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 story with fantasy & supernatural character

If you like Dresden files, where fantasy and supernatural characters are placed into our world then this set of books are for you. Characters are interesting and performance is very good.

Great

Great!
You should read it too...... good characters ..... Fast paced... Druids.. Fairies.. Vampire.. Werewolves...and motr

I Loved it!

The story was great, it kept you wanting more and the narrator was excellent. I laughed and gasped for what was coming next. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the narrator did an excellent job with his portrayal of their roles and voices. I loved the combination of the old and the new worlds mingling together! I look forward to the next book in the Iron Druid Chronicles. Thank you!

Wonderful Druid Story

I highly suggest it! Great book! I loved all of the Irish Lore and Atticus' pet Irish Wolfhound is hilarious.

Great Fantasy

Great fantasy and easy to get lost in the story. Just enough intrigue to create some suspense but light enough to enjoy on a commute.

Narration is excellent; Fun story

I read this on a recommendation and enjoyed it in audio. The narrator did an excellent job with the voices of the characters and the complicated Celtic names. Of course, my favorite character is the dog who can communicate psychically with the main character, a druid who has lived for over 2000 years. A fun distraction while driving or working in the garden.

I Enjoyed It; It's Different

Most books in this genre these days are about vampires, werewolves, and combinations of the two. This is the first series I've found about Druids, and I wasn't disappointed. I really enjoyed that it's different from "vampire meets girl/boy and falls in love and there are problems that may or may not continue into the next book".

I do wish there were more Druid facts: where they came from, more about their religion, etc. There is some in the book, but I'm not sure it's factual.

Overall though, it's a fun read.

fun book...

I'm not a huge fan of first person but I figured I would give this a try. it was actually really well done and enjoyed it entirely. looking forward to the next one. - Shaun

Loved this entire series...

If you could sum up Hounded in three words, what would they be?

I had just finished the Game of Throne series when I picked up this one. I loved this, nice - light - good story and concept. I laughed out loud many times. I also learned quite a bit about all the gods and goddess out there, so that was cool. It wasn't dark and heavy like GOT and Luke Daniels did an amazing job with all the different voices and kept them 100% consistent between all the books. I would totally recommend this.

What about Luke Daniels’s performance did you like?

He did all the voices great and kept them consistent

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed out loud a few times. :)

Best read since Jim Butcher's Dresden Files

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

Unique twist on the Fantasy genre with the ancient druid still living in Arizona, kind of like Doctor Who the last of his kind who choices to stay and help us out.

What other book might you compare Hounded to and why?

Dresden Files and Doctor Who

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

The Irish Wolfhound who's child-like view of the world is communicated perfectly by the narrator.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Adventures of the Last Druid

Any additional comments?

The characters could use a little more development so you care for them more when their lives are on the line. If he had combined Hounded and Hexed into one book it would have been much better.