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Available
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Publication
New York : Del Rey/Ballantine, 2011.
Description
Atticus O'Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn't care much for witches. Still, he's about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they're badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II. With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor's rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked up the wrong Druid to hex.--From back cover.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member beserene
Perhaps it's because they were published in quick succession, but this -- the second novel in the Iron Druid Chronicles -- struck me as almost identical to its predecessor, warts and all. There are a few changes here: for example, Hearne has eased off on weaponry descriptions and picked up a habit
Forgive the tone -- I should say that I am enjoying this series, in between flashes of irritation. There are clever lines and saucy hounds and some very powerful female characters, which I appreciate. At the same time, however, there is just so much that could easily be better here, which I think is why I harp on the details so much. The potential of Hearne's storytelling is very good -- he has a smart sense of interaction, pinpointing the ways that a multi-pantheon world might work and the relationship quirks that might develop between deities and other beings of different myths and faiths. I like the sass and irreverence at work most of the time.
Unfortunately, all this potential is still mired in some bad habits and -- something that I noticed this time in particular -- a main character who is both limited (emotionally stunted might be a better phrase) and entirely too powerful. Atticus acts and speaks like an Irish frat boy much of the time, even when it isn't necessary for his modern-day "camouflage", which can get wearing after a while. I like the character's basic idea, but the references to female body parts and beer seem a little thick. On the other hand, I am not male, so it's possible that these cultural details appeal to a specific demographic of Hearne's audience. The fact that Atticus is -- by this second book -- equipped with not one but two badass magic swords, protected by an awesome Druid amulet that no one else gets, has healing powers and is unkillable anyway, however, just seems like laziness. It's hard to get engaged about the peril your character is in when said peril is clearly not mortal.
After all this, you might think I had set the series aside, but the interesting thing is, I've already started the third book. Clearly, there is enough there to keep me reading, if only to see if Atticus every really gets his butt kicked. I get the sense that this book and its brother volumes are best suited for a certain group of teenage males, but I think it works too for fantasy fans who really want to just turn off their brain for a few hours -- sort of like going to see the newest comic book movie. As fluff goes, Hearne's novel has some things going for it. I'll see if it manages to get anything else going in the next book.
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of describing every item of clothing in a person's outfit instead. It's a strange alteration -- and a strange choice for extended description in this genre -- but at least now I know that our main character, a disguised Druid multiple millenia old, has an appreciation for fashion. Forgive the tone -- I should say that I am enjoying this series, in between flashes of irritation. There are clever lines and saucy hounds and some very powerful female characters, which I appreciate. At the same time, however, there is just so much that could easily be better here, which I think is why I harp on the details so much. The potential of Hearne's storytelling is very good -- he has a smart sense of interaction, pinpointing the ways that a multi-pantheon world might work and the relationship quirks that might develop between deities and other beings of different myths and faiths. I like the sass and irreverence at work most of the time.
Unfortunately, all this potential is still mired in some bad habits and -- something that I noticed this time in particular -- a main character who is both limited (emotionally stunted might be a better phrase) and entirely too powerful. Atticus acts and speaks like an Irish frat boy much of the time, even when it isn't necessary for his modern-day "camouflage", which can get wearing after a while. I like the character's basic idea, but the references to female body parts and beer seem a little thick. On the other hand, I am not male, so it's possible that these cultural details appeal to a specific demographic of Hearne's audience. The fact that Atticus is -- by this second book -- equipped with not one but two badass magic swords, protected by an awesome Druid amulet that no one else gets, has healing powers and is unkillable anyway, however, just seems like laziness. It's hard to get engaged about the peril your character is in when said peril is clearly not mortal.
After all this, you might think I had set the series aside, but the interesting thing is, I've already started the third book. Clearly, there is enough there to keep me reading, if only to see if Atticus every really gets his butt kicked. I get the sense that this book and its brother volumes are best suited for a certain group of teenage males, but I think it works too for fantasy fans who really want to just turn off their brain for a few hours -- sort of like going to see the newest comic book movie. As fluff goes, Hearne's novel has some things going for it. I'll see if it manages to get anything else going in the next book.
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LibraryThing member Narilka
Hexed by Kevin Hearne is the second in the Iron Druid Chronicles. It was another highly entertaining read. And so funny! Events pick up just days after the big show down at the end of book one. Atticus has had time to mostly heal and is now dealing with the fallout of those events. There's the
Oberon is hands down my favorite character. He gets some of the best lines. The conversations between Oberon and Atticus had me laughing out loud. The fact that he speaks telepathically making it so that almost no one else can hear which causes Atticus to attempt to keep a straight face during conversations adds to the fun. It's also neat that the author gives Oberon a "theme" for each book.
Hearne is starting to branch out and mix in other mythologies. The Native American god Coyote makes an appearance and lives up to his trickster ways. Eastern European witchcraft lore is further explained. He even manages to work in the Virgin Mary and some Kabbalah. Everyone from all the pantheons hates Thor which I'm pretty sure is a set up for book 3 since it's titled Hammered. My least favorite part is when the two Celtic goddesses make their appearance. They just didn't fit very well into this book's plot for me so I'm sure that's also a set up for something in the future.
Again I listened to the audio book narrated by Luke Daniels. His performance continues to be top notch. As long as they keep Daniels as the voice actor I'll be continuing this series on audio.
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matter of cleaning up the few demons that escaped and a group of Bacchants from Las Vegas has come to town to (literally) tear up the local club scene. Plus a new group of witches is in town, ones Atticus has run into before on the German side of WWII. He's decided to do something he never thought he would - sign an nonaggression treaty with the local coven of witches. Perhaps with a little help from his friends he can get it all taken care of and start healing the land.Oberon is hands down my favorite character. He gets some of the best lines. The conversations between Oberon and Atticus had me laughing out loud. The fact that he speaks telepathically making it so that almost no one else can hear which causes Atticus to attempt to keep a straight face during conversations adds to the fun. It's also neat that the author gives Oberon a "theme" for each book.
Hearne is starting to branch out and mix in other mythologies. The Native American god Coyote makes an appearance and lives up to his trickster ways. Eastern European witchcraft lore is further explained. He even manages to work in the Virgin Mary and some Kabbalah. Everyone from all the pantheons hates Thor which I'm pretty sure is a set up for book 3 since it's titled Hammered. My least favorite part is when the two Celtic goddesses make their appearance. They just didn't fit very well into this book's plot for me so I'm sure that's also a set up for something in the future.
Again I listened to the audio book narrated by Luke Daniels. His performance continues to be top notch. As long as they keep Daniels as the voice actor I'll be continuing this series on audio.
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LibraryThing member ladycato
Atticus O'Sullivan, a 2,100-year-old Druid, is masquerading as a 21-year-old bookshop owner in Tempe, Arizona. He can't catch a break. First, he had to deal with a few angry gods from his own pantheon. Now, as he's finally reached an uneasy alliance with a local group of Polish witches, something
This second book is just as fun as the first one. The pace is rapid with near-constant action and wit; some might argue it's too much wit, but I loved it. It reminds me of Firefly but with a Druid and deities/creatures of all pantheons clamoring for attention. And hey, I love a book that speaks to me at my level, dropping mentions of Star Wars, Shakespeare, and Chun-Li of Street Fighter. Atticus's dog Oberon is still a joy, though doesn't steal the show quite so much... which isn't a bad thing, as the supporting characters sparkle with life and deserve more attention. It's just plain a fun read.
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of a witch epidemic hits Phoenix. These newcomers want to rule the turf, and they are an especially nasty sort who happen to be bearing demonic babies. Oh, and they tried to kill Atticus back in World War II. It's time for the Druid to clean up the neighborhood-again.This second book is just as fun as the first one. The pace is rapid with near-constant action and wit; some might argue it's too much wit, but I loved it. It reminds me of Firefly but with a Druid and deities/creatures of all pantheons clamoring for attention. And hey, I love a book that speaks to me at my level, dropping mentions of Star Wars, Shakespeare, and Chun-Li of Street Fighter. Atticus's dog Oberon is still a joy, though doesn't steal the show quite so much... which isn't a bad thing, as the supporting characters sparkle with life and deserve more attention. It's just plain a fun read.
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LibraryThing member stefferoo
Atticus O’Sullivan lives an interesting life. On the surface, he's an ordinary young man, making his living as a New Age book store/tea shop owner in Tempe, Arizona. In actuality, Atticus is a 2100-year-old druid, the last of his kind.
Just weeks after his harrowing run-in with an ancient Celtic
Hexed is a fun, charming and worthy follow-up to the first book. All the action and humor that made Hounded such a great read is back for this second installment.
That said, so are the things I wasn't so keen on. First let me just say that I like the fact that Atticus is different, and that he doesn't act the way you'd think a 2100-year-old protagonist should. Still, for someone so ancient, he remains disappointingly shallow. For the most part, I enjoy his frat boy humor and his attmempts to make light of a situation with references to pop culture, but the old adage "too much of a good thing" comes to mind. The ironic thing is, it starts making Atticus feel less realistic to me and more fabricated. Perhaps when you start acting more modern and cracking more geek jokes than any other contemporary urban fantasy protagonist out there, it might do to dial things down a bit. I for one would love to see more of his millennia old wisdom come through just a little more.
The story, while enjoyable, also felt less coherent than the last one. Just like Hounded, Hexed was great in that its plot was made up of multiple threads, each action-packed and interesting in their own way, but it didn't come together as well as I'd hoped. Reading it almost felt like reading three separate short stories that were related, but didn't tie together very smoothly.
One thing I did like was seeing more of Atticus's problem solving process. A criticism I had about the last book was how he seemed too powerful to ever be in any real danger, thus removing some of the element of suspense. In Hexed, however, some of his weaknesses came to light. He is still very powerful, but there were more situations in which he found himself with his back against the wall in very real trouble, or needed some help or rescuing from a friend. It shows some of his resourcefulness, and you start to gain an understanding of how he was able to survive and adapt for so long.
All in all, a good book and a decent sequel, and I'm looking forward to picking up the third installment. Recommended for fans of urban fantasy who are looking for some fun, light reading.
Just weeks after his harrowing run-in with an ancient Celtic
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god who was trying to kill him, Atticus's life is threatened again -- only this time, the bad guys are a coven of dangerous witches with a dark past, and they're going after his friends too. And as if that wasn't enough, a fallen angel is eating students at a local high school, Bacchants have come to town to wreak havoc and debauchery, and an angry albeit sexy Celtic goddess is setting fire to his kitchen. What is a druid to do?Hexed is a fun, charming and worthy follow-up to the first book. All the action and humor that made Hounded such a great read is back for this second installment.
That said, so are the things I wasn't so keen on. First let me just say that I like the fact that Atticus is different, and that he doesn't act the way you'd think a 2100-year-old protagonist should. Still, for someone so ancient, he remains disappointingly shallow. For the most part, I enjoy his frat boy humor and his attmempts to make light of a situation with references to pop culture, but the old adage "too much of a good thing" comes to mind. The ironic thing is, it starts making Atticus feel less realistic to me and more fabricated. Perhaps when you start acting more modern and cracking more geek jokes than any other contemporary urban fantasy protagonist out there, it might do to dial things down a bit. I for one would love to see more of his millennia old wisdom come through just a little more.
The story, while enjoyable, also felt less coherent than the last one. Just like Hounded, Hexed was great in that its plot was made up of multiple threads, each action-packed and interesting in their own way, but it didn't come together as well as I'd hoped. Reading it almost felt like reading three separate short stories that were related, but didn't tie together very smoothly.
One thing I did like was seeing more of Atticus's problem solving process. A criticism I had about the last book was how he seemed too powerful to ever be in any real danger, thus removing some of the element of suspense. In Hexed, however, some of his weaknesses came to light. He is still very powerful, but there were more situations in which he found himself with his back against the wall in very real trouble, or needed some help or rescuing from a friend. It shows some of his resourcefulness, and you start to gain an understanding of how he was able to survive and adapt for so long.
All in all, a good book and a decent sequel, and I'm looking forward to picking up the third installment. Recommended for fans of urban fantasy who are looking for some fun, light reading.
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LibraryThing member raboyer
Doughty Druid
This book gets a steely 5 gnomes out of 5 gnomes for being a superb sequel, having laugh out loud writing, and characters that the reader can truly care about.
This series has become one of my top 5 series, I just love so much about it. The characters and story are refreshing because it
The setting is the same as the previous book and you get to find out even more about the large cast of characters. I liked seeing more of Atticus’s nighttime lawyer, Leif the vampire and Granuile his new apprentice.
The side characters in this book are fleshed out really well. The interactions between Leif and Atticus are great especially when he tries to help him with his word phrasing so he doesn’t sound as old as he actually is. Granuile (who’s name I can’t for the life of me pronounce) is seen more in this book and shown to be quite savvy to all the weirdness of witches, police problems, and learning all manner of information on what druids can do. It would be interesting if Atticus and Granuile had a relationship because you can tell he’s interested, on the other hand though Atticus has a well known weakness for pretty women and she is technically his student.
Many of the best lines in the book are said by Oberon, the Irish wolfhound. Seeing how he and Atticus interact is a lot of fun and also makes me hope that Kevin Hearne never has any plans to kill him off like so many other authors, movies, and TV shows do with beloved pets. I actually found myself tearing up a bit at the point in the book when you find out how old Oberon is and how much Atticus looks out for him.
If you thought Atticus had problems in in Hounded then you are in for even more carnage when you read Hexed. There’s gods, goddesses, good witches, bad witches, a tall priest, a short rabbi, and even more magic and fighting. The book is also chock-full of humor, I actually had to stop reading the book at work because I didn't want people to think I was a weirdo laughing to myself all alone in the library.
The endings of this book and the one before it are great because they both end on a funny note. Ending at a funny line or situation is to me much more preferable and unexpected then having a cliffhanger that makes you want to throw the book out the window. Overall I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that likes fantasy, magic, or really stupendous male main characters. I for one am very happy that the third book has been released and plan to read it as soon as possible. I look forward to reading more about Atticus’s world and whatever else Kevin Hearne writes in the future.
This book gets a steely 5 gnomes out of 5 gnomes for being a superb sequel, having laugh out loud writing, and characters that the reader can truly care about.
This series has become one of my top 5 series, I just love so much about it. The characters and story are refreshing because it
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has characters and themes that are common yet used in unexpected ways. Take religion, if you read this series you will see and hear about a plethora of gods and goddesses from across many cultures. I like that there are all these religious figures still out there in the world but some just appear more often than others.The setting is the same as the previous book and you get to find out even more about the large cast of characters. I liked seeing more of Atticus’s nighttime lawyer, Leif the vampire and Granuile his new apprentice.
The side characters in this book are fleshed out really well. The interactions between Leif and Atticus are great especially when he tries to help him with his word phrasing so he doesn’t sound as old as he actually is. Granuile (who’s name I can’t for the life of me pronounce) is seen more in this book and shown to be quite savvy to all the weirdness of witches, police problems, and learning all manner of information on what druids can do. It would be interesting if Atticus and Granuile had a relationship because you can tell he’s interested, on the other hand though Atticus has a well known weakness for pretty women and she is technically his student.
Many of the best lines in the book are said by Oberon, the Irish wolfhound. Seeing how he and Atticus interact is a lot of fun and also makes me hope that Kevin Hearne never has any plans to kill him off like so many other authors, movies, and TV shows do with beloved pets. I actually found myself tearing up a bit at the point in the book when you find out how old Oberon is and how much Atticus looks out for him.
If you thought Atticus had problems in in Hounded then you are in for even more carnage when you read Hexed. There’s gods, goddesses, good witches, bad witches, a tall priest, a short rabbi, and even more magic and fighting. The book is also chock-full of humor, I actually had to stop reading the book at work because I didn't want people to think I was a weirdo laughing to myself all alone in the library.
The endings of this book and the one before it are great because they both end on a funny note. Ending at a funny line or situation is to me much more preferable and unexpected then having a cliffhanger that makes you want to throw the book out the window. Overall I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that likes fantasy, magic, or really stupendous male main characters. I for one am very happy that the third book has been released and plan to read it as soon as possible. I look forward to reading more about Atticus’s world and whatever else Kevin Hearne writes in the future.
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LibraryThing member jthorburn
Before I start talking about Hexed, I'd like to take a moment to say how thrilled I am to be contributing to Tynga's fantastic blog. I've been reading Tynga's Reviews for a while and I'm very excited to be able to share my thoughts with all of you. Thanks, Tynga! :)
Kevin Hearne is out to be one of
Hexed picks up shortly after the end of Hounded, which Tynga reviewed in March. (I completely agree with her thoughts on Hounded -- guess we'll have to see if she agrees with me about Hexed!) Having defeated Aenghus Óg, Atticus finds himself on uncertain ground: After hiding for most of his 2,000+ years, he finally made a stand and now folks are realizing that he just might be a threat, and now all sorts of people want Atticus' help vanquishing their foes. Atticus is able to refuse most of these requests, until Malina, the leader of the local coven, asks him to help defeat a group of Bacchants from Las Vegas, and an evil coven of witches who like to throw around death curses, plus he has to deal with a fallen angel. This all culminates in a lot of action, which is quite satisfying because Kevin Hearne writes action sequences so well. Fights in his books are so clearly described and fast-paced that I feel immersed in the action -- a real treat since combat in other books can be frenetic but unclear.
My favourite part of the Iron Druid Chronicles is Atticus himself, particularly his sense of self and his humour. When I first started reading the series, I was worried the books would remind me too much of Mark Del Franco's Connor Grey books since they both focus on druid lore but I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly Kevin Hearne distinguished his series from others with quippy male protagonists, like Jim Butcher's Dresden Files or the Connor Grey series, not only with characterization but also with direction and tone. In fact, Atticus has become one of my favourite urban fantasy protagonists. He's so charming and irreverent and loyal to his convictions. Even when things are in the soup, Atticus has these great lines, both in the dialogue and also in the narration.
A couple of my favourite spoiler-free lines:
"Pop culture is mutating at a much faster rate these days. It's not like the Middle Ages, when you had the Church and the aristocracy keeping everything nice and stagnant."
" 'Shield your eyes, then," I said, stepping out of the car and dropping the towel. "Naked Irish Guy." "Aggh! I'm snow-blind!" Hal said.
Other things that were great: getting more time with Leif (a 1,000-year-old vampire) and his anachronistic speech patterns; the developing dynamics between Atticus and his apprentice, Granuaile; and, of course, Oberon, Atticus' Irish wolfhound, who continues to provide endearing comic relief. His love of sausages and French poodles is as strong as it was in Hounded, and it's really great to see an animal character with such a happy and smart personality. I also loved the way Atticus interacts with the Morrigan in this novel, and the other bigwigs who show up in his life, trying to get what they want from him. He's got this amazing blend of deference and strength in his dealings with his gods.
Finally, I'd like to point out how awesome the cover of Hexed is. I'm a sucker for a fantastic cover and I love how Atticus looks on this one. Atticus looks fierce and he's wielding his trusty sword Fragarach, with his druidic tattoos on full display. I can't wait to see what happens in Hammered.
Kevin Hearne is out to be one of
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the few authors who can make me laugh out loud. I picked up his first book, Hounded, on a whim a little while ago and loved it so much I rushed out to get Hexed just as soon as I finished it. It's hard to talk about Hexed without mentioning some of the plot points from Hounded, but I'll try to keep it as spoiler-free as possible.Hexed picks up shortly after the end of Hounded, which Tynga reviewed in March. (I completely agree with her thoughts on Hounded -- guess we'll have to see if she agrees with me about Hexed!) Having defeated Aenghus Óg, Atticus finds himself on uncertain ground: After hiding for most of his 2,000+ years, he finally made a stand and now folks are realizing that he just might be a threat, and now all sorts of people want Atticus' help vanquishing their foes. Atticus is able to refuse most of these requests, until Malina, the leader of the local coven, asks him to help defeat a group of Bacchants from Las Vegas, and an evil coven of witches who like to throw around death curses, plus he has to deal with a fallen angel. This all culminates in a lot of action, which is quite satisfying because Kevin Hearne writes action sequences so well. Fights in his books are so clearly described and fast-paced that I feel immersed in the action -- a real treat since combat in other books can be frenetic but unclear.
My favourite part of the Iron Druid Chronicles is Atticus himself, particularly his sense of self and his humour. When I first started reading the series, I was worried the books would remind me too much of Mark Del Franco's Connor Grey books since they both focus on druid lore but I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly Kevin Hearne distinguished his series from others with quippy male protagonists, like Jim Butcher's Dresden Files or the Connor Grey series, not only with characterization but also with direction and tone. In fact, Atticus has become one of my favourite urban fantasy protagonists. He's so charming and irreverent and loyal to his convictions. Even when things are in the soup, Atticus has these great lines, both in the dialogue and also in the narration.
A couple of my favourite spoiler-free lines:
"Pop culture is mutating at a much faster rate these days. It's not like the Middle Ages, when you had the Church and the aristocracy keeping everything nice and stagnant."
" 'Shield your eyes, then," I said, stepping out of the car and dropping the towel. "Naked Irish Guy." "Aggh! I'm snow-blind!" Hal said.
Other things that were great: getting more time with Leif (a 1,000-year-old vampire) and his anachronistic speech patterns; the developing dynamics between Atticus and his apprentice, Granuaile; and, of course, Oberon, Atticus' Irish wolfhound, who continues to provide endearing comic relief. His love of sausages and French poodles is as strong as it was in Hounded, and it's really great to see an animal character with such a happy and smart personality. I also loved the way Atticus interacts with the Morrigan in this novel, and the other bigwigs who show up in his life, trying to get what they want from him. He's got this amazing blend of deference and strength in his dealings with his gods.
Finally, I'd like to point out how awesome the cover of Hexed is. I'm a sucker for a fantastic cover and I love how Atticus looks on this one. Atticus looks fierce and he's wielding his trusty sword Fragarach, with his druidic tattoos on full display. I can't wait to see what happens in Hammered.
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LibraryThing member coachsully
This 2nd book of the Druid Chronicles entertained me more than the first. The humor is much more subtle than the first book and O'Sullivan is a bit more likable. The only thing that stunts my enjoyment a bit is his never ending skills and friends that he uses when he battles his enemies. I don't
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foresee any future fight that he can possibly lose. In this case, his antagonists are a bunch of Nazi witches and he handles them with relative ease. Show Less
LibraryThing member thehistorychic
Bought for myself
Overall Rating 4.25
Audio Rating 4.50
Story Rating 4.00
Humor Rating 4.25
NOTE: Hexed is the 2nd book in the Iron Druid Chronicles. I am going out on a limb to say this is probably one of the funniest series I have ever read. I highly recommend the audio version as Luke Daniels does a
What I Loved: Lief---seriously the last few chapters when the vampire tried to become hip had me in stitches. Oberon is still the world's greatest dog and his moments were just as fun. Atticus had his hands full with witches in this installment and that added an interesting array of characters. There were a few very emotional moments which balanced out the lighter moments in a way I did not expect.
What I Liked: Many of the side characters that were in the first book, Hounded, reappeared in this book. They really added a wide array of personalities and made the story "pop" with layers that I did not expect. I liked that Atticus is extremely loyal to those that he counts among his friends. There were many moments that I was cheering for the bad guys to go down (channeling a little Oberon there--or at least how I think he would say it)!
Complaints: none
Why I gave it a 4.25: This was a fun addition to an already fun series. I would recommend Hexed to anyone who reads Fantasy books and even those that don't. Please, if you can, get it on audio--YOU WON'T REGRET IT!
Overall Rating 4.25
Audio Rating 4.50
Story Rating 4.00
Humor Rating 4.25
NOTE: Hexed is the 2nd book in the Iron Druid Chronicles. I am going out on a limb to say this is probably one of the funniest series I have ever read. I highly recommend the audio version as Luke Daniels does a
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great job with the narration.What I Loved: Lief---seriously the last few chapters when the vampire tried to become hip had me in stitches. Oberon is still the world's greatest dog and his moments were just as fun. Atticus had his hands full with witches in this installment and that added an interesting array of characters. There were a few very emotional moments which balanced out the lighter moments in a way I did not expect.
What I Liked: Many of the side characters that were in the first book, Hounded, reappeared in this book. They really added a wide array of personalities and made the story "pop" with layers that I did not expect. I liked that Atticus is extremely loyal to those that he counts among his friends. There were many moments that I was cheering for the bad guys to go down (channeling a little Oberon there--or at least how I think he would say it)!
Complaints: none
Why I gave it a 4.25: This was a fun addition to an already fun series. I would recommend Hexed to anyone who reads Fantasy books and even those that don't. Please, if you can, get it on audio--YOU WON'T REGRET IT!
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LibraryThing member michaeldreed
Perhaps not as good as his first book in the series (Hounded), Hexed follows the Iron Druid against a new supernatural threat in a coven of witches from Europe. The book is very well-written, full of humor, action, and intrigue, but many of the characters rang shallow. The author mentions that this
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tome was written in 5 months, and perhaps another run through the polishing cycle would have improved it to flesh out the story and characters, adding color that wasn't a happy accident of geography. Show Less
LibraryThing member jdonnelly14
***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***
It isn't often that I find a book that I truly believe deserves a five star rating, a book with well-rounded and intriguing characters, a page-turning plot and no obvious little quirks to irritate me as I read. Hexed is one such book. While I recommend
In this story Atticus, the 2100 year old druid in a 21 year old's body is facing a whole new future after having killed his long time rival Aenghus Og in the previous novel. He doesn't have to fear the Celtic pantheon chasing him down anymore and thinks he can finally really plant roots and find peace. Unfortunately for him, but fortunate for readers of this series, he's wrong. Pantheons from all over the world are approaching him to warm him not to mess with them while trying to sick him other pantheons, there are still demons on earth contracted to kill him and since he weakened the coven of The Sisters of the Three Auroras by taking half the coven out in Hounded, other dangerous magical groups are crossing into his little territory in Arizona and gunning to take him out of it. He faces not only a fallen angel from hell, but a group of super-strong Bacchants, a coven of German witches called the Daughters of the Third House, and some Kabbalistic priest from a group called the Hammers of God. To make matters worse, when one of his battles becomes a little too public the police are on his tail and he's got to find a way to shake them while still taking out all the bad guys they can't even begin to comprehend, let alone handle. Even without a Celtic god out to kill him in this book, the stakes are higher and the dangers more intense.
Except for the already almost perfect character of Oberon, the mind-talking dog, this book shows a lot of character growth in almost every character. Granuaile, the somewhat naive apprentice he agreed to take on in the first book begins to show signs of higher intelligence and strength. She stands up to Atticus when she thinks he might be wrong and does her best to support him in whatever ways she can if he needs her. If she continues to grow with each book in the series I look forward to seeing what she becomes by the time the series has reached its conclusion.
Atticus begins to show a little bit more grudging respect toward the Coven of The Sisters of the Three Auroras when he enlists their help to taken on the other coven of witches invading their territory after those witches attack him in the widows home. While he does reveal a lot more about his past to begin to make you understand why he hates witches so much it's nice to see him starting to view the witches as individuals rather than showing prejudice against the group as a whole.
The Morrigan actually start to show some signs of emotion when she helps him to regrow his ear and then makes an actual effort towards becoming his friend. Before this they shared a shaky truce, and you wondered throughout Hounded if she was really on his side or not. In Hexed it becomes clear despite her manipulating ways she kind of actually cares about what happens to Atticus. While I never expect the death goddess to become warm and fuzzy, it's nice to see that she does have a somewhat softer side.
My absolute favorite character changes though were in that of the Sisters of the Three Auroras when they came to Atticus's side to help fight the evil German coven. Malina and her sisters showed some real a##kicking power in that battle and I hope to see more of that in future novels. Atticus may not completely trust the coven yet, but they proved themselves to be valuable allies in that battles and I think Hearne has actually created some female characters equal to Atticus in power and honor.
As you read through this second book in this series, you see that the difference between the female characters in this book and the previous ones was tremendous and as a female reader you can't help but cheer on the new powerful, honorable female characters he's brought to the table in Hexed.
While my review can't even begin to show you how much of wonderful read this book is any reader, of Urban fantasy would definitely be missing something if they passed over this page turner in a book store. What's really wonderful about Hearne's books is that while there is a greater story arc and a larger danger that plagues Atticus throughout the book, within that story there are smaller dangers leading to almost constant action on every page. It's like reading multiple stories packed into an exciting larger story. I for one am greatly looking forward to Hammered when it comes out in July.
My only complaint, and it isn't a very important one, is when writing a review I have to constantly look up how the names of characters are spelled in these novels because Hearne doesn't employ characters named Joe and Bob that everyone remembers how to spell. lol. But then again that's just me and it's not really a complaint. I'm very grateful to the writer for offering this book in a Goodreads giveaway that I was fortunate enough to win. If I hadn't I might have missed the excellent characters and plots of the Iron Druid series since he wasn't a writer I was previously familiar with. Now I can guarantee I won't miss any of his other works.
It isn't often that I find a book that I truly believe deserves a five star rating, a book with well-rounded and intriguing characters, a page-turning plot and no obvious little quirks to irritate me as I read. Hexed is one such book. While I recommend
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reading Hounded before reading Hexed, it's not completely necessary and the second book in the Iron Druid series blows the first one away.In this story Atticus, the 2100 year old druid in a 21 year old's body is facing a whole new future after having killed his long time rival Aenghus Og in the previous novel. He doesn't have to fear the Celtic pantheon chasing him down anymore and thinks he can finally really plant roots and find peace. Unfortunately for him, but fortunate for readers of this series, he's wrong. Pantheons from all over the world are approaching him to warm him not to mess with them while trying to sick him other pantheons, there are still demons on earth contracted to kill him and since he weakened the coven of The Sisters of the Three Auroras by taking half the coven out in Hounded, other dangerous magical groups are crossing into his little territory in Arizona and gunning to take him out of it. He faces not only a fallen angel from hell, but a group of super-strong Bacchants, a coven of German witches called the Daughters of the Third House, and some Kabbalistic priest from a group called the Hammers of God. To make matters worse, when one of his battles becomes a little too public the police are on his tail and he's got to find a way to shake them while still taking out all the bad guys they can't even begin to comprehend, let alone handle. Even without a Celtic god out to kill him in this book, the stakes are higher and the dangers more intense.
Except for the already almost perfect character of Oberon, the mind-talking dog, this book shows a lot of character growth in almost every character. Granuaile, the somewhat naive apprentice he agreed to take on in the first book begins to show signs of higher intelligence and strength. She stands up to Atticus when she thinks he might be wrong and does her best to support him in whatever ways she can if he needs her. If she continues to grow with each book in the series I look forward to seeing what she becomes by the time the series has reached its conclusion.
Atticus begins to show a little bit more grudging respect toward the Coven of The Sisters of the Three Auroras when he enlists their help to taken on the other coven of witches invading their territory after those witches attack him in the widows home. While he does reveal a lot more about his past to begin to make you understand why he hates witches so much it's nice to see him starting to view the witches as individuals rather than showing prejudice against the group as a whole.
The Morrigan actually start to show some signs of emotion when she helps him to regrow his ear and then makes an actual effort towards becoming his friend. Before this they shared a shaky truce, and you wondered throughout Hounded if she was really on his side or not. In Hexed it becomes clear despite her manipulating ways she kind of actually cares about what happens to Atticus. While I never expect the death goddess to become warm and fuzzy, it's nice to see that she does have a somewhat softer side.
My absolute favorite character changes though were in that of the Sisters of the Three Auroras when they came to Atticus's side to help fight the evil German coven. Malina and her sisters showed some real a##kicking power in that battle and I hope to see more of that in future novels. Atticus may not completely trust the coven yet, but they proved themselves to be valuable allies in that battles and I think Hearne has actually created some female characters equal to Atticus in power and honor.
As you read through this second book in this series, you see that the difference between the female characters in this book and the previous ones was tremendous and as a female reader you can't help but cheer on the new powerful, honorable female characters he's brought to the table in Hexed.
While my review can't even begin to show you how much of wonderful read this book is any reader, of Urban fantasy would definitely be missing something if they passed over this page turner in a book store. What's really wonderful about Hearne's books is that while there is a greater story arc and a larger danger that plagues Atticus throughout the book, within that story there are smaller dangers leading to almost constant action on every page. It's like reading multiple stories packed into an exciting larger story. I for one am greatly looking forward to Hammered when it comes out in July.
My only complaint, and it isn't a very important one, is when writing a review I have to constantly look up how the names of characters are spelled in these novels because Hearne doesn't employ characters named Joe and Bob that everyone remembers how to spell. lol. But then again that's just me and it's not really a complaint. I'm very grateful to the writer for offering this book in a Goodreads giveaway that I was fortunate enough to win. If I hadn't I might have missed the excellent characters and plots of the Iron Druid series since he wasn't a writer I was previously familiar with. Now I can guarantee I won't miss any of his other works.
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LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Interesting characters doing outrageous things, such as killing gods, make these fun books to read.
LibraryThing member ReginaR
I listened to the narration of this book and did not finish the book. I stopped around chapter 13 or so.
Positives: The narration is decent. I liked the inclusion of Coyote. I think he is a great character. I enjoy his presence in other books by other authors, this one was not an exception. Atticus
Okay, on to the rest of my review: I thought this book suffered from the same issues I had with book #1: no emotional connection with Atticus, low cost to using his magic, everything comes easy for him. here is my review for #1.
I am not going to go into a lot of detail about this book, but here are some scenes that irritated me:
The scene in the beginning where his assistant answers the door scantily clad is just beyond silly. First, no woman who was not purposely trying to entice would answer the door dressed like that. Let me make it clear -- I have no problems with purposely trying to entice, titillating scenes or scantily clad women. It was the delivery of this scene I thought was off. Once Atticus is conversing with her, his apprentice is apparantly clueless as to the affect of her near nakedness and continues to wonder out loud why Atticus is uncomfortable and looking up in the air? Umm, any woman knows immediately when a man is reacting to her appearance in such an obvious way! Sorry Kevin Hearne, women don’t answer the door dressed like that generally and usually don’t go to bed wearing such an outfit unless there is a specific man present they want to please. I hope this doesn’t disappoint you too much. I know the general style of humor he was attempting here -- oblivious sexy woman doesn't understand her effect on man, walks around in sexy nighties just waiting to answer the door for men who ring it. I just thought it was not very believable. And because of that I couldn't enjoy it.
Atticus verbally attacks a teacher who calls out and wonders what is going on, no animosity in her voice – he is fighting a demon near the school. Atticus then proceeds -- out of nowhere and completely disconnected with the scene – to attack the teacher for not teaching the children English well enough. So here we have someone he apparently does not know, we have had no information or discussion of poorly prepared students in the subject of English presented in this book thus far. Then Atticus says to himself, “I need to shut up and stop taking my frustrations out on this poor frumpy lady who probably never gets laid.” Huh? Just random attacking of teachers based on assumptions, criticizing their appearance and then making assumptions that they don’t have sex because her appearance is not pleasing to him? I really don’t have a problem with “frumpy” as a description, but when it is contrasted with how he describes almost every other woman in the story and we don’t get to know anything else about her appearance (mousy limp hair maybe? Don’t know, not in the description. Slack ill fitting clothes? Don’t know, not in the description. All he says is “frumpy” which I guess means he doesn’t want to have sex with her and thus he assumes she is not getting laid very often, because you know if Atticus doesn’t want her she isn’t getting any. What if she has a husband or wife somewhere she has spent her life with? I know I am getting deep here and humor was intended. I just don’t think it is funny to make jokes about innocent bystander's appearance. It really rubs me the wrong way.) I know the humor he was going for, but it just came off the wrong way. I think that if he also described men as frumpy or had provided more of a decription of this woman beyond "frumpy" and had not equated her being frumpy with not having sex, I likely would not have had an issue. For me it was the delivery e.g. -- I find her unattractive, I will dismiss her completely and assume that no other man wants her. I honestly don't think this is the way most men think.
I won’t be reading or listening to Hammered, #3 in this series.
Positives: The narration is decent. I liked the inclusion of Coyote. I think he is a great character. I enjoy his presence in other books by other authors, this one was not an exception. Atticus
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and Oberon are mildly entertaining. The scene where Oberon talks to Atticus about life and death and Atticus tells the readers that he has been artificially prolonging Oberon’s life was very moving. This was the best scene in the two books I read in this series. Ultimately, this series is just not for me. I love urban fantasy and fantasy books. I enjoy male authored and male point of view books, but for me this book missed the mark. I am clearly in the minority. Okay, on to the rest of my review: I thought this book suffered from the same issues I had with book #1: no emotional connection with Atticus, low cost to using his magic, everything comes easy for him. here is my review for #1.
I am not going to go into a lot of detail about this book, but here are some scenes that irritated me:
The scene in the beginning where his assistant answers the door scantily clad is just beyond silly. First, no woman who was not purposely trying to entice would answer the door dressed like that. Let me make it clear -- I have no problems with purposely trying to entice, titillating scenes or scantily clad women. It was the delivery of this scene I thought was off. Once Atticus is conversing with her, his apprentice is apparantly clueless as to the affect of her near nakedness and continues to wonder out loud why Atticus is uncomfortable and looking up in the air? Umm, any woman knows immediately when a man is reacting to her appearance in such an obvious way! Sorry Kevin Hearne, women don’t answer the door dressed like that generally and usually don’t go to bed wearing such an outfit unless there is a specific man present they want to please. I hope this doesn’t disappoint you too much. I know the general style of humor he was attempting here -- oblivious sexy woman doesn't understand her effect on man, walks around in sexy nighties just waiting to answer the door for men who ring it. I just thought it was not very believable. And because of that I couldn't enjoy it.
Atticus verbally attacks a teacher who calls out and wonders what is going on, no animosity in her voice – he is fighting a demon near the school. Atticus then proceeds -- out of nowhere and completely disconnected with the scene – to attack the teacher for not teaching the children English well enough. So here we have someone he apparently does not know, we have had no information or discussion of poorly prepared students in the subject of English presented in this book thus far. Then Atticus says to himself, “I need to shut up and stop taking my frustrations out on this poor frumpy lady who probably never gets laid.” Huh? Just random attacking of teachers based on assumptions, criticizing their appearance and then making assumptions that they don’t have sex because her appearance is not pleasing to him? I really don’t have a problem with “frumpy” as a description, but when it is contrasted with how he describes almost every other woman in the story and we don’t get to know anything else about her appearance (mousy limp hair maybe? Don’t know, not in the description. Slack ill fitting clothes? Don’t know, not in the description. All he says is “frumpy” which I guess means he doesn’t want to have sex with her and thus he assumes she is not getting laid very often, because you know if Atticus doesn’t want her she isn’t getting any. What if she has a husband or wife somewhere she has spent her life with? I know I am getting deep here and humor was intended. I just don’t think it is funny to make jokes about innocent bystander's appearance. It really rubs me the wrong way.) I know the humor he was going for, but it just came off the wrong way. I think that if he also described men as frumpy or had provided more of a decription of this woman beyond "frumpy" and had not equated her being frumpy with not having sex, I likely would not have had an issue. For me it was the delivery e.g. -- I find her unattractive, I will dismiss her completely and assume that no other man wants her. I honestly don't think this is the way most men think.
I won’t be reading or listening to Hammered, #3 in this series.
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LibraryThing member katekf
The Iron Druid books are romps through varieties of magic set in Tempe, Arizona and featuring Atticus, a centuries old Irish Druid who lives with his dog Oberon and would simply like to have a nice life. In the second book of the series, Atticus must work with a local coven of witches to take on
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another coven and prevent them from summoning demons to earth. The plot is fast moving and the writing is smart and witty. If you enjoy the October Daye, Kitty Vaughn or Dresden Files' books then I recommend adding this series to your list of to reads. Show Less
LibraryThing member iftyzaidi
Second book in the Iron Druid Chronicles picks up right where [Hounded] left off, at the same break-neck pace. Keeps up the standards of the first book (though I'm still hoping for greater depth in the books to come!)
LibraryThing member EowynA
Once again The last Druid, Atticus O'Sullivan, is out and about Tempe, Arizona, protecting it from magical opponents. I enjoyed this one more than the first book in what appears to be a promising new series. This time there is a coven of witches involved, some on his side, some on the side of the
Enjoyable romp.
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demons. Oberon, his trusty Irish Wolfhound sidekick, and Granuoile, his apprentice, have their parts to play, as well.Enjoyable romp.
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LibraryThing member crazybatcow
I was a bit leery at the start since it felt a bit lecture-y on the nature of faith - i.e. there's a whole conversion with the Widow Donahue near the beginning that is supposed to result in having some weapon blessed, but which felt like a discussion of faith and prayer.
This lecture-moment passed
Overall, it's as good as the first in the series, and I'm starting book three now since I can't wait to find out how Atticus is going to fulfill his obligations.
This lecture-moment passed
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pretty quickly though and the story was actually a bit more action-packed and a bit faster paced than book one was. I'm not sure Oberon was quite as pithy-funny in this book, but there are humorous comments throughout the story which lighten the mood a bit. It's chock full of mythical/religious references which make the story seem authentic (yeah, I know it's fantasy, but still, this makes it feel very realistic).Overall, it's as good as the first in the series, and I'm starting book three now since I can't wait to find out how Atticus is going to fulfill his obligations.
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LibraryThing member LeanneSF
A great sequel to the first book, Hounded, in the Iron Druid series. Atticus must deal with the aftermath of killing a god, as well as the advent of a malicious witch coven. Hearne continues with the witty dialogue and non-stop action. Fans of the first book will not be disappointed.
LibraryThing member mbg0312
mediocre urban fantasy, action genre. Think Jim Butcher, but not quite as good. The first one was much more interesting for me. This one came off as much more quickly tossed off and less thought through on pacing, character and scene levels.
LibraryThing member hoosgracie
In this continuation of the series, Atticus is about to enter into a truce with a coven a witches, but has to face off against some Bacchans and another coven in the midst of things. He has also taken on an apprentice. This continues to be a very enjoyable series.
LibraryThing member nursewidener
Would you consider the audio edition of Hexed to be better than the print version?
I have only listened to this title (and others in series) so I might be bias. But due to the way the narrator makes the characters come to life is so rewarding to listen too. My wife listened to just a short portion
What other book might you compare Hexed to and why?
This book fits in which the Dresden files. They have the came antihero character and similar plots and themes
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Anything with Oberon in it is just freaking hilarious.
I have only listened to this title (and others in series) so I might be bias. But due to the way the narrator makes the characters come to life is so rewarding to listen too. My wife listened to just a short portion
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and was hooked and has started from the beginning of the series.What other book might you compare Hexed to and why?
This book fits in which the Dresden files. They have the came antihero character and similar plots and themes
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Anything with Oberon in it is just freaking hilarious.
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LibraryThing member Sarielle
As good as the first book in the series. Maybe even better. The funny and interesting read.
LibraryThing member teckelvik
This book starts pretty much immediately with a long dialogue aimed squarely at the language issues I raised in my review of Hounded (vol. 1 in this series). The author strongly defends his decision to write in a very contemporary voice and idiom. My reading of this is that I'm not the only one who
That said, this is very well done light entertainment. It's clear that Hearne has thought further ahead than just this novel, and conflicts are nicely set up for several subsequent novels. The supporting characters are well used. We get introduced in this volume to Coyote, the Southwestern Trickster god, and I hope he's an ongoing character, because he is well done. In particular, I like the way he has his own agenda, which he pursues with ruthless determination, making whatever use necessary of anyone handy.
In this volume, Atticus teams up with the Polish coven who were considering whether to kill him in the first volume to defend the greater Phoenix area from some German witches and random maenads. This brings him back into conflict with the Tempe police, and he does everything possible to antagonize them because, why not? There is also a strange run-in with on Orthodox Jew who seems to be out to get him for some reason, and assorted other mayhem.
Hearne understands that the way to make a book entertaining is to never miss an opportunity to add to the protagonist's problems, and he piles them on merrily. This book ends with a clear indication of the direction the next one will be taking, which promises to be entertaining. In addition, he has done an impressive amount of research in various mythoi (I'm guessing that's the plural of mythos). He also really thinks through the way that the various magical abilities and attacks are going to work. Sometimes this leads to getting bogged down in detail, but the overall effect is that he knows what he's doing.
I'm continuing to find this series good bedtime reading, and I'd recommend it to fans of urban fantasy.
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complained. He has some in-cannon reasoning to support his choice, and in the end, it is his choice. That's fine, but this, and the rather constant shout outs to geek culture mean that this series won't rise about light entertainment for me.That said, this is very well done light entertainment. It's clear that Hearne has thought further ahead than just this novel, and conflicts are nicely set up for several subsequent novels. The supporting characters are well used. We get introduced in this volume to Coyote, the Southwestern Trickster god, and I hope he's an ongoing character, because he is well done. In particular, I like the way he has his own agenda, which he pursues with ruthless determination, making whatever use necessary of anyone handy.
In this volume, Atticus teams up with the Polish coven who were considering whether to kill him in the first volume to defend the greater Phoenix area from some German witches and random maenads. This brings him back into conflict with the Tempe police, and he does everything possible to antagonize them because, why not? There is also a strange run-in with on Orthodox Jew who seems to be out to get him for some reason, and assorted other mayhem.
Hearne understands that the way to make a book entertaining is to never miss an opportunity to add to the protagonist's problems, and he piles them on merrily. This book ends with a clear indication of the direction the next one will be taking, which promises to be entertaining. In addition, he has done an impressive amount of research in various mythoi (I'm guessing that's the plural of mythos). He also really thinks through the way that the various magical abilities and attacks are going to work. Sometimes this leads to getting bogged down in detail, but the overall effect is that he knows what he's doing.
I'm continuing to find this series good bedtime reading, and I'd recommend it to fans of urban fantasy.
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LibraryThing member Soireb
The series keeps getting better and better. I struggled a bit at times because Atticus knows how to be a jerk, but for the most parts it's an awesome story. Definitively worth the time.
LibraryThing member maybedog
Fun light read. Very funny in parts and I was very sad in another. Lots of action although not any real mortal danger. Lots of sex and sexual innuendos and the protagonist is turned on by all remotely attractive women but then he is a druid and likes to run around naked. He's a bit
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self-congratulatory but in a very real and reasonable way: he's been around for 2100 years and has killed a god. In this book we find that he respects and is respected by the Christian pantheon and he shows grief in regards to a human which is new. A good successor to book one. Show Less
LibraryThing member tivonut
OK, I'm loving this series and the dog. Laughed out loud frequently and didn't feel like I was losing I.Q. points in the process.
This, the 2nd book in the series, takes off where the last ended. Everyone wants Atticus to do something for him and he realizes that his life has changed. He no longer
The politics of the Tuatha de danann (sp) is furthered and it is attempted to use him as a pawn, luckily he has a lot of experience in dealing with the Gods/Goddesses, and is very careful with his dealings to keep him from entering into their game. Along with that he makes deals with "friends" in order to clean up his town and now has new quests he'll have to go on.
Can't wait until the next book.
This, the 2nd book in the series, takes off where the last ended. Everyone wants Atticus to do something for him and he realizes that his life has changed. He no longer
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is anonymous in the magically world and he has brought attention to him self and his friends. Mainly this book is Atticus trying to protect his friends and town, while not getting arrested.The politics of the Tuatha de danann (sp) is furthered and it is attempted to use him as a pawn, luckily he has a lot of experience in dealing with the Gods/Goddesses, and is very careful with his dealings to keep him from entering into their game. Along with that he makes deals with "friends" in order to clean up his town and now has new quests he'll have to go on.
Can't wait until the next book.
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Language
Original publication date
2011-07-11
Physical description
viii, 307 p.; 18 cm
ISBN
9780345522498
Local notes
Iron Druid, 2
DDC/MDS
| Fic SF Hearne |