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No More Heroes
Stories are meant to be told.
But many stories go unfinished, unpublished and unread. What happens to the characters in those books when nobody reads them? Where do they go?
In a city populated by these forgotten literary denizens, Jack Reynolds works as a member of an ancient order called “The Heroes,” who are charged with defeating villainy and maintaining order. Alongside an immortal humanoid computer and a knight from a children’s tale, Jack must solve a case by the end of the week or his division will be permanently closed.
After stumbling across a case of illegal magic which threatens the safety of the entire city, Jack also realizes that solving this mystery is the only way he can do right by his friends. With time and veiled forces aligned against him, does Jack have what it takes to be a Hero one last time?
But many stories go unfinished, unpublished and unread. What happens to the characters in those books when nobody reads them? Where do they go?
In a city populated by these forgotten literary denizens, Jack Reynolds works as a member of an ancient order called “The Heroes,” who are charged with defeating villainy and maintaining order. Alongside an immortal humanoid computer and a knight from a children’s tale, Jack must solve a case by the end of the week or his division will be permanently closed.
After stumbling across a case of illegal magic which threatens the safety of the entire city, Jack also realizes that solving this mystery is the only way he can do right by his friends. With time and veiled forces aligned against him, does Jack have what it takes to be a Hero one last time?
400 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2014
2 people are currently reading
903 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Chapman
51 books6 followersHailing from northern England, Nicholas Chapman earned his BA in philosophy and MA in creative writing from the University of Hull. While there, his work appeared in Writing Hull, one of their distributions.
Nick’s inspiration comes from popular culture, science, mythology and history. Once his brain starts running towards a story, you can find him at local coffee houses, tapping away amidst the hustle & bustle of strangers.
A traveler with a particular affection for Japanese culture, Nick has recently been cultivating a taste in tea & whiskey, though not in the same sitting. No More Heroes is Nick’s debut novel and he is currently working on the sequel.
Nick’s inspiration comes from popular culture, science, mythology and history. Once his brain starts running towards a story, you can find him at local coffee houses, tapping away amidst the hustle & bustle of strangers.
A traveler with a particular affection for Japanese culture, Nick has recently been cultivating a taste in tea & whiskey, though not in the same sitting. No More Heroes is Nick’s debut novel and he is currently working on the sequel.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 4, 2015
Also see this review at: http://karissasbookblog.blogspot.com/
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
This book was wonderful.
The plot is incredibly unique, and I can guarantee I've never read a book like this and I doubt I will read a book that is closely similar to it that wouldn't be a complete copy. The writing in it is so smooth, it was easy to flip from page to page without even realizing it. Every time I read it, I was drawn into the world and forced to pull myself away due to some other obligation. There really was no part in this book that I felt dragged on. Even in the beginning, it was easy to want to keep reading and see what happens next.
Jack was an easily likeable character to me. He wasn't some elite super God-like man who could do everything and always be amazing. He was a normal guy with virtues and flaws who sometimes made the right decisions and sometimes made the wrong ones. It was easy to relate to him throughout the story (however, I could never dream of being as badass as he is!), and I rooted for him the entire time. Presley and Ludwig are absolutely wonderful companions. Their characters are well defined, and it was easy to picture them as real people was well.
My only issues with this book are the grammatical errors (there are a few of them) and the slight holes in background information. If his relationship with Gwen had more backstory to it I would be content, but I feel like there's not really a reason for Gwen to hate Jack. I have a theory, but I can't be sure. My issue with his relationship with Rose is that there's not much of a development with it and I don't see a clear definition of WHAT they are. There are hints here and there, just like between Gwen and him, but never a clear answer. I wanted to know more about Jack's Story before Asphodel, but there was really only hints about his demons and past towards the middle and end of the book.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, and even those who just like a good book in general. I feel like this book would hold appeal to a wide variety of people as it does not fit one single mold for genres.
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
This book was wonderful.
The plot is incredibly unique, and I can guarantee I've never read a book like this and I doubt I will read a book that is closely similar to it that wouldn't be a complete copy. The writing in it is so smooth, it was easy to flip from page to page without even realizing it. Every time I read it, I was drawn into the world and forced to pull myself away due to some other obligation. There really was no part in this book that I felt dragged on. Even in the beginning, it was easy to want to keep reading and see what happens next.
Jack was an easily likeable character to me. He wasn't some elite super God-like man who could do everything and always be amazing. He was a normal guy with virtues and flaws who sometimes made the right decisions and sometimes made the wrong ones. It was easy to relate to him throughout the story (however, I could never dream of being as badass as he is!), and I rooted for him the entire time. Presley and Ludwig are absolutely wonderful companions. Their characters are well defined, and it was easy to picture them as real people was well.
My only issues with this book are the grammatical errors (there are a few of them) and the slight holes in background information. If his relationship with Gwen had more backstory to it I would be content, but I feel like there's not really a reason for Gwen to hate Jack. I have a theory, but I can't be sure. My issue with his relationship with Rose is that there's not much of a development with it and I don't see a clear definition of WHAT they are. There are hints here and there, just like between Gwen and him, but never a clear answer. I wanted to know more about Jack's Story before Asphodel, but there was really only hints about his demons and past towards the middle and end of the book.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, and even those who just like a good book in general. I feel like this book would hold appeal to a wide variety of people as it does not fit one single mold for genres.
April 30, 2014
Mix together murder-mystery, a police procedural and urban fantasy and No More Heroes is what you get: an up-to-date fantasy fable set in an imaginary world of ‘what if’. It’s an attention-grabbing opening episode which establishes a solid central character – one of the few remaining Heroes of the title – whose job is rather more mundane than that name suggests. Part gumshoe detective, part supernatural sleuth, part parole officer, his task is to monitor the Villains who have turned over a new leaf in the city of Asphodel, where fictional characters go when their stories otherwise end. Inevitably, we join the story just as everything goes pear-shaped.
No More Heroes succeeds in establishing a credible and intriguing universe; one which the author doesn’t over-explain but where the background is gradually revealed as the plot progresses. And that plot fair scampers along – this is an all-action affair, barely pausing for breath between violent encounters with underworld thugs, the beasts known as Legion and magic-wielding weirdos.
Further detail on the plot and characters can be found here:
http://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress....
Chapman’s writing is crisp and accessible. He successfully portrays personalities and original situations with pithy prowess – you’ll find plenty of laconic one-liners in here and, no matter how dire the situation, there’s always a thread of humour to hand… be it bleak at times.
The editing and presentation on NMH are considerably better than you find on many debut novels from small publishers. The occasional grammatical glitch sneaks through (your and you’re being the most wince-worthy examples) but the text is otherwise admirably clean and suitably formatted for easy reading. For a first novel, NMH is an admirable package and it was refreshing to read an introductory episode which satisfactorily concludes an entire adventure – no cliff-hanger here; we get an entire story in this one volume although it’s obvious that there’s more to come.
So if you’re hankering after old-style Harry Dresden (sorry; that comparison was always going to be inevitable), then add No More Heroes to your reading list.
7/10
No More Heroes succeeds in establishing a credible and intriguing universe; one which the author doesn’t over-explain but where the background is gradually revealed as the plot progresses. And that plot fair scampers along – this is an all-action affair, barely pausing for breath between violent encounters with underworld thugs, the beasts known as Legion and magic-wielding weirdos.
Further detail on the plot and characters can be found here:
http://murdermayhemandmore.wordpress....
Chapman’s writing is crisp and accessible. He successfully portrays personalities and original situations with pithy prowess – you’ll find plenty of laconic one-liners in here and, no matter how dire the situation, there’s always a thread of humour to hand… be it bleak at times.
The editing and presentation on NMH are considerably better than you find on many debut novels from small publishers. The occasional grammatical glitch sneaks through (your and you’re being the most wince-worthy examples) but the text is otherwise admirably clean and suitably formatted for easy reading. For a first novel, NMH is an admirable package and it was refreshing to read an introductory episode which satisfactorily concludes an entire adventure – no cliff-hanger here; we get an entire story in this one volume although it’s obvious that there’s more to come.
So if you’re hankering after old-style Harry Dresden (sorry; that comparison was always going to be inevitable), then add No More Heroes to your reading list.
