Book #1 in Brandon Mull's new Beyonders series is beyond belief. Action, suspense, humor, magic, mystery, plot twists, bizarre portals to alternate realms, epic battles between good and evil — A World Without Heroes has it all. Jason, a regular teenager with no dreams of glory, suddenly finds himself devoted to overthrowing an evil tyrant after slipping through the mouth of a hippo into the realm of Lyrian. Just when you think he must undertake this mission impossible alone, he encounters Rachel, who was also magically ported into Lyrian. These two intrepid teens must quickly learn not only to trust each other, but to recognize honesty and deception in the many bizarre creatures they encounter on their quest. Although often longing to simply return to their former boring, predictable lives, both feel compelled to help all those suffering under Maldor's rule, especially since many have sacrificed their lives to aid them in their nobel pursuit. Readers, like myself, are eager to see what will happen in Book #2, especially when Book #1 pretty much concludes in a midwest cornfield!