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 first book

I don't usually write reviews, but I really enjoyed this book and figured I should. A very original concept, easy to follow, laugh out loud funny at times, and all together well written. The Narrator is amazing. Adding in a dog as a "talking" character can sometimes go wrong. But Oberon MAKES the book, well Luke Daniels voice of Oberon makes the book! Highly recommend it.

Fantasy Done Right

After reading some of the audible listener reviews and catching it on sale, I decided to give this book a try. I'm certainly glad that I did. I tend to listen to romance and paranormal romance. I was reaching slightly out of my comfort zone when I bought this book, so I was pleasantly surprised.

Hounded is the first book in a series, but it can easily stand alone. It has a clear plot and a satisfying ending. It leaves you wanting to read the next book, but not feeling forced to. The world building is brilliant and effortless. The details of the reality the book portrays just seem to flow naturally into the narrative. There's comic relief in the form of his dog, which is truly chuckle-worthy at times.

This truly is a brilliant book, and Luke Daniels delivers a flawless performance. I didn't even ponder my rating. Five stars across the board. Well done!

Tasty if Not Terribly Filling

This book (and the series in general) remind me of a good beer. It's unlikely to change your life, but an enjoyable way to spend some time away from your everyday.
What really *makes* this book though (aside from the interactions between Atticus and Oberon) is Luke Daniels' narration. Does passable accents, smooth reader and characterization of the Widow McDunnah and voice for Oberon is flat out fun. Takes the book from a drinkable Corona to a flavorful microbrew..

Love at first listen!

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.

A fun fast-paced book

As was reviewed by somebody in Goodreads, this book does have its flaws but has more than enough attractive bits to overcome them. The main character is 2000 plus yrs old druid who loves fun and is hounded by his old enemy. Lots of Celtic myths as well as plethora of gods/evil beings from other religions either appears or are mentioned.

The story is a classic urban fantasy. An old enemy comes to town, gives our hero a hard time, then a final battle ensues and the hero kills the enemy. The difference from the other thousands of books is that this book has its own brand of humor and fun that makes the characters likable and wanting more. It sort of soothes my Dresden cravings!

Better than a magic sausage

Half way through, I was decided on buying the rest of the series based solely on the performance of the dog. The narration was perfect, I was laughing out loud. In traffic. Alone in the car.

I like my fantasy fun; I don't need a complicated storyline. This one's great: someone wants to kill me - dying is bad. Not that there's not plenty going on, but I didn't need a map and encylopedia to keep up with the plot. There's a magic sword, lots of bad guys, smokin' hot deities, and sausage jokes. What more could you want?

This was my first Kevin Hearne read, but it won't be my last. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys laughing ... or fantasy.

Great fun

A fun, easy read. Atticus is a great fellow to follow and he is surrounded by amusing characters. You won't find any deep meanings in the text, but if you want a fun urban fantasy you won't be disappointed by this book.

If you enjoy Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden novels, you will enjoy this book.

A humorous "American Gods" style winner

"Hounded" is a well written and wonderfully narrated novel full of tongue in cheek humor, with a variety of gods, goddesses and demons from all the pantheons and a couple of main characters who are real winners.
Atticus, the centuries old druid who looks young runs a bookstore and lives in Arizona with his best buddy, a Scooby-Do voiced wolfhound named Oberon. Here they are surrounded by humans who are unaware of fights amongst the fey, evil and good gods and witches.
Oberon is as funny a character as has been written. His wry doggy sense of humor and lust for French Poodles really add to this book-I was afraid it might be too overly cutsie but the writer carried it off well.
I enjoyed the way the author incorporated gods and goddesses from different cultures-they interact well in some ways and tolerate each other when not behaving well.
While not as sophisticated as Neil Gannins American Gods, this novel entertains and amuses-it was an all nighter for me.
Narration is well done, each character has a distinctive voice and the story carries well.
A real winner-I hope the series continues in the same manner.

Absolutely awesome

I loved this book and I especially enjoyed the narration. Had me looking forward to catching my 2.5 hour train ride after work so as I could sit back and catch up on the story. Highly recommended.

A new player in urban fantasy

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

I like the narrarators workso much. Each character is distinct and the narrarator captures the humor and emotional content perfectly. The series is worth listening to for the Oberon character alone.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Oberon. This character is the heart and a large part of the humor in the series. I defy you to try to not laugh during some of Oberons expositions. My daughter and I try to imitate Oberon and make jokes ourselves.

What about Luke Daniels’s performance did you like?

Just a flawless performance. This guy is one of the best out there.

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

It made me laugh in several places.

Any additional comments?

This is a fun, fast paced book. It is a new take on urban fantasy and likely to be imitated by many.