Besieged (Iron Druid Chronicles)

Description: The Iron Druid Chronicles is a hilarious and action-packed urban fantasy set in a modern world in which all the gods of every pantheon are alive and well, as in American Gods; its hero is a smart-mouthed, buttkicking magician, like Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden. But it’s told in a smart, witty, unforgettable voice that’s all Kevin Hearne—a star in the fantasy world. This addictive and wildly imaginative series stars hero Atticus O’Sullivan: a handsome, tattooed Irishman who looks like a young rock star, but is in actuality a 2,000-year-old Druid with extraordinary magic powers. In Besieged, Atticus’ adventures throughout history are told in a collection of nine new and original short stories.

Review: Before you read Scourged, the final book in the Iron Druid Chronicles, I highly suggest picking up Besieged, the short story collection set in Hearne's creative and entertaining urban fantasy world. In this collection of nine original short stories we get backstory information of the past and hints of the future. In "The Eye of Horus," he hunts for scrolls underneath the Great Library of Alexandria, where he encounters two members of the Egyptian pantheon. I love how this series though heavily influenced in Celtic and Norse mythologies also features mythologies from around the world. "The Bogeyman of Boora Bog" is narrated by Archdruid Owen Kennedy in which he meets a young boy who will one day become Atticus O'Sullivan. This is my favorite story in this short stories collection. I loved getting more information about Atticus' childhood and his family. In "The Cuddle Dungeon" we follow an Irish goddess of the hunt and Slavic god of thunder walk into a sex dungeon and then strange things happen. This story was the weakest and too weird for me and I did not see how it added anything to the overall Iron Druid World. The last short story and a prequel to Scourged called "The End of Idylls," has Atticus reminiscing to his best friend wolfhound Oberon about companionship and traveling solo. This story sets up the uneasiness of the final book. I hate when characters have to ready themselves to say goodbye while going off to dangerous adventures.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language and violence in the short story collection. There are sexual situations at times graphic in this short story collection. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Scourged by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles #9), The Age of Misrule by Mark Chadbourn, Dresden Files by Jim Butcher