Hexed (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Two) [Mass Market Paperback]

Kevin Hearne (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 7, 2011 | Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles (Book 2)

BOOK 2 IN THE IRON DRUID CHRONICLES

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Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.

With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A page-turning and often laugh-out-loud-funny caper through a mix of the modern and the mythic.”—Ari Marmell, author of The Warlord’s Legacy

“Kevin Hearne breathes new life into old myths, creating a world both eerily familiar and startlingly original.”—Nicole Peeler, author of Tempest Rising

“A witty new fantasy series.”—Kelly Meding, author of Three Days to Dead

About the Author

Kevin Hearne is a middle-aged nerd who still enjoys his comic books and old-school heavy metal. He cooks tasty omelets, hugs trees, and paints miniature army dudes. He lives with his wife, daughter, and doggies in a wee cottage. 

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; First Edition edition (June 7, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345522494
• ISBN-13: 978-0345522498
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (186 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kevin Hearne is a middle-aged nerd who still enjoys his comic books and old-school heavy metal. He cooks tasty omelets, hugs trees, and paints miniature army dudes. He lives with his wife, daughter, and doggies in a wee cottage.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#21 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Action & Adventure

#28 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Action & Adventure

#31 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#48 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#53 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

#21 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Action & Adventure

#28 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Action & Adventure

#31 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy

#48 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy

#53 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars These Are The Druids You're Looking For. June 10, 2011

By anne-marie

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Looking for the perfect mix of humor and thrills with a twist? These are the Druids your looking for. Hexed and Hounded don't disappoint.

Hexed, the sophomore edition of The Iron Druid Chronicles, is nonstop fun and excitement. Atticus O'Sullivan is a modern day druid, the last of his kind. And lately the crazies have been coming out the woodwork. You would think that defeating a couple of Celtic Gods, exorcising a few demons, and killing half a coven of witches would earn a guy some R&R. Think again. Tempting Tempe, Atticus' little Arizonian oasis is starting to look ripe for the picking to some pretty nasty supernaturals.

A brood of German witches kick off the shenanigans by trying to curse O'Sullivan and the local coven. The murderous attempt is quickly followed up by a demonic straggler left behind by Aenghus Óg. Hearne keeps the pace swift with a visit from Coyote, who informs Atticus of a fallen angel preying on some very unfortunate high school students. Then there are the clergymen snooping around his bookstore, and the cops that just won't go away. But the honey-do list just keeps getting longer since some sin city Bacchants are in town and ready to throw down. Let's Party.

It would be simpler to cut and run, but Atticus has decided that Tempe is home, and he has an obligation to heal the land his prior nemisis destroyed. He's going to have to get help from some familiar characters and strike a few ill advised bargains to get through the nine circles of hellion relatively unscathed, though not unmolested. By the end you'll be wondering which battle was more brutal, golems and demon spawn filled witches, or a tussle in the sack with the Morrigan.

Hexed like Hounded was a witty well written book. There were some serious storylines happening here that could have easily gotten confusing. But Hearne's clever writing allowed for clarity while navigating through the fast-pasted and complex threads. I highly recommend the audio version of this book. The narrator , Luke Daniels, is excellent. Daniels does all the accents spot on, and must be a linguist with how well he speaks all the foreign languages. He really brings the words and characters to life. I think Hearne's biggest strength is the diversity and knowledge in the cultures and supernatural beings. The books seem well researched and work well together.

Maybe it's just me, but I find the succession of this series each consecutive month refreshing. A throwback to the serials of not so long ago. Yet, because they're so good, I swear the wait is still excruciating. Keep Them Coming Kevin.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Druids can't jump" June 7, 2011

By J. Prather TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Those words uttered by Atticus O'Sullivan may be true, but Hexed proves that they can do just about everything else! It's not easy creating a second book in a series, and after enjoying Hounded so much, I was nervous that the author would not be able to sustain the high level of storytelling magic that was so captivating in Hounded. I needn't have worried. Hexed ably continues the tale, bringing Atticus into an uneasy alliance with the local coven of witches as they do battle against a group from Atticus' past that seek to encroach on his territory.

Atticus is in a rather strange position in this latest installment. His success against Aenghus Og has left him a marked man. Everyone is seeking him out to try and convince him to help them with their own God problems. The entire paranormal world now seems to have his number, which leads to some intense demon battles, some fierce sex, and a steep learning curve for his new apprentice. Most of the characters are back from Hounded, and we get to know some a little better this time around. The dialogue is as witty as ever, the action is true edge of your seat stuff, and Oberon is still enjoying his stories, with very entertaining results.

This continues to be a first rate urban fantasy series that any fan of the Dresden files will no doubt enjoy. It's a fast read that will make you hold your breath at the suspense and laugh out loud at the humor - sometimes on the same page! I'm off to go pre-order the next installment. First rate entertainment.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Doughty Druid July 22, 2011

By Gecky Boz "Bibliognome"

Format:Mass Market Paperback

This book gets a steely 5 gnomes out of 5 gnomes for being a superb sequel, having laugh out loud writing, and characters that the reader can truly care about.

This series has become one of my top 5 series, I just love so much about it. The characters and story are refreshing because it has characters and themes that are common yet used in unexpected ways. Take religion, if you read this series you will see and hear about a plethora of gods and goddesses from across many cultures. I like that there are all these religious figures still out there in the world but some just appear more often than others.

The setting is the same as the previous book and you get to find out even more about the large cast of characters. I liked seeing more of Atticus's nighttime lawyer, Leif the vampire and Granuile his new apprentice.

The side characters in this book are fleshed out really well. The interactions between Leif and Atticus are great especially when he tries to help him with his word phrasing so he doesn't sound as old as he actually is. Granuile (who's name I can't for the life of me pronounce) is seen more in this book and shown to be quite savvy to all the weirdness of witches, police problems, and learning all manner of information on what druids can do. It would be interesting if Atticus and Granuile had a relationship because you can tell he's interested, on the other hand though Atticus has a well known weakness for pretty women and she is technically his student.

Many of the best lines in the book are said by Oberon, the Irish wolfhound. Seeing how he and Atticus interact is a lot of fun and also makes me hope that Kevin Hearne never has any plans to kill him off like so many other authors, movies, and TV shows do with beloved pets. I actually found myself tearing up a bit at the point in the book when you find out how old Oberon is and how much Atticus looks out for him.

If you thought Atticus had problems in in Hounded then you are in for even more carnage when you read Hexed. There's gods, goddesses, good witches, bad witches, a tall priest, a short rabbi, and even more magic and fighting. The book is also chock-full of humor, I actually had to stop reading the book at work because I didn't want people to think I was a weirdo laughing to myself all alone in the library.

The endings of this book and the one before it are great because they both end on a funny note. Ending at a funny line or situation is to me much more preferable and unexpected then having a cliffhanger that makes you want to throw the book out the window. Overall I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that likes fantasy, magic, or really stupendous male main characters. I for one am very happy that the third book has been released and plan to read it as soon as possible. I look forward to reading more about Atticus's world and whatever else Kevin Hearne writes in the future.