Author Publishing Tips

Heroes come and go…

That’s certainly true of the fictional variety where very few linger in the mind beyond the last page of a novel. So what makes The Best Fictional Heroes and is your Hero The Next Bestseller? It’s not an easy question to answer because our characters likes and dislikes are wholly subjective yet there are hero traits readers are repeatedly drawn to. But before we come to them it might help to take a quick look at the best fictional heroes from a classical perspective.

The Best Fictional Heroes

Perhaps the likes of mythological figures, such as Achilles or Hercules readily spring to mind or perhaps your thoughts turned to a more recent era and characters like Superman or Wonder Woman. What they all have in common though (even when you strip away their superhuman powers) is a quality of character, like courage or honour, that elevates them above the ordinary. Leading them to stand resolute in the face of danger as they combat adversity through feats of ingenuity or bravery.

Is Your Hero The Next Bestseller?

Thankfully the archetypical stereotype hero is falling by the wayside and the majority of heroes in contemporary fiction are a completely different breed. Remember the TV series Dexter or Lestat de Lioncourt from The Vampire Chronicles. We’ve come to love dysfunctional heroes and their flaws as much as we loved the classical heroes of old yet there are still some tenets authors favour when creating their characters. Now, remember we are talking about fictional heroes here and these are the top 4 attributes.

  1. A powerful backstory that sees our hero suffer in some unjust way which in turn becomes the trigger for change.
  2. Readers need to be drawn towards their fictional heroes and there is no better way for an author to do this than by making us worry about them.
  3. It should be a given and yet many authors underestimate the need for our heroes to be likeable. If not by us then at least liked by other characters in their story.
  4. Finally, fictional heroes need to be unique. Harry Potter has been reimagined by numerous authors thousands of times over with countless different boy wizards gracing the pages of contemporary fiction. The heroes that shine are the ones we haven’t come across before.

 

Out of all the points above, it’s the last one that presents the greatest challenge to seasoned and aspiring authors alike. Some instinctively get it right, others get it horribly wrong. But one who has adopted a unique approach to his hero’s development is Author Mark Howard with his Griffin Legends Series. We recently reviewed “Godfrey Under Siege but it all began with Godfrey’s Crusade which you can find HERE.

Coming of Age Fantasy Fiction Reviews

Coming of Age Fantasy Fiction Reviews

A kaleidoscope of medieval fantasy Howard returns with book 2 in his Griffin Legends series to once again deliver the kind of rousing, large-scale adventure that marks the best sword and sorcery epics and finds Godfrey’s resolve tested beyond anything he could have imagined.

Read More »

Trusted Book Reviews

We work with both traditionally published and “indie” authors who have self or independently published books and our mission is simple. It’s to discover new and talented authors and help them give their work the attention and awareness it deserves. We do this by providing professional and credible reviews which are respected by our readers. Our primary focus is on fiction across all genres, non – fiction with broad appeal and selected poetry.

  • Over 16000 Book Reviews And Counting
  • All Book Genres Reviewed
  • Books Reviewed In As Little As 16 Days 
  • The Only Book Review Site To Offer A Book Review Guarantee

Publishing Tips For Authors & Recommended Book Reviews

Inspirational & Religious Poetry
Book Reviews
Editorial Team

Inspirational & Religious Poetry

Divided into the topics of ‘Pandemic’, ‘Injustice’, ‘Courage’, ‘Love and ‘Hope’ Schneider does each one justice in an explorative journey into each. The variety ensures there is something to read for each mood and meditation.

Read More »
Dark Christian Fantasy Epic Novels
Book Reviews
Editorial Team

Dark Christian Fantasy Epics

A totally enthralling introduction into the Evorath fantasy series, ‘The Birth of Death’ introduces its readers to a new and exciting world of mythical creatures and supernatural powers.

Read More »
Book Reviews
Editorial Team

Stories in Verse for Children

The thought and care which has evidently gone into the layout and presentation of this collection of poetry is evident as one aspect compliments the other making up a veritable treasure trove of adventure.

Read More »

Book Reviews That Readers Trust.

From humble beginnings in 2002 as a book review club BookViral has grown to become the first choice in book reviews for authors around the world and one of the biggest book review sites on the web. BookViral reaches millions of potential readers through best practice SEO and a trusted social media presence ensuring readers get unbiased, critical recommendations they can trust. 

BookViral also offers a full suite of author services, including, book editing services for unpublished and self-published authors, website design and bespoke SEO that help authors get discovered by more potential readers as well as industry influencers, such as publishers, agents and film executives. 

© Copyright 2019 BookViral Reviews. All Rights Reserved.