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Jason Cosmo #1
Hero Wanted
Hero Wanted launches the comical Jason Cosmo fantasy adventure series by Dan McGirt. Jason Cosmo is perfectly happy as a humble woodcutter in the village of Lower Hicksnittle-until a foppish stranger tries to kill him, claiming there is a huge price on Jason's head. Ten million gold carats is enough to put Arden's best-and worst-bounty hunters on his trail. It seems Jason has become the most feared man in the Eleven Kingdoms--which is news to Jason! On the run from mercenaries, Demon Lords, and the full might of the sinister Dark Magic Society, Jason teams up with cynical wizard Mercury Boltblaster and winsome twins Sapphrina and Rubis to learn the truth. Driven by the Laws of Narrative, Jason's quest will take him from the bright realm of The Gods to the deadly depths of the Incredibly Dark Forest-and into a final confrontation with the forces of evil. Followed by an even more final confrontation. And then a sort of wrapping up loose ends scene. If he lives that long...
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
135 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Dan McGirt
17 books41 followersDAN MCGIRT is the author of the Jason Cosmo fantasy adventure series, beginning with Hero Wanted and continued in Noble Cause and Royal Crush. He also writes the Jack Scarlet modern pulp adventure series, beginning with Jack Scarlet: Deepfire. His previous books comprise the original Jason Cosmo Non-Trilogy: Jason Cosmo, Royal Chaos and Dirty Work.
Dan also writes the Thursday Things weekly newsletter, which collects uplifting, offbeat, or otherwise interesting items he finds in his online and offline reading.
Dan also writes the Thursday Things weekly newsletter, which collects uplifting, offbeat, or otherwise interesting items he finds in his online and offline reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 29, 2016
I've read HERO WANTED several times before, but this was the first time I actually sat down and read it simply to enjoy the story. It remains my favorite of all the Dan McGirt books so far. I occasionally forgot that I was reading a book I wrote and got absorbed in the story. I even laughed at some of my own jokes! I really get Dan McGirt's odd sense of humor, I guess...
A fast-paced, funny fantasy adventure that I have no hesitation in recommending for your several hours' enjoyment.
Granted, I have clear bias, so do take that into account...
A fast-paced, funny fantasy adventure that I have no hesitation in recommending for your several hours' enjoyment.
Granted, I have clear bias, so do take that into account...
June 14, 2024
More Douglas Adams than Terry Pratchett it was a fun read but at times read as a list and I asked myself multiple times if it was a parody of fantasy if it just does what it parodies. I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see if the writing style gels better.
November 23, 2009
What is not to like? If the point of a book is to entertain, then this is a home run. Funny, adsurd, whimsical are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind. You can't go wrong with this one. Enjoy!
November 20, 2015
Quirky, lotsa action, all in all an easy and fun read.
August 21, 2021
Dan McGirt has created a most interesting reluctant hero. I also smell a bit of Harry Harrison and Kieth Laumer's influence in his writing.
I was quite entertained by Jason's journey when this "hick" is dragged from his beloved home in Lower Hicksnittle (featuring the Festering Wart tavern and yes the town is exactly like it sounds) through the Eleven Kingdoms to do battle with various dastards and other super villains. The only problem is, Jason has no fighting skills; he's just a turnip farmer and wood chopper. But there's a Goddess that's interested in him who can change his abilities -- if she wishes.
The story is a combination of good laughs told tongue in cheek and high adventure.
What's not to like?
I was quite entertained by Jason's journey when this "hick" is dragged from his beloved home in Lower Hicksnittle (featuring the Festering Wart tavern and yes the town is exactly like it sounds) through the Eleven Kingdoms to do battle with various dastards and other super villains. The only problem is, Jason has no fighting skills; he's just a turnip farmer and wood chopper. But there's a Goddess that's interested in him who can change his abilities -- if she wishes.
The story is a combination of good laughs told tongue in cheek and high adventure.
What's not to like?
May 9, 2021
Tongue in cheek adventure full of humor and horror, of the goog kind.
Humor and horror as a hapless wood cutter/turnip farmer comes to accept he is in fact a divinely appointed hero. Much humor in the dreary environment the story begins. Things move from bad to worse no matter how loudly Jason Cosmo proclaims he is only a turnip farming wood cutter until he meets a grim faced wizard, and then turn really bad.
Humor and horror as a hapless wood cutter/turnip farmer comes to accept he is in fact a divinely appointed hero. Much humor in the dreary environment the story begins. Things move from bad to worse no matter how loudly Jason Cosmo proclaims he is only a turnip farming wood cutter until he meets a grim faced wizard, and then turn really bad.
July 13, 2017
LMAO this book had me laughing..
A couple samples of the hilarity this book provides.
"vampire zombie poodles"
"our capital city of Ordure, in the east, and the kingdom’s other city, Offal, to the west."
It definitely is not for everyone..But if you have a sense of humor..You should try it out.
A couple samples of the hilarity this book provides.
"vampire zombie poodles"
"our capital city of Ordure, in the east, and the kingdom’s other city, Offal, to the west."
It definitely is not for everyone..But if you have a sense of humor..You should try it out.
January 14, 2019
The word 'too' comes to mind.
Don't get me wrong, the dude's got some talent, but.... Too slow to get into the story, too much detail not relevant to the story, too much snark (Up until now I didn't think there was such a thing.), too many extra scenes, waaay too much dialogue, and absolutely too much breaking of the fourth wall. Still, the guy's got potential.
Don't get me wrong, the dude's got some talent, but.... Too slow to get into the story, too much detail not relevant to the story, too much snark (Up until now I didn't think there was such a thing.), too many extra scenes, waaay too much dialogue, and absolutely too much breaking of the fourth wall. Still, the guy's got potential.
September 25, 2017
Very good
I had not read anything by this author before, I will certainly read more in the future. The story is good and romps along at great pace, I think anyone who enjoys humorous fantasy will like this, and I will certainly read the rest of this series.
I had not read anything by this author before, I will certainly read more in the future. The story is good and romps along at great pace, I think anyone who enjoys humorous fantasy will like this, and I will certainly read the rest of this series.
April 15, 2021
Hero sign here please
Great book. Jason, Merc, and twins Sapphrina and Rubis find danger every place they go. Good vs. Evil. Evil usually thinking that they are smarter than everyone else. Oops . Jason wins, Merc wins, the twins are happy, the Goddess Rae is.....wow.
Great book. Jason, Merc, and twins Sapphrina and Rubis find danger every place they go. Good vs. Evil. Evil usually thinking that they are smarter than everyone else. Oops . Jason wins, Merc wins, the twins are happy, the Goddess Rae is.....wow.
December 17, 2017
Witty take on the hero/fantasy theme. Reluctant hero and a set gods who create an 'ancient' temple in five minutes...the paint was still wet.
August 5, 2019
Great adventure and good fun!
Piers Anthony meets The Princess Bride with a smattering of classic rock references. Dan McGirt creates a world of adventure, humor and romance.
Piers Anthony meets The Princess Bride with a smattering of classic rock references. Dan McGirt creates a world of adventure, humor and romance.
August 29, 2019
Very entertaining!
I throughly enjoyed this book, can’t wait to read the second in the series. The banter between Merc and Jason had me laughing out loud at points.
I throughly enjoyed this book, can’t wait to read the second in the series. The banter between Merc and Jason had me laughing out loud at points.
October 4, 2019
This is funny stuff. Jason is a slapstick kind of hero, with Mercury as his somewhat less so sidekick. I'm a big fan of humor in writing and this series fills that bucket. Read them all.
November 20, 2019
Amusing story, had a few laugh outloud moments as well. I missed the Van Halen reference, but I did spot the ACDC one, very cool.
December 2, 2019
The start is rather slow, but once it gets going, it's a lot of fun.
February 13, 2022
a little too farcical for me
February 25, 2016
This is one of the funniest; laugh out loud fantasy books I’ve read in a long time. I loved the refreshing and not so serious approach that made the entire experience fun. I’m looking forward to reading the other Jason Cosmo novels.
Jason Cosmo does not exist. Bounty hunters are tracking him to deliver his head and to collect on the outrageous reward. Jason’s capture is essential to some scheme of the Society, or he is a threat to its existence.
He Who Sits On The Porch, (who reminds me a lot of the King of the Silver River from the Terry Brooks Shannara novels), tells Jason the gods have changed his destiny from a hardworking woodcutter and dirty turnip farmer to a champion. Together with his new found wizard friend Mercury Boltblaster, with his awesome sunglasses, the perfectly paired duo aid one another in their adventure for good, what’s right, and for love too.
Jason Cosmo needs to find the hidden location of the Superwand in order to defeat the Society. The Superwand will release the Demon Lord from his prison, starting another one hundred years of evil reign.
With the power of Rae, the blond Sun goddess, behind him, and maybe passing the written test, Standard Heroic Aptitude Test (SHAT), Jason will earn the right to use the champion’s relics in order to fight the tempting and manipulative dark Society.
Once the twin damsels in distress are saved from slavery from the mean and gross governor, their feminine wiles takes hold of Jason.
Jason and Merc will battle all kinds of deadly monsters, ugly trolls, stealth bounty hunters, and powerful and eccentric wizards to prove not only to himself but to the gods and all the world of Arden too, that he is a right and true hero.
Jason Cosmo does not exist. Bounty hunters are tracking him to deliver his head and to collect on the outrageous reward. Jason’s capture is essential to some scheme of the Society, or he is a threat to its existence.
He Who Sits On The Porch, (who reminds me a lot of the King of the Silver River from the Terry Brooks Shannara novels), tells Jason the gods have changed his destiny from a hardworking woodcutter and dirty turnip farmer to a champion. Together with his new found wizard friend Mercury Boltblaster, with his awesome sunglasses, the perfectly paired duo aid one another in their adventure for good, what’s right, and for love too.
Jason Cosmo needs to find the hidden location of the Superwand in order to defeat the Society. The Superwand will release the Demon Lord from his prison, starting another one hundred years of evil reign.
With the power of Rae, the blond Sun goddess, behind him, and maybe passing the written test, Standard Heroic Aptitude Test (SHAT), Jason will earn the right to use the champion’s relics in order to fight the tempting and manipulative dark Society.
Once the twin damsels in distress are saved from slavery from the mean and gross governor, their feminine wiles takes hold of Jason.
Jason and Merc will battle all kinds of deadly monsters, ugly trolls, stealth bounty hunters, and powerful and eccentric wizards to prove not only to himself but to the gods and all the world of Arden too, that he is a right and true hero.
March 25, 2011
Hero Wanted is a rare gem of a novel in a dump truck filled with standard fare fantasy. It doesn't pretend to lofty seriousness - this is a comedy adventure after all. Having said that, it doesn't dumb itself down - there is wit both high and low brow but often somewhere in the middle.
The main character, Jason Cosmo, is not a brash hero or a know it all, nor is he an ignoramus or coward. He flitters from one extreme to another while trying to find his place in the mayhem that besets his existence as he is plunged into a turbulent adventure. He's fun to watch and has a highly entertaining voice - a good thing since the story is told from his perspective.
His cohorts are a colourful group that only includes one person who is well suited to adventuring. The others have to struggle through, using whatever skills they have - even if wildly inappropriate or delightfully random - to survive the challenges ahead. Every character who has more than one line of dialog contributes something worthwhile to the adventure, the same can be said for the various villains.
Villains! There is a kaleidoscopic rogues gallery featured in this book who each have clear motivations, and often different modus operandi. They present fantastic challenges and contribute to the humour throughout the book very evenly.
The world within this book is interesting, hilarious and broad. I can't say much more about it; spoilers are the enemy, after all.
In short, this is an adventurous comedic rampage of a fantasy novel.
RL
The main character, Jason Cosmo, is not a brash hero or a know it all, nor is he an ignoramus or coward. He flitters from one extreme to another while trying to find his place in the mayhem that besets his existence as he is plunged into a turbulent adventure. He's fun to watch and has a highly entertaining voice - a good thing since the story is told from his perspective.
His cohorts are a colourful group that only includes one person who is well suited to adventuring. The others have to struggle through, using whatever skills they have - even if wildly inappropriate or delightfully random - to survive the challenges ahead. Every character who has more than one line of dialog contributes something worthwhile to the adventure, the same can be said for the various villains.
Villains! There is a kaleidoscopic rogues gallery featured in this book who each have clear motivations, and often different modus operandi. They present fantastic challenges and contribute to the humour throughout the book very evenly.
The world within this book is interesting, hilarious and broad. I can't say much more about it; spoilers are the enemy, after all.
In short, this is an adventurous comedic rampage of a fantasy novel.
RL
June 21, 2020
Fun and entertaining.
This story is packed full of adventure and comedy. The hero jumps from one dangerous moment to the next, with only time for a breath before plunging into danger once more. The characters are one point and engaging. The story never drags, not even for a second. This book is worth the read.
This story is packed full of adventure and comedy. The hero jumps from one dangerous moment to the next, with only time for a breath before plunging into danger once more. The characters are one point and engaging. The story never drags, not even for a second. This book is worth the read.
June 22, 2010
This book may actually be even better than the 4 stars I've awarded it. I find I don't have the appreciation for whimsy I once had. It's been a difficult year.
Still other than one false start (a bit that I found very trite...it had been done so often), the book is hugely funny. Following Jason Cosmo through his quest from the time he flees his run down dirty and bleak home land (where the gods had slyly hidden him, because who'd ever look there for THE Hero of the age...or possibly the coming age...well whatever) on through his meeting with He Who Sits On The Porch (and rocks) (thus proving he isn't mythological at all) to the very end...and his heroic reward of course, the book is worth the read. Guided by the laws of narrative and dodging loopholes (and plot-holes) Jason strives to overcome the demon lords...the Society of Evil Magicians etc.
Pretty good, worth a look.
Still other than one false start (a bit that I found very trite...it had been done so often), the book is hugely funny. Following Jason Cosmo through his quest from the time he flees his run down dirty and bleak home land (where the gods had slyly hidden him, because who'd ever look there for THE Hero of the age...or possibly the coming age...well whatever) on through his meeting with He Who Sits On The Porch (and rocks) (thus proving he isn't mythological at all) to the very end...and his heroic reward of course, the book is worth the read. Guided by the laws of narrative and dodging loopholes (and plot-holes) Jason strives to overcome the demon lords...the Society of Evil Magicians etc.
Pretty good, worth a look.
April 26, 2012
This book was so bad. I mean it was bad. And FYI, I'm pretty sure that a chunk of the 5 star reviews were fake because I recognize them from Amazon reviews that I determined were also fake.
Reasons it was bad:
1-The writing was atrocious in every way. Don't need to get into details because if you can name an aspect of writing, it was bad.
2-The plot was über predictable.
3-Character development was... well I have now learned that it is possible to have less than no character development.
4-The protagonist was unapproachable even to a book loving, D&D playing nerd like myself.
5-It was just really bad.
Reasons it was bad:
1-The writing was atrocious in every way. Don't need to get into details because if you can name an aspect of writing, it was bad.
2-The plot was über predictable.
3-Character development was... well I have now learned that it is possible to have less than no character development.
4-The protagonist was unapproachable even to a book loving, D&D playing nerd like myself.
5-It was just really bad.
August 22, 2012
I bought this on my iBooks because the description mentioned '... compared to the work of Terry Pratchett...'. As a long time fan of Terry Pratchett, I was extremely let down.
