I am really, really conflicted about this book. On one hand, it has all the delightful character interaction, solid action scenes, and fun and fascinating new spins on mythology I've come to expect from Hearne. But on the other hand, as the story unfolded, a flaw in Hearne's world that's been ignorable until now was brought screaming to the surface. And something happened that turned my stomach against Atticus, and therefore the series in general. Details under the spoiler-cut:
(view spoiler)[The Good: There are some really spectacular moments in this book. Atticus' farewell blessing is so lovely I want to pin it up next to my desk as a reminder for how to live my life: "You build and do not destroy; you sow goodwill and reap it; smiles bloom in the wake of your passing, and I will keep your kindness in trust and share it as occasion arises, so that your life will be a quenching draught of calm in a land of drought and stress." (136)
I greatly enjoyed the stories around the campfire, too. I appreciate how the mythology of all cultures (well, except the Norse, apparently) are treated with equal respect and validity. Major props are deserved for the good parts, because when Hearne is good, he's GOOD.
The Bad: Hearne's world just doesn't seem sustainable. Or rather, it doesn't seem like it should've been able to sustain itself for the several thousand years it's been around. Atticus participated in the deaths of two gods in the first book and half a pantheon in the third. These books take place months apart.
I know Atticus has all kinds of superpowers backing him up, but... if gods can be killed so "easily," why don't they look like Swiss cheese by now? Heck, how are any gods left? There's no indication that any of the pantheons of old had taken any damage at all in the MILLENNIA before the series began, except for the ravages of waning mortal belief. Not even accidental god-on-god violence, like Ratatosk's death. The action doesn't feel like it has history, if that makes any sense.
On a related note, the catastrophic wake Atticus and Crew leave behind in this book really highlights how irresponsible Atticus is. He's really not good at dealing with conflict. I can enjoy a story with a protagonist who operates purely out of self-interest--I actually found the manic self-preservation of District 9's lead a refreshing diversion from the traditional action hero--but a hero who is clearly invested in the safety of the people around him, yet who places the value of his "word" over the lives of his friends and any mortal or immortal who gets caught in the crossfire? Kinda backwards.
It seemed like every step of the way, Atticus knew what he was doing was wrong and foolish, but he did it anyway, because of his all-important Word. I wanted to thwap him on the nose with my book and say "Bad Druid! No biscuit!" You'd think someone with a score of centuries' experience in lying low would be better at not making everyone in the universe want to kill him. Deliberately incurring Bacchus' wrath by claiming to be him or one of his representatives while committing theft? That's just asking for trouble.
The Ugly: I don't know what kind of deal Atticus "thought" he was making with the Frost Giants regarding Freyja. When he told them "The goddess Freyja, for example, will be among the spoils," I'm pretty sure he wasn't expecting the giants to invite her over for tea and biscuits and a jolly game of tiddlywinks. Unless "tea and biscuits and a jolly game of tiddlywinks" is slang for "lots and lots of rape."
He saw how they reacted to her name--he saw the men's arousal and the women's revulsion. It doesn't take a two thousand-year-old archdruid to figure out what they had in mind.
Further, I don't care if Team Let's Kill Thor wants to blame all of Asgard for Thor's asshattery. I don't want to read about "heroes" who offer up goddesses to monstrous thugs for eternal gang rape. I think that's a reasonable line to draw in the sand.
I hate that it had to come to this, because Hearne is a really enjoyable writer with some fantastic ideas. He's telling some of the most fun stories in the Urban Fantasy genre. I don't want to cry "SHUUUUUN," because many of my favorite authors have written stuff I've seriously objected to. But... book 4 is no longer an instant-buy for me. And when something isn't an instant-buy, it rarely makes it up my To-Read queue. Suckage.
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