7/10
March 17, 2014
No More Heroes is a gripping novel that is reminiscent of Jasper FForde's work. The idea of forgotten characters from various stories being washed up into the world of Asphodel is a unique concept, with the heroes and villains of said stories living in harmony. A mixture of crime, magic and personal struggle means that at the end of each chapter you can't help but read more to discover what new twist or turn the story takes. The novel also gives great insight into social mobility, especially in the context of a large influx of refugees. We see how Asphodel as a city has adapted to this, although not necessarily in the best way. Finally, the characters that form the core storyline are vibrant and varied. Jack Reynolds, an extremely reluctant hero offset by his more enthusiastic and optimistic associates is a refreshingly human protagonist. His every man character gives the reader a large amount of empathy for his situation and struggles.
Overall, this novel touches upon serious topics with clever humour, but also invites the reader into a world that has a lot more to offer. I can't wait for the next installation.
Overall, this novel touches upon serious topics with clever humour, but also invites the reader into a world that has a lot more to offer. I can't wait for the next installation.
July 20, 2016
Jack Reynolds lives in almost a fairy tale world - Villains, Heroes, Lawmen. Jack's world is that of all the forgotten characters of unfinished, unread and unpublished books. I love this idea! It's so fascinating to me! We get to follow Jack as he works to keep his department, the Heroes, from being shut down. This book is part fable, part magic story, part crime thriller. Jack's got a deadline - solve a case or the Heroes are shut down!
It's such a fun read! Jack's a great protagonist and he's sidekick Presley was so charming! A real Knight in Shining Armour. The reader gets thrust into Jack's world and how it functions, learning as we go.
I liked the mystery Jack was working on and I'm really hoping we get to find out more about Jack's Shadow in future books. And also, more about how characters cross the river Styx and end up being citizens of this universe.
A very good read!
It's such a fun read! Jack's a great protagonist and he's sidekick Presley was so charming! A real Knight in Shining Armour. The reader gets thrust into Jack's world and how it functions, learning as we go.
I liked the mystery Jack was working on and I'm really hoping we get to find out more about Jack's Shadow in future books. And also, more about how characters cross the river Styx and end up being citizens of this universe.
A very good read!
July 19, 2015
A perfect blend of The X-Files, Chinatown and something more. A very refreshing addition to the Fantasy genre. I can't wait for the sequel!
November 29, 2014
No More Heroes is a great mix of fantasy, sci-fi and murder-mystery.
Characters from various unpublished stories blend together in this novel creating a unique setting where everyone can find something they'll enjoy. Whether it's the cynical detective Jack Reynolds (a refreshing look at a 'Hero'), his boss Lord Arctos (a bear for a boss? YES!), his sidekick Presley (a medieval knight who wants to do the Right Thing), his friend Ludwig (a black-and-white sci-fi character), his nemesis Gwen Lucas (talk about your femme fatale) or his love interest Rose (I love their bantering!) just to name a few.
The plot paces nicely and the (sometimes geeky) humour sprinkled here and there is funny and not distracting.
A good mix of crime, magic and personal struggle with vibrant characters.
I can't wait for the next one in this series!
Characters from various unpublished stories blend together in this novel creating a unique setting where everyone can find something they'll enjoy. Whether it's the cynical detective Jack Reynolds (a refreshing look at a 'Hero'), his boss Lord Arctos (a bear for a boss? YES!), his sidekick Presley (a medieval knight who wants to do the Right Thing), his friend Ludwig (a black-and-white sci-fi character), his nemesis Gwen Lucas (talk about your femme fatale) or his love interest Rose (I love their bantering!) just to name a few.
The plot paces nicely and the (sometimes geeky) humour sprinkled here and there is funny and not distracting.
A good mix of crime, magic and personal struggle with vibrant characters.
I can't wait for the next one in this series!
April 16, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. A nice read. I loved the characters and how they played off each other. I could feel the animosity between Jack and Gwen. And the romantic interest between Jack and Rose. I love the character of Ludwig. Interesting and multi faceted character. I will have continue reading to see what happens. I would have enjoyed more back stories, but I have a feeling more will be explained as we go along in the next book. Really good read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews