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Hero
Construction worker Hal Porter knows he’s nobody special. But when strange events draw him into a magical world, he becomes the only man who can free Morgan, a lonely, long-enchanted shape-shifter. Whether he feels he’s worthy or not, Hal is the hero Morgan has been waiting for.
However, Hal’s task becomes personal as he and Morgan fall in love. Now, to save Morgan and give himself the happily ever after he’s always longed for, Hal will need to do something far more daunting than face Morgan’s captor or finally come out of the closet…
He’ll have to believe in himself.
This title has been previously published and has been revised from its original release.
However, Hal’s task becomes personal as he and Morgan fall in love. Now, to save Morgan and give himself the happily ever after he’s always longed for, Hal will need to do something far more daunting than face Morgan’s captor or finally come out of the closet…
He’ll have to believe in himself.
This title has been previously published and has been revised from its original release.
210 pages, ebook
First published December 4, 2009
5 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Cullinan
45 books2,881 followersAuthor of over thirty novels, Midwest-native Heidi Cullinan writes positive-outcome romances for LGBT characters struggling against insurmountable odds because they believe there’s no such thing as too much happy ever after. Heidi’s books have been recommended by Library Journal, USA Today, RT Magazine, and Publishers Weekly. When Heidi isn’t writing, they enjoy gaming, reading manga, manhua, and danmei, playing with cats, and watching too much anime.
Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.
Heidi goes by Jun when being spoken to in person or online, and Jun’s pronouns are they/them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 5, 2015
Hal Porter was finishing up his shift at the construction site he works at and notices an unusual building in a lot that was previously empty, and a woman standing in front of it beckoning to him. Hal gets a glimpse of a beautiful man trapped inside and feels an inexplicable longing. He tries to ignore the visions, but finds he’s unable to. When he goes into work the next morning and gets fired for stealing, he is escorted from the site by two men, and once again sees the building with the woman standing in front. Her name is Shinju and she has the power to change Hal’s life forever.
One reviewer compared this story to Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. When I think about it, there are definitely some similarities. Hal is a really nice guy with a very ordinary life who’s a little naïve. In some ways he does remind me a little of the bumbling Richard Mayhew who has a dull job and finds his life changed when he finds an injured girl in the street.
When Hal enters the building, he encounters magical beings that are not so friendly and a young man who is trapped. With the help of Shinju’s magic and his own courage and determination, Hal must find a way to rescue Morgan.
When I first started reading, I thought the magic and world-building overshadowed the characters quite a bit. I also felt the magical abilities at times were overused with little explanation of its rules, and felt a little contrived. As I read further, I found Morgan and Hal much more appealing as their relationship developed and they realized the power they had together. The secondary characters were very well-developed, particularly Eagan and Shinju.
The sex scenes were very hot, but there were a few non-con scenes that made me a little uneasy. Overall, this was a very enjoyable romantic fantasy.
One reviewer compared this story to Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. When I think about it, there are definitely some similarities. Hal is a really nice guy with a very ordinary life who’s a little naïve. In some ways he does remind me a little of the bumbling Richard Mayhew who has a dull job and finds his life changed when he finds an injured girl in the street.
When Hal enters the building, he encounters magical beings that are not so friendly and a young man who is trapped. With the help of Shinju’s magic and his own courage and determination, Hal must find a way to rescue Morgan.
When I first started reading, I thought the magic and world-building overshadowed the characters quite a bit. I also felt the magical abilities at times were overused with little explanation of its rules, and felt a little contrived. As I read further, I found Morgan and Hal much more appealing as their relationship developed and they realized the power they had together. The secondary characters were very well-developed, particularly Eagan and Shinju.
The sex scenes were very hot, but there were a few non-con scenes that made me a little uneasy. Overall, this was a very enjoyable romantic fantasy.
September 9, 2014
I’m an HC fan. Unashamedly so. I like how she smuts, how she writes, how she develops a character… well, you get the idea. If I were Empress of the Universe (because aim for the stars, right?) she would be in my coterie of storytellers.
I’ve not read anything like this from her before. It was weird and cool and strange and dare I say it? It was a far out urban fantasy. I wonder if she was or if we are supposed to be just a tiny bit… ah, altered to really get it. You dig?
Hero is part Japanese folklore, part fairy tale, part paranormal, part good old fashioned faith and heaping tablespoon of exhibitionist smut like only HC can do all blended up together in a psychedelic cocktail. I’m not even sure I can describe what happens here, but I’ll give it a go and hope for the best.
Hal is an in the closet construction worker. He moves to LA ostensibly to come out of the closet, but it never pans out. Alone in the big city, away from his family and working a construction job that he’s not crazy about leaves him feeling listless and lonelier than ever. Whilst pondering his miserable state he has a vision of a prince in a glass tower and is beguiled, but also thinking he might need to have a professional take a look under the hood.
Shortly thereafter he sees a sex kitten in a fur coat IN SUMMER! IN LA SUMMER! And in an empty lot across from the construction site. Hooker, right? That’s was my first thought. Nope. Not even close. She’s the key to the prince in a very convoluted sense. The prince is a shape shifter named Morgan. Morgan is the most fanciful and extraordinary incantation of a shape shifter I’ve ever read.
What ensues involves:
● A vision of a bar that only Hal and Shinju (the sex kitten) can see.
● A sociopath named Eagan who’s not too keen on Hal poking around in that “vacant lot”.
and…
● A shit ton of foxes (kitsune) plus other creatures thrown in for good measure.
One word: Trippy.
HC made me believe in the instalove, (a feat in and of itself) by constructing Hal and Morgan’s relationship in such a way that they were like two souls finally finding one other across time and space recognizing their other half instantaneously. Hal falls despite the outward appearance which confuses him, but then again souls don’t need the “right” shell to recognize one another. It’s a subtle but potent difference OR I’m a total sap who gets sucked into the destiny trope. Sue me.
Hero is not all feels. The adventure to find the “hero” is one freaky journey. Don’t we all have a little hero in us? Somewhere? Or are heroes to someone? Sometimes we just need a little push, someone to believe to make the magic happen.
HC can smut like nobody’s business and she definitely knows her way around exhibitionism. That knowledge is on glorious display here. Hero is also smutacularly romantic and a tiny bit kinky. SQUEEE!!! I’m not even going to spoil the smut. Suffice to say, there is such a thing as a lifesaving blow job. HC said so and she’s like an oracle.
It goes without saying that I recommend Hero. Everyone should experience HC.
Reviewed for
I’ve not read anything like this from her before. It was weird and cool and strange and dare I say it? It was a far out urban fantasy. I wonder if she was or if we are supposed to be just a tiny bit… ah, altered to really get it. You dig?
Hero is part Japanese folklore, part fairy tale, part paranormal, part good old fashioned faith and heaping tablespoon of exhibitionist smut like only HC can do all blended up together in a psychedelic cocktail. I’m not even sure I can describe what happens here, but I’ll give it a go and hope for the best.
Hal is an in the closet construction worker. He moves to LA ostensibly to come out of the closet, but it never pans out. Alone in the big city, away from his family and working a construction job that he’s not crazy about leaves him feeling listless and lonelier than ever. Whilst pondering his miserable state he has a vision of a prince in a glass tower and is beguiled, but also thinking he might need to have a professional take a look under the hood.
Shortly thereafter he sees a sex kitten in a fur coat IN SUMMER! IN LA SUMMER! And in an empty lot across from the construction site. Hooker, right? That’s was my first thought. Nope. Not even close. She’s the key to the prince in a very convoluted sense. The prince is a shape shifter named Morgan. Morgan is the most fanciful and extraordinary incantation of a shape shifter I’ve ever read.
What ensues involves:
● A vision of a bar that only Hal and Shinju (the sex kitten) can see.
● A sociopath named Eagan who’s not too keen on Hal poking around in that “vacant lot”.
and…
● A shit ton of foxes (kitsune) plus other creatures thrown in for good measure.
One word: Trippy.
HC made me believe in the instalove, (a feat in and of itself) by constructing Hal and Morgan’s relationship in such a way that they were like two souls finally finding one other across time and space recognizing their other half instantaneously. Hal falls despite the outward appearance which confuses him, but then again souls don’t need the “right” shell to recognize one another. It’s a subtle but potent difference OR I’m a total sap who gets sucked into the destiny trope. Sue me.
Hero is not all feels. The adventure to find the “hero” is one freaky journey. Don’t we all have a little hero in us? Somewhere? Or are heroes to someone? Sometimes we just need a little push, someone to believe to make the magic happen.
“I just love you. I loved you too soon and too fast and too deep, in a way that doesn’t make sense and never will. My love isn’t rational, Morgan. That means I’ll never stop trying to find you if I lose you. I’ll never stop. Ever.”
HC can smut like nobody’s business and she definitely knows her way around exhibitionism. That knowledge is on glorious display here. Hero is also smutacularly romantic and a tiny bit kinky. SQUEEE!!! I’m not even going to spoil the smut. Suffice to say, there is such a thing as a lifesaving blow job. HC said so and she’s like an oracle.
