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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Anytime I've heard this book mentioned, it's always been people saying it was great- and so it was. When I started, I didn't realize this was a sci-fi/fantasy mashup - set in the future with "actors" being sent to an alternate world (where the people are real) all for the entertainment of the people on earth who watch the actors in first person. I know it sounds crazy, but it was fantastic. The entire time I was reading it was playing out like a movie in my mind - in fact, I can't believe it isn't a movie.
It's mostly fast paced action adventure, with sci-fi elements, magic, and a really awesome "bad guy" (but in this book, who exactly is the bad guy?). The one thing that bothered me about the book was several torture scenes that turned my stomach a bit. Althought it wasn't anything worse than you'd find in [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1284167912s/944073.jpg|929009] or [b:The Shadow of the Torturer|60211|The Shadow of the Torturer (The Book of the New Sun #1)|Gene Wolfe|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329650008s/60211.jpg|762497] (Book of the New Sun).
I recently read [b:Altered Carbon|40445|Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs, #1)|Richard K. Morgan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387128955s/40445.jpg|2095852] and now I'm imagining a match up between Takeshi Kovacs and Caine. They're both super bad ass... I think I'd probably give it to Takeshi though since he has the special drugs/modifications in his brain.
It's mostly fast paced action adventure, with sci-fi elements, magic, and a really awesome "bad guy" (but in this book, who exactly is the bad guy?). The one thing that bothered me about the book was several torture scenes that turned my stomach a bit. Althought it wasn't anything worse than you'd find in [b:The Blade Itself|944073|The Blade Itself (The First Law, #1)|Joe Abercrombie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1284167912s/944073.jpg|929009] or [b:The Shadow of the Torturer|60211|The Shadow of the Torturer (The Book of the New Sun #1)|Gene Wolfe|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329650008s/60211.jpg|762497] (Book of the New Sun).
I recently read [b:Altered Carbon|40445|Altered Carbon (Takeshi Kovacs, #1)|Richard K. Morgan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387128955s/40445.jpg|2095852] and now I'm imagining a match up between Takeshi Kovacs and Caine. They're both super bad ass... I think I'd probably give it to Takeshi though since he has the special drugs/modifications in his brain.
That. Was. Amazing. Okay, yes, it also took me two weeks, but that's because I was trying to read this along with a non-fiction book.
Okay, so...I almost stopped reading this book at the beginning because I'm averse to first-person POV. I'm glad that I didn't give up on it. I love the ambiguously shaded characters, the obviously evil characters, and the parallels between this world and ours. I love how entertainment was taken to the extreme, which I can see happening here too. Why read when you can *live* the adventure alongside your hero?
That's what it felt like I was doing as I read Heroes Die. I was adventuring alongside all of them. When I did read this book, when I wasn't pushing through Battle Cry of Freedom, it was difficult to put down. Holy shit. This book is amazing.
Okay, so...I almost stopped reading this book at the beginning because I'm averse to first-person POV. I'm glad that I didn't give up on it. I love the ambiguously shaded characters, the obviously evil characters, and the parallels between this world and ours. I love how entertainment was taken to the extreme, which I can see happening here too. Why read when you can *live* the adventure alongside your hero?
That's what it felt like I was doing as I read Heroes Die. I was adventuring alongside all of them. When I did read this book, when I wasn't pushing through Battle Cry of Freedom, it was difficult to put down. Holy shit. This book is amazing.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
๐ That cover though
๐คท๐ปโโ๏ธ Everyone is terrible
๐Brutal fight scenes are brutal
๐คท๐ปโโ๏ธ Everyone is terrible
๐Brutal fight scenes are brutal
Literally one of the best books I've ever read. Great action. Great adventure. Some fantastic plot twists.
Characterization is on point. I think about this book very often and is definitely a touchstone in my life.
Characterization is on point. I think about this book very often and is definitely a touchstone in my life.
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Summary: Heroes Die is an exciting yet intelligent sci-fi/fantasy action thriller. It weaves several fantasy and dystopia tropes together in new and exciting ways, with a morally grey, badass, action hero protagonist.
-Recommended for fans of morally grey, grizzled protagonists
-Not recommended for those who avoid more mature content
-Recommended for action film fans
-Not recommended if you prefer pure fantasy or sci-fi
In Heroes Die, all the worlds a stage - just not our world. Caine/Hari is the ultimate method actor, and both the producers and his unwitting co-stars could prove deadly to him, given the chance. Hari sets out to save his estranged wife - but only on the stringent conditions set on him by the entertainment corporation he works for - which includes having to do a press tour first.
Most of the novel takes place in Ankhana, a Hyborean-esq brutal and violent land - although we do get segments set in our world, which is a fairly typical corporate dystopia, with the difference that entertainment is based around sending 'actors' to another world as mercenaries to allow others to live vicariously through their misdeeds.
The action in Heroes die is explosive, kinetic, edge of your seat stuff, and probably its biggest strength. Every sequence puts Caine in mortal danger, and some of the hits he takes are felt throughout the seven days in which the novel takes place.
In fact, you may see some irony of a novel criticising violence as entertainment while providing some of the most entertaining violence I have read. I'm not sure how, but it actually works, and there's no doubt in my mind that Stover knew exactly what he was doing. This book is intelligent in ways I can't quite explain, but I will give it a try.
I think what it comes down to is the relationships. Caine's wife is trying to do some genuine good in Ankhana by opposing some of the atrocities of the regime (bad for ratings, and worrying for the corporations when so many people see the actors as heroes) and Caine starts to question his own values (or lack of them) as he compares himself to others he knows.
In general the majority of the characters are really well developed, and you can't help but be fascinated by the powerful and enigmatic antagonist, Ma'elkoth. It helps that every character feels like they have a wealth of history of experiences together, touches that make everything feel more real.
As I said, the plot takes place over seven days, and it moves like a rollercoaster. The POV moves into first person while Caine is in Ankhana - we're seeing and experiencing what Caine is, much like the first-handers back on earth, and the writing sells you on the appeal. The POV masterfully switches to third person limited when we're following Hari on earth, or a secondary character (several get a POV scenes along the way) or third person omniscient when giving a wider view of the events at hand. Stover switches between them seamlessly.
If I had any complaints about the book, it would only be that certain elements of the setting and plot were more derivative than I would have liked, and may have benefitted from a little more focus. There was also a certain blindspot that some of the characters had that was improbable to the point of being ridiculous, especially since the plot depended on it.
Heroes Die is far better than it has any right to be. The action is intense, the world is vivid and there's a depth to the book that you wouldn't expect from its B-movie premise. I'd recommend this book to any fan of action filled plots, especially those who like a bit of cleverness beneath it.
Rating: 9/10
Find this and more reviews on my blog
-Recommended for fans of morally grey, grizzled protagonists
-Not recommended for those who avoid more mature content
-Recommended for action film fans
-Not recommended if you prefer pure fantasy or sci-fi
In Heroes Die, all the worlds a stage - just not our world. Caine/Hari is the ultimate method actor, and both the producers and his unwitting co-stars could prove deadly to him, given the chance. Hari sets out to save his estranged wife - but only on the stringent conditions set on him by the entertainment corporation he works for - which includes having to do a press tour first.
Most of the novel takes place in Ankhana, a Hyborean-esq brutal and violent land - although we do get segments set in our world, which is a fairly typical corporate dystopia, with the difference that entertainment is based around sending 'actors' to another world as mercenaries to allow others to live vicariously through their misdeeds.
The action in Heroes die is explosive, kinetic, edge of your seat stuff, and probably its biggest strength. Every sequence puts Caine in mortal danger, and some of the hits he takes are felt throughout the seven days in which the novel takes place.
In fact, you may see some irony of a novel criticising violence as entertainment while providing some of the most entertaining violence I have read. I'm not sure how, but it actually works, and there's no doubt in my mind that Stover knew exactly what he was doing. This book is intelligent in ways I can't quite explain, but I will give it a try.
I think what it comes down to is the relationships. Caine's wife is trying to do some genuine good in Ankhana by opposing some of the atrocities of the regime (bad for ratings, and worrying for the corporations when so many people see the actors as heroes) and Caine starts to question his own values (or lack of them) as he compares himself to others he knows.
In general the majority of the characters are really well developed, and you can't help but be fascinated by the powerful and enigmatic antagonist, Ma'elkoth. It helps that every character feels like they have a wealth of history of experiences together, touches that make everything feel more real.
As I said, the plot takes place over seven days, and it moves like a rollercoaster. The POV moves into first person while Caine is in Ankhana - we're seeing and experiencing what Caine is, much like the first-handers back on earth, and the writing sells you on the appeal. The POV masterfully switches to third person limited when we're following Hari on earth, or a secondary character (several get a POV scenes along the way) or third person omniscient when giving a wider view of the events at hand. Stover switches between them seamlessly.
If I had any complaints about the book, it would only be that certain elements of the setting and plot were more derivative than I would have liked, and may have benefitted from a little more focus. There was also a certain blindspot that some of the characters had that was improbable to the point of being ridiculous, especially since the plot depended on it.
Heroes Die is far better than it has any right to be. The action is intense, the world is vivid and there's a depth to the book that you wouldn't expect from its B-movie premise. I'd recommend this book to any fan of action filled plots, especially those who like a bit of cleverness beneath it.
Rating: 9/10
Find this and more reviews on my blog
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Grim and gritty without beating you over the head with it. Sort of like Brust's Draegara without the sarcasm. Stover had 20 years of martial arts experience when he wrote this, and it shows - the fight scenes are marvellous - but detailed, so if you squick easily, give this one a miss.
It did show it's age a little - somehow, I kept visually expecting the "set" to look like something from an 80's/early 90's movie. Sort of like the Arnie Conan movies mixed with Babylon Five. Also, Ma'elKoth very clearly needs to be played by a time travelling Clancy Brown. I cannot picture anyone else in the role. I can't quite put my finger on what made me feel that way, but the book worked for me anyway.
It's interesting - there's a line somewhere between "grim and gritty" and "too grim and gritty", for me, and Heroes Die is on the right side, while the Malazan books are on the wrong side.
Overall, I liked this book enough that I think I might not only find more of the author's work, I might even read some of the Star Wars novels he's written. The only other author I've dipped into that well for since high school is Barbara Hambly. Which would say more if you knew how much I like Hambly (it's a lot).
It did show it's age a little - somehow, I kept visually expecting the "set" to look like something from an 80's/early 90's movie. Sort of like the Arnie Conan movies mixed with Babylon Five. Also, Ma'elKoth very clearly needs to be played by a time travelling Clancy Brown. I cannot picture anyone else in the role. I can't quite put my finger on what made me feel that way, but the book worked for me anyway.
It's interesting - there's a line somewhere between "grim and gritty" and "too grim and gritty", for me, and Heroes Die is on the right side, while the Malazan books are on the wrong side.
Overall, I liked this book enough that I think I might not only find more of the author's work, I might even read some of the Star Wars novels he's written. The only other author I've dipped into that well for since high school is Barbara Hambly. Which would say more if you knew how much I like Hambly (it's a lot).
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Mini-Review:
I am so glad that this book came across my GR feed! Yay for GR friends!
If you're looking for a clean cut story of good guys vs bad guys, this is not it. The author pulls no punches. Each scene was very much the epitome of what it should be. There's doubt, politics, grandstanding, threats, violence, conflicts of love, horrible acts and the varied fruits of pride.
Entertainment has reached new heights of popularity and people all over the world are willing to pay money to be a part of the latest adventure. Actors are transported to another world and live out various roles that fuel the entertainment industry. People pay to get a first hand account of the adventure. They pay to be the actor and experience everything the actor does during the 'adventure'. An immersive experience unlike any other. One can be the hero or the villain for a price.
Hari is one of the most popular actors in the industry. He's alter ego is Caine. A renown warrior. His estranged wife, also an actress, is in danger. Her sync has gone offline and she will die if she doesn't come back to Earth. Hari can have a chance to save her. He just has to agree to assassinate the ruler of Ankhana.
Great book!
Yes, there are moments when I think the grandstanding was overdone but overall, I loved Hari/Caine and the wild adventure both in and off Earth.
I am so glad that this book came across my GR feed! Yay for GR friends!
If you're looking for a clean cut story of good guys vs bad guys, this is not it. The author pulls no punches. Each scene was very much the epitome of what it should be. There's doubt, politics, grandstanding, threats, violence, conflicts of love, horrible acts and the varied fruits of pride.
Entertainment has reached new heights of popularity and people all over the world are willing to pay money to be a part of the latest adventure. Actors are transported to another world and live out various roles that fuel the entertainment industry. People pay to get a first hand account of the adventure. They pay to be the actor and experience everything the actor does during the 'adventure'. An immersive experience unlike any other. One can be the hero or the villain for a price.
Hari is one of the most popular actors in the industry. He's alter ego is Caine. A renown warrior. His estranged wife, also an actress, is in danger. Her sync has gone offline and she will die if she doesn't come back to Earth. Hari can have a chance to save her. He just has to agree to assassinate the ruler of Ankhana.
Great book!
Yes, there are moments when I think the grandstanding was overdone but overall, I loved Hari/Caine and the wild adventure both in and off Earth.