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Junkyard Druid Novellas #4
Blood Ties
Best-selling urban fantasy and paranormal suspense author M. D. Massey invites listeners back to the world of the Junkyard Druid for his second short story collection! This 35,000-word volume features even more characters from the Colin McCool series, starring in three separate novelette-length stories:
Old Ghosts
When Colin plants a tree to commemorate a fallen friend, he discovers that a gift from a Celtic god can be a blessing and a curse both...and that some old ghosts are best left to the grave.
The Goblin King
Simon "Derp" Martin just wants to be taken seriously by everyone - and most especially by his idol, the druid Colin McCool. So when he sees a chance to impress his would-be mentor in all things mystical, Derp jumps at the opportunity...evil clown gods be damned.
Going Under
Hemi Waara isn’t any normal Maori warrior - he’s the son of the goddess of death and night. When he dies and gets sent to the Maori underworld, his only worry is making it back to his mother’s realm so she can resurrect him. But the evil gods of the underworld have other plans....
Order your copy of this exciting, action-packed story collection today, and delve deeper into the urban fantasy mythology behind the world of the Junkyard Druid. Grab your copy today!
Old Ghosts
When Colin plants a tree to commemorate a fallen friend, he discovers that a gift from a Celtic god can be a blessing and a curse both...and that some old ghosts are best left to the grave.
The Goblin King
Simon "Derp" Martin just wants to be taken seriously by everyone - and most especially by his idol, the druid Colin McCool. So when he sees a chance to impress his would-be mentor in all things mystical, Derp jumps at the opportunity...evil clown gods be damned.
Going Under
Hemi Waara isn’t any normal Maori warrior - he’s the son of the goddess of death and night. When he dies and gets sent to the Maori underworld, his only worry is making it back to his mother’s realm so she can resurrect him. But the evil gods of the underworld have other plans....
Order your copy of this exciting, action-packed story collection today, and delve deeper into the urban fantasy mythology behind the world of the Junkyard Druid. Grab your copy today!
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2018
129 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
M.D. Massey
65 books564 followersM.D. Massey describes himself as the prototypical INTJ. His eclectic background provides him with a rich tapestry of experiences to draw on when crafting fiction, as evidenced by the believable worlds and relatable characters he creates.
As a former Army combat medic (91B), professional martial arts instructor (Krav Maga, JKD, FMA), and women's self-defense instructor, he possesses a unique understanding of close combat, firearms, and criminal violence that few authors can match. This knowledge provides an element of realism to the Druidverse™ novels, setting them apart from other fantasy series.
Mr. Massey lives in the Texas Hill Country with his family and a huge American bulldog that keeps him company while he writes. When he's not in his office or at the local coffee shop writing, you can find him in his garage pummeling inanimate objects or knife-fighting with his friends.
As a former Army combat medic (91B), professional martial arts instructor (Krav Maga, JKD, FMA), and women's self-defense instructor, he possesses a unique understanding of close combat, firearms, and criminal violence that few authors can match. This knowledge provides an element of realism to the Druidverse™ novels, setting them apart from other fantasy series.
Mr. Massey lives in the Texas Hill Country with his family and a huge American bulldog that keeps him company while he writes. When he's not in his office or at the local coffee shop writing, you can find him in his garage pummeling inanimate objects or knife-fighting with his friends.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 8, 2018
!!SERIES SPOILERS ALERT!!
Story #1 - Old Ghosts.
"In which Colin discovers a gift from a Celtic God is a mixed blessing"
My rating/thoughts - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great side story about the birth of Colin's druids grove and the Jesse dryad, very cool and rather action packed thanks to an unexpected visit from Lugh.
Story #2 - The Goblin King.
"In which Derp learns why stalking a yokai is not a good idea, and once more encounters the juggalo goblins"
My rating/thoughts - ⭐⭐⭐⭐. Another great story that fills in the gap when Deep goes missing for the second time and falls in with those bloody juggalo goblins again, the same goblin clan that worship a clown god and tried to sacrifice Deep and Kenny in their previous outing with Colin.
Story #3 - Going Under.
"In which Hemi dies and is transported to the Maori underworld"
My rating/thoughts - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Yaaay finally, despite his tragic, and really annoying, death Hemi is baaaaad! And boy, have I missed that Maori demigod....so much and Colin's story feels like something huge is missing with his massive best mate missing! This brilliant tale telling us the story of Hemi's adventure in the Underworld as he fights to get to his mother (who is a Maori Underworld deity herself) for hopeful resurrection to his body. It's simply excellent!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2018
Quick but good
Great back stories to fill in blanks left from the other junkyard Druid books. I especially enjoyed the way other characters saw Colin.
Great back stories to fill in blanks left from the other junkyard Druid books. I especially enjoyed the way other characters saw Colin.
August 24, 2018
This author has done it again with his captivating stories that is another one of his series bound into a single book for us to enjoy. The Junkyard Druid and his friends had me turning pages as "Deryp," fights through his terrors and comes out in the end. Hemi has fascinated me from the first time he was introduced and finally we get to read more about him and then there is Colin's dead girlfriend and his oak tree. Now we must wait to find out what happens to Colin. A great bundle to read for entertainment in the "Dog days of summer."
January 6, 2019
• Title: Blood Ties
• Author: M.D. Massey
• Series: Colin McCool Book 5.5 / Druid Novellas Book 4
• Pages: 174
• Genre: Urban Fantasy
• Rating Out of 5 Stars: 4
“Poison often comes wrapped in pretty paper”
My Thoughts: I***SPOLIERS***I
I really enjoyed this little collection of short stories. Massey gives us a peak into what happened with some of the more entertaining side characters from the last couple books. We get to see more character growth that hasn’t really been shown in the main narrative. I would advise reading this before you jump into Druid Enforcer but it’s not necessary. It will just give you a better jump on the opening storyline.
My favorite of the three is what transpired after Hemi died in Underhill and his journey to being resurrected again. Of all the side characters Hemi is probably my favorite and it was a treat to get to get some one-on-one time with him.
• Author: M.D. Massey
• Series: Colin McCool Book 5.5 / Druid Novellas Book 4
• Pages: 174
• Genre: Urban Fantasy
• Rating Out of 5 Stars: 4
“Poison often comes wrapped in pretty paper”
My Thoughts: I***SPOLIERS***I
I really enjoyed this little collection of short stories. Massey gives us a peak into what happened with some of the more entertaining side characters from the last couple books. We get to see more character growth that hasn’t really been shown in the main narrative. I would advise reading this before you jump into Druid Enforcer but it’s not necessary. It will just give you a better jump on the opening storyline.
My favorite of the three is what transpired after Hemi died in Underhill and his journey to being resurrected again. Of all the side characters Hemi is probably my favorite and it was a treat to get to get some one-on-one time with him.
October 14, 2018
New Mythos Encorporated
Most of this book revolves around a spirit-journey to return Hemi's body to its rightful resting place.
Starts off with a redux of minor characters Kenny & Derp from previous book who return to organize a battle-of-the bands for various fey/mythic creatures in hopes of helping on goblin tribe regain their mojo. I guess this was comic relief?
Along the way Colin meets and falls in love with Makutu, a Demi-goddess perhaps miscast into a dark roll in the pantheon.
The new mythos is a Maori / Southern Seas mashup, with some Hawaiin sounding stuff mixed in for good measure (I'm guessing here)
Most of this book revolves around a spirit-journey to return Hemi's body to its rightful resting place.
Starts off with a redux of minor characters Kenny & Derp from previous book who return to organize a battle-of-the bands for various fey/mythic creatures in hopes of helping on goblin tribe regain their mojo. I guess this was comic relief?
Along the way Colin meets and falls in love with Makutu, a Demi-goddess perhaps miscast into a dark roll in the pantheon.
The new mythos is a Maori / Southern Seas mashup, with some Hawaiin sounding stuff mixed in for good measure (I'm guessing here)
November 13, 2018
Great collection of short stories
Another wonderful collection of short stories in the Junkyard Druid universe to fill in some of the gaps and side stories. Mary's short stories are wonderful for filling in the inn points for his supporting cast, and these are no different than the lady set in that. Well written and stl thought as with the lady ones too augment the supporting characters.
Another wonderful collection of short stories in the Junkyard Druid universe to fill in some of the gaps and side stories. Mary's short stories are wonderful for filling in the inn points for his supporting cast, and these are no different than the lady set in that. Well written and stl thought as with the lady ones too augment the supporting characters.
November 3, 2020
OMG, I absolutely LOVED this Novella so much!!!
I went straight here when I realized I had started Book 6 and then it mentioned stuff I hadn't read about yet and I was like "lemme check Goodreads to see if there is a novella and bam, there was so I quit reading Druid Enforcer at Chapter 2 to read this one."
So nice to be reading about Colin's friends too.
With this done, onwards back to Druid Enforcer!
Can't wait for the next Novella!
I went straight here when I realized I had started Book 6 and then it mentioned stuff I hadn't read about yet and I was like "lemme check Goodreads to see if there is a novella and bam, there was so I quit reading Druid Enforcer at Chapter 2 to read this one."
So nice to be reading about Colin's friends too.
With this done, onwards back to Druid Enforcer!
Can't wait for the next Novella!
November 13, 2018
Great stories in the Junkyard Druid series. The five stars only apply if you are reading the series. Two of the three stories fill interesting holes in the series, one with Colin's old girlfriend appearing as a dryad and one with his friend Hemi's return from the underworld.
All told well done and interesting side lights into the world of the characters.
All told well done and interesting side lights into the world of the characters.
August 27, 2018
Another fine little installment. These short stories further delve into the events that have taken place in the main books in this series. It's nice to know what the other characters in this series are thinking and going through. It's a great cast. And a nice change to get to know more characters in "The World Beneath."
November 16, 2018
Nice
Great to have some backstory to events mentioned in book 7. Would be nice to have something mentioned so I didn't read it out of order
Great to have some backstory to events mentioned in book 7. Would be nice to have something mentioned so I didn't read it out of order
May 30, 2019
Fun fluff.
December 7, 2019
Great series
I love the backstory that novellas and short stories provide. Tho s collection is another good example. Give the Junkyard Druid series a try.
I love the backstory that novellas and short stories provide. Tho s collection is another good example. Give the Junkyard Druid series a try.
June 14, 2021
Hemi is a wonderful character and getting more of him was a pleasure and pushed this set of stories over the top for me.
June 28, 2022
I love these novellas, they definitely add to the character backgrounds. Well worth the read.
May 3, 2023
Fun short stories! It definitely fills in some gaps on the main storyline. Good for fast short reads of action fantasy and plain fun reading.
Read
August 19, 2018The Gods Cannot Be Trusted
Especially the Celtic Gods. They'll look straight into your face and tell you things so sincerely, while behind your back, they're pulling off this, that or the other dirty trick. M. D. Massey not only knows this, but he shows it in "Old Ghosts". A Druid's Grove, in this day and age, is so rare as to be considered extinct. But, when aspiring druid Colin McCool plants an acorn on a friend's grave, he winds up in the middle of the birth of a new Grove. Now he's wondering if he should've used an ordinary acorn instead of the magical one he got from the Dagda, father of all the Druids. Not only was the birth of the Grove nearly his undoing…not even druids can breathe mud…but he lost a whole chunk of time and now he can't remember where he is, how he got there, or how Jesse got back. Sometimes, even when you win…you lose.
In "The Goblin King" we find out that either Colin was never an average teen-ager, or he's completely forgotten what teen aged boys are like. After all, you don't just tell two 14 year olds to stay out of trouble and then leave them to their own devices…not when you've just confirmed that magic is actually real. Especially not when those two boys are fanatic Harry Potter fans, and very unrealistic nerds to boot. Irresponsible and highly prone to acting upon their own half-baked ideas and it's no wonder their idea of staying out of trouble bears no resemblance to Colin's definition of the same. You'd think they'd've learned their lesson after Colin rescued them from being sacrificed to the goblins clown god. But, the boys think they need to prove something to Colin, and go poking about in not just goblin affairs, but also in Colin's (highly dangerous) business with the yōkai. Can Colin save them from themselves this time, or will they meet a sad end before he can come to the rescue?
Which brings us to "Going Under", the final story in this volume. For some people, death comes as easily as falling asleep and peacefully slipping away, never to awaken again. For others, death is a long, drawn out and painful affair, at the end of which, death comes as a relief. This is especially true when the death is caused by the protracted violence caused by a fall from a really high cliff, hitting every rock and protuberance on the way down before you reach the bottom. Just ask Colin's Maori friend, Hemi Waara. Of course, it's a lot harder to kill a demi-god, especially one whose mother is a goddess of the underworld. But even so…that sudden stop is still a real killer. All that aside, Hemi only has to go through the underworld to his mother's realm so she can put his spirit back in his body and bring him back to life. Wait…did I say 'ONLY'? Dying was the easy part.
And, once again, M. D. Massey has spun some fine and interesting tales which admirably flesh out the world of Colin McCool, of Junkyard Druid fame. If you're fond of urban fantasy, you won't want to miss these three magical tales of mayhem and mythology.
Especially the Celtic Gods. They'll look straight into your face and tell you things so sincerely, while behind your back, they're pulling off this, that or the other dirty trick. M. D. Massey not only knows this, but he shows it in "Old Ghosts". A Druid's Grove, in this day and age, is so rare as to be considered extinct. But, when aspiring druid Colin McCool plants an acorn on a friend's grave, he winds up in the middle of the birth of a new Grove. Now he's wondering if he should've used an ordinary acorn instead of the magical one he got from the Dagda, father of all the Druids. Not only was the birth of the Grove nearly his undoing…not even druids can breathe mud…but he lost a whole chunk of time and now he can't remember where he is, how he got there, or how Jesse got back. Sometimes, even when you win…you lose.
In "The Goblin King" we find out that either Colin was never an average teen-ager, or he's completely forgotten what teen aged boys are like. After all, you don't just tell two 14 year olds to stay out of trouble and then leave them to their own devices…not when you've just confirmed that magic is actually real. Especially not when those two boys are fanatic Harry Potter fans, and very unrealistic nerds to boot. Irresponsible and highly prone to acting upon their own half-baked ideas and it's no wonder their idea of staying out of trouble bears no resemblance to Colin's definition of the same. You'd think they'd've learned their lesson after Colin rescued them from being sacrificed to the goblins clown god. But, the boys think they need to prove something to Colin, and go poking about in not just goblin affairs, but also in Colin's (highly dangerous) business with the yōkai. Can Colin save them from themselves this time, or will they meet a sad end before he can come to the rescue?
Which brings us to "Going Under", the final story in this volume. For some people, death comes as easily as falling asleep and peacefully slipping away, never to awaken again. For others, death is a long, drawn out and painful affair, at the end of which, death comes as a relief. This is especially true when the death is caused by the protracted violence caused by a fall from a really high cliff, hitting every rock and protuberance on the way down before you reach the bottom. Just ask Colin's Maori friend, Hemi Waara. Of course, it's a lot harder to kill a demi-god, especially one whose mother is a goddess of the underworld. But even so…that sudden stop is still a real killer. All that aside, Hemi only has to go through the underworld to his mother's realm so she can put his spirit back in his body and bring him back to life. Wait…did I say 'ONLY'? Dying was the easy part.
And, once again, M. D. Massey has spun some fine and interesting tales which admirably flesh out the world of Colin McCool, of Junkyard Druid fame. If you're fond of urban fantasy, you won't want to miss these three magical tales of mayhem and mythology.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews