What makes a fantasy hero?

This month Tansy Rayner Roberts is back, with an essay about how Terry Pratchett writes about - and deconstructs - fantasy heroes, in an essay which may well change the way you think about modern portrayals of heroes, and especially superheroes, in general. She pulls apart some of Pratchett’s male characters who could potentially fit into the fantasy hero mould… but most of her energy is directed to Cohen the Barbarian, that cranky old man. It’s fair to say I had to go and re-read The Last Hero after reading this essay.