Tricked

The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 4

By: Kevin Hearne

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In the fourth novel of the Iron Druid Chronicles, two-thousand-year-old Druid Atticus O’Sullivan must pay his debts to cunning trickster god Coyote, a task that includes battling undead creatures of the night as well as a relentless hound of Hel and the goddess of death who commands it.

“[Kevin] Hearne is a terrific storyteller with a great snarky wit. . . . Neil Gaiman’s American Gods meets Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden.”—SFFWorld

Cutting a deal with a trickster god rarely goes well for any human brave or foolish enough to try it, but Atticus doesn’t feel like he has a choice. With members of the Norse pantheon out for his blood, he can’t train his apprentice in peace, so he asks Coyote to help him fake his own death. The cost, however, might wind up being every bit as high as if he’d made no deal at all.

There are things hiding in the Arizona desert that don’t want any company, and Coyote makes sure they know Atticus has arrived. And then there's the hound of Hel, Garm, who’s terribly difficult to shake and not at all convinced that Atticus is dead.

Being tricked by a trickster is par for the course. But it’s the betrayal from someone he thought was a friend that shakes Atticus to the core and places his life in jeopardy. The real trick, he discovers, might be surviving his own faked death.

Includes Kevin Hearne’s novella “Two Ravens and One Crow”

Don’t miss any of The Iron Druid Chronicles:
HOUNDED | HEXED | HAMMERED | TRICKED | TRAPPED | HUNTED | SHATTERED | STAKED | SCOURGED | BESIEGED

©2012 Kevin Hearne (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"[Kevin] Hearne is a terrific storyteller with a great snarky wit. . . . Neil Gaiman’s American Gods meets Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden.” (SFFWorld)

“Celtic mythology and an ancient Druid with modern attitude mix it up in the Arizona desert in this witty new fantasy series.” (Kelly Meding, author of Chimera)

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

Tricked

It was amazing, really funny and well done. the narrator does an excellent job and I hope to read more soon!!

Fun n

Best books I’ve seen on here. The best chapter development n world building that pops up in different books

Druid's Dog is awesome!

This book is outstanding. It does not take itself seriously, and it delivers an awesome entertainment. Oberon is absolutely hilarious that narrator does an excellent job portraying a doggie accent.

Book is continuation of Druid's adventures where he (as before) gets in trouble while trying to get out of trouble. There are few holes in the logic of the author, but a reader does not have to worry about it that this book mostly is about light fun.

I highly recommend this book that along with a good fantasy story, a listener would get some really good laughs out of it : )

I can not wait for the next book in the series.

Action packed, ball of laughs.with some sex appeal

I have been listening to this series from the start, if you looking for an action packed barrel of laughs that will entertain you, and keep you laughing long after you are done, this is it!

This book has it all! Werewolf's, vampires, gods, demons, witches, and a talking Irish wolfhound thrown in for extra comic relief. This book has enough pop culture references to keep the oldest and youngest entertained for months.

The story flows from beginning to end so quickly that you will be highly annoyed when its over.

Best Book Yet in the Series!

I enjoyed the first 3 books very much! I blazed right thru them! This one is my fav, though~ I really feel for the hero and the narrator has brought him to life yet again! At the end, there is a teaser for a 5th book, so now I am eagerly awaiting that one too! You wont be dissapointed in this series.

Kevin Hearne is a beautiful butterfly

TL, DR version: Kevin Hearne has really matured into an amazing writer. This has his best plot yet, and best action by FAR, in the very highest class.

Also, for new readers, I think it's okay to start here if you don't have time to start at the beginning. You can always go back and read the first three later, and might even enjoy them more, since this book finally explains some things that have been bothering me since day 1, especially the issues with eternal youth.

Long version:

The first books in this series were marked by a very specific pattern that I've observed in a lot of new writers (I'm an editor).

First, the author is hesitant and lacks confidence in certain specific areas, usually battle/action sequences, often punting them off-screen in self defense. That happened in "Hounded."

Next, the author is emboldened by success, and attacks material he used to shy from, this time with great enthusiasm and regrettable lack of restraint, such as in "Hexed" where pregnant women are stabbed in the uterus (yes, they're demon babies, but still).

After that, the maturing author has come to terms with whatever material used to worry them, and now turns their attention to being creative with plot. "Hammered" contains Kevin's experimentation with new plot techniques and concepts in world-building.

Next? Well, next comes awesomeness.

"Tricked" is creative, exciting, funny, adventuresome, and dramatic. None of its plot elements disappoint, and Kevin's battle scenes are reaching mastercraft. All his earlier promise is fulfilled. All the horrible cliches that I have come to dread from reading other, less enlightened authors were neatly avoided and left me embarrassed for not trusting him.

Which is really the central issue, at least for me. For me, it's about trust. Can I trust this author with my feelings? Does he want me to enjoy his work, or is making his readers sad some sort of power trip for him (George RR, I'm looking at you)? I am hesitant to try any new author with audiobooks because I can't easily skim through any bits I don't like. If I pick an untrustworthy author, I'm in for a really bad day.

Basically, Kevin Hearne has, with "Tricked," proven himself trustworthy. I can let myself relax and put my heart in his hands and know that he will take good care of it, and if anything hurts, it'll definitely be the good kind of hurt. I don't have any higher praise.

The fourth book is as good as the first three.

Many times series books get weaker as the story goes on, if the author hasn't thought it all out and figured out where its going, not so with this series. Once again, the author and narrator team takes the stories to another level. There is nothing worse than having a good story ruined by having it read by a sub-par narrator.

Catchy Headline

What did you love best about Tricked?

Frank was one awesome old man

What did you like best about this story?

The story added a native american element to it and it was Atticus going against something he did not understand.

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

OBERON. Cause the dog is hilarious

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

Oh and I did.

Love the series.

I love this series and I loved Tricked.

This book is as good as KH first of the series (Hounded). It is very well written and lots of fun. It is always good when while reading, you laugh out loud.
This is an author that I am impressed with. If you like Jim Butcher, you should like Kevin Hearne.

Luke Daniels does an good job just as he has done on the last 3 books.

May be the best one yet

This book has laugh out loud jokes, subtle pokes at various people that you'll miss if you aren't paying attention, and rich characters that make you want to look at the Flagstaff phone book to see if they're real. It was a very entertaining way to spend my time.

Luke Daniels has risen in my list of preferred readers. He did an outstanding job in this book.