Yes. Clever launch of a new series in the Iron Druid universe (with an appearance by the man himself). Looking forward to more!

This (currently two book) series by Hearne is a pop fantasy author finally coming into his full potential. It is a good read, not good literature, and is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it series of novels.

This could be the transcript from a dungeons and dragons session of 30-50 year old progressive, kind, goofy, and probably American nerds. It is heavy on 80's and 90's pop culture references, but in a suitably subtle way that you'd not notice if that wasn't your childhood. The dialogue switches from over the top smack talk with Scottish accents to straight American empathetic goody two shoes in a way that is not true to the characters but works very well.

The plots are epic but mostly in the background and throwaway. You're here for the banter of lovely characters and their good dogs and friendly gods in an urban fantasy setting.

In contrast, I didn't like the Iron Druid Chronicles also by Hearne. The dialogue and snark was good, and everything else was off in that series. A decade later, he's returned to that universe but learned a lot about people who aren't 20 year old middle class straight white men, and it shows. (The narrator is straight, white, male, and about 25 in his voice despite being nominally 60, and that's appropriate as well--he's a nice guy, diversity means everyone, and this maps to the author's own experience.)

Loved it! With a special cameo, no less.

Such a great sense of humour unleashed here, i love it, and the rich sensory details of the gin and whiskey.

I'm a fan of the Iron Druid Chronicles, so it was almost a given that I should be similarly pleased with this book (though it doesn't necessarily follow, as we have all discovered to our occasional disappointment). And yes!

This book (1st in a series) is set in the same universe as the Iron Druid - our chief protagonist even met Atticus once, coincidentally and without drama, and recounts it as a little aside. Oh yes, that's one of the things I liked in this book - there are a few Interludes of a page or two, where a little backstory is given, or a snippet of interesting detail which could easily be left out of the plot but is really good to read. I also really like that our chief protagonist (yes, he has a name but it's unpronounceable unless you're Scottish, which reminds me of how I really like that Hearne gives us notes at the beginning about pronunciation of all the weird and wonderful etc .... but I suppose I ought to name our fellow - he's Aloysius MacBharrais, pronounced mac-vare-ish)

. . . I've lost my sentence there ...

Oh yes, I also really like that MacBharrais is an older man. NOT a 2000 year-old Druid, but an ordinary getting-on-a-bit Scots

... I'd like to have a successor soon, as I'm past sixty and rather wishing I could spend my time on sunny beaches or in sunny gardens, or indeed anyplace where I might see the sun more often.

I really his sidekick. I really like the fae creatures we meet. I really the humour and the action. And the idea of magic contained in the ink that is prepared and the way the words and symbols (yes, that's the sigils) are written is fantastic - what a terrific way to illustrate the power of the written word!