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Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four
Unavailable
Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four
Unavailable
Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four
Audiobook10 hours

Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four

Written by Kevin Hearne

Narrated by Luke Daniels

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Druid Atticus O'Sullivan hasn't stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they've chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he's been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he's got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won't be fooled again. Famous last words.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 24, 2012
ISBN9780449013052
Unavailable
Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Four
Author

Kevin Hearne

Kevin Hearne hugs trees, pets doggies, and rocks out to heavy metal. He also thinks tacos are a pretty nifty idea. He is the author of A Plague of Giants and the New York Times bestselling series The Iron Druid Chronicles.

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Reviews for Tricked

Rating: 4.15634930952381 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Reviewed by: Rabid ReadsThis installment is a prime example of Murphy’s Law: “If anything can go wrong, it will.” As soon as Atticus’ deal with the trickster god Coyote was revealed I knew that I was in for a wild ride, especially seeing how both Jesus and The Morigan had forewarned the druid about staying on his current path in HAMMERED. I’m not sure if he believes in karma but this is the novel where O’Sullivan’s luck runs out and comes back to bite him in the butt, rather spectacularly I might add, which is not so good for him but excellent news for us readers.Kevin Hearne more than makes up for the lack of Oberon moments in the previous book by ensuring that my favourite Irish Wolfhound is font-and-center in this installment. I positively adore the humor that Atticus’ furry companion brings to this series; from his musical interludes (the sausage song cracked me up) to his bath time story adventures. O’Sullivan and Oberon keep a running tally of who’s outwitting who in this novel and, surprisingly enough, the dog actually manages to keep a decent lead for most of the book. The sausage point system definitely went a long way into keeping the hound motivated! Another fun priceless is that because Atticus and Granuaile have assumed new identities Oberon insists that he needs one too. So, of course, he comes up with the most ridiculous name ever for a 150lbs dog: Snugglepumpkin!Every installment in this series revolves around a different mythology and in this case it’s Navajo. I enjoyed learning more about the trickster god, even though this wasn’t the first time that we’ve encountered Coyote in this series. He has regenerative abilities so I’ll let you put two-and-two together and figure out what lengths he had to go to in order to secure Atticus’ help. But, Coyote being the conniving deceiver that he is makes sure that he comes out ahead in their bargain. As a result, O’Sullivan is forced to go toe-to-toe with one of the nastiest creatures in Navajo lore: skinwalkers. I was equally as fascinated as I was repulsed by these first world spirits.We learn even more about Atticus and his long lost love in this book as well as some of the identities that he’s previously assumed; apparently the 3 months he spent as “Nigel in Toronto” were the worst. I’m also beginning to wonder why O’Sullivan hates witches so much when vampires are clearly far more awful. I was shocked by Leif Helgarson’s actions in this novel. I thought he was going to be a regular secondary character in this series but now… not so much. I’ve been speculating when/if this was going to happen but, sparks finally do begin to fly between Atticus and his apprentice Granuaile. Nothing of any real significance occurs but the romance wheel has now been set in motion and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them become more than just teacher/student in the near future.Luke Daniels continues to excel as this series’ narrator; not only is he skilled at accents, and at portraying unconventional characters but he also adds singing to his diverse repertoire in this novel. TRICKED contains equal parts action and humour which makes it my second favourite installment in THE IRON DRUID CHRONICLES, after HOUNDED. I can’t recommend these audiobooks enough; they are seriously made of awesome!