Hounded

The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1

By: Kevin Hearne

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

The first novel in the Iron Druid Chronicles - introducing a cool, new, funny urban fantasy hero

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 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.

Don’t miss any of Kevin Hearne’s phenomenal Iron Druid Chronicles novels:
Hounded | Hexed | Hammered | Tricked | Trapped | Hunted | Shattered | Staked

©2011 by Kevin Hearne. (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Hearne, a self-professed comic-book nerd, has turned his love of awesome dudes whacking mightily at evil villains into a superb urban fantasy debut.” (Publishers Weekly)

“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)

“Kevin Hearne breathes new life into old myths, creating a world both eerily familiar and startlingly original.” (Nicole Peeler, author of Tempest Rising)

Never Imagined a Druid Story Could Be So Much Fun

I downloaded this book because of the rave reviews and it was on sale. Feeling quite rational after listening to a Richard Dawkin's video the ideas of ageless druids, gods, witches and magic seemed quite silly at the start of the book. But, halfway through this tale I had totally bought into this world. Who knew a story about a druid could be so much fun.

I'm back to the rationalistic real world again but have already made plans to go over to the other side by purchasing the second book in this wonderful series - Hexed.

Also, the narrator did a superb job. His portrayal of the hound Oberon was one of the best voiced characters I have ever heard.

Great listen!!

I loved this book. Loved the reader. Can't say enough good things about it. Can't wait for the next book in the series to come out on audio.

Wonderfully Refreshing

I have been reading some serious fantasy for a while now (Jordan, Martin, Sanderson) and then accidently listened to a really bad one (Luck in the Shadows). Then I found Hounded. I have not laughed out load listening to a story in long time. Thoroughly enjoyable, witty and totally different from my usual meals. If you want a really nice desert, I recommend Hounded.

fun listen

A fun listen, if you liked Dresden you will enjoy this one as well. I am looking forward to the next one.

Fun time

What made the experience of listening to Hounded the most enjoyable?

This is a great book - light, fun, a little dirty and moves along. Perfect!

Which character – as performed by Luke Daniels – was your favorite?

The main character and his dog- But really, all of the characters are distictive.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's not a sit-on-the-edge of your seat kind of book - but it is entertaining from start to finish.

If you like the Dresden Files

Where does Hounded rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Iron Druid series is among the top 10% of the books I've listened to over the last couple of years.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hounded?

The introduction of the pet Irish Wolfhound and the relationship with the main character.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Atticus convinces his elderly neighbor that the being he just killed was English and she agrees that he deserved to die for that and offered to help him hide the body.

Any additional comments?

I thought the narrator was the perfect choice for this material.

New Kevin Hearne fan!!

I got this book because of the excellent reviews it was receiving. I was definitely pleasantly surprised. I listened straight through except for an hour with my mother. Only because I didn't want to miss any part of the book. This was such a fun book, and the narration was spot on for entertainment value. Not over the top or monotonous. I am now a definite fan of Luke Daniels also. I laughed out loud a couple of times, usually when Atticus is talking with Oberon his dog, receiving some strange looks from my own dogs. If only.......

Loved it!

What did you love best about Hounded?

I liked being inside Atticus' head - his thoughts were entertaining! I also loved the conversation that passed between Atticus and his dog. Seriously - SO funny! Oberon is definitely my favorite character! I can't really pinpoint anything I didn't like. A very good book!

What other book might you compare Hounded to and why?

I don't know. The lack of romance kind of differs from almost everything I normally read (romance-junkie, guilty as charged). I really didn't mind it though - it was sort of refreshing to not have that inner monologue "loves me, loves me not" going.

Which character – as performed by Luke Daniels – was your favorite?

Oberon, the Irish wolfhound. He is a proper DOG, not a human trapped in a dogs body. He loves sausages and French poodles. He cares about the things I think a dog would really care about - he's just a bit smarter than your average pet. And so funny! He made me laugh out loud a lot! Luke Daniels did a great job with him as well as all the other characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would have, if I had the time. I finished it in about three days.

Any additional comments?

A great start to a promising series! After I post this I'll add book number two (Hexed) to my library. I guess it's going to be a late night!

Great Story and Funny as Heck!

What did you love best about Hounded?

Loved his dog! He kept me laughing the whole time.

What about Luke Daniels’s performance did you like?

I really liked the way he gave the charictors thier voices.

Any additional comments?

I would really recommed this series to everyone. It's a really great read. Once I got throught the 1st one I had to get the rest and now I can't wait for the rest to come out.

Dresden Fans, Must Read

Where does Hounded rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I am a huge fan of the Dresden Files, and it's take on Modern Paranormal Fantasy. The Iron Druid Chronicles takes that same style and turns it on a dime for a fantastic look into the workings of ancient druidism applied in a modern context.

The story and characters are delightful to listen to, Luke Daniels nails this perfectly.

Book 1 - Hounded takes us through the basics of the main character, Atticus O’Sullivan. Who he is, how his magic works, and why he talks to gods on a regular basis. The story has Atticus dealing with the return of his longtime nemesis Angus Og.