Pages

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Review and Giveaway - No Hero by Jonathan Wood - 4 1/2 Qwills

No Hero
Author:  Jonathan Wood
Series:  Arthur Wallace
Format:  Trade Paperback, 318 pages
Publisher:  Night Shade Books (July 1, 2011)
Price:  $14.99
Language:  English
Genre:  Urban Fantasy
ISBN:  978-1-59780-282-6
Review Copy:  Purchased and NetGalley

Cover and description:

Night Shade books is proud to present the debut novel from Jonathan Wood, NO HERO.

"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 MI37 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?






My thoughts:

No Hero is essentially a book about an ordinary man trying to grapple with the unfathomable. Arthur Wallace is a police detective in Oxford, England going about the business of solving crimes when he becomes involved in something extraordinary. He’s then recruited by M137, an understaffed British government agency that deals with the Progeny and their threat to Earth. The Progeny are tentacled nightmares from another dimension. They are Lovecraftian in their creepiness. While they are presently not on Earth, their agents are. These agents are working to find a way to bring the Progeny to Earth. If that happens, the Earth will be consumed.

I really like Arthur Wallace. He’s a very engaging character, and I was firmly cheering for him in the fight against the Progeny. Arthur gets through some of the most difficult situations in the story by wondering what Kurt Russell would do. It works for him; it focuses him… sometimes. He is just a regular guy who tries to do what appears to be impossible. He often wonders what he’s gotten himself into, but still soldiers on.

Arthur’s co-workers at M137 are a bit unusual. I truly enjoyed getting to know them. Jonathan Wood does an excellent job developing these characters. Each of Arthur’s co-workers is important to the story and the unfolding events as they battle against the Progeny threat. There is even a touch of romance though romance is by no means the focus of the story.

No Hero is an exhilarating story with excellent pacing. It is at times humorous, at times thrilling, at times frightening, and at all times a terrific read. I don’t know what Kurt Russell would do, but I will definitely read the next book about Arthur Wallace.

I give No Hero 4 ½ Qwills.





Read The Qwillery's 2011 Debut Author Challenge Interview with Jonathan by clicking here.


The Giveaway

THE RULES

What:  Two commenters will each win a trade paperback copy of No Hero generously provided by Night Shade Books.

How:  Leave a comment answering the following question:

Who is your favorite movie hero? 

Please remember - if you don't answer the question your entry will not be counted.

You may receive additional entries by:

1) Being a Follower of The Qwillery.

2) Mentioning the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter. Even if you mention the giveaway on both, you will get only one additional entry. You get only one additional entry even if you mention the giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter multiple times.

3) Mentioning the giveaway on your on blog or website. It must be your own blog or website; not a website that belongs to someone else or a site where giveaways, contests, etc. are posted.

There are a total of 4 entries you may receive: Comment (1 entry), Follower (+1 entry), Facebook and/or Twitter (+ 1 entry), and personal blog/website mention (+1 entry). This is subject to change again in the future for future giveaways.

Please leave links for Facebook, Twitter, or blog/website mentions. In addition please leave a way to contact you.

Who and When: The contest is open to all humans on the planet earth with a mailing address. Contest ends at 11:59pm US Eastern Time on Tuesday, August 16, 2011. Void where prohibited by law.

*Giveaway rules are subject to change.*

23 comments:

  1. My favorite movie hero is Nathan Fillion, most especially in his role as Mal Reynolds in Serenity and Firefly. He's funny, heroic but not invincible, and a really good person.

    Barbed1951 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. My favorite movie hero is Harrison Ford in whatever movie he is in but particularly as Indiana Jones. This book looks great!
    debby236 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. My favorite movie hero, Bond, James Bond, preferably the Connery incarnation. Bond is the perfect combination of a hero who is just a bit of a cad.
    Cthulhu by any other name,Arthur seems to be a good bloke caught up with wankers. I would love to read how he deals with them.
    I follow the Qwillery at leestewarttaylor(at)gmail.com,@QQwill on twitter and this gets a mention in my blog:
    http://toobusyreading.blogspot.com/2011/08/qwillery-review-and-giveaway-no-hero-by.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. My favourite movie hero would have to be Ryan Reynolds.He's gorgeous and has perfect looks and I loved him in The Proposal:)

    +1 comment
    +1 i tweeted-http://twitter.com/#!/justjanhvi/status/101218106835341312
    +1 I'm a GFC follower-Janhvi Jagtap

    justjanhvi at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. My favorite would have to be Harrison Ford who just looks the part and almost always manages to play the part vary convincingly.

    THanks for the giveaway.

    Carol T

    +1 for comment

    +1 I Follow via GFC

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  6. My favorite movie hero is Marlon Brando in the movie On The Waterfront. What a great movie.

    I'm a follower (booklover02260

    Thanks,
    Tracey D
    booklover0226 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think my favorite movie hero is Jason statham. he is a very good actor !

    thanks for the giveaway ! i'm a follower.

    ReplyDelete
  8. My favorite hero is Hancock, he's not perfect.

    wade2121(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  9. My favorite movie heroe is Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I think he is so gorgeous and I love him in Bones also. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. John McClain (sp?) from Die Hard 1-4. He's definitely flawed, but does what needs to be done even when he doesn't want to.

    It was hard to pick one after reading everyone's comments. Many of their choices were drool worthy.

    acm05atjuno.com
    +1 GFC Anne38

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well, I don't have any specific favourite in my mind, but I love Wolverine from X-Men, Agent 47 from The Hitman and Mr. Smith from Mr. and Mrs. Smith :)

    +1 for being a follower as mikki-mano
    +1 for tweeting: http://twitter.com/#!/mikkimano/status/101360848420868096

    Thanks for the giveaway,
    mikki-mano@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. My favorite movie hero is Ryan Reynolds...love to watch him on the big screen O.O edysicecreamlover18@gmailDOTcom GFC Krystal Larson GFC Krystal Larson facebooked http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000547840483

    ReplyDelete
  13. My fav hero is Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones. Loved him in Star Wars but I guess he wasn't the main hero.

    +1 comment
    +1 GFC follower

    thumbelinda03@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. (+1) I got many favourite heros. But my favouritest of them all is not a "movie" hero per sey, but a TV series adaptation, Harry Dresden of the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Although I got a lot of nitpicking with the TV series adaptation like they made Murphy brunette instead of a blonde that she is. But they got Harry right. :) But then again I am a diehard fan of the series so I'm biased... Harry is still my favourite hero :D

    (+1) Follower. My GFC name is Cherry.

    (+1) Twitted about your giveaway at: http://twitter.com/#!/cherrymischivus/status/101576460631945216

    FB: https://www.facebook.com/cherrymischievous/posts/258389844186315

    Re-posted at my comp blog: http://contests-freebies.blogspot.com/2011/08/win-no-hero-at-qwillery.html

    (+1) Mentioned your giveaway at the sidebar: http://www.cherrymischievous.com/

    Cherry Mischievous
    cherrymischif-darkward [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have two I really like Harrison Ford and Jason Statham.

    I am a follower
    sariahwalters at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. My favorite movie hero is Harrison Ford, he would be great as the lead for this book.
    +1 comment
    +1 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/101890588831531009
    +1 http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=238823779490968&id=1184379567
    +1 http://qwillery.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-and-giveaway-no-hero-by-jonathan.html?spref=bl
    I'm a new follower on GFC-Lisa Richards


    (\___/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
    http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  17. Favorite movie hero is a tie between Sean Connery (well because who doesn't love him) and Harrison Ford (he is so imperfect).

    GFC follower

    lvs2dv at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. My favorite movie hero. That's a tough one. It's hard to argue with such characters as Indiana Jones or James Bond. But I think I'm going to have to agree with Barbara E. and pick Captain Malcolm Reynolds. He's a flawed man who tries very much to do the right thing. Even when including the TV series, he never really got the girl. He was unable to express his feelings to Inara and so lost her. At the same time, he was a great leader, often getting his crew out of trouble. What's not to love?

    Thanks for the giveaway!!!

    +1 comment
    +1 GFC follower Spaz

    zsaz1029.at.yahoo.dot.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Favorites are so hard to pick! I have a hard time choosing just one. Hmmm..... I think I will go with Christian Bale.

    Thank you for the giveaway!

    I am a follower :)

    ssosborn AT gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Indiana Jones! He's got the looks, the charisma, the nostalgia, and the badass. Plus he kills Nazis!

    Commented +1
    Follower +1
    Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/AnassaRh/statuses/102288448337100800 +1

    ReplyDelete
  21. fred8559 at yahoo dot co dot ukAugust 13, 2011 at 4:05:00 PM EDT

    Has to be the Man with No Name, played by Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars (and the sequels)..Sergio Leone made Clint and Westerns cool.

    ReplyDelete
  22. My favorite movie hero is Percy Jackson. He is brave to go up against the gods for a dad he never met before.
    +1 comment
    +1 gfc follower
    thebookish96(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. It's really hard to choose just one favorite movie hero since it all depends on the mood or the situation...you don't need to envision someone debonaire and suave while fighting Lovecraftian horrors but it might come in handy if you're up against high class vampire spies :)
    But currently I'd go with Michael Caine...he can really pull off a lot of different roles and I like him in both comedic and action roles.

    thanks for the giveaway!
    +1 comment
    +1 follower

    vinsarama[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete