The Iron Druid Chronicles: #3 Hammered

The third chronicle in the last druid's life is here and this time its something different, The Iron Druid Chronicles #3 Hammered by Kevin Hearne.

Here is the summary of the book:

Thor, the Norse god of thunder, is worse than a blowhard and a bully—he’s ruined countless lives and killed scores of innocents. After centuries, Viking vampire Leif Helgarson is ready to get his vengeance, and he’s asked his friend Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids, to help take down this Norse nightmare. One survival strategy has worked for Atticus for more than two thousand years: stay away from the guy with the lightning bolts. But things are heating up in Atticus’s home base of Tempe, Arizona. There’s a vampire turf war brewing, and Russian demon hunters who call themselves the Hammers of God are running rampant. Despite multiple warnings and portents of dire consequences, Atticus and Leif journey to the Norse plain of Asgard, where they team up with a werewolf, a sorcerer, and an army of frost giants for an epic showdown against vicious Valkyries, angry gods, and the hammer-wielding Thunder Thug himself.

Hammered picks up right after book 2 Hexed finishes. Our resident Iron druid is a man of his word. It is enough to understand that Atticus was born in the Iron age and so his oath keeping talent. And it was time he did something about them (even if they result in his getting in more trouble than before) even if they yielded life threatening results. Also in many ways this book is very different from the previous books Hounded and Hexed. In a way the title of the book is self-explanatory as to what is about to happen in here and if not the previous books provide some hints as to the happenings here.

Be it stealing a golden apple for a witch at a great cost to his life or following through with the promise he made to his vampire friend Leif (who coincidentally not a sparkly emo-vampire - THANK GOD!). Atticus is gain trifling with the fates. Hammered, practically gives us a rundown of the Norse myths brought to life by our faith. Faith does play a huge part in these don't you think - I mean come on even Spock and Captain Kirk have been realized by faith, among others, appearances by the vengeful Roman god of wine, an obscure Slavic thunder god, an immortal Chinese kung-fu master, and the most influential Christian figure of them all (who is for a lack of a better word - cool -- and even takes a swing at the sparkling emo-vampire).

Despite warning of world shattering consequences our resident Druid follows through with his plan to help his vampire attorney Leif Helgarson to bring an end to the thunder douche (don't mean any dis respect but i'm reviewing as they are put forth). Druid reality check - the Norse thunder God definitely deserves a serious smack-in-the-face. Several chapters are dedicated only to Thor's misdeeds against every member of the group as each share what Thor had done to them to deserve their hatred.

As with the previous books Hammered is filled with every inch of tantalizing action and every niche but there is a certain difference here, a slight change in the air. Things are much more different here, much more drastic and life changing than before. There's a sense of finality in how Atticus goes about putting his immediate plans into effect. And they go on a bumpy ride to where? None other than Asgard itself. Atticus may be as every bit a sarcastic fellow but he has one big quality he fulfills his oaths and at personal risk and conflicted mind he does the deed. Not only does this give a reality check to the Norse divinity but may also lay the foundation for the next chapter in Atticus' life.

Mr. Hearne you really shake things up in every book so far. Got to give him credit, what would probably have been a flat out boring story with his caliber has everything in it - seriousness + witty remark + jokes + the sarcastic remarks. A winning formula for Hearne. Also the vivid details, they not only keep us on the edge but makes us feel through them as if we are actually in the plane of action as it is going on. In a way this book also sheds light upon Atticus' past. Yes he is an old soul but never before were we treated to his past than what we see here. So, give it a try and Hammered will definitely blow you away. Thankfully, this is not the end three more books are to come after this - TRICKED, TRAPPED and HUNTED. So psyched for them now. Hope you all are as well.

The Iron Druid Chronicles: #3 Hammered

The Iron Druid Chronicles: #2 Hexed

Our favourite Druid is back, book #2 Hexed of the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne is here before we actually had the time to digest the first books. But i'm not complaining. Come on Atticus is hot and he is the only druid left. I definitely loved the second book as well as the first book.


Here is the summary of the books:


Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II. With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Atticus O'Sullivan is a modern day druid, the last of his kind. And lately the crazies have been coming out the woodwork. You would think that defeating a couple of Celtic Gods, exorcising a few demons, and killing half a coven of witches would earn a guy some Rest & relaxation. Think again. Tempting Tempe, Atticus' little Arizonian oasis is starting to look ripe for the picking to some pretty nasty supernaturals.

Atticus here is in a rather strange position in this latest installment. His success against Aenghus Og has left him a marked man. Everyone is seeking him out to try and convince him to help them with their own God problems. The entire paranormal world now seems to have his number, which leads to some intense demon battles, some fierce sex, and a steep learning curve for his new apprentice. Most of the characters are back from Hounded, and we get to know some a little better this time around. The only Druid left in the world, all he wants to do is live a quiet life under the radar, grow the herbs he sells in his store, train his new apprentice and heal the large area of earth that was destroyed in the fighting from the last book. But demands from the coven of local Polish witches as well as Coyote, have him fighting to take out the escaped demons and destroy the others that have come to town to cause harm. And he's being bombarded with requests to take out Thor.

Demons released by the bad witches in the last book need to be dealt with, a group of Bacchants come to town wanting to take over the territory, as do a group of demon-casting German witches who announce their presence by trying to kill Atticus and the polish witches using a spell from afar. The police have become suspicious of Atticus as he matches the description of a guy with a sword at different scenes, and a priest and rabbi are getting way too noisy. If that weren't enough, two goddesses want to claim Atticus as their own personal weapon.

Kevin Hearne gives us another funny, action-packed tale. Atticus develops as a character, too. He has survived the centuries by being paranoid, but now he's forced by circumstances to make alliances and put himself in a position to owe favors. Looks like the biggest one is coming due in the next book, Hammered.......... Not going to advance any further on that all will be pretty clear after July 5th when the last book releases.

Hexed is on account even funnier than Hounded. Some scenes and quips had me howling with laughter. Wait till you see how Atticus explains a singed kitchen cabinet to the police, or what Oberon becomes obsessed with now that he's over his Genghis Khan kick, or what happens when an a stuffy vampire tries to learn modern slang. In addition to the humor, there are some touching moments. As the owner of an aging dog, I sniffled a bit when Atticus talked about the usual lifespan of an Irish wolfhound and the measures he has taken to keep his best buddy Oberon by his side.

There's plenty of action, humor, negotiations, myth, history and even his hospitality is loaded with political fencing. I've got a better appreciation for his new apprentice, Granuaile as she proves to be quick thinking. And of course Oberon, Atticus' telepathic dog, gives us more comic relief as well as show us how much respect Atticus has for his dog's feelings and happiness.

What I like most about Atticus is that he's so earth based. His relationship and responsibility to nature make Atticus a large part of who he is. Having 2100 years of experience, I find his reasoning, manners and maneuvering when dealing with others in positions of power to be both clever and savvy while remaining respectful. His philosophy speaks to me. The mythology covers a number of different pantheons and the history in this book deals with WWII.

Hexed has something of an episodic feel. There are several different plots here, and their structure is more sequential than interwoven. There are links between Atticus' adventures, but for the most part, he deals with one threat, and then either that leads to a new problem or else the new problem arises while he's trying to relax after dispatching the previous one. The overall effect is that of reading several shorter Atticus stories. Looking for the perfect mix of humor and thrills with a twist? These are the Druids your looking for. Hexed after Hounded definitely doesn't disappoint. Now on the look out for Hammered which comes out next month.

P.S. Mr. Hearne if you read this I would like to congratulate on a job well done again with Hexed....and want to ask "When are these chronicles getting made into movies?"

The Iron Druid Chronicles: #2 Hexed

The Iron Druid Chronicles: #1 Hounded

First time i'm reading something Druidic and Celtic myths related and The Iron Druid Chronicles #1 Hounded proved to be a real treat. Besides with a cover this gorgeous I knew I had to give it a chance (or should i specify in the mainstream dialect with a hot guy on the cover) .

Here is how the summary goes like:

Atticus 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.

To sum it all up all the mythologies that ever existed upon this Earth is real, every myth is real....real God's of every other religion exists. 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, the characters are fleshed-out and interesting, and most of all, there is a sense of humor and fun in this book.

And in the middle of it is our hero, the chronicles' protagonist the 2100 years old druid, Atticus O'Sullivan. Not that he lets anybody know his actual age. He likes to keep his acquaintances guessing. Also he is the last of his kind. So better to maintain the secrecy i suppose.

His appearance is that of a 21 year old, good-looking Irish guy. He lives in Tempe AZ, and runs a herbal and occult book store. He's got an enemy who is the Celtic god of love (who coincidently doesn't do his job for which he is appointed) 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.

As I mentioned above his main adversary is Aenghus Og the Celtic god of love who's hellbent on having the sword, but as the story progress you begin to wonder if he can trust anyone other than Oberon the dog with whom has a mental bond. Og isn't cupid by any means and is downright nasty is his pursuit of Atticus and Fragarach.

And although it mentions that all the Gods and Goddesses of every other religion that exists in this wide world but the primary focus of the story in this book was mainly the Celtic mythological pantheon, I really liked that elements of Native American, Slavic, Nordic and Indian mythologies were also included. I always wonder why more writers don't do that; there is such a wealth of mythological material in other cultures. I was glad to see it mentioned in this book; it made it that much more interesting to me. In his acknowledgments, Mr. Hearne jokes about giving the impression that his "backstory is remarkably thorough and well-researched", but in reality, that's exactly the impression the book gives without being the least bit pedantic.

You can tell the Hearne put a lot of research into his debut novel, however the need to make sure his readers understand Celtic mythology and history slow his pacing down a bit in the beginning of his novel. He info-dumps quite a bit in the beginning and while I appreciate that he didn't walk into writing about this blind, I think there could have been a better way to import the information to the reader than putting it in long drawn out paragraphs. It's mostly only done in the beginning and after you get further into the story you quickly forget about the small text book like portions you suffered through in the beginning to get to the real story. If you're a reader like me who's put off by sections of fiction like that I advise you to keep reading because I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

Hearne keeps his story moving but without rushing you through it. His entire cast of characters are funny and witty. While my favorite character was his dog Oberon that in this story can talk in Atticus's head and therefore served as wonderful comic relief, I loved the way Hearne created the characters in this tale of adventure. You could never tell for sure which side any of his allies were on, his main humanish friends are his werewolf and vampire lawyers that charge him for their time and this wacky Irish widow down the road, that mellows out her Sunday church sermons by drinking so much whiskey before she goes that she doesn't remember what's been said. Each character was well fleshed out with unclear motives that left you guessing and little quirks that enamored you to them.

Overall it was a very interesting read - something that a mythology junkie can't fail to miss out. Definitely have a god feeling about the next two books of the series

The Iron Druid Chronicles: #1 Hounded