It goes without saying that I recommend Hero. Everyone should experience HC.
Reviewed for
Read
March 26, 2014To whoever keeps deleting the new edition of this book and/or making it not the primary edition: stop. This is the proper edition. This is the proper cover. (I'm the author. I should know.)
February 21, 2010
In 'Hero', Heidi Cullinan artfully combines a storyline containing the subtleties of ancient Japanese myth with an unique dark fantasy world comparable to that of Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere.' The depth and skill of storytelling, along with character development, took me by surprise as I sped through this tale, eager to turn each page. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
May 21, 2018
Reading this book for the second time I am not sure why I rated it so high before. At the moment I would put it somewhere around 3 stars, it was just too weird to completely enjoy, but I am not going to change my review completely, as it was what I felt before and I will just leave it at that...
So this is what I thought when I finished it last time :
When I started this book I wrote in my update status that I have confidence in HC to deliver a great reading experience. Allthough it was like nothing I read from her before and it was really really weird I can say that I was definitely right.
Be aware, this is certainly not your typical gay romance novel.
Weird does not even start to describe what awaits you in this story. It`s fantasy, it`s scify it`s paranormal, it`s a shifter story, but all that does not really do it justice.
The only thing I am sure about is that it is unique and as I said, it`s weird (good weirtd in my opinion)...
Somewhere in the middle I was really doubting if I could and should continue, but gladly I did.
Howard and Morgan were both wonderful main characters, I loved both of them and seeing how they complemented each other was so touching and heart warming.
If you are not afraid to go out of your comfortzone a little bit, or if you are a fantasy fan who is looking for something a little different, this might just be perfect.
For me, it definitely was and I would rate it 4.5 stars and absolutely recommend it!
So this is what I thought when I finished it last time :
When I started this book I wrote in my update status that I have confidence in HC to deliver a great reading experience. Allthough it was like nothing I read from her before and it was really really weird I can say that I was definitely right.
Be aware, this is certainly not your typical gay romance novel.
Weird does not even start to describe what awaits you in this story. It`s fantasy, it`s scify it`s paranormal, it`s a shifter story, but all that does not really do it justice.
The only thing I am sure about is that it is unique and as I said, it`s weird (good weirtd in my opinion)...
Somewhere in the middle I was really doubting if I could and should continue, but gladly I did.
Howard and Morgan were both wonderful main characters, I loved both of them and seeing how they complemented each other was so touching and heart warming.
If you are not afraid to go out of your comfortzone a little bit, or if you are a fantasy fan who is looking for something a little different, this might just be perfect.
For me, it definitely was and I would rate it 4.5 stars and absolutely recommend it!
January 22, 2015
This was the most fascinating book I've read in a long time. I had no idea where the plot was going; I was intrigued! Maybe I should read more of this fantasy genre? I loved the deeper meaning behind the story. Both Hal and Morgan were great and Eagan made my skin crawl.
Is Hal a nickname for Howard? I just googled it and I don't think so. It was a bit distracting for me the two names. Why not Howie? Didn't get that. Another thing I didn't get was
The ending did drag just a big for me, but overall, I enjoyed this story.
Is Hal a nickname for Howard? I just googled it and I don't think so. It was a bit distracting for me the two names. Why not Howie? Didn't get that. Another thing I didn't get was
The ending did drag just a big for me, but overall, I enjoyed this story.
February 26, 2010
Hero is an unusual book even among fantasy fans but succeeds in offering a unique and riveting story in a pretty stunning authorial debut. I’m not sure why this book hasn’t been talked about more because it is thoroughly engrossing with a complicated and intricate plot, great characters, and a very strong romance in the somewhat mind bending fantasy world. It’s not perfect and there are some moments that the two men need to be slapped on the head but the honesty of their emotions is never in doubt and the complex plot moves very fast so you won’t want to put it down. Fantasy fans especially will appreciate this book but the themes offered should appeal to mainstream m/m romance fans as well.
Howard Porter, called Hal, is a typical construction worker from Kansas that came to Los Angeles to get out of his small hometown. After a particularly warm day at work, Hal see an old, dilapidated building appear with a beautiful, lonely man in the window and a gorgeous woman beckoning him forward. Like any normal person Hal realizes how silly such an image is once he comments on it to a co-worker. Although he tries to ignore what he saw, the image appears in his dreams and won’t let go. Soon Hal is mixed up in a world of magic and cruelty where he doesn’t know the rules yet has one goal – to save his beautiful, lonely man Morgan.
The storyline is incredibly complicated and mixed with heavy world building, intricate characterization and strong romance. What seems to be a classic theme is actually turned into something unique and fresh. At the core the story is about Hal and Morgan and how the two men must overcome their own insecurities and doubts to find a way to happiness together. It’s never that easy and here there is a wealth of problems presented to the new couple in the rules of magic, cruel and fantastical beings, and well the slight problem of interspecies dating. The world building is an important part of both characters and the story. The magical rules and alternate reality offered is interesting but somewhat incomplete. There are inherent problems because any more world building would have overwhelmed the story and bogged readers down into too many details and issues but often the magical rules felt made up as the story went along or thrown in without much previous context. This helps keep the suspense and intrigue going – as I had no idea how the story would resolve – but also frustrating at the ever changing structure of the world. I never did get a firm grasp of the complex and complicated magical setting.
Worked in with the setting is the character of Morgan. He’s thoroughly unique and blends the magical world with romance incredibly well. He’s a young man that’s so desperately lonely he makes bad choices and enslaves himself to cruel men rather than be alone. The depth of his need and desperation is slightly exaggerated, just as his inability to take control of his situation is frustrating. However, Morgan needs to be a polarizing character as his situation and final actions show a dynamic change. He is kept rather sympathetic as a lonely, desperately sad man that has resigned himself to a life of misery. His change from a somewhat pathetic creature to a much stronger man is a key aspect to the story and the romance. He can never be totally independent and part of the reason is the fantasy setting – which is a truly inspired touch with regards to Morgan’s character – but he comes to understand his own strength and ability while finding his confidence and sense of self worth.
Following a somewhat similar path is Hal. Hal is a painfully shy gay man that struggles with zero self esteem and shame at his sexuality. He grew up in a catholic family and his mom sends him the Catholic Digest with money stuck between the pages. Although his mother is not an evil, ranting character – and the later explanation for her motivations is pretty clever and funny – Hal still experiences a great deal of fear and shame surrounding his desires. He struggles with a crippling shyness that prevents him from expressing himself and accepting his life. He is not attracted to women but a part of him desperately wants to be so he can be normal by his own definitions. So Hal’s struggle with accepting his sexuality and more so, belief in himself and his abilities is a key aspect to the story. Hal’s struggle is shown on many levels from his initial lies out of fear to finally admitting, vocalizing, and ultimately accepting his desires. His characterization and growth is difficult but well written. It stumbles in a few places when Hal is so wrapped up in his fear and shame that you want to shake the man and tell him to grow a spine but the exaggeration here as with Morgan helps to explain the depth of their shared love and emotion. Perhaps a more subtle touch would have been better but in contrasting to the muddy, elaborate fantasy world an obvious character growth is not bad.
The themes presented in the story are pretty universal. At the heart of the story are two gay men that together find the support and love they need and crave to finally believe in themselves. The concept of a hero is used very well as both men need to grow themselves before they can save anyone else and neither man is actually more powerful than the other, just possessing a different kind of magic. The world building is serpentine and somewhat convoluted but thoroughly absorbing and interesting. If you’re willing to stretch your imagination and dive into the fantasy world provided, this story definitely delivers.
Howard Porter, called Hal, is a typical construction worker from Kansas that came to Los Angeles to get out of his small hometown. After a particularly warm day at work, Hal see an old, dilapidated building appear with a beautiful, lonely man in the window and a gorgeous woman beckoning him forward. Like any normal person Hal realizes how silly such an image is once he comments on it to a co-worker. Although he tries to ignore what he saw, the image appears in his dreams and won’t let go. Soon Hal is mixed up in a world of magic and cruelty where he doesn’t know the rules yet has one goal – to save his beautiful, lonely man Morgan.
The storyline is incredibly complicated and mixed with heavy world building, intricate characterization and strong romance. What seems to be a classic theme is actually turned into something unique and fresh. At the core the story is about Hal and Morgan and how the two men must overcome their own insecurities and doubts to find a way to happiness together. It’s never that easy and here there is a wealth of problems presented to the new couple in the rules of magic, cruel and fantastical beings, and well the slight problem of interspecies dating. The world building is an important part of both characters and the story. The magical rules and alternate reality offered is interesting but somewhat incomplete. There are inherent problems because any more world building would have overwhelmed the story and bogged readers down into too many details and issues but often the magical rules felt made up as the story went along or thrown in without much previous context. This helps keep the suspense and intrigue going – as I had no idea how the story would resolve – but also frustrating at the ever changing structure of the world. I never did get a firm grasp of the complex and complicated magical setting.
Worked in with the setting is the character of Morgan. He’s thoroughly unique and blends the magical world with romance incredibly well. He’s a young man that’s so desperately lonely he makes bad choices and enslaves himself to cruel men rather than be alone. The depth of his need and desperation is slightly exaggerated, just as his inability to take control of his situation is frustrating. However, Morgan needs to be a polarizing character as his situation and final actions show a dynamic change. He is kept rather sympathetic as a lonely, desperately sad man that has resigned himself to a life of misery. His change from a somewhat pathetic creature to a much stronger man is a key aspect to the story and the romance. He can never be totally independent and part of the reason is the fantasy setting – which is a truly inspired touch with regards to Morgan’s character – but he comes to understand his own strength and ability while finding his confidence and sense of self worth.
Following a somewhat similar path is Hal. Hal is a painfully shy gay man that struggles with zero self esteem and shame at his sexuality. He grew up in a catholic family and his mom sends him the Catholic Digest with money stuck between the pages. Although his mother is not an evil, ranting character – and the later explanation for her motivations is pretty clever and funny – Hal still experiences a great deal of fear and shame surrounding his desires. He struggles with a crippling shyness that prevents him from expressing himself and accepting his life. He is not attracted to women but a part of him desperately wants to be so he can be normal by his own definitions. So Hal’s struggle with accepting his sexuality and more so, belief in himself and his abilities is a key aspect to the story. Hal’s struggle is shown on many levels from his initial lies out of fear to finally admitting, vocalizing, and ultimately accepting his desires. His characterization and growth is difficult but well written. It stumbles in a few places when Hal is so wrapped up in his fear and shame that you want to shake the man and tell him to grow a spine but the exaggeration here as with Morgan helps to explain the depth of their shared love and emotion. Perhaps a more subtle touch would have been better but in contrasting to the muddy, elaborate fantasy world an obvious character growth is not bad.
The themes presented in the story are pretty universal. At the heart of the story are two gay men that together find the support and love they need and crave to finally believe in themselves. The concept of a hero is used very well as both men need to grow themselves before they can save anyone else and neither man is actually more powerful than the other, just possessing a different kind of magic. The world building is serpentine and somewhat convoluted but thoroughly absorbing and interesting. If you’re willing to stretch your imagination and dive into the fantasy world provided, this story definitely delivers.
February 21, 2010
Full disclosure: I am friends with the author.
But even if I weren't friends with the author, this book would go on my "keep forever and death to anyone who borrows it and doesn't return it in a timely and pristine manner" bookshelf. It's THAT good.
I love a good romance and I very much appreciate a well-structured fantasy. HERO is more than both. Another reviewer compares the world building to Neil Gaiman's, and I have to admit that's exactly the thought that ran through my head as I gobbled up the book. I'm not going to spoil the fun, but the Oasis's reveal was so original, and yet made so much sense within the world the author built so skillfully, I wanted to applaud.
And can Heidi Cullinan write! I fell in love with the protagonist, Hal, from the first few pages. All of the characters are drawn so well, and all have their own distinct personality - even those who show up for just a few pages.
Now, you're welcome to take my review with a grain of salt because I know the author. But I only take the time to write reviews for books that touched me, whether for good or for annoyance. If I didn't truly love the book, I would paste some stars on it and walk away. But this is such a lovely, touching, fabulous tale (and very, very hot!) - I would rave about it regardless of who wrote it. And I'm not usually a M/M reader - but I can't wait for the next book!
But even if I weren't friends with the author, this book would go on my "keep forever and death to anyone who borrows it and doesn't return it in a timely and pristine manner" bookshelf. It's THAT good.
I love a good romance and I very much appreciate a well-structured fantasy. HERO is more than both. Another reviewer compares the world building to Neil Gaiman's, and I have to admit that's exactly the thought that ran through my head as I gobbled up the book. I'm not going to spoil the fun, but the Oasis's reveal was so original, and yet made so much sense within the world the author built so skillfully, I wanted to applaud.
And can Heidi Cullinan write! I fell in love with the protagonist, Hal, from the first few pages. All of the characters are drawn so well, and all have their own distinct personality - even those who show up for just a few pages.
Now, you're welcome to take my review with a grain of salt because I know the author. But I only take the time to write reviews for books that touched me, whether for good or for annoyance. If I didn't truly love the book, I would paste some stars on it and walk away. But this is such a lovely, touching, fabulous tale (and very, very hot!) - I would rave about it regardless of who wrote it. And I'm not usually a M/M reader - but I can't wait for the next book!
September 2, 2011
3.5 stars, rounded up for originality.
This is the story of a man who falls in love with a captive prince and is determined to rescue him. The basic fairytale trope is made interesting by a wealth of details that rise above the mundane and had me pleasantly caught by surprise when I thought I knew what was coming next. Heidi Cullinan's writing has deepened and improved since this early book. I didn't have the same visceral reaction to the trials and tribulations of her hero as I have in other books of hers, and so the story was not as captivating. But it was an interesting read with a satisfying story arc.
This is the story of a man who falls in love with a captive prince and is determined to rescue him. The basic fairytale trope is made interesting by a wealth of details that rise above the mundane and had me pleasantly caught by surprise when I thought I knew what was coming next. Heidi Cullinan's writing has deepened and improved since this early book. I didn't have the same visceral reaction to the trials and tribulations of her hero as I have in other books of hers, and so the story was not as captivating. But it was an interesting read with a satisfying story arc.
May 30, 2011
Rating: 3.5
Sweet fantasy tale about a construction worker who wanders into an "oasis" - sort of an alternate universe - in L.A. while on a job. Well-written and imaginative, but didn't strike the same "romantic" chord as "Special Delivery" did with me. This may have been because the whole fantasy explanation supplanted the romance in spots. Enjoyable read, though.
MILD SPOILERS FOLLOW:
For me, especially coming on the heels of reading "Special Delivery," which I rank as my all-time sexiest M/M slash novel (*fans self*), this novella was a bit of a disappointment. The sex scenes didn't rise to the level of that later work, and the love that develops between the men is a bit rushed (although, to be fair, that's part of the fantasy itself). But I'd have liked more explanation of the emotions involved. Still, it's a fun, relatively-quick read, and as always, it's well-edited and cleanly written, which is why I've rounded up to a 4-star here.
Sweet fantasy tale about a construction worker who wanders into an "oasis" - sort of an alternate universe - in L.A. while on a job. Well-written and imaginative, but didn't strike the same "romantic" chord as "Special Delivery" did with me. This may have been because the whole fantasy explanation supplanted the romance in spots. Enjoyable read, though.
MILD SPOILERS FOLLOW:
For me, especially coming on the heels of reading "Special Delivery," which I rank as my all-time sexiest M/M slash novel (*fans self*), this novella was a bit of a disappointment. The sex scenes didn't rise to the level of that later work, and the love that develops between the men is a bit rushed (although, to be fair, that's part of the fantasy itself). But I'd have liked more explanation of the emotions involved. Still, it's a fun, relatively-quick read, and as always, it's well-edited and cleanly written, which is why I've rounded up to a 4-star here.
May 1, 2017
Very unusual beginning.kind of dream like.
I don't get or like that Howard isn't coming clean about why Shinju made him think Morgan was a woman. It's stupid because Morgan is clearly gay, and it's deceitful. At least he should admit he is into men. He doesn't know how? Just say what happened. Recite the day. Stupid.
Original, unique. Clever with the whole being a place thing.
I'm not sure how I feel about the interweaving of Roman Catholcism. On the one hand, it's cool to allow magic to coexist and on the other hand it's silly because their religion preaches against magic and against homosexuality, and the many of the foundations of their religious practices are in direct opposition. It feels like the author is Catholic and can't imagine a world that it isn't a reality.
I didn't like the ending. Too distancing like we could be along for the ride but not for the beautiful part. I felt excluded, like an ordinary human on the outside.
I don't get or like that Howard isn't coming clean about why Shinju made him think Morgan was a woman. It's stupid because Morgan is clearly gay, and it's deceitful. At least he should admit he is into men. He doesn't know how? Just say what happened. Recite the day. Stupid.
Original, unique. Clever with the whole being a place thing.
I'm not sure how I feel about the interweaving of Roman Catholcism. On the one hand, it's cool to allow magic to coexist and on the other hand it's silly because their religion preaches against magic and against homosexuality, and the many of the foundations of their religious practices are in direct opposition. It feels like the author is Catholic and can't imagine a world that it isn't a reality.
I didn't like the ending. Too distancing like we could be along for the ride but not for the beautiful part. I felt excluded, like an ordinary human on the outside.
December 27, 2017
Interesting read by Heidi Cullinan but I'm finding that I do not enjoy her paranormal reads. I'm not connecting to the world building so it's making it hard for me to connect to the characters. I enjoy Ms. Cullinan's contemporary reads so I think I'll stick to those.
