HEROES is a story of Francis Joseph Cassavant, who at the age of eighteen has already fought a war, and lost his face. He lost most of his face when he landed on a grenade in France to save some of his fellow soldiers. He returns home a hero having won a Silver Star for bravery.

But he is also a man with a mission as he returns to his quiet town of Frenchtown. His goal is to kill his own childhood hero --- a man who he feels ruined his life by hurting the woman he loved. While he searches for his killer the tale of his past is slowly revealed. In the end the reader wonders who the hero in this story really is. Is Francis actually avenging his prey for the wrong reasons? Should he really be chastising himself for his own inaction?  

Robert Cormier is known for his hardhitting writing which is almost chilling. He packs a punch into every word, and the power of his prose is in its terseness. He spares not a word, but his imagery is still vivid. The endings of his books are never pat and happy.  His earlier works like I AM THE CHEESE and THE CHOCOLATE WAR have him solidly placed as an honored award-winning author. If you have not yet explored Cormier, HEROES is not a bad place to start.

   --- Reviewed by Carol Fitzgerald

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