My favorite books about broken and struggling heroes

Why am I passionate about this?

I believe that in our real world, most heroes are like any other human, exhibiting the struggles, the moral dilemmas, and the psychological battles any human would be. And that is what makes a hero so great. They rise above the internal and external struggles to become something better and something others can look up to. Heroes are not supposed to be Superman. They are Batman, struggling with the darkness of trauma and the weight of responsibility like everyone else. 


I wrote...

A Chance Beginning

By Christopher Patterson,

Book cover of A Chance Beginning

What is my book about?

Erik Eleodum never wanted to be a hero. Fate had a different plan. Erik is content farming for his family for the rest of his life, while his brother and cousin can't think of a worse fate. For different reasons, they leave the life they know behind. Soon, their world crashes down around them as they realize it is cruel, brutal, selfish, and violent. Now, they must not only rely on one another, but also on gypsies, thieves, mercenaries, dwarves, and a mage for their survival.

In the end, Erik will face danger, deceit, murder, death, evil, and—most terrifyingly—himself to become the hero he was always meant to be as an ancient evil many thought only a myth resurfaces.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Warded Man

Christopher Patterson Why did I love this book?

The Warded Man is a fantasy adventure mystery about a hero who never wanted to be a hero and a man who has to fight both physical, literal demons as well as his own internal demons and a traumatized past. The Warded Man exposes humanity and the emotional and psychological struggles that even a hero can experience. 

By Peter V. Brett,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Warded Man as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The stunning debut fantasy novel from author Peter V. Brett.

The Painted Man, book one of the Demon Cycle, is a captivating and thrilling fantasy adventure, pulling the reader into a world of demons, darkness and heroes.

Sometimes there is very good reason to be afraid of the dark...

Eleven-year-old Arlen lives with his parents on their small farmstead, half a day's ride from the isolated hamlet of Tibbet's Brook.

As dusk falls upon Arlen's world, a strange mist rises from the ground; a mist that promises a violent death to any foolish enough to brave the coming darkness, for…


Book cover of A Game of Thrones

Christopher Patterson Why did I love this book?

A Game of Thrones is a nitty gritty, noir-style Fantasy that has all the elements of old-school epic or high fantasy, like magic and dragons, but some new and interesting elements that might be likened to mystery, thriller, horror, or even romance. You need to be comfortable with graphic imagery—violence, language, and sex—but beyond that, the description is fantastic and the story sucks you in.

By George R. R. Martin,

Why should I read it?

14 authors picked A Game of Thrones as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

HBO's hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George R R Martin's internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. A GAME OF THRONES is the first volume in the series.

'Completely immersive' Guardian

'When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground'

Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

From the fertile south, where heat breeds conspiracy, to the vast and savage eastern lands, all the way to the frozen…


Book cover of The Eye of the World

Christopher Patterson Why did I love this book?

Rand is the ultimate unsuspecting hero, ever skeptical of myth and superstition. When presented with an opportunity to make a difference and save the world, he wants no part of it, wishing to simply return to his old life. A sometimes frustrating journey, Rand struggles with a past he doesn’t know, a present that is uncomfortable, and a future that is vastly uncertain, all the while people around him giving their lives for him.

By Robert Jordan,

Why should I read it?

13 authors picked The Eye of the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the Two Rivers seeking their master's enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al'Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light .

Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel…


Book cover of The Way of Shadows

Christopher Patterson Why did I love this book?

Durzo Blint is an assassin and the last person anyone would suspect would be a hero and liberate the world from a number of tyrannical and lunatic dictators and rulers, but as a broken man, always questioning his own sense of morality and worth, he becomes the perfect man for the job, unclouded by a need for fame or fortune. 

By Brent Weeks,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Way of Shadows as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From NYT bestselling author Brent Weeks comes the first novel in his breakout fantasy trilogy in which a young boy trains under the city's most legendary and feared assassin, Durzo Blint.

For Durzo Blint, assassination is an art -- and he is the city's most accomplished artist.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he's grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly -- and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint.

But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and…


Book cover of Stormbringer

Christopher Patterson Why did I love this book?

Elric of Melnibone is an anti-hero. He is a bad guy who worships a god of chaos and delights in doing bad things. Pressured by family, a sense of duty, and a deep devotion to both his lover and his friends, he begins to question his life and his culture up until now. The lack of caring weighs on him as he vacillates between a world of evil and chaos and a world of law and goodness. 

By Michael Moorcock,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Stormbringer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Feared by enemies and friends alike, Elric of Melnibone walks a lonely path among the worlds of the multiverse. The destroyer of his own cruel and ancient race, as well as its final ruler, Elric is the bearer of a destiny as dark and cursed as the vampiric sword he carries - the sentient black blade known as Stormbringer.

Containing the novel which perhaps did the most to propel Elric to the forefront of the fantasy genre, along with associated short stories and other material, this volume is a vital part of any fantasy reader's library. With an introduction by…


You might also like...

The Case of the Zombie Ninjas

By Erik Christopher Martin,

Book cover of The Case of the Zombie Ninjas

Erik Christopher Martin Author Of The Case of the French Fry Phantom: Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth Book One

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Storyteller Social Worker Tabletop role playing gamer Reader Perpetual student

Erik's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Twelve-year-old supernatural sleuth Dotty Morgan becomes embroiled in an ancient conflict between rival Japanese factions, and the timing couldn't be worse. A new girl in town creates jealousy between Dotty and her girlfriend, and her mother invites a nightmare houseguest to stay with them. She must put the drama aside and focus to solve a four-hundred-year-old murder and protect the people she loves.

This is the second book in the Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth series.

The Case of the Zombie Ninjas

By Erik Christopher Martin,

What is this book about?

The Sato Corporation comes to Elderton.

The Sato Corporation built the new Crooked Creek Commons parking garage. They bought Blue Devil Castle for their new corporate retreat. They funded the Waverly Perchance Memorial Garden, a project organized by twelve-year-old Dotty Morgan. Now, Mr. Sato himself takes an interest in Dotty and her dream of owning and operating a legit Supernatural Sleuthing Agency. Mr. Sato's interest comes with cash.

If Dotty lets Mr. Sato examine the Japanese sword and cup her dad recently acquired, then Mr. Sato will approve a generous small business grant. All Dotty's dreams will come true. Simple,…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in good and evil, war, and multiverse?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about good and evil, war, and multiverse.

Good And Evil Explore 131 books about good and evil
War Explore 1,850 books about war
Multiverse Explore 31 books about multiverse