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Rabid Reads

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Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles, #1)

Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles, #1) -  Luke Daniels, Kevin Hearne Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

Two 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.