From Fairies to Tier Na Nog

When I set out to start this blog, I originally mentioned how many of the books I was reading dwell in similar trope.

So, I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised when I switch from one book that dealt heavily with fairie courts to one dealing with Celtic mythology, even if the characters are also wrapped up in Norse and Roman mythology as well.

Yep, most of the way through Trapped, book 5 in Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles.

A quick recap for those who haven't had the pleasure as of yet. Atticus is a Druid from pre-Roman invasion Britain. (Technically Irish, but he's been everywhere, since this is the modern age.) Over the past 4 books, he's fought the Celtic pantheon (he stole a sword from Aenghus Og, slept with the Morrighan, and annoyed Brighid), fought a coven of witches, had a knock down drag out fight in Asgard, fought Hel alongside Coyote.... Yeah, there isn't much of a lack of action and mythological cross fandom shipping.

Book 5 picks up about 12 years after the end of the last one, with the training of his apprentice nearing completion. All that's left to do is bind her to the earth with tattoos applied with thorns. Which gets complicated first by the appearance of Loki, then a trip to Tir Na Nog, which leads to another fight with Brighid, and some fun trying to bind Granuaile at the foot of Olympus, where one very annoyed Bacchus is trying to get to him.

In the meantime, it seems the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim are also hunting Atticus, for reasons that have not as of yet been revealed.

In may ways, this series occasionally feels bogged down in comparative religion (Hell, Jesus of Nazareth showed up in one of the first two books), but...really, the writing is good, the pace is great, and you never know exactly where things are going to end up by the last page. I mean, you can surmise Atticus will live (particularly since Book 6 comes out this summer), but there are so many machinations to get through before you get there.

I highly recommend this series, even if I don't always agree with some of his portrayals of the Gods. Although I will admit I cheered every time some snide remark was directed at Thor, since I honestly don't like Thor. Unless Thor is Christ Hemsworth, at which point I'll just turn the sound off and enjoy the show.