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A World Without Heroes
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Read A World Without Heroes
Beyonders: Book 1

A World Without Heroes (2010) (edit title/settings)

by Brandon Mull (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Jason Walker has often wished his life could be less predictable—until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank into a strange, imperiled world. Lyrian holds dangers and challenges unlike anyplace Jason has ever known. The people all live in fear of... read more

Summary edit see section history

A blind prince is imprisoned in a dungeon, hoping to stand face to face with the evil wizard Maldor in order to speak the one Word that can destroy Maldor. Maldor tricks him and the Word has no effect and after speaking it, the prince cannot recall the Word. On Earth, Jason, a high school... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

A blind prince is imprisoned in a dungeon, hoping to stand face to face with the evil wizard Maldor in order to speak the one Word that can destroy Maldor. Maldor tricks him and the Word has no effect and after speaking it, the prince cannot recall the Word. On Earth, Jason, a high school student, gets a concussion in the batting cage. When he goes to work at the zoo, he thinks he hears music coming from the mouth of a hippo and falls into the hippo's mouth. He emerges in the trunk of a tree in another world. The music comes from a group of musicians floating down a river, heading for a Niagara type waterfall in protest against the evil wizard Maldor. The entire kingdom is afraid of Maldor but almost no one stands up against him. Running away, Jason finds a library in the middle of nowhere. The loremaster (librarian) tells him to avoid the top floor. Jason hopes to find a way home there, but he finds instead a wicked looking book. The book warns him not to read it or he will face terrible danger. He reads, and immediately he is in grave danger. Running away he encounters a blind king (same as the blind prince) called Galloran. Galloran speeds him on his quest to find the Word and destroy Maldor. If he fails, Jason will die. Galloran also has met another "Beyonder" named Rachel. Rachel helps Jason on his quest. Facing great danger, they seek the syllables of the Word which are scattered across the land. Maldor and his minions are watching and following their progress and occasionally try to kill them. At last, Jason is very close to finding the last two syllables. He receives an invitation to the Eternal Feast, where he is assured he will be left in peace as long as he stops opposing Maldor. Rachel is still in peril. Jason, of course, finds the last two syllables, faces Maldor and his dungeons before the cliffhanger ending.

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Jason Walker: Your average geeky high school boy who isn't brave enough to ask out the girl he likes. He finds himself challenged to become a hero and save a whole different world. Integrity is his key trait, followed by perseverance.
  • Rachel: Smart and sporty gal who also finds herself in the other world, where she meets Jason and both are on a quest to save themselves and overcome impossible odds in the process. She followed a butterfly and ended up in Lyrian
  • Galloran: Once a beloved prince, now a blind king who tried in vain to defeat the evil wizard.
  • Ferrin: An odd creature similar to a human but who can separate his limbs from his trunk and still live except in certain circumstances. Incredibly polite even when he is fighting. His kind are not popular in Lyria.
  • Maldor: Evil wizard. In complete control of his world. Has many servants, spies, and creatures who enforce his will. Lives in a dark castle.
  • Jasher: Man of multiple lives. Fierce fighter.
  • Tark: One of the Giddy Nine who tried to commit suicide. Is bitter toward the person who interfered and seeks revenge.
  • Whitelake: A town
  • Duke Conrad: The lord of Trensicourt
  • Viscount Bartley: A noble with soft heart. Sponsors Jason's claim to nobility.
  • Highness Duke Dolan: The regent, Dolan of Vernasett, rules in place of a King. Same land as Galdoran.
  • Copernum: The chancellor of Trensicourt
  • Nicholas Dangler: An engineer in Trensicourt. He was loyal to the Blind King.
  • Hermie: The boy who works with the loremaster. First met Jason at riverbank where he entered the other world.
  • Corinne: The daughter of the Pythoness who is guarding one of the syllables of the Word.
  • Matt: Jason's friend in Colorado. They play baseball together and both attend middle school together.
  • Norval: The personal bodyguard of Duke Conrad
  • Amar Kabal: Created people who can reincarnate through seeds on the back of their neck
  • Tim: Jason's friend in Colorado. They play baseball together and both attend middle school together.
  • Franny: Kind fat woman who after hesitation offers advice on the location of the Blind King's Castle. Knows Aster steals food from her window sill.
  • Dorsio: Add a description of this character.
  • Kayla
  • Zokar
  • Lord Jason: The name for the main character given by Galloran in order to make it easier for Jason to move about Lyrian and retrieve the syllables of the Word.
  • Harthenham: The paradise for those foes of the evil ruler who have proved themselves worthy enemies.
  • Master Tedril
  • Feracles: The dog in the repository of knowledge where Jason first stays and learns the first syllable of the word..
  • Count Dershan
  • Dinsrel
  • Blind King: Formerly a prince of the land.
  • Simeon
  • Kale: A ruffian
  • Minna: Niece of Nicolas.
  • Aster: Poor unlucky fellow who steals food from the folks who live in the "kingdom" of the blind king. They actually leave the food for him, but he doesn't know.
  • Kerny
  • Jugard: The guardian of the second syllable
  • Ned
  • Lisa Mangum
  • Rex
  • Kimp
  • Drake: One of the Amar Kabal
  • Malar
  • Cassandra
  • Steve Vaughn: A friend of Jason
  • Erinda
  • Holly Knudsen: A classmate of Jason.
  • Cedric
  • Evan
  • Brin
  • Eldrin
  • Tristan
  • Damak
  • Orruck
  • Stanus
  • Salzared: The book containing the first clue
  • Bennion
  • Turbish
  • Francine
  • Ian
Show all 59 characters
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First Sentence edit see section history

The prince dangled in the darkness, shoulders aching, ancient manacles digging into his wrists as he tried to sleep.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Prologue

1. The Hippo
2. The Loremaster
3. The Word
4. The Blind King
5. Rachel
6. Gifts
7. Jugard
8. Macroid
9. Tark
10. Ned
11. Ferrin
12. Jailbreak
13. Nicholas
14. Questions and Answers
15. Chancellor
16. Whitelake
17. Jasher
18. The Sunken Lands
19. Pythoness
20. The Eternal Feast
21. Duel
22. Escape
23. The Word
24. Prisoner
25. Deep Portal

Acknowledgments
So...What's Next

Glossary edit see section history

  • wizard-born: one of the various races that were created by the wizards; metaphorical
  • displacer: one of the wizard-born races which is capable of detaching and reattach various body parts at will; a displacer may also bind their body parts (eyes, ears) to other creatures
  • Amar Kabal: one of the wizard-born races which are essentially immortal. They possess a seed implanted in the back of their necks, which, if replanted after their death, will grow to a full size person the same age as the first time they died; the seed people

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 1 of 3 in Beyonders. (standard series)

Followed by Seeds of Rebellion.

This is book 9 of 10 in Amazon.com Best Books of March (2011). (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Brandon Mull (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Antonio Caparo (Cover Artist)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Aladdin
Country: U.S.A.
Publication Date: 2010
ISBN: 978-1416997924
Page Count: 457

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: 813
  • Dewey: Fiction

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

Fantasy with good vs. evil theme and characters with traits of loyalty, integrity, perseverance, courage in face of fearful odds, written in matter-of-fact tone should not be fearful to middle grade readers and up. Intriguing more than frightening.

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

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