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The Hero Interviews
“Does for fantasy heroes what Interview with the Vampire did for vampires, but with a lot more bloodshed and battle axes. Insightful, delightful and above all hilarious.”Rhianna Pratchett“Well, I can fondly describe The Hero Interviews as taking that journal full of rolled-up D&D characters you are never going to get to play, and hitting it against a stack of books by the late Sir Terry Pratchett until it’s studded with footnotes.”Tom Bookbeard, FanFiAddict. com“It's like if Terry Pratchett wrote a D&D campaign… it truly has some hilarious jokes!”Holly, @HollyHeartsBooks“You’ll laugh; you’ll chuckle; you’ll grin; you’ll shake your head and roll your eyes while wondering, “Did he just find another way to make the same fireball joke?”; and you’ll have a lot of fun. No better time than the present to go grab this, you’ll be glad you did. ”HC Newton, The Irresponsible Reader“…it made me laugh a lot! It is a delight to read and well worth a fantasy fan’s attention – plus I want more mime warriors in this genre now. Go get it!”Matt at Runalong the Shelves“…easily one of the funniest books I’ve ever read, and I loved every minute of it. The Hero Interviews should come with a will cause side-splitting laughter.”Jodie Crump, Witty & Sarcastic Bookclub“This book should gain pride of place on the bookshelves of anyone who enjoys Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Fantasy TTRPGs and would make a great Christmas gift for any such people on your list!”Sue Bavey, Booknest. eu“The Hero Interviews is a playful twist on the sword and sorcery fantasy that is fun, funny, and unique.”Kevin’s Corner“... [The Hero Interviews] is an enjoyable light hearted poke at D&D and fantasy culture as a whole that really ends up working.”@FantasyBookNerd“This (mis?)adventure is riotously funny, fully fantastical, with a writing style that keeps you turning pages and chuckling…”@fairrryprose“The Hero Interviews is smart and funny, fitting somewhere between the outlandishness of The Hitchhiker’s Guide and the fantasy and humour of Terry Pratchett. This book is a must-have for all SFF fans and an even bigger hit for D&D players…”Lisa Blackwell-DickinsonHeroes… you can't swing a cat without hitting one. You can't even hatch a nefarious plan without some adventuring party invading your dungeon to thwart you. So, it stands to reason they're a force for good—right?
Well—yes and no…
Elburn Barr is a Loremaster who has turned his back on his family's tradition of adventuring and stepped out into the realm of heroes to interview a whole smörgåsbord of fantastical characters from stoic, swear-shy Paladins through to invisible sword-carrying Mime Warriors.
Through his transcribed journal, he'll take a cheeky peek at the truth lurking behind the hero myth—and everything associated with them. Across his many encounters, he hopes to uncover his brother's fate—a brother who has been missing for ten summers after brazenly setting out to forge a heroic name for himself.
Well—yes and no…
Elburn Barr is a Loremaster who has turned his back on his family's tradition of adventuring and stepped out into the realm of heroes to interview a whole smörgåsbord of fantastical characters from stoic, swear-shy Paladins through to invisible sword-carrying Mime Warriors.
Through his transcribed journal, he'll take a cheeky peek at the truth lurking behind the hero myth—and everything associated with them. Across his many encounters, he hopes to uncover his brother's fate—a brother who has been missing for ten summers after brazenly setting out to forge a heroic name for himself.
687 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2022
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304 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 30, 2024
Perfect for fans of DnD. This book is full of humor and silliness that reminded me of Sir Terry Pratchett’s city watch. The interview format is fantastic and just works.
September 12, 2023
Well, here we are with another book from my TBR list. This time it’s The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington, one of the authors involved with the highly enjoyable Campaigns and Companions form Rebellion.
The Hero Interviews tells the story of Elburn Barr, Loremaster, and son and brother of famous adventurers. However, instead of making his reach to glory by joining the ranks of the heroic wannabees, he decides that his talent is finding out what makes the heroes of the land tick by interviewing said heroes and all those around them.
Now I must say, I have had this book for quite a while and was grateful to receive a physical copy of the book from the author, Andi Ewington.
Before we move on to taking a look at the book itself, let’s get one thing out of the way. This book is a proper chonker. Out of interest, I actually weighed this book (I know weird right? But in my defence I was interested) and do you know how much this book weighed? Over a kilo! A little over a bag of sugar. Yep, like I said a chonker.
When bloggers get sent they are often asked for an honest review, and with that I am going to be as honest as possible when I talk about this book.
Initially, I was a little intimidated by this book. Firstly, it’s big. Like I said, bag of sugar big! The next thing that wondered was how funny was this truly going to be? Comedy is a subjective thing, and what some people find funny, others don’t. In addition to that, as soon as I saw the descriptive comparisons, obviously my brain was like ‘oh no not another one’. Thirdly, I wondered just how far I could go with a series of interviews poking fun at D&D and whether it would run out of steam and just be annoying. And finally, there was the matter of the footnotes! There are loads and loads of footnotes in this book. REAd any review and you will see them mentioned. At times, I find the reading of footnotes can detract from the story itself. (and yes there is a story in the book).
So, I have got say, I enjoyed this book. Realistically, I enjoyed the way the author approaches the story of Elburn and the real reason why he is actually carrying out these interviews. Some I enjoyed more than others, some I loved, some I thought were okay and some that I thought was just alright. And I think that this is normal, especially when there’s over forty of these interviews.
Initially, as I said, I did wonder how this series of interviews would actually pan out. However, I red an interview with the author on irresponsiblereader.com who described that when he was envisioning this book he used creature comforts as one of the influences (it also had the unfortunate side effect of making the characters appear as claymation stop motion animation in my head when I was visualising the book. However, it helped loads!) and then I got it. I know that there are other influences cited in that interview, but this one really got me over that hurdle (and let me tell you the one with the necromancer and his skull really made me laugh when I had this visualisation running in my head).
The other bit that I mentioned was ‘the footnotes’. There are a ton of them. I think if you weighed them up, the metric measurement of a shed load is a way to measure them. However, after getting over the initial intrusion of them, I really enjoyed how these were employed. They not only made a quarter of a shed load of jokes about fireballs, but they also showed Elburn’s character as an individual as they revealed not only information about the world as a whole, but Elburn’s thoughts feelings and inner monologues about the situation and the interviewees as a whole.
I ended up enjoying this mighty tome immensely. Like I said, some of the interview and jokes are funnier than others, but it is an enjoyable light hearted pole at D&D and fantasy culture as a whole that really ends up working.
The Hero Interviews tells the story of Elburn Barr, Loremaster, and son and brother of famous adventurers. However, instead of making his reach to glory by joining the ranks of the heroic wannabees, he decides that his talent is finding out what makes the heroes of the land tick by interviewing said heroes and all those around them.
Now I must say, I have had this book for quite a while and was grateful to receive a physical copy of the book from the author, Andi Ewington.
Before we move on to taking a look at the book itself, let’s get one thing out of the way. This book is a proper chonker. Out of interest, I actually weighed this book (I know weird right? But in my defence I was interested) and do you know how much this book weighed? Over a kilo! A little over a bag of sugar. Yep, like I said a chonker.
When bloggers get sent they are often asked for an honest review, and with that I am going to be as honest as possible when I talk about this book.
Initially, I was a little intimidated by this book. Firstly, it’s big. Like I said, bag of sugar big! The next thing that wondered was how funny was this truly going to be? Comedy is a subjective thing, and what some people find funny, others don’t. In addition to that, as soon as I saw the descriptive comparisons, obviously my brain was like ‘oh no not another one’. Thirdly, I wondered just how far I could go with a series of interviews poking fun at D&D and whether it would run out of steam and just be annoying. And finally, there was the matter of the footnotes! There are loads and loads of footnotes in this book. REAd any review and you will see them mentioned. At times, I find the reading of footnotes can detract from the story itself. (and yes there is a story in the book).
So, I have got say, I enjoyed this book. Realistically, I enjoyed the way the author approaches the story of Elburn and the real reason why he is actually carrying out these interviews. Some I enjoyed more than others, some I loved, some I thought were okay and some that I thought was just alright. And I think that this is normal, especially when there’s over forty of these interviews.
Initially, as I said, I did wonder how this series of interviews would actually pan out. However, I red an interview with the author on irresponsiblereader.com who described that when he was envisioning this book he used creature comforts as one of the influences (it also had the unfortunate side effect of making the characters appear as claymation stop motion animation in my head when I was visualising the book. However, it helped loads!) and then I got it. I know that there are other influences cited in that interview, but this one really got me over that hurdle (and let me tell you the one with the necromancer and his skull really made me laugh when I had this visualisation running in my head).
The other bit that I mentioned was ‘the footnotes’. There are a ton of them. I think if you weighed them up, the metric measurement of a shed load is a way to measure them. However, after getting over the initial intrusion of them, I really enjoyed how these were employed. They not only made a quarter of a shed load of jokes about fireballs, but they also showed Elburn’s character as an individual as they revealed not only information about the world as a whole, but Elburn’s thoughts feelings and inner monologues about the situation and the interviewees as a whole.
I ended up enjoying this mighty tome immensely. Like I said, some of the interview and jokes are funnier than others, but it is an enjoyable light hearted pole at D&D and fantasy culture as a whole that really ends up working.
March 3, 2024
A wonderfully funny book for anyone who reads, watches or plays fantasy or dungeons and dragons - a very likeable hero and some really interesting story arcs. It’s great to find a book that works as both fantasy and comedy. Really enjoyed reading this.
March 25, 2025
This book was so insanely fun I loved it so much
May 30, 2023
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader along with a Q&A with the author.
---
WHAT'S THE HERO INTERVIEWS ABOUT?
The child and sibling of heroic adventurers, Elburn Barr, has taken a different path in life—one fit for someone with his particular set of skills (or lack thereof). He is a Loremaster—no spells, weapons, or danger for him, thank you very much. At this point in his life/career, Elburn has set out to understand what makes a hero tick—what is it that drives them, what early influences molded them, how do they keep going on? Does it vary from type to type? Are Barbarians made of different stuff from a Cleric or a Thief? What about a Ranger or a Wizard?
In addition to interviewing various leading examples of each type of hero, he talks to non-heroes, too. Like a farmer whose farm was saved(?) by some heroes from a dragon, the curator of a hero museum, people who run/design dungeons, etc.
We get these interviews in transcript form—with a little introduction from Elburn at the beginning of each, and maybe a little narrative about what's going on around them during the interview, or what he does after. But primarily, it's transcriptions of the interviews.
In addition to trying to understand the heroic psyche in general, Elburn's hoping to understand and maybe connect with his adventurer-filled family. But he has an ulterior motive for all this—his older brother went off adventuring ten summers ago, and Elburn would like to know what happened to him. He's hoping to find him alive somewhere but will settle for just knowing what happened.
This sounds heavy—but I should stress that this is a comedy. There's a serious story (or three) being told, sure. But the book is a comedy.
COMIC FOOTNOTES
I'm a long-established fan of comic footnotes in novels—see what I've said about Josh Bazell, Lisa Lutz, Thomas Lennon, and K.R.R. Lockhaven for example. But Ewington puts them all to shame.
At least in terms of volume—there are almost 2 per page, although I'd have wagered it was higher than that (that's an average—there are pages with several). Occasionally, it feels annoying to stop the flow of what you're reading to check it. All I can say is that if you're feeling that way, just keep reading and then circle back for the footnote after that bit of dialogue or at the end of the chapter—it's not going anywhere.
On the whole, they work better in the moment without doubling back, so click the link if you're not at the annoyed point. I did it both ways depending on my mood and can vouch for both methods. Whatever you do, don't skip them.
You get a good sense of Elburn's personality and attitude toward his interview subjects from the main text—but it really shines forth in the footnotes. To really understand the protagonist, you need to read them.
But your comedy-per-word ratio is higher in the footnotes, too. In the main text, comedy has to come out of the words, situations, and characters. In the footnotes, Ewington doesn't have to do that—he can just make the joke. Frequently, that's all it is—the joke. Neither is a superior joke-delivery method, it's just easier to get to the funny bit in the footnote.
AUDIENCE
Anyone who's into Fantasy to one degree or another is going to be able to appreciate most of what Ewington's doing here. There is a pretty solid D&D-basis to everything, however, so the more you understand and/or have been exposed to the game.
THE LENGTH
There's no getting around this point, The Hero Interviews is long. One might argue that it's too long. I'm not sure I'd agree—but I wouldn't disagree.
Early on (maybe around the 20% mark), I started to wonder if this thing wouldn't work better as a trilogy. Break this into (roughly) thirds, add a 1-3 page Epilogue/Prologue to each to connect them and it's a lot easier to digest. I think it'd work. Check out my Q&A with Ewington to see why he disagrees with that idea. I'm not entirely convinced, but at the end of the day, it's not that important.
