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The Iron Druid Chronicles #0.5
Clan Rathskeller
This is short story that takes place ten months before the events of "Hounded", the first book in the Iron Druid Chronicles, coming 2011 from Del Rey.
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18 pages, ebook
First published December 1, 2010
14 people are currently reading
5376 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Hearne
75 books12.8k followersKevin is the NYT bestselling author of the Iron Druid Chronicles, as well as The Seven Kennings, an epic fantasy trilogy, and the Tales of Pell, a humorous fantasy series co-authored with Delilah S. Dawson. INK & SIGIL, a new urban fantasy series set in the Iron Druid universe, will be out in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 297 reviews
July 1, 2017
I remember I had this story at the back of Hounded and I decided I wouldn't mind a short funny UF story. It was nice, in the same stlye as the novel. Ok to read if you have it, not worth buying.
February 28, 2020
Note, Feb. 28, 2020: So as not to get committed to too many urban fantasy series, I ultimately decided not to continue with this one; so I've just edited the review to avoid confusion on that point.
On reflection, I reduced my rating to four stars because, while I did really like this short story, calling it "amazing" would be a stretch; I need to be less prodigal with my five-star ratings. But four-and-a-half would be a fair measure, because I did find this a truly good read.
As the short Goodreads description indicates, this is a sort of prequel to the author's Iron Druid series, written after the first novel, but set earlier and published earlier. It's set in modern Tempe, Arizona (which I'm guessing is Hearne's home town, though his profile doesn't say), and features Atticus, a 2,000+ years old "Druid" and his wolfhound Oberon, with whom he shares a telepathic link. (That feature resembles the bond between spacefaring vet Hughes and his dog Victrix in a still unpublished story cycle by Andrew Seddon, which I beta read, though the latter link is the result of neuro-scientific experiments, while here it was no doubt forged by magic.) Atticus needs to keep a low profile, because he's seriously on the bad list of some very dangerous enemies, the Tuatha De' Danann of Celtic mythology (a race which I'd heard of before and which, from my limited reading on the subject, is one that's actually shrouded in a great deal of mystery --scholars don't agree on exactly who or what they were). But that doesn't keep him from crossing paths with the occasional Celtic god, gnome clan, or vicious kobold. :-)
My reading in the "urban fantasy" sub-genre has been confined to the work of Charles de Lint, but I'm interested in branching out. Atticus is an engaging protagonist, smart and wry-mouthed, not reckless but endowed with the same kind of curiosity that killed the proverbial cat, and with a sense of responsibility that trumps his caution and self-interest. Hearne creates a complex magic system that has its costs and limitations (rather than a deus ex machina device that does anything he wants it to), but the explanations of it held my interest and didn't feel like info-dumps. He's an able story-teller, and his actor's narrative voice is richly humorous --a couple of times, it had me laughing or chuckling out loud. The human-dog interactions are enjoyable (okay, Atticus claims not to be "human," but you know what I mean!), and while the story here isn't philosophically or spiritually deep, it's delightful entertainment. There's no sex here, and while there's some bad language (the few obscenities come from half-drunken characters who are meant to --and do-- come across as coarse and stupid) it isn't so extensive as to seriously mar the story or to appear unrealistic.
The only noticeable real flaw here is that Atticus' narrative and speaking voice comes across as too modern and colloquial to be what we'd expect from a character who's lived as long as he has, and whose English would obviously have been learned long before the 21st century. (Vampire narrator Valery's voice, in Krisi Keley's On the Soul series, provides a much more convincing example of how such a person might be expected to speak.) Similarly, where Seddon's Victrix thinks like we might expect a dog to think, Oberon's mental voice sounds more like that of a smart-mouthed human. And though this is the opposite of a flaw, Hearne obviously has a serious knowledge of Celtic mythology; there are points here which will resonate more with readers who share that kind of knowledge more than I do. (For tyros like myself, reading it with a good guide to Celtic myth at your elbow might be a useful idea.) One point I do know, though, is that Druids were simply the priestly intelligentsia of Celtic society; some may have claimed to shape-shift, as Atticus does, but they didn't live for thousands of years and were definitely human. So this might be a lapse in the accuracy of Hearne's use of his mythological background, though I'd like to see more of how he explains this in Hounded. Nonetheless, this is a really entertaining tale, and a great appetizer for the series; definitely recommended!
On reflection, I reduced my rating to four stars because, while I did really like this short story, calling it "amazing" would be a stretch; I need to be less prodigal with my five-star ratings. But four-and-a-half would be a fair measure, because I did find this a truly good read.
As the short Goodreads description indicates, this is a sort of prequel to the author's Iron Druid series, written after the first novel, but set earlier and published earlier. It's set in modern Tempe, Arizona (which I'm guessing is Hearne's home town, though his profile doesn't say), and features Atticus, a 2,000+ years old "Druid" and his wolfhound Oberon, with whom he shares a telepathic link. (That feature resembles the bond between spacefaring vet Hughes and his dog Victrix in a still unpublished story cycle by Andrew Seddon, which I beta read, though the latter link is the result of neuro-scientific experiments, while here it was no doubt forged by magic.) Atticus needs to keep a low profile, because he's seriously on the bad list of some very dangerous enemies, the Tuatha De' Danann of Celtic mythology (a race which I'd heard of before and which, from my limited reading on the subject, is one that's actually shrouded in a great deal of mystery --scholars don't agree on exactly who or what they were). But that doesn't keep him from crossing paths with the occasional Celtic god, gnome clan, or vicious kobold. :-)
My reading in the "urban fantasy" sub-genre has been confined to the work of Charles de Lint, but I'm interested in branching out. Atticus is an engaging protagonist, smart and wry-mouthed, not reckless but endowed with the same kind of curiosity that killed the proverbial cat, and with a sense of responsibility that trumps his caution and self-interest. Hearne creates a complex magic system that has its costs and limitations (rather than a deus ex machina device that does anything he wants it to), but the explanations of it held my interest and didn't feel like info-dumps. He's an able story-teller, and his actor's narrative voice is richly humorous --a couple of times, it had me laughing or chuckling out loud. The human-dog interactions are enjoyable (okay, Atticus claims not to be "human," but you know what I mean!), and while the story here isn't philosophically or spiritually deep, it's delightful entertainment. There's no sex here, and while there's some bad language (the few obscenities come from half-drunken characters who are meant to --and do-- come across as coarse and stupid) it isn't so extensive as to seriously mar the story or to appear unrealistic.
The only noticeable real flaw here is that Atticus' narrative and speaking voice comes across as too modern and colloquial to be what we'd expect from a character who's lived as long as he has, and whose English would obviously have been learned long before the 21st century. (Vampire narrator Valery's voice, in Krisi Keley's On the Soul series, provides a much more convincing example of how such a person might be expected to speak.) Similarly, where Seddon's Victrix thinks like we might expect a dog to think, Oberon's mental voice sounds more like that of a smart-mouthed human. And though this is the opposite of a flaw, Hearne obviously has a serious knowledge of Celtic mythology; there are points here which will resonate more with readers who share that kind of knowledge more than I do. (For tyros like myself, reading it with a good guide to Celtic myth at your elbow might be a useful idea.) One point I do know, though, is that Druids were simply the priestly intelligentsia of Celtic society; some may have claimed to shape-shift, as Atticus does, but they didn't live for thousands of years and were definitely human. So this might be a lapse in the accuracy of Hearne's use of his mythological background, though I'd like to see more of how he explains this in Hounded. Nonetheless, this is a really entertaining tale, and a great appetizer for the series; definitely recommended!
March 9, 2016
Kevin Hearne, you had me at hello. This was my first expeeince with the Iron Druid series.
In July 2014, my family and I took a weeklong trip to Ireland. We visited Dublin, Blarney Castle, Killarney, Castle Bunratty ,the cliffs of Moher, and Galway. We had a wonderful time. For a lifetime I have been interested by all things Gaelic and Celtic and so this tour only heightened my fascination.
And then you created a series of stories about a 21-century-old Irish druid who cavorts with various supernatural folks and who traffics in magic.
You might as well have created a synthetic drug attuned to my DNA. I want to read more and more and more.
I’m buying what you are selling.
I’m picking up what you’re throwing down.
I know, I know. This is not highbrow literature, this is not anything that the Hugo or Nebula folks will be commenting upon. This is fun urban fantasy dredging up old myth and faerie tales.
Clan Rathskeller is a kind of supernatural drug dealer scene involving our hero Atticus, faithful Irish wolfhound Oberon, gnomes, a faerie, a kobold and a member of the Tuatha de Danann, and all happening in the Arizona suburbs.
Fun.
In July 2014, my family and I took a weeklong trip to Ireland. We visited Dublin, Blarney Castle, Killarney, Castle Bunratty ,the cliffs of Moher, and Galway. We had a wonderful time. For a lifetime I have been interested by all things Gaelic and Celtic and so this tour only heightened my fascination.
And then you created a series of stories about a 21-century-old Irish druid who cavorts with various supernatural folks and who traffics in magic.
You might as well have created a synthetic drug attuned to my DNA. I want to read more and more and more.
I’m buying what you are selling.
I’m picking up what you’re throwing down.
I know, I know. This is not highbrow literature, this is not anything that the Hugo or Nebula folks will be commenting upon. This is fun urban fantasy dredging up old myth and faerie tales.
Clan Rathskeller is a kind of supernatural drug dealer scene involving our hero Atticus, faithful Irish wolfhound Oberon, gnomes, a faerie, a kobold and a member of the Tuatha de Danann, and all happening in the Arizona suburbs.
Fun.
May 17, 2024
This is a short story that the author provides through his site. It is part of a series and takes place before the first novel. In this one it is Christmas time and Atticus is out and about when he notices some gnomes. This could only mean that something supernatural is happening and our main character gets involved.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do and I really appreciate him giving this story away for free to his readers. Unfortunately, I did not think it was anything special and it really adds nothing to the overall arc. We get a little quick incident where we get a glimpse into our main character and his dog Oberon who is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. We get to see what this series is about and what it entails. If that is what the author was trying to achieve he should consider it done. The problem is that there is very little depth and really could have used some fleshing out with the new type of characters we meet. This goes for the gnomes as well as the antagonist. Even the humor that I have enjoyed in other offerings from this series was not up to the standards.
I like the idea of a Christmas story as I believe the author was trying to provide us a story similar to when your favorite television show does their holiday episode. I just don't think this story captured the vibe of this series. It can be used as an introduction for readers who are wondering what this series is about. It does give an idea of what this series entails with its take on the supernatural world. Besides for that reason there really is not much here. That being said I look forward to my dive into my next read from this series.
I appreciate what the author was trying to do and I really appreciate him giving this story away for free to his readers. Unfortunately, I did not think it was anything special and it really adds nothing to the overall arc. We get a little quick incident where we get a glimpse into our main character and his dog Oberon who is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. We get to see what this series is about and what it entails. If that is what the author was trying to achieve he should consider it done. The problem is that there is very little depth and really could have used some fleshing out with the new type of characters we meet. This goes for the gnomes as well as the antagonist. Even the humor that I have enjoyed in other offerings from this series was not up to the standards.
I like the idea of a Christmas story as I believe the author was trying to provide us a story similar to when your favorite television show does their holiday episode. I just don't think this story captured the vibe of this series. It can be used as an introduction for readers who are wondering what this series is about. It does give an idea of what this series entails with its take on the supernatural world. Besides for that reason there really is not much here. That being said I look forward to my dive into my next read from this series.
July 1, 2014
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: This is a free short story that takes place ten months before the events of Hounded, the first book in the Iron Druid Chronicles.
My Review: Atticus gets naked in a Christmas-packed Tempe mall, helps Santa's elves (who're actually gnomes on a vendetta) get revenge against a kobold (did you know that Pompeii was destroyed because some kobolds were ticked at a local wizard? neither me, ain't history grand), and kills a faery with a pickup truck.
Oberon, meanwhile, pines for a sandwich, a muffin, some sausage...anything! Anything! Hungry!!
Eighteen pages, maybe 15 minutes to read, and a goodly amount of snorting, giggling, and musing on how much I wish this reality was the one I lived in.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
The Publisher Says: This is a free short story that takes place ten months before the events of Hounded, the first book in the Iron Druid Chronicles.
My Review: Atticus gets naked in a Christmas-packed Tempe mall, helps Santa's elves (who're actually gnomes on a vendetta) get revenge against a kobold (did you know that Pompeii was destroyed because some kobolds were ticked at a local wizard? neither me, ain't history grand), and kills a faery with a pickup truck.
Oberon, meanwhile, pines for a sandwich, a muffin, some sausage...anything! Anything! Hungry!!
Eighteen pages, maybe 15 minutes to read, and a goodly amount of snorting, giggling, and musing on how much I wish this reality was the one I lived in.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
July 7, 2025
Bylo okej, chociaż nieszczególnie wciągające są te nowelki. 2,5⭐
February 13, 2017
This is perfect for Christmas; it's short and sweet and set in the holiday.
Although it's short it has tons of story. Atticus and Oberon are taking in the Christmas sights in Arizona. When he sees some gnomes posing as Santa's elves Atticus knows something is about to happen.
This is a great read by one of my fav authors! I would recommend this series to anyone. Especially if you like fantasy set in todays world. Excellent series!!
Although it's short it has tons of story. Atticus and Oberon are taking in the Christmas sights in Arizona. When he sees some gnomes posing as Santa's elves Atticus knows something is about to happen.
This is a great read by one of my fav authors! I would recommend this series to anyone. Especially if you like fantasy set in todays world. Excellent series!!
June 8, 2016
***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***
First of all I received this short story as a bonus feature to my kindle version of Hounded. I decided to review it separately because I don't like the idea of trying to mesh two stories into the same review.
In this short story Atticus and Oberon, the 2100 Druid and his dog from Hounded are shopping at an outdoor mall where they encounter a group of gnomes and get drawn into the gnomes issues with a kobold. The story is set to occur approximately 10 months before the plot of Hounded.
For a short story this was an excellent read, both entertaining and fast paced. If I was a fan of short stories I'd have probably given this a five stars, I'm more of a novel reader so this was sort of missing the bulk and substance of the novels I prefer. The short story however does include a full story arc, but being a short story, the arc doesn't have the same kind of weight that a novel would. It doesn't have nearly the same importance to the reader compared to the plot in Hounded.
The first person narrative was well written, and considering it's length Hearne did an excellent job of still creating well-rounded and likable characters. In a matter of only a few pages he manages to introduce to the reader a druid, a mind-talking dog, a family of gnomes, a fairy, a god and a kobold. He explains what each being is and kind of where they fit in the magical world quickly, giving the reader enough information to understand the story without burdening the story with too much background. As with Hounded I was enamored with Atticus's smartass voice and Oberon's quick humor.
If you enjoy urban fantasy and like to read short stories, I highly recommend this read.
First of all I received this short story as a bonus feature to my kindle version of Hounded. I decided to review it separately because I don't like the idea of trying to mesh two stories into the same review.
In this short story Atticus and Oberon, the 2100 Druid and his dog from Hounded are shopping at an outdoor mall where they encounter a group of gnomes and get drawn into the gnomes issues with a kobold. The story is set to occur approximately 10 months before the plot of Hounded.
For a short story this was an excellent read, both entertaining and fast paced. If I was a fan of short stories I'd have probably given this a five stars, I'm more of a novel reader so this was sort of missing the bulk and substance of the novels I prefer. The short story however does include a full story arc, but being a short story, the arc doesn't have the same kind of weight that a novel would. It doesn't have nearly the same importance to the reader compared to the plot in Hounded.
The first person narrative was well written, and considering it's length Hearne did an excellent job of still creating well-rounded and likable characters. In a matter of only a few pages he manages to introduce to the reader a druid, a mind-talking dog, a family of gnomes, a fairy, a god and a kobold. He explains what each being is and kind of where they fit in the magical world quickly, giving the reader enough information to understand the story without burdening the story with too much background. As with Hounded I was enamored with Atticus's smartass voice and Oberon's quick humor.
If you enjoy urban fantasy and like to read short stories, I highly recommend this read.
February 27, 2018
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
Clan Rathskeller is a short novella about Atticus O’Sullivan and his loyal – and sometimes snarky – wolfhound Oberon. It is relatively short, humorous, and will mainly appeal to those with an emotional attachment to the two characters of the ongoing series.
For those unfamiliar with The Iron Druid Chronicles, the stories spotlight twenty-one-centuries-old Atticus, the last of the ancient druids. He lives a rather uncomplicated life in Tempe, Arizona as the owner of an occult bookstore and tries to behave as a normal, twenty-something, single man. The only complications arise when ancient Celtic gods, goddesses, and mystical creatures start involving him in their problems, then things get really crazy, really quickly.
Here Atticus and Oberon are hanging out in a shopping area in Phoenix during Christmas time. They are minding their own business, walking around taking in the sights and sounds of the holiday when Atticus notices that Santa’s elves are actually gnomes! When these little guys mistake him for someone they are supposed to meet for a swap of mystical items, he politely corrects their error but then hangs around to see exactly what is going on.
From this setup, Mr. Hearne delivers a nice adventure story, filled with gods, mystical creatures, and Atticus and Oberon’s always funny conversation. Clan Rathskeller doesn’t really add anything to the ongoing series or the characters, but it is a fine urban fantasy novella to pass a little time with.
Clan Rathskeller is a short novella about Atticus O’Sullivan and his loyal – and sometimes snarky – wolfhound Oberon. It is relatively short, humorous, and will mainly appeal to those with an emotional attachment to the two characters of the ongoing series.
For those unfamiliar with The Iron Druid Chronicles, the stories spotlight twenty-one-centuries-old Atticus, the last of the ancient druids. He lives a rather uncomplicated life in Tempe, Arizona as the owner of an occult bookstore and tries to behave as a normal, twenty-something, single man. The only complications arise when ancient Celtic gods, goddesses, and mystical creatures start involving him in their problems, then things get really crazy, really quickly.
Here Atticus and Oberon are hanging out in a shopping area in Phoenix during Christmas time. They are minding their own business, walking around taking in the sights and sounds of the holiday when Atticus notices that Santa’s elves are actually gnomes! When these little guys mistake him for someone they are supposed to meet for a swap of mystical items, he politely corrects their error but then hangs around to see exactly what is going on.
From this setup, Mr. Hearne delivers a nice adventure story, filled with gods, mystical creatures, and Atticus and Oberon’s always funny conversation. Clan Rathskeller doesn’t really add anything to the ongoing series or the characters, but it is a fine urban fantasy novella to pass a little time with.
November 8, 2014
I read this before & it's a pretty good short prequel to the series. Luke Daniels read this well enough except I HATE Oberon's (the Irish Wolf hound) voice. It's awful.
My review of the ebook edition is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of the ebook edition is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
May 12, 2018
Hearne's writing style reminds me very much of Patricia Briggs. Probably why I'm enjoying this series so much!
November 8, 2014
This short story was a great introduction to the series & was available for free on the author's site. He definitely got me interested in his series, The Iron Druid Chronicles. It is a prequel to the series, but introduces everything without bogging down. There was plenty of action & it left me wanting more, although this particular adventure was well wrapped up. What more could you want? Excellent.
Go here for the story:
http://www.kevinhearne.com/wp-content...
My 3 star review of the audio edition is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Go here for the story:
http://www.kevinhearne.com/wp-content...
My 3 star review of the audio edition is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 5, 2011
**3.5**
Very nicely sets the scene and establishes the main characters. With a helping of Dresden-esque humor, this introduction ups my interest in the series!
Very nicely sets the scene and establishes the main characters. With a helping of Dresden-esque humor, this introduction ups my interest in the series!
May 21, 2017
I missed this one earlier when I got back to this series and it was a fun romp with Atticus and Oberon before the events of book one, Hounded. Atticus sets out to try a new Irish pup and gets himself involved with gnomes and a kobold.
March 26, 2012
Oh, Atticus. There is nothing like a little short story to remind us of what makes you so hilarious and awesome. For anyone familiar with The Iron Druid Chronicles but not quite familiar with this story, Clan Rathskeller takes place ten months prior to the first book (Hounded). We see Atticus in Tempe, just strolling through a mall with his witty sidekick, Oberon, when he runs into trouble.
Well that's not new. Attitucs has a trouble magnet strong enough to make the North/South Poles jealous. It's how he gets himself out of trouble that makes him such an entertainment to read about. Atticus never fails to make a reader laugh, or want to slap a hand over their face and cry "Oi!" This adventure is no exclusion.
This short story delivers a hard punch in the gut that has us tearing up right away, and it's not from pain (though some parts might make you wince in embarrassment), but from too much laughter. Now, don't get me wrong, Atticus isn't slap-stick funny. He's witty, sarcastic, and unconventional at times. He finds creative ways to solve problems that get the job done, even if it means he has to be indecent in public along the way.
Oh yes, we get to see Atticus in all his glory, as he works his Druid magic and as he waves his meat and two veggies out in the open air. Who can't laugh at such a scene? There's nothing like a naked man streaking right past your eyes to make you stop and do a shocked double take.
Clan Rathskeller is fast-paced and charged with equal parts action and humor. If you're looking for something to make your day better, this short story will definitely do the trick. If you want to refuel on your Atticus/Oberon loving, this will top you off nicely too. It probably even makes for an excellent "introduction" to the whole Iron Druid series for someone who has never read the books before. There's just enough of all the major elements that make Atticus and Oberon so lovable to let a new reader get a good taste of what the series it like.
Overall: 5 out of 5
Well that's not new. Attitucs has a trouble magnet strong enough to make the North/South Poles jealous. It's how he gets himself out of trouble that makes him such an entertainment to read about. Atticus never fails to make a reader laugh, or want to slap a hand over their face and cry "Oi!" This adventure is no exclusion.
This short story delivers a hard punch in the gut that has us tearing up right away, and it's not from pain (though some parts might make you wince in embarrassment), but from too much laughter. Now, don't get me wrong, Atticus isn't slap-stick funny. He's witty, sarcastic, and unconventional at times. He finds creative ways to solve problems that get the job done, even if it means he has to be indecent in public along the way.
Oh yes, we get to see Atticus in all his glory, as he works his Druid magic and as he waves his meat and two veggies out in the open air. Who can't laugh at such a scene? There's nothing like a naked man streaking right past your eyes to make you stop and do a shocked double take.
Clan Rathskeller is fast-paced and charged with equal parts action and humor. If you're looking for something to make your day better, this short story will definitely do the trick. If you want to refuel on your Atticus/Oberon loving, this will top you off nicely too. It probably even makes for an excellent "introduction" to the whole Iron Druid series for someone who has never read the books before. There's just enough of all the major elements that make Atticus and Oberon so lovable to let a new reader get a good taste of what the series it like.
Overall: 5 out of 5
May 31, 2016
I usually never enjoy companion novellas, but this one was something else.
Atticus, I have only one thing to tell you:
The story is pretty sort, but it's still funny and action-packed.
You know how drug dealers give you first fix for free so you'll come back wanting for more? Well they must've been attending the same business classes as Kevin Hearne.
This story is a free piece you can find on his website and it WILL make crave more. More Atticus, more Oberon, more magic.
Yeah, you can call me a junkie right now. My mother would've been really proud.
Yeah, so now you know. I have a crush on 2000yo druid. Whatever, Don't you dare judge me!
Atticus, I have only one thing to tell you:
The story is pretty sort, but it's still funny and action-packed.
You know how drug dealers give you first fix for free so you'll come back wanting for more? Well they must've been attending the same business classes as Kevin Hearne.
This story is a free piece you can find on his website and it WILL make crave more. More Atticus, more Oberon, more magic.
Yeah, you can call me a junkie right now. My mother would've been really proud.
Yeah, so now you know. I have a crush on 2000yo druid. Whatever, Don't you dare judge me!
May 3, 2011
This short story is a prequel to HOUNDED, so I was very interested in checking it out. And it didn't disappoint, because for being such a short story it packs quite a powerful punch.
Atticus and Oberon are wandering around Tempe Marketplace when they both notice something is wrong. And what first appears to be an odd situation with a bunch of Santa's elves, soon becomes something very dark and dangerous.
I think it's a great introduction to Atticus (which I'm already intrigued about), Oberon (an awesomely interesting Irish wolfhound), and several other races in this world. It's very well written and drew me right into the heart of the story. It's also action-packed, and now I can't wait to read the first book in this series. Loved it!
Atticus and Oberon are wandering around Tempe Marketplace when they both notice something is wrong. And what first appears to be an odd situation with a bunch of Santa's elves, soon becomes something very dark and dangerous.
I think it's a great introduction to Atticus (which I'm already intrigued about), Oberon (an awesomely interesting Irish wolfhound), and several other races in this world. It's very well written and drew me right into the heart of the story. It's also action-packed, and now I can't wait to read the first book in this series. Loved it!
October 19, 2011
OMG! This is soooo funny... I was laughing every other minute!
November 18, 2011
Great short story, this series is a lot of fun. Oberon is really funny, love their dynamic.
August 1, 2017
I fun short story, which I enjoyed free with book one.
August 22, 2014
Kevin Hearne's sense of humor definitely jives with mine... I am digging these "prequel" short stories and can't wait for book one! :)
November 22, 2013
I can imagine that if I had read this as my introduction to The Druid, I would have been looking forward to getting my teeth into the series. A great preview of what the series is all about.
December 27, 2011
A very fun little story, aptly demonstrating how well Atticus and Oberon can banter!
January 5, 2022
The second short story at the beginning of the Iron Druid Chronicles.
This one takes place at the most festive time of the year (Christmas) in the most festive place you can go to (the Tempe Arizona Mall). Atticus and Oberon get reluctantly involved in a scuffle when they try to prevent the exchange of some illegal items. I loved the gnomes in this one.
This one takes place at the most festive time of the year (Christmas) in the most festive place you can go to (the Tempe Arizona Mall). Atticus and Oberon get reluctantly involved in a scuffle when they try to prevent the exchange of some illegal items. I loved the gnomes in this one.
September 10, 2017
he runs around naked way too much.
March 18, 2018
Meh. On the boring side and way too short. It was ok, story really didn't hold my attention tho.
October 24, 2018
Oh, this made me giggle. It was so silly. I was reading this in late October and I wasn't in a Christmas-y mood before, but I am now.
July 21, 2019
This story takes place ten months before the events of Hounded.
This is a reread of this series, and I had forgotten how fun it is! If you're reading the series in chronological order, you should have read The Grimoire of the Lamb and met Atticus O'Sullivan and his Irish wolfhound, Oberon. If not...
Atticus is the last of the Druids, living in Tempe, Arizona for the last ten years. He owns Third Eye Books and Herbs, a rare book & antiquities store. His primary responsibility as a Druid is to protect the earth’s elementals from any sort of magical attack. Through the centuries, he created a cold iron amulet, which he bound to his aura. It also carries 10 charms, enabling him to cast certain spells immediately, including a bear charm that stores energy from the Earth allowing him to replenish his power, a healing charm, charms for the four animal forms he can bind himself to, one that allows him to see in the magic realm, and one for night vision. When injured or in need of replenishing his power, he must place his tattoos in direct contact with the Earth. Though over two thousand years old, he looks like he's twenty one, using that and an affected clueless-American tone. He's got a wicked sense of humor, the books full of sarcasm, jokes, and mockery. The conversations between Atticus and Oberon are hilarious, often causing me to laugh out loud.
Oberon is an Irish wolfhound, whose consciousness has been bound to Atticus's.Oberon gradually picked up language from the link with Atticus and is great about picking up new words, improving his speech all the time. When he wants to tell him something, he says it in his mind, and Atticus hears it in his. He has difficulty holding on to concepts of time, and any number larger than twenty was simply “a lot” to him. His remarks are one of the best parts of the books.
In this amusing short story, Atticus and Oberon are spending time at an open air mall before Christmas, the Tempe Marketplace, a sprawling shopping area anchored by a large cinema and some big-box stores. Located near the cinema there are smaller retailers and a host of restaurants. A stage for performances of live music during the weekend was nearby, currently held Santa and his elves.
Oberon, in his self appointed task of identifying all the scents around, smells something wrong. Santa's "elves", five of them, are truly a different species, having an aura identifying them as gnomes. Gnomes shouldn't be near humans, they despise them. and have as little to do with them as possible. For five of them to be out in public, they were extremely upset. Only one was actually helping Santa, the others looking around, watching the crowd. Atticus is uncertain whether he should intervene in whatever it is the gnomes are doing and has Oberon deliver a message on a napkin that calls one of the gnomes over.
The gnome mistakes Atticus for the person they were waiting for, alerting Atticus that meant they were waiting for one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Irish gods from whom he was hiding. It is easy to mistake Atticus as one of them as originally they were mere Druids, like Atticus, and were bound to the earth through their tattoos, which Atticus shares. He quickly finds out Goibhniu is the god the gnomes are waiting for and that he is helping them retrieve the Draught of Unending Strength. The gnomes are all that remains of Clan Rathskeller, the finest brewers of the gnomes. In danger of extinction, for fifty years they worked on a kingly gift for the meister of Clan Fruchtbar: the Draught of Unending Strength, to be exchanged for five brides. It was stolen by a faery and Kohlenherz, who turns out to be a kobold.
Curious, Atticus hides himself to watch the exchange. He bound himself to the form of a great horned owl, one of four animal shapes he could take. A charm on his necklace serves as magic storage, and it was half empty now. The necklace was a piece of work Atticus crafted over many centuries, and would shrink or grow depending on the form I took. Shape-shifting takes quite a bit of energy, and maintaining camouflage would continue to be a drain on the remainder. He can only replenish his energy by having direct contact of his tattoos with the earth, and therefore will have very little power if needed.
Goibhniu enters the market place and sits in one of the open air bars, setting a steel thermos on the table. Soon after a disguised faery joins him, carrying a large burlap sack slungover his back. (Faeries are descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann, born in Tír na nÓg and are beings of pure magic, meaning they can't stand the touch of iron. Cold iron, the iron from meteorites, unbound from the world’s magic, is the worst. It’s why Atticus wears a cold iron amulet in the center of his necklace.) Goibhniu and the kobold, hidden in the sack carried by the faery, exchange tastes of two liquids, one amber (Goibhniu's own brew) and one silver, which must be the stolen gnome drink. Kobolds are the nemesis of gnomes. Kobolds are bound to the deeper forces of violence and upheaval in the earth, where as the gnomes serve the forces of growth and nurturing. Goibhniu trades the steel thermos for a solid gold flask, stamped on the outside with gnomish script and encrusted with gleaming gems. Goibhniu then holds the golden flask out into space, which was a signal for the gnomes to attack.
Thinking the gnomes wouldn't be able to catch the faery, Atticus decides to intervene after some internal debate. The Tempe Marketplace is close to a quarry, and given how well kobolds can navigate underground, Atticus figures that's were they are going. A short fight eliminates the faery, mainly due to him refusing to do as Kohleherz told him because of the iron bound to Atticus's aura, and causing the kobold, realizing he can't directly injure Atticus with his spells, to throw him at a coming car.
To prevent Atticus from continuing to block his way, Kohleherz casts a spell at the driver of the truck, causing Atticus to catch him. He then became involved in a moving battle with the gnomes, who’d finally caught up enough to use their own magic. They were trying to bind the kobold but he was deflecting every attempt, though he had no time to counterattack, something there really wasn't a need for, as long as he could keep making progress toward the quarry. Having taken a can of tobacco from the unconscious truck driver, Atticus throws it at the kobold, creating a distraction long enough for the gnomes to bind him. Atticus kept running as the gnomes piled on to the kobold to make him pay physically.
The story ends with Atticus returning to pick up Oberon (whom he dislikes taking into a fight and had left camouflaged elsewhere) while the gnomes took care of Kohleherz, and Oberon wanting Santa to bring him sausage for Christmas.
This is a reread of this series, and I had forgotten how fun it is! If you're reading the series in chronological order, you should have read The Grimoire of the Lamb and met Atticus O'Sullivan and his Irish wolfhound, Oberon. If not...
Atticus is the last of the Druids, living in Tempe, Arizona for the last ten years. He owns Third Eye Books and Herbs, a rare book & antiquities store. His primary responsibility as a Druid is to protect the earth’s elementals from any sort of magical attack. Through the centuries, he created a cold iron amulet, which he bound to his aura. It also carries 10 charms, enabling him to cast certain spells immediately, including a bear charm that stores energy from the Earth allowing him to replenish his power, a healing charm, charms for the four animal forms he can bind himself to, one that allows him to see in the magic realm, and one for night vision. When injured or in need of replenishing his power, he must place his tattoos in direct contact with the Earth. Though over two thousand years old, he looks like he's twenty one, using that and an affected clueless-American tone. He's got a wicked sense of humor, the books full of sarcasm, jokes, and mockery. The conversations between Atticus and Oberon are hilarious, often causing me to laugh out loud.
Oberon is an Irish wolfhound, whose consciousness has been bound to Atticus's.Oberon gradually picked up language from the link with Atticus and is great about picking up new words, improving his speech all the time. When he wants to tell him something, he says it in his mind, and Atticus hears it in his. He has difficulty holding on to concepts of time, and any number larger than twenty was simply “a lot” to him. His remarks are one of the best parts of the books.
In this amusing short story, Atticus and Oberon are spending time at an open air mall before Christmas, the Tempe Marketplace, a sprawling shopping area anchored by a large cinema and some big-box stores. Located near the cinema there are smaller retailers and a host of restaurants. A stage for performances of live music during the weekend was nearby, currently held Santa and his elves.
Oberon, in his self appointed task of identifying all the scents around, smells something wrong. Santa's "elves", five of them, are truly a different species, having an aura identifying them as gnomes. Gnomes shouldn't be near humans, they despise them. and have as little to do with them as possible. For five of them to be out in public, they were extremely upset. Only one was actually helping Santa, the others looking around, watching the crowd. Atticus is uncertain whether he should intervene in whatever it is the gnomes are doing and has Oberon deliver a message on a napkin that calls one of the gnomes over.
The gnome mistakes Atticus for the person they were waiting for, alerting Atticus that meant they were waiting for one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Irish gods from whom he was hiding. It is easy to mistake Atticus as one of them as originally they were mere Druids, like Atticus, and were bound to the earth through their tattoos, which Atticus shares. He quickly finds out Goibhniu is the god the gnomes are waiting for and that he is helping them retrieve the Draught of Unending Strength. The gnomes are all that remains of Clan Rathskeller, the finest brewers of the gnomes. In danger of extinction, for fifty years they worked on a kingly gift for the meister of Clan Fruchtbar: the Draught of Unending Strength, to be exchanged for five brides. It was stolen by a faery and Kohlenherz, who turns out to be a kobold.