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Originally posted at The Wandering Fangirl.The Iron Druid Chronicles is my current favorite series, and Atticus O’Sullivan is basically the highest of my fictional crushes. I blew through the first three in the series easily, and was so excited for Tricked that I pre-ordered it and did a giddy dance when it arrived in the mail. So my sights were set high, and the book could have been utter crap and I would have loved it.Thankfully, Tricked is a strong link in this series. Where Hounded and Hexed dealt mainly in action and setting up Atticus’s world, Hammered went a little sideways, dealing more with the mythologies involved. There was more storytelling within the story (along with some epic action), which went straight to my myth-loving heart. I mean, this is the stuff I want to study when I hit graduate school, so it’s all gravy to me. Tricked deals almost entirely in Navajo mythology(/religion), with a huge portion of the novel dealing mostly with telling the stories involved. At times, it felt like that the novel was simply a chance for Hearne to show off how much he knows about the Navajo, and it dragged a bit because of it. But Atticus, who seems a bit more grounded and focused here, holds the novel up well with his quick thinking, quicker quips and quirky sidekicks. (HAH. Say that five times fast.)All in all Tricked is a solid novel, though it feels more like a bridge between the first three books and this next set of books. Still. I love this series so much.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fun book, as always, but the series is beginning to show some wear. I hope the next book is getting more interesting again.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was trying to put my finger on why I enjoy this series so much. I think it's because not only is there action but there are parts that are laugh out loud funny! Usually they involve Oberon! I love that hound!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I liked this book. I do have to admit that it was not my favorite book in the series so far but it was still good. This is the fourth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles which is a series that really has to be read in order. I have found the entire series to be rather entertaining and this book was no exception.The book started out really strong. Atticus needs to disappear so a plan is developed to make sure that everyone thinks he is gone for good. I really enjoyed the parts of the book that dealt with Atticus and Granuaile leaving their old life behind. Atticus finds himself owing Coyote a favor which Coyote cashes in quite wisely. Coyote is such a sneaky character which I find a lot of fun. I will say that this book felt a bit uneven to me. There were parts of the book where I was hanging on to every word because I was totally into the story. There were other sections that I wanted to drift off so I had to focus so that I didn't miss something important to the story. This was never a book that I didn't like but I did find a few sections to be a little slow. Luke Daniels continues to do a fabulous job with this series. I really could not imagine experiencing this series in any other way. He is the voice of Atticus but he also is able to encompass all of the other characters. I think that my favorite voice is probably the one he uses for Oberon. It is really quite brilliant. Luke Daniels has quickly moved to the top of my list of favorite narrators and I can't wait to listen to him bring the rest of the series to life.I would definitely recommend this series to others. I think that it is a really well-done series filled with great characters and exciting situations. My rating of this book is really closer to 3.5 stars and I did enjoy it quite a bit. I can't wait to see what happens next in the series!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Spoiler ahead!!

















    seriously, I must rant, but it a spoiler.




















    Gah! Okay, we know Atticus will make it, although I wasn't sure /how/ when he got his throat ripped out. But to put a whole chapter between Oberon being smashed against a wall and letting us know if he'd live - that was downright cruel!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I still love this series but this one didn't really have such bold edge of the seat adventure and there is never enough Oberon!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fun read, if not always well written.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another excellent addiction to the series. I like how fast these trip from action/adventure to philosophy/cosmology with side trips to terrible puns and pop culture references. I like the flawed but smart hero who suffers for his faults without ever getting over-angsty. I like the sneak-peeks into various belief paradigms. I'm having a good time reading.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    His writing style reminds me of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. His humorous approach to life as a Druid is priceless. My favorite character would have to be Oberon. His wit makes me smile and giggle. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    With this book, I feel the Iron Druid series regains the track it had lost in the last book. Tricked captures the feel of the first two books and is a highly enjoyable read. In this book, the Navajo trickster god Coyote is a major player, and he lends a nice element of chaos and unpredictability to the story. Highly recommended for those who have enjoyed the series thus far.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great story! Atticus (Riley) is finally realizing what his participation in Thor's death has brought to his current and future events. A thrilling ride with Atticus very close to meeting his end more than once.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed this installment of the Iron Druid chronicles more than book 3. This time Atticus isn't battling gods, he's taking on skinwalkers at the behest of Coyote. He's also doesn't have the right answer for the threat of the skinwalkers, for once he's actually challenged and forced to work at keeping them at bay. His dog is still the star of the show and his budding romance with his apprentice is a nice change from the previous books also.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great story! Atticus (Riley) is finally realizing what his participation in Thor's death has brought to his current and future events. A thrilling ride with Atticus very close to meeting his end more than once.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love Oberon. He could have his own series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Atticus is back… Atticus is back! And just as snarky and bad-ass as he’s been before. Same sausage loving hound offering counterpoint to the human perspective, same refreshing, interesting mythology based romp. I particularly love the glossary of pronunciations in the front of the book – different language and culture every time, so far. Kevin Hearne, you are a brilliant and funny man, with an excellent appreciation of Myth. Keep writing!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I want to meet this Druid.
    UPDATE: Feb. 3, 2018 -- Finished No. 4 (again) in the wee hours, counting down the days 'til No. 9, "Scourged," is released on April 3. THIRTY DAYS! Pacing is essential to enjoy the finale to this fun series, which will arrive during spring break.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The author has made a good choice by changing the venue and making this book slightly less formulaic than his previous ones. It is a very entertaining story that does advance the uber-plot a little but mostly was a really good self-contained story.
    Worth the read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Love these
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    ruid vs Skinwalkers - In this episode Atticus helps Coyote (the Navajo Trickster) by using an 'elemental' to form a vein of gold. There's always a deal to make, and so he has to sabotage a coal mine for the elemental to protect the earth. He has to battle two very determined skinwalkers. Vampires show up, too, and nearly cause the end of Atticus' friend, Oberon. Has he finally ended enough mythological bad guys to continue in peace and harmony with Oberon and teach his student, Granuaile? More to come.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    4 1/2
    Other than the part of him and Leif, I loved this book once again. For what was wrong, I have to go into spoilers so Atticus is tricked by Leif into helping, or actually taking care of the problem, which is really Leif's. Still Leif has no way of taking care of it and knows that Atticus is one of the only, perhaps only person who can. Atticus refuses, partly because he still smarts from Leif's revelation in Hammered. Since there was so much fall out, and Atticus feels used, also he doesn't want even more fall out, he refuses any help to Leif. I immediately thought, well Atticus, this is part of the fall out and you created it too. This will affect many humans and people that were your customers/friends. You owe those people, if not Leif. Still, Atticus leaves it to Leif. Leif then turns the tables and makes it so Atticus has to take care of it... and in the process he and Oberon are almost killed. Now, Atticus hates Leif. Now I think Leif could have done it a little safer by having some sort of help and it was a really bad gamble, but I think Atticus should have seen it coming.

    So this book has the same humor and major problem to be solved with all the added, interesting characters. Granuaile plays a bigger part and you can see that she has a deeper moral spine much of the time than Atticus himself. Atticus frequently toes over the moral lines to get thing done. He does this, probably after many years of being numbed to some of the repercussions. Still, Granuaile questions some of his choices and rightly so. Their attraction to one another is obvious and I don't see how they would/will keep their relation platonic while living together for 12 years. Umm... hmm... I know the next book happens 12 year in their future and I wonder how Hearne will explain it.

    Good edition, liked it better than the last one but not as good as the second, or first.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I'm continuing to enjoy reading this series, and someone concerned to find out that the next volume is the last published so far, although it looks like the one after that is due out soon. In this volume, Atticus and Granuaille go into hiding on the Navaho reservation, and immediately get into more trouble than they can handle.Atticus, despite ignoring the excellent advice he was receiving from all kinds of deities that he shouldn't invade Asgaard, was smart enough to realize that if he survived, he was likely to make a lot of enemies. Therefore, he made a deal with Coyote to fake his own death. This worked well, not least because he was "killed" by a consortium of thunder gods avenging Thor, and thunder gods are not known to be especially bright. However, it also put him in debt to Coyote, which is not a good place to be.Coyote is one of the best characters of the series so far. In each appearance, he convinces Atticus to do something that is clearly to Coyote's benefit. Atticus agrees, in exchange for something, and finds out that the deal is more to Coyote's benefit than he thought after he's in too far to back out. Why being tricked by a Trickster God always comes as an unpleasant surprise I don't know, but Atticus likes to think of himself as a deeply paranoid man who always plans for every contingency (he isn't, and he doesn't - whether Hearne is aware that Atticus is an unreliable narrator in this regard isn't clear), and it wounds his sense of self and really makes him mad.This seems to be at the core of the feud between Atticus and his former friend and attorney, Leif Helgarson. Atticus knew Leif was a very long-lived vampire, knew the traits of that species, and thought that he had set up safeguards and that he was the one in control of that relationship. Finding out that it wasn't true, that Leif had thought further ahead than he had, sent him off the deep end. His anger isn't necessarily logical, but it makes sense in terms of his character.I've given up complaining about the language, so I'll go to my complaint about Granuaille. She FINALLY does something that is less than perfect, but it is offscreen, and we don't really know why, or what effect it had on her. In addition, the incident is used to show how Atticus Is Always Right. She still needs to grow a personality, and the very obivious hints that she is in love with Atticus are not a plus. Atticus tells her his sad romantic history, so we have a decent romance novel set-up here, but in a good romance, each party has to learn and grow. That will require a lot more than the cardboard cut-out Granuaille that we've had so far.My biggest complaint about this book is a scene toward the end, where Atticus is having a conversation with Frank, a Navaho hatali. I appreciated that, during this adventure with the Navaho mythos, Atticus repeatedly stressed that he was not an expert, that he didn't know a lot about it, that he needed help and guidance from the actual Navaho practitioners to get anything done. Frank did most of the magical work, with Atticus willingly playing a supporting role. However, in this scene, Atticus offers to bind his "fairy-specs" vision to Frank's, so that Frank can see something no one else has ever seen - the chindi of the newly deceased. First, why does Atticus assume that no one has seen one? It's part of traditional Navaho belief. Does it not occur to him that they are reporting what they see? Does it not occur to him that the Navaho may have some equivalent of his spirit vision? And I really didn't like the way Frank responded - gratitude and amazement. The whole thing came down a little too hard on the Mighty Whitey trope, especially after nicely avoiding it for so long.I also walked away with a lot of questins about Hel, primarily, how did she know at the end of Hammered that the Widow McDonough was connected to Atticus? And why hasn't she spread the word that he's still alive?I do want to say a quick word about one of the really strong points of this series, namely that it is a series, and shows strong signs of having been actually carefully plotted. Things hang together from volume to volume. Things referenced in one volume show up in another. Characters grow and change in consistent ways. There is clearly an overarching plot that is moving events along. One problem that I see in many series is the idea that the protagonist gets more and more powerful with each volume, and therefore each antagonist gets bigger than the one before, and the stakes have to keep rising. This gets repetitive and ridiculous - how many times can one character save the world? In this series, Atticus is about as strong as he's going to be, and he meets new antagonists either because he goes to new places, or he ticked them off in previous volumes. I think I know what the overall climactic conflict will be, and this is building nicely.Overall, a well-done series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Have I ever mentioned how much I dislike tricksters? They are nothing but bullies. While I understand the need for trickster characters in folklore and mythology, that doesn't make them any more likeable. And Coyote just makes me grumble in frustration. No matter how hard Atticus works to get an iron clad deal before working with Coyote, there's always a loophole. Always. Tricked has as its main mythology, that of the Navajo.Atticus is up against something he knows nothing about and has to figure out how to use his knowledge to conquer the skinwalkers and fulfill his part of the bargain with Coyote. Still fun, and very interesting to see the Iron Druid almost completely out of his element.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Any book that references Doctor Who and Princess Bride is alright by me. :) Fun book just like all the others in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I think this is a great continuation of this series! I like that the romance, such as it is, is low key and doesn't really go anywhere. There is nothing worse than a forced romance in novels. This story involves skinwalkers and the Native American gods mostly with some short side stories about vampires and Norse gods.

    Overall I really liked it. Maybe it's because I read all these books one after the other, but this book had A LOT of infodumping in it. There were many, MANY paragraphs explaining various gods and other topics that I just sort of glazed over. I appreciate when authors do their homework, but sometimes that can get tedious to read. Like I said, its possible this was due to my reading of the series one right after another so your mileage may vary.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This series is great fun, but I probably liked this one the least. I think. While I generally love most stories that interweave Native American myths into the plot, I don't like the ones that rely on the protagonist being manipulated into corners by others. Which means Coyote is probably never going to be my favourite NA god (although I do like the Coyote in Briggs' Mercy Thompson series). I also didn't enjoy reading about the betrayal of Atticus by someone he considered if not a friend, certainly an ally. I'd give a lot for Granuaile to stop calling Atticus sensei; I can't take her, as a character, nor her respect for Atticus seriously because of that stupid moniker. What I did love where the scenes involving the Blessing Way and the very small moments when they discussed the Witchery Way and the Four Worlds of the Navajo Nation. It was an entertaining read, with a conclusion that could have served as the end of the series. It isn't but the next book happens 12 years later, which makes this a good place to pause in the series and take a break. N.B. I listened to this on audio and the narrator Christopher Ragland does a great job with Atticus and Granuaile; even Coyote's voice is acceptable although I could find fault with his slow good ol' boy interpretation. But I hate his Oberon. I cringe every single time I hear that slurry voice he uses for the majestic wolfhound; he makes Oberon sound like he has partial facial paralysis. But being outside the US, I'm stuck with Ragland's narration or none at all. It could have been worse though; in Hammered I had to listen to him make Leif the vampire sound like a Clint Eastwood with laryngitis.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    For a moment I was surprised by the cavalier modus operandi of the author. He approached, so it seemed to me, the penning of Tricked so cavalierly. He was making fun of almost anything, the tiresome monologues of the hound were getting lengthier than this short review. Then I realised that the author was high on something. He was also feeling very bold. For me, the book was nearly ruined. E.g he created one character - Albert - just so he can quip a pretty lame joke. The climactic battle was finally just right in its urgency. So was the vampire segment. But I wish that no boring background info of the two Druids are foisted on us anymore. Please. Less is more.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another chorus of the same old tune. Since he helped kill Thor, Atticus has to disappear - has to appear to be dead, to a great many gods. In order to achieve this aim, he makes a deal with Coyote - which turns around and bites him. Coyote has some extra plans for the Druid, and although he wriggles around a lot he's still solidly hooked. Old and new enemies, and a preview of how his last set of decisions is going to work out badly, for him and for several worlds... Tricked ends more happily and securely than most of the stories, and leads in to several years of peace, but there's still a lot of looming threat waiting.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Okay, so I like Atticus. And I really enjoy Oberon, you know, the dog. But a few characters does not a book make. I want to like these books so bad- the male protagonist isn't something I read very often, I enjoy the variety, and a druid in the southwest? How different can you get?

    Here's the problem with reading other people's reviews after you read a book. They point out things that you didn't really notice before, and then, when you think about it, or go on to read more in the series, you notice it more and more, and it starts to drive you nuts. In this case, I'm referring to the treatment of women characters in these novels. Gah! It is surprising how one-dimensional the women characters are. I really disliked the development of the relationship between Granuaile and Atticus. He finds a person to teach, who wants to become a druid, and all he can think about is how he wants her?! For real?! Too much.

    The other thing that really wore on me were the incredible info dumps. I like it when authors use alternate mythologies, ones which may need some explanation, but the extent of the explanation of some of the concepts was excessive, and I sometimes wanted to skip entire pages of text.

    Complaints aside, I'm going to continue to read the series. The things that are annoying aren't so annoying I can't get past them to enjoy the witty dialogue and various characters. And it definitely is fun to step away from urban fantasy driven by shape shifters and vampires, too. :)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Big thumbs up with a s*%t eating grin on my face!
    I have really enjoyed this series so far, and I plan on finding the following books as soon as I can.
    Oberon has been an absolute joy to the series, and he brings personality to the series.
    Not much can be improved on the plot.
    Cheers Pretties!