Heroes… 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?
Following Elburn Barr, a Loremaster (think reporter) as he interviews adventurers far and wide, The Hero Interviews by Andi Ewington doesn’t just poke a little fun at common fantasy tropes. Instead, it chases them down, beats them up, then goes through their pockets for loose change. It is a brilliantly funny book and one that had me laughing from start to finish. Grab a tankard for the road and follow the Loremaster as he tries to figure out what makes heroes tick!
I’ve read The Hero Interviews multiple times now and I find something new that makes me laugh every single time. The main character, Elburn, who sees a paper and quill as his weapons rather than a sword, is a delightful character. His parents and brother all did the hero thing, and he just can’t figure out the draw. He’s full of piss and vinegar, which comes out in the most hilarious of ways.
There is an ongoing mocking- ahem, inner monologue- from Elburn in the form of footnotes added to each interview. The snark is strong in him, and the footnotes elevate The Hero Interviews from funny to rolling-on-the-floor hilarious.
The subjects of the interviews include socially awkward skulls, barbarians who punch themselves to see if they’re dreaming (“Rogues pinch. Barbarians punch.”), wizards who may have accidentally killed entire adventuring parties with ill-times spells, and much more. I was floored by the creativity of each interview and how incredibly different and unique each character is from the others.
There is a storyline throughout the book as well, weaving seemingly disparate interviews into a cohesive whole. While he is compiling interviews, Elburn is also on a quest to find his missing heroic brother (although he’d balk at the word “quest”). His character develops and grows, in-between mocking observations about oddball interviewees.
The Hero Interviews had me snorting with laughter (it was not a pretty sight, let me tell you). It is easily one of the funniest books I’ve ever read, and I loved every minute of it. The Hero Interviews should come with a warning: will cause side-splitting laughter.
