The Hero is a sword-and-sorcery opera. It starts out kind of slow and then builds up a lot of steam and energy for a pyrotechnic ending.

The Hero is the story of a bored adventurer who gets in over his head by naively chasing a childhood fantasy. It's set in a lonely, gothic world of danger and intrigue. There are strange lizards that seem to resemble both dinosaurs and dragons (some friendly, some dangerous), magicians of two kinds (religious and scientific), ghosts, and organized crime.

The Hero is a good young adult fantasy, but due to some violent and at times vulgar content it may not be suitable for young children. An adult would definitely like this book!