Where I Finally Read the Second Book, Remembering How Good the First Was

Hexed by Kevin Hearne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's a fast read because it's good. (Gripping action + sympathetic characters + great language + amusing banter + entertaining plot + cool magic = "good." It's just math, really.)

I've been reading a lot of first books lately, and gave myself permission to get going on second books. Finally. This is one of those second books that picks up where the first left off, in terms both of plot and momentum, and only improves on the first if anything.

Atticus O'Sullivan, the last druid, is a compelling, sympathetic character who is fun to watch. Kevin Hearne does an amazing job making him both modern and ancient, kind and brutal, funny and serious. He stays true to his motivations, as do the other characters he encounters--witches, werewolves, Coyote the trickster, Lady Madonna (ISYN--and sorry, ~spoiler) and others. I love how his supernatural characters wear their nice clothes and enjoy their local entertainments and drive their fancy cars around the East Valley and still party like it's 999.

Lots going on. Atticus is trying to train a new druid, watch out for the nice old neighbor lady, take care of his dog (love his dog!), make a truce with a bunch of witches, repair his relationships with a few friends, and survive a slew of enemies. And fix a stretch of dead, charred ground from the previous novel, because that's what druids do.

Well written. No sour notes. Lots of fun. And, by me, highly recommended.

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