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Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles #4)

by Kevin Hearne (Goodreads Author)

4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 · rating details · 8,027 ratings · 713 reviews

Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert.

But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sle...more

Paperback, 341 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Random House Publishing Group (first published March 24th 2012)

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Jan 06, 2013 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: UF fans, Dresden fans, people who don't sweat the small stuff

Shelves: male-lead, urban-fantasy, gr-rated-highly

Tricked. Well, I wasn't really. Atticus was, though, by friends, foes and everyone in between. I was Entertained, but while it was certainly an improvement on its predecessor, Hammered, character underpinnings and over-referential, jokey dialogue continue to limit greatness.

I've come to realize my most significant problem with the 'Iron Druid' series is Atticus' overwhelmingly young behavior and voice, firmly rooted in current American culture. By 'firmly,' I mean that he makes references to mic...more Tricked. Well, I wasn't really. Atticus was, though, by friends, foes and everyone in between. I was Entertained, but while it was certainly an improvement on its predecessor, Hammered, character underpinnings and over-referential, jokey dialogue continue to limit greatness.

I've come to realize my most significant problem with the 'Iron Druid' series is Atticus' overwhelmingly young behavior and voice, firmly rooted in current American culture. By 'firmly,' I mean that he makes references to microwaving Peeps, TARDIS, Elmo and the Sturgis biker rally, the Pacific Coast Highway and Lou Ferrigno. Atticus couldn't get any more current than if he was a forty-some-year-old white American male who grew up geek. The incongruity inhibits my enjoyment of the series, especially when Hearne keeps drawing my attention to it--interactions with Oberon and his own internal dialogue make it unavoidable.

Throughout the book, there is ever-ending repartee between Oberon and Atticus. It is humorous, but it is overplayed and doesn't quite fit. The joking also overly roots the story in modern culture--for instance, Atticus explains the Schwartzenegger Pun Reduction Treaty rule to Oberon.

Add the modern underpinnings to a relatively infirm sense of responsibility for an earth-connected druid and it equals a severe cognitive dissonance headache. If I completely ignore the fact that Atticus is supposed to be a 2000 year old druid responsible for the health of the earth, we get along fine. Unfortunately, the first offending sentences show up on page 3, so it's not like I had a choice of forgetting it: "the world desperately needs more Druids. So my choices were to stay on earth and die or leave earth and let the world slowly die of neglect--which wouldn't truly help, since all planes connected to earth would die at the same time." Riiight. So he's essential to the earth's health, which is why he's only recently taken an apprentice, why we've only seen him working to rebuild a forest once and why he spends all his time helping 'friends' and not the earth.

Once I took some Advil for the dissonance-headache, I found it to be a relatively enjoyable book. It was a 'hero's task' story, with the task chosen by Coyote in return for helping fake Atticus' death. To no one's surprise when dealing with a Trickster, completion did require a number of side journeys and unexpected obstacles. Several conflict points from previous storylines were also continued, interrupting the task, including the Morrigan, various Norse gods, and Leif the vampire.

Positive notes include the background on the Dine culture to be well-researched and respectful, a pleasure when there is often cultural misappropriation of Native culture, ignorantly applied. Each section of story was well written, inciting my interest, even if I didn't understand the logic (view spoiler). The opposition was formidable, and Hearne cleverly hamstring's Atticus' power in a number of ways including opposition by a different spiritual background, constraining his earth magic.

At the end of the day, I'd rate Tricked above the average April Fool's Day joke, and somewhat below Houdini. I enjoyed it, as long as I turned off the character-logic section of my brain. So, three and a half stars, rounding up for being respectful to Dine culture and for enticing a re-read despite not believing the central character.

Cross posted at http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2013/0...(less)

17 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-a-dtb, all-the-right-choices, failed-to-impress, highly-anticipating-2012, glistening-fangs, just-another-book-crush, magic, male-pov, role-models, so-many-vampires, urban-fantasy, werewhatevers, reviewed-in-2012

Hm. This wasn’t what I expected at all. I was tempted to give Tricked only three stars, but then I decided against it because Hearne’s writing and research deserve some reward after all. That said, me counting pages to the end is never a good sign, and I caught myself doing it more than once.

I didn’t mind the extensive worldbuilding and the occasional mythology lessons in the first two books, quite the contrary. I got a little tired of it in book three, but I was tempted to skip entire passages...more Hm. This wasn’t what I expected at all. I was tempted to give Tricked only three stars, but then I decided against it because Hearne’s writing and research deserve some reward after all. That said, me counting pages to the end is never a good sign, and I caught myself doing it more than once.

I didn’t mind the extensive worldbuilding and the occasional mythology lessons in the first two books, quite the contrary. I got a little tired of it in book three, but I was tempted to skip entire passages in book four. And yet I didn’t because I was determined to carefully read every single word so that I can be sure the problem is him, not my lack of attention. And guess what? It’s him. There was simply not enough to connect the huge infodumps in this book, especially in the first part. While I’m always up for a challenge and I’m more likely to enjoy a book that actually teaches me something new, it still bothers me when parts of it read more like a textbook than like an actual novel.

With a group of Norse gods hot on his heels, everyone’s favorite Druid Atticus Sullivan must come up with a solution that will keep him, his hound Oberon and his apprentice Granuaile safe. Fortunately for them all, he’s made some friends along the way too. With a little help from the Morrigan and Coyote, he succeeds in throwing them off his trail by faking his own death. But making a deal with a trickster god, however benign it may seem, is never a good idea! Pretty soon, Atticus has to face an even worse enemy – one he’s learned very little about in his two thousand years of existence.

Coyote is a common enough character in urban fantasy. I liked him in Patricia Briggs’ River Marked, really loved him in Allyson James’ Stormwalker series, but I think Hearne came closest to what I imagine a trickster god would be like. Both Briggs and James portrayed him as mischievous, but ultimately benevolent; however, Hearne clouded his intentions a little bit, made him even more unpredictable, and quite a bit dangerous.

This is the first time that I really felt the tiredness and the emotional depth I would expect from someone with two thousand years of experience. Atticus has millennia of losses on his shoulders and I loved that Hearne explored that part of him a little bit. I understand why he can’t dwell on his emotions too often, I do, but it’s unavoidable sometimes even for him. It was a nice change.
Usually I try to suppress any emotions that savor of regret, because they are invariably aperitifs to a main course of depression, and for the long-lived, that’s a recipe for suicide. But that doesn’t mean they can’t sneak up on me sometimes.
And, like, gang-tackle me.

As for the romance, in the interview he gave the lovely Missie at The Unread Reader, Hearne promised us a love interest for Atticus in Tricked, and he certainly didn’t lie. But if you’re expecting some big romance, you might end up disappointed. There are just subtle hints of one, more reluctant attraction than anything else, and it doesn’t affect the plot in any way. I, for one, appreciate this about the series. If I want romance, I read PNR. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t be happy if Atticus and the person he’s interested in get their HEA, I would. I just don’t think it needs to be a priority for Hearne.

I had pre-ordered this book about three months before the release date, just to be on the safe side (my paranoia knows no limits – what if ALL the copies were sold before I managed to get one?), and I will pre-order the next one. Hearne can easily be forgiven for this weak link in the series, he has more than earned it with the first three books.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library
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Nov 30, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

Super-quick recap for my first review in about a week. I'll be back to normal reviewing sometime in the next day or two. Real life smacked me down the past few days!

What can I say other than I have a serious thing for Kevin Hearne. This man writes books which make me happy. End of story. Onward to book 5!

With no time to review for this book tonight, here's my thoughts on book 1, where I first fell in love with the series :

Book 1 - Hounded

Highlights from Tricked :

"I just shook hands with a naked...more

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Jun 11, 2012 jD rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1_library-yes, 2012, 2012_5-stars, fantasy_myths, fantasy_urban

‘Tricked’ is a solid installment to the Iron Druid Chronicles. Kevin Hearne knows his way around Urban Fantasy. He continually amazes me.

This time around, my favorite Druid – Atticus O’Sullivan, ends up dealing with Native American legends come to life. This story starts by quickly wrapping the cliffhanger from Hammered or rather, switching from the drama that came with an out-of-control thunder god Thor to the well-known Trickster, Coyote. I can’t say I missed the Norse gods with their impossi...more ‘Tricked’ is a solid installment to the Iron Druid Chronicles. Kevin Hearne knows his way around Urban Fantasy. He continually amazes me.

This time around, my favorite Druid – Atticus O’Sullivan, ends up dealing with Native American legends come to life. This story starts by quickly wrapping the cliffhanger from Hammered or rather, switching from the drama that came with an out-of-control thunder god Thor to the well-known Trickster, Coyote. I can’t say I missed the Norse gods with their impossibly mentally to pronounce names. Compared, the Native American god system is “Pantheon-Lite”. So right off the bat, I was pleased that I did not need to Google or hit Wikipedia to gain a semblance of understanding.

There is plenty of action, magic, and Oh No moments. The pacing is spot on as well. There are some new characters that really didn’t do much for me. I sorta thought of them as the Star Trek ‘Away Team’ and never got past considering them fodder. Old friends come back and become pivotal players, especially Granuaile and Oberon the hound. I was shocked by developments with the Widow MacDonagh and Leif the vampire. When good friends go bad…it’s not pretty that’s all I can say. The main nasty of nasties are the Skin Walkers. Mr. Hearne taught me more about the Navajo legendary creatures than I ever learned watching Supernatural. They were pretty scary. The vampires were more prominent than I expected and I was saddened by how the storyline played into a change in Atticus.

So who ‘Tricked’ Atticus? That’s a question with many answers that you will only learn and understand by reading this book. This book is not really a stand alone in my opinion like the first two. This is more like the second part of a duology. If you are thinking of trying Iron Druid Chronicles, don’t start with this one. The next installment is called Trapped and takes place twelve years after this book when Granuaile has completed her Druid training. The first chapter is included as bonus trac at the end of Tricked.
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Aug 12, 2012 Lynsey (The Demon Librarian) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, received-for-review, bad-ass-dude, fae-alicious, favourites, hero-i-love, magic-tastic, mythology, rotflmao, urban-fantasy, vampire-ific

This has to be my favourite book of the series so far and it's the first one I've wanted to give all five stars to.

You see, I've loved everything about the series prior to this book apart from one teeny tiny thing, which was that I didn't feel the main character, Atticus, had enough inter-character relationships. At least, nothing stronger than an acquaintance or a business relationship. And I felt that, had that been there, it would have given me something to connect with and follow as an ongoi...more This has to be my favourite book of the series so far and it's the first one I've wanted to give all five stars to.

You see, I've loved everything about the series prior to this book apart from one teeny tiny thing, which was that I didn't feel the main character, Atticus, had enough inter-character relationships. At least, nothing stronger than an acquaintance or a business relationship. And I felt that, had that been there, it would have given me something to connect with and follow as an ongoing development in amongst all the other general badassery that the books are jam-packed with. The only person Atticus really gave two hoots about up until now, as far as I could tell, was his hound Oberon. But in this instalment we have a developing friendship, a teacher-student relationship, a cute bit of flirting and also a betrayal that really added that bit of personal drama I'd been looking for previously.

Now onto the rest of the badassery I mentioned. This time, the mythology was mostly Native American in origin. Atticus has called in Coyote to help him stage his own death so that he might be able to stay in one place long enough to train Granuaille in her Druidry in relative peace. It's always easier to concentrate on a chemistry lesson when you don't have someone trying to take your head off, after all. Of course, Coyote, being the little trickster deity that he is, wanted something in return. That's how these things generally work. And so begins the part where it all goes to hell in a handbasket.

I really loved the plot for TRICKED. I thought it had excellent pacing, the mythology was interesting, the action scenes were exciting and, of course, there were some hilarious dialogue passages thrown in there for good measure.

And this time, not only were Atticus and Oberon hilarious together, but Granuaille can hold her own in the conversations too! She had a couple of great lines. There was an ongoing point-scoring game that carried on throughout most of the book which provided many laugh-out-loud moments. A favourite quote from that game between Atticus and Oberon was:

"Heh. I think you made your point, Atticus."

"Gods Below, Oberon, that was horrendous! You just violated the Schwarzenegger Pun Reduction Treaty of 2010."

"What? No, that didn't qualify!"

"Yes, it did. Any pun related to a weapon's destructive capabilities or final disposition of a victim's body is a Schwarzenegger pun, by definition. That's negative twenty sausages according to the sanctions outlined in Section Four, Paragraph Two."

My hound whined. "No! Not twenty sausages! Twenty succulent sausages I'll never snarf? You can't do that - it's cruelty to animals!"

"You can't argue with this. Your pawprint is on the treaty, and you agreed that Schwarzenegger puns are heinous abominations of language that deserve food-related punishments for purposes of correction and deterrence."

"Auggh! I still say it's your fault for renting Commando in the first place! You started it!"

As with the rest of the series, I listened to it in audiobook format. There aren't many series that I would honestly rather listen to than read, but this is definitely one of them. Luke Daniels is a narrating genius, and he really upped my enjoyment level. I don't know, if I'd have read them myself, that Oberon would have been quite as funny to me as he is, but the voice Daniels uses for him is so incredibly perfect and hound-like and just adorably enthusiastic- exactly as you'd expect a mind-speaking dog to be- that it just makes it a delightfully enjoyable and entertaining experience.

There was an excerpt at the end from the next book, Trapped, which I am now VERY excited to read to see how my new favourite UF trio are faring.

Well done Mr. Hearne. Another excellent instalment. Go and have a nice cup of tea, you deserve it.

5 Stars! ★★★★★
Review Copy: Received from the publisher for an honest review
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Sep 01, 2012 Barb rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just started, but the series is wildly entertaining. The series is about the last living Druid, being a couple millenia old. However, he disguises himself as a weird, bookish herbalist and book seller in Tempe AZ, affecting the lingo of the young and hip. He also has a really cool Wolfhound capable of mindreading and eating prodigious quantities of sausages, which he wheedles out of everyone, mortal, god or other.

The thing is Atticus O'Sullivan (his name) is just someone you would like, and Kevi...more

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May 16, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! I found that it was back to the good feel of Hounded, got back some of the pizaz!

This book picks up wight where it left off in Hammered, and cracks right into it. Coyote plays a large role in this book, and we get to meet some new gods as well, most not nice!

Atticus seems to have developed since the last books, and is far less full of himself, which is a great thing to read.

I found it extremely hard to put the book down, and the epilogue left me hanging!

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Dec 01, 2012 The Flooze rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, vanquished_2012

With Tricked, Hearne's writing has reached a new level.

Considering the first three books came out in quick succession, it makes sense that they'd share certain writing quirks. This installment is much more natural in terms of character voice and the description of magic.

I finally feel more connected to Atticus, better understanding how he thinks and what his limitations are. Much of this is thanks to him discussing his magic and motivations aloud and getting feedback, rather than being stuck wi...more

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May 09, 2012 Maggie K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Yay!!! Atticus is back!

I really really disliked Hammered. Atticus just was IMO being a big idiot, and so out of character I found it a turn-off.

In Tricked, though, he bounces back in a big way! There is still some stupid humor, but mostly it is appropriate.
Atticus does work on his earthly duties, works on training his apprentice, spoils Oberon, and generally acts like himself!

Of course there needs to be a story, and here Atticus gets sucked into a bunch of environmental drama curtesy of Coyote,...more

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Jul 28, 2012 ✿ℎazℯℓ✿ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fave-rave, fantasy, my-favorite-books, kickass-hero

DESERVES EVERY PRAISE!!!

100 stars!

When you start reading this... you start thinking "Druids can be oh so hot and oh so badass!!!".

I have been reading and listening to this very very slowly. I dragged it our because the next book is still a long way to go. As expected, I love it! Tricked is just off the charts wayyy out of my imagination! I totally like the plot. It has LOTSA action... and LOTSA MORE Oberon jokes! I really really want to get my hands on a dog like that. I want a talking, jok...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Eric rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone looking to get into the urban fantasy genre

Recommended to Eric by: Nicole Evans

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I still liked this book a good deal despite not enjoying the main story-line all that much. While the previous subplot involving Coyote in Hexed was interesting, this was just too much of a character that should be used sparingly -- I mean who wants to spend an excessive amount of time with a god that will undoubtedly trick you at every opportunity? And, in the case of this series, that time comes at the cost of spending time with some great supporting characters, like Hal Hauk, The Morrigan, Le...more

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Mar 05, 2013 J.W. Parente rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

In the fourth installment of the Iron Druid Chronicles, we're brought back into the world of Atticus O'Sullivan, the world's last Druid. Strike that: the world's last BAD-ASS Druid. And bad-ass he is. So, as in the first three books, Atticus seemingly walks into this big problem. In all truth, the first three books could have been labeled Tricked: parts 1 through 3, and probably would have been a fitting title.

All joking aside, Tricked is full of new magic that I was not expecting. When I first...more In the fourth installment of the Iron Druid Chronicles, we're brought back into the world of Atticus O'Sullivan, the world's last Druid. Strike that: the world's last BAD-ASS Druid. And bad-ass he is. So, as in the first three books, Atticus seemingly walks into this big problem. In all truth, the first three books could have been labeled Tricked: parts 1 through 3, and probably would have been a fitting title.

All joking aside, Tricked is full of new magic that I was not expecting. When I first read that Coyote, a returning character of Navajo decent was going to be a major player in this book, I was skeptical. Because I really didn't like Coyote. In this book, Coyote is defined as the Trickster and truly does dupe Atticus into a life-or-death match against skinwalkers.

However, these badass mofos aren't like the skinwalkers defined in, say, a series like Supernatural. Oh no! These skinwalkers come from a place called Black World, which in the Navajo religion is a realm of evil. It's where the most power spirits dwell, all children of First Man and First Woman. They have multiple forms, which also makes them different than normal shapeshifters. When it becomes clear that Atticus has no choice but to fight these skinwalkers, that's when all the awesomeness happens.

Kevin Hearne shows his brilliant storytelling yet again by delving into the Navajo magic system and religion. This is what really made Tricked a great read. The magic here is all about wards, purity, and strengthening one's body where as other magic, as most books have conditioned us to believe, is an outward force for offense or defense. It was a very nice change of pace.

The only qualm I have with Tricked is how off track it became at times. And maybe that's not even the best way to describe it. There are three storylines happening here: Atticus versus the skinwalkers, Atticus versus the vampire population in Flagstaff, AZ, and Atticus versus Hel (Loki's daughter). While in the end it all wrapped up very nicely, I wanted less perhaps. I wasn't entirely convinced the vampire bit was needed. However, as the blurb from the flap reads, "betrayal comes from an unlikely source," there's your clue that maybe this little scuttle with the vampire population will become a big deal in the fifth installment of IDC.

Overall, I still loved Tricked. Mainly for how specific all the magic usage is in the book. Atticus starts using different levels of Druidry, the Navajo magic was just a spectacular experience, and then there's just Atticus wielding Moralltach.

Before I finish here, I must share my favorite line of the book: It references A Christmas Story, which is my favorite holiday classic: "His eyes were glowing egg yolks, burning Scut Farkus eyes."(less)

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May 07, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read, audiobook, audible-purchase-2012, physical-owned, signed-copy, 4-50-wine-glasses

Read for Fun!
Overall Rating: 4.50
Story Rating: 4.25
Character Rating: 4.75 (Loved Frank)
Audio Rating (Not part of the overall rating): 5.00

First Thought When Finished: This is possibly the funniest in the series so far!

What I Loved: Just about everything if you really must know! Seriously, it was just a wild fun ride. I love the Coyote character because any time he is involved you know things are not going to go smoothly for "Mr. Druid"! That is very much the case in Tricked. I also loved that Ob...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Kayla Beck rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-release, mythology, urban-fantasy, vampire, favorites, humor, fantasy, magic, mature, paranormal, werewolf, own, series, shifter, 2012-read, fae, witch

This review was originally posted on Bibliophilia, Please.

Tricked by Kevin Hearne is the fourth installment in his urban fantasy series, The Iron Druid Chronicles . In this book, our hero (and my book boyfriend), Atticus O'Sullivan; his dog, Oberon; and his apprentice, Granuaile face the repercussions of Atticus' trip to Asgard, as well as a few new issues thanks to the Navajo trickster god, Coyote.

The Writing of Tricked reminded me of precisely why I love to read. It's easy for me to lose in...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Stacie ~ paid the price for badassery rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comedy, fantasy, geek-tastic, own-digital, series-in-progress

What do I say about Atticus, I love Atticus. The nerdy quips, the nature, the paranoia, I love them all. Coyote is front and center in this book. And you'll never expect the trick that Coyote ends up playing at the very end. It's a good one and then ends up all crazy as well, lol. Sorry the end isn't that funny but now that I'm thinking about it, imaging that scene again I started laugh. Weird moment over. Anyways...Granuaile's training is once again interrupted by a deal made by Atticus. You fi...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Wendy F rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fae, my-lovers, urban-fantasy, vampires, werewolves, witches

Oh Atticus, My Atticus, how I love thee... It was slow growing, but man, what is it about those Celtic Redheaded men?!

I mean, this had all the greats for the Iron Druid series. Humor, good plot, fun characters. But this time I really focused on Atticus. He's officially become one of my fictional lovers. There's something so damn sexy about him. I mentioned it before with the Shakespeare lingo and how smart he is. But he's also a physically sexy beast! Check this out!

I gladly shucked off my wet,...more

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May 26, 2012 Mihir rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: When it comes to Kevin Hearne, after his fantastic debut last year and the two sequels released in quick succession, it was hard not to be enthralled by his creations. With the epic climax of Hammered, fans everywhere were waiting to see what direction Kevin would take Atticus and Oberon next. Tricked was written and ready to be released and so when I got the opportunity to get an ARC for it, I was over the moon.

Tricked is a hard book to revie...more
Review originally at Fantasy Book Critic

ANALYSIS: When it comes to Kevin Hearne, after his fantastic debut last year and the two sequels released in quick succession, it was hard not to be enthralled by his creations. With the epic climax of Hammered, fans everywhere were waiting to see what direction Kevin would take Atticus and Oberon next. Tricked was written and ready to be released and so when I got the opportunity to get an ARC for it, I was over the moon.

Tricked is a hard book to review because of two reasons namely, it’s the fourth book of the series and secondly because a lot of its plot details are spoilers for the preceding three titles. I must warn readers that I’ll be trying to avoid spoilers as much as possible however there will be some minor spoilers and those readers who haven’t read the first three books can avoid the review ahead.

Tricked begins with a short soliloquy similar to the first book however this one is even more outrageous than its predecessor, it begins with the following lines:
“The best trick I ever pulled off was watching myself die. I did a respectable job of it too – the dying, I mean, not the watching!"

With such a terrific line begins the fourth entry of the chronicles of Atticus the lone druid who’s witty, versatile and now hunted by the thunder gods of various pantheons for his actions across Hammered. He however has a couple of tricks up his sleeve and he turns to one of the ultimate tricksters of yore to help him in his task. This of course works on “scratch my back and I scratch yours” principle and while Atticus thinks he has it under control. Coyote of course manages to one up him with his version of a request. Not to add to his troubles is his past catching up in the form of the widow Mrs. MacDonagh as well as the other mythical monsters that Atticus has had dealings with. All in all Tricked is a riptide of trickery and treachery in various degrees. The ending and twists in this book manage to convey quite a many tribulations for our hero ahead and yet also give us a sound ending.

Kevin Hearne shines again with the this volume losing none of his charm and smooth prose. The story opens with Atticus who is yet the charming and rogue-ish narrator even after the events that have caused such an upheaval in the physical and meta-physical world. He is one of the best main characters currently present in the urban fantasy genre simply because of his ability to make the reader empathize with him and make the reader forget that he’s a guy who more than two millennia old. In this story we learn more about his past as well as his present mistakes, both of which will have a tremendous impact on the story as it’s unfolding and the way it will unfold in the future as well. A few of the revelations have been hinted in the previous books however their actual revelation really might stun the reader with the depth of the truth.

Tricked also manages to tie in with the short story “A Test of Mettle” with the actual saga and it also shows the possible repercussions of the event. There’s also the matter of side character cast who are given a larger role and this includes Granuaile, Oberon and a certain other recurring character. The humor content is never under question as with the presence of Oberon who manages to outdo himself with his zingy one-liners and ever-present humorous chatter, in the previous book due to certain events,Oberon wasn't present for much of the storyline. However this situation is suitably rectified over here. Kevin also includes a new mythology in this book hereby exploring native American legends and monsters. This new mythology also is made to fit perfectly in this myriad world wherein all pantheons exist and co-habitat the world. This aspect of Kevin's world is one which has been unique so far and he continues to unveil a new corner of the world with each book. Many readers will be surprised to find quite another mythology make a cameo in this book and this possibly heralds a future appearance so be on the lookout.

The only downside I can think about this book is that it’s a bridge novel that is supposed to set up the events for the next part of the saga. In that respect this book is like "A Feast For Crows" without the unnecessary cliffhangers and the missing cast. There are some sections about Atticus' past which could have been explored further to show how complicated a character he is, but that would have made the story slacken and therefore was avoided. I however would still like to read more about his past and perhaps from another narrator to avoid the character's own bias. It also has a complete ending that gives us a strong hint of what might come next.

CONCLUSION: Kevin Hearne’s Tricked manages to combine the fun aspects of the previous books and give the saga a darker turn to make this book more akin to a thriller. It marks an exciting return to the world of Atticus and Oberon, give Tricked along with the rest of the Iron Druid Chronicles a chance and you won’t regret it. An excellent entry that only heightens the wait for Trapped that is due in November this year.(less)

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Aug 18, 2012 Elspeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, put-aside, twenty-twelve, urban-fantasy

I love this series, each book is better than the last.
I mean what is not to love these books have sarcasm in plenty, food, drink, and lots of action.
I am not even going to get started on the pop culture references.
So here I am reading this book and finding out that there are going to be skin walkers in it I was all.

I couldn't wait to see Herne's take on the myth, and I wasn't disappointed.

I was also glad to see Coyote back, I find him extremely exciting. Its fun to be on the edge of you seat...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Claire rated it 3 of 5 stars

This probably merits a 3.5 more than a 3, but oh well.

This book was interesting. I enjoyed the brief introduction in Navajo legend and culture. The story still had its moments of trademark humor that had me laughing out loud, but for me something was missing.

I just really don't like Coyote, and he was a main character in this novel. I'm more interested in Norse/Celtic mythology, which really took a backseat to the story of the Navajo skinwalkers. It was certainly entertaining, just not my favor...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Byron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tricked is the fourth book in the Iron Druid series. The book is about Atticus' attempt to get away from fallout of his part in killing Thor. Atticus makes a deal with the Navajo trickster god, Coyote which entails the killing of two monsters known as skin walkers.

The humor fans of the series have come to expect are once again present in this book. I envy first time readers when they get to the part about the Schwarzenegger agreement. There is also the life threatening battles and the introducti...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Another fun read about the adventures of Atticus & crew. Things have finally gotten hot enough that Atticus has had to leave town & get a new identity. The only problem is that now he's beholden to Coyote for a favor or two for making his exit look like a permanent one. And since Coyote is also known as 'the trickster' for nothing & his favor has a few hidden fangs.

The thing that bugged me the most was if you're going to go to a LOT of trouble to establish your new identity, would yo...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Jim rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-urban

Again, a fun romp with the druid & seeing how even his best laid plans can go awry, especially when a trickster is involved. I didn't enjoy this quite as much, but it was still pretty good. I've read 4 in a row, which is a very good run for me in one series. Oberon is as good as ever, possibly better. The love interest is getting old, though. I felt that way in the last book & was heartily sick of it by the end of this one. In all fairness, there wasn't a lot of free time to resolve it,...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Vaughn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Betrayal, betrayal , and more betrayal. The saying goes , keep your friends close and your enemies closer. But in Atticus's case, maybe he should treat ALL his friends like the crazy cousin you only see at family reunions and you hope that they remindered to use a breath mint before you have to go in for that dreadful hug. In other words, love from a far. And when it comes to his enemies, kill them. I would be fine with that. That's why they have dark druids. Just saying. I couldn't decide wheth...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Dangerous Romance Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Both Laurie and I love the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne and there’s plenty of good reasons for that. The humor that Kevin Hearne delivers is wonderful, the conversations that Atticus and Oberon his dog have together… Oh boy. And nobody can mix up all the different pantheons, the different beliefs as Hearne can. Tricked is no different.

Atticus has pissed off just one God too many this time and to get them off his back he made a deal with Coyote in Hammered. The deal was a simple one; Coyote...more Both Laurie and I love the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne and there’s plenty of good reasons for that. The humor that Kevin Hearne delivers is wonderful, the conversations that Atticus and Oberon his dog have together… Oh boy. And nobody can mix up all the different pantheons, the different beliefs as Hearne can. Tricked is no different.

Atticus has pissed off just one God too many this time and to get them off his back he made a deal with Coyote in Hammered. The deal was a simple one; Coyote would take Atticus's place, let them kick the crap out of him so the Gods would believe Atticus died, since Coyote can come back from the dead, and the God's would leave Atticus alone in the future.

In return Atticus would have to move some earth for Coyote. But keep in mind who Coyote is. The Trickster. So it’s safe to assume that the deal might not be so simple as believed.

Everything that happens in this book is so Atticus, Granuaile and Oberon can disappear (preferably presumed dead), so Atticus can train Granuaile to become the next Druid. You'd think faking your own death and disappearing would be a little easier for a Druit to pull off then a human but actually it turns out to be much more complicated.

Moving “some earth” for Coyote isn’t just that. They’re invading Skinwalker territory – which they don’t take lightly, Colorado (the elemental in the area) will not cooperate with moving earth and metal until the coalmines in the area are shut down, the widow (MacDonagh) has been possessed when she died (by another Goddess) and she’s after Atticus, not to mention Leif Helgarson is back. With trouble, LOADS of trouble.

I will never regret picking up the first book to read in this series. Kevin Hearne is brilliant and I love his humor, sometimes it’s this childish, and sometimes disturbing things come up in the plot that you shouldn't laugh at, but you just can’t help yourself because it’s so damn funny. I hope he never grows up! :-)

The relationship that Granuaile and Atticus have is evolving into something else, and Atticus doesn’t know how to handle it, which leads to some very funny conversations between them. Again, you'd think being a Druid would make this situation easier but instead it as usual, makes his life more complicated, like almost all the situations he deals with.

It was a little sad to say goodbye to Atticus's old stomping grounds, it was a definitely permanent move, and Atticus and his new apprentice and his talking Dog Oberon are going to have to find a way to blend in with their new neighbors, get along with the Native American God's and hopefully not piss off or kill any new ones. Enjoy!
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Jul 21, 2012 Genie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not as heavy on the gods or action as in the last book, Hammered. But I welcomed this because there were times when I felt like I was taking a crash course in mythology and had to reread passages of Hammered to make sure I got the gist of things (and that included battle action and the number and affiliation/identity of foes and friends lining up to get some).

Tricked is light on action and threats and heavier on the humor and the Sensei/Dog/Druid in Training relationship. It cut a few notches i...more Not as heavy on the gods or action as in the last book, Hammered. But I welcomed this because there were times when I felt like I was taking a crash course in mythology and had to reread passages of Hammered to make sure I got the gist of things (and that included battle action and the number and affiliation/identity of foes and friends lining up to get some).

Tricked is light on action and threats and heavier on the humor and the Sensei/Dog/Druid in Training relationship. It cut a few notches in Atticus' smugness which was interesting. His trainee and his dog have to save him - what is that about? Thought the banter and humor flowed much easier and was believable between these characters and was a breath of fresh air after all the hack, slash and paranoia of Hammered. I even enjoyed the banter between Oberon and Atticus much more this time around (sometimes it felt fake and forced in the other books - I kept wondering, would a dog really think that or say that?) and I am NOT a dog person, so for me to like this relationship should say something.

In hindsight I can see that this book is a build up to the next big thing (or at least I am hoping it is) which is sad. Obviously something is going to happen with Hel (loved the Hel puns) and Leif (missed the Shakespearean quote battles) because they were both thrown in to this story with very quick but unsatisfying and temporary? resolutions. What I would have liked was to learn more about skinwalkers in general and about these 2 skinwalkers specifically. Why did they go down this path? Was it worth it? And more about the Native American mythology/heritage/culture/lifestyle for us ignorant but fascinated readers who will probably never set foot in Arizona. Maybe that doesn't make for light reading. While reading this book, I couldn't stop thinking about the Val Kilmer movie, Thunder Heart and kept wanting more but only got a taste, more like a glimpse, a possibility.

So do I recommend this book? Most definitely if you like to escape and be entertained. Is this his best book? Maybe not but it was fun and enjoyable and a good, quick read. I would have given 4 stars if there was more meat to the First People, the witchery way and Coyote. (less)

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Jul 09, 2012 Ratseal rated it 1 of 5 stars

Coming fresh off the reading binge during which I ate up the first three books in the series, I plunked more money down at AMZN and read Tricked on my Kindle.

Short version: Don't bother. Save your cash for Butcher's Oct. release, or wait to pick this up at a fleamarket.

Longer version: Hearne is either demonstrating that he was lazy and in a hurry, or the spark in the
first three books was a fluke.

Complete review: I was disappointed less than 4 chapters into this book. Read no further if you ar...more

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May 24, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

In my opinion Kevin Hearne was one of the best new urban fantasy writers in 2011 (and if you want my honest opinion one of the best new writers period in 2011). His books are exciting, full of intricate characters with well written dialog, and are jam packed with nonstop action. And Tricked, the fourth book in his Iron Druid Chronicles series, is no exception to this.

Tricked’s action and issues spring primarily from the ramifications of Hammered. Of course, unlike most books that act as a bridge...more In my opinion Kevin Hearne was one of the best new urban fantasy writers in 2011 (and if you want my honest opinion one of the best new writers period in 2011). His books are exciting, full of intricate characters with well written dialog, and are jam packed with nonstop action. And Tricked, the fourth book in his Iron Druid Chronicles series, is no exception to this.

Tricked’s action and issues spring primarily from the ramifications of Hammered. Of course, unlike most books that act as a bridge for a significant change in the story arc, Tricked is an amazing book in its own right. That’s not to say that readers should not read the previous books in the series first, (being the fourth book in the series, not reading the other three books first would severely harm the reading enjoyment.) No, what is meant is that this book, like its predecessors, is well written, exciting, and full of fantastic characters, making it a must read for any fan of urban fantasy.

While so many things are incredible about Tricked and the entire series, what truly impressed me is how well Kevin Hearne balances humor, action, and a well developed plot. I honestly found myself laughing out loud at parts of Tricked (especially in the conversations between Oberon and Atticus), but at the same time couldn’t put the book down because it was too darn exciting.

Hearne delivers a whole new batch of interesting gods and creatures for Atticus to deal with in this book, which really spice up the story and establish a whole new storyline for readers to get into. That brings me to another thing I love about the series and Ticked specifically, how well Hearne melds the different myths and religions while not detracting from the overall story. Hearne is a master of lore and it’s obvious in the way that Tricked flows from one god and situation to the next without skipping a beat, giving enough information so that readers who are unfamiliar with the god will understand, but at the same time not be overburdened with needless information.

All in all, Tricked is a fantastic book that is perfect for fans of Jim Butcher, Ben Aaronvich (another great new urban fantasy author readers should check out), and Patricia Briggs. Readers will be drawn to the edge of their seats, and will be fully unable to proceed in any other activity until the last page of the book is finished. Another must read from the impressive Kevin Hearne.

http://whatchamacallitreviews.blogspo...(less)

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May 17, 2012 Elizabeth Dodd rated it 4 of 5 stars

A rollicking good time.
I had read the first book, HOUNDED, and enjoyed it. Enough that I got book #2. But life got in the way and I hadn't read #2 when Goodreads chose me for a free copy of TRICKED.
First, if small continuity details bother you, read the books in order. It isn't necessary unless that is a "thing" for you. Each book holds it's own.
Second, be ready for heavy duty mythology with a large side of funny bone.
Not wanting to give plots surprises away, I'll say that this is a great stor...more

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May 08, 2012 Nick Brett rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have been enjoying this series and this book was no exception, but perhaps was the weakest so far.
Here we see Atticus repaying a debt to help out some Native Americans and coming up against Native American mythology (instead of the Norse Gods we have met previously) and some bad guys that even he can’t deal with. Told as before with both wit and charm and humour from his hound Oberon.
The joy of the previous books was his dealing with a variety of Gods and religions (a brilliant scene with Jesu...more

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May 06, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012, urban-fantasy

I have to admit that I didn’t finish “Hammered”, the previous book in this series, because it veered off into Canterbury Tales land and I lost interest. This book was a return to the first two books, where the focus of the story is on Atticus and his challenges and commitments.

As this book opens, Coyote helps Atticus fake his own death (because of events in the previous book) in return for a favor. That favor turns out to be two-fold: one thing upfront and one thing that Atticus is tricked into...more I have to admit that I didn’t finish “Hammered”, the previous book in this series, because it veered off into Canterbury Tales land and I lost interest. This book was a return to the first two books, where the focus of the story is on Atticus and his challenges and commitments.

As this book opens, Coyote helps Atticus fake his own death (because of events in the previous book) in return for a favor. That favor turns out to be two-fold: one thing upfront and one thing that Atticus is tricked into doing. Hence the title. Coyote claims he wants to do something meaningful for his people. He has decided that building renewable energy components and starting up a renewable energy power plant are the way to go. But the tribe needs money to do this, and his solution is that they will first open a gold mine, mine it out, and use the profits to start the renewable energy program. If you are scratching your head here, you’re with me--let’s rip up the environment before doing something meant to preserve it?

Coyote wants Atticus to talk to the Colorado elemental and have it move a large quantity of gold to a specific location that Coyote has already chosen. Oh, and he also wants Atticus to kill two shape-shifters that have been plaguing the area where Coyote intends to start up his mining-renewable energy project. The shape-shifters turn out to be the main problem that Atticus has to solve in this book.

I did like that this book focused more on Atticus and Granueil, his Druid apprentice who is forced to fake her own death as well. Granueil is my favorite character other than Atticus and I hope we get to see more of her in future books. Oberon is still too-smart for a dog, but he’s good comic relief, and he proves his bravery when Atticus’s vampire acquaintance Hal manipulates Atticus into solving a problem with a rival vampire. We also get to hear a bit more about how and when Atticus came to North America. All good stuff.

However, I found the eco-terrorism aspect of this story rather glib and hypocritical. As part of his efforts to persuade the Colorado elemental to move gold to where Coyote wants is, Atticus sabotages the local coal mine. Several times. He rationalizes this by thinking that the corporation has lots of money and it will be just fine for it to lose its operation. Little thought is given to all the middle-class workers that will be out of work; there is a throw-away line about how they can work at the new gold mine that the tribe will be starting, disregarding that it takes months to get a mine up and going. It’s also implied from the storyline that the tribe mining gold was OK economically and environmentally, but coal mining by others was not. My Kindle has lots of “WTF???” whenever this occurs.

Overall, 3 stars. It would easily have been a high four star if the environmental issues had been dealt with in a more thoughtful and intelligent manner.
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About Kevin Hearne

Kevin is the author of The Iron Druid Chronicles, an urban fantasy series published by Del Rey Books. The first five books of the series are now out as well as a novella that's book 4.5, and the sixth book, HUNTED, will be released June 25.

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Books by Kevin Hearne

Hammered (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #3)

Two Ravens and One Crow (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #4.5)

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Quotes from Tricked

“You, sir," I said, "have all the dignity of a badger with the clap. Shark shit has more fiber than you. I'm going to tie your nuts-first to a monkey's cage and make a mix tape of the resulting noise. Then I'm going to take a bag of marshmallows and a pair of granny panties and-"...

... He didn't want to know what I was going to do with those granny panties. Surprisingly, Granuaile did. "Sensei, what were you going to do with those marshmallows and panties?" she whispered as we walked together. "I mean, I'm sure it had to be dire, but it just didn't sound as threatening as the potential havoc a monkey could wreak on his sack."
"There was more to that recipe," I admitted. "He cut me off before I could get to the Icy Hot and the gopher snake.” — 8 people liked it

“I've often been flabbergasted by modern pharmaceutical ads on television. The list of side effects for some maladies often sound worse than the condition they're supposed to treat. Once I even heard "heart failure" listed as a side effect, and I wondered how that happened. Heart failure sounds like a pretty major event to me, and if you're willing to risk heart failure in order to avoid the mild discomfort of some other condition, then may the gods shield you from harm, since you're obviously seeking it out.” — 8 people liked it

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Tricked (The Iron Druid Chronicles #4)

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