"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?
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Wood creates vivid, intensely human characters and his perfect sense of timing keeps the book bounding along at a quick pace. A funny, dark, rip-roaring adventure with a lot of heart, highly recommended for urban fantasy and light science fiction readers alike." - Publisher's Weekly
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More About the Author
Jonathan Wood is an Englishman in New York. He writes odd little things that show up in odd little places, including in The Best of Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Chizine, and Weird Tales. Most of his short fiction is available for free on-line. Links can be found on his web site www.cogsandneurons.com.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Cthulhu and a shellshocked British bobby walk into a bar...
In the oversaturated realm of urban fantasy, what's another book, eh? Jonathan Wood's NO HERO features smart but somewhat stodgy British copper, Arthur Wallace, who is absolutely unprepared when the world requires him to play action hero. As a child, young Arthur Wallace was inspired watching TANGO & CASH and he ended up joining the Oxford police force. Arthur lives by his mantra: W.W.K.R.D.? ("What would Kurt Russell Do?") But what can Kurt Russell do when nightmarish other-dimensional creatures known as the Progeny menace our reality? Arthur Wallace and cosmic threats go together like chicken soup and a slap in the face.
Investigating a series of seemingly random serial killings, Arthur catches a whiff of the supernatural and promptly gets recruited into MI37, the secretive government agency what takes on paranormal incursions. Except that MI37, low on credibility, is abysmally budgeted and so very close to being mothballed. It's quickly evident that Arthur, stepping out of his familiar world of police procedural, is no Agent Mulder, is not dashing, doesn't spring into action with panache or wicked moves. The author plonks him in interesting company. His field team is constructed of a foul-mouthed Scottish sword-wielding chick harboring massive psychoses, a chemist/thaumaturgist who is a Nervous Nelly and a walking run-on sentence, and a Goth computer chick who provides tech support. The dysfunction will flow.
And the Progeny aren't even the most frightening element. The Progeny's mission is to effect the crossover of their masters, the Feeders, from their dark world into ours. An opposing faction are the Dreamers, elusive figures who can reshape reality at a whim. All these weird entities seem to be taking turns playing Whack-a-Mole with our planet. You'd think MI37 would get a raise.
NO HERO may remind some of Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International series or Nick Pollota's Bureau 13, except that it takes a comparatively more restrained approach, and this relates to how Wood portrays his lead character. Correia and Pollota's stories tend to be riproaring stuff, balls to the wall buttkickfests from jump, with larger than life protagonists. And while NO HERO offers plenty of wild skirmishes, its main character is initially more a sideline figure, or whenever he is in the middle of a melee, he's quickly immobilized or kicked to the curb. It takes Wallace a bit of time to get acclimated to his strange new sitch, and you may find yourself getting cheesed at his frequent goofs. What I like is that Arthur behaves realistically. He's a game guy; it's just that he finds himself so out of his element at first that he can't help but blunder. I also like the plot mechanism which Wood introduces, that, in this reality, manipulation of occult forces is fueled by electricity. Thus, you have MI37's resident operator of "magic" stuffing his cheeks with AA batteries as he casts his spells. Quirky stuff like that is what makes NO HERO a page-turning read. I'm also hoping that that one feisty animated figure composed of library books (one of MI37's oddest agents) shows up in the sequel. Oh, there'll be a sequel. If you're an H.P. Lovecraft fan, you may not want to pass this up. I'm sure Kurt Russell wouldn't. Or even Nipsey Russell.
In the oversaturated realm of urban fantasy, what's another book, eh? Jonathan Wood's NO HERO features smart but somewhat stodgy British copper, Arthur Wallace, who is absolutely unprepared when the world requires him to play action hero. As a child, young Arthur Wallace was inspired watching TANGO & CASH and he ended up joining the Oxford police force. Arthur lives by his mantra: W.W.K.R.D.? ("What would Kurt Russell Do?") But what can Kurt Russell do when nightmarish other-dimensional creatures known as the Progeny menace our reality? Arthur Wallace and cosmic threats go together like chicken soup and a slap in the face.
Investigating a series of seemingly random serial killings, Arthur catches a whiff of the supernatural and promptly gets recruited into MI37, the secretive government agency what takes on paranormal incursions. Except that MI37, low on credibility, is abysmally budgeted and so very close to being mothballed. It's quickly evident that Arthur, stepping out of his familiar world of police procedural, is no Agent Mulder, is not dashing, doesn't spring into action with panache or wicked moves. The author plonks him in interesting company. His field team is constructed of a foul-mouthed Scottish sword-wielding chick harboring massive psychoses, a chemist/thaumaturgist who is a Nervous Nelly and a walking run-on sentence, and a Goth computer chick who provides tech support. The dysfunction will flow.
And the Progeny aren't even the most frightening element. The Progeny's mission is to effect the crossover of their masters, the Feeders, from their dark world into ours. An opposing faction are the Dreamers, elusive figures who can reshape reality at a whim. All these weird entities seem to be taking turns playing Whack-a-Mole with our planet. You'd think MI37 would get a raise.
NO HERO may remind some of Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International series or Nick Pollota's Bureau 13, except that it takes a comparatively more restrained approach, and this relates to how Wood portrays his lead character. Correia and Pollota's stories tend to be riproaring stuff, balls to the wall buttkickfests from jump, with larger than life protagonists. And while NO HERO offers plenty of wild skirmishes, its main character is initially more a sideline figure, or whenever he is in the middle of a melee, he's quickly immobilized or kicked to the curb. It takes Wallace a bit of time to get acclimated to his strange new sitch, and you may find yourself getting cheesed at his frequent goofs. What I like is that Arthur behaves realistically. He's a game guy; it's just that he finds himself so out of his element at first that he can't help but blunder. I also like the plot mechanism which Wood introduces, that, in this reality, manipulation of occult forces is fueled by electricity. Thus, you have MI37's resident operator of "magic" stuffing his cheeks with AA batteries as he casts his spells. Quirky stuff like that is what makes NO HERO a page-turning read. I'm also hoping that that one feisty animated figure composed of library books (one of MI37's oddest agents) shows up in the sequel. Oh, there'll be a sequel. If you're an H.P. Lovecraft fan, you may not want to pass this up. I'm sure Kurt Russell wouldn't. Or even Nipsey Russell.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Collin Smith
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
No Hero tells a riveting bildungsroman for the modern age. Most people dream of the opportunity to be pulled from the monotony of the everyday job and moved into a realm of excitement and intrigue. No Hero does an excellent job of demonstrating how this would be both novel and terrifying. Truly a Lovecraftian hero at his core, the protagonist is ripped from the life he knows, and forced into a nightmarish fight he wants no part of. This character carries on despite the risks to his health and his sanity in a universe that neither cares nor coddles. Unlike Lovecraft, Jonathan Wood dreams in a universe where the victor is rewarded for his successes. I can't wait to read more from Mr. Wood.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Kae
Format:Kindle Edition
I really liked the first-person non-hero, Arthur Wallace. Jonathan Wood has written this character with style and personality that grabs the reader from the opening page. The supporting cast are also well written, from the loquacious science guy to the steampunk cyber authority, and the "Let's stick to business" leader of MI37. NO HERO is an action Sci Fi adventure akin to the movies Men in Black and, Arthur's favorite, Big Trouble in Little China.
In NO HERO the aliens are seeping through from another reality--an updated version of the usual "world is doomed" scenario. This is also a popular theme in SF right now, with true science speculating on different universe dimensions with different physical properties. The idea is that our universe has a membrane that secludes us from different entities and physics. I especially like Wallace's continual shock that he is in a real "save the world" situation--sometimes he is exhilarated, but most often is aghast at his position in it all. His frustration at not really knowing what is happening is palpable. The whole idea of another dimension is as alien to him as the aliens.
But, there were story problems--or actually, elements in action adventures that usually gripe me. Jonathan Wood wrote from the accepted rules of the genre and did a fine job, but I am always bummed by the ineffective "good guys" who have limited skills, power, etc. while the "bad guys" (in this case the Progeny) seem invincible. I suppose this is to get the reader to cheer for the underdog. I could accept the underdog role of Wallace and his MI37 team, but the supposed Keepers of the Status Quo Between Realities (the Dreamers) were a bunch of duffs. And while Wallace was frustrated with inadequate information, the final action scenes left me frustrated with the continual deflection of any real answers or presentation of what was really happening. I still can't figure why the Dreamers were so ineffective. Nor could I figure out how people like The Sheilas (and a few others) came to be.
