Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I don't usually get overly effusive in my book reviews, but d*mn, this was a fun book! I'm an urban fantasy junkie and have logged a lot of reading hours in that genre, and with every writer and his/her brother jumping into the field to take advantage of its current popularity, I've thrown a lot of books at the wall because they're not worth the paper they are printed on. "Hounded" is definitely one of those books that you place down carefully, and remember where you stored it in your bookcase because you know that you'll be re-reading it sooner or later. It's definitely a keeper!
Quick synopsis: Atticus O'Sullivan is a 2100-year old Druid, supposedly the last of his kind. His appearance is that of a 21 year old, good-looking Irish guy. He lives in Tempe AZ, and runs a New Age-y herbal and book store. He's got an enemy who is the Celtic god of love who wants a mystical sword that Atticus took from him in a battle centuries ago, and who also wants Atticus dead. Periodically, as the god has located Atticus, he sends minions after him to kill him. In this story, he has located Atticus again, and decides to kill him personally.
The usual urban fantasy suspects exist: the Tuatha De Danann, werewolves, vampires, witches, ghouls, gods, goddesses, demons, etc., though they are not "out" to the general human population. So far, this doesn't sound like anything special, does it? The key differences between this book and most of the others in this genre is that it is extremely well-written (and even though I was reading the Advance Reader's Edition, it didn't have the spelling errors that are so common now in books), the characters are fleshed-out and interesting, and most of all, there is a sense of humor and fun in this book. The plot has some nice twists and turns, and seemingly impossible things are given logical explanations so the reader doesn't get hung up on implausibilities. I'm sure there are going to be comparisons to the Harry Dresden series, and I would say that if you like that series you're going to like this one. I would say, though, that Atticus O'Sullivan doesn't have the nebbish quality that sometimes annoys me with Dresden. This is a character who has been alive for millennia and he has learned something over those years and retained life's lessons; I like that Mr. Hearne portrayed him that way - a very old soul in a young-appearing body, and someone who has kept pace with the culture in which he lives.
This book also has one of the best dog characters that I've every read - Oberon, Atticus' pet Irish Wolfhound. He and Atticus are able to communicate mentally and their conversations are hilarious:
"I knew I should have never let you watch the Wizard of Oz."
Click Here to see more reviews about: Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles
The first novel in an original, back-to-back three-book series The Iron Druid Chronicles—introducing a cool, new, funny urban fantasy heroAtticus O'Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he's twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he's hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.
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