I do wonder how many readers will find their patience pushed by the length—I'd tell them to stick with it because it's absolutely worth it (but taking a break every few chapters isn't the worst idea).
A practical downside to the length is that it's likely cost-prohibitive to publish this in paperback. This is a real shame because everyone I can think of to give this to won't read it in ebook. (but I'm trying to think of a way to work around that)
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE HERO INTERVIEWS?
I hate when people drag out Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett when talking about humorous SF/F, but I can't get away from this one. For a long time, I've said that Life, the Universe, and Everything by Douglas Adams isn't so much a novel as it is a series of comic episodes/scenes/bits trying to look like a novel.* As I've been trying to come up with a succinct way to talk about this book the last few weeks, I've decided that it's the opposite—it's a novel trying to look like a series of comic episodes/scenes/lines.
* I feel compelled to add at this point that I love the book, some of my favorite lines/paragraphs/ideas from Adams are in it. But it's not a good novel.
It takes a while to see the plotlines emerge—it really does seem to be a light-hearted look at D&D clichés, stereotypes, tropes, etc. at the beginning, but eventually, you start to see the story arcs emerging and even start to see Elburn grow and develop. That's something I didn't expect to see when I started reading this.
If only because I have memories of interview transcripts and fantasy humor (and sadly, not much else), I expected this to feel like Off to See the Wizard by Clay Johnson , but it really doesn't. Ewington's ambitions are larger—and he packs more jokes into his pages. Ewington is also more interested in playing with the tropes and types of the genre, while Johnson was working within pretty well-established types.
Once I got to the interview with Gwenyn, the poor farmer with a field ruined by a dragon corpse left behind by heroes, I knew this book was for me. The Mime Warrior interview was so ridiculous that I had to love it—and I even came around to the least-Conan-like Barbarian (I admit I had a hard time with that one at first blush). Ewington both seems to embrace and relish going for the obvious joke—but the way he gets there, or what he surrounds the obvious joke with—that's pretty special and creative. I'm not sure that makes a lot of sense, you're just going to have to read it to see what I'm trying to communicate.
It's really easy to see why Jodie recommended this one to me for the 12 Books Challenge, and I'm so glad she did (I wanted to, but hadn't gotten around to buying it until she did). You should pretend that she recommended it to you, too (here, read her post about it). I mean, I'm recommending it to you—but maybe you'll listen to both of us more than you'd listen to just me.
You'll laugh; you'll chuckle; you'll grin; you'll shake your head and roll your eyes while wondering, "Did he just find another way to make the same fireball joke?"*; and you'll have a lot of fun. No better time than the present to go grab this, you'll be glad you did.
* Yes, yes he did.
---
WHAT'S THE HERO INTERVIEWS ABOUT?
The child and sibling of heroic adventurers, Elburn Barr, has taken a different path in life—one fit for someone with his particular set of skills (or lack thereof). He is a Loremaster—no spells, weapons, or danger for him, thank you very much. At this point in his life/career, Elburn has set out to understand what makes a hero tick—what is it that drives them, what early influences molded them, how do they keep going on? Does it vary from type to type? Are Barbarians made of different stuff from a Cleric or a Thief? What about a Ranger or a Wizard?
In addition to interviewing various leading examples of each type of hero, he talks to non-heroes, too. Like a farmer whose farm was saved(?) by some heroes from a dragon, the curator of a hero museum, people who run/design dungeons, etc.
We get these interviews in transcript form—with a little introduction from Elburn at the beginning of each, and maybe a little narrative about what's going on around them during the interview, or what he does after. But primarily, it's transcriptions of the interviews.
In addition to trying to understand the heroic psyche in general, Elburn's hoping to understand and maybe connect with his adventurer-filled family. But he has an ulterior motive for all this—his older brother went off adventuring ten summers ago, and Elburn would like to know what happened to him. He's hoping to find him alive somewhere but will settle for just knowing what happened.
This sounds heavy—but I should stress that this is a comedy. There's a serious story (or three) being told, sure. But the book is a comedy.
COMIC FOOTNOTES
I'm a long-established fan of comic footnotes in novels—see what I've said about Josh Bazell, Lisa Lutz, Thomas Lennon, and K.R.R. Lockhaven for example. But Ewington puts them all to shame.
At least in terms of volume—there are almost 2 per page, although I'd have wagered it was higher than that (that's an average—there are pages with several). Occasionally, it feels annoying to stop the flow of what you're reading to check it. All I can say is that if you're feeling that way, just keep reading and then circle back for the footnote after that bit of dialogue or at the end of the chapter—it's not going anywhere.
On the whole, they work better in the moment without doubling back, so click the link if you're not at the annoyed point. I did it both ways depending on my mood and can vouch for both methods. Whatever you do, don't skip them.
You get a good sense of Elburn's personality and attitude toward his interview subjects from the main text—but it really shines forth in the footnotes. To really understand the protagonist, you need to read them.
But your comedy-per-word ratio is higher in the footnotes, too. In the main text, comedy has to come out of the words, situations, and characters. In the footnotes, Ewington doesn't have to do that—he can just make the joke. Frequently, that's all it is—the joke. Neither is a superior joke-delivery method, it's just easier to get to the funny bit in the footnote.
AUDIENCE
Anyone who's into Fantasy to one degree or another is going to be able to appreciate most of what Ewington's doing here. There is a pretty solid D&D-basis to everything, however, so the more you understand and/or have been exposed to the game.
THE LENGTH
There's no getting around this point, The Hero Interviews is long. One might argue that it's too long. I'm not sure I'd agree—but I wouldn't disagree.
Early on (maybe around the 20% mark), I started to wonder if this thing wouldn't work better as a trilogy. Break this into (roughly) thirds, add a 1-3 page Epilogue/Prologue to each to connect them and it's a lot easier to digest. I think it'd work. Check out my Q&A with Ewington to see why he disagrees with that idea. I'm not entirely convinced, but at the end of the day, it's not that important.
I do wonder how many readers will find their patience pushed by the length—I'd tell them to stick with it because it's absolutely worth it (but taking a break every few chapters isn't the worst idea).
A practical downside to the length is that it's likely cost-prohibitive to publish this in paperback. This is a real shame because everyone I can think of to give this to won't read it in ebook. (but I'm trying to think of a way to work around that)
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE HERO INTERVIEWS?
