Thought provoking and intensely psychological, read the most original hero's odyssey of the year!
Every hero's story follows a path. To save mankind, he will have to abandon it.
Imagine that when you died, no one would ever know you were all that had stood between man and the enemy.
When Jonathan Tibbs awakes in a pool of his own blood, there isn't a scratch on him to explain it. In the weeks to follow, he comes to find he's been drafted for a war with a violent and merciless otherworldly species. A war that only he remembers. Now, the man Jonathan saw himself becoming is no longer the man who can endure his future.
The first installment in this science fiction action adventure series, The Never Hero is a gritty and honest look at the psychological journey of a man forced to forge himself into a weapon. Abandoned with little guidance, and at the mercy of a bargain struck far outside his reach, Jonathan races to unlock the means to surmount the odds, and understand the mystery behind a conflict raging outside of time and memory.
In the end, the real question is what he is willing to become to save a world that will never see his sacrifice.
AT THE GATES BETWEEN WORLDS
IN A WAR OUTSIDE OF TIME
HE FIGHTS FOR US
I think there is nothing else that better defines a good writer than creativity and the way it can be translated into a structured and well written novel - I am saying this because I believe that usually creativity does not go hand in hand with structure and rigor. "The Never Hero" unexpectedly caught my attention from the book description - it is not a common thing to mix sci-fi adventures with psychological analysis. What I found most interesting in the book is actually the inner battle that Jonathan has to fight to accept his faith, and the very witty manner in which this battle of accepting his new heroic condition is transposed into writing. A different kind of sci-fi novel, where I have appreciated more the way the characters are built than how the action flows, although that cannot be ignored either.
This story belongs on the big screen! This is a very unique spin on a hero's tale, and the unexpected angle was a refreshing change from the latest sci-fi/action literature. I highly recommend for those interested in getting lost in well written action, challenging their psyche with moral dilemmas, and indulging in a modest amount of romance. I really do hope this gets made into a movie, but first I need to get my hands on the sequels!
The Never Hero is a book that will refuse to let you go; the deeper you enter Jonathon's world, the more you come to care for him, and just when you're at the edge of your seat with concern, then come the revelations. They're big, but beautifully set up, and the action-based premise is in fact a framework for posing much deeper questions about honour, duty and the identity of modern masculinity. Needless to say I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who loves heroic stories that leave a residue of contemplation, long after they're over.
Great read! It had a refreshingly unique plot, relatable cast, and finished very strong, leaving plenty open for the sequels.
I'm normally a fantasy reader and I mix SciFi in occasionally and I found this book to be a nice change of pace. There is nothing "standard" about the story. I was impressed with the originality of the plot and a hero dilemma I've never come across.
Its written in a way that makes the main character and his supporting cast much more real and relatable than your average novel. I was more immersed in the story than in my normal reading experience.
Unlike many series this debute finshed very strong. It teased on some of the theories and predictions I was considering and had several great surprises I didnt see coming at all!
All in all,the book built very well and you will enjoy it if like the challenge of puzzling out what's in store for the next page!
Always happy to support another Sacramento author! The Never Hero is a wonderful book - very cleanly written, and filled with remarkable characters. I loved the cross between science fiction and comic book lore, not to mention a unique concept to boot. Most of all I liked how realistic the characters were - how our star faces the challenges he has been pushed into, and the honest worries he feels about this secret war he's forced to fight. Far to often characters accept their fate without reservation and become a instant hero - not Jonathan. He isn't ready for his powers, nor does he completely understand them. The concept of time is also very neat, if not a bit difficult to wrap your head around. This is, however, very much how the main star feels, so I was right there with him in his agony. This book also has some good humor, most of all the debates surrounding Superman and Jesus Christ - truly funny. The only negative I might say is it takes a long time for anything to really happen - about 10 chapters before the first serious battle. I understand since this is just the beginning to a larger story, I just prefer a bit more action content early on.
All sci-fi fans owe to themselves to check this book out. You won't be sorry you did.
The Never Hero was not something I would usually choose to read but I’m very glad I did. I read a lot and there is the most pleasant yet annoying affect that happens with a great book. At random moments of the day, I’ll catch myself thinking about the story and wondering what will happen as if I’ve paused a movie. This book is definitely among that category. I connected well with the characters, was impressed by the unique storyline and genuinely enjoyed the style in which it was written.
One of the best parts of this book is the supporting cast of friends the main character has. Without going off on random tangents the story artfully provides details about the side characters that build and strengthen your feelings towards them. You’re left with a feeling you know them almost as well as the main character but without piling on 10 more chapters. I found myself smiling to the pages as if sharing whatever witty comment or insight that was just made with my friends!
Although I’ve read a lot of fantasy books, I’ve never read anything with such a unique storyline. Not only did the tale begin with an intriguing set up, the tale only continued to deepen and expand as you read. I was fortunate enough to read this book with a few friends and we spent an embarrassing amount of time discussing and hypothesizing where this story was going (if you get the chance, strongly recommend book-clubbing this read).
The narrative to this story is another important aspect to remark on. Not only is it funny and entertaining and the dialog completely relatable but it’s SO insightful. Multiple times while reading this I found these unexpected, “Innnnnnteresting, I never thought of that” moments that genuinely shocked me, especially in the casual manner they were incorporated into the story. It wasn’t a soapbox-preaching-type deal but just a different perspective that carried true value for me in the real world. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book!
First time author T. Ellery Hodges enters the scifi genre with both barrels blazing! His debut novel The Never Hero is an unexpected thrill-ride through both time and space as our protagonist Jonathan fights an alien force hell-bent on destroying humankind.
From the back cover:
At the gates between worlds
In a war outside of time
He fights for us
First, I have to admit: I read this novel after a previous binge on the Doom and Alien/Aliens series. In many ways Jonathan Tibbs reminded me of a contemporary portrayal of Dafydd ab Hugh’s first introduction of Fly in Doom: Knee-Deep in the Dead, a capable protagonist thrown into a war he did not want to fight. In both novels, Jonathan and Fly are all that stand between Earth’s destruction by a monstrous alien army. They are reluctant to fight but honorably rise to a role as faceless defenders—a plot that only fate could orchestrate.
Hodges’s writing style is clear and appropriate for the genre; his dialogue is fluid. The characters are well rounded and meaningfully contribute to the story, providing a few subplots that add instead of distract from the main plot. The action sequences are well composed and easy to visualize. Overall, Hodges’s writing is solid.
This is definitely a new creative series for fans of Science Fiction, Superhero, and Alien Invasion. An imaginative amalgamation of genres!
Written on 08 December 2014 by D. L. Denham.
