Scourged

By: Kevin Hearne

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York Times best-selling author Kevin Hearne returns with the finale to his wildly popular action-adventure series, The Iron Druid Chronicles.

Two-thousand-year-old Druid Atticus O'Sullivan travels to Asgard and faces off against the Norse gods to try to prevent Ragnarok in the final battle for the fate of mankind.

©2018 Kevin Hearne (P)2018 Random House Audio

Disappointing End to Good Series

Without too many spoilers (but spoilers below), the author's ending for the mc would only be appropriate if this was a redemption story for some devil and not someone who has saved the world, and tried to save his loved ones time and time again. Was his sin so great that this punishment was justified? The second epilogue seems like a bone thrown to fans by a worried editor or perhaps by a slightly repentant author. It gives the glimmer of hope, but hope for what? A forced relationship with the Morrigan? A life of wandering, healing the earth until his soul is soothed. Admirable, but why does the author magnify the mc's perceived faults to justify him losing everything, make him dense enough to believe everything is his fault, and the only hope is that someday he will come to forgive himself? Sometimes people want the hero to end up the hero. This is not even mentioning the atrocious way the author ended the relationship with Granuaile. They knew each other for over 12 years, friends, master & student, romantic relationship, bonds that could literally span centuries, ,and the way and manner and reason it ended is so ridiculous---I regret putting aside any "head space" for Granuaile and her ultimately deplorable story line.

As is often the case, the ending defines a book or in this case a series. This was a great series, with a bad ending. Worth a read, but be forewarned.

Don’t

Let me preface this review with “Luke Daniels is amazing”. The performance was outstanding. I loved this series. I have been exposing everyone I know to the books. Even buying copies to hand out. This final book...

“I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.”

Before you ask, I totally understand the implications of that statement. It was always the worst punishment that could be delivered.

My habit of reading the series before the next installment comes out, totally backfired. I’m not sure I really know how to describe this last book without spoiling it for everyone. It’s like watching the movie Goonies, where everyone was safe and found the money to save the day. But instead let’s end it with them being scolded, and sent to their rooms to think about their actions. My favorite lighthearted, comedic series decides to go Game of Thrones on the last season. Sorry, that was an extreme exaggeration.

Just stop reading at book 8 or book 8.5. I wish I had.

Can’t believe how much this sucked

This series has gone steadily downhill, and this book was like a kick in the teeth for loyal readers. My whole family invested in the characters, which USED to be well-written, and the storyline, which USED to be engaging and interesting. We’ve listened to the whole series together, and we are disgusted by the way it ended. It was so aggressively awful it feels like Hearne is angry that he had to finish a series he got bored with. I will never again read anything he writes, nor will I recommend him. Hearne’s decision to channel his apparent disinterest into an anemic Ragnarok and the punishment of his main characters is so pointed it feels like open mockery of his loyal readers.

Luke Daniels does an amazing job as the narrator, though! I’m really sorry his talent was wasted on the end of this series- the books have been going downhill, and Daniels has been the best thing about the last three books (except Oberon... still love the hound).

Not a fitting conculsion

I love this series but this was not how it should have ended. It was a very short book for how much needed to be cleared up. It felt as if author rushed to the end just so he could be done. Also left some crucial characters without any resolution and it left oberon the best character out of most of the book. For such an amazing series this was a very lame ending.

Waited a long time for a letdown....

Waste of what could have been a good series. Kevin jut got lazy with this and obviously wanted to slap and ending on it. Forshame...

Very Disappointed. Don't Listen to this one first!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I am a big fan, his others in the Iron Druid series are great, well-written, and very entertaining. I have listened to the series multiple times, especially before a new installment in the series, so I had to see it through to the end. I have also read his Iron Druid short Stories, the Oberon short stories, and even his Star Wars novel. However, I was extremely disappointed with this novel, and on several levels, and if I listen to the series again, I will not include Scourged. Mr. Daniels was as awesome as usual. My review is no reflection on his wonderful job.

What do you think your next listen will be?

The Last American Vampire - Seth Grahame-Smith (already loaded)

Which scene was your favorite?

Didn't really have one.

Was Scourged worth the listening time?

It was only worth the time because I had to read the last in the series.

Any additional comments?

(Spoilers Ahead) > I believe two things make up the poor writing of Scourged. 1) It seemed like Mr. Hearne was forced to write. I suspect under contractual obligation. It read (listened) as forced... little detail, quick endings to what would have been more intricate scenes in the previous books. I mean, Coyote and Atticus sneak up the mountain, fey and gods dying left and right, and BAM, there's super chick, one and done. Hel, very similar. 2) Mr. Hearne ran out of steam with these characters.I understand that Atticus had caused some trouble but that's what adventure characters do. I don't read fiction to see reality, I want escapism. "Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead." Underdog stories, Tom Jones. Yes, the Iron Druid needed to take a hit, be banned to midgard, crap, take his arm, but all the angst and depression... that's what Hearne wanted to leave with his readers; a car wreck in a casket? Bad form, sir. Bad form. > Granuelle (don't have the book so spelling phonetically), she leaves Atticus, really. I frik'n watched their whole relationship develop. She was with him for 12 years during her training, she didn't pick up on his flaws then, because in the cave, after her tattoos were complete, Atticus saw they had the bonds of love... not lust, love. Leaving him like she did seemed very out of character, and very shallow, and again, THAT'S what you want to leave your fans with, Mr, Hearne? > The dogs, they didn't care what happened to Orla or the puppies? Or Granuelle? Hard to believe, sir. > Owen, no real problems there, except, what was with the freak'n LONG-@$$ conversations with the sloth. Seriously, it was like you needed a higher word count so you created these conversations. He couldn't have some meaningful conversations with his main squeeze, Greta? > And finally, seriously, global warming this, and 'man's a blight on the earth' that, throw some feminism in for some well-rounded blah-blah-blah?. Preachy, again, where's the fun in that? If you want to be preachy write a book on these topics, I'm trying to escape all the crap for an hour or so. > Mr. Hearne, beg the publisher to pull the book, take another year and do a major rewrite, then republish. We will all buy it again, and return happily to your fan base. Until then ... I'll probably move on to another author for my urban fantasy fix. P. Briggs has done some good stuff, or maybe Larry Corriea.

This series has gone way downhill

The first few books were amazing! They were clever and fun, and had a likable hero and awesome sidekick comic relief.

This one broke the formula and ruined the whole thing for me.

The book had too much Owen and Granuale and too little Atticus and Oberon. Granuale has never been a likable character. Owen was fine, but add in a Jar Jar Binks sloth and you really ruined it.

Atticus has become impotent. He kicks no butt.

I don't wanna give much away so I'll leave it at that.

Glad It's Over Before It Could Get Even Worse

So I just finished this book a few minutes ago and I have to say it’s left a bad taste in my mouth. I’m writing this as a bit of an apology as this will be far more of a rant and much less professional than I typically try to be.

So as you can tell by the score of 2 stars I’m not overly impressed by this offering but before we get there the pros

1. Luke Daniels as always does a fantastic job and now that he’s had the time to firmly establish three different characters’ accents so it’s much less confusing as to whom is the center of the chapter.
2. It does actually end the story and tie up most of the plots and sub-plots while leaving enough of an opening for the (hopefully not) to be sequels.
3. Most things are consistent, well written, and complete, there’s no guessing or loose ends.

Cons:

Note: This book hits a couple of my pet peeves but I’m going to try to avoid that for last.

1. Granueille, however you spell her name, still remains a self righteous, egotistical narcissist that pushed her 21st century values on everything and because she’s female and modern she is therefor right. The shallowness of this kills me and my excitement for her parts in the book. Once more she’s just angry about everything; past that and her daddy issues there really just not much there to her character which given she’s been a main character for 4 books now is sad.

2. Hearne introduces yet another character, a sloth, that does nothing to add to the storyline, or depth but adds page space from something deeper happening. Sure it adds a bit of, look what we’ll loose if the world ends.

3. I never really get the feeling that it’s the end of the world, or that the world is really at risk. There’s only two events outside of the main battle that happen but even those would have local effects but nothing world wide. This risk never felt global, or real or actually a major threat.

4. Atticus has been reduced to a whiny emo idiot. Every scene with Atticus he either whines about how all this is his fault, how he’s going to probably die or just sits there and takes people kicking and abusing him.

5. Killing off more characters so supposedly have an emotional impact, I’m sorry I just don’t care.

6. More Coyote griping about what was done to Native Americans, one hundred years ago, for 20-30 minutes. Also why is Coyote the only Native American God to ever appear?

7. There were several points in the book, especially the end, that I wanted to reach in a slap the characters and say grow up. Oh the Norse are upset about what happened back in book three, despite because of Atticus they’re still being alive, which if the prophecy they’d all be dead. Or how the Norse hang back the entire battle and let the fey and Celtic gods die in droves in the Norse’s epic end battle and the Tuatha Day are fine with this?

8. No Parune, hell all the Gods that have been built up for the entire series are gone to make room for, well a sloth, Son Goku and emo-ness oh and people repeating themselves dozens of time

9. The story isn’t fleshed out, mostly because as I just wrote, the characters repeat the same things at least once every time they appear. It mess up the pacing and over all kills the plot.

10. It's like Hearne forgot everything about Atticus and replace him with a blah straw man with emo tendencies. He's not the druid that could and has, fought gods and monsters of legends on level footing and won, nor the 2000 year old I've been through most of what the world has to throw at me, I'll muddle through. Nope just a whiny emo chump with slightly backwards sensibilities that deserves to end up friendless and alone.

11. it continues the new war on honor, honor only causes bad things by continuously stating that it is bad, directly and unambiguously. This despite honor being why anyone in the entire series does the right thing and why a lot of the villains are well evil because the lack honor. It's almost, you know kinda like adhering to the law, what you think is the right thing, keeping your word is what makes civilization possible. Maybe I'm getting to meta, but I'm tired of this getting pushed.

12. Finally my pet peeve is Atticus loses an arm because back in book three he promised the Frost Giants they could have Frig if they helped. Despite this being the norm for the time period of the Norse and most of history, you know the “help us and all the loot and captives are yours sort of deal”, Frigg and Granueille are upset about this. While I would be less upset about this if it had been handled better than it was, my chief anger is that the ending nullifies the entire plot.

Yep, The Morrigan is dead, several other Celtic deities bite the dust, but they’re alive in Celtic heaven, and The Morrigan is still in love with Atticus. Atticus uses old favors to get his arm back, Granueille goes her own way like Herne has been telling us for four books. The old druid teaches with the werewolves, and Atticus basically is now free to live life peacefully. All the death, hardship and so on mean absolutely nothing. In other words if the Norse had done their job and killed Loki back in book 4 instead of letting him go free and killed Hel; we could have had Staked, which was a good book, and just not had the other 4 books and numerous shorts. Why? Because the rest of the story doesn’t actually matter except for giving a reason why so many characters from the first 3 books are dead and why Granueille leaves Atticus. ***Spoilers*** (because he tries to keep her alive, but he didn’t talk about it with her, you know because he had to help coordinate a war to save the planet, wanted to make sure the druids would continue and that he’s 2000 years old his sensibilities are just a little different).

In the end if you have kept with the series until now, go ahead and buy this book. If you haven't started the serious honestly just ready the first three books (as they remain some of the best urban fantasy books I've ever read), Staked and this (maybe), you won't be missing much.

Very Disappointing Book - Not Worth Reading

Would you try another book from Kevin Hearne and/or Luke Daniels?

Kevin Hearne - NO!!! Luke Daniels - YES

What do you think your next listen will be?

The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher

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

Luke Daniels does a superb job bringing all of the characters to life. His portrayal of Oberon remains my favorite!

Any additional comments?

I have read and been a big fan of the entire Iron Druid Chronicles including the short stories. In the past, reading this series has been a fun way to kick back, relax and enjoy a fun getaway into the Iron Druid world...UNTIL THIS BOOK!!! Unfortunately, I found many issues with this book. First, the book seemed to have been rushed. It had the feeling that the author didn't care about the conclusion of the series and wanted to complete it as fast as he could and move on to something else. Second, Ragnarok has been built up so much in the previous books that the actual war was anticlimactic and a complete let-down. Third, this book seems to have been a platform for Kevin Hearne to promote his political views. Hearne cut out most of the enjoyable parts of the book and added in inappropriate wise cracks and political jibes. Fourth and most irritating, Hearne through Atticus states that all Religions should be tolerant of each other and all should be treated equally; however, he only cuts down Christianity. Apparently, Christianity is an exception to this rule. All in all, I wish I would not have purchased this book and will not purchase any other books written by this author in the future.

Sorry the series ended.

Good thing though, this one ended so terribly. Had this beeen my first time reading a book from this series I’d never pick up another.