I hate when people drag out Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett when talking about humorous SF/F, but I can't get away from this one. For a long time, I've said that Life, the Universe, and Everything by Douglas Adams isn't so much a novel as it is a series of comic episodes/scenes/bits trying to look like a novel.* As I've been trying to come up with a succinct way to talk about this book the last few weeks, I've decided that it's the opposite—it's a novel trying to look like a series of comic episodes/scenes/lines.
* I feel compelled to add at this point that I love the book, some of my favorite lines/paragraphs/ideas from Adams are in it. But it's not a good novel.
It takes a while to see the plotlines emerge—it really does seem to be a light-hearted look at D&D clichés, stereotypes, tropes, etc. at the beginning, but eventually, you start to see the story arcs emerging and even start to see Elburn grow and develop. That's something I didn't expect to see when I started reading this.
If only because I have memories of interview transcripts and fantasy humor (and sadly, not much else), I expected this to feel like Off to See the Wizard by Clay Johnson , but it really doesn't. Ewington's ambitions are larger—and he packs more jokes into his pages. Ewington is also more interested in playing with the tropes and types of the genre, while Johnson was working within pretty well-established types.
Once I got to the interview with Gwenyn, the poor farmer with a field ruined by a dragon corpse left behind by heroes, I knew this book was for me. The Mime Warrior interview was so ridiculous that I had to love it—and I even came around to the least-Conan-like Barbarian (I admit I had a hard time with that one at first blush). Ewington both seems to embrace and relish going for the obvious joke—but the way he gets there, or what he surrounds the obvious joke with—that's pretty special and creative. I'm not sure that makes a lot of sense, you're just going to have to read it to see what I'm trying to communicate.
It's really easy to see why Jodie recommended this one to me for the 12 Books Challenge, and I'm so glad she did (I wanted to, but hadn't gotten around to buying it until she did). You should pretend that she recommended it to you, too (here, read her post about it). I mean, I'm recommending it to you—but maybe you'll listen to both of us more than you'd listen to just me.
You'll laugh; you'll chuckle; you'll grin; you'll shake your head and roll your eyes while wondering, "Did he just find another way to make the same fireball joke?"*; and you'll have a lot of fun. No better time than the present to go grab this, you'll be glad you did.
* Yes, yes he did.
March 13, 2024
Worth the lumbago.
June 23, 2023
The book you didn't know you needed. Imagine if Monty Python, Terry Pratchett and Blackadder were combined - this would be the probable outcome. Cannot recommend highly enough.
November 13, 2022
The Hero Interviews is undoubtedly a treat for all players of Dungeons and Dragons and other similar table top role playing games (TTRPGs) but it is not necessary to be a game player in order to enjoy it.
Presented in the form of a series of interviews with various heroic characters from such games, Loremaster Elburn Barr is trying to figure out what the big deal is where heroes are concerned and compiling a journal of his findings. Elburn's brother and parents were heroes but he just doesn’t get it. He feels much more suited to the role of loremaster, the fantasy version of a journalist or author:
“A Loremaster’s sworn duty is to observe and record without involving themselves in what they witness—this is the path I have chosen to follow.”
The resulting interviews are hilarious and filled with snarky and sarcastic footnotes which give us an insight into what the smart and insightful Elburn is really feeling as he speaks to each of his interviewees. They are also filled with ‘in jokes’ which D n D players will relish. Early on Elburn seems to be obsessed with the question of whether there is any point having both a Cleric and a Paladin in the same adventuring party, which is undoubtedly a question the author has asked himself while playing D n D.
This unusual addition of a copious amount of footnotes is what lends both imaginative originality and another level of tongue in cheek humour to this book. To begin with I found the process of looking up footnotes as I was reading a little off-putting, but I soon began to see their usefulness and to enjoy the extra layer of humour afforded by them.
The interviewees are adventurers, members of the Hero’s Guild and other characters who help enable such a lifestyle. We get to learn all kinds of snippets about life as a card carrying hero and what types of peril this kind of lifestyle entails. Examples of the interviewees include a gnome dungeon master whose dungeon is a soft dungeon - a safe space for trainee heroes - a wizard who is haunted by a past fireball he cast badly (the miscasting of fireball spells by wizards is a recurring theme throughout the book). There is a dwarf Forgemaster with a mechanical production line of apprentices who has decided to put profit over poverty and therefore is focusing on quantity over quality with the lower quality weapons he forges. Another interviewee is an elven sorceress who he interviews while she is having a bath - a circumstance he finds somewhat distracting.
Each chapter is a separate interview with a new hero, but there is a story running throughout them. Elburn is searching for a trace of his adventuring hero brother who has been missing for ten years and who no one appears to have heard of. Each of the interviews adds on a little piece of information about events mentioned previously, building an overall adventure that has been taking place in this world while Elburn is making his way around it interviewing these characters.
The writing style is sophisticated and filled with witty descriptions which help to bring the world and its inhabitants to life:
“The Wizard’s face explodes into an excitable grin, his aged and crooked teeth suddenly pushing through his wiry beard like long-forgotten headstones rising above the thicket of an overgrown graveyard.”
This book should gain pride of place on the bookshelves of anyone who enjoys Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Fantasy TTRPGs and would make a great Christmas gift for any such people on your list!
I received a complimentary arc in exchange for an honest review, thank you, Andi!
Presented in the form of a series of interviews with various heroic characters from such games, Loremaster Elburn Barr is trying to figure out what the big deal is where heroes are concerned and compiling a journal of his findings. Elburn's brother and parents were heroes but he just doesn’t get it. He feels much more suited to the role of loremaster, the fantasy version of a journalist or author:
“A Loremaster’s sworn duty is to observe and record without involving themselves in what they witness—this is the path I have chosen to follow.”
The resulting interviews are hilarious and filled with snarky and sarcastic footnotes which give us an insight into what the smart and insightful Elburn is really feeling as he speaks to each of his interviewees. They are also filled with ‘in jokes’ which D n D players will relish. Early on Elburn seems to be obsessed with the question of whether there is any point having both a Cleric and a Paladin in the same adventuring party, which is undoubtedly a question the author has asked himself while playing D n D.
This unusual addition of a copious amount of footnotes is what lends both imaginative originality and another level of tongue in cheek humour to this book. To begin with I found the process of looking up footnotes as I was reading a little off-putting, but I soon began to see their usefulness and to enjoy the extra layer of humour afforded by them.
The interviewees are adventurers, members of the Hero’s Guild and other characters who help enable such a lifestyle. We get to learn all kinds of snippets about life as a card carrying hero and what types of peril this kind of lifestyle entails. Examples of the interviewees include a gnome dungeon master whose dungeon is a soft dungeon - a safe space for trainee heroes - a wizard who is haunted by a past fireball he cast badly (the miscasting of fireball spells by wizards is a recurring theme throughout the book). There is a dwarf Forgemaster with a mechanical production line of apprentices who has decided to put profit over poverty and therefore is focusing on quantity over quality with the lower quality weapons he forges. Another interviewee is an elven sorceress who he interviews while she is having a bath - a circumstance he finds somewhat distracting.
Each chapter is a separate interview with a new hero, but there is a story running throughout them. Elburn is searching for a trace of his adventuring hero brother who has been missing for ten years and who no one appears to have heard of. Each of the interviews adds on a little piece of information about events mentioned previously, building an overall adventure that has been taking place in this world while Elburn is making his way around it interviewing these characters.
The writing style is sophisticated and filled with witty descriptions which help to bring the world and its inhabitants to life:
“The Wizard’s face explodes into an excitable grin, his aged and crooked teeth suddenly pushing through his wiry beard like long-forgotten headstones rising above the thicket of an overgrown graveyard.”
This book should gain pride of place on the bookshelves of anyone who enjoys Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Fantasy TTRPGs and would make a great Christmas gift for any such people on your list!
I received a complimentary arc in exchange for an honest review, thank you, Andi!
June 3, 2023
The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington
Synopsis
Elburn Barr is a Loremaster and most certainly not a wizard. He is however on a quest, of sorts, to interview and document the many heroes who inhabit the realm. It is Elburn’s hope that the cult of hero worship can be explained through transcribing the interviews in his journal.
This chronicling of those behind the questing capers soon gives Elburn a breadcrumb trail leading to what happened to his long lost brother, and uncovering the machinations of the Hero’s Guild that contracts the likes of raging Barbarians, Paladins with rude words daubed on the back of their armour by the party Rogue, and literal bush-clad Rangers …
There’s a lot crammed into Elburn’s journal.
Review
Where to start with this one? Well, I can fondly describe The Hero Interviews as taking that journal full of rolled-up D&D characters you are never going to get to play, and hitting it against a stack of books by the late Sir Terry Pratchett until it’s studded with footnotes[1].
Honestly I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. I’m familiar enough with Andi Ewington’s Campaigns and Companions to know that this would be flippant fantasy at its finest and in that regard, THI did not disappoint [2]. If you are not a fan of footnotes then this is a book to avoid. There are 1,600+ that crop up. My thumbs were well-versed by the end of the ebook’s 925 pages at bringing these up at the end of a passage [3].
But this approach really gelled with me. Fantasy has been taking itself much too seriously recently. We’ve seen the upturn in cosy fantasy as a counterbalance to grimdark so I’m pleased to see an author attempting something that doesn’t take itself too seriously. With that said, THI is still utterly capable of producing the real gritty moments that take it to a level beyond parody fantasy [4] without substance.
Roll Your Character
My favourite element in the book was the sheer number of characters Ewington has explored in this book. Each character parodies uncountable aspects of our crazy gaming and social media-centric world. References are off the scale. Spinal Tap [5], Skyrim, Star Wars, Elon Musk’s Twitter buyout and the blue tick hullabaloo; there are simply too many to list but they’re great fun to spot. I found myself smiling, grinning and at times chuckling away at the book’s humour with every passing chapter. Scenes such as how heroes are given their names or how they can flick from one class to another made my RPG nerd senses happy.
THI somehow strikes just the right balance between charming, stark raving mad and surprisingly deep[6]. Not once did the author stumble over what the book was trying to do [7]. It never went off the rails or stopped being amusing, it simply kept on from one interview to the next.
You’re a Wizard, Elburn
Elburn himself is an extremely active narrator. It’s one thing to tell the story of the hero mythos but getting his quill dirty by being at the forefront of everything and then journaling the results took some doing. He’s extremely likeable in a Louis Theroux-like way and I enjoyed being part of the journey. Yes, Elburn bumbles through the majority of the book but in doing so he develops a tenacity and steel that really made me like the guy. Not all main characters need to be the hero to make a difference.
The Hero Interviews is a pleasant reminder that comedy fantasy exists and I hope is mounting a serious comeback.[8] This book deserves its place in the spotlight as, at the end of the 925-page day, it made me feel pretty damn heroic.
[1] Am I going to attempt to include footnotes in this review? Why yes, yes I am.
[2] Although my own companions are two 16-year old cats who couldn’t roll a D20 between them, which would make for an utterly useless campaign.
[3] However, I am tempted to give this book a -5 penalty to its rating for the occasions when the footnote was too close to the side of the page, causing me to swipe to the next page instead!
[4] Not gritty as in what Americans refer to as porridge, but gritty like a gritter spreading grit on a cold December morning in England. Undoubtedly after the gritter has had a hot bowl of porridge for breakfast. Unless they’re an American with British Citizenship who does indeed still have a hot bowl of ‘grits’, of course.
[5] The number of references goes up to at least 11.
[6] The book is 925 pages after all. Deep, as books go.
[7] See footnote [6]; Ewington may have inadvertently stumbled over the book had he left a proof copy on the floor.
[8] Although after this footnote fest of a review, perhaps Boss David won’t be too keen on me making a comeback!
Synopsis
Elburn Barr is a Loremaster and most certainly not a wizard. He is however on a quest, of sorts, to interview and document the many heroes who inhabit the realm. It is Elburn’s hope that the cult of hero worship can be explained through transcribing the interviews in his journal.
This chronicling of those behind the questing capers soon gives Elburn a breadcrumb trail leading to what happened to his long lost brother, and uncovering the machinations of the Hero’s Guild that contracts the likes of raging Barbarians, Paladins with rude words daubed on the back of their armour by the party Rogue, and literal bush-clad Rangers …
There’s a lot crammed into Elburn’s journal.
Review
Where to start with this one? Well, I can fondly describe The Hero Interviews as taking that journal full of rolled-up D&D characters you are never going to get to play, and hitting it against a stack of books by the late Sir Terry Pratchett until it’s studded with footnotes[1].
Honestly I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. I’m familiar enough with Andi Ewington’s Campaigns and Companions to know that this would be flippant fantasy at its finest and in that regard, THI did not disappoint [2]. If you are not a fan of footnotes then this is a book to avoid. There are 1,600+ that crop up. My thumbs were well-versed by the end of the ebook’s 925 pages at bringing these up at the end of a passage [3].
