Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

May 15, 2012 Kelly (Maybedog) rated it really liked it

Shelves: what-shifters, what-male-protagonist, what-vampires, why-favorite-author, what-modern-fantasy, why-favorite-series, what-dogs, what-mythology, what-gods

Hounded
The book starts with a little too much telling but it is a complex world he is describing so I won't dock him too much. Once the story got going the pacing was good, the situations interesting, the characters fun.

I loved the dog and how even though he has been upgraded in intelligence, he retains a totally dog-like personality. I also liked (for a change!) the moral ambiguity of Atticus mostly because it wasn't so ambiguous, just compared to humans. His devotion is to the Earth and her b Hounded
The book starts with a little too much telling but it is a complex world he is describing so I won't dock him too much. Once the story got going the pacing was good, the situations interesting, the characters fun.

I loved the dog and how even though he has been upgraded in intelligence, he retains a totally dog-like personality. I also liked (for a change!) the moral ambiguity of Atticus mostly because it wasn't so ambiguous, just compared to humans. His devotion is to the Earth and her bounty. He has lived for 2,100 years and it makes sense that he doesn't really have anything in common with humans, except an ancient shriveled Irish woman from the Old Country (she is my second favorite character after the dog). He doesn't dislike humans, they just aren't something he worries about, which makes total sense to me. His priorities would seem cold in a human but they fit him and he is still immensely likable. (This is coming from someone who is such a goody-two-shoes she doesn't even speed.)

[I've never understood why a vampire who's lived for centuries would fall in love with a teenager (Bella, Buffy). I mean, I have only lived a few decades and I do not enjoy hanging out with high school students let alone love one romantically. Ewwwwww. Can you say pedophile vampire? (Not to knock Angel since I adore him but I think when he was cursed with a soul he was also cursed to think like a sulky and immature 20 year old, at least until he moved to LA.)]

I was very pleased to find that this was not sexist at all. The women were just as strong and capable as a man. Some were evil and one or two good and most just as morally ambiguous as he. This was particularly nice seeing as the book was obviously written by a man (in case you were reading it without the back cover or something): the protagonist's libido is constantly an issue, the women are all gorgeous and sex is always just below the surface, the hero is weakened but never afraid and he is always strong with few doubts. When he is shot in the chest, coughing up blood, the other characters, even the ones who don't know he is magic and can heal themselves are ridiculously banal along the lines of "bummer man, hey look you ruined your favorite shirt!" I found that scene to be really strange and anticlimactic.

I think if Hearne had allowed his characters to have any kind of feeling for more than a minute the story would infinitely improve. I felt distances in a way, or maybe just emotionally numb. I certainly didn't cry out "No!" as I am wont to do when I am in love with a character who is in really dire jeopardy.

(For my self-incriminating and embarrassing admission of having a crush on a character in a book you'll just have to read some of my other reviews to find out who and how much. I will not admit to a crush on other characters since that might irreparable label me as some kind of sexual deviant. My lips are sealed.)
...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 26, 2018 Carrie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mgr, male-pov, fantasy, vampire, urban-fantasy, werewolves, goddess-gods, witches, 4-and-a-half-to-5-stars, dogs

Loved it!!!

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2011 Barbara ★ rated it liked it

Shelves: read-2014, paranormal-witches-wizards, urban-fantasy, paranormal-shifters, paranormal-demons, paranormal-shifter-wolf, paranormal-gods-immortals, paranormal-fae-faerie, x-set-in-usa-arizona

This book reminded me way too much of Harry Dresden - druid/wizard, bad witches, pain in the butt Fae and vampires. Sound familiar? And just like Dresden, there was way too much going on. Atticus is in over his head time and again yet pulls the win out of his butt each time....just like Harry.

Atticus is a 2,100 year old druid but comes across as a really immature teenage boy. Come on, he gives the ambulance driver a wedgie. Seriously! And what was up with Oberon. He's supposed to be a dog but I ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Teddie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, badass-protagonist, myth-folklore-aspect, books-games-24

Such a fun series! The back and forth exchanges between Atticus and Oberon are hilarious. I really enjoy that the action and giggles are interspersed with a variety of mythological references and honest to goodness wise insights into the workings of the world.

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 09, 2018 Marla rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal, audiobook, zz-2018, award-winner, challenged, fantasy, vampires, series, adult, demons

Druid main character was fresh. Not many vampires, but much about the duplicity of witches and aid from werewolves, both legal and "got your back" help, and a few minor gods and goddesses. Though, don't you dare tell The Morrigan and Flidais, the goddess of the hunt, that I called them minor goddesses.

I loved Atticus friendship and conversations with his Irish wolfhound, Oberon. And Atticus's magical sword, Fragarach the Answerer, was so cool. After hiding from his enemy, Aenghus Óg, for centuri ...more

Like · see review

Dec 10, 2013 Krysta rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
While the story had some flaws that I could not overlook, the pacing, action, humor, and twists were enough to keep my interest.
I will not be going out immediately to get my hands on the second installment of the series, but will most likely continue and see what else happens to Atticus.

Read my full review at Born a Booklover. ...more

Like · see review