I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Shattered
by
Kevin Hearne
urban fantasy that was published by Del Rey Books on June 17, 2014 and has 336 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Hounded, Hexed, Hammered, Tricked, Trapped, Hunted, "Two Ravens and One Crow", Besieged, "The Purloined Poodle", Staked, Kill the Farm Boy
Seventh in The Iron Druid Chronicles urban fantasy series and revolving around Atticus O’Sullivan, no longer the last Druid in the world.
My Take
This is fun as Atticus teaches Owen about the past few thousand years and brings him into the twentieth century. I have to admit to a great deal of jealousy about that Immortali-Tea. I’d like some to take some of the years off along with their aches and pains!
What is Atticus thinking, running off to India without Owen? For that matter, what is Granuaile thinking when she doesn’t let anyone know what she’s up to? Sure, she leaves word about her initial foray into her upcoming Indian adventures, but not the further ones!
Oh, lord, I do enjoy Oberon’s observations. And when he goes off on his being the Meat Lord…oh, lol. He gets very involved with the idea of Miyamoto Msushi and The Book of Five Rings substituting meats for the rings. Hearne’s fun with Oberon and a dog’s perspective is always a delight and this only proves it, lol.
“Though it may at first be fine, the same sausage every day palls with time.”
Hearne is using a first-person perspective for the three main characters in this: Atticus, Granuaile, and Owen. And it’s driving me mad. It’s taking a chunk of my concentration to figure out who the hes and hims are as the point-of-view changes with each chapter. It did get better as I read along, as I was expecting the switch to occur.
Well, that’s a possibility for how the yeti came to be, hmmm. It also goes toward explaining that gorgeous yeti art.
Owen makes some new friends with Hal’s pack and learns something of how Greta came to be a werewolf.
Hmm, seems that Leif isn’t the only betrayer in the law firm.
There are regrets and back history in this when Granuaile comes to learn how great the price was in becoming a Druid and realizes she can never visit with her mother again. We learn why and how Owen got trapped on that Time Island, and how Greta came to be a werewolf. There’s a wee bit of a retrospective of Atticus’ time spent as an apprentice with Owen, who himself has some regrets he comes to realize. A number of good lessons in this.
There is a feel of Hearne preparing to end this series, and I don’t know how I feel about that — there are two more books coming, so I may well be talking off the top of my head(!). I always love a happily-ever-after, but I also miss having favorite characters to read about, and the history and dipping into the various pantheons Hearne presents along with this funky warrior of a Druid has been an interesting adventure.
Linking the pantheons with the planes Atticus and Granuaile use to slip around the world is a unique touch and helps to join what could be an odd mishmash of religions. It sets the various pantheons up as being the same and yet different with various interests, allegiances, and motives that sometimes combine and at other times clash.
Hearne does explain the action up to now, along with the twists and turns of which Atticus was unaware. It’s very twisty and you may need to take notes along the way!
The Story
Now there are three Druids in the world, and one of them is off to rescue her possessed father who is killing people in India while the third Druid needs to be re-introduced to a world that did not exist two thousand years ago. Luckily, his powers of memory and learning help him integrate quickly, although today’s rules for interaction with women are more restrictive than Owen likes.
The Characters
Atticus O’Sullivan, born as Siodhachan Ó Suileabháin, is now running under the name Sean Flanagan. He was the last remaining Druid until he bound his apprentice, Granuaile, to the earth and freed the archdruid in Hunted, 6. Fragarach is the magical sword he carries. Oberon is his chatty wolfhound.
Granuaile MacTiernan, her fake I.D. is now for a Nessa Thornton (the elementals call her “Fierce Druid”), can change shape into a jaguar, horse, a sea lion, and a falcon; Scáthmhaide is her staff. Orlaith is Granuaile’s new wolfhound acquired from the pound. The blade the yeti make her will be named Fuilteach, bloodthirsty in modern Irish. Donal MacTiernan is her real father’s name, and he’s an archeologist. Michelle Liu is an old friend of Donal’s and the department chair. Logan, Miriam Vargas, and Chirayu “Ray” Parekh are part of the Indian dig. Her mother remarried Thatcher, an oil man whom Granuaile hates.
Eoghan Ó Cinnéide, about to become Owen Kennedy, is the archdruid who had bound Atticus to the earth and now alive after being frozen in time by the Morrigan in Tír na nÓg. His shapes include black bear, red kite, ram, and walrus.
Laksha Kulasekaran is the spirit of an Indian witch who had possessed Selai Chamkanni in Hexed, 2. The earth elemental in Thanjavur is Kaveri. Durga is a devi, a goddess who protects humanity and restores balance. Mhathini Palanichamy is a patient in a coma.
Hal Hauk is Atticus’ attorney and a werewolf who is the alpha of the Tempe Pack. His Pack includes Dr. Snorri Jodursson, Efiah, Farid (his brother, Yusuf, is the alpha of the Cairo Pack; see “The Grimoire of the Lamb”, 0.4), Esteban is their second, and Greta is their Enforcer and number three in the Pack. Nicole is Hal’s secretary. Sam Obrist is the Swiss alpha of the Flagstaff pack; Ty Pollard is his second and husband.
Part of the Nine
Rebecca Dane is the woman to whom Atticus sold Third Eye Books and Herbs in 2010. She’s also the one who has gotten the multi-pantheon involved in meddling with Atticus’ life.
Fujiwara-no-Kuni, a five-tailed kitsune, serves Inari who is one of the parties represented by Ganesha. Tsukino-san is one of the ninjas protecting Inari. Perun is the thunder god of the Slavics having some fun with Flidais. Atticus shares an old tequila with Jesus.
The Fae
Brighid leads the Fae. Goibhniu, a brewer and blacksmith; Creidhne; and, Luchta are her sons. Ogma is their fighter. Flidais is a goddess of the hunt and Fand is her daughter. Manannan Mac Lir, a sea god, lives in Tír na nÓg. Fand, Manannan’s wife, made the bacon that helped heal Owen.
The Yeti are…
…Manannan’s children with Freydís, a giantess. Erlendr Jötunson is the oldest, Hildr Jötunsdotter is the second-born and female, Skúfr Jötunson is the middle yeti, Ísólfr Jötunson, and the youngest is Oddrún Jötunsdotter.
Meara is an art-loving selkie who was once a lover of Atticus’ and Manannan’s. At different times, of course.
Lord Grundlebeard had been in charge of the rangers cutting off access to Tír na nÓg in Hunted. Kókr Hrafnson was the leader of the assassin’s guild, a Svartálf, a dark elf, who was Midhir‘s contact.
A raksoyuj, an asura, is a yoker (a type of sorcerer) of rakshasas. A being very similar to Laksha. Rakshasas are the rebirth of a very wicked human into a cursed half-life as shape-shifters.
Fir Darrigs are goblins, quick to anger and stupid. A dabāva is an earth creature who hates air and fire. Loki Flamehair sets a trap for Granuaile.
Kodiak Black, a.k.a., Craig, a bear shifter, is another trusted friend of Atticus’ who has been managing his other financial accounts. Ayesha Salcedo is an assassin for Werner Drasche, an arcane lifeleech Atticus had allowed to live in Hunted. Detective Kyle Geffert is with the Tempe PD and would love to put Atticus away.
Malina Sokolowska heads the Sisters of the Three Auroras coven in Poland. Airmid, a Druid, taught Atticus how to make Immortali-Tea into the miracle rejuvenator that has kept Atticus young.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a collage of events with a spooky forest in the background, a Celtic knot in the sky, and the Iron Druid with his short red hair and goatee, naked, with Fragarach in his hand as he prepares to do battle. The author’s name is in white at the top while the title is in a battered red font below the center.
The title reflects the state of Granuaile, Brighid, and Atticus, for they are Shattered by events.
