Book Review: Beyonders: A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull and GIVEAWAY!

Posted as part of Tween Tuesday, hosted by GreenBeanTeenQueen.

A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull
Publisher: Aladdin
Publication date: March 2011
ISBN: 9781416997924
Source: ARC provided by publicist

 

When Jason falls through the hippo exhibit at the zoo into an unknown world, he little realizes what adventure awaits him.  Trying to find a way home, he is unintentionally embroiled in a plot to overthrow the evil Maldor who rules the land.  He and Rachel, a girl who also accidentally came there from his world, set out on an impossible task to find a way to defeat Maldor.  Can they survive this treacherous world and become heroes in a place that seems to have none?

Things I Liked:
Mull has a really creative mind.  I can't believe some of the stuff he came up with in this book!  Displacers and giant crabs and memory-displacing mushrooms are just a taste of the weird and wide variety of things he's created.  Jason was so much fun to follow on this adventure - he's pretty much got a smart response for every crazy thing that happens.  Even when things seem impossibly horrible, he doesn't despair.  He felt like a real person, one that I'd want to hang out with.  The story at first seems like its coming to an inevitable conclusion, but somehow manages to pull that rug out from under your feet.  A complex, entertaining, and seriously wacky new series.  Here are some favorite parts:

"Do you think any of this is happening?" she asked.
"It's happening," Jason replied.
Rachel remained quiet for a moment. "Of course you think it's happening," she finally said.  "You're just a character in my dream."
"You wish."
"I didn't mean my love interest" she replied defensively.  "You'd have better hair.  You're the characer I dreamed up because the rest of the dream is making me homesick."
"Maybe you're the character I dreamed up to scare myself awake."
"That's not very nice!"
"You made fun of my hair.  I like it this way. Short and simple."
"I don't mind short. Mine is short."
"Then what's wrong with mine?" Jason challenged.
"Maybe we should talk about something else."
"Like the guy on a horse coming to kill us?"
"It needs more style," she muttered.
"The horse?"
"Your hair."
"I forgot to bring my gel when I got eaten by a hippo." p 105-106 of ARC

"This is much harder than it looks," Ferrin said while reattaching his head to his neck.  "Catching your own head, I mean."
"I bet," Jason said. p 190 of ARC

Lumba berries do not truly nourish. In fact they rob your body of nutrients.  When consumed in significant quantities, they destroy your appetite for any other food.  Soon only lumba berries will satisfy, and you blissfully devour them until you starve to death. p 364 of ARC

Things I Didn't Like:
Sometimes it felt like it was meandering a little bit.  The book was quite long and there were a lot of adventures along the way, but sometimes it just didn't seem to be going anywhere.  It's definitely more complex in language and plot than Fablehaven, but will still appeal to younger readers who can handle the more difficult language.

Read-alikes:
Definitely felt like the Fablehaven books (Jason and Seth would totally get along)
Also reminded me of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
that I recall

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
some fighting, action, and maybe scary stuff

Overall rating: ****

If you're in Utah, don't forget Brandon Mull's launch party tonight at Cottonwood High School!  For more info, check out the Facebook page.

The generous folks of Simon & Schuster/Aladdin publishing are offering five copies of A World Without Heroes to my lovely readers! You can enter below by filling out the form. Contest ends Friday, March 25. US addresses only.

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage