Shattered by Kevin Hearne Narrator: Luke Daniels
Series: Iron Druid Chronicles #7
Published by Penguin Audio Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 12 hours, 43 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Borrowed
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For nearly 2,000 years, only one Druid has walked the Earth - Atticus O’Sullivan, the Iron Druid, whose sharp wit and sharp sword have kept him alive as he’s been pursued by a pantheon of hostile deities. Now he’s got company.
Atticus’ apprentice, Granuaile, is at last a full Druid herself. What’s more, Atticus has defrosted an archdruid long ago frozen in time, a father figure (of sorts) who now goes by the modern equivalent of his old Irish name: Owen Kennedy.
And Owen has some catching up to do.
Atticus takes pleasure in the role reversal, as the student is now the teacher. Between busting Atticus’s chops and trying to fathom a cell phone, Owen must also learn English. For Atticus, the jury’s still out on whether the wily old coot will be an asset in the epic battle with Norse god Loki - or merely a pain in the arse.
But Atticus isn’t the only one with daddy issues. Granuaile faces a great challenge: to exorcise a sorcerer’s spirit that is possessing her father in India. Even with the help of the witch Laksha, Granuaile may be facing a crushing defeat.
This may be my favorite of the Iron Druid Chronicles we’ve read thus far! Plot wise it was very satisfying in that we made significant advancement and even had a BIG question answered finally. But for me, I think it was the characters – new and old – that made Shattered so satisfying.
Note: As we’re 7 books in for the series, this review will have series spoilers, but I’ll avoid any spoilers for the book itself.
I think if I were to label this book with a theme, I might call it “daddy issues”, or perhaps “parental problems’ would be more fitting. Not only do we pick up where we left off in Hunted with Atticus’ Arch Druid, who we learn is named Owen, but we have an unexpected storyline involving Granuaile and her parents. The result is that much of the book Granuaile and Atticus are on their own adventures. We even get some of the story from Owen’s point of view, as he learns to be part of a world that has advanced 2 thousand years since The Morrigan put him on the time island.
I didn’t expect to like Owen, based on the little Atticus had said of him, so I was surprised to find that I actually LOVE him. It’s no secret that I’m not a huge Atticus fan – I like him well enough but I find him immature and as he’s described in this book he can be a bit of “an insufferable know it all.” Owen was a refreshing contrast to Atticus – he recognized he was out of his element and became a fast study. He possibly grew more in this book than Atticus has managed in his 2 thousand years. I particularly appreciated the way he interacted with Atticus. And well, he’s just damn funny. His fresh perspective and insight was significant for the forward momentum in Shattered. I find myself wondering if that’s really all that the Morrigan saved him for, though? I have a feeling we will be seeing a great deal more of Owen in a really significant way.
Granuaile’s storyline was especially interesting as it involved the return of Laksha – someone I’ve been curious about since we haven’t seen her since what, book 2? She’s an interesting character, in that I want to like her but I’m not sure I can trust her. Granuaile’s story also was an emotional one, as she battles with living in a world where her family exists but believes her dead. And it involved some interesting side adventures with some new potential allies and some very unexpected twists in the larger story line. I particularly enjoyed the relationship she’s building with Orla, her new hound. Orla is as fantastic as Oberon – they share some strong similarities and yet have unique personalities.
As I’ve come to expect with these books, we do end with some resolution to one problem, but since there were many to begin with (so many, in fact, I may have lost track of all the problems), there’s still plenty unresolved. And we are left with a bit of a slap reminder of one of those problems, which I anticipate will be the focus of the next book. I can’t wait to see how Atticus, Granuaile, and Owen maneuver through it and if they maybe manage to not create more problems as they go (as that seems to be their – Atticus’s at least – way).
I also read the novella, A Prelude to War, and if you’ve skipped it I highly recommend picking it up before reading book 8. There’s a lot of story advancement, and while I imagine Hearne summarizes these events you’ll be missing out on a lot of richness in the details. The novella continues with Atticus and Granuaile on their separate “quests” – both dealing with problems that emerged in Shattered and both clearly setting up for events of the next book.
Narration:
It continues to be a treat to listen to these books, narrated by Luke Daniels. I’ve settled in to his voice for Granuaile, although I definitely prefer the voice he uses for her when Atticus is the narrator than her voice as narrator. His voice for Owen feels spot on and probably adds to the humor of his character for me. And Orla is also a great new addition. I can’t imagine trying to navigate all these characters with their accents and foreign words without his narration.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Share your review/ thoughts on Shattered:
I thought it might be fun to link up reviews so we can find them all easily. It can be a link to Goodreads or a blog, or wherever you have a review (short or long).
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The chat will be Sunday, September 10th
COYER Challenge is adopting our Read-along. You can read about COYER and join that challenge or just the Facebook community chat HERE. On the Sunday after the review posts, they will host a FB room (like we do for COYER book club) at 12 PT, 2 CT, 3 ET and 9pm Europe, for a one hour chat. You do not have to join the COYER challenge to participate, only the Facebook group.
Here’s your to-do list:
- Find your copies of these books, borrow them from a friend, get them at the library or buy them
- Read book 8, Staked by October 6.
- Read book 8.3 Purloined Poodle and 8.4 Squirrel on the Train. These are the Oberon Meaty Mysteries. The audio versions are Audible only and about 3 hours in length. I could not find the ebook versions at any of my libraries but they are for sale for $4.99 each at the various retailers.
- Don’t forget to enter questions for the Q&A with Kevin! I’ve changed this option to be able to enter daily on the rafflecopter.
- Make note of a favorite quote or two as you read the book.
- If you haven’t read the books before, make a list of questions you have for the discussion. If you have read them, please don’t spoil new readers.
- Enter the giveaways!
Interviews with Kevin:
2014- Apr 16: Sword & Laser Youtube
2014- Jun 11: Thunder Bay Public Library interview
2014- Jun 23: Orbit interview
2014- Aug 20: Henry Herz interview
Games:
Who said (enter the answer in the Rafflecopter, don’t put in the comments)
Who said “You won’t find me dealing with witches or vampires.”
There are other options in the rafflecopter for you to enter discussion questions and quotes to share.
The quote for Who said “ Run now. I want you to fight in Ragnorak. Or I want to watch the huntresses flay you alive. I find myself deliciously ambivalent. ” in Hunted is Odin.
The villain was almost Everyone.
Observations and questions you shared from Hunted:
(Thank you so much for sharing!) If you can answer any of these questions, you can do so in a comment.
- I love the surprise gift left by the Morrigan.
- How do keep your fictional characters straight?
Quotes you readers shared from Hunted:
“Have you heard of Wheaton’s Law, Ahriman? It goes like this: ‘Don’t be a dick.’ I know it’s a tough one, and I have broken that law myself more times than I would care to admit, but I think it’s a law that every being should try to observe, regardless of faith or position on the food chain.”
“No one takes you seriously when you’re naked.”
“We knew it was the end of an era; the sun cannot shine as bright without a proper darkness to counter it. The world had gone a bit gray.”
“I may have left some fluid back there when I saw those arrows coming”, Oberon Said.”
“The royal hound’s belly demands rubbing. Step Lively, humans, neglect me not.”
“For all its manifold beauties, the world is never so fine once someone you love leaves it; instead, there is only the bleak prospect of loneliness and might-have-beens.”
“And after I thought of it, I couldn’t believe I just Rick Rolled myself.”
“I don’t care about facing the knives, that’s kind of the POINT.”
“I knew it. If you give a witch a cookie, she’s going to ask you for a glass of milk.”
“I’m too old to be chasing after Girl Scout cookies.”
“Pardon me, is this some kind of social experiment? You want me to get a hundred and forty-four Samoans and cram them into your cabin with a case of whiskey?”
“Unlike the Irish and the Norse—and many other cultures—the Greco–Romans did not imagine their gods as eternally youthful but vulnerable to violent death.”
Be sure to enter the giveaways!!!
Giveaway:
For US Audible audio version of Staked, and for Intl a paperback from Better World Books. The giveaway is international, as long as Better World Books ships there free of charge (find that out here!)
Grand-Prize Giveaway:
For a US / Canadian winner, this will be a full set of SIGNED trade paperbacks by Kevin Hearne.
For an Intl winner, it will be $50 at Better World Books. The giveaway is international, as long as Better World Books ships there free of charge (find that out here!)
Time to start reading Staked by Kevin Hearne for the 2023 Read-along! #giveaways #giveaway @BooksofMyHeart Share on X
Schedule:
We are doing one book every 4-5 weeks, posting on Fridays. We will have a review with the team here at Books of My Heart plus some of our friends.
Mar 3: Hounded – Stephanie @ Once Upon A Chapter
Mar 31 Hexed – Lillian @ Mom with a Reading Problem
May 5: Hammered – Jen @ That’s What I’m Talking About
Jun 2: Tricked – Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
Jul 7: Trapped – Rachel @ Waves of Fiction
Aug 4: Hunted – KC @ Books of My Heart
Sep 8: Shattered – Berls @ Because Reading
Oct 6: Staked – Sophia @ Books of My Heart
Nov 3: Besieged – Kimberly @Caffeinated Reviewer
Dec 1: Scourged – Anne @ Books of My Heart
Dec 17: Q & A with Kevin Hearne
About Luke Daniels
Luke Daniels has narrated over 250 audiobooks, has been the grateful recipient of thirteen AudioFile Earphones Awards, and has earned three Audie nominations. His background is in classical theater and film. Luke has performed at repertory theaters around the country, but now he resides in the Midwest with his pack.
About Kevin Hearne
Kevin Hearne lives with his wife, daughter, and doggies in Canada. Kevin hugs trees, pets doggies, and rocks out to heavy metal. He also thinks tacos are a pretty nifty idea. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling series the Iron Druid Chronicles, the Seven Kennings trilogy that begins with A PLAGUE OF GIANTS, and co-author of the Tales of Pell with Delilah S. Dawson.
About Berls at Because Reading
Michelle adopted me as part of her blog when I decided to close down my blog, Fantasy is More Fun. The blog was dying, but my love of reading and the blogosphere was still strong as ever – so I found my new home here at Because Reading!
I’ve loved reading as long as I can remember knowing how and will always pick a book over watching tv, a movie, or sometimes even spending time with friends/family. I caught the blogging bug when I started my blog in July 2013 and it takes up most of my spare time (that’s not spent reading). When I’m not reading or blogging, I’m usually spending time with my husband of 12 years, my teenage stepson, or my brother. My dog, Buffy (yes, she’s named for Buffy the Vampire Slayer my all-time favorite show) is always by my side, whether I’m reading, blogging, or just hanging – and she’ll probably show up in a few blog posts.
As a little girl I wanted to be author and even wrote a short story that I sent to a publisher. I did this all on my own, just taking the address out of my favorite Babysitter’s Club book and asking them to make it into a book for other people to read for me. Although my first attempt at publishing wasn’t successful, I cherished that rejection letter for years and maybe someday I’ll fulfill that childhood dream of writing my own books. I recently finished the first draft of my first novel – Sweeter Than Death – and really hope that I’ll be able to make a go of it someday not too far away. And in 2013 I authored a short story in the anothology Welcome to the Future that I hope to someday expand into a full-fledged series. But in the meantime, I enjoy sharing my love of books with others and will often showcase indie authors that I admire for doing what it takes to make their dreams to write come true.
I can’t remember a time that I wasn’t reading at least one book and I’ve often longed for people that I could share that joy with. That’s what I love so much about blogging and communities like Goodreads – I finally found people who love to read as much as I do and who enjoy the kind of books I do!
I also have the privilege of teaching Kindergarten. I love what I do and you can expect it to bleed into my posts. Teaching is a big a part of me as my family and reading. So grab a glass of wine and chat books, blogging, and family with me!
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 23-COYER
I have not read shattered.
Well I wish you were reading along with us!
I have had my eye on this series….
It would be great if you could have read along with us this year.
Berls – I totally thought of you went listening to this one. I knew you’d appreciate Owen’s views about Atticus. I really liked the two of them working together – their discussions and I feel both did some growing up. I also really enjoyed this one the second time around. It was very engrossing. Also – we finally got our answers about Imortali-tea. I honestly couldn’t recall how it worked, so I’m glad we finally learned. Looking forward to our discussion Sunday!
Thanks Jen. So excited to have you on the chat with us.
LOL yep!! and I was thrilled to fully understand immortalitea!
Berls, thanks so much for supporting the Read-along, the chats through COYER and being my buddy reading buddy. Excellent review!
Thanks Anne. I enjoy it so much and appreciate you keeping me on track lol
Yes, Owen really took me pleasantly by surprised and I was more into Granuaelle’s feelings. I did love getting the answer behind the conspiracy, but sad, too. Great review, Berls!
Owen is a surprisingly enjoyable addition to the druid contingent. I was so worried about Granuaile.
I would totally read a series of just Oberon and Orla!
As they said in Vaudeville, “Everybody loves a bit with a dog!” 😀
They are a fabulous team to add emotional support and levity. This next month we will be reading the novellas which are Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries.
I passes over your review because I haven’t read any of the books, but that cover sure did grab me. I’ll be checking out the series.
It’s a fabulous series Sherry and we are really enjoying the Read-along of it this year.
I hadn’t heard of these.. thanks for sharing.
This series is really wonderful. It’s my first read of them although I have known about them for 10 years! I’m enjoying reading it this year.
Fantastic review Berls. I am so glad you are loving this series 🙂
It’s always a little scary for me to commit to a series I haven’t read but I am loving this.
Thanks Kimberly – I’m really am so glad to finally be reading them.
I am behind! I’ll come back and read the review once I finish the book. I can’t remember what happens. I won’t be joining the chat obviously. Next month.
Aw. Missed you on the chat. I hope you are feeling better too. Don’t forget to read the novella following; it has some critical stuff. It’s in the back of the new copies of Shattered or it’s included right now in Audible Plus, part of Three Slices anthology. This is a really good installment.
I know! I was bummed to miss it. I hope to be on the next one all caught up. Thanks for letting me know about the novella! Sometimes I don’t get to all of them.
I’m still playing catch-up. I just finished Trapped. And I’m glad to hear that there are new things coming.
Shattered and the novella following are both really great. I hope you can catch up and join us. Things are really happening.
I loved it!
yes it is definitely one of my favorite books in the series.