Hero Wanted [Paperback]

Dan McGirt (Author), Richard Hescox (Illustrator), Kris Tobiassen (Designer)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2009

Book One of the Jason Cosmo fantasy adventure series. Jason Cosmo is perfectly happy as a humble woodcutter in the village of Lower Hicksnittle--until a foppish stranger tries to kill him, claiming there is a price on Jason's head big enough to put the world's deadliest bounty hunters on his trail. It seems Jason has become the most feared man in the Eleven Kingdoms--which is news to Jason!

On the run from mercenaries, Demon Lords, and the full might of the sinister Dark Magic Society, Jason teams up with cynical wizard Mercury Boltblaster and winsome twins Sapphrina and Rubis to learn the truth. Driven by the Laws of Narrative, Jason's quest will take him from the bright realm of The Gods to the deadly depths of the Incredibly Dark Forest-and into a final confrontation with the forces of evil.

Followed by an even more final confrontation.

And then a sort of wrapping-up-loose-ends scene. If he lives that long..

Publisher's Note: Hero Wanted is approximately 81,000 words long. A previous version was published as Jason Cosmo.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Energetic fantasy adventure...McGirt seems prepared to stoop to the lowest literary levels to set up a joke...gleefully employs coincidence, improbability, and a downright flouting of the laws of narrative."
--Publishers Weekly*
*review of Jason Cosmo edition (1989).

"If you enjoyed Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you will love this comical fantasy story of Jason Cosmo...A very entertaining tale with all the classic fantasy elements."
--Jasmyn's Stuff

"Read this book!...If the point of a book is to entertain, then McGirt's rollicking fantasy is flawless. It is a witty, humorous, reluctant-hero-saves-world-gets-girl romp with a dash of jaded crabby wizard thrown in..."
 --P.A. Seasholtz, author of the Fayersae Histories

About the Author

Dan McGirt is the author of the Jason Cosmo fantasy adventure series and other tales, including the Jack Scarlet action-adventure series, and Sarah Palin: Vampire Hunter.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Trove Books LLC (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982059809
• ISBN-13: 978-0982059807
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,863,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

DAN MCGIRT is the author of the Jason Cosmo fantasy adventure series, beginning with Hero Wanted. His previous books include the original Jason Cosmo Non-Trilogy: Jason Cosmo, Royal Chaos and Dirty Work.

His other published stories include:
* Sarah Palin: Vampire Hunter
* Beginner's Luck
* Jack Scarlet: Bullets for Breakfast
* Jack Scarlet: A Cold, Cold Place to Die

He was named Time Person of the Year in 2006. (It's true! Look it up!)

Dan is a member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and Novelists, Inc (NINC). He is also a member of the National Geographic Society (for the magazine) and the American Automobile Association (for the free towing, which he uses more often than you might imagine.)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now, That was Fun ...., December 30, 2009

By 

Geoffrey A. Snyder (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hero Wanted (Paperback)

I read Hero Wanted on kindle but I picked up the ebook someplace other than Amazon. There were no formatting issues that I noticed, BTW.

This book is fun. It's a great fantasy action story with a lot of humor thrown in for good measure. The story itself is a standard average-guy-becomes-a-hero-finds-a-hot-chick-and-fights-demons story; but the story is well written and interesting. The humor is sometimes dry and sometimes subtle, but it always appears in unexpected places and is consistently amusing.

There is a feel of a Terry Pratchett Discworld story to this novel, but it's not quite as over the top.

When you're in the mood for something fun, read this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WE FINALLY HAVE AN HEIR TO DOUGLAS ADAMS, September 26, 2009

By 

Richard S. Friedman "Rick Friedman" (florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hero Wanted (Paperback)

HERO WANTED has shown that one can create a fantasy story- yet allow the characters to be painted with wit, smarts and intrigue. Not since the Late Douglas Adams have I read an author with such skills as Dan McGirt.

Mr McGirt has managed to write such a story that the reader is transformed into his land, and times- taken on a magic carpet ride to a place (at least this reader) did not want to end. I dreaded the final final pages- though a wopper of an ending- since it will now be some time before the next adventure comes out.

This is a book that should be bought, as it can be read over and over, and digested like a fine French dinner, with new insights appearing with each reading. VERY complex yet very accessible, - a TRUE WINNER

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever and Funny with a good story too, September 24, 2009

By 

H. Johnson (MN, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hero Wanted (Paperback)

I am surprised that nobody has reviewed this yet.

It's rare for a book to be able to walk that line between being a genuine fantasy novel, and a parody novel. This book gets that balance just right. Not too silly, but not serious either. It's a real hero's journey, but pokes fun at the stereotypes in the genre while doing it. The wit is sharp, and some of the humor is dry, but that's how I like it.

I read this book when it was first published 20 years ago. I have read it so often that my old book has fallen apart. I was extremely excited to hear that it was going to be re-published. This is like a "Director's Cut" of a movie. He has gone back and re-written the entire book from the ground up. I was a little skeptical, because of how much I loved the original, but this treatment of the book is even better. Think Extended Edition Lord of the Rings, not Special Edition Star Wars. He took something good, and made it better.

I plan on giving all of my friends copies for Christmas. They've heard me rave about these books for so many years, it will be nice to let them finally read it.

The humor may not be everybody's taste, but the story's solid. I recommend it highly.