Curious, Atticus hides himself to watch the exchange. He bound himself to the form of a great horned owl, one of four animal shapes he could take. A charm on his necklace serves as magic storage, and it was half empty now. The necklace was a piece of work Atticus crafted over many centuries, and would shrink or grow depending on the form I took. Shape-shifting takes quite a bit of energy, and maintaining camouflage would continue to be a drain on the remainder. He can only replenish his energy by having direct contact of his tattoos with the earth, and therefore will have very little power if needed.
Goibhniu enters the market place and sits in one of the open air bars, setting a steel thermos on the table. Soon after a disguised faery joins him, carrying a large burlap sack slungover his back. (Faeries are descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann, born in Tír na nÓg and are beings of pure magic, meaning they can't stand the touch of iron. Cold iron, the iron from meteorites, unbound from the world’s magic, is the worst. It’s why Atticus wears a cold iron amulet in the center of his necklace.) Goibhniu and the kobold, hidden in the sack carried by the faery, exchange tastes of two liquids, one amber (Goibhniu's own brew) and one silver, which must be the stolen gnome drink. Kobolds are the nemesis of gnomes. Kobolds are bound to the deeper forces of violence and upheaval in the earth, where as the gnomes serve the forces of growth and nurturing. Goibhniu trades the steel thermos for a solid gold flask, stamped on the outside with gnomish script and encrusted with gleaming gems. Goibhniu then holds the golden flask out into space, which was a signal for the gnomes to attack.
Thinking the gnomes wouldn't be able to catch the faery, Atticus decides to intervene after some internal debate. The Tempe Marketplace is close to a quarry, and given how well kobolds can navigate underground, Atticus figures that's were they are going. A short fight eliminates the faery, mainly due to him refusing to do as Kohleherz told him because of the iron bound to Atticus's aura, and causing the kobold, realizing he can't directly injure Atticus with his spells, to throw him at a coming car.
To prevent Atticus from continuing to block his way, Kohleherz casts a spell at the driver of the truck, causing Atticus to catch him. He then became involved in a moving battle with the gnomes, who’d finally caught up enough to use their own magic. They were trying to bind the kobold but he was deflecting every attempt, though he had no time to counterattack, something there really wasn't a need for, as long as he could keep making progress toward the quarry. Having taken a can of tobacco from the unconscious truck driver, Atticus throws it at the kobold, creating a distraction long enough for the gnomes to bind him. Atticus kept running as the gnomes piled on to the kobold to make him pay physically.
The story ends with Atticus returning to pick up Oberon (whom he dislikes taking into a fight and had left camouflaged elsewhere) while the gnomes took care of Kohleherz, and Oberon wanting Santa to bring him sausage for Christmas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2015
Short story (less than 50 ebook pages) which can be found at the end Hounded.
If ever I was to have an animal side-kick I would want an Oberon. He's sharp, witty and had me in fits throughout this whole read. I mean how can you not fall in love with him, just look!
Ok if I was to met a true Irish Wolfhound I would probably freak - they're huge! Hmm, somehow I think this statement would disappoint Oberon.
But on a more serious note I won't feel comfortable recommending this as a stand alone if you are not invested in the Iron Druid series. It won't be fair on you the reader, neither will it do true justice to the author Kevin Hearne.
However, I did thoroughly enjoy this read. It has brilliant one liners, a threat of survival and an epic demise.
Happy Reading
LB
If ever I was to have an animal side-kick I would want an Oberon. He's sharp, witty and had me in fits throughout this whole read. I mean how can you not fall in love with him, just look!
Ok if I was to met a true Irish Wolfhound I would probably freak - they're huge! Hmm, somehow I think this statement would disappoint Oberon.
But on a more serious note I won't feel comfortable recommending this as a stand alone if you are not invested in the Iron Druid series. It won't be fair on you the reader, neither will it do true justice to the author Kevin Hearne.
However, I did thoroughly enjoy this read. It has brilliant one liners, a threat of survival and an epic demise.
Happy Reading
LB
December 25, 2011
This is a short story that takes place a little bit before the events in the first book Hounded. It was very quickly paced but still full of action and humor of course (thanks to the always hilarious Oberon). Basically it revolves around a clan of gnomes hiding amongst the humans while waiting for a showdown between their enemies. And to blend in the gnomes are playacting as little people dressed as elves in Santa's village! And you have to love Oberon's take on this!
Oberon - "You’re telling me those are gnomes pretending to be dwarfs pretending to be elves? Are you trying to play Six Degrees of Bilbo Baggins again?"
All in all its a pretty good story with some new species to learn about, and laughs to be had!
Oberon - "You’re telling me those are gnomes pretending to be dwarfs pretending to be elves? Are you trying to play Six Degrees of Bilbo Baggins again?"
All in all its a pretty good story with some new species to learn about, and laughs to be had!
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