July 1, 2020
This stand-alone is a spin-off of Hearne's popular "Iron Druid" urban fantasy series. Al MacBharrais is a sigil agent for the Fae goddess Brighid, who uses magical inks to create spells and keep the peace. His latest apprentice, Gordie, has just been found dead under rather dodgy circumstances. The one surviving witness is a hobgoblin whom Gordie was about to sell into slavery. Al needs to enlist the hobgoblin's help but is hampered by a curse that makes everyone who hears his voice hate him. Can he solve the murder and figure out how to break his curse? Maybe, with enough whisky. VERDICT Delightful! Hearne's ("Seven Kennings" series) use of Scottish words and spellings (detailed in the foreword) never becomes distracting, but instead adds to the story's singular flavor. The author includes plenty of shout-outs for fans of the "Iron Druid" series, while introducing an intelligible tale sure to draw in new readers. Great for fans of Ben Aaronovitch, Jim Butcher, or Anton Strout.--Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.
Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from July 1, 2020
Hearne kicks off a delightful spin-off of his Iron Druid series (Hounded, 2011), set in the colorful sphere of Glasgow. Aloysius MacBharrais (just call him Al) is having a bad day. He just lost his seventh apprentice due to the man accidentally choking on a raisin-infested scone. The world sees Al as the proprietor of a printing establishment, but in reality he is a sigil agent, one of only five in the world. A sigil agent's job is to keep humans and the Fae apart by writing and enforcing magical contracts using carefully prepared inks to craft symbols infused with power. But it appears his apprentice has been trafficking in unsuspecting Fae and selling them to unscrupulous human buyers for nefarious purposes. But who tricked the Fae into coming to the human realm in the first place? A god may be involved, which means Al must be incredibly careful if he wishes to stay alive. Add a razor-wielding office manager, a mischievous hobgoblin sidekick, nosy police detectives, life-threatening curses, and a charming dose of Scots language, and you have a terrific kick-off of a new, action-packed, enchantingly fun series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)
July 20, 2020
Hearne (A Plague of Giants) spins off his Iron Druid Chronicles series with this enjoyable urban fantasy and series launch. As one of a handful of magically empowered sigil agents, Scotland-based
Aloysius MacBharrais (Al, for short) is responsible for enforcing the treaties dictating how and when gods and other supernatural creatures can visit Earth. But after his apprentice, Gordie, dies in a freak accident, Al discovers that Gordie was neck-deep in a supernatural trafficking ring, supplying kidnapped Fae folk to unscrupulous buyers. Intent on shutting this operation down, Al recruits one of Gordie’s intended victims—cheekily named hobgoblin Buck Foi—to help investigate. Together they follow a trail that connects powerful people in both the Fae and human worlds while combating threats from Al’s foes. Al, an aging widower who’s cursed such that the longer he speaks to someone, the more they hate him, makes for a refreshing viewpoint into an urban fantasy setting, while the sigil-based magic system proves both versatile and meticulously detailed. Though the mystery plot runs a little thin, the touches of humor and dynamic characters are enough to carry the day. Readers will be eager to see what happens next.