What do you think?
Rate this book
Songs Unsung #3
A Hero
"A fantastic read full of wonderment."
-- Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review
"An entrancing and philosophical SF adventure."
-- Kirkus Reviews
"DeLauder's prose has an effortless simplicity to it, painting the galaxy with the soft brush strokes of a fairy tale... The novel is reminiscent of the interstellar fables of Italo Calvino and Stanislaw Lem."
-- Kirkus Reviews
"This humorous, intelligent science fiction offering from the mind of Sean DeLauder confronts our conceptions of humanity, morality, free will, and heroism in a fun, accessible way that highlights how perception of life and history are matters of perspective."
-- Independent Book Review
Every Story Has A Hero
The final book in the Songs Unsung trilogy.
Ace Bedlam is a hero whose efforts have earned him the esteem of all Good, and the war against Evil teeters upon the edge of completion. But Good at times does not seem as it should, and the history it supports is suspect in the small, underused parts of Ace's mind. Yet to discredit Good would be to discredit himself, and the last thing a hero can be unsure of is himself or his cause.
What Ace does not know is that much of what he knows is a construct of mistold history. Worst of all, a being that attempted to destroy itself to escape the torment of its own villainy survived and is beginning to remember who and what it is.
-- Kristi Elizabeth, San Francisco Book Review
"An entrancing and philosophical SF adventure."
-- Kirkus Reviews
"DeLauder's prose has an effortless simplicity to it, painting the galaxy with the soft brush strokes of a fairy tale... The novel is reminiscent of the interstellar fables of Italo Calvino and Stanislaw Lem."
-- Kirkus Reviews
"This humorous, intelligent science fiction offering from the mind of Sean DeLauder confronts our conceptions of humanity, morality, free will, and heroism in a fun, accessible way that highlights how perception of life and history are matters of perspective."
-- Independent Book Review
Every Story Has A Hero
The final book in the Songs Unsung trilogy.
Ace Bedlam is a hero whose efforts have earned him the esteem of all Good, and the war against Evil teeters upon the edge of completion. But Good at times does not seem as it should, and the history it supports is suspect in the small, underused parts of Ace's mind. Yet to discredit Good would be to discredit himself, and the last thing a hero can be unsure of is himself or his cause.
What Ace does not know is that much of what he knows is a construct of mistold history. Worst of all, a being that attempted to destroy itself to escape the torment of its own villainy survived and is beginning to remember who and what it is.
318 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2022
2 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Sean DeLauder
14 books142 followersThis author has held several positions in recent years, including Content Writer, Grant Writer, Obituary Clerk, and Staff Writer, and is under the false impression that these experiences have added to his character since they have not contributed much to his finances. He was awarded a BFA in Creative Writing and Journalism and a BA in Technical Communication by Bowling Green State University because they are giving and eager to make friends. He has a few scattered publications with several conveniently defunct magazines (but refuses credit for their extinction), and resides in the drab, northeastern region of Ohio because it makes everything else seem fascinating, exotic, and beautiful.
He is currently at work on a trilogy involving heroes, dirt, and monsters that cannot be defeated, only escaped.
He is currently at work on a trilogy involving heroes, dirt, and monsters that cannot be defeated, only escaped.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Read
February 20, 2023Good, Evil, heroes, villains, a beaver, explosions, sentient robots powered by emotion--your typical sci-fi tropes.
Follow the link to read the review at Kirkus, who called the book "an entrancing and philosophical adventure."
Follow the link to read the review at Independent Book Review, who called the book "humorous, intelligent science fiction [that] confronts our conceptions of humanity, morality, free will, and heroism in a fun, accessible way that highlights how perceptions of life and history are matters of perspective."
Follow the link to read the review at Kirkus, who called the book "an entrancing and philosophical adventure."
Follow the link to read the review at Independent Book Review, who called the book "humorous, intelligent science fiction [that] confronts our conceptions of humanity, morality, free will, and heroism in a fun, accessible way that highlights how perceptions of life and history are matters of perspective."
