personalities and initially looks like a lot of fun. Except that it's not. The princes are just stereotyped personalities; we never really get to know and understand them. They are very one-dimensional and the things that drive them incredibly simple. I realize this is a children's book. As such I sat down and read some of this with my 5 year old son...I thought maybe I am missing something here that he will get. We read a few chapters and his response was "Mom, why are all these guys so stupid?" My response; "I don't know...I guess being quirky means you have to be an idiot."

The princesses aren't much better. Ella is your typical sheltered girl seeking a life of adventure. Briar Rose is your typical "everyone should love me because I am a princess no matter how mean I am" variety. Every character in here is an overdone stereotype. It was just soooo over the top it crossed funny and splatted into just plain dumb region.

The plot isn't much better. It switches viewpoint between the various princes, the witch, and the princesses. As can happen with multiple POV's, this breaks the story up and makes it less engaging. Then you find out the whole story is focused on these four doofus prince's rescuing bards from a witch who wants attention. I mean seriously? This is supposed to be a heroic quests for the Princes to redeem themselves....it doens't even really make sense. Let's just say the climax of the story was a let down.

I think there is supposed to be a message in here about liking who you are no matter what anyone else thinks. The message comes across more as "If you are a loser you will always stay a loser no matter how much you try to change things."

Geez...looking back at what I wrote I guess I really didn't like this book. I am trying to be positive, but I guess there just wasn't much I liked here. The book was a serious drag to get through; I struggled through the inane characters and lackluster plot page by page determined to finish. The writing isn't technically bad, but the story and characters just didn't do anything for me (or my younger son).

Overall definitely not my favorite read. The concept is super neat, it's really a great idea. The execution fell flat. The book crosses funny and ends up being just plain..well..boring. The plot isn't engaging and the characters are overdone characterizations of characters we've seen many times. I wanted to love this book, I wanted to laugh and be entertained...instead I ended up rolling my eyes in disgust. I won't be reading any future books from this author.

[Shanshad Whelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think my main complaint on this book was that the cover doesn't feature all four Princes. But overall this was a delightful romp through a fractured fairy-tale land. Healy does a really nice job of turning his Princes into real characters that you come to like despite their flaws. And while those flaws are certainly done on a hyper scale, each prince is still a decent human being . . . who just might need something more to really help him realize it.

Strong heroines, wicked and funny villains, plenty of action. A funny book that doesn't descend into being terribly mean or gross to accomplish that humor.

This is a middle grade fantasy read that boys and girls alike should find something in to love--and maybe laugh about--along the adventure.

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Рядко започвам ревю с въпрос но... Къде са ми следващите книги от Кристофър Хийли??? Издателство Сиела, моля ви, кажете ми, че двете продължения на „Ръководство на героя за спасяване на кралството” вече се превеждат!! Първата книга ме спечели във всяко отношение, и сега знанието, че това „Ръководство на героя за спасяване на кралството” е едва началото на трилогия (и на всичкото отгоре всяка следваща част има все по-висок и по-висок рейтинг в Goodreads) просто не ми дава мира! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":

https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sooo fun. The ending was surprisingly unresolved for a mid-grade book--maybe there's going to be a sequel?--but other than that, I love it and would recommend it to anyone. I didn't expect how entertaining it would be to see these stories from "Prince Charming's" side. The fresh perspectives and modern language really bring the characters from these well-known stories to life in new, unexpected, and endearing ways.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I REALLY enjoyed this. I'll definitely be checking out the sequels.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places

When you’re a child, you start reading books for the entertainment. You want to get away from the real world and feel elation over the adventure. That is what this book did for me; it made me remember how fun it is to read.

I for one have always wondered why every king and queen in fairytale land named their son Charming. It turns out, they didn’t. In fact, these princes all have their own unique name and story, though you’d never know it due to those pesky bards! The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom focuses on four separate Princes Charming: Prince Frederic (He met Cinderella Ella at a ball), Prince Gustav (He saved was saved by a gal named Rapunzel), Prince Liam (He kissed a princess named Briar Rose and woke her up from a really long nap), and Prince Duncan (He and Snow White are rather perfect for one another). The princes have their own quirks and are vastly different though they find themselves thrown together in a quest that will save all of their kingdoms and teach them all what it means to become heroes of their own tale.

Life between the princes and princesses is not what any of them had anticipated it would be…

Ella wants adventure and life with Frederic is not at all what she had imagined it would be when she met him that night at the ball. While Ella would rather travel and explore, Frederic is much happier having a quiet picnic on his grounds – on a blanket of course, one must keep clean – or quietly admiring art in the safety of his castle, this difference in personality leads Ella to go off on her own, leaving Frederic to his safe, (somewhat boring) life.

Gustav often acts before thinking and therefore his mission of rescuing Rapunzel from her tower didn’t go as planned and she ended up leaving on her own, finding him wandering the forest, and rescuing him. As you can imagine, this is a rather sore subject for someone who believes himself to be quite the manly hero so he takes off to search for some adventure of his own and a way to make a name for himself, away from Rapunzel and his sixteen older brothers.

Liam, though arrogant, is really a bit more like the Prince Charming from the original tales. He is handsome, brave and well, princely. Unfortunately, when Prince Liam first rescued Briar Rose, he did not anticipate that she would be spoiled, selfish and an all-together mean person. This led to a rather awkward conversation in which Liam refused to marry Briar Rose and she threw a royal fit and vowed that she would marry him while he stood in shackles if need be. He promptly (and intelligently, in my opinion) put as much distance possible between himself and the princess.

Finally, Prince Duncan and Snow White are married and are quite happy for the most part. However, Duncan is rather quirky and sometimes Snow just needs some quiet time so she asks Duncan to “Go do something else” without her. He then blows Snow a kiss, leaves for a walk and becomes hopelessly lost. Lucky for him (and he will be the first to tell you just how lucky he is) he is found a few days later by Frederic and Gustav who are on their way to “rescue” Ella. Personally, I loved Duncan beyond reason. His antics and outbursts had me laughing out loud. He is definitely one of the sweetest characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about.

“Wild card, got it,” Duncan said. “Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need me to be, I’m that thing. That is so me.”

Both the princes and princesses are fabulous, though I hope we hear more from Rapunzel in book two and I greatly appreciated their vast differences and limitations that made them all stand out. The villains were also fantastic; I have a rather soft spot for a witch who uses a thesaurus spell so that she can insult people more creatively! The dwarves (not dwarfs) provide some snarky fun and the trolls are vastly misunderstood creatures.

This book made me insanely happy. It made me remember what it was like to curl up with my first Wizard of Oz book as a child. It made me smile, giggle and laugh out loud, a feat that few books are able to accomplish. But most of all, it helped me realize that I really do have a soft spot for Middle Grade novels. Thank you, Mr. Healy, for reminding me what it feels like to fall in love with reading for the first time.

As an aside: There isn’t one thing I would change about this novel. On top of having a lyrical and phenomenal story, the illustrations were a wonderful compliment to the tale. Also, I am definitely not a person who longs for books to be made into movies. In fact, I rather hate when it happens. However, this book was different. According to Christopher Healy’s website, it has been announced that 20th Century Fox Animation has optioned the film rights to The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. I am thrilled and can’t wait to see where this goes!

[Lexie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well at least some of them are.

See the bards got it wrong in all those heroic stories of Prince Charming saving this or that Princess.  Really 'Prince Charming' was a whole bunch of guys named Liam, Frederic, Duncan and Gustav and honestly most of their heroic escapades were a matter of good luck and good timing.  But what kind of story is that?  So embellishments happened, expectations rose and well...that means folks were bound to be disappointed with the real thing.

I'm a real sucker when it comes to comedic fantasies. Add in the subversion and outright toss out the window nature of fairy tales and you've got a fan in me. All this means is that from the very first moment I heard about this book I wanted it. Didn't care it was for middle grade, didn't care that it was an author I never heard of--I just wanted the book.

Boy did it NOT let me down.

Healy takes a premise that sounds a bit hokey (the Princes Charming get rejected so they set out to save the world and prove everyone wrong) and crafts a hilarious, touching tale about being true to yourself (without being preachy).  Almost as importantly I think this book will appeal to not just the middle grade audience, but to anyone who enjoys a light-hearted fantasy.

Admittedly the writing itself is simple and the narrative is obviously written to appeal to a young child's mind (one that is prone to being easily distracted), but its the characters who shine.  Poor Prince Frederic, the 'Prince Charming' who saved Cinderella from a life of menial servitude, was raised to be such a milquetoast that he doesn't understand why Cinderella (aka just 'Ella' thank you) isn't perfectly content with a structured routine that doesn't change or surprise.  Prince Gustav ('Prince Charming' from Rapunzel's story) is a failure at fighting despite being a fairly hulking guy and is only further humiliated when Rapunzel not only saves herself, but restores his vision and saves him as well.

Also the less said about poor Prince Duncan is probably the better.

These guys can't catch a break and it makes you feel REALLY bad for them because of it (also makes me want to smack a couple of their heads together but that's besides the point).  When they band together to not only return their names to glorious heroic portions, but also to stop an evil plot no one believes exists I won't lie I was more than a little worried it would end badly.

Healy obviously enjoys himself as well.  The Prologue for instance, which breaks the fourth wall so hard you'd think it never existed, spoils events the happen 19 chapters later and unashamedly admits that the Princes Charming are really anything but at times.  You can tell that Healy really must have wanted to make this book as fun, amusing and exciting (in safe ways, Frederic assures you) and honestly I bet this will be a hoot read aloud.

So whether you are a ten year old seeking to defeat an evil witch and needing some pointers, or a 20something like me interested in hearing the 'true' story of Prince Charming, THE HERO'S GUIDE TO SAVING YOUR KINGDOM is definitely worth checking out. 

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, hilarious, rollicking re-imagining of all the fairy-tales you thought you knew.The Princes Charming: Frederic, Gustav, Liam, and Duncan are the best kinds of heroes, and their stories (along with their unwitting heroines: Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Briar Rose) will delight boys and girls.

So many fairy-tale re-tellings take the stance that Prince Charming is the same guy, and he happened to marry all the princesses. This of course leads to the conclusion that he is less than perfect, and his relationships with our favorite princesses less than true love. Many times Prince Charming ends up being the bad guy--or sometimes just the skeezy guy. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kindgom comes at this dilemma from a different angle: what if the Prince Charming from all the stories was just some name used by the bards and storytellers to refer to wholly different men? Thus enters the princes of this novel, all flawed and yet heroic in their own quirky ways. It's perhaps the best premise for a fairy-tale re-telling I've seen in a long time; because when you put four wayward princes together and send them off to rescue their world, nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

The best part about the heroes of this book is that they are all so real, as opposed to their fairy-tale counterpart Prince Charming. They each have flaws and challenges that they are overcoming in their own lives, but in the end their differences make them the perfect team. And the fact that none of them have been properly recognized for their heroic deeds--Prince Charming always gets the glory--makes them even more motivated to save the day. They are the kind of heroes that you want to read about: funny, brave, terrified, and the kind of man that you would want to be best friends with (or marry).

The princesses of the story were also unique in their own ways. Cinderella is the adventurous one, flying across the kingdoms in search of excitement, and running into our princes at the worst (and funniest) of times. Snow White is an odd duck, but loyal and courageous even if she does wear an inordinate amount of bows. Rapunzel is a bit of a wild card in the story, but an important role nonetheless. Briar Rose takes an interesting turn, and offers up a bit of the villain's role (even though she is not per se evil, just a little spoiled).

The narrative voice throughout is funny and insightful. Bouncing from one prince's head to the next, we get to follow the princes exploits from all of their perspectives, giving you a chance to get to know them all equally. We even get to join the princesses for a while, which is a great treat.

The best part of all is the "happily ever after," because there isn't one. Sure things end for the best, but there is no perfect fix to the princes problems in this world: they have to fix it themselves. So instead of ending on a ride into the sunset, it ends with them plotting their next adventure, and a guide for other hero's to come...

A truly excellent debut, and a great addition to fairy-tale re-tellings.

[Maja - BibliophiliaDK ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

We know Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel but what about the princes who rescued them - who is Prince Charming?


WATCH MY VIDEO ABOUT FAIRY TALE RETELLINGS ON MY BLOG

Fairy tale retellings are right up my alley (I have even dedicated an entire week to fairy tales on my blog) and when I first stumbled upon this book I wasn't even aware of how much I had wanted a story like this! Fairy tales told from the point of view of the princes, not the princesses? Revolutionary! And I never even knew that I needed that in my life!

This books tells the story of four Prince Charmings: Frederic (who found a girl with a glass slipper), Duncan (who kissed a girl with a fondness for apples), Gustav (who scaled a tower to free his girl) and Liam (who woke a girl with a kiss).

Usually I would picture Prince Charming as a... well, Prince Charming. Handsome, heroic, selfless, dashing and daring. These princes... Well, they do have some of these characteristics. Jut not in the way I had usually pictured them. And that was a welcome break. It turned the classic fairy tales upside down. One prince is afraid of leaving his castle - his biggest adventure was a picnic. Another prince believes he has magical luck and leaves everything to chance. Another rushes into everything without taking the time to think things through. And the last. Well, he wants to terribly to be a hero he will do everything to make it happen.

So when a threat rises to all their prospective kingdoms they have to band together to save the day. And to become more than just Prince Charming. They want to be Heroes! Not second fiddle to their famous princesses.

Things don't go excatly according to plan (maybe because there isn't really any plan), but that's the way it is supposed to be with a ragtag band of princes. Right?

My favourite thing about this book was defintely the originality of it - for once it wasn't a princess story or a love story. It was a humerous story of the most ignored character in fairy tales - the prince! If there is one thing I love it is something original. The story might not have been the most original in world (it was a fairy tale with an evil witch with a sinister plan for revenge) but the way it was told, the point of view and the description of the princes, which was so far from how I imagined these characters, made this a special, lighthearted read.

The only reason why it didn't get 5 stars was because it was somewhat predictable.

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[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original BookTube review HERE

While I don’t always judge a book by its cover, the first thing I look for is one that’s eye-catching. This cover had very fun and alluring artwork promising a good adventure. The blurb on the back from Frank Cottrell Boyce, author of a book I thoroughly enjoyed called Cosmic, synched it.

What I liked about this book was, well, everything. *grin* The idea of taking each ‘Prince Charming’ from Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Cinderella and not only giving them identities, but using the fact that they are all so irritated by simply being known as ‘Prince Charming’ that despite their diversities, they band together –it’s comedic genius.

In case you haven’t noticed, I have a soft spot for all kinds of retold, smashed-up, and topsy-turveyed fairy tales. Healy has hit upon a particularly interesting idea here.

While the story focuses on the four charming heroes, it also has its fair share of strong female characters. And when I say ‘strong’ I mean ‘well-rounded’ and ‘developed’, though readers are certainly going to love headstrong Ella and Lila.

I’m just going to skip over the part where I mention what I didn’t like, because I loved everything.

Each of the princes went through their own character development. It was a slow but steady process, and definitely believable. The best part, of course, is that each one of them still has a ways yet to go.

Healy did not rely solely on the classic fairy tales to weave his story. Instead, he took those beloved characters and created a world just for them. The story was never truly predictable and I was constantly caught off guard by one twist or another.

I found the writing quality excellent. Again, this is targeted toward 8-12 year olds, but it flowed nicely. It wasn’t ‘dumbed down’ for the younger readers, so I found it immensely enjoyable. As for style, Healy pulls the reader right in with his quirky narration. He teases you along, keeping the pages turning, and he loves to yank your chain. At the end of one chapter, he breaks in with: "Oops. Sorry about that. I probably should have said ‘Spoiler Alert.’" This book is appropriate for the young, the old, the boys and the girls.

In addition, the illustrations were gorgeous and a perfect compliment to the light-hearted nature of the story.

It really shouldn’t come as a surprise that I rate this book at five stars. Actually, I loved it so much, I’m going to give it six. It was that good.

[Reading is my Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous Fairy-Tale Fun!
 
 
Prince Charming is afraid of old ladies. Didn't know that, did you?
-- Prologue: Things You Don't Know About Prince Charming
 

I absolutely enjoyed every minute of reading this book. It tells the story of 4 princes and how they came together and went on an adventure. The princes are from the following stories: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White & Rapunzel. These princes are all known as Prince Charming and they hate that. People don't even realize they are not the same guy. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. And they are not all seasoned fighters to say the least.
 
This book is told by a narrator who also talks to the reader and makes jokes. I loved the play on the fairy-tales that we are all so familiar with. Not only are the princes different from what the reader expects, but the princesses are too. I loved the way the author played with the qualities we all know and tweaked them into something new.
 
Here are some quotes that may give you a better idea of what to expect:
 
Two people from different kingdoms -- who are engaged to be married -- seeing and talking to each other. Crazy, I know.
 
Liam furrowed his brow. "Is that 'Ha,' as in, 'How silly of you to ask: everyone knows I'm the best swordsman in the land'?" he asked hopefully. "No, that was 'Ha,' as in, 'I've never even held a sword," Duncan answered. "But I will provide all the flute music we need.
 
Look, Frederic is a big goober, and he makes me feel like I'm going to sprain my eyeballs from rolling them so much, but he's a good guy.
 
On still another road, a green-haired man wobbled by on peppermint-stick stilts; a fiery-plumed bird of paradise perched on his shoulder. But he's not in this story, so don't pay any attention to him.
 
Oops, sorry about that. I probably should have said, "Spoiler alert."
 
 
Recommended to:
I don't know what else to say. If you like fairy tales with a twist, definitely read this book. And I highly recommend it to kids in grades 3 to 8. (Another winner from the Sunshine State Nomination list that I'm sure will be popular in our school library.)

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doesn't everyone knows the tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel Sleeping Beauty and Briar Rose? But, what about the names of all the Princes from those tales? Believe me, I was struggling with that one too. I blame it on to many Disney movies growing up. Apparently everyone has just been calling them Prince Charming for years. Now if you asked Prince Liam, Prince Frederick, Prince Duncan and Prince Gustav, they would say it's all on account of those no good bards messing up the way things really went. After reading the story, I can certainly see their point. I really like Healy's take on these fairy tales and how each Prince, well and Princess alike is different from the way that I am used to. Prince Liam is in an arranged marriage to Briar Rose, except she is spoiled, mean and down right rude. Prince Frederick has his daily routine and Ella (Cinderella) is getting rather bored of it all. Prince Duncan and Snow White are the only ones that are married but both haven't really settled into that role. Prince Gustav has tried to stand out among his 16 older brothers but when he is saved instead of Rapunzel, he becomes the laughing stock of his kingdom. The Prince's are not the only ones unhappy. If you ask the witch she let Rapunzel go. So, when the bards begin to go missing one by one, Ella decides she is up for some adventure and plans to go and rescue him. This was such a fun retelling of the famous fairy tales, packed with humor and defiantly works for kids and adults alike. I was laughing aloud at the narrators interjections into the story. Loved the titles in each chapter and I think this would make for a great read aloud. Lucky for me the next book is already available so there is an added bonus of not having to wait to see what happens next. Great for 8 year old and up who enjoy fractured fairy tales.