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Quinn Geist
Mrs. Cramer
College Composition I
24 January, 2018
Literary Criticism of A World Without Heroes

A World Without Heroes is the first book in Brandon Mulls series, Beyonders; a fantasy

book taking place in an alternate universe called Lyrian, ruled by an evil wizard with unique

creatures and conflicts. A World Without Heroes is a good book because of the depth and

background of its setting and characters.

First, a brief summary of the plot is crucial to understand the importance of the setting

and characters. The main characters, Jason and Rachel, did not know each other before

accidentally entering Lyrian in different ways and meeting Galloran, a blind king who had tried

to oppose Maldor, the evil wizard, before. Before meeting Galloran, Jason had read a forbidden

book in the Repository of Learning that stated the only way to kill Malodor was to hunt down an

Edomic key word syllable by syllable that would destroy him. Jason and Rachel then embarked

on a quest to find the key word to save the people of Lyrian and return home. After finding the

entire word, Jason used the word to attempt to destroy Maldor but was imprisoned. Maldor then

explained to him the word was a diversion. Ferrin later helped Jason to escape Fellrook.

The most important aspect of A World Without Heroes is the setting. The story takes

place in an alternate universe named Lyrian that has not progressed past what we would call the

Middle Ages technologically, but where sorcery is a trade, and creatures and tribes of people

exist that are not known to humans in our world, controlled by a Wizard with spies across the
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world of Lyrian. These elements helped to enhance the story by adding variables to conflicts that

could otherwise be overcome easily.

While the second syllable, and Juggard guarding it, Jason found was relatively easy to

find, it was within a cavern by the ocean that could only be entered by water one way without

drowning. The exit by land was guarded by a titan crab, "the size of a car" (130). This setting

added a sense of futility because either option left very little odds of success, being in the

equivalent of a natural fish trap.

One of the symbolic areas in Lyrian is Harthenham Castle, known as the Eternal Feast,

where Maldor would invite his strongest enemies where they would fall to their own vices.

Accepting the invitation would allow them to live without the burdens of the real world so long

as they did not threaten Maldor's power. Every guest prior to Jason had fallen to their vices,

being addiction or gluttony. This scenario created by the setting added an aspect of self-control

to escaping after the symbol was found within the castle.

The traits and backgrounds of the characters in A World Without Heroes added a depth to

Lyrian that made the book memorable. The blind king, Galloran, was once a prince who had

attempted to remove Maldor from power but had been captured and tortured into being close to a

shell of his former self. In secrecy Galloran helps to guide all who seek to oppose the emperor.

The will and determination Galloran possessed helped Jason to continue even after he himself

was captured.

Jason and Rachel met Ferrin after he had staged a mugging on himself in order to gain

their trust. Ferrin belonged to a group of human-like creatures called displacers who, not being

known to Jason or Rachel, worked for Maldor as spies. After travelling for several weeks with
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Jason and Rachel, Ferrin had developed a respect for their qualities and goal to bring peace to

Lyrian. Even though his initial intent working for Maldor was discovered by Jason and Rachel,

Ferrin helped Jason to escape the dungeons of Fellrook after he was captured.

Tark was the last surviving musician of a band called the Giddy Nine that Jason saved.

Tark spent weeks in a state of depression and guilt that fueled his hatred for Maldor. Tark was

later seen in Harthenham and helped Jason to escape and delivered the final sylable to Rachel

when Jason was captured by Maldor's soldiers.

Drake was a member of the Amar Kabal, another human-like group who were able to live

multiple lives through their seed called an Amar. After spending many of his lives trying to find

his purpose he spent a large portion of his final live giving in to his vices in Harthenham and had

destroyed his Amar through over-indulgence. Drake had decided to help Jason to escape and

defeat Maldor.

In conclusion, Beyonders A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull addressed elements

of the story so greatly that the plot seems to have written itself, with every character having a

unique back story and contribution. A World Without Heroes is a good book because of the depth

and background of its setting and characters.

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Works Cited

Mull, Brandon. A World without Heroes. Simon & Schuster Children's Pub., 2012.