In August 2012 I reviewed Yesterday's Hero by Jonathan Wood. Today the novel is published by Titan Books with a fantastic new cover. The wonderful inside, however, remains the same. To celebrate the publication of Yesterday's Hero, I'm re-sharing my review and Jonathan Wood is giving away 4 copies of the novel. Please join me in wishing Jonathan a Happy Publication Day! Yesterday's Hero was one of my favorite books of 2012. You really want to read this novel.
Yesterday's Hero
Author: Jonathan Wood
Series: Arthur Wallace / No Hero 2
Publisher: Titan Books, September 9, 2014
Format: Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages
List Price: $14.95 (print)
ISBN: 9781781168080 (print)
Author: Jonathan Wood
Series: Arthur Wallace / No Hero 2
Publisher: Titan Books, September 9, 2014
Format: Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages
List Price: $14.95 (print)
ISBN: 9781781168080 (print)
Another day. Another zombie T-Rex to put down. All part of the routine for Arthur Wallace and MI37—the British government department devoted to defending Britain from threats magical, supernatural, extraterrestrial, and generally odd.Except a zombie T-Rex is only the first of the problems about to trample, slavering and roaring, through Arthur’s life. Before he can say, “but didn’t I save the world yesterday?” a new co-director at MI37 is threatening his job, middle-aged Russian cyborg wizards are threatening his life, and his co-workers’ are threatening his sanity.
As Arthur struggles to unravel a plot to re-enact the Chernobyl disaster in England’s capital, he must not only battle foreign wizards but also struggle to keep the trust of his team. Events spiral out of control, friendships fray, and loyalties are tested to their breaking point.
Qwill's Thoughts
I'm going to say this right up front: Yesterday's Hero is one of my favorite books of 2012. Why? Read on.
In the second book featuring Arthur Wallace, former Oxford (England) detective and now MI37 agent, Jonathan Wood has written a fantastical story complete with evil Russian wizards, a save the world scenario, a scintillating and fast-paced plot, and most important, characters that I care about deeply. Jonathan Wood made me cry... more than once. And I can't tell you why. Let's just say I became so heavily invested in the characters that I really felt for them. I knew them from the first novel, No Hero, and got to know and understand them even more in Yesterday's Hero.
The staff of MI37 is a collection of highly quirky individuals, each very well-written. Even the secondary characters from the first novel feel like old friends in Yesterday's Hero. In addition, a new set of characters fighting against the bad guys alongside of, but not with, the MI37 agents is introduced. Each of these characters is fascinating. Finally on the supposed good guy side there is one character in Yesterday's Hero that I absolutely despised, loathed and hated. He was brilliantly written, thoroughly awful and I was hoping he'd met a grisly death. You'll have to read the novel to see what happens to him.
While Yesterday's Hero is chock full of action, there are moments when it is contemplative as well (sometimes in the midst of a lot of action). The story is told from Arthur's perspective so we are carried along on his train of thought throughout. Arthur is an unlikely hero, bumbling along at times, but always trying to do the right thing. Relying on his detective skills is never more important than in Yesterday's Hero.
The story itself is engrossing and nail-bitingly tense at times. However, it's not all gloom, doom and destruction. There are moments of humor throughout. Yesterday's Hero moves at a steady clip as Arthur tries to save the world... again.
Bottom Line: Yesterday's Hero is a beautifully written fast-paced Urban Fantasy with an engrossing story and characters you'll love to love and even love to hate.
I'm going to say this right up front: Yesterday's Hero is one of my favorite books of 2012. Why? Read on.
In the second book featuring Arthur Wallace, former Oxford (England) detective and now MI37 agent, Jonathan Wood has written a fantastical story complete with evil Russian wizards, a save the world scenario, a scintillating and fast-paced plot, and most important, characters that I care about deeply. Jonathan Wood made me cry... more than once. And I can't tell you why. Let's just say I became so heavily invested in the characters that I really felt for them. I knew them from the first novel, No Hero, and got to know and understand them even more in Yesterday's Hero.
The staff of MI37 is a collection of highly quirky individuals, each very well-written. Even the secondary characters from the first novel feel like old friends in Yesterday's Hero. In addition, a new set of characters fighting against the bad guys alongside of, but not with, the MI37 agents is introduced. Each of these characters is fascinating. Finally on the supposed good guy side there is one character in Yesterday's Hero that I absolutely despised, loathed and hated. He was brilliantly written, thoroughly awful and I was hoping he'd met a grisly death. You'll have to read the novel to see what happens to him.
While Yesterday's Hero is chock full of action, there are moments when it is contemplative as well (sometimes in the midst of a lot of action). The story is told from Arthur's perspective so we are carried along on his train of thought throughout. Arthur is an unlikely hero, bumbling along at times, but always trying to do the right thing. Relying on his detective skills is never more important than in Yesterday's Hero.
The story itself is engrossing and nail-bitingly tense at times. However, it's not all gloom, doom and destruction. There are moments of humor throughout. Yesterday's Hero moves at a steady clip as Arthur tries to save the world... again.
Bottom Line: Yesterday's Hero is a beautifully written fast-paced Urban Fantasy with an engrossing story and characters you'll love to love and even love to hate.
Previously
No Hero
Arthur Wallace / No Hero 1
Titan Books, March 11, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 384 pages
(previously published by Night Shade Books)
No Hero
Arthur Wallace / No Hero 1
Titan Books, March 11, 2014
Mass Market Paperback and eBook, 384 pages
(previously published by Night Shade Books)
"What would Kurt Russell do?" Oxford police detective Arthur Wallace asks himself that question a lot. Because Arthur is no hero. He's a good cop, but prefers that action and heroics remain on the screen, safely performed by professionals. But then, secretive government agency MI12 comes calling, hoping to recruit Arthur in their struggle against the tentacled horrors from another dimension known as the Progeny. But Arthur is NO HERO! Can an everyman stand against sanity-ripping cosmic horrors?
And coming in 2015
Anti-Hero
Arthur Wallace / No Hero 3
Titan Books, March 10, 2015
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages
Anti-Hero
Arthur Wallace / No Hero 3
Titan Books, March 10, 2015
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages
What do you do when your best friend becomes a supervillain?Agent Arthur Wallace is used to dealing with danger that is extraterrestrial, supernatural, or generally odd. But when a drone-strike interrupts his best friend’s funeral, it becomes clear that his next assignment is going to be stranger than usual. When it turns out that the drone was hijacked by a rogue, digital version of that friend… well then nothing is clear to Arthur any more.
Now the man Arthur counted on most is set on destroying humanity in a grand scheme to save the natural world. And the CIA is set on destroying that man. And Arthur can’t work out who the hero is any more. But he has to work out the all the answers fast, because now he’s staring into the bloody maw of the zombpocalypse itself.
The Giveaway
What: Four entrants will each win a copy of Yesterday's Here by Jonathan Wood from the author.
How: Log into and follow the directions in the Rafflecopter below.
Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59PM US Eastern Time on September 17, 2014. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.
*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change without any notice.*
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Jonathan is a good guy, and I am glad his books, his series are getting "another chance"
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like it's right up my alley. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the first book and would love to win a copy of the second!
ReplyDeletethis looks and sounds awesome! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI vaguely remember seeing No Hero, but apparently it didn't make a big impression. After reading your post and review, I'll have to check both books out. They sound great.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the intro to this series I was not previously aware of. Those are fun looking covers, very ominous tentacles.
ReplyDeleteNice covers
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting series that I didn't know about. Thanks for the information.
ReplyDeleteThe covers alone say must read.
ReplyDelete