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)

Great listen very enjoyable

This was a well written and performed story. The reader did a wonderful job with the characters and the good writing kept my interest up all the way through. The ending was slightly predictable but even with that I would highly recommend this book. The writer did an excellent job creating and developing interesting characters in the story.

The last four or five chapters saved the book

I found that the first half of this book was slow and uninteresting to me. Frank from Santa Barbara said it best "There are stretches of imaginative prose but lots of inane filler." However, the last few chapters of the book actually made up for the beginning and middle. I enjoyed the ending so much that I have decided to take a chance on book two in hopes that it won't disappoint. I must say that I enjoyed the narration on all but the main character. I understand why he sounds the way he does. If the prose had been more interesting this voice probably wouldn't have irritated me as much. The elderly lady is a hoot and a great abject story in how we should view and treat lonely and/or elderly people in our lives - BRAVO on this storyline. I so want to be able to talk to my dog - Oberon is an absolute gem. Keeping my fingers crossed that book two sizzles from start to finish!

Good book, excellent narrative

What did you love best about Hounded?

Celtic gods, talking dogs, adventure... what more do you want?

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hounded?

The widow and meeting the witches.

Have you listened to any of Luke Daniels’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened before, but I'd definitely listen again. He sounds delectable.

Thoroughly enjoyable!

Great combination of humour, action and Celtic magical creatures and gods. Fun and interesting characters. Fast moving keeps you engaged throughout the whole thing. Wish it was longer - stayed up til 4am listening to the last 8 chapters! Will definitely check out the rest of the series.

Loved it!

This book was just great. Great story, great characters, great narration. Another reviewer compared it to the Dresden files, which is a good comparison. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

Awesome, just awesome!

This series begins here and is great all the way through, even the short stories make you want more. Kevin Hearne story telling is great and the dialogue is witty, and the characters are fully fleshed out and enjoyable. Similar to Dresden files but still something unique. Luke Daniels reading is masterful, adds a whole extra level to the stories.

love

this series is amazing.love it so .much! to read and listen to either way..I've gone through them a few times

Excellent choice of narrator for this story.

Great narration. The story is engaging and fun with twists you don't see coming. I loved it.

Reminds me of Dresden files

Like the title says. This is sorta like Dresden files, but the sense of humor is different.. maybe a little more crude. The main character is also a lot more ok with death and killing than Dresden. But the narration is good, and I did enjoy it. Listened to the whole thing in a few days. Can’t say you’ll like it, but it’s def worth a try.

Druid with a sense of humor

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hounded?

I tell my book-reading friends about Oberon's obsession with Ghengis Khan, especially the pork chop scene. I laugh everytime I read/hear it. I've even read it to people a few times because it's so funny.

What does Luke Daniels bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I read an e-book version first and then listened to the audiobook. The biggest difference was hearing the performance. I especially enjoyed hearing the pronunciation of the more difficult names and titles. My only criticism of Mr. Daniels' performance is that he sometimes make Oberon sound like he has a slightly Asian accent.

Any additional comments?

I first read "Hounded" when I picked it up on a whim for some lighter fantasy reading after having made my way through a traditional high-fantasy series. Books in the modern fantasy genre are usually entertaining, but I rarely fall totally in love. With "Hounded" I was in love before I got to the end of the first chapter. The author's sense of humor is fantastic and he blends it seamlessly into the story. I wholeheartedly recommend the series to anyone who loves a good laugh, even if you don't typically enjoy fantasy.