The potential for further books with Arthur Wallace and MI37 fighting anomalies of the universe is clearly set up, and for all that I don't often like some of the devices of this genre, I know I'll grab the next J. Wood books and enjoy the action and unique situations.
In NO HERO the aliens are seeping through from another reality--an updated version of the usual "world is doomed" scenario. This is also a popular theme in SF right now, with true science speculating on different universe dimensions with different physical properties. The idea is that our universe has a membrane that secludes us from different entities and physics. I especially like Wallace's continual shock that he is in a real "save the world" situation--sometimes he is exhilarated, but most often is aghast at his position in it all. His frustration at not really knowing what is happening is palpable. The whole idea of another dimension is as alien to him as the aliens.
But, there were story problems--or actually, elements in action adventures that usually gripe me. Jonathan Wood wrote from the accepted rules of the genre and did a fine job, but I am always bummed by the ineffective "good guys" who have limited skills, power, etc. while the "bad guys" (in this case the Progeny) seem invincible. I suppose this is to get the reader to cheer for the underdog. I could accept the underdog role of Wallace and his MI37 team, but the supposed Keepers of the Status Quo Between Realities (the Dreamers) were a bunch of duffs. And while Wallace was frustrated with inadequate information, the final action scenes left me frustrated with the continual deflection of any real answers or presentation of what was really happening. I still can't figure why the Dreamers were so ineffective. Nor could I figure out how people like The Sheilas (and a few others) came to be.
The potential for further books with Arthur Wallace and MI37 fighting anomalies of the universe is clearly set up, and for all that I don't often like some of the devices of this genre, I know I'll grab the next J. Wood books and enjoy the action and unique situations.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
I want to beat the author with this book!
I grew up during the 50's when men's magazines were dectective magazines, westerns, or war magazines. They were full of lurid or purple prose. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Lost In Kansas
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great series opener
A fun and compelling read in my new favorite genre (police/mystery novels set in England with a paranormal focus. It's narrow, I know). Read more
Published 8 months ago by Caroline Niziol
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great fun, if a bit predictable
This is a fun romp through standard, if well used urban fantasy tropes. Police detective Arthur Wallace stumbles into a secret world of magic & Lovecraftian horror. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Timothy C Allison
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kurt Russell would probably stand aside and let his stunt double take...
Having read Jonathan Wood's The Nyarlathotep Event when wired.com serialised it last summer, I was reasonably sure I would enjoy No Hero. I am pleased to say I was right. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Mary E. Layton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Covers tend to draw me in...
I first saw this book on the "new fantasy books" shelf at Barnes and Noble. I was immediately drawn to it by its beautiful cover and, though it's rather sad, I bought it mostly... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Calvin Cross
4.0 out of 5 stars
Give it a go
This was a good read and had a few new twists for the Urban fantasy genre, eg no vampires, werewolves etc, at least not yet, although Chernobyl was the result of some magic going... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Sarge
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sci-Fi or whatever doesn't get any better than this
Oxford, UK present day. Detective Arthur Wallace is on the trail of a serial killer known to brutally slash victims in a peculiar way. Read more
Published 15 months ago by J. C. Danko
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good urban "fantasy" - with eldritch horrors, squamous and rugose!
It's a fairly typical urban-fantasy/horror/omgmonsters, with the someone-brought-into-a-secret-organization trope. Read more
Published 17 months ago by The Rev
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kurt Russell inspired Lovecraftian mayhem
This is a hugely enjoyable book that successfully injects the gibbering horror of the Lovecraft mythos with a strong dose of dark humour, without ever slipping in to farce or... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Glanton Bukowski
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best i've read it quite a while
No Hero really hit me hard, meaning that once i started reading it became rather hard to put it down. Read more
Published 19 months ago by theinterwebs
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