Never make a deal with a Trickster God

TRICKED (Iron Druid Chronicles #4)

Kevin Hearne

Del Rey

April 2012

Tricked, # 4 in the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne is another rocket ride with Atticus O' Sullivan, 2000 year old Irish Druid now based in Arizona. Atticus may be 2000, but looks and acts like a tattooed 25 year old and maintains himself by drinking an elixir called Immortali-Tea. The series is a hilarious mash-up of Norse, Celtic and now Native American mythology. In the first book, Hounded, Atticus has to deal with Aenghus Og, Celtic God of Love. Aenghus wants his sword, Fragerach the Answerer back but Atticus is not co-operating. The confrontation with Aenghus Og sets off a whole sequence of events that may just bring Ragnarock, the Norse Apocalypse.

In the events covered by Hexed and Hammered, Atticus and his faithful wolfhound companion, Oberon, ricochet from one major battle to another aided or hindered by various gods as well as werewolves and vampires. He has also gained an apprentice, Granuaile, and just wants some peace and quiet to spend the required 12 years training her. At the close of Hammered it becomes clear that Atticus needs to fake his own death. Way too many powerful gods are out to get him.

Tricked begins with Atticus staging a particularly bloody and violent death. In this he is aided by Coyote, Trickster God of the Native American pantheon. Coyote is a shape shifter who is immortal, which Atticus is decidedly not. He is hard to kill but it can be done even with his advanced healing skills. The price of Coyote's help is a deal that gets him in even more trouble facing an enemy that almost kills him several times- Skinwalkers. By the time it's over, Atticus finds that many of his decisions have been unwise (to say the least) and he is betrayed by someone he trusted.

There are so many things I love about this series from the non-stop action and snarky humor to the mythology. The Celtic Gods are pretty familiar to me but not so the Norse. I got lost somewhere between Asgard, Midgard and Vanaheimr when I read about Norse Cosmology in high school. Never mind the six other home worlds.Thor is pretty much a jerk in all the accounts I have read though! Granuaile is a welcome and helpful addition to the team. But the relationship between Oberon and Atticus is best of all and source of most of the good laughs. Atticus and Oberon can converse through a mental bond and are the closest of pals and companions. Oberon does have a bit of an obsession with sausages and poodles, but hey- he's still a dog if a really smart one.

The Iron Druid Chronicles are fun, clever and quick reads. I look forward to the last two books which should finish the series. Kevin Hearne is an author to watch. Highly recommended!

Rating- 5 Druid Staffs