May 10, 2018
This tale did not work for me, despite the crisp English and beautifully evocative prose, for a series of reasons which, considered separatim, may well look churlish yet amount to such a consolidated listing that I could not bypass it: the flow of the story is bad, with a few dozen pages of porn thrown in at the middle bar under the pretence of flushing the human protagonist of a poisonous, magical drink; the too sparse world building distracts from the reader's engagement; the insta-lust element has not been cleverly engineered; the plot is feeble, with no interest in meeting likely objections like the utter strangeness of the presence of two Japanese shifters in the mist of Western-type cryptids no matter the flimsy explanation provided at the eleventh hour, or the ridiculously feeble trick devised by the Asian woman in the fur coat and collar of pearls (if it were so easy for her to glamour a human like Hal and make him see Morgan in the light guaranteed to make said mortal fall in lust with the shifter, why on God's green earth did she never attempted it before, and we are speaking here of a vigil that extended on her part over several centuries ? Barring all such secondary pleading, though, this was not a sucessful book mostly because I felt that, for all that this is a urban fantasy, the paranormal elements (viz. all that revolves around the mysterious bar next to the alpha hero's worksite, the Asian lady, and Mr Harper) were not well blanded at all with the mundane setting. Hal's entire life, no less than his dealings with his mother and his identity as a blue-collar, gay man, are the epitome of boring with nary an inkling of any special strengh of will or particuliar affinity with the supernatural; the way Mrs Cullinan throws him to the sharks so that he could become the hero Morgan so urgently needs thus felt contrived in the extreme (and I am not merely pointing out the cheapness of the Asian woman's parlor tricks here), and indeed once Hal is inside the bar, he behaves moronically. Such is his absence of any charisma, so great his lacking in cunning and tactical intelligence, so utterly clueless his actions and parlance, that he drags into the rubble all that he happens to touch, Morgan, the mysterious lady, the villainious Harper, and the assorted supernaturals that clutter the bar. Actually, the paranormal in this book does not extend beyond a misty veneer that recalls the, not picturesque at all, depiction of the normal world; though the Japanese folklore is the cornerstone of the entire plot, its vivid imagery and picturesque images have been tamped down for no discernable reasons, while nearly all of the magics are done in magisterially anticlimactic fashion, from Hall having to swallow a pearl than a a frothy beverage (comically named 'Stiff drink') down to Morgan finally reining in his squatters and facing Harper in a showdown that provides no pyrotechnics at all. The cover in the (lightly) revised edition only underscores my point here; where the original issue of the book had cleverly evocative artwork superimposing a boy with flowing hair and robes on a fantastic castle looking at a man seen from behind, we now get a sort of ninja wielding a curved saber (why that weapon, which plays no part whatsoever within these covers, only a Seer could tell). Ultimately, my impression is that of a competent writer who either attempted something rather too ambitious for her capabilities or worked hurriedly under compulsion and did not lovingly polish her piece as it ought to have been.
August 27, 2014
Review can also be found at Under the Covers Book Blog
Hal Porter is a 37-year old man trying to find himself and has moved from the mid-west out to California in order to do that. He knows that he is gay, but he hasn’t come out to anyone, especially his very religious mother who keeps asking when he will find a girl to settle down with. While working at his construction site, he suddenly sees a building in a normally empty lot, where one was never before standing. Is he hallucinating? Been working too hard? He is drawn to the place by what appears to be a prince in a window, and a beautiful woman trying to coax him there, but then she and the building are gone. Before long, he realizes that he is not hallucinating, but rather that the building is there, and he decides to take a leap of faith and venture in. What he encounters is more than he ever would have imagined or dreamed.
Once Hal is inside the building – the Oasis – Hero grasps a hold of the reader and doesn’t let go. Hal finds himself in a fantastical world of beings – the laumu – who are shape shifters and live in an alternate world where humans are detested and certainly not welcome. He is drawn immediately to the bartender, Morgan, who also happens to be a prisoner and sex slave of the laumu inhabiting the Oasis. The laumu decide it’s time for Hal to play their game, using Morgan as they deem he should be used and humiliated. The legend has been told that a hero can come and save Morgan from his prison, and while Hal questions that he is that hero, he is so drawn to Morgan that he is certainly willing to try.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a fantasy, but I enjoy them very much, and Hero was no exception. Cullinan spins a very creative and imaginative tale that pulled me in from the start. I love the unexpected and reading about fantasy elements that are new to me, and the concepts within Hero were just that. Morgan’s history, his origin, the kitsune culture, and who he was was so very interesting. As a reader, you wonder, “how does this work?” but Cullinan writes and weaves a tale so well, that it does.
Of course, Cullinan pens a wonderful love story as well. There is something that clicks between Hal and Morgan from the get-go, and Hal knows that after having met Morgan, he cannot return to his daily life of construction work in the real (read: human) world any longer. Something would always be missing. While I am not usually a fan of insta-love, and I do think that those feelings of love may have come a bit too soon for Hal and Morgan, Cullinan makes it work for these guys and for the story as a whole. They needed that deep connection in order for the story to move forward, and it did. The steamy scenes between these guys were really sexy as well, those in private and the not so private. They definitely had great chemistry together.
Moreover, I know that going into a book by Cullinan, there will be so much more to the story than what is shown on the surface. She always has a deeper meaning, and to me, Hero is that book that makes you question your inner strength, to know that there is more to you than meets the eye. Hal is dubious that he is a hero at all, and Morgan certainly believes that he himself is not one, either. But they both discover something about themselves that defy everyone’s expectations, including their own. Heroes truly do come in all shapes and sizes.
All in all, I enjoyed Hero, but I do wish some things had been flushed out a little bit more: how the enemy discovered that Hal had the sight to see the Oasis; the humming Hal experienced when in the Oasis; how Hal was able to do the things he was even though he was a mere human; more explanation for why Hal and Morgan’s enemy couldn’t be fully defeated but others of his kind could (because I believe that his finally punishment was much too lenient for all the bad he did). I also would have liked to learn more about the kitsune culture. Of course, realizing that adding all that information in could have easily turned this book into a series, I do believe that what was fit into a one book was still great and definitely an enjoyable escape.
*ARC provided by author
Hal Porter is a 37-year old man trying to find himself and has moved from the mid-west out to California in order to do that. He knows that he is gay, but he hasn’t come out to anyone, especially his very religious mother who keeps asking when he will find a girl to settle down with. While working at his construction site, he suddenly sees a building in a normally empty lot, where one was never before standing. Is he hallucinating? Been working too hard? He is drawn to the place by what appears to be a prince in a window, and a beautiful woman trying to coax him there, but then she and the building are gone. Before long, he realizes that he is not hallucinating, but rather that the building is there, and he decides to take a leap of faith and venture in. What he encounters is more than he ever would have imagined or dreamed.
Once Hal is inside the building – the Oasis – Hero grasps a hold of the reader and doesn’t let go. Hal finds himself in a fantastical world of beings – the laumu – who are shape shifters and live in an alternate world where humans are detested and certainly not welcome. He is drawn immediately to the bartender, Morgan, who also happens to be a prisoner and sex slave of the laumu inhabiting the Oasis. The laumu decide it’s time for Hal to play their game, using Morgan as they deem he should be used and humiliated. The legend has been told that a hero can come and save Morgan from his prison, and while Hal questions that he is that hero, he is so drawn to Morgan that he is certainly willing to try.
It’s been awhile since I’ve read a fantasy, but I enjoy them very much, and Hero was no exception. Cullinan spins a very creative and imaginative tale that pulled me in from the start. I love the unexpected and reading about fantasy elements that are new to me, and the concepts within Hero were just that. Morgan’s history, his origin, the kitsune culture, and who he was was so very interesting. As a reader, you wonder, “how does this work?” but Cullinan writes and weaves a tale so well, that it does.
Of course, Cullinan pens a wonderful love story as well. There is something that clicks between Hal and Morgan from the get-go, and Hal knows that after having met Morgan, he cannot return to his daily life of construction work in the real (read: human) world any longer. Something would always be missing. While I am not usually a fan of insta-love, and I do think that those feelings of love may have come a bit too soon for Hal and Morgan, Cullinan makes it work for these guys and for the story as a whole. They needed that deep connection in order for the story to move forward, and it did. The steamy scenes between these guys were really sexy as well, those in private and the not so private. They definitely had great chemistry together.
Moreover, I know that going into a book by Cullinan, there will be so much more to the story than what is shown on the surface. She always has a deeper meaning, and to me, Hero is that book that makes you question your inner strength, to know that there is more to you than meets the eye. Hal is dubious that he is a hero at all, and Morgan certainly believes that he himself is not one, either. But they both discover something about themselves that defy everyone’s expectations, including their own. Heroes truly do come in all shapes and sizes.
All in all, I enjoyed Hero, but I do wish some things had been flushed out a little bit more: how the enemy discovered that Hal had the sight to see the Oasis; the humming Hal experienced when in the Oasis; how Hal was able to do the things he was even though he was a mere human; more explanation for why Hal and Morgan’s enemy couldn’t be fully defeated but others of his kind could (because I believe that his finally punishment was much too lenient for all the bad he did). I also would have liked to learn more about the kitsune culture. Of course, realizing that adding all that information in could have easily turned this book into a series, I do believe that what was fit into a one book was still great and definitely an enjoyable escape.
*ARC provided by author
July 16, 2014
A prince is held captive by his own promise. Left to an endless life of use and abuse after having been lured away from all of his family by the promise of love and care, Morgan is now trapped inside the hell of his own making in many ways. But his Mother cannot rest until she finds the elusive “hero” that can love her son enough to rescue him from his captor. In an alternate reality where a prince is actually the very building that holds him captive and evil walks among humans without detection, our hero goes blithely unaware to his construction job each day, passing what appears to be an empty lot.
Hal has left his home in Kansas to come to California in the hopes of escaping the guilt and shame he feels about his being gay. In fact, he can barely acknowledge to himself that he likes men, and the idea of following through and actually being with a man leaves him terrified and wracked with misery. Then he sees a building where there should be none, and in its window a man, a beautiful man who looks so terribly lost and sad—just like himself. After a bewildering encounter with that man where Hal must finally come to grips with whether he will remain locked in his own closet or become the man he was meant to be, our hero sets off to rescue his prince. But how can one man show another that inside each of us lies a hero waiting to save the day?
Heidi Cullinan gives us a unique world where shape shifters take on a whole new meaning. The idea that Morgan is, in essence, able to be both male or female and also erect rooms and entire buildings around himself is at times breathtaking and also baffling. What makes her characters, both Hal and Morgan so raw and shatteringly real, however, is their pain and sorrow. The author explores the thought that our own disbelief in ourselves binds us to an almost half-life existence where we are mired down in our self-loathing and despair. Both Hal and Morgan have little faith in themselves. It is this that allows the evil and manipulative character, Eagen, to use Morgan so cruelly and nearly prevent Hal from understanding that his love for Morgan can make him strong enough to rescue the prince.
Their story and journey is really what makes this novel shine. Both Hal and Morgan deserve a happy ending, and that hangs in the balance until the very end. Layered with a action packed rescue and multiple moments where sex is performed for the pleasure of a jeering crowd, this story is a fast read that keeps you glued to the page until its final moments. The problem that arises in this story has little to do with the burgeoning relationship between Hal and Morgan and more to do with what exactly Morgan is. I found myself never fully understanding how he could be a, well, a building of sorts. I couldn’t quite understand what type of creature Morgan actually appeared to be, and that continually nagged at me, sometimes drawing me away from the story. I felt as though that portion of the story was left unfinished and since it was pretty vital to understand exactly what Morgan was, as it affected Hal so dramatically, I felt the lack of explanation to be a fairly serious flaw.
However, Heidi Cullinan’s Hero was still an exceptionally compelling and beautiful love story. The change that takes place in both Hal and Morgan was nothing short of breathtaking and left one with a restored belief that heroes do indeed walk among us; and may, in fact, be inside each of us.
Hal has left his home in Kansas to come to California in the hopes of escaping the guilt and shame he feels about his being gay. In fact, he can barely acknowledge to himself that he likes men, and the idea of following through and actually being with a man leaves him terrified and wracked with misery. Then he sees a building where there should be none, and in its window a man, a beautiful man who looks so terribly lost and sad—just like himself. After a bewildering encounter with that man where Hal must finally come to grips with whether he will remain locked in his own closet or become the man he was meant to be, our hero sets off to rescue his prince. But how can one man show another that inside each of us lies a hero waiting to save the day?
Heidi Cullinan gives us a unique world where shape shifters take on a whole new meaning. The idea that Morgan is, in essence, able to be both male or female and also erect rooms and entire buildings around himself is at times breathtaking and also baffling. What makes her characters, both Hal and Morgan so raw and shatteringly real, however, is their pain and sorrow. The author explores the thought that our own disbelief in ourselves binds us to an almost half-life existence where we are mired down in our self-loathing and despair. Both Hal and Morgan have little faith in themselves. It is this that allows the evil and manipulative character, Eagen, to use Morgan so cruelly and nearly prevent Hal from understanding that his love for Morgan can make him strong enough to rescue the prince.
Their story and journey is really what makes this novel shine. Both Hal and Morgan deserve a happy ending, and that hangs in the balance until the very end. Layered with a action packed rescue and multiple moments where sex is performed for the pleasure of a jeering crowd, this story is a fast read that keeps you glued to the page until its final moments. The problem that arises in this story has little to do with the burgeoning relationship between Hal and Morgan and more to do with what exactly Morgan is. I found myself never fully understanding how he could be a, well, a building of sorts. I couldn’t quite understand what type of creature Morgan actually appeared to be, and that continually nagged at me, sometimes drawing me away from the story. I felt as though that portion of the story was left unfinished and since it was pretty vital to understand exactly what Morgan was, as it affected Hal so dramatically, I felt the lack of explanation to be a fairly serious flaw.
However, Heidi Cullinan’s Hero was still an exceptionally compelling and beautiful love story. The change that takes place in both Hal and Morgan was nothing short of breathtaking and left one with a restored belief that heroes do indeed walk among us; and may, in fact, be inside each of us.
July 29, 2014
Hal Porter is drawn to a woman he see's outside the site he's currently working on one evening after his shift. Where there was just an empty lot moments before, now there is a bar, and this woman who seems entirely to refined for the area, much less the establishment. A bump and he's back standing at the site, confused and unnerved. And again, another vision...
He saw a man, slight and slim and beautiful, reaching down to him from a glass castle in the clouds.
A loud crack, he's back in the empty lot. The next day when he arrives at the construction site for work, he's inexplicably fired, accused of stealing from the site. And then after, the strange woman again. This time she has a cryptic message for him, a promise and a coin, and Hal is transported inside the Bar that isn't really there, or is it? Hal's completely mundane life is about to change forever, when he finds that which he most desires in a place that shouldn't exist.
Morgan is an enigma, the son of a Kitsune Queen that didn't inherit the gene. He is an Oasis, a shell of the person he was, the person he wants to be. Trapped inside the bar by another being, an evil vile being that tricked Morgan into thinking he loved him, that he was his savior, only to trap Morgan inside his own heart. Never alone, but forever lonely. Hal's mission is to free himself from his own self imposed prison, but to free Morgan from his as well. They will have to love each other, trust each other and believe not only in themselves but each other if they are to ever, truly be free.
In order to understand this story, you will have to suspend your belief in reality. Eagan has Morgan so trapped and confused with layer upon layer of lies and betrayal, that not even he knows which way is up or down. So when the solution to his torment is presented by way of Hal's love, Morgan doesn't trust in it, believing the lies Eagan has fed him for centuries. I loved how this story was a journey through the dark side of a fairy tale, a legend, a whisper in the dark. The accoutrements of this story are vivid and I loved how Cullinan wove them all together. From the little death, to the pearls of wisdom and then the shifter aspects, every detail was meticulously laid out for the reader. My only complaints would be at times I was confused and I think only because there was so much going on within the story, and the voyeurism aspect when in the bar made my skin crawl a bit.
Overall, this was a dark and twisted fairy tale esque story with a nice twist there at the end. I recommend you grab the first story though, Miles and The Magic Flute, and peruse it first. While they aren't necessarily directly linked, they are cut from the same clothe and it will introduce you to Cullinan's theory for these stories. If you are a fan of stories with a deep rooted moral seed, Fae, Shifters and some dirty kinky guy on guy action, then this is a story for you.
He saw a man, slight and slim and beautiful, reaching down to him from a glass castle in the clouds.
A loud crack, he's back in the empty lot. The next day when he arrives at the construction site for work, he's inexplicably fired, accused of stealing from the site. And then after, the strange woman again. This time she has a cryptic message for him, a promise and a coin, and Hal is transported inside the Bar that isn't really there, or is it? Hal's completely mundane life is about to change forever, when he finds that which he most desires in a place that shouldn't exist.
Morgan is an enigma, the son of a Kitsune Queen that didn't inherit the gene. He is an Oasis, a shell of the person he was, the person he wants to be. Trapped inside the bar by another being, an evil vile being that tricked Morgan into thinking he loved him, that he was his savior, only to trap Morgan inside his own heart. Never alone, but forever lonely. Hal's mission is to free himself from his own self imposed prison, but to free Morgan from his as well. They will have to love each other, trust each other and believe not only in themselves but each other if they are to ever, truly be free.
In order to understand this story, you will have to suspend your belief in reality. Eagan has Morgan so trapped and confused with layer upon layer of lies and betrayal, that not even he knows which way is up or down. So when the solution to his torment is presented by way of Hal's love, Morgan doesn't trust in it, believing the lies Eagan has fed him for centuries. I loved how this story was a journey through the dark side of a fairy tale, a legend, a whisper in the dark. The accoutrements of this story are vivid and I loved how Cullinan wove them all together. From the little death, to the pearls of wisdom and then the shifter aspects, every detail was meticulously laid out for the reader. My only complaints would be at times I was confused and I think only because there was so much going on within the story, and the voyeurism aspect when in the bar made my skin crawl a bit.
