Author: Renée Pawlish
Publisher: Barnes & Noble
Rating: WARTY!
DISCLOSURE: Unlike the majority of reviews in this blog, I've neither bought this book nor borrowed it from the library. This is a "galley" copy ebook, supplied by Net Galley. I'm not receiving (nor will I expect to receive or accept) remuneration for this review. The chance to read a new book is often enough reward aplenty!
I don't get the title of this: "Beginning of a Hero"? Surely it's the making of a hero isn't it? How is a hero 'begun'?! Even "The Beginnings of a hero" would have sounded better, but to outright label your story heroic and legendary up front takes some gall. I'd rather decide for myself if it is either or none.
This book felt doomed to me from early on because it hit pretty much every cliché there is to hit in this kind of fantasy story, and my yearning for something a little off the beaten track was once again frustrated.
Luke Callindor is the male protag, and he's obsessed with heroism so much so that he's prepared to outright lie to get in on an adventure that might glorify him. I didn't like him at all.
He talks himself into a job protecting the heir of Duke Solomon, who is, we can immediately guess, a female - and as soon as we meet her we know at once that it's her even though Luke is clueless for some considerable time.
The problem as that this was set in what appeared to be medieval times (suitable to the trope fantasy), but it has a modern school - a school which the heir attended and now which Luke has to attend to try and figure out who the heir is that he needs to protect. I say 'modern' meaning literally that - it's organized just like a modern high school, with class schedules and a cafeteria, which was ludicrous to me.
There's a Lord Voldemort-like bad guy, and a Snape-like minion who can disguise himself and who is evidently dedicated to finding this heir, too. I couldn't stand the way this was written, the tropes, the clichés, and the amusingly dedicated cycling through half-a-dozen names for Luke, featuring names like: The Forest Tracker, The Young Warrior, and so on.
I got bored quickly, and I can't recommend this. If you do like it, there are at least four episodes in this series, so you'll not lack for reading material. This may not be environmentally sound, but I prefer something new to something recycled, so this is not for me.
