Review: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

Hounded by Kevin Hearne
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Purchase: Amazon

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.

My Thoughts:
I loved this book!  I have really been on the look out for something different with no romance...Okay step away from the tomatoes.  I know this is weird and not the norm BUT hear me out before you leave stinky tomatoes all over the comments...

Romance for me has become predicable and when I read I like to be surprised.  The last three books I read the romance just got in the way of what could have been an amazing world with ridiculously awesome characters, but the romance dragged it down.  So I decided lets pick up something where the romance is either way nonexistent or way way WAY in the back ground.  Do you know how hard this was to find?!  My good friend and reading buddy Rachel at the Readers Den finally showed me where I could find this hidden gem and let me tell you I am officially addicted!  Hounded by Kevin Hearne is witty and showcases a gorgeous world filled with all things creepy, god like, and can seriously kill you at the point of a finger.  Yeah this definitely screamed my name.

Atticus is a Druid and has lived a very long time by learning to be well paranoid and cautious.  He knows exactly what to do when certain creatures walk into his book shop and he protects himself like with wards and bindings.  Atticus was the character I have been hoping to find.  He isn't sloppy and yes certain things did surprise him, but it was not because he was lacking in the intelligence department.  He did everything he possibly could to prevent certain situations and for once what happened was caused because of his lack of thinking.  I never once wanted to throw my book out the window because of something I could see that he couldn't.  We have all had those books and it can be so frustrating, but I'm telling you this book isn't one of those.  I was pleasantly surprised right along with Atticus and it was refreshing.  His character is flawed I'm sure, but for this first installment I can't think of a single thing that I didn't like about him.

Now the story was the truly shining thing for me and seeing as how I loved Atticus and the whole cast of characters this is saying something.  I love paranormal and this book incorporates everything and I mean everything!  We have fae, Thor, vampires, werewolves, druids, witches, and well just everything.  What was truly brilliant though was how the author wove all these random creatures into the story.  If someone told me about this I would automatically think the story would be too crowded and not focused.  This couldn't be farther from the truth though.  This story had direction and each character played a part whether small or big.  Even the little old lady across the street played a part and I loved it.  This world didn't feel crowed, it felt enormous and showed just how brilliant Kevin Hearne is.

This book has been a wonderful pallet cleanser for me and I think after a few more I will probably dip my toes back in the romance pool, but for now I am content to hang out with Atticus, Oberon ( you really have to meet this character.  He is hilarious!), and the wonderful cast of characters that make up this phenomenal world.

5 snowflakes