Overall, this was a dark and twisted fairy tale esque story with a nice twist there at the end. I recommend you grab the first story though, Miles and The Magic Flute, and peruse it first. While they aren't necessarily directly linked, they are cut from the same clothe and it will introduce you to Cullinan's theory for these stories. If you are a fan of stories with a deep rooted moral seed, Fae, Shifters and some dirty kinky guy on guy action, then this is a story for you.
February 15, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
I usually love fantasy stories. I like to read about shifters and magic. Anything really. I thought I’d enjoy this one based on the blurb. I did not. Usually there’s something I like about a story enough to mention but I’m honestly having a hard time coming up with one. There were plenty of things that didn’t work for me though.
Hal is abruptly fired from his job. He’s new to LA. Left his mom and small town behind for opportunities in the big city that didn’t really live up to his expectations. Now he’s been fired for something he didn’t do by a smarmy prick in a suit. Not a great couple of days since he seems to be hallucinating a building and a woman appearing in the lot across from the construction site. When the woman speaks to him he has visions of a beautiful prince trapped in a castle. He has a very strong urge to save him but has no idea how or if it’s even real. The new stranger helps him enter the disappearing building where his entire world is about to change.
Here is where he meets Morgan. Morgan is being held captive by a group of….something magical. More of a slave they use and abuse for amusement. Morgan knows Hal isn’t supposed to be there and tries to help him get out but the bad guys make him take a potion to prove if Hal is the hero Morgan has been waiting for to save him.
This is where the book starts to get bizarre for me. The potion itself should kill Hal. Morgan escapes with Hal to his hidey hole where he basically gives him blow job CPR. Yep. He blows him to keep him alive! My friend suggested blow job resuscitation is a real thing. Sure it is! Anyway, then they proceed to have pages and pages of sex essentially milking the poison out of poor Hal if you get my drift. ;) I was honestly shocked by all this. Not that it’s overly sexual or anything but it was just so porny for me.
Hal was constantly unsure of himself beyond wanting to help Morgan. It’s understandable considering he was thrust into all this with no idea how he’s supposed to battle supernatural beings he had no idea existing until that moment. Morgan was abused and acted like it. He made a mistake and trusted the wrong guy and has spent hundreds of years paying for it. Morgan is drawn to the kindness of Hal and will do whatever it takes to get him out of there. There were moments that were sweet and had potential but something always seemed to crush it for me.
I did not really get the whole “oasis” thing. There were a few things that didn’t really click together. Who Morgan would or wouldn’t allow in the oasis (him?) Or protected by the oasis (him?) I read several parts multiple times and it just never resonated with me personally. A lot of this book seemed like it wanted to better than it was. I won’t say it’s an awful book because it was an original idea. I kind of liked Hal. I hated the baddies. I just can’t recommend it.
I usually love fantasy stories. I like to read about shifters and magic. Anything really. I thought I’d enjoy this one based on the blurb. I did not. Usually there’s something I like about a story enough to mention but I’m honestly having a hard time coming up with one. There were plenty of things that didn’t work for me though.
Hal is abruptly fired from his job. He’s new to LA. Left his mom and small town behind for opportunities in the big city that didn’t really live up to his expectations. Now he’s been fired for something he didn’t do by a smarmy prick in a suit. Not a great couple of days since he seems to be hallucinating a building and a woman appearing in the lot across from the construction site. When the woman speaks to him he has visions of a beautiful prince trapped in a castle. He has a very strong urge to save him but has no idea how or if it’s even real. The new stranger helps him enter the disappearing building where his entire world is about to change.
Here is where he meets Morgan. Morgan is being held captive by a group of….something magical. More of a slave they use and abuse for amusement. Morgan knows Hal isn’t supposed to be there and tries to help him get out but the bad guys make him take a potion to prove if Hal is the hero Morgan has been waiting for to save him.
This is where the book starts to get bizarre for me. The potion itself should kill Hal. Morgan escapes with Hal to his hidey hole where he basically gives him blow job CPR. Yep. He blows him to keep him alive! My friend suggested blow job resuscitation is a real thing. Sure it is! Anyway, then they proceed to have pages and pages of sex essentially milking the poison out of poor Hal if you get my drift. ;) I was honestly shocked by all this. Not that it’s overly sexual or anything but it was just so porny for me.
Hal was constantly unsure of himself beyond wanting to help Morgan. It’s understandable considering he was thrust into all this with no idea how he’s supposed to battle supernatural beings he had no idea existing until that moment. Morgan was abused and acted like it. He made a mistake and trusted the wrong guy and has spent hundreds of years paying for it. Morgan is drawn to the kindness of Hal and will do whatever it takes to get him out of there. There were moments that were sweet and had potential but something always seemed to crush it for me.
I did not really get the whole “oasis” thing. There were a few things that didn’t really click together. Who Morgan would or wouldn’t allow in the oasis (him?) Or protected by the oasis (him?) I read several parts multiple times and it just never resonated with me personally. A lot of this book seemed like it wanted to better than it was. I won’t say it’s an awful book because it was an original idea. I kind of liked Hal. I hated the baddies. I just can’t recommend it.
September 13, 2014
4 star review by Vicki
Poor Hal, he’s just so average. He’s a construction worker from Kansas, living in LA. He moved there thinking it would be his chance to find love and happiness, but he so shy and ashamed of his sexuality that nothing has happened. He’s lonely and miserable, and like the good Catholic boy he is, full of guilt and shame, even when he’s alone in his apartment. He’s a hard worker, but doesn’t seem to really love what he does. He goes to work, and goes home, day after day. Then one day, he sees something strange and his life is altered forever.
When a seedy looking bar appears in the empty lot next door to the construction site, Hal is reluctantly drawn in to a bizarre magical world. He is sent in by a strange woman to save someone named Morgan, but he has absolutely no idea what he is walking in to or how to save anyone. Yet he’s a good man, and bumbles his way around, doing his best to help. Initially he is not very successful and ends up needing more help than he provides, but he is rewarded with a night of passion like he has never experienced before. But in the morning, it is back to reality, and he realizes he’s not saved anyone. Luckily he gets a chance to try again. Or, maybe he is forced to try again!
I found this to be an interesting story, with lots of opposites. Hal is very bland and mild, calm and mundane, shy and innocent. His love interest, Morgan, is wild and magical, bold and sexual. Not always willingly however. LA is uninteresting and boring, the Oasis is bizarre and magical. Hal’s Kansas breed, Catholic mother, the opposite of Morgan’s magical kitsune mother. Hal is good, Eagan is bad. No compromises. It’s a simple seeming plot, Hal plays the part of the hero, going in to the magical place to rescue his love interest, but it’s really not that easy or simple. Morgan and his world are a mess, in desperate need of help and love. Hal wants to be the one to help him, and love him, but Morgan is stubborn and convinced his reality is what it is. It’s a wonderful plot, I admit I did get lost a bit, but I had fun reading it!
So the plot was good, very complex and creative. Hal was a little blah, but he kinda was that way. He’s sweet but bland. Morgan is amazing, I wish I understood him better! Their emotional connection forms quick, and the sex between them is very creative and hot! The extra characters are interesting, very good or very bad. Heidi is a fantastic writer, she keeps this odd story moving forward and it kept my interest. I enjoyed this one, although I tend to like her contemporary without the fantasy better. I’m not sure why, I did like Hero, but I didn’t love it.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews!
Poor Hal, he’s just so average. He’s a construction worker from Kansas, living in LA. He moved there thinking it would be his chance to find love and happiness, but he so shy and ashamed of his sexuality that nothing has happened. He’s lonely and miserable, and like the good Catholic boy he is, full of guilt and shame, even when he’s alone in his apartment. He’s a hard worker, but doesn’t seem to really love what he does. He goes to work, and goes home, day after day. Then one day, he sees something strange and his life is altered forever.
When a seedy looking bar appears in the empty lot next door to the construction site, Hal is reluctantly drawn in to a bizarre magical world. He is sent in by a strange woman to save someone named Morgan, but he has absolutely no idea what he is walking in to or how to save anyone. Yet he’s a good man, and bumbles his way around, doing his best to help. Initially he is not very successful and ends up needing more help than he provides, but he is rewarded with a night of passion like he has never experienced before. But in the morning, it is back to reality, and he realizes he’s not saved anyone. Luckily he gets a chance to try again. Or, maybe he is forced to try again!
I found this to be an interesting story, with lots of opposites. Hal is very bland and mild, calm and mundane, shy and innocent. His love interest, Morgan, is wild and magical, bold and sexual. Not always willingly however. LA is uninteresting and boring, the Oasis is bizarre and magical. Hal’s Kansas breed, Catholic mother, the opposite of Morgan’s magical kitsune mother. Hal is good, Eagan is bad. No compromises. It’s a simple seeming plot, Hal plays the part of the hero, going in to the magical place to rescue his love interest, but it’s really not that easy or simple. Morgan and his world are a mess, in desperate need of help and love. Hal wants to be the one to help him, and love him, but Morgan is stubborn and convinced his reality is what it is. It’s a wonderful plot, I admit I did get lost a bit, but I had fun reading it!
