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    Hounded (with two bonus short stories): Book One of The Iron Druid Chronicles
    Unavailable
    Hounded (with two bonus short stories): Book One of The Iron Druid Chronicles
    Unavailable
    Hounded (with two bonus short stories): Book One of The Iron Druid Chronicles
    Ebook403 pages6 hours

    Hounded (with two bonus short stories): Book One of The Iron Druid Chronicles

    By Kevin Hearne

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    The first novel in the New York Times bestselling Iron Druid Chronicles—the hilarious, action-packed tales of a two-thousand-year-old Druid pursued by ancient gods in the modern world

    “A page-turning and often laugh-out-loud-funny caper through a mix of the modern and the mythic.”—Ari Marmell, author of The Warlord’s Legacy

    Atticus O’Sullivan is the last of the ancient druids. He has been on the run for more than two thousand years and he’s tired of it. The Irish gods who want to kill him are after an enchanted sword he stole in a first-century battle, and when they find him managing an occult bookshop in Tempe, Arizona, Atticus doesn’t want to uproot his life again. He just wants everything to end one way or another, but preferably the way in which he can continue to enjoy fish and chips.

    He does have some small hope of survival: The Morrigan, the Irish Chooser of the Slain, is on his side, and so is Brighid, First Among the Fae. His lawyer is literally a bloodsucking vampire, and he has a loyal Irish wolfhound with opinions about poodles.

    But he’s facing down some mighty enemies: Aenghus Óg, a vengeful Irish god, plus a coven of witches and even the local police. On top of all that, Aenghus has a direct line to the firepower of hell. Atticus will need all the luck of the Irish and more if he’s going to stay alive.

    Don’t miss any of The Iron Druid Chronicles:
    HOUNDED | HEXED | HAMMERED | TRICKED | TRAPPED | HUNTED | SHATTERED | STAKED | SCOURGED | BESIEGED
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRandom House Publishing Group
    Release dateMay 3, 2011
    ISBN9780345522535
    Unavailable
    Hounded (with two bonus short stories): Book One of The Iron Druid Chronicles
    Author

    Kevin Hearne

    Kevin Hearne is the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Druid Chronicles. He’s a middle-aged nerd who still enjoys his comic books and old-school heavy metal. Visit him online at KevinHearne.com.

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    Reviews for Hounded (with two bonus short stories)

    4/5

    1,374 ratings158 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I have had this book in my wishlist queue to read for awhile and finally got it to tag on a long drive. I really enjoyed reading it. Although I did not know some of the myths/gods it talked about. It was fast paced and interesting and I'm waiting for WiFi top download the second book
    • 5/5
      In a genre that is saturated with feisty females and brooding vampires, 'Hounded' is a fresh and original urban fantasy series debut. Atticus O’Sullivan is a 2000 year old Druid, who looks barely 21, living a quiet life running an occult bookshop in a small town Arizona, with the companionship of his loyal Irish Wolfhound, Oberon. His peaceful existence is interrupted by the Irish God Of Love, Aenghus Og, who is determined to take an ancient, legendary sword from Atticus's possession. As Og manipulates Tempe's local coven of witches, corrupts the police force and sets all manner of violent fae upon him, Atticus joins with a pack of werewolves, an elderly neighbour, and the odd goddess or three, to defeat the power hungry God. Hearne has breathed new life into Celtic mythology and developed unique and appealing characters in 'Hounded'. Attitcus's intelligence, wry sense of humor and easygoing nature belies his ability to battle it out with the best of them, 'magic sword' or no. Here is a hero that a male readership will admire and a female audience swoon over. His telepathic communication with Oberon provides moments of hilarity, while his relationship with the Goddess of Death, Morrigan, is just a little creepy. There is plenty of action as Atticus battles nasty fairies and rampaging giants but it doesn't overwhelm the plot. The pace keeps the pages turning, I couldn't put the book down I was so eager to be part of Atticus's adventure. I would expect fans of fantasy and it's various sub genres would enjoy this terrific novel and find themselves as eager for the next installments, Hexed and Hammered as I am
    • 4/5
      Decent urban fantasy novel that moved at a good pace and was engaging. I liked the Druidic take on magic and loved Oberon. I will most likely pick up the next book in the series at some point.
    • 5/5
      Reviewed by: Rabid ReadsTwo books is usually my average for becoming hooked on a series so the fact that Kevin Hearne did it in one is definitely impressive. I absolutely loved everything about Hounded; from the male POV, to the phenomenal narrator, to Oberon, the wise cracking Irish wolfhound. The story is a nice blend of old Celtic mythology and modern adventure which proves to be an incredibly addictive combination.I always enjoy reading Urban Fantasy novels written by male authors; they are few and far between so I find it refreshing when I get to experience a story that’s told from the opposite sex’s perspective. Hearne does a fabulous job of developing Atticus’ character. I loved the contrasts between his ancient druid past and his 21 year old occult shop owner reality. New and old comes together seamlessly to create a very unique world that’s overflowing with Celtic gods, fascinating mythology and epic battles. I thoroughly enjoyed Hearne’s keen sense of humour and there’s a nice sprinkling of fun pop culture references as well.I don’t think Brilliance Audio could have picked a better narrator than Luke Daniels for this series. I loved his reading of Atticus’ POV and thought that he really succeeded in capturing the essence of The Iron Druid Chronicles. I especially adored the dialogues between O’Sullivan and his Irish wolfhound, Oberon; Daniels really brings Hearne’s characters to life and delivers more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. The only thing that frustrated me about his narration was his ability to effortlessly pronounce mouthfuls like “Tuatha Dé Danann” but butcher household names such as Roosevelt.The plot is complex and engaging thanks to its multifaceted Celtic mythology; there’s a stream of big bads that get progressively worse as the story unfolds. I enjoyed learning more about the various gods and goddesses and, found it hilarious every time one of them hit on Atticus. This lowly druid sure does get around! There’s definitely more action than sex in this tale but there’s enough of the latter to help make things extra interesting. I’m not sure if Hearne will be able to top this stellar first installment but I’m definitely sticking around to find out.Hounded was love at first listen! I highly recommend this audiobook; it should be at the top of everyone’s must-read list.
    • 4/5
      I plowed through this book within 24 hours, so the book cannot be too bad (although it probably had something to do with the fact that I should have been learning for my next exam, too). I like "Atticus" view of the world and his humorous comments on the terrible situations he is being put into, and I like the world itself.

      I just hope that the writing style does not get too repetetive within the next five books of the series, but if the quality stays this way or even gets better, I have no problem with reading the whole series.
    • 5/5
      This was a fun read. I've read a few of the novellas that accompany the series and I knew I would be in for a treat. Atticus is a 2100-year-old druid trying to live his best life as a bookstore owner in Arizona. He lives with his Irish Wolfhound, Oberon, with whom is is bound. He has taught Oberon human speech and given him the ability to communicate with him using his mind. Oberon is a hoot; he's truly the star of the series. Basically, Atticus has been hiding out in Tempe, Arizona, living a fairly quiet life until one of the old Irish gods decides he's pussyfooted around long enough and finally seeks revenge on Atticus for stealing a magical sword. Aenghus Óg involves witches, demons, giants, other gods and even death himself to get the sword from Atticus. But Atticus has his own back-up of vampires (who have ghouls on speed dial), an entire werewolf pack, a powerful sorceress, Irish gods, and of course the ever loyal Oberon. There are many, many attempts on his life, some of which are seriously close calls. There is a fighting, gore, sarcasm, and comedy. It's everything I needed in a book.
    • 4/5
      I've been hearing about The Iron Druid Chronicles for a while, and finally was able to pick up a copy (thank you CCPL). Really enjoyed the story, the characters, and the fact that there are more in the series to read!
    • 4/5
      What a fantastic start to the series! I have been wanting to read this series for a long time and it turned out to be just as good as I had hoped it would be. The book's excitement started at the very beginning and never really let up. I wanted to listen to this one for hours at a time simply because I didn't want to step away from the story. I had such a good time listening to this book.The characters in this book were great. Atticus is a Druid. He looks like he is 21 or so but he is actually over 2,000 years old. He has discovered quite a lot during his time and I had a fantastic time learning about some of his abilities. He is a very smart man that is able to reason things out very quickly and seems to always stay very calm in any circumstance. I thought that Atticus would be my favorite character in the book until Oberon made an appearance. Oberon is an Irish Wolfhound that can communicate with Atticus. I fell head over heels in love with Oberon. I didn't expect to laugh over this book but Oberon had me laughing out loud several times during the story.The book had a lot of action and a rather complex mystery at its core. There are several characters that seem to be out to get Atticus in one way or another. It seemed like he had a whole lot of tricky situations to juggle at the same time and as the book progressed things only became more intense. This book really had a little bit of everything. There are fight scenes and enough strange characters to keep things very interesting.Luke Daniels did such a great job with this book. I am so glad that I decided to go the audiobook route with this series. He really was able to make scenes a bit more exciting through his narration. He does a great job with all of the character voices but I really loved how he represented Oberon. I really feel like Mr. Daniels brought this story to life.I would recommend this book to others. I thought that both the story and narration were very well done. I can't wait to listen to more of this series very soon.
    • 4/5
      I am so glad I have the next book in this series already! So. Good. (also, I could totally eat Atticus up)
    • 4/5
      First of the Iron Druid series, recommended by Aaron & Dustin - thanks guys! Also ~awesome~ on audio.
    • 5/5
      I'm not one who writes reviews, but this time I feel must. I was hesitant to read this book because I like my UF peppered with a bit of romance. Well, there isn't any romance in this book and I didn't miss it. The story pulls you in from the very first page, and the main characters are hilarious. I loved this book!
    • 4/5
      I love this book. Its is, hands down, my favorite discovery of 2014. Harry Dresden meets American Gods with Terry Pratchett's sense of humor. I devoured this series over the summer after doing a Google search of books similar to the Dresden Files. It is a fast-paced book of fun and excitement. I wouldn't say it is a literary work of art but who cares. I loved reading it.
    • 2/5
      It's an interesting premise, but I distrust the power curve, and the protagonist comes across as...aware of his own greatness.
    • 5/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a little heavy on the eco-friendly message, but that could be expected from a main character who claims to have been soul bonded to the life force of the planet itself. The characterization was good, the mythology was believable. The interplay of the people was well-scripted.
    • 5/5
      A fun, fast read that intrigues you with its magic and then makes you laugh out loud. Great first book, and definitely recommended for fans of Dresden Files.
    • 2/5
      As a fan of Dresden Files and a mythology buff, I was recommended this series more times than I can count. On top of that, my very noticeable Irish blood in my genes had my friends practically shoving this down my throat. "You'll LOVE it! It is right up your alley!" And I wish it was.Let me start off with I didn't manage to finish the book. I have spent the past 2 months trying to finish this book. It wasn't that the book was hard to read or anything like that (on the contrary it is a light read), I was just so uninterested. Instead of slowly getting to know the characters and watching them develop, we get a massive dump of information and get reminded every few paragraphs how fantastic our protagonist is from the very beginning.Since this series is so often compared to the Dresden Files (which I'm going to say now and state that I have a lot of issues with that series and it is far from perfect, but I still enjoy it despite this), let me just say why this fails compared to it on a protagonist level. Harry Dresden is a flawed character. He has a good amount of power, but he often has to rely on friends and he messes up a lot. He is relatable and we feel his struggles and ambitions with him. He grows and changes. Our Druid here instead is just Mr. I Am Perfect In Every Way. There is apparently nothing he can't handle. Now you'd think, "well yeah, of course he has to be. He is older than even Jesus!", but that doesn't make him an enjoyable POV to read from. Not only that, but he is a major ladies man that can even get goddesses in bed with him (not to say Harry doesn't get some ladies, but seriously. You'd think this guy was the last man on the planet. We know he is apparently the last Druid, but come on now). In a more comedic story, a protagonist like this can work, but here it is more annoying than anything else. It is a constant, "Let me remind you how awesome I am." flow through the book. Now on to the info dumps, I understand that with a series that involves practically every mythological pantheon that you're going to have to explain some things in case your readers are unfamiliar with such topics. However, it goes beyond that and about every bit of backstory our Druid has is told by him to someone else and he talks for paragraphs. These aren't enjoyable to read and makes me feel the author is incapable of giving us his backstory in any other way, or any other back story for that matter. These scenes are boring and are a big no-no in writing. You might as well have him sitting at a cafe in the beginning and telling a stranger his life story.Finally, the plot itself....shallow. Which is to be expected from a lighter novel. However, considering the lack of proper character development, it makes the plot's shallowness even more apparent and disappointing. I wanted to like this so much. It has so many elements that I like and I would think I want together, but here it's just a bland read. Instead of reading about important events and back story and experiencing it, I'm being told it in massive quantities. I want to like the protagonist, and in many ways I do, but his lack of proper flaws (being easily seduced is not a proper character flaw, it's a quirk.) keep me from seeing him more than "Mr. Perfect and Overpowered". Maybe one day I'll try to give this series a shot again, but for now, I just can't see why people find it so grand.
    • 4/5
      Its a solid book - well written, with an interesting world. Sure, the characters are predictable (but intelligent) - the lead character reminded me too much of a surfer boy (and the cover picture doesn't help). The pacing is good - never a slow spot. However, I think I've read too many of these books and the genre is getting old - if I read this a few years ago, I suspect I would have absolutely loved it.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this! Urban Fantasy action adventure...it's not dark and Oberon adds just the right lightness to the story. I'm looking for the second one right now!
    • 5/5
      This book is so much fun! Full of pop culture references and Celtic mythology, you are guaranteed action and amusement in this novel. I ran out and bought the second book in the series as soon as I finished this one. And for dog lovers: There is a fantastic dog!
    • 4/5
      Not only is Hounded and incredibly entertaining fusion of Celtic myth and present-day American culture, but I absolutely adore the story's lighthearted exuberance. From the moment I saw the dedication page ("Look, Mom, I made this! Can we put it on the fridge?"), I knew this book was going to be fantastic. Hearne gives a pronunciation guide, but notes that "readers are free to pronounce the book however they see fit. It's supposed to be a good time, so I do not wish to steal anyone's marshmallows by telling them they're 'saying it wrong'." Hearne so clearly has an awesomely down-to-earth attitude about writing that I knew, before I even hit chapter one, that I was going to love this book.

      Not only have the Celtic gods come to life, they're apparently all visiting Arizona. Atticus O'Sullivan is a 2100-year old druid who has spent the last few thousand years on the run. Thousands of years ago, he stole a magic sword from Aengus Og, one of the Tuatha de Danann and the son of the Dagda, and he's been in flight mode ever since. But it looks like his running days are over. As Atticus discovers, apparently Tir na nOg got hooked up to the internet, and even if the Dagda's all-seeing eye cannot find you, a Google search will. So now the Morrigan has come to croak out dire words of prophecy, Aengus Og is willing to bring in every force to bear from the local police to the Fir Bolg, and, if that weren't enough, a local witch coven has Atticus embroiled in yet another debacle. Even with the help of his lawyers (they're vampires and werewolves) and his loyal dog Oberon, it's going to take a lot to get Atticus out of this mess.

      I positively loved this book, even though the protagonist is very different from my normal reading fare. It was just way too entertaining to watch all of the Tuatha de Danann start running around Arizona, eating milkshakes, scaring off customers, and being totally bewildered by plugs. When I was a lot younger, I used to read a lot of ancient legends, including the Celtic myths. Because of this, it was incredibly amusing to see the casual mentions of various gods, from the Morrigan to the Fir Bolgs to the Formorians to Bres the Beautiful. Even better, Hearne uses an actual legendary sword, Fragarach, as the part of the basis of the plotline. Hearne clearly did the research, and although the name-dropping might be irritating if you aren't familiar with the Tuatha de Danann, if you have even my limited knowledge, it's tons of fun. He has a fantastic ability to keep within the old stories while still adding personality to the De Danann, combined with a ruthless willingness to change the present circumstances of these mythological figures.

      When I started reading mythology, I probably had some initial belief it was highbrow, but I quickly discovered that myths, especially the Irish Celtic ones, are astonishingly immature, crass, and bawdy. So although Atticus might not be my type of protagonist, he's very much in the tradition of the original Celtic mythos. Personally, I like my protagonists more in the "tarnished knight" style immortalized by Raymond Chandler. Instead, I found Atticus the be quite cavalier about killing and death and surprisingly unconcerned about potential danger to his friends and allies.hover for spoiler When he's finished sticking a sword in someone, he's more likely to be worrying about where to hide the body rather than dwelling on any guilt or regret. But it's hard to judge Atticus because this attitude is so well in tune with the old Celtic myths. Ebullience, violence, and a generally teenage mentality is what they are all about. After all, they have the only mythology I know of which has an entire story surrounding the the gorging and subsequent bowel movements of the head god. I did ask myself how Atticus has managed to live over two thousand years without actually growing up, but again, this is in line with the immortal Tuatha De.

      I really enjoyed Atticus' narration style. It was very interesting to have a narrator who is already incredibly powerful; usually urban fantasy characters start out as small fry and gain their power as the series proceeds. This impossibly ancient, impossibly experienced, and yet quite immature narrator felt similar to Gaiman's American Gods, although with a much less cynical tone. Atticus's incredible powers made it a little difficult to build up much suspense, and the actual action scenes of the book are short and sporadic. A lot of the time is necessarily Atticus waiting for Aengus to send the next wave of attacks against him. I actually enjoyed the slower pace, as well as the interactions (through a psychic link) between Atticus and his dog. The overall tone felt similar to the Nightside series, and if you enjoyed those, you'll definitely love Hounded.

      Overall, this is a totally original and entertaining addition to the urban fantasy genre. It will especially appeal to anyone with a little past knowledge of the Celtic myths. I was absolutely ecstatic to see the old Celtic gods come to life. The only thing that could possibly have made this better is if Hearne had included some of the (constantly overlooked but totally awesome) Welsh patheon. Well, enough for now...I'm off to get hold of the next in the series!

      Note: I received this as an e-book from the publisher, Random House Publishing Group, via NetGalley.
    • 1/5
      I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.Atticus O'Sullivan is a 2100 year old druid who wields a magic sword. He's also hiding from an angry Celtic god who wants that sword and who will kill him to get it. I really wanted to like this book but I just never felt any connection with the main character. And since I didn't care about Atticus I didn't really care what happened in the story.
    • 5/5
      Great book... Love it!
    • 3/5
      Mythic lite, in the AZ desert, heavy on the Celtic.
    • 4/5
      I got this book through a First-Reads giveaway.

      Hounded was a lot of fun. The writing style is light and irreverent. and the book was a quick, involving read. I enjoyed the interplay between the characters, especially between the lead character, Atticus and his dog, Oberon. I groaned inwardly when the talking dog was first introduced, this is usually a sure sign of hokiness and the point where my interest in reading further drops. But Oberon is not so much a talking dog as a dog who is able to communicate with his owner (trust me, there is a distinction), and Oberon's character remained very dog-like, which I appreciate.


      My major complaint is that the characters are fairly shallow. Part of this may be the author's view on the fae, who have been known to be petty and shallow. I hope some of the shallowness and 2-Dness will dissipate in the later books in the series, which I do plan to read.

      Overall, Hounded is as good a start to a series as I've read in a while. The plot is twisty, the dialogue fairly snappy, and the protagonist is likeable. The book reads quickly and leaves you wanting to read the rest of the series.
    • 5/5
      Great start to a series. Atticus O'Sullivan is a witty, shape shifting, magical being called a druid who faces off against other supernatural. The plot and characters are well developed and the storyline is interesting. I'm looking forward to the remaining books.
    • 4/5
      Not sure about the timing, but very reminiscent of the world that Jim Butcher created in Chicago, if only philosophically. Well, that and Atticus seems to get around a bit more...
    • 3/5
      When I picked up Hounded I made some assumptions based on the cover. I assumed it was trashy brain candy (what do you call it when the eye-candy is in your imagination?) and I was right. Atticus O'Sullivan, a 2100 year old Druid, is hot & witty, with a weakness for ladies.

      This isn't a deep book, but it is fun.
    • 4/5
      Best of the supernatural novels currently in print. Foot stomping funny.
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyed these but why are Witches always the bad guys?
    • 4/5
      Solid addition to the urban fantasy genre. It checks all the boxes: Sarcastic super-powered hero, werewolves and vampires, and opposite sex for someday love interest. Throw in all the mythologies and you've got some endless possibilities. And this may be the weakness of the series, too many possibilities, would be better to have some limitations.

      Still very fun 1st entry and well worth the read.