But this approach really gelled with me. Fantasy has been taking itself much too seriously recently. We’ve seen the upturn in cosy fantasy as a counterbalance to grimdark so I’m pleased to see an author attempting something that doesn’t take itself too seriously. With that said, THI is still utterly capable of producing the real gritty moments that take it to a level beyond parody fantasy [4] without substance.
Roll Your Character
My favourite element in the book was the sheer number of characters Ewington has explored in this book. Each character parodies uncountable aspects of our crazy gaming and social media-centric world. References are off the scale. Spinal Tap [5], Skyrim, Star Wars, Elon Musk’s Twitter buyout and the blue tick hullabaloo; there are simply too many to list but they’re great fun to spot. I found myself smiling, grinning and at times chuckling away at the book’s humour with every passing chapter. Scenes such as how heroes are given their names or how they can flick from one class to another made my RPG nerd senses happy.
THI somehow strikes just the right balance between charming, stark raving mad and surprisingly deep[6]. Not once did the author stumble over what the book was trying to do [7]. It never went off the rails or stopped being amusing, it simply kept on from one interview to the next.
You’re a Wizard, Elburn
Elburn himself is an extremely active narrator. It’s one thing to tell the story of the hero mythos but getting his quill dirty by being at the forefront of everything and then journaling the results took some doing. He’s extremely likeable in a Louis Theroux-like way and I enjoyed being part of the journey. Yes, Elburn bumbles through the majority of the book but in doing so he develops a tenacity and steel that really made me like the guy. Not all main characters need to be the hero to make a difference.
The Hero Interviews is a pleasant reminder that comedy fantasy exists and I hope is mounting a serious comeback.[8] This book deserves its place in the spotlight as, at the end of the 925-page day, it made me feel pretty damn heroic.
[1] Am I going to attempt to include footnotes in this review? Why yes, yes I am.
[2] Although my own companions are two 16-year old cats who couldn’t roll a D20 between them, which would make for an utterly useless campaign.
[3] However, I am tempted to give this book a -5 penalty to its rating for the occasions when the footnote was too close to the side of the page, causing me to swipe to the next page instead!
[4] Not gritty as in what Americans refer to as porridge, but gritty like a gritter spreading grit on a cold December morning in England. Undoubtedly after the gritter has had a hot bowl of porridge for breakfast. Unless they’re an American with British Citizenship who does indeed still have a hot bowl of ‘grits’, of course.
[5] The number of references goes up to at least 11.
[6] The book is 925 pages after all. Deep, as books go.
[7] See footnote [6]; Ewington may have inadvertently stumbled over the book had he left a proof copy on the floor.
[8] Although after this footnote fest of a review, perhaps Boss David won’t be too keen on me making a comeback!
June 3, 2023
Also on: https://www.tumblr.com/fairrryprose/7...
This (mis?)adventure is riotously funny, fully fantastical, with a writing style that keeps you turning pages and chuckling and a whole assortment of interesting characters being interviewed, with some endearing recurring ones like a talking dead-adventurer skull and a skinny unassuming-looking 'Barbarian' whom you wouldn't think could do much smiting and smashing but manages to make a name for himself, as well as many references harkening back to all the ones we've already met and encountered and foreshadowing future encounters, threading them all together. I had such a fun time reading this!
While at first glance you may think the interviews are disparate, there's an underlying, some-may-say sinister, plot/conspiracy that Elburn stumbles into and slowly (unintentionally) uncovers throughout the interviews that we get to piece together.
It's written, of course, in the style of an interview, peppered with (short) footnotes that add to the humor as Elburn gives his observations and shares his private thoughts and opinions, giving us an insight into his character - personality, family, motivations - as well as contributing to the worldbuilding - little tidbits of factoids - that don't distract from the story but serve to enhance it )and, for the discerning reader, injects funny satirical references to our modern world and pop culture... like Blue Ticks....) I, for one, really enjoyed these footnotes!
The ending was a nice and heartwarming surprise, and was laid out quite well with scattered clues. This book may contain subtle political commentary that, while maaaybe bleak, we eventually learn that what makes one a Hero isn't just going off on countless quests and adventures and exploring dungeons and vanquishing evildoers (or clearing out rat-infested cellars!) and washing it all down with a pint of ale in a tavern, that it's not just conquests and exploits and chasing fame and fortune, as is oft portrayed in adventure stories/media. A true hero lies in the everyday.
And of course, I'd be so excited for the next book, to see whereDevlin Stormwind's Elburn's adventures take him next!!!
This (mis?)adventure is riotously funny, fully fantastical, with a writing style that keeps you turning pages and chuckling and a whole assortment of interesting characters being interviewed, with some endearing recurring ones like a talking dead-adventurer skull and a skinny unassuming-looking 'Barbarian' whom you wouldn't think could do much smiting and smashing but manages to make a name for himself, as well as many references harkening back to all the ones we've already met and encountered and foreshadowing future encounters, threading them all together. I had such a fun time reading this!
While at first glance you may think the interviews are disparate, there's an underlying, some-may-say sinister, plot/conspiracy that Elburn stumbles into and slowly (unintentionally) uncovers throughout the interviews that we get to piece together.
It's written, of course, in the style of an interview, peppered with (short) footnotes that add to the humor as Elburn gives his observations and shares his private thoughts and opinions, giving us an insight into his character - personality, family, motivations - as well as contributing to the worldbuilding - little tidbits of factoids - that don't distract from the story but serve to enhance it )and, for the discerning reader, injects funny satirical references to our modern world and pop culture... like Blue Ticks....) I, for one, really enjoyed these footnotes!
The ending was a nice and heartwarming surprise, and was laid out quite well with scattered clues. This book may contain subtle political commentary that, while maaaybe bleak, we eventually learn that what makes one a Hero isn't just going off on countless quests and adventures and exploring dungeons and vanquishing evildoers (or clearing out rat-infested cellars!) and washing it all down with a pint of ale in a tavern, that it's not just conquests and exploits and chasing fame and fortune, as is oft portrayed in adventure stories/media. A true hero lies in the everyday.
And of course, I'd be so excited for the next book, to see where
June 4, 2023
In the realm of fantasy literature, there are epic quests, brave heroes, and magical realms to be explored. But what if those heroes were not only extraordinary in their abilities but also possessed an exceptional sense of humor?
At first glance, "The Hero Interviews" may seem like your typical fantasy novel with its sprawling 900+ pages, but Ewington's unique storytelling approach sets it apart from the rest.
𝘌𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺'𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘮ö𝘳𝘨å𝘴𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘪𝘤, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳-𝘴𝘩𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥-𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘴.
𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭, 𝘩𝘦'𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘮𝘺𝘵𝘩—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦—𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.
Ewington's ability to sustain interest throughout such a lengthy book is commendable. Despite its considerable size, "The Hero Interviews" never feels bloated or dragged out.
Beyond its humor and comedic timings, "The Hero Interviews" also delves into deeper themes.Ewington subtly raises questions about the nature of bravery, sacrifice, and the price of fame. Furthermore, the book's writing style is engaging and accessible, making it a joy to read.
🌟🙇♀️ @escapistbookco @butwin for including me 💕
At first glance, "The Hero Interviews" may seem like your typical fantasy novel with its sprawling 900+ pages, but Ewington's unique storytelling approach sets it apart from the rest.
𝘌𝘭𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺'𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘮ö𝘳𝘨å𝘴𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘪𝘤, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳-𝘴𝘩𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥-𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘴.
𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘭, 𝘩𝘦'𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘮𝘺𝘵𝘩—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮. 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦—𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘤 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.
Ewington's ability to sustain interest throughout such a lengthy book is commendable. Despite its considerable size, "The Hero Interviews" never feels bloated or dragged out.
Beyond its humor and comedic timings, "The Hero Interviews" also delves into deeper themes.Ewington subtly raises questions about the nature of bravery, sacrifice, and the price of fame. Furthermore, the book's writing style is engaging and accessible, making it a joy to read.
🌟🙇♀️ @escapistbookco @butwin for including me 💕
January 17, 2023
Recent Reads: The Hero Interviews. Andi Ewington's humourous fantasy deconstructs quest-driven RPGs by imagining the economics of a D&D world and its underlying corruption, as a writer looks for his missing brother (with copious footnotes). Come for the puns, stay for the story.
June 3, 2023
Pretty good! I would definitely read a continuation of this! My only complaint is that this book is like 300 pages and about 1,000 footnotes too long! Really got a kick out of some of the characters and found myself wishing to be done with others sooner rather than later.
December 5, 2022
Highly enjoyable and genuinely funny fantasy novels are hard to find but this series of interviews with people who make up the standard realm is warmly funny, intelligent and knows modern fantasy and D&D’s weak spots from an insider’s point of views. A great read
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
February 13, 2023
Yes!! Brilliant in every way 🔥 Full review to come 🤘
Read
January 14, 2023I was never destined to be a hero; the quill and parchment are my weapons—my sword and shield.
DNF/no rating. I gave it a decent go but this was just not my taste at all. The author doesn't really say much when we meet each 'adventurer' and that's being generous. There's some mildly humourous anecdotes exchanged in most cases and an absolute eff-ton of footnotes included, much of which are even more mild in their hilarity than the aforementioned anecdotes.
It’s worth noting that ‘success’ in the adventuring business is usually measured by whether you’re still breathing after completing an adventure. Those who aren’t successful typically wind up dead.
Oh and concerning said footnotes: this worked like a charm with Sir Terry Pratchett's writing (noting his were included on the same page - albeit in smaller font size - below the passage in question) but for Ewington's work, I found they rapidly became distracting and even irritating to navigate (my Kindle software not seeming to enjoy these either). It also leads - or I should say misleads (oh ha ha, now I'm joining along with the wordplay) - to an exaggerated page count as the footnotes appear AGAIN after each chapter as part of the text. Weird and more than a little disorienting.
I thought that’s the whole point of being a Barbarian? Attacking your enemies half-naked while lost in a furious battle-rage?
Bluntly stated, what little I managed to get through was just not funny. Maybe my lack of DnD or TTRPG experience is showing through, but as the saying goes, I was not amused. Not in the slightest. So after some dreadfully dull conversations with people like the Mime Warrior - to whom, quote, "nothing is everything!” - and well over 200 footnotes, I have decided to call it quits. In doing so, I'll try not to damage this writer's averages by leaving a rating and simply wish good luck to all who follow after me.
‘Dragon’ and ‘orgy’ are two words that should never appear together in the same sentence.
DNF/no rating. I gave it a decent go but this was just not my taste at all. The author doesn't really say much when we meet each 'adventurer' and that's being generous. There's some mildly humourous anecdotes exchanged in most cases and an absolute eff-ton of footnotes included, much of which are even more mild in their hilarity than the aforementioned anecdotes.
It’s worth noting that ‘success’ in the adventuring business is usually measured by whether you’re still breathing after completing an adventure. Those who aren’t successful typically wind up dead.
Oh and concerning said footnotes: this worked like a charm with Sir Terry Pratchett's writing (noting his were included on the same page - albeit in smaller font size - below the passage in question) but for Ewington's work, I found they rapidly became distracting and even irritating to navigate (my Kindle software not seeming to enjoy these either). It also leads - or I should say misleads (oh ha ha, now I'm joining along with the wordplay) - to an exaggerated page count as the footnotes appear AGAIN after each chapter as part of the text. Weird and more than a little disorienting.
I thought that’s the whole point of being a Barbarian? Attacking your enemies half-naked while lost in a furious battle-rage?
Bluntly stated, what little I managed to get through was just not funny. Maybe my lack of DnD or TTRPG experience is showing through, but as the saying goes, I was not amused. Not in the slightest. So after some dreadfully dull conversations with people like the Mime Warrior - to whom, quote, "nothing is everything!” - and well over 200 footnotes, I have decided to call it quits. In doing so, I'll try not to damage this writer's averages by leaving a rating and simply wish good luck to all who follow after me.
‘Dragon’ and ‘orgy’ are two words that should never appear together in the same sentence.
June 3, 2023
The Hero Interviews is a quirky blend of D&D and a mockumentary about a Loremaster on a journey to find what it means to be a hero by interviewing different heroes, those who support them, and the people whose lives are affected by them while hopefully finding traces of his missing adventurer brother who went off to be a hero 10 years ago.
Let’s talk about the format. This book is long with 46 chapters—each dedicated to a single interview of a new character—and filled with copious amounts of footnotes (1717 in total!). Although noticeably long, the structure really lends itself well to being read in more manageable bite-sized pieces (and in audio format for audiobook readers). As for the footnotes, I know that can be divisive, but I do think they worked here with some clever lines, funny pop culture references, and informative insight provided by Elburn, the loremaster (although I do think some that were just side comments could have been edited down).
I really enjoyed the tone of the book (I really enjoy mockumentaries) with its humor and willingness to make fun of classic fantasy tropes. I don’t play D&D or RPGs so can’t offer much commentary on that, but I do know fantasy and this was indeed a playful and insightful take. Although it may feel a bit disjointed to start, we do start to see the ultimate narrative as the story progresses and Elburn starts uncovering a conspiracy of corruption and fraud that have tainted the hero’s journey. I actually found the final conflict to be delightfully mundane, and I look forward to seeing how it goes in the sequel.
The Hero Interviews is a playful twist on the sword and sorcery fantasy that is fun, funny, and unique.
*I was provided an ebook copy as part of a book tour.
Let’s talk about the format. This book is long with 46 chapters—each dedicated to a single interview of a new character—and filled with copious amounts of footnotes (1717 in total!). Although noticeably long, the structure really lends itself well to being read in more manageable bite-sized pieces (and in audio format for audiobook readers). As for the footnotes, I know that can be divisive, but I do think they worked here with some clever lines, funny pop culture references, and informative insight provided by Elburn, the loremaster (although I do think some that were just side comments could have been edited down).
I really enjoyed the tone of the book (I really enjoy mockumentaries) with its humor and willingness to make fun of classic fantasy tropes. I don’t play D&D or RPGs so can’t offer much commentary on that, but I do know fantasy and this was indeed a playful and insightful take. Although it may feel a bit disjointed to start, we do start to see the ultimate narrative as the story progresses and Elburn starts uncovering a conspiracy of corruption and fraud that have tainted the hero’s journey. I actually found the final conflict to be delightfully mundane, and I look forward to seeing how it goes in the sequel.
The Hero Interviews is a playful twist on the sword and sorcery fantasy that is fun, funny, and unique.
*I was provided an ebook copy as part of a book tour.
July 14, 2023
The Hero Interviews is a book that I can pretty much guarantee is unlike anything you've read before. It is sort of a D&D/fantasy satire with a distinctly Pratchettian style. I wasn't entirely sure if it was imitation or homage, but it's right on that line.
Elburn is a Loremaster looking for more information about the Hero's Guild--mostly because his brother, a hero, has been missing for years. He hopes to find him, or at least the truth, by conducting a series of interviews with adventurers and those who work with them.
My favorite character was Dorn, the fantasy barbarian ex-hero whose attempt to settle down to an innkeeper's life doesn't go quite as planned. His first chapter marked the point where I felt myself getting invested in the story and characters.
The one thing I wish there had been less of was footnotes. I didn't find most of them particularly funny, and there were a lot. On Kindle, especially on the app on my phone, they are logistically hard to click through, and it made the reading experience less absorbing and more clunky. The narrative itself, however, was quite amusing and absorbing.
Elburn is a Loremaster looking for more information about the Hero's Guild--mostly because his brother, a hero, has been missing for years. He hopes to find him, or at least the truth, by conducting a series of interviews with adventurers and those who work with them.
My favorite character was Dorn, the fantasy barbarian ex-hero whose attempt to settle down to an innkeeper's life doesn't go quite as planned. His first chapter marked the point where I felt myself getting invested in the story and characters.
The one thing I wish there had been less of was footnotes. I didn't find most of them particularly funny, and there were a lot. On Kindle, especially on the app on my phone, they are logistically hard to click through, and it made the reading experience less absorbing and more clunky. The narrative itself, however, was quite amusing and absorbing.
January 27, 2025
This was a fantastic read, and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fantasy or DnD lover!
Elburn is a Loremaster, a wordsmith, who had been awaiting the return of his adventuring brother, Aldon. But ten summers have passed, and Elburn can't delay his own adventures any longer.
He sets off with the intention of interviewing those who have felt adventure knocking on their door. If he also happens to find news of his brother... then all the better!
The book is written in a wonderfully character-driven, chatty style that will endear the reader to Elburn and those he meets.
Whilst not a small book [1], I loved the varying interviewees and the story arcs that weaved in and out. From grumpy gnomes to wayward wizards, all are interviewed in the name of adventure!
Fans of Terry Pratchett will especially adore and appreciate the use of footnotes [2] throughout and their impact on the reader experience [3].
Ewington [4] has brought the ultimate fantasy adventure to the page with the wit of every cat-hair-covered and skittles-loving DM you've ever met.
I urge you to ready your sword, axe, hammer, quill, dice, allergy medication, how-to-throw-fireballs-correctly manual [5], and join Elburn on this wondrous adventure.
[1] It would be a very short (and boring) adventure if it was!
[2] The use of footnotes was genuinely great and allowed more room for snark and hilarity.
[3] See footnote [2] above.
[4] Surely a genius?
[5] The manual was NOT a bestseller. Obviously...
Elburn is a Loremaster, a wordsmith, who had been awaiting the return of his adventuring brother, Aldon. But ten summers have passed, and Elburn can't delay his own adventures any longer.
He sets off with the intention of interviewing those who have felt adventure knocking on their door. If he also happens to find news of his brother... then all the better!
The book is written in a wonderfully character-driven, chatty style that will endear the reader to Elburn and those he meets.
Whilst not a small book [1], I loved the varying interviewees and the story arcs that weaved in and out. From grumpy gnomes to wayward wizards, all are interviewed in the name of adventure!
Fans of Terry Pratchett will especially adore and appreciate the use of footnotes [2] throughout and their impact on the reader experience [3].
Ewington [4] has brought the ultimate fantasy adventure to the page with the wit of every cat-hair-covered and skittles-loving DM you've ever met.
I urge you to ready your sword, axe, hammer, quill, dice, allergy medication, how-to-throw-fireballs-correctly manual [5], and join Elburn on this wondrous adventure.
[1] It would be a very short (and boring) adventure if it was!
[2] The use of footnotes was genuinely great and allowed more room for snark and hilarity.
[3] See footnote [2] above.
[4] Surely a genius?
[5] The manual was NOT a bestseller. Obviously...
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March 25, 2023Not my thing - the footnotes were excessive and distracted from any flow. YMMV.
August 29, 2023
Five star for old time lovers of D&D like me, perhaps less for others. A little post modernist, and does suffer slightly by death from footnotes - but great fun along the way.
August 24, 2024
Loved the humor in this and – yes – also the footnotes. The only setback which is not the book’s fault: I have no connection whatsoever to D&D, so I’m not that familiar with the tropes and classic character setting the story is building on. Nevertheless had a great time and kind of want to know what happens to our narrator after this.
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