So the plot was good, very complex and creative. Hal was a little blah, but he kinda was that way. He’s sweet but bland. Morgan is amazing, I wish I understood him better! Their emotional connection forms quick, and the sex between them is very creative and hot! The extra characters are interesting, very good or very bad. Heidi is a fantastic writer, she keeps this odd story moving forward and it kept my interest. I enjoyed this one, although I tend to like her contemporary without the fantasy better. I’m not sure why, I did like Hero, but I didn’t love it.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews!
October 15, 2011
It was a bit difficult to enter this book, because the confusion felt by the protagonist translated into confusion I felt in my head. I couldn't focus on what was going on. Once Hal, the construction worker, and Morgan, the captive prince, get together in Morgan's private room and the ties binding Morgan are more thoroughly explained, I found the story very interesting and fascinating. There is some kind of mythology in the background of the story which was not really explored, but this world of Japanese shapeshifters and their special sanctuary was enchanting.
The little problem I had with the book was that in a sense I wasn't able to figure out Hal, the narrator. He tells many things about himself, but he remained unreachable, maybe because he didn't put enough value in his own strength and valor. Hal is a very caring and selfless man, he is in the closet and he thinks he won't find a man to love and be loved in return. There's a little hopelessness in him, and Morgan, the captive prince, is as hopeless too, so for a while the two of them share their feelings, but there's the spark of hope missing in their encounter. I felt a bit depressed.
It is when Hal, after being left out of Morgan's world by Morgan himself, decides to ask for Shinju's magical help to go back to Morgan and save him that the book became impossible to put down. I loved seeing how Hal and Morgan mold the rules of Morgan's imprisonment to stand against Eagan, Morgan's jailer. I really appreciated that the author payed a lot of attention to all the details of the world building. I think the last 10% of the book dragged a little bit.
I think that the world building was probably more important than the characters, so I felt a little bit of detachment, because I usually prefer character-driven plots, but it's a story with quite original elements.
The little problem I had with the book was that in a sense I wasn't able to figure out Hal, the narrator. He tells many things about himself, but he remained unreachable, maybe because he didn't put enough value in his own strength and valor. Hal is a very caring and selfless man, he is in the closet and he thinks he won't find a man to love and be loved in return. There's a little hopelessness in him, and Morgan, the captive prince, is as hopeless too, so for a while the two of them share their feelings, but there's the spark of hope missing in their encounter. I felt a bit depressed.
It is when Hal, after being left out of Morgan's world by Morgan himself, decides to ask for Shinju's magical help to go back to Morgan and save him that the book became impossible to put down. I loved seeing how Hal and Morgan mold the rules of Morgan's imprisonment to stand against Eagan, Morgan's jailer. I really appreciated that the author payed a lot of attention to all the details of the world building. I think the last 10% of the book dragged a little bit.
I think that the world building was probably more important than the characters, so I felt a little bit of detachment, because I usually prefer character-driven plots, but it's a story with quite original elements.
September 8, 2014
A very wise man once said that courage is not the absence of fear, but overcoming that fear. And Hal Porter is about to learn about courage and fighting his fears.
As with all of Heidi's books, this one contains a message too. A lesson, if you will, one that Hal has to learn for himself, but one that applies to all of us just the same.
Hal is in the closet, you see. He's afraid of people's reactions if he were to tell them that he's gay. He's afraid to come out to his mother, to his boss. He lives his life alone, away from his family, working in construction in L.A.
When he's thrown headlong into a magical world, tasked with saving the Oasis, his fears lead him down the wrong path for a while, but eventually Hal realizes that the only way to get the life and love he wants is to forge ahead, overcome his fear and do what his heart tells him to do.
It was fascinating to see an earlier work of this author whom I admire so much, and see how her particular brand of magic shines even in her early novels.
The story flows easily and naturally, the writing is descriptive and perfectly suited to this type of story. It's a romance, of course, but it's much more than just that.
It's a book about the fight for the right to be who you are, a fight to be free, a fight to love whom you love. And within its pages, there is courage - oh, so much courage.
I enjoyed the mythological world Heidi created, and I adored both Hal and Morgan. And I thought the ending was absolutely perfect.
Give this a try, would you?
** I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
As with all of Heidi's books, this one contains a message too. A lesson, if you will, one that Hal has to learn for himself, but one that applies to all of us just the same.
Hal is in the closet, you see. He's afraid of people's reactions if he were to tell them that he's gay. He's afraid to come out to his mother, to his boss. He lives his life alone, away from his family, working in construction in L.A.
When he's thrown headlong into a magical world, tasked with saving the Oasis, his fears lead him down the wrong path for a while, but eventually Hal realizes that the only way to get the life and love he wants is to forge ahead, overcome his fear and do what his heart tells him to do.
It was fascinating to see an earlier work of this author whom I admire so much, and see how her particular brand of magic shines even in her early novels.
The story flows easily and naturally, the writing is descriptive and perfectly suited to this type of story. It's a romance, of course, but it's much more than just that.
It's a book about the fight for the right to be who you are, a fight to be free, a fight to love whom you love. And within its pages, there is courage - oh, so much courage.
I enjoyed the mythological world Heidi created, and I adored both Hal and Morgan. And I thought the ending was absolutely perfect.
Give this a try, would you?
** I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
March 23, 2010
Although rather unusual, this modern day fairytale essentially tells a very simple and classic story of an ordinary hero who sets out to rescue his imprisoned princess (or, um, prince).
Hal is just a regular guy living his regular life as a construction worker, when all of a sudden he discovers that his world isn't quite so ordinary after all. He starts seeing invisible buildings, starts having strange dreams, and starts being pointed toward a destiny he didn't know he had. Much to his dismay, Hal learns that a magical prince is being held prisoner by an evil villain, and it's up to him to discover his inner hero and rescue the prince.
Unfortunately, this story didn't quite deliver as promised for me. I've been trying to pinpoint what it was that I felt was lacking, and I think the answer may be everything. There simply were not enough details, not enough explanation, and not enough character development for me to be satisfied. Because of this, I never really felt connected to the fantasy world described or the characters in it. Even by the end of the book, I still didn't really feel like I understood the background story or even really knew the characters. None of it felt real. And I kinda didn't even care that much.
Bottom Line: My gut feeling, my first most simple reaction was that I didn't much care for this book. But that's me. I think this is the kind of book where a fair amount of people will feel very differently than me, so I'll leave it at that.
Hal is just a regular guy living his regular life as a construction worker, when all of a sudden he discovers that his world isn't quite so ordinary after all. He starts seeing invisible buildings, starts having strange dreams, and starts being pointed toward a destiny he didn't know he had. Much to his dismay, Hal learns that a magical prince is being held prisoner by an evil villain, and it's up to him to discover his inner hero and rescue the prince.
Unfortunately, this story didn't quite deliver as promised for me. I've been trying to pinpoint what it was that I felt was lacking, and I think the answer may be everything. There simply were not enough details, not enough explanation, and not enough character development for me to be satisfied. Because of this, I never really felt connected to the fantasy world described or the characters in it. Even by the end of the book, I still didn't really feel like I understood the background story or even really knew the characters. None of it felt real. And I kinda didn't even care that much.
Bottom Line: My gut feeling, my first most simple reaction was that I didn't much care for this book. But that's me. I think this is the kind of book where a fair amount of people will feel very differently than me, so I'll leave it at that.
December 27, 2012
The book format is a little unusual; a bit larger and thinner than I'm used to. That somehow added to its refreshing effect.
I had expected the plot to be very similar to fairy tales, with Hal travelling across mystical landscapes and wrestling down ferocious beasts in order to save his prince from a faraway tower. Maybe it's because I misjudged the blurb, or because the front cover is weird that way, but it doesn't matter. There was actually nothing in this book that even vaguely resembled a fairy tale. In fact, it's the first time I've praised a new book in a while.
There aren't a vast amount of places to visit - about three, actually - but they were changed often, or made interesting by action.
The main character, Hal, is a construction worker in turmoil about his sexuality. He believes himself to be too old to date, too unimportant to be a hero, and too trapped to make a difference. After being nagged into lending a hand to a mysterious woman, he is thrust into a quest of which nobody can be bothered giving him information about, and tries to free the captured Morgan.
Morgan is a place - the Oasis. Having made some mistakes in his youth, he is kept as a slave by the people who inhabit him, and holds about as much hope for freedom as a stone in the desert holds water. As he is more concerned about keeping Hal safe, he makes things difficult, but is very, very beautiful.
The plot probably won't shock you to your core, but the book is written well and realistic (considering the topic). I'm glad I got to read this.
I had expected the plot to be very similar to fairy tales, with Hal travelling across mystical landscapes and wrestling down ferocious beasts in order to save his prince from a faraway tower. Maybe it's because I misjudged the blurb, or because the front cover is weird that way, but it doesn't matter. There was actually nothing in this book that even vaguely resembled a fairy tale. In fact, it's the first time I've praised a new book in a while.
There aren't a vast amount of places to visit - about three, actually - but they were changed often, or made interesting by action.
The main character, Hal, is a construction worker in turmoil about his sexuality. He believes himself to be too old to date, too unimportant to be a hero, and too trapped to make a difference. After being nagged into lending a hand to a mysterious woman, he is thrust into a quest of which nobody can be bothered giving him information about, and tries to free the captured Morgan.
Morgan is a place - the Oasis. Having made some mistakes in his youth, he is kept as a slave by the people who inhabit him, and holds about as much hope for freedom as a stone in the desert holds water. As he is more concerned about keeping Hal safe, he makes things difficult, but is very, very beautiful.
The plot probably won't shock you to your core, but the book is written well and realistic (considering the topic). I'm glad I got to read this.
August 21, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Heidi Cullinan is and will forever be one of my favorites for reasons like this book. It’s a fantasy, which she doesn’t do a lot of but maybe she should. But it’s not your run-of-the-mill fantasy. Cullinan reached deep with this one. For the foundation of this story, the author pulls from Japanese mythology, which is both unique and refreshing.
This world is a new a world of shifters and other beings, and evil lurking in the shadows. What attracted me to both Hal and Morgan was the hurt and sorrow that surrounds them. Hal has his own issues, firmly planted in the closet afraid to tell his mother who he is. And it’s real fear to Hal—enough for him to remain a virgin after thirty-seven years. And Morgan, bless his heart, is a slave of his own making. Misunderstood and rebellious in his youth, he turned his back on his family and his clan and trusted a man he thought loved him only to be held prisoner for his power. After a while, Morgan lost hope of the hero who would save him and gave in to the hopelessness of his situation. In Morgan, Hal finds a purpose and a confidence he never knew existed in himself, not to mention a love. And in Hal, Morgan finds what he’d given up on—hope and love.
Read Crissy's review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Heidi Cullinan is and will forever be one of my favorites for reasons like this book. It’s a fantasy, which she doesn’t do a lot of but maybe she should. But it’s not your run-of-the-mill fantasy. Cullinan reached deep with this one. For the foundation of this story, the author pulls from Japanese mythology, which is both unique and refreshing.
This world is a new a world of shifters and other beings, and evil lurking in the shadows. What attracted me to both Hal and Morgan was the hurt and sorrow that surrounds them. Hal has his own issues, firmly planted in the closet afraid to tell his mother who he is. And it’s real fear to Hal—enough for him to remain a virgin after thirty-seven years. And Morgan, bless his heart, is a slave of his own making. Misunderstood and rebellious in his youth, he turned his back on his family and his clan and trusted a man he thought loved him only to be held prisoner for his power. After a while, Morgan lost hope of the hero who would save him and gave in to the hopelessness of his situation. In Morgan, Hal finds a purpose and a confidence he never knew existed in himself, not to mention a love. And in Hal, Morgan finds what he’d given up on—hope and love.
Read Crissy's review in its entirety here.
September 20, 2014
Wow this is book contains such a beautiful message! Howard or Hal is a 37 year old extremely closeted and ashamed Catholic construction worker. He dreams of being able to be who he is and having someone love and appreciate him just the way he is. However, he has grown up hiding his sexuality and believing that it is wrong to want another man so he denies himself anything that could give him even a flicker of happiness.
Morgan is a being of immense power and capacity to love but he must share his love and have it returned in order to survive. Outside forces conspire to bring Morgan and Hal together so that they will save each other, but the two must not only believe in their partner but themselves in order to gain their happiness.
I loved how the mothers of these two men may have a misguided way of trying to aid their sons in their search for love but were merely doing what they thought would help their sons the most. This was a story about self-discovery and learning that we all have the power to save ourselves we just have to believe it and have a reason to embrace it.
Love and trust are the two most prominent themes in this sweet and sometimes sad tale of finding love in the abandoned places.
Morgan is a being of immense power and capacity to love but he must share his love and have it returned in order to survive. Outside forces conspire to bring Morgan and Hal together so that they will save each other, but the two must not only believe in their partner but themselves in order to gain their happiness.
I loved how the mothers of these two men may have a misguided way of trying to aid their sons in their search for love but were merely doing what they thought would help their sons the most. This was a story about self-discovery and learning that we all have the power to save ourselves we just have to believe it and have a reason to embrace it.
Love and trust are the two most prominent themes in this sweet and sometimes sad tale of finding love in the abandoned places.
May 24, 2011
This book wanted to be so much better. The premise is original for both fantasy fiction and m/m fiction. In fact, it succeeds more at the former than the latter. It needed about 100 more pages. The world building needed more, the characters needed more, and the back story needed more. I found myself, while I was writing it, fantasizing on ways to make the story better.
The main character is an anti-hero and is a bit bumbling and clueless. I thought he was interesting, but I didn't get to know him well, really. The love interest, Morgan, was a completely interesting character, nearly in the yaoi tradition, without the extreme naivete those characters generally depict. The androgyny was an interesting twist on m/m fiction and it worked in the book for me.
More back story needed to be done on the Oasis concept and why the lauma hated the kitsue. If you're going to go there, give me an explanation! More back story needed to be done on the bad guy. Mean for no reason isn't a good motivation for a story and it doesn't make sense here.
The end was also too abrupt, in my opinion.
Nice try, no cigar.
The main character is an anti-hero and is a bit bumbling and clueless. I thought he was interesting, but I didn't get to know him well, really. The love interest, Morgan, was a completely interesting character, nearly in the yaoi tradition, without the extreme naivete those characters generally depict. The androgyny was an interesting twist on m/m fiction and it worked in the book for me.
More back story needed to be done on the Oasis concept and why the lauma hated the kitsue. If you're going to go there, give me an explanation! More back story needed to be done on the bad guy. Mean for no reason isn't a good motivation for a story and it doesn't make sense here.
The end was also too abrupt, in my opinion.
Nice try, no cigar.
December 14, 2025
Hal is a Kansas construction worker who has moved to Los Angeles to find work and more experiences, including overcoming his deep-in-closet attraction to men. Then one day he sees a woman in front of a bar that suddenly appears in the empty lot next to his worksite, both of which disappears just as suddenly.
The next day, he's fired and escorted off property... only to be approached by the woman. She asks him to enter the bar and pass on a message to someone inside. As he reluctantly agrees, he has no idea it's about to change everyone's life.
An early effort by Cullinan from 2009 and I think it really shows. I found it awkward in both set up and characterization. She employs an interesting magic system though, involving some Japanese kitsunes (magical foxes.) When I finished, I felt like it just needed more.
Three stars.
The next day, he's fired and escorted off property... only to be approached by the woman. She asks him to enter the bar and pass on a message to someone inside. As he reluctantly agrees, he has no idea it's about to change everyone's life.
An early effort by Cullinan from 2009 and I think it really shows. I found it awkward in both set up and characterization. She employs an interesting magic system though, involving some Japanese kitsunes (magical foxes.) When I finished, I felt like it just needed more.
Three stars.
September 1, 2014
I was lucky enough to win a copy of Heidi Cullinan’s Hero in its second incarnation. I’m surprised I had not read it previously, as fantasy is my favorite genre. However, I made up for it by reading it in one night, as I could not put it down! I liked that both MCs had to learn to believe in themselves to find their HEA, although in very different ways. Both were in prisons of their own making, one by being in the closet and the other by being a slave to a demon. Both MCs also had mothers who wound up providing essential help for their sons to break free. The fantasy elements were not so overwhelming that someone who does not regularly read fantasy could not enjoy the novel. If Cullinan had kept on writing fantasy I probably would have read everything she ever wrote.
August 1, 2014
Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5
From my review: "...Some of the wonderful surprises Heidi has in store for the reader are things that should be left as elements to wonder at when you come upon them in the course of the tale. But others, like choosing the kitsune as the shape shifters and Japanese lore as a foundation for those magical beings are both charming and new. I wish Cullinan had gone a little more in depth into the kitsune legends but what is here is marvelous and intriguing…"
For my full review, visit http://wp.me/p220KL-2MO
July 19, 2015
This story is weird. But it's weird in the way some fairy tales are weird, or Greg Bear's books are weird, or the kind Douglas Adams sometimes gets when he's being more poignant and serious than usual. I feel like it was primarily a big metaphor for getting out of an abusive relationship, finding your inner strength and value, and lots of other things out of which I've only caught some. It's definitely worth reading if you only let go and let it drag you into the oneiric world Heidi Cullinan creates there quite meticulously.
July 13, 2016
This is a deceptively simple story. Like any good fairy tale, it starts out with a seemingly simple goal but simple mistakes - lies, distrust, miscommunication - bring about the challenge and complication.
I am no expert in Japanese mythology but I still recognized many familiar themes. Those themes make the reshaping of the main character's understanding of the world seem more natural.
I love the idea that when you accept and honor a shunned portion of yourself it not only changes you, but makes the world around you a better more magical place.
I am no expert in Japanese mythology but I still recognized many familiar themes. Those themes make the reshaping of the main character's understanding of the world seem more natural.
I love the idea that when you accept and honor a shunned portion of yourself it not only changes you, but makes the world around you a better more magical place.
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