December 16, 2022
I fully stand with Ace Bedlam! A Hero is Sean DeLauder's best book yet. I've read them all and enjoyed them all, but this book transcends to another level. There aren't many books out there like this one. Check out this once in a lifetime read!
December 9, 2023
A Hero was the topic for the Harry Science Fiction Book Club in November 2023.
I found it to be a strange read. The first time I read it, it was difficult. It read as a philosophy based novel, full of symbolism, and arguing the differences between Good and Evil. I am iffy on most philosophy interests, and wasn't too sure how well I understood the author. The characters were indecipherable, and the occasional aliases or secret identities was unhelpful. The settings were mostly symbolic. The humor was often that sort found in SF satire, where long pseudo-technical words are used to be funny. (This almost never tickles me.)
When I started to re-read the novel, to freshen my memory before the Harry meeting, I found myself taking the stance that I was reading a novelization of an anime series. Much better! I did not finish the re-read, but with the picture in my head set to anime adventure, I enjoyed the first few chapters much more.
I found it to be a strange read. The first time I read it, it was difficult. It read as a philosophy based novel, full of symbolism, and arguing the differences between Good and Evil. I am iffy on most philosophy interests, and wasn't too sure how well I understood the author. The characters were indecipherable, and the occasional aliases or secret identities was unhelpful. The settings were mostly symbolic. The humor was often that sort found in SF satire, where long pseudo-technical words are used to be funny. (This almost never tickles me.)
When I started to re-read the novel, to freshen my memory before the Harry meeting, I found myself taking the stance that I was reading a novelization of an anime series. Much better! I did not finish the re-read, but with the picture in my head set to anime adventure, I enjoyed the first few chapters much more.
February 6, 2023
Quirky, very funny, and sometimes confusing
A Hero starts with Ace Bedlam, a ‘hero’, on a mission to destroy Evil (which is both a planet and certain beings.) Ace keeps having thoughts (thoughts are dangerous) and visits planet Evil and finds that it’s not what he expected, and that’s where his adventures begin.
You’ll find sentinel robots, furry monsters, holograms, and humans. There is Good and Evil, but Good is not necessarily good, and Evil is maybe good? There is a huge red monster that gets very upset about a wristwatch, but then isn’t upset when it’s obliterated. The story is confusing, but it’s original and very, very funny in places.
It's a clever book, with a few twists, but I got lost at times, particularly at the start of a new chapter trying to place the time period, and with the sheer number of characters.
There are passages of beautifully descriptive prose and philosophical ramblings (about free-will, the nature of humans, good and evil, et cetera.) This contrasts with the humour, but it works.
I recommend A Hero to people who like funny, quirky books; it’s a unique read.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
A Hero starts with Ace Bedlam, a ‘hero’, on a mission to destroy Evil (which is both a planet and certain beings.) Ace keeps having thoughts (thoughts are dangerous) and visits planet Evil and finds that it’s not what he expected, and that’s where his adventures begin.
You’ll find sentinel robots, furry monsters, holograms, and humans. There is Good and Evil, but Good is not necessarily good, and Evil is maybe good? There is a huge red monster that gets very upset about a wristwatch, but then isn’t upset when it’s obliterated. The story is confusing, but it’s original and very, very funny in places.
It's a clever book, with a few twists, but I got lost at times, particularly at the start of a new chapter trying to place the time period, and with the sheer number of characters.
There are passages of beautifully descriptive prose and philosophical ramblings (about free-will, the nature of humans, good and evil, et cetera.) This contrasts with the humour, but it works.
I recommend A Hero to people who like funny, quirky books; it’s a unique read.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
February 16, 2023
“Thought is dangerous” is what Ace Bedlam has been brought up to believe. The classic picture of a hero - “tall, with blond hair wiped backward over his head, striding with assurance” - he has been taught to accept without question what he is told is good and evil.
But he can’t get rid of the feeling that, throughout history, “something didn’t fit,” a feeling he pushed aside because to think about it might question his very purpose as a hero.
