My book club and I are meeting in a little over a week to discuss this month’s chosen text – Hounded by Kevin Hearne. I had never heard of this book prior to one of my friends naming it as her recommended choice, and upon hearing that this book is one of her personal favourites and she has read it numerous times, I was hoping it would be as good as she made it sound.
I really enjoyed this book, but I’ll admit that I think there are enough people who will write it off because of its nature. So, why did I like it in that case? I found this book to be tastefully witty and lighthearted, and I think it’s a great casual reading option for anyone who enjoys fantasy.
Hounded tells the story of Atticus, the only surviving Druid on the planet. He explains his species in the magical realm has diminished tremendously over the course of his ridiculously long life (I think he states he is older than two centuries), thus he finds himself rather self-aware to ensure his prolonged existence and survival in general. The story follows Atticus and his beloved Irish Wolfhound, Oberon, who, thanks to magic, can speak fluently to Atticus, and their rather exciting attempts to continue to thwart an enemy of Atticus’s who has been attempting to kill him for a very long time.
This book touches on just about each and every magical being in existence, from witches to druids to werewolves and vampires. I think Hearne’s depiction of these beings is brilliant because he does not abide by the stereotypical tropes we associate with these beings, thanks to movies and television shows. His wit and humour are fantastic throughout the book, and I actually chuckled aloud at points.
If you’re not one for imagination, you would probably deem this book a ‘rid.’ I, however, loved it, and would absolutely classify it as a ‘read.’
Photo by Natalia Gusakova on Unsplash
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