I found Once a Hero by accident from a small bookshop. I had no idea what kind of a book it was, because I hadn't read any reviews about it. Fortunately it turned out to be a good and entertaining book.
Once a Hero is an interesting stand-alone fantasy book. I'm not saying that this book is perfect, but it's good entertainment and it offers great escapism.
Once a Hero is probably the best book that Michael A. Stackpole has written.