This would have scored a good eight or nine but for the length and befuddledness of My Hero. A similar idea to Snow White and the Seven Samurai - humans and fiction mixing a little too much for anyone's good - it's a good premise, but it feels here like Holt had loads of ideas for fictioneers escaping into reality and the hilarity which could ensue, and wanted to jam them all into one book rather than risk writing more than one and being called repetitive. Considering the authors in the story write popular series, and he's done very well in taking other creations of his and shoving them up against yet more demons, dragons and goblins who think they're legal secretaries without it ever being boring, it's a shame he didn't dare try it here.

My Hero, however, is brilliant. This time someone who actually has some idea of what they're dealing with is in charge - a plucky young archaeologist who happens to wake up a ship full of olde norse heroes. She scores points for knowing everything there is to know about their legends, and copes admirably with the inevitable letdown when she learns how they all embroidered the truth somewhat.
Anyone who's ever played table chess will find goblin boardgames a highlight too, and I can see Jamie, Gordon and Hugh starting a campaign for better quality seagull if they ever get their hands on this story...