Who Killed the Hero?
By Daken
Review by Mida
In a world under attack from a Demon Lord, a kingdom is holding out for the appearance of a Hero. At first glance, Ares is not fit for the job. He is clumsy, awkward and not talented in any of the skills required to get the job done. But against all odds, he and his party succeed – but Ares dies mysteriously on the way back to civilisation, leaving behind the question – who killed the Hero?
Wow. I don’t usually read light novels, but Who Killed the Hero? somehow avoided all the tropes I dislike and provided an utterly unique read. Rather than being a single perspective, it flicks from interview segments with the members of Ares’ party to flashbacks from the perspective of the members themselves. It somehow conveys who each chapter is focussing on without a jarring name at the top of the page; each segment perfectly flows into the next, and I found myself eagerly awaiting the next perspective so I could FINALLY find out what happened.
I will be thinking about this book for a very long time. While the prose isn’t the strongest due to being translated, the tension and mystery kept me gripped from the very start. For fans of innovative fantasy like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and Delicious in Dungeon, it takes familiar tropes and story hooks and twists them into something new. Perfect for someone searching for a quick but satisfying fantasy read.
