El libro de los héroes
#1014.28 adjusted 4.23 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 5 books Status Complete 2009–2017 Reading commitment Medium Antonio Malpica Last reviewed 2026-10-31
Overview
El libro de los héroes is a five-volume young-adult horror and supernatural saga by the Mexican author Antonio Malpica, published by Océano between 2009 and 2017. It is set largely in contemporary Mexico City. Its protagonist is Sergio Mendhoza, a teenager with a prosthetic leg who discovers he is a mediator between heroes and demons. With his friends, including Jop and Brianda, and with Lieutenant Guillén, he investigates murders and kidnappings linked to an ancient conflict between light and darkness. The series opens with Siete esqueletos decapitados (2009) and follows Sergio into adulthood in the fourth volume. The fifth volume, Principio y fin (2017), concludes the saga.
Urban fantasy, Dark fantasy · For YA
Core Canon: Reading Order (5 works) counts toward ranking
El libro de los héroes Antonio Malpica
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Siete esqueletos decapitados | 2009 | 1 | core | 4.18 (2,494 ratings) |
 | Nocturno Belfegor | 2011 | 2 | core | 4.35 (1,159 ratings) |
 | El llamado de la estirpe | 2013 | 3 | core | 4.34 (907 ratings) |
 | El destino y la espada | 2016 | 4 | core | 4.35 (680 ratings) |
 | Principio y fin | 2017 | 5 | core | 4.37 (542 ratings) |
Five young-adult supernatural horror novels about Sergio Mendhoza, a mediator between heroes and demons.
Quick answers
- How many books are in El libro de los héroes? El libro de los héroes's Core Canon is 5 books.
- What is the reading order for El libro de los héroes? Publication order, starting with Siete esqueletos decapitados. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is El libro de los héroes finished? Complete (2009–2017).
- How much reading does El libro de los héroes take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 5 Core Canon books).
- How is El libro de los héroes ranked? #101 in this site's official ranking, based on 5,782 reader ratings across 5 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #101?
Ranked #101 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 4.28 across 5 core books.
- A smaller readership (5,782 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #100, The Locked Tomb (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Top-tier rated · 5 books · Complete · 6k ratings · Ranks #101 overall
Good choice if you want a moderate-length urban fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
Publication order (5 Core Canon books)
- Siete esqueletos decapitados (2009)
- Nocturno Belfegor (2011)
- El llamado de la estirpe (2013)
- El destino y la espada (2016)
- Principio y fin (2017)
Documented internal/story chronology is recorded for every Core Canon book here, and matches publication order exactly, with no divergence to show separately.
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
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Suggestions computed from what El libro de los héroes and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- Lockwood & Co Urban fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.38
- Legendborn Urban fantasy / Mythic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.27
- Precious Stone Trilogy Urban fantasy / Romantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.27
- The Old Kingdom Dark fantasy · Ongoing · Medium commitment · 4.20
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.28 across 5,782 ratings on 5 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: The Last Dragon Chronicles, The Wardstone Chronicles, The Sisters Grimm, Kingdom Keepers, Saga o zbóju Twardokęsku, Noční klub, El libro de los héroes, Kalfukura, Royaume de vent et de colères and The Heart of the Circle accepted 2026-10-31
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Hispanopedia, Antonio Malpica Tier 2
- El Financiero Tier 2
- Océano author page Tier 2
- Viking Alectora review Tier 2
- Thriftbooks series listing Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-10-31
Rule: Core Canon = the five novels of El libro de los héroes, from Siete esqueletos decapitados (2009) to Principio y fin (2017); no novellas or side works are known.