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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
I keep loving this series so much, and I have to say that Luke Daniels does a fantastic job at narrating. That was especially evident in Staked, as both Granuaile and Owen narrate chapters as well. Of course, Oberon and Orla are still favorites of mine as well.
The action was just as break-neck as I've gotten used to, and I truly enjoyed the fact that there were more story arcs.
The action was just as break-neck as I've gotten used to, and I truly enjoyed the fact that there were more story arcs.
This is a re-read for me.(See below for original review). But, I am not sure what I thought about this the first time around so here we are. I may have been overly excited about having another Oberon and Atticus book that I didn't care about anything else. I could go back and read my original review- but I won't. This time around? I thought that it was pretty sad. I was emotional as each druid had their own journeys to take in this installment. It was sad to see Atticus to see the full cost of his actions- even more so when he realized that he didn't pay the brunt of the cost. While it was nice to see Owen finally understand the totality of the mess Atticus was in, it wasn't fair that the lesson came through so much pain. Bonds were severed. Lives were lost. While the trademark wit and banter was still present, this book was somber. I am excited and nervous to finally pick up the last two books of this series.
*Original Review*
Wow! Another adventerous tale from Hearne. I don't want to spoil this for anyone, so I will not go into a whole lot of details. This is book 8 in the series, and like always Atticus has found himself into a deadly adventure. The blowback comes home and hits his friends, putting a strain on their relationships. I did enjoy this installment, and I am definitely looking forward to the next, and last one. This story was a bit different, as the trio are not always together. It also felt as if Hearne was bringing things to a close, knowing that this is the second to last book. This is not a bad thing, especially if you are like me and need closure. It doesn't even effect the book in a negative way, you just know that it is almost time to say goodbye. That makes this a bit sadder than the others, but there is still a bit of fun and foolishness. Oberon is still the happy canine and Owen is still the onery mentor. If you have not started this series, now would be a good time to start.
5 stars *****
*Original Review*
Wow! Another adventerous tale from Hearne. I don't want to spoil this for anyone, so I will not go into a whole lot of details. This is book 8 in the series, and like always Atticus has found himself into a deadly adventure. The blowback comes home and hits his friends, putting a strain on their relationships. I did enjoy this installment, and I am definitely looking forward to the next, and last one. This story was a bit different, as the trio are not always together. It also felt as if Hearne was bringing things to a close, knowing that this is the second to last book. This is not a bad thing, especially if you are like me and need closure. It doesn't even effect the book in a negative way, you just know that it is almost time to say goodbye. That makes this a bit sadder than the others, but there is still a bit of fun and foolishness. Oberon is still the happy canine and Owen is still the onery mentor. If you have not started this series, now would be a good time to start.
5 stars *****
One of the greatest threats left facing Attickus right now is the Vampire problem, and this book is mostly, as the title would suggest, about the solving of that problem. Or at least, Attickus' part of the book is about that. Granuaile goes off on a completely separate set of side quests, missions, and adventures, and while those were interesting, they felt like they were almost a separate novella that was threaded through this one so that it would make sense when she was pulled back in in the last scene. Likewise, while Owen's story had more overlap, both in shared consequences like the vampire attack on his new Grove and in actual interaction between the two of them, the main thrust of Owen's story was a completely separate goal that had nothing to do with the main story. I also found Owen to be an obvious foil for Hearne's giggly commentary on the modern world, including a painfully long setup to use the line "don't feed the trolls" and a similarly awful joke later in the story, also painfully contrived just because it amused the author.
I realize it sounds like I've been complaining, but actually those minor issues were most of what I found unappealing about the book! The story had a constant stream of action and I was always intrigued to see what was happening next. Also, it was interesting to watch Attickus begin to resolve many of the problems and promises that had been set up in earlier books, beginning the work of tidying loose ends to neaten the end of the series, perhaps.
I realize it sounds like I've been complaining, but actually those minor issues were most of what I found unappealing about the book! The story had a constant stream of action and I was always intrigued to see what was happening next. Also, it was interesting to watch Attickus begin to resolve many of the problems and promises that had been set up in earlier books, beginning the work of tidying loose ends to neaten the end of the series, perhaps.
Staked is the eighth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles and boy was it a adrenaline rush. This story bounces back and forth between characters that are spread around the world dealing with different magical situations. Atticus had gotten himself into a deeper pile of crap then ever, it seems. He is just a magnet for trouble these days. I loved this book for all of its geeky references and comedic bright spots. I give this book a four out of five stars.
So good! It was really neat to see what the now 3 druids are up to on their own. Some epic stuff as usual (although not quite as eye rollingly epic as killing gods in mass numbers).
Welp. Book #8 means I'm almost to #9 and the end of a series I have loved since I first got an arc way back when. This one I loved, as usual, though I did have a few quibbles. Granuaile and her vengeance didn't quite strike true for me - Fierce Druid was less *fierce* and more *terrible*. However, Owen continues to be one big bag of AWESOME, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to start saying "shite" instead of "shit". Most of my LOL moments were related to him, and I'm anxious to see what happens with him in the last book. I continue to love Atticus, though I was a little less excited about some of his shenanigans in this book - it was a LOT. However, overall - I did enjoy this one and I'm alternately thrilled for and sad about the last book.
I'm a fan of the Iron Druid. So much so that I pre-ordered Staked in paperback. All the previous ones I've read as catch up on my Kindle. However Kevin Hearne has made my pre-order on sight list (along with Ben Aaronovitch, Terry Pratchett, Iain Banks and Charles Stross).
Staked is the eighth full novel, and I've lost count of the novellas. The paperback version also has Prelude to War in the back of it, which is handy because Staked makes more sense when you've read Prelude to War.
Just in case you've not read any Iron Druid, it's a very sensible urban fantasy series set in the modern day. I say sensible because the universe isn't too strange. You can imagine it coexisting with the world we live in. The action in Staked, and the other Iron Druid stories is all within the bounds of plausibility in our world. Possibly the only scene that would be hard to explain away happens in this book. A vampire ambush on Atticus and some Rabbis that are helping him in Rome. Even that gets a plausible explanation for its cover story/news report in the book.
Staked sees our 2,000 year old Iron Druid fighting a personal war against vampires. The war escalates more than he was expecting, and Atticus realises that it's taken him away from the tenets of druidry. However he manages to enlist help and deal with the vampires enough to end the war. There are a number of interesting twists and turns, not least of which what his old archdruid is up to and also Granuale's adventures. A number of other old friends appear too, and all play a key role in the story. There isn't any spare material here, it all forms part of the narrative and is necessary. In fact I think it will bear a second or third read later.
I really enjoyed the story, and if you like urban fantasy where the gods exist like Neil Gaiman's American Gods then this is definitely a series you need to go pick up.
Staked is the eighth full novel, and I've lost count of the novellas. The paperback version also has Prelude to War in the back of it, which is handy because Staked makes more sense when you've read Prelude to War.
Just in case you've not read any Iron Druid, it's a very sensible urban fantasy series set in the modern day. I say sensible because the universe isn't too strange. You can imagine it coexisting with the world we live in. The action in Staked, and the other Iron Druid stories is all within the bounds of plausibility in our world. Possibly the only scene that would be hard to explain away happens in this book. A vampire ambush on Atticus and some Rabbis that are helping him in Rome. Even that gets a plausible explanation for its cover story/news report in the book.
Staked sees our 2,000 year old Iron Druid fighting a personal war against vampires. The war escalates more than he was expecting, and Atticus realises that it's taken him away from the tenets of druidry. However he manages to enlist help and deal with the vampires enough to end the war. There are a number of interesting twists and turns, not least of which what his old archdruid is up to and also Granuale's adventures. A number of other old friends appear too, and all play a key role in the story. There isn't any spare material here, it all forms part of the narrative and is necessary. In fact I think it will bear a second or third read later.
I really enjoyed the story, and if you like urban fantasy where the gods exist like Neil Gaiman's American Gods then this is definitely a series you need to go pick up.
So, I have binge finished all available in the series. Highly entertaining but man is Atticus the worst. I don't know if I would have kept reading if not for the secondary characters.
Also? Those covers are top five worst of all time. With the mythology and history, they could have been so cool. Instead, we get some awful headshot of a mess.
Also? Those covers are top five worst of all time. With the mythology and history, they could have been so cool. Instead, we get some awful headshot of a mess.