The story is about Jason Cosmo's quest to stay alive which slowly changes to saving the world, which is all the character development there was. Jason spends the majority of the time being passively engaged in his own life while the people and scenery around him do all the action.
Worse yet, while it is told mostly in first person, it mostly eluded all the benefits first person should provide (like emotions or thoughts of the main character).
Had to force myself to finish it.
The story is about Jason Cosmo's quest to stay alive which slowly changes to saving the world, which is all the character development there was. Jason spends the majority of the time being passively engaged in his own life while the people and scenery around him do all the action.
Worse yet, while it is told mostly in first person, it mostly eluded all the benefits first person should provide (like emotions or thoughts of the main character).
Had to force myself to finish it.
September 6, 2010
I went back and forth on this book a lot. Sometimes I thought it was brilliantly funny, this generation's version of Another Fine Myth. At other times it felt a bit forced and tedious, such as toward the end where there was massive exposition to explain the latest "doomsday weapon" the bad guys had pulled out of a hat. Overall, it's a good, humorous slant on the fantasy hero quest but this may be a case where the whole is slightly less than the sum of the parts. Still, a promising start to a new series.
May 21, 2010
I loved...I mean LOVED this book! You can tell the author used ideas from different epic fantasy like Lord of the Rings and the like, but in a very quirky good way.
The story is about Jason Cosmo who is practically invisible to the known world, is thrown into a series of events that make him just the opposite...the most famous person in the world. The story follows the events in Jason Cosmo's life during this time and let me tell you, what a fun ride!
I would definitely read this book again and recommend it to all who love a quick, fun, fantasy-based read.
The story is about Jason Cosmo who is practically invisible to the known world, is thrown into a series of events that make him just the opposite...the most famous person in the world. The story follows the events in Jason Cosmo's life during this time and let me tell you, what a fun ride!
I would definitely read this book again and recommend it to all who love a quick, fun, fantasy-based read.
January 21, 2010
This was such an awesome book! So funny, so exciting! It reminded me of a mix between Evil Dead and The Princess Bride, but unique and enchanting in its own right. The author is a very clever writer - quirky at times, witty at others. The humor was just this-side-of-cheesy; just the way I like it! I loved the character and place names the author used in this make-believe world. I recommend this book to anyone who reads midieval fantasy and doesn't like it to be too serious.
April 1, 2010
Take two Robert Asprin, one Piers Anthony, mix well with a rowdy hack-and-slash fantasy romp, and you get Hero Wanted. I read this little gem on a road trip with the family, and had a wonderful time with it. The line between clever and cheesy is delicate, and McGirt crosses it just enough to remind you not to take it too seriously.
Can you spot the Van Halen reference? I did, and it cracked me up.
Can you spot the Van Halen reference? I did, and it cracked me up.
April 23, 2010
Wow, that was a tough book to finish, and it wasn't really that long! One review I read compared it to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, so I was hoping for clever writing and inventive situations. It's disappointing to go in expecting Douglas Adams and getting the Three Stooges instead. The humor was often forced and painfully obvious. Might be a good book for young readers. Certainly not my cup of tea.
June 17, 2010
Fun book. Over the top humor a la Pratchett or Asprin. Unwitting turnip farmer Jason Cosmo becomes a Hero, gets the girl and saves the world. A lot of laugh out loud jokes along the way. My favorite is the description of the Hero test, as I have been fated to administer those standardized tests that the state of Texas has seen fit to inflict on students for the past few decades. The cultural bias joke was dead on.
July 21, 2010
If you enjoyed Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you will love this comical fantasy story of Jason Cosmo. A woodcutter by trade, forced to be a hero by destiny and possibly a case of mistaken identity. As Jason flees his hometown of Lower Hicksnittle, he finds unlikely allies in a wizard, Mercury Boltblaster, and the seductive twins, Sapphrina and Rubis. A very entertaining tale with all the classic fantasy elements.
4/5
4/5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews