Hexed by Kevin HearneBook Two of the Iron Druid Chronicles
Published June 7, 2011
ISBN-10: 0345522494
ISBN-13: 978-0345522498
Review: 5/5
Cross reviewed on Goodreads.
Atticus O'Sullivan, steered ungracefully but with flare by author Kevin Hearne, has impressed me yet again. The badass nine-hundred year old Druid is back in the second volume of The Iron Druid Chronicles.
Here, following the events of Hounded, Atticus finds himself pitted against some very nasty German witches. We discover that the one creature cult that Atticus fears most are witches. He actually befriends vampires and werewolves. When it is discovered that Atticus is the target of an ancient hexen that can make him drop dead on the spot, more hell breaks loose.
He also befriends the Polish witches that were introduced in Hounded and rounds them to battle the Germans along side him. Greater detail into the Druid's long history is opened and we learn that Atticus has confronted the German witches in the past. Stir in more mythology, sex-capades with the Morrigan, Goddess of Death, and jealousy of said sex-capades with another Goddess, Brighid, and you've got an unsteady can of kick-ass ready to be pried open.
At the very end, when all the battles and badassery is complete (with more to follow), we're slowly introduced to the new and greater enemy that Atticus must face in the third volume, Hammered. In fact, the title kind of says it all. Atticus's showdown against "shadowy figures," comes teamed with strange sorcerers called the Hammers of God and an elite panel of Norse Gods who he must avoid at all costs, save for one -- Thor, his target.
I'd also like to share some of my favorite lines from Hexed, as the dialogue was taken up a notch.
"Ah, it's your job that makes you act like such an asskitten."
I laughed, looking back at the remaining German witches, and said to them in their language, "I can't believe you started shit with her [Malina, leader of the Polish witches], when you had only one fancy trick in your bag. She can pull exploding hell-fire whips out of the fucking air."
"There, Rabbi, you see? I said. "Heinous witches don't let asspuppets like you live."
So there you have Hexed (in a nutshell). I can't wait to get through Hammered, which I'll be posting my Now Reading feature tomorrow. Also, good news for all of you who have read the series or at least started. I discovered today that The Iron Druid Chronicles have been extended to a six-book series! The next books are tentatively titled:
Tricked
Trapped
Hunted
My excitement for this is kind of beyond words, so I end the review here.
Peace and Writing Love,
JWP
Great review, Justin. I like how you included favorite lines - it's always interesting to see what grabs a readers attention. I find these lines pretty comical; they're good stuff.
ReplyDeleteI liked the book, too. It's also one of the few urban fantasies I've come across that have a male protagonist - kick-ass females seem to be the norm.
ReplyDeleteAtticus is a fascinating character, normal and totally otherworldly all at once. And he's funny, too!
BTW I love your header! Hadn't noticed that yet.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tessa. Designed the header myself.
ReplyDelete