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katarina_nowicki's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ggreeley's review against another edition
3.0
I think I would have liked this story better if I read it instead of listened to it.
togidemi's review against another edition
5.0
yeah i'm reading middle-grade again. all the love to kate for the rec
Good God. Excellent stakes and pacing, and particularly BRUTAL for a middle-grade book. People get mauled, people die, the cross-section of organs (thanks displacers!) and gore are described with just enough detail to not fuck up a child but make me, a grown-ass adult, go "hey uh. what" Manages to describe Lyrian as both a quirky and fun yet deeply dangerous fantasy world. The ending had me scrambling to read the second book.
Good God. Excellent stakes and pacing, and particularly BRUTAL for a middle-grade book. People get mauled, people die, the cross-section of organs (thanks displacers!) and gore are described with just enough detail to not fuck up a child but make me, a grown-ass adult, go "hey uh. what" Manages to describe Lyrian as both a quirky and fun yet deeply dangerous fantasy world. The ending had me scrambling to read the second book.
capgambit's review against another edition
4.0
I very much enjoyed listening to this story. For me it was a little slow at first but quickly grew on me. I have to admit it was a bit more intense than Fablehaven but I think that was a benefit to the book. (When I say intense it wasn't really that intense but from the vantage point of a youth the intended audience it would be a bit more intense
hannahhbic's review
4.0
This book is great but had the potential to become something amazing. Fortunately in the following books this potential is realized. If you can make it through this one, please read the next two; they're phenomenal!
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Jason is a middle school student who is great at baseball and works at a zoo (I don't know how someone in middle school gets a job at a zoo, but we move past that very quickly). One day while working he is transported through the hippo cage to another world called Lyrian where an evil wizard emperor holds all the power. There he meets Rachel, who was also transported from Earth to Lyrian. With the help of scattered rebels, they must fine a secret word that can be used to destroy the emperor.
One thing Brandon Mull does well is write characters to engage his readers. Jason and Rachel are likable characters that will draw in young boy and girl readers. At times I felt that Jason seemed to be quite older than his thirteen years, but maybe it's because I underestimate what young teens can do. Rachel is a little more secondary as a character, so we don't find out what she's thinking as much as with Jason.
Lyrian is a very interesting world with a lot of different settings. The world building was very creative, and very much a part of the story as Jason and Rachel search for the secret word. They travel to many different places, but I don't want to go into too much detail because I think part of the fun of reading is discovering the world with the characcters.
A Sample of the Writing:
" My people are right. Indulgence is emptiness. I have probed the limits with food and frivolity. There is no real fulfillment in meaningless rushes of pleasure. You try to conceal the emptiness with more extravagance, only to find the thrills becoming less satisfying and more fleeting. Most pleasures are best as a seasoning, not the main course."
If you enjoyed Fablehaven, you'll definitely want to give this one a read as well. This book is aimed at ages 8-12, and I think those ages will definitely enjoy it, but older readers will like it as well.
A World Without Heroes is a very fun, creative fantasy and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series. There were a few slow spots, but overall it's quite an engaging story that the reader will have a hard time putting down. This is definitely one to watch for.
One thing Brandon Mull does well is write characters to engage his readers. Jason and Rachel are likable characters that will draw in young boy and girl readers. At times I felt that Jason seemed to be quite older than his thirteen years, but maybe it's because I underestimate what young teens can do. Rachel is a little more secondary as a character, so we don't find out what she's thinking as much as with Jason.
Lyrian is a very interesting world with a lot of different settings. The world building was very creative, and very much a part of the story as Jason and Rachel search for the secret word. They travel to many different places, but I don't want to go into too much detail because I think part of the fun of reading is discovering the world with the characcters.
A Sample of the Writing:
" My people are right. Indulgence is emptiness. I have probed the limits with food and frivolity. There is no real fulfillment in meaningless rushes of pleasure. You try to conceal the emptiness with more extravagance, only to find the thrills becoming less satisfying and more fleeting. Most pleasures are best as a seasoning, not the main course."
If you enjoyed Fablehaven, you'll definitely want to give this one a read as well. This book is aimed at ages 8-12, and I think those ages will definitely enjoy it, but older readers will like it as well.
A World Without Heroes is a very fun, creative fantasy and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series. There were a few slow spots, but overall it's quite an engaging story that the reader will have a hard time putting down. This is definitely one to watch for.
mstever's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
changelingreader_adrian's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75