Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #1)

by Kevin Hearne

[EBookObsessed]

I received a free copy of Hounded at NOLA Storycon in my bag of goodies. Author Kevin Hearne was one of the speakers and I had my book signed and intended to give it a try. After I got home, this novel (as well as Book 2) just happened to go on sale on Audible so I jumped on them. I just wish I had read it before meeting Kevin Hearne so I could have talked to him about it.

This series introduces us to Atticus O’Sullivan (the current alias of Siodhachan O’Suileabháin which is pronounced Shehan O’Sullivan). While he looks 21 and fits in quite well with the college crowd in Tempe, AZ, Atticus is the last of the Druids and is actually twenty-one centuries old. He lives with his Irish Wolfhound Oberon and spends his time at his bookstore/apothecary shop or helping out the Widow MacDonagh. He has lawyers on retainer: Hallbjörn (Hal) Hauk, a werewolf, who he meets with during the day, and Leif Helgarson, a vampire who keep more to the night hours.

Usually I am not a fan of stories which involve characters fighting Gods since Gods are almighty and powerful and any character fighting them doesn’t normally stand any chance of surviving, let alone winning. But as a Druid with powers and two thousand years to perfect those powers, Atticus can more than hold his own in a fight. So these stories are interesting, the delve into the various pantheons of Gods, and there is plenty of excitement as Atticus takes on fae, witches and even Gods and, most times, comes out a winner.

Atticus has managed to stay alive a lot longer then his brethren because he is always on the move and he stays away from areas that it is easier for the fae to get around. Centuries ago, Atticus was fighting on the battlefield alongside Aenghus Óg, the Celtic God of Love, who was given a magical sword, Fragarach, which can cleave through any metal. Aenghus lost hold of his sword during battle which ended up at the feet on our favorite Druid. Being no dummy, Atticus cloaked himself and his prize and took off with it. He has been hiding from Aenghus Óg ever since but Aenghus has been sending out flunkies in the hopes of one of them retrieving the sword for him. Although he has been unsuccessful for decades upon decades it is only now that Atticus has settled in one place long enough that Aenghus is going to personally come take back his sword.

Centuries ago, Atticus received a promise from the Morrigan (Celtic Goddess of Death) that she would not come for Atticus. As Aenghus Óg gets closer, Atticus gets visits from several of the Tuatha Dé Danann from Tír na nÓg, including the Morrigan, Flidais and Brighid, all warning of Aenghus’s upcoming attack but as with all Gods their actions are not easily trusted as there is a lot of posturing and back-stabbing between them.

As you can see, this is definitely a story you want narrated to you rather than trying to trip through all these different names of Gods, Goddesses and pantheons, and Luke Daniels does a wonderful job.

Although Atticus gives proper worship to the Tuatha Dé Danann, he can and has interacted with all the various pantheons which opens us up to various storylines. And it is not just Gods and Goddesses who will cause Atticus problems. Mortals can be a pain in the butt as well. Running around town with a sword strapped to your back brings you to the attention of local police as do fights with the fae on your front lawn when you have a nosy neighbor who doesn’t like you.

I enjoyed this so much I immediately jumped on Book 2 and 3 as soon as I finished.