Unchained from fate, the Norse gods Loki and Hel are ready to unleash Ragnarok, a.k.a. the Apocalypse, upon the earth. They’ve made allies on the darker side of many pantheons, and there’s a globe-spanning battle brewing that ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan will be hard-pressed to survive, much less win.
Granuaile MacTiernan must join immortals Sun Wukong and Erlang Shen in a fight against the Yama Kings in Taiwan, but she discovers that the stakes are much higher than she thought.
Meanwhile, Archdruid Owen Kennedy must put out both literal and metaphorical fires from Bavaria to Peru to keep the world safe for his apprentices and the future of Druidry.
And Atticus recruits the aid of a tyromancer, an Indian witch, and a trickster god in hopes that they’ll give him just enough leverage to both save Gaia and see another sunrise. There is a hound named Oberon who deserves a snack, after all.
Audible Audio, 9 pages
Published April 3rd 2018 by Random House Audio
Source: Library
Four and a half stars: A fitting finale to a favorite series.
For Atticus O’ Sullivan it is time to pay the piper. Unfortunately over the last few years, Atticus has unwittingly through his deals and alliances unleashed Ragnarok, Hell on earth or the Apocalypse. Leading the charge are Loki and Hel. Desperate times calls for desperate measures, and thus, Atticus is wheeling and dealing at the last moment to call out all favors and strike bargains and alliances anew to turn the tide.
Meanwhile, Granuaile finds herself in Taiwan aiding Sun Wukong, The Monkey King, against the Yama Kings and hordes of demons.
Archdruid Owen is on on his own quest, putting out fires of the Apocalypse from Bavarian and Peru.
Gods and Titans draw up to do battle for one last time, the stakes are high, we are talking boxes and boxes of Girl Scout cookies, as well as the fate of the world. Will Atticus and company live to fight another day?
What I Liked:
- With a heavy sigh, I am remiss to admit this long time favorite series of mine is over. This is the longest running series that I have read and reviewed on the blog. I started Hounded as part of a blog read along way back in 2011, and I have been a loyal reader ever since. I love all that this series has brought to the table from awesome characters, hilarious humor and snark, plenty of paranormal, all kinds of gods and legends from all cultures, and some adorable pooches. This final book was a fitting end to a favorite series. I am sad to let it go.
- I have to admit that over the last few books, I have fallen a bit out of love with Atticus. He became arrogant, and I didn’t like the deals and the trouble he kept getting into. His cockiness got him into one final mess, basically his errant actions brought forth Ragnarok. I was relieved though to see that he felt terrible for starting the Apocalypse, and that he did everything in his power to fix it, including swaying former allies. He grew and changed, and by the end, I felt he was contrite. I am hopeful that he is on a new path, and I was pleased with his new chosen path.
- Granuaile and Atticus have grown apart over the last few books as well. Granuaile disapproved of many of Atticus’s action, so she set forth and immersed herself into training with the Polish witches. I liked that she learned to stand on her own two feet, and though many readers may not approve of her final decision, I think she made the right choice. Good for Granuaile! Girl Power!
- This book features all the favorite characters from all the books. It reads like the best of the best edition. Practically everyone is back, unless they are dead. I was thrilled to see coyote, the Polish witches and several other gods and fairies alike. It was fun to reconnect with all those characters.
- I think this book has more humor and snark than any of the others. It is brimming with hilarity. I snickered my way through it. I mean the end of the world is coming and the gods are placing bets on the outcome and the currency is Girl Scout cookies.
- Owen is back, and he has become a favorite of mine. I loved his portion of the book. His brand of humor is hilarious. I think a whole other series could be written from Owen’s point of view.
- The ending is satisfactory, even though it is a bit open. I thought it concluded in a good spot. The dust settles, and there are some funny moments after a few not so funny moments. The door is left open for more possibilities, and I truly hope Hearne will revisit these characters down the road.
- The audiobook as always was fantastic. I have listened to all but the first book of this series. Luke Daniels does a brilliant job with the narration, he is so good that I couldn’t read the books after listening to him. Hearne may be the brilliance behind the series, but Daniels brings the heart and soul to the books. If you are going to endeavor to read this series, you must do the audiobooks. Daniels is absolutely one of the best narrators out there,
And The Not So Much:
- I felt like after all the build up around Ragnarok that the battle was a bit of a fizzle. It was rather short. Hearne has written some epic fight scenes throughout the series, and I was expecting this last one to be the best of the best, but it wasn’t. It was kind of a let down.
- I didn’t like that Owen and Granuaile were once again on their own quests, and not part of Ragnarok. It would have been great to have the Druids all present for the whole battle.
- The whole final scene with the Morrigan was puzzling, I want more. I need answers.
- You shouldn’t read this final book without having read Besieged, a collection of stories published in 2017. There were several events in that book that tied directly into this story.
- I was disappointed that the whole situation with Leif was left undone. That has been a long running story arc, and it was forgotten.
- What about Perun, the Slavic God of Thunder and Flidais? What happens with them after the cuddle dungeon?
Scourged is a strong finale to a favorite long running series. This book is the best of the best of when it comes to the characters. All the favorites are back to face off in one final epic battle. Who will be left standing after the dust settles, and who will win the Girl Scout cookies? Read for yourself. I will truly miss this fantastic series. Thanks to Kevin Hearne and Luke Daniels for brightening my reading days over the last eight years!
I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
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