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Twelve Tasks: A humorous Urban Fantasy Adventure
"Tony Lee is one of the best story-tellers working in comics today" -- Michael Moorcock
"Thank God for Tony Lee. He has finally found gainful employment for the entire cast of cheesy quasi demi-gods and turned base heavy metal into comedy gold" -- Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden
Corporate lawyer Michael Lewis thought his life was as orderly as his meticulously organised briefs – until a bombshell revelation turns everything upside down. His real father isn’t the man he grew up with, but Derek, a burger van vendor in Brighton… who also happens to believe he’s Zeus, King of the Greek Gods. Oh, and apparently, that makes Michael a demigod.So, you know, just your average family drama.
In an impulsive attempt to bond with his father, Michael agrees to hit the road on a week-long food truck tour. But Derek has other plans – like getting Michael to complete the Twelve Labours of Hercules (yes, that Hercules), unlocking powers Michael never wanted in the first place. Soon, Michael finds himself dodging mobsters who claim to be rulers of Hell, squaring off with Norse gods moonlighting in hardware stores, and, oh yes, teaming up with a one-eyed Jack Russell that supposedly carries the spirit of Odin.
As Derek’s spurned lover, the Morrigan, rises for revenge, and dark forces conspire to sell the world to forgotten Elder Gods, it’s up to Michael, Derek, a high priest named Nigel, Odin the one-eyed Jack Russell, and a very peeved, very female Hercules (a Personal Trainer who’s angry the media has mis-gendered her for millennia) to save the day.
But is this the world’s weirdest midlife crisis, or are the gods really up to something? As the miracles pile up and the truth about his parents unravels, Michael must decide whether he’s ready to embrace his godly destiny—or lose it all trying...
Written by New York Times #1 Bestseller Tony Lee (Doctor Who, Star Trek, The Mandrake Project), and perfect for fans of Jim Butcher, Terry Pratchett, Steve Higgs and K.M Shea, Twelve Tasks is a laugh-out-loud urban fantasy adventure full of divine mishaps, quirky characters, and one very confused lawyer.
"Thank God for Tony Lee. He has finally found gainful employment for the entire cast of cheesy quasi demi-gods and turned base heavy metal into comedy gold" -- Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden
Corporate lawyer Michael Lewis thought his life was as orderly as his meticulously organised briefs – until a bombshell revelation turns everything upside down. His real father isn’t the man he grew up with, but Derek, a burger van vendor in Brighton… who also happens to believe he’s Zeus, King of the Greek Gods. Oh, and apparently, that makes Michael a demigod.So, you know, just your average family drama.
In an impulsive attempt to bond with his father, Michael agrees to hit the road on a week-long food truck tour. But Derek has other plans – like getting Michael to complete the Twelve Labours of Hercules (yes, that Hercules), unlocking powers Michael never wanted in the first place. Soon, Michael finds himself dodging mobsters who claim to be rulers of Hell, squaring off with Norse gods moonlighting in hardware stores, and, oh yes, teaming up with a one-eyed Jack Russell that supposedly carries the spirit of Odin.
As Derek’s spurned lover, the Morrigan, rises for revenge, and dark forces conspire to sell the world to forgotten Elder Gods, it’s up to Michael, Derek, a high priest named Nigel, Odin the one-eyed Jack Russell, and a very peeved, very female Hercules (a Personal Trainer who’s angry the media has mis-gendered her for millennia) to save the day.
But is this the world’s weirdest midlife crisis, or are the gods really up to something? As the miracles pile up and the truth about his parents unravels, Michael must decide whether he’s ready to embrace his godly destiny—or lose it all trying...
Written by New York Times #1 Bestseller Tony Lee (Doctor Who, Star Trek, The Mandrake Project), and perfect for fans of Jim Butcher, Terry Pratchett, Steve Higgs and K.M Shea, Twelve Tasks is a laugh-out-loud urban fantasy adventure full of divine mishaps, quirky characters, and one very confused lawyer.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2024
8 people are currently reading
About the author
Tony Lee
476 books47 followersA New York Times Best-selling Graphic Novelist, Tony Lee was born in West London, UK in 1970. Informed by a teacher that he had a comic book style of writing, (a comment meant more as an insult), Tony decided that one day he would write for comics.
Tony has written for a variety of mediums including Radio 4, The BBC, commerical television in both the UK and US, magazines and both local and national newspapers. He has also written several award winning local radio campaigns. In 1991 he wrote for a small press comics publisher, of which only one project, The Cost of Miracles in Comic Speculator News was ever printed, and remains his first printed commercial comic work.
Moving away from comics, he went back into trade journalism and media marketing/creation. His small press magazine Burnt Offerings was a minor seller on both sides of the Atlantic, and was the first esoteric magazine to interview mainstream creators like Terry Pratchett and Pat Mills.
Since returning to comics in 2002, he has written for a variety of publishers including Marvel Comics, DC Comics/Zuda, Games Workshop, Panini Comics, Titan Publishing, AAM/Markosia Enterprises, Rebellion/2000ad and IDW Publishing amongst others, writing a variety of creator owned titles and licenses that include X-Men, Spider Man, Doctor Who, Starship Troopers, Wallace & Gromit and Shrek.
He is the writer of the ongoing Doctor Who series of comics from IDW, beginning in July 2009, and his award nominated, creator-owned miniseries Hope Falls was collected by AAM/Markosia in May 2009. His next book with them, From The Pages Of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula': Harker, was released in November 2009 to critical acclaim.
Added to this, Tony adapted Pride & Prejudice & Zombies into a graphic novel for Del Rey Publishing, with art by Cliff Richards - this was a New York Times #1 Bestselling Paperback Graphic Novel for May 2010 - he is also adapting Anthony Horowitz's Power of Five series into graphic format for Walker Books, the first - Raven's Gate is due out in late 2010, and he has adapted four Horowitz Horror books with Dan Boultwood for Hachette Children's Books.
His other book with Walker Books, Outlaw: The Legend Of Robin Hood (drawn by Sam Hart) was released in 2009 and has already been awarded a Junior Library Guild: Fall 2009 Selection, and 'best for 2010' awards from both the American Library Association and the New York Public Library in the USA, among others. In March 2010 it was announced that it was also a finalist for the Children's Choice Book Awards. The next in the 'Heroes & Heroines' series, Excalibur: The Legend Of King Arthur by Tony Lee & Sam Hart is scheduled for March 2011.
Outside of comics he is writing several books for children.
Tony is represented by Julian Friedmann of the Blake Friedmann Literary, TV and Film Agency.
Tony is also an accomplished Bard and performer, and has held the High Bard chair of the East Sussex Broomstick Rally on several occasions. His lecture Creating Gods for fun and Profit and his series of lectures on Bards and Ritual Magic were received to critical acclaim, and he still lectures occasionally in London, the Midlands and Sussex. As a Covent Garden Street Performer in the 90's, he performed 'The Scarlet Blade' Street Theatre show at the Edinburgh Festival and at locations across the UK, convincing members of the public to act out an insane pantomime for his amusement.
Added to this Tony is an accomplished storyteller and lecturer on writing, and has performed at libraries, events and schools around the world including the 2009 Edinburgh International Book Festival, a 2009 tour of India for the British Council, and in 2003 around the Wadi Rum bedouin campfire in Jordan.
Tony currently lives in London with his fiancée, Tracy.
from: http://www.tonylee.co.uk
Tony has written for a variety of mediums including Radio 4, The BBC, commerical television in both the UK and US, magazines and both local and national newspapers. He has also written several award winning local radio campaigns. In 1991 he wrote for a small press comics publisher, of which only one project, The Cost of Miracles in Comic Speculator News was ever printed, and remains his first printed commercial comic work.
Moving away from comics, he went back into trade journalism and media marketing/creation. His small press magazine Burnt Offerings was a minor seller on both sides of the Atlantic, and was the first esoteric magazine to interview mainstream creators like Terry Pratchett and Pat Mills.
Since returning to comics in 2002, he has written for a variety of publishers including Marvel Comics, DC Comics/Zuda, Games Workshop, Panini Comics, Titan Publishing, AAM/Markosia Enterprises, Rebellion/2000ad and IDW Publishing amongst others, writing a variety of creator owned titles and licenses that include X-Men, Spider Man, Doctor Who, Starship Troopers, Wallace & Gromit and Shrek.
He is the writer of the ongoing Doctor Who series of comics from IDW, beginning in July 2009, and his award nominated, creator-owned miniseries Hope Falls was collected by AAM/Markosia in May 2009. His next book with them, From The Pages Of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula': Harker, was released in November 2009 to critical acclaim.
Added to this, Tony adapted Pride & Prejudice & Zombies into a graphic novel for Del Rey Publishing, with art by Cliff Richards - this was a New York Times #1 Bestselling Paperback Graphic Novel for May 2010 - he is also adapting Anthony Horowitz's Power of Five series into graphic format for Walker Books, the first - Raven's Gate is due out in late 2010, and he has adapted four Horowitz Horror books with Dan Boultwood for Hachette Children's Books.
His other book with Walker Books, Outlaw: The Legend Of Robin Hood (drawn by Sam Hart) was released in 2009 and has already been awarded a Junior Library Guild: Fall 2009 Selection, and 'best for 2010' awards from both the American Library Association and the New York Public Library in the USA, among others. In March 2010 it was announced that it was also a finalist for the Children's Choice Book Awards. The next in the 'Heroes & Heroines' series, Excalibur: The Legend Of King Arthur by Tony Lee & Sam Hart is scheduled for March 2011.
Outside of comics he is writing several books for children.
Tony is represented by Julian Friedmann of the Blake Friedmann Literary, TV and Film Agency.
Tony is also an accomplished Bard and performer, and has held the High Bard chair of the East Sussex Broomstick Rally on several occasions. His lecture Creating Gods for fun and Profit and his series of lectures on Bards and Ritual Magic were received to critical acclaim, and he still lectures occasionally in London, the Midlands and Sussex. As a Covent Garden Street Performer in the 90's, he performed 'The Scarlet Blade' Street Theatre show at the Edinburgh Festival and at locations across the UK, convincing members of the public to act out an insane pantomime for his amusement.
Added to this Tony is an accomplished storyteller and lecturer on writing, and has performed at libraries, events and schools around the world including the 2009 Edinburgh International Book Festival, a 2009 tour of India for the British Council, and in 2003 around the Wadi Rum bedouin campfire in Jordan.
Tony currently lives in London with his fiancée, Tracy.
from: http://www.tonylee.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 19, 2024
I received this book as an ARC from the author. A lighthearted urban fantasy involving a corporate lawyer who spends his days trudging on the partnership track. Michael discovers that his father is not what he seems, and the two embark on an adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed this extremely fun read!!!
February 11, 2025
A fun ride
I read this after reading Tony Lee’s first book in his new fantasy series. I don’t read fantasy, but durn, Mr. Lee may have converted me…at least to HIS fantasy books 😉
This book is just a fun romp through god and goddess pantheons. Enjoy it. It’s just a fun ride.
I read this after reading Tony Lee’s first book in his new fantasy series. I don’t read fantasy, but durn, Mr. Lee may have converted me…at least to HIS fantasy books 😉
This book is just a fun romp through god and goddess pantheons. Enjoy it. It’s just a fun ride.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews