Hammered
Iron Druid Chronicles #3
Kevin Hearne
Narrated by Luke Daniels
Length: 9hrs & 40mins
Brilliance Audio
July 5, 2011
Audible | Amazon | Goodreads
Thor, the Norse god of thunder, is worse than a blowhard and a bully—he’s ruined countless lives and killed scores of innocents. After centuries, Viking vampire Leif Helgarson is ready to get his vengeance, and he’s asked his friend Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids, to help take down this Norse nightmare.One survival strategy has worked for Atticus for more than two thousand years: stay away from the guy with the lightning bolts. But things are heating up in Atticus’s home base of Tempe, Arizona. There’s a vampire turf war brewing, and Russian demon hunters who call themselves the Hammers of God are running rampant. Despite multiple warnings and portents of dire consequences, Atticus and Leif journey to the Norse plain of Asgard, where they team up with a werewolf, a sorcerer, and an army of frost giants for an epic showdown against vicious Valkyries, angry gods, and the hammer-wielding Thunder Thug himself.
Review:
Thor is an ASSHOLE!
Jesus ROCKS!
Atticus is the reason the word AWESOME exists.
And I’m IN LOVE with a vampire named Leif Helgarson. Shocking, I know.
After listening to Hexed, book 2 of The Iron Druid Chronicles, on audiobook, I wasn’t sure if continuing the series in said format was wise because due to the amount of detailed history that is revealed from each new character that Atticus happens upon. I remember becoming overly concerned that I might have missed something important, and was frustrated that I couldn’t easily turn the pages back to re-read the background information that was being shared quickly. And while I’ll admit that the I encountered the same struggles with Hammered on audiobook due to the introduction of a large ensemble of new character, each carrying their own abounding past, I do have to say there is nothing more entertaining that listening to an ancient druid explain what ‘squeeing’ means to a century old vampire.
I’m not sure how many times I’ve told myself that UF is not my thing. I’m a romance girl at heart, and I need my smexy bits too. But there is much to be said about a thoroughly entertaining and subtly clever tale, riddled with male bravado and hidden emotion.
This installment showed a completely different side of Atticus, highlighting the many facets he’s developed and cultivated in his very long life. I’m used to giggling along with Atticus as he shares his misadventures, but I wasn’t expecting to cry! And while there were still a great many deal of laughs to be had, like when a Druid goes into battle against Thor buck naked, tears brimmed my eyes several times when personal stories were shared among the men in Atticus’ group, who have all been wrong by Thor. Leif’s story was especially heart breaking and served as a grim reminder that the need for revenge doesn’t die easily.
This series is stellar! It makes me want to hunt Kevin Hearne down and fangirl all over him, and hopefully one day I can, without peeing my pants in the process!
I can’t wait unit the release of the fourth book in the series, Tricked, which comes out in April 2012. Before it’s release, I plan on re-read the series. Would anyone be interested in joining me for a read-along of the first book, Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles #1)? Let me know and I’ll put something together for March. 
Challenge(s): 111 in ‘11 Challenge, 2011 Audio Book Challenge