His journey takes him through a series of encounters that compound this feeling, and on the way, we meet skillfully drawn characters who make him question what he has been taught, characters who don’t fit into his notions of good and evil. Desde, who thinks heroes might be just idiots and that “we very frequently need them because everyone else is an idiot.” “Gentle,” who seems to be an advocate of the “thought is dangerous” rule, but turns out to be something much bigger in the end.
The author dares to speak philosophical truths about our world that many don’t want to face but are hopefully aware of deep inside. That evil and good are not always easily defined, that different points of view arise from different life experiences, and that stories are often “mistold” (fake news) to suit a purpose. And that life is complicated, and we should always think for ourselves instead of blindly following truths that have been fed to us. By the end, “the faux heroism Ace had adopted had completely withered away.”
Add to this, the stunning rhetoric: “Memories trickled through like a wall of water held back by thick, seeping fabric,” and my favorite: “thought dispersed into a thinning cloud of startled blackbirds.” And you have a thought-provoking, beautifully written book that you have to read.
But he can’t get rid of the feeling that, throughout history, “something didn’t fit,” a feeling he pushed aside because to think about it might question his very purpose as a hero.
His journey takes him through a series of encounters that compound this feeling, and on the way, we meet skillfully drawn characters who make him question what he has been taught, characters who don’t fit into his notions of good and evil. Desde, who thinks heroes might be just idiots and that “we very frequently need them because everyone else is an idiot.” “Gentle,” who seems to be an advocate of the “thought is dangerous” rule, but turns out to be something much bigger in the end.
The author dares to speak philosophical truths about our world that many don’t want to face but are hopefully aware of deep inside. That evil and good are not always easily defined, that different points of view arise from different life experiences, and that stories are often “mistold” (fake news) to suit a purpose. And that life is complicated, and we should always think for ourselves instead of blindly following truths that have been fed to us. By the end, “the faux heroism Ace had adopted had completely withered away.”
Add to this, the stunning rhetoric: “Memories trickled through like a wall of water held back by thick, seeping fabric,” and my favorite: “thought dispersed into a thinning cloud of startled blackbirds.” And you have a thought-provoking, beautifully written book that you have to read.
February 18, 2023
There is a trilogy in the series but I have read only this one. So maybe my review may not justify the series, but I would like to express what I felt after reading this one.
If you are into the Marvel world or DC then you would love this kind of story as you have an interesting hero. Well I am saying 'interesting' because... You better read and figure it out.
I really liked how the author has done the world building and character setting, but sometimes I felt a bit overwhelmed with information. Too many tosses and turns in the storyline also made me feel a bit disconnected. I couldn't root for Ace wholeheartedly. That's the only reason why I am taking out one star.
But apart from that, it was a great read! A bit witty too.
Cheers!
If you are into the Marvel world or DC then you would love this kind of story as you have an interesting hero. Well I am saying 'interesting' because... You better read and figure it out.
I really liked how the author has done the world building and character setting, but sometimes I felt a bit overwhelmed with information. Too many tosses and turns in the storyline also made me feel a bit disconnected. I couldn't root for Ace wholeheartedly. That's the only reason why I am taking out one star.
But apart from that, it was a great read! A bit witty too.
Cheers!
February 16, 2023
Sean DeLauder’s dry wit and humor make this an original 3rd book in the Songs Unsung series; though seems more like a stand-alone. Ace is the ‘hero’ of this scifi adventure, and he is on a mission to pit ‘Good’ against ‘Evil’ both literally and figuratively. He’s on his way to Planet Evil, along with his rag-tag crew of sentient robots and AI, to take down the ‘bad guys’. Ace starts to question his mission and what constitutes evil vs. good as the story progresses and the inhabitants of ‘Evil’ are not so … well evil. Clever dialog, quirky characters and interesting science fiction tropes make for a fun and funny, philosophical read. I hope to read more by this author!
September 14, 2023
I enjoyed reading this sci-fi adventure. Quirky characters with plot twists kept me reading. Graphic details brought the world and characters into focus. I thought the philosophical aspects were overdone and wanted more action which is why I gave 4 stars. Overall, I found it humorous as it poked fun at heroes.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews