Scourged (The Iron Druid Chronicles)

Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid Series is absolutely my favorite next to The Dresden Files. I love the characters, the stories, the settings, and the humor. I highly recommend this series to anyone who hasn’t picked it up yet. Start with Hounded and enjoy yourself a wonderful ride!!!

Please do not try to read Scourged without reading all the books, short stories and novellas in the series. It is a banquet and should be enjoyed from start to finish.

Scourged is not a happy go lucky title and the plot of this book is not either. But Jesus foreshadowed that in Hammered. The plot is tightly written and the story rich as it seeks to wrap up lose ends from the series. Some folks have thought it was too short, but I think it is no longer than needed for Mr. Hearne to say what he wanted.

I believe that authors are the final authority on their story and characters. We readers are passengers who get to go along for the ride. What a wonderful ride the Iron Druid Chronicles has been!

Scourged has some incredible sacrifices required of characters. There are some Gods of certain pantheons that need to be sent to bed without dinner or grog. You so called Gods need to look in the mirror more often when assigning blame to others.

I felt Owen grew so much in this book from when we first met him. I am hoping that we get to read more about his young apprentices in future books. I want to see how they turn out. I am also hoping for more Oberon Meaty Mysteries with Oberon and Starbuck fighting crime and getting gravy.

When I finished Scourged, I was crying and angry over the of actions and attitude of a character. Frankly I want to turn this person over my knee for being such a selfish immature child. I never want to read about this person again unless it is about suffering and loss; you threw away something precious that you never deserved.

There is another whom I want comfort and befriend. The bar and costs were always set too high for you. I hope you find the peace that you talked about.

Throughout the series, Mr. Hearn has given us interesting and inspirational viewpoints on life. I enjoy his prose. As some other reviewers have mentioned, I did miss the humor in the earlier books. However, Scourged is about a possible end of the world, so there is not much room for levity.

I would like to give Luke Daniels who is the performer of the Audible book a standing ovation. Listening to Scourged brought the characters to life. I loved the voice for a brand-new character.

May harmony find each of us.

The first 8 books were fabulous! However, the 9th and last book was just not the same as the previous 8. It wasn't funny or sarcastic like the previous books, just preachy and judgmental and the ending flat sucked. Purchasing future books is probably not going to happen and I must say I was looking forward to his new books.

Disappointing end to a series that started off hot and then cooled to merely mediocre. The character development for the supporting characters was shallow and poorly done. A world ending Ragnarok came and went with nary a whimper and was ridiculous for the amount of deus ex machina employed. I would like to say the characters acted contrary to the personalities that had been built for them over the course of the series but I am not sure that is correct to say when the characters are acting in the manner the author wishes. Rather, the actions of the characters lead to an unfit ending for what the series had been building towards. Ended up with the appearance of a quick cash grab with no real effort put forth other than to tick off the majority of loose ends...

I have loved this series since I found the first book. At that time I lived in the Phoenix area, my daughter attended ASU. The books were spot on in the descriptions and feel of the area. Atticus and Oberon are the best of friends, while Oberon adds his own unique brand of humor. Reach book has its own unique story, involving Gaia, earth elementals,, Coyote, vampires and more. I suggest you pick up the first book, turn off your phone and prepare to go on the ride of your life. Best of all, all the books are now complete so you can read them all, with out waiting for the next to be published.

I have so enjoyed this series and just hate that it is coming to an end and in such a way... My Irish heart cried! I'm also a fellow Coloradoian (is that even a word)? and felt pride in my fellow authors accomplishments.
My dreams of more book writing are over but I read voraciously and this series has brought so much joy to me. Thank you, Kevin!!

I listened to the first 6 books just after they were individually released, and chose to read this last one. I love this series, and Mr. Hearne has ended it well. The Iron Druid has grown as a character, and so have the others. Oberon is the only character that hasn't changed, but he has always been perfect. I am sorry the Iron Druid did not get his happily ever with Graniuelle, but since he didn't realize the importance of letting her make her own decisions, he needed to learn that. Worth all the stars.

The spinoff value of the druids is far too encompassing to ignore. We will anticipate your stories for years to come. Keep your hand in ( pun intended ) and occasionally write some of these stories. Thank you, A Sun Devil the Morrigan didn't get.

This series of books has been in the top ten of my favorites and I, like other fans, have read and listened to the stories multiple times. However, I was very disappointed in this book. The character's actions were not consistent with the rest of the series and in point of fact I was annoyed with how some of them reacted in stressful situations. Atticus became a tragic figure to be pitied and Granuaile, became an immature kid who I wanted to smack. I understand about Karma, but this took it too far. Okay, Loki did not prevail, but the rest of the Norse Gods and Leif the vampire came out relatively unscathed, and some of their previous actions were way worse than what were done by the human characters. There was only a small hint at the end of good news for Atticus, and that only gave a tiny flicker of hope for an eventual satisfactory ending. For crying out loud, the guy kept the druid fires burning for 2000 years and it is like he gets no credit for it. The story left me hanging and yearning for a different outcome. There needs to be another story that provides greater justice to the poor mortals.

I have read all the books in the series and generally liked the previous ones. This one however was a grave disappointment. It is almost like the author decided to intentionally ruin the series. Instead of, as in the previous books, the hero cleverly dealing with the various problems he had to deal with and triumphing, we get defeat pulled from the jaws of victory with a non ending that basically makes you wonder why you have bothered with the series. All Kevin Hearne has done is convince me to never read another one of his books.

A good end to a great story. Scourged has quite a bit of wrap-up to complete and the pace was quite rapid. It was told from the POV of Atticus, Owen and Granuille. I have loved this series every since the first three books came out one month apart. All the best parts are Slomo. I was very sad to see the end of this book since I probably won't get to read more about the adventures of Slomo and Owen. That appears to be an epic just waiting to be written.

So the Iron Druid's story comes to an end, with action, laughter, sorrow, love, and hope.

Atticus became one of my favorite literary characters in book one, and grew with each volume.

Do yourself a favor and snag this and the earliest books of the series. Mr. Hearne writes exceedingly well, and his sense of the needs of our earth is more important now than ever before.

Oh, and be careful when dealing with gods. They're tricky.

The author says that this is the close of the Iron Druid saga. How sad. I hope this will not truly be forever. Lots in here about Gaia vs. nasty humanity but much more about interpersonal relations and farewells. "One day - I hope, anyway - we will feel the sadness peel away from our past and stand justified, knowing we could not, as imperfect beings, have made any other choices than the ones that haunt us in this moment."

I love this series. First book was, for me, out of this world. Second book, phenomenal. I read the first 7 books in two weeks, and that was to space them out so I could enjoy them longer.

This final book was just so rushed and only gave overview of action and events, as well as having such lame scenes. Huge fights were finished in less than a minute.

And Granuaile is the worst person ever. When she started being a main character instead of just the side character who Atticus explained things to, a part of the series was lessened. In this book it only got worse.

I also wanted more interaction with the other characters. Some only got brief mentions or one line. After the whole series, I felt like the rest of the characters deserved more than they got.

This could have been a great couple of books with some effort, rather than just one rushed book. Just so disappointed.

By far the weakest book in the series. The guilt manufactured by Atticus in how he may or may not have helped bring about Ragnarok feels entirely manipulative and inconsistent with the character in the early books (I know it's been 15 years, but in Atticus time, that's a blink). The main character we all signed on with is largely absent in this book and he isn't very useful in the sections he's in. The writing in the other characters' points of view seems sloppy and, at times, is so laden with exposition that I spent as much time eye-rolling as reading. A very disappointing ending to a series which, as one reviewer said already, came in with a bang but went out with a whimper.

So sad to read the end of this series. I have enjoyed every page and will absolutely be reading it again. Such beautifully crafted characters and plots that make each book impossible to put down.

And of course I adore Oberon and pals. There must be more meatier mysteries.

With Scourged, Kevin Hearne brings the Iron Druid series to a merciful end. The series landed like a dead fish on a fishmonger’s counter, with a moist and unpleasant slap. I can see from other reviews that most discerning readers had the same impression. The entire Iron Druid series had been stumbling along now for a while and as grown progressively less interesting, culminating with this stinker.

Scourged was as uninteresting and unmemorable a book of fiction that I can recall. It was only a grim sense of duty to finish the series I had invested too much time in that made me plod forward. By the end I was sort of rooting for Loki to win. With each successive book Hearne somehow managed to make the main characters less interesting. I didn’t care about the relationship between Atticus and Granuaile at all. In fact I didn’t care about Granuaile in general in this book. Such a shallow character to be given a third of the book. About the most interesting part of the final books of the series was Owen and his new grove but even there Hearne’s painfully obvious multicultural grove of children was too cute by half. The final battles, intended to be epic, were just boring and muddled. The ending and epilogue(s) were supposed to be philosophical but ended up just dragging out the deeply unsatisfying conclusion. In other words it was a mess.

The entire series suffered from a combination of Hearne’s sanctimonious environmentalist preaching about “destroying the world”, his loathing of the same Western civilization that has undoubtedly made him filthy rich (something he shares in common with people like Michael Moore) and the obvious chip he carries on his shoulder about Christianity. I don’t have a problem with authors injecting some personal political opinion in their works but most try to at least be subtle about it. Science fiction and fantasy can make serious points while still being fun to read but Hearne forgot about the fun part in his eagerness to use the Iron Druid series to self-importantly yammer about a litany of liberal talking points (The environment! Christianity bad! American Indians got a raw deal! Patriarchy!) .

As the series progressed he was clearly trying too hard to be clever, especially with his dialogue between Oberon and Atticus which earlier on was fun and whimsical but by the end was forced and unfunny. The same with Owen’s internal dialogue. You can almost see Hearne sitting around trying to come up with earthy and vulgar exclamations to keep Owen’s dialogue moving. As for Granuaile, after her revenge-porn assault on her cartoonish villain of a father-in-law, she might as well have been killed off because she never added anything to the story afterward.

Based on the Iron Druid it is highly unlikely I will start another series by Hearne anytime soon. It is too bad because he had an interesting concept and the first few books were kind of fun in a poor man’s Jim Butcher kind of way but his inability to flesh out his characters combined with his irresistible need to be preachy doomed the series.

This is my first ever book review and I really don't want to write it however I feel it must be done.

I loved this story up until the last 2 books. Book 8 was OK but could have been better.

This book is the absolute worst way to end a series and it screams lazy writing by the author. You could tell by the end of the book that the author no longer cared about the main character, he gave a much better send off to the other two support characters and absolutely destroyed the start of the series.

This was supposed to be an epic send off for the final book of a much beloved character and it was anything but.

If you truly loved the Iron Druid Series please read a fan fiction ending it will probably give you a better ending then this dribble that Kevin Hearne threw up on the pages of Scourged.

Alert!!: Some Spoilers

I have been a huge fan of the Iron Druid Chronicles, and especially because they had Luke Daniels narrating the audio books. He really brought the characters to life for me.

I absolutely loved all of the previous books, and all of the short stories. They were well thought out, written, and made me truly laugh out loud every time I re-read or re-listened to the series. (Many Times). But this book was horrible. There was way too much time focused on side battles and not enough on the main ones. If it was truly THAT easy to defeat all of these big bad bosses, then why in the world did they wait and not take the fight to them...

While I thought the sloth in Owen's side adventures was amusing, I would much rather have seen that time given to actually having more detail given to the so called "epic battle".

Granuaile's side adventure is even worse, taking her the whole book to figure out what Owen did in the first 30 seconds of being assigned their tasks. And I just don't understand why she is so incredibly upset?!! It's not like she was in no danger at all. All fights have the risk of death. Now, if Atticus had been condescending enough to say: "Now just sit here at the cabin, completely safe, and let the adults handle the end of the world", now she would have a huge reason to be angry.... If Druidry and protecting Gaia is so important to her, then she should understand that keeping the other druids away from the main battle just makes sense if they want to make sure it survives. Why assign her to Taiwan if you are putting her in at least some danger? Why not have her help putting out fires ALL OVER THE WORLD, like Owen.

So many of our long running characters are cut down in such a quick and easy fashion, it's almost like an insult to them. And others didn't even make an appearance like Perun. Sure, he is mad at Flidais, but to not even show up for any battle? Come on!!??

Finally, Atticus' final punishment from the Norse does make sense as a end to the series. He isn't dead, but is punished for all of the death and destruction his bad decision to go to Asgard cost. However, I don't agree that ending the series with him completely friendless and alone, except for the hounds, was a great decision. It just leaves the book feeling, well, I'm not sure what. Sure he needed to be punished, but if the series is ending, end it on a little bit higher of a note.

Maybe instead have had the epilogue set for several years in the future, with Atticus settled down back in Ireland, with a wife, and a small grove of his own. Sure, he has still lost a large portion of his power, but he can still impart 2000 years of knowledge. He could be dealing with the loss and sorrow of his punishment, but at least have found some contentment at not running, hiding, or fighting anyone, and having another shot at the family he talked about earlier in this last book....

Just a bad way to end the series... It just feels like the author phoned in the end of the story so he could start really working on his new series.

This book is so well done! It has three narrative voices that sound like different people and hits every high and low point you know had to come in the concluding chapter but almost always came in an unexpected, very entertaining way.

After reading initial reviews, I decided to borrow this book from the library rather than purchase it. That was a good decision. This is without a doubt the worst most unsatisfying series ending book I have ever read. A few points

1) The breakup scene between Atticus and Granuaile was ridiculous and presented Granuaile as being cruel and shallow, neither of which is consistent with how she has been portrayed previously.
2) There was barely any interaction and no meaningful interaction between the three main protagonists (Atticus, Granuaile, and Owen). Owen and Granuaile were in general afterthoughts in this book.
3) The way Atticus lost his arm was both random and very poorly presented
4) Kevin Hearne's blatant use of virtue signaling and social justice warrior tropes was overbearing.

If the author was tired of writing the series he should have let it sit for an extended period of time and then come back to it in a better mood. A reader who purchases eight previous books (plus possibly short story collections) has invested a fair amount of both money and effort into a series. I think an author owes his fans better than a book like this as a thank you when ending the series.

I was fortunate enough to learn of this series after the sixth book, Hunted, had already been published. That allowed me to binge the series and truly immerse myself in Hearne's wonderful saga. I've "kept up" as the new books came out, and yesterday, I finally finished this, the last book of the series.

To say I was let down is an understatement. While Hearne's writing style remains lively, the book felt, in countless ways, as if the author was bored and tired of the story, and put together a quick, slapdash effort to close it out. The book is short, the narrative is mechanical, there's little to no "freshness," nor is there much of a sense of peril.

SPOILERS....

The story of the Iron Druid himself ends with a whimper, and while I get that we shouldn't expect Atticus to escape every dire situation... well, the whole series has been him doing exactly that. Instead, we get a lopped off arm, a concomitant loss of his Druidic might, a blink-and-you'll-miss-it breakup with his apprentice/girlfriend, and a vague "he may figure out how to get restored but we'll never know because the series is over" epilogue.

Even the acknowledgments strongly suggest that Hearne was past done with this saga.

I'd have much preferred Hearne waited until he had something fresh to offer, or had more spirit and exuberance to give to his wonderful creation, or even not to have a "final" book, than to see the series deflate as it did.

5 stars because it was perfect. I hope Kevin returns to this world again, and back to my favorite Iron Druid (maybe a prequel). I cried, I laughed, and I continued to love sloths. Having just finished I'm left feeling dolofabolo as all three druids played their parts in the Apocalypse, and had I been in the final battle I'd have won 1/2 the cookies, cause that I saw coming, I mean it's all in the name.

An otherwise fun, witty, joyful, epic series ends in mopey disappointment. Two characters go on low-stakes side quests: one literally putting out fires, and the other sent off on an intential distraction for a third of the book.

Confession: I've never been a fan of Oberon's dialogue. The humor wasn't for me, and I found the digressions frustrating. But MAN is he missed here, with the clever, witty, three-steps-ahead Atticus is gone. Replacing him is a self-loathing Atticus who slogs through a Ragnarök devoid of suspense or wit, ending not in victory or defeat, but depression and regret. The doom of the gods has no weight or grandeur, with epic villains and heroes alike dying like punks. Jormungander drops while our hero stands watching and shaking his head. Surtr, King of the Fire Giants, is dispatched with a single weapon. No excitement. No adventure. Just a play-by-play followed by a few chapters of remorse.

A huge letdown to what was previously a joyful, fun series. I would have rather waited a decade to get a worthy ending, or seen the books stop when they were still written in the badass, fun tone that hooked us all originally.

I love this series and I'm so sad this is the last book focusing on Atticus and Oberon. If you enjoy good story telling by an author with a great sense of humor who knows his way around a sentence then check out this series, and the rest of Kevin Hearne's writings. You won't be disappointed. (No spoilers here. If you haven't read any of this series start at the beginning.)

The only saving grace to this series was Oberon. His lines were funny, original, perfectly timed, and a joy to read. I found the rest of the characters to be morons, for the most part. Atticus, in particular, made so many dumb mistakes -- it started out funny, but just got old when this supposedly brilliant druid just kept doing things without thinking, getting people and things killed for no other reason than that he screwed up and went into battle without planning, or went into battle with a half-arsed plan that failed miserably. The characters were all made of cardboard -- some of them thinner than others (I'm looking at you, Granuaile), and I found none of them interesting. I felt no attachment to any of the characters, beyond wishing they would just go away and let Oberon speak more.

Okay, we get it, writing these books can be tiring BUT for the final book should be EPIC, MEMORABLE, and ENERGETIC. We shouldn't feel like we came along for the series only to crash. I'm no stranger to "sad' endings but this wasn't one of those endings. This was a whole mess of inconsistency and I'm surprised I'm saying this about Kevin's writing. Because let me tell you, THIS MAN CAN WRITE. Read the first book of this series. It sucks you in like a vampire sucking away your life's blood. I digress, not every book is going to be perfect, but to think after this entire journey, the final book would be just badass. Not this one. I NEVER imagined that I'd be giving Kevin Hearne anything short of 5 stars...
Atticus: barely has any "screen time" and after his entire 2000 years, he's suddenly letting guilt bring him down? HE WAS SO UNDERPOWERED. He didn't do anything to BE THE MAIN CHARACTER-- instead being damn near useless. But nothing pissed me off more than Granuaile. She went from being my second or third favorite character in book 9 to my most hated character. For one, her character is different than the other books, she's childish (rather than more grown up) and well, the way she shat on Atticus after ONE mistake which was GOOD for her because he cares... This is very unrealistic and no one should want a woman like that anyway. Atticus is better off with Morgan LOL... At least she's more interesting :/ Often giving us a more humorous intake of how she's trying to understand human customs and is even willing to learn. I'm not sure if book 9's Granuaile was trying to vomit a feminist view on us, but...as you can see, a male writer is better off not doing so...
No one likes the ending. I don't need to beat a dead horse. After all of the building up, the war was a let down (nothing drastic happened), Atticus wasn't given a chance to be more than useless, unlike the prior books. For a main character, this book reduced his power by 90%. Why was Granuaile who only just became a druid was able to take down demons yet Atticus demonstrated nothing spectacular. No redemption?
I'm sorry Kevin, but I've got to tell it like it is. This is the WORST book of the series. Rushed? For a final conclusion, wow.
I'm actually giving 2 stars. 1.5 if it allowed.
The audiobook is well narrated. Luke Daniels is a beast at his craft.

The high cost of the ebook was not justified at all - book was super short. The main characters barely had any contact with one another and their actions seemed completely out of character. I understand that "happy endings for all" are not necessarily the best way to advance a plot but, the way things concluded for so many characters seemed contrived and unnecessary. Too bad Kevin Hearne didn't put more effort into concluding this series. You could skip this book and be happier than if you buy it and read it.

I've enjoyed the Iron Druid stories. Really enjoyed them. This one was no better than adequate. There's a big pie fight. People and gods die. Obviously not everyone and (spoiler alert) none of the druids. Hearne partially redeems his demeaning tropification of Granuaille. We confirm what we knew about other characters including the fact that Atticus is still a habitual manipulator who lived thousands of years but never grew up.

Somehow it just didn't work. The book was too short for the $14 price. Don't get me wrong. I abhor doorstop books that lard on the pages needlessly; Lord of Light was the same length as this. Other than a philosophical sloth nothing interesting was added in the pages. It was just an awkward-length jog to the finish line.

This was a somewhat disappointing end to the Iron Druid Chronicles. This is the ninth, and final, book in a series that should have ended a couple books ago.

I listened to this on audiobook (I have listened to most of this series on audiobook). It is generally well done; however the voices for Atticus and Granuaile are too much the same...so it’s hard to remember who is talking sometimes. Some of the other voices are over-characterized; for example Owen and Starbuck actually made me cringe a bit when they were talking.

The story jumps between Atticus, Granuaile, and Owen; each of them have a part to play in the final battle against Loki and Hel.

This book just seemed very piecemeal...like it was just going through the actions needed to tie up the story. It was a very dis-satisfying ending. I feel like this series started going downhill a bit with Book 6 and just kept decreasing in quality from there.

Overall, I guess read this if you want to tie-up the series but don't expect much from it. I am happy the series is over, but wish it would have ended a few books ago when it was still well-written and I still enjoyed it.

A true disappointment. The last book was far from great. I enjoyed the books up until then. This book had a few funny parts I liked but the ending made me really dislike some of the characters. I will give no spoilers because I know everyone who has followed the series will want to finish it but trust me you will not like the ending. It ruined the series for me and I will not be reading anything else from Mr. Hearne.

I was wholly disappointed in this one. I love this series and was dancing for joy on the release date for Scourged just waiting to get my paws on it. It fell so flat. The ending was extremely disappointing. There was so much meaningless drivel on nonsense scenes and then just a brush off on the important scenes! Recurring character deaths where described with a brief sentence, the big bad guys of Ragnarok nothing more that a small, anti-climatic, death, and a complete lack of Oberon, who really brings the best quips and personality to these books. You write pages of the lines of an unrelated sloth but then skimp on the important matter? This was the big finale? Well that one went splat. Bring it back and give the readers the ending the deserve Kevin!

Awful ending to a very enjoyable series. The sudden jump to a completely off tone sjw ending threw the whole thing off. Building to a reckoning for all the death and turmoil caused by Atticus, but no, those were bought off as a blood debt, and his punishment was for being a white man making choices for others. I don't have an issue with what the author was trying to say, but it wasn't a theme in any of the rest of the series. It's so off tone as to skew the whole thing. Also, murder and setting off cataclysms that kill thousands is fine, but God forbid a 2000 year old man make tactical decisions without consulting the 30 year old student who hasn't actually finished her training. Clearly, the author was affected by his collaboration on "Kill the Farm boy" a series he's started with coauthor Delilah S. Dawson. That book is sjw all over the place, but that's the start of the series. Don't get me wrong, that book is terrible, but that's more due to bad writing, over use of obvious dick and poop jokes, and the fact that the crass humor really doesn't fit with the female empowerment theme that's trying to be in there, too. Hearne tried to shoehorn in some of that political sentiment into his finale, and just botched the whole thing. Very disappointing.

I loved the series (except for Clever Girl being kind of obnoxious in the later books) but this book was subpar. I didn't like Clever Girl breaking up with Atticus (I'm reading the series again and I'm in Trapped where there are bonds of love between them ... really? I don't believe it now and will probably stop reading after Trapped). I didn't like the action or the characters or ... well, pretty much everything. I wanted to love this tie-up to the series ... but couldn't. I have *never* left a 2-star review before but I'm pretty darned disappointed in this one.

Overall, loved the series but hugely disappointed in this series end. Guess Kevin got tired of the series. A little to preachy. Can't believe Granuile would be so short sighted of Atticus. I guess if you live forever, you have time to re-think your life decisions.

**Spoilers**

First, there was no interaction between the 3 Druids, they could have been in 3 separate books & it wouldn't have been any different. There was barely any interaction between Oberon & Atticus too, something that has been a constant, & one of the best parts throughout the series.

The many battles were all boring, & Ragnarok was nothing, with various gods just dropping dead. If it was that easy, why did it take 9 books?

As for the ending, I can't understand why Hearne apparently developed a sudden hatred for his characters. Granuaile turns into a bitch & dumps Atticus just because he tried to keep her safe, & Atticus loses his right arm & takes the blame for everything bad.

After all the time I've invested in this series, I hate that Kevin Hearne cared so little for it that he wrote this book.

Very disappointed in this book. Spoilers ahead.....

All the build up to Ragnarok, which in the end turns out to not really be a big deal at all. Tons of deities participate and most are easily dispatched before they can do anything. Major villains are also done away with almost as an afterthought.

Book was very short at 271 pages, four of which was the afterword, so really the story was 267 pages. Out of those, the Granuaile chapters took up 65. Her part in the story could have been left out completely without any real impact on the overall narrative. The author used all of her chapters to try and give a reason why she would kick Atticus when he is down, and it still didn't really make any sense. Very poorly written character.

Owen, who I have enjoyed up to this point was pretty much relegated to spending most of the book with a sloth and not really serving any purpose in the main story at all.

Overall, it just seems like this book was just a soap box for the author to get preachy about his personal views. Pretty disappointed in this one as I enjoyed the other books in the series.

*SPOILER ALERT *

I have enjoyed every one of Kevin Hearne’s forays into the universe of the Iron Druid Chronicles... except this one. This was a rushed piece of literature that gave what had once been an amazing urban fantasy series a sub-par conclusion.

Firstly, there was just far too little time with Oberon. The Irish wolfhound is the comedic heart of the entire series, & has always kept it from drowning in too many fantasy tropes & too much fake gravitas.

Secondly, this novel spends far too much time with Granuaile & her feminist empowerment allegory. Don’t get me wrong: I’ve enjoyed the characterization of Granuaile throughout the series, but the whole “I don’t need no man to look after me” attitude of hers just seemed completely out of character.

And Atticus... poor Atticus was completely betrayed by everyone one involved in this book; his gods, his supposed allies, his girlfriend, & even Hearne himself. Nearly every chapter from Atticus’ POV was filled with more self-loathing than a Panic at the Disco concert. And all this flagellation of the self came from the “consequences” of the decisions & promises he’s made throughout the series; decisions he had no choice but to make & promises he had no choice but to uphold, all in the name of protecting himself or his loved ones. You’d figure a 2,000 year old Druid with the power of the Earth at his fingertips would manage to keep himself from turning into a depressed little emo kid, lamenting about how badly his life turned out, but sadly that’s how Hearne decided to assassinate the character of Atticus O’Sullivan, & botch the ending of what was once a great series.

Really disappointed with how the series ended. The first 3 books were fantastic but it seems like the author changed throughout the series, and not in the good way. This last book was the most preachy without any cleverness to it. Any author may incorporate their own views and beliefs but it wasnt implemented in the story well... just snarky comments from narrators. Unfortunate the series went out like this.

I am so sad to see this series go, but I have to say this book was an excellent conclusion. I loved the great writing, the great plot, and of course, all the great characters. I really don’t want to spoil the book so I can’t say much, but I can’t imagine a better ending. There was a wonderful amount of action, fun, and adventure, all the things I expect from a book in this series. I will look for future books by this very talented author as Mr. Hearne has become a favorite. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.

Probably the most gutless closing to a series I have ever read. If I could give it 0 stars I would.

If I had known the writer would end this series by creating massive judgement on the main character is rediculous. I honestly wish I had never read it.

If you haven't, quit the series now, and remember all the fun adventures - if you read this, you will regret it.

I loved the first couple of books and kept hanging on for more of the same, but the series steadily went downhill.
Hearn never recaptures the fun and interest of the first few books.
Honestly, I think Hearne became more and more passionate about political correctness,in every aspect, and used his books as a pulpit f ok which to teach his lessons. His characters and scenarios became staging grounds for his ramblings. At the very least, the last three books were a complete bore. If he hadn’t begun the series with such originality and promise, I never would have hung on this long.
So, in total, Scourged was extremely poorly written and I wish I had quit long ago.

I have been a fan of the Iron Druid series since this first time I sampled Hounded after release. I have introduced friends and family alike to the wonders of Kevin Hearne’s imaginings. I was thoroughly re-captivated by Luke Daniels’ masterful narration and can honestly say ADDED value to an already wonderful book series.

I can’t say that I am happy to have reached the end of the road with Atticus and REALLY hope Kevin continues to explore this world.

For those of you who read this to see if they should check out this book, the answer is yes, without hesitation.

Thanks Kevin and Luke for an amazing journey.

This is one if the worst end series novels I've read ever.... Hearne wraps up the storylines franticly as if he was on a word budget. Ragnarock is like a weekend fireworks festival...characters seemingly go through perspective changing incidents and emerge with no new perspective whatsoever...but what's important is Jesus forgives him even if his own gods didn't save him...because he saves himself....

I will begin by saying I listened to this series via Audible over the course of two weeks as a way to pass time at work. I am giving this series 5 stars despite some small grievances because I feel the good far outweighs the bad.

Book One was a lot of fun. Hearne foreshadowed Laksha and Granuaille's relevance perfectly and introduced us to some great characters.

Book 2 was not my favorite, mostly because I don't particularly like witch stories, but I won't fault the author for my preferences.

Book 3 is where Hearne hits his stride. Some complain about the side quest stories from Perun and Leif and the other deities/heroes, but this is easily the most important book in the first trilogy.

Books 4-6 were fun, but not my favorite. Still good, but not much going on other than filler for the climax.

Book 7. I can't stand Granuaille's narration in this last trilogy. I'm sure there are those who disagree, but that's just my opinion.

Book 8 was fun. Lots of action and Owen is simply wonderful.

Book 9 is everything I needed it to be. Yes, it was short. Yes, Atticus suffers. A lot. But maybe that's what he needs to grow in life. As much as I hate to say it, he did earn his punishments. He needs to be humbled. I won't miss Granuaille, and I hope Owen has a long and happy life. Also, Oberon 2020.

I can't understand why it took 2 years to write this epic failure of a mere 276 pages. (It is also way overpriced for such a small book.) It is full of the author's own political and social philosophies. Over half the chapters are about Owen and Granuaile doing "side" jobs. Atticus does very little himself even in the not so epic battle of Ragnarok.

I’ve been trying to decide if all the fun I had reading the first eight Iron Druid books and the novellas was worth the anger and frustration I’ve been experiencing since reading book #9. It’s been over a month, now, since finishing SCOURGED—took over a week ’cause I had to keep stopping when I wanted to throw my Fire tablet across the room—and I still feel… well, scourged, every time I think about it. So, no, I guess not. I guess I’d rather not ever have heard of the series than to wind up feeling so cheated and duped.

I kept waiting for Ashton to jump out and tell me I was being punked.

I was so disappointed with this book.

I got the sense that the author has parlayed his success from this series into many other ventures - and those ventures are requiring so much of his attention that this final book ended up....well, sucking.

Atticus O'Sullivan knows that Ragnarok aka the Apocalypse is coming soon. And he knows that he is to blame for what is about to happen. So he has been preparing by making deals, safeguarding those he loves, and trying to minimize the destruction. But, with all his preparations and plans within plans, he is caught off guard by the personal price he will have to pay in the end. Kevin Hearne carefully chose the series titles and especially this one. If you are a fan of the series, read it and consider it in light of the whole series. There are a couple of loopholes the author left that would allow future books in this universe to see the light of day, but Atticus's tale has come to an end.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title.

Very disappointing end to an amazing series. It felt ghost written. I'm glad it was given as a gift.
For me the series started going downhill with Trapped (book 5). Which can be expected with such a long series. Then with the introduction of Owen in Shattered (book 7), my hope for the series was reignited. However, in books 7 and 8 I found myself more interested in the chapters starring Owen and Granuaile, which is never a good sign when you're meant to be most interested in Atticus.

This book was full of too many battle descriptions. Which normally isn't a bad thing when you have a few skirmishes sprinkled throughout then followed by one big battle at the end of a book. The switching between the fights of the three main characters was exhausting. (Spoilers) Granuaile's Taiwan battle training chapters served no purpose! They literally could have been cut from the book and it would have served the same effect. There's only so much blocks, staff twirls, and dodging I can take. Not to mention the random preachiness that each character rambled on during their fights. I found myself literally skipping pages of battle descriptions of Atticus and Granuaile and not missing anything vital or important.
I truly feel that Mr. Hearne was just tired of writing about Atticus' adventures and it showed.

As a fan from the very beginning I felt sad and frankly a little angry that an artist could end it like this. I found myself not liking Atticus until the epilogues. I didn't care for Granuaile the second she left Poland. I feel like Mr. Hearne wrote Granuaile's chapters up through Poland then someone ghost wrote the rest of hers. I hated her by the end of the book and how she handled the Atticus revelation. This is disappointing because I've been hoping for a Granuaile solo series since book 5. Not anymore.
Owen and company were the highlight of the book! If Mr. Hearne had any heart left about any of these characters, he used it in writing about Owen. Slomo was my favorite character in this book. Slomo! A sassy sloth introduced about halfway, was my favorite character! Take time to comprehend that. That is sad considering your favorite character should be the guy headlining this 9 book long series.

I have hope for the future of an Owen solo series. I would definitely read it. Especially if Atticus and Granuaile do not appear. If the series happens however, I hope it only lasts 4 books at most. And it better include a lot of Slomo!

It is difficult to write such a bad review for a book series that I have enjoyed for so long. I really wanted a good payoff for the characters, even the ones I didn't enjoy very much. But after going through this quagmire of nonsense and poorly developed story lines the best review I can muster is this: Don't buy this book, just let book 8 be you last novel and spend the rest of your life imagining the ending the way you want. Kevin has every right to end things the way he does but what he did was just insufferable. This is less an urban fantasy novel and more a baseball bat he uses to club you over the head with his politics. It was just horrible.

I love the Iron Druid Chronicles, but this book was a huge disappointment. I gave it 2 stars, because it did make me laugh a few times. Otherwise, it wasn't worth one star. It felt disjointed. Too much time was spent on irrelevant things (like what the dogs get to eat) and some things just seemed glossed over. I've never hated a character more than I did at the end of this book. It left me angry and frustrated.

This book should come with a warning label. As it will be detrimental towards ones sleeping pattern/ work out put
Woo Hoo . I loved this book and the whole series.I couldn't put it down. I read it all in one sitting. It kept me enthralled and entertained from one page to the next. Kevin Hearne brings a glorious world within a world to light and his story telling is absolue.

I liked the book, generally speaking, but there seemed to be something missing. The three split story lines were a distraction in this book, watering down the each other part and the story as a whole seemed to lack a lot of the same punch that the previous 8 books had. Even the hard hitting parts at the end had me just saying "meh" to myself.

So this book is like the series finale Battlestar Galactica for me. I wanted to love it, and I loved every other aspect that came before, but the final product left me generally unsatisfied.

I checked Scourged, book 10--and the final story of the Iron Druid series, out from my local library. Gotta love Atticus --and Oberon, of course. This confident, smart character has been a favorite since the first book I read. I am not too excited about how the series ended (on such a down note), although Hearne did throw readers a bone by leaving a few threads open so we could build our own ending. I wanted an ending more uplifting for Atticus-- after all the trials and fighting for Gaia, I wanted more for him. A good ending, but not a totally happy one.

I think that Kevin Hearne was a fantastic writer when the series began, and I always looked forward to the new books; however, his last few books have reflected some sort of bitterness which was not there at the beginning of the series. Having perused his social media, he really started to tank when a certain political party won the White House; the coincidence is very strong. I get that you have feelings about your political views, but leave it out of your books. These last few books were preachy, bitter, and self-righteous, and Atticus ceased being the amazing character he started out as. Leave the politics out of your writings and maybe they'll be enjoyable again.

So preachy. So self righteous. Such an unfortunate failure with such a great buildup. I'd still recommend this series to anyone but this ending is dumb. Every character that I've loved through this whole series (besides Oberon) acts completely contrary to the way they have been presented before this last book. Ragnarok should have been a fun romp, not the silly weak deus ex machina presented here. Inexcusable.

First let me say that Kevin Hearne is a fantastic author, and I'm a big Iron Druid fan. This book is not his best work. The characters easily skate through their trials. The jokes don't land. Minor animal characters get big parts. The big battle scene didn't get enough time. Most fans would also say that the book did not end true to the characters we know.

I'm really more bummed than anything. Kevin Hearne if you read these reviews, you need to know that you have way more talent that what landed on the pages of this book.

To be honest, I haven't liked this series since Granuaile started playing a larger role in the story. She's always been vapid and uninteresting, and Scourged just took this to a whole new level. Really hated this book, but then again, the last few haven't been good either. Glad I didn't spend any money on this one and just borrowed it from the library.

This audiobook is the most annoying thing I've ever had the displeasure of listening to. The Narrator has given us three lispy baby talk voices for the animal main characters which are certain to cause me to avoid any future books he narrates. I have to see if I can get a refund so that I can convince Alexa to read it to me in her robovoice. Because listening to this narrator is like a rail-spike to my brain. I haven't even managed to get to the story beyond the first 15 minutes. The recap was enough to get me to write the review.

And seriously, why does Oberon need a Bobcat Goldthwait as chihuahua voice.

Love the series, despise this book. Cannot emphasize enough how much the ending to this sucked.

*Spoilers Ahead*

Everyone decides to take revenge on Atticus and NO ONE stands up for him? REALLY? According to previous books, his debts should have already been paid, there was no need to destroy his druidry! And Gran, gonna dump him just because he sidelined you so you could live and keep druidry going when he didnt think he would live? And you stand back and watch him get destroyed and say nothing? And Owen knows nothing of any of it? I really wanted Owen to show up and smack everyone around a bit for their stupidity after chopping Atticus' arm off, tell Gran what an idiot she's being and send her to "time out" to think about it, and then demand Atticus' arm back for healing because otherwise Gaia would suffer (which woukd effect the gods eventually, especially the ones who were claiming revenge like the Huntresses)!

Could have at least ended with Ogma and Brighid healing him, rather than "maybe we'll heal him, maybe we won't do it for a thousand years"

Hearne has gone full SJW on this one. His books have always had an environmentalist and anti-colonialism message, but this one takes it to a new extreme. I think he was trying to impress the HUGO judges instead of the fans with this one. I am completely taken out of the fantasy by the constant lectures about how evil humans, especially white colonialists are. Having trouble getting through it. Hoping it improves.

So disappointed in this book. I am a huge fan of the Iron Druid series and have recommended it to anyone craving a good fantasy series. Reading this left me pissed off at the tiring story line and unrealistic ending. It would have better to have killed off every single character in this book than to end it the way he did. Such a shame.

At the time of this writing the Kindle price is $13.99. I love the series, and think Kevin Hearne is a great author, but I wouldn't pay 14 bucks for an eBook even if Robert Jordan rose from the grave to give the Wheel of Time a proper ending exclusively on the Kindle.

Worst book by far in the iron Druid series. I really like most of the other books even as they might be a bit predictable. This title left wanting. Ragnarok was such an epic let down. Atticus hides cloaked for the entire thing behind coyote. I still don’t understand why coyote decided to help. I might have fallen asleep during that part. And that leads me to my next point of how boring the story was.

This is the worst ending to a series that I've ever read. I am so disappointed. Almost the entire book was a slog. It felt like there was no heart. There were too many of the situation s that I disliked from Staked but that book was 5 stars compared to this. The ending was just awful.

Luke Daniel's narration was amazing as always.

I would give 5 Stars for every Iron Druid book previous to this one.
The prose quality is great (good editing is a blessing that knows it's bounds - namely grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation.)
But the story on this one disappoints - no spoilers, I promise but ...
the Granualle ending doesn't ring true and Ragnarok dropped like a rock.
Th literal Battle for the end of the World, built up for several books - crescendos like a wet firecracker.
The audiobook was high quality - Love Luke Daniels, he does a great job.

Every other piece of writing in this series is amazing. But this one shattered every amount of emotional investment I had in these characters. Completely unsatisfying ending to an otherwise epic tale.

Parting is such sweet sorrow. In the case of Hearne’s “Iron Druid Chronicles,” the parting is bittersweet. Hearne took us on an amazing adventure since the series began. “Scourged” did not fail to deliver. It was fast-paced from beginning to end with Ragnarok thrown in the mix.

The book brought the story of Atticus to a resounding conclusion. Did it conclude as I would have wished? No. It was a fitting ending. Longtime readers have known since Christ’s appearance several books ago, Atticus would have to face the consequences on his actions. Atticus made questionable decisions, no matter his justifications. Sooner or later the bill had to come due.

As the entire series has been rushing to Ragnarok, the war to end all wars, readers have known this war would have consequences for Atticus and the people in his life. In “Scourged,” we saw friends survive Ragnarok, and those who did not. We saw relationships change. We witnessed new friendships take form. All of this led to the bittersweet conclusion. Actions have consequences, and those consequences can be disarmingly high.

Longtime readers of Hearne will appreciate this conclusion to the “Chronicles,” and will have to decide how they feel about Atticus’ victory.

Note: This reviewer received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A friend have me a copy of Hounded for Christmas a couple years ago and I got hooked on the series. Loved all the books up until this one. Owen's and Gran's chapters fill more like filler than contributing anything to the main plotline and 8 books worth of building a relationship only to have it undone so quickly made for an awful ending.

I LOVED this book. I loved Owen and the sloth. I loved the pups. It was bittersweet to have it end but I couldn't have thought of a more resolved end. The mirroring between the ending and the beginning of the series actually made me cry. This book was funny but more serious than the other books I have read in the series which was needed. As this was the last book, there needed to be the grave consequences of Atticus' actions throughout the series. I hope to see more books about Owen and his Grove which I also hope include Slomo. I enjoyed that all of the deities that were in previous books had an appearance. Overall, this was the perfect ending to an AMAZING series that I have truly loved and am sad to see end. However, Kevin Hearne picked the best ending I think could have happened. It felt real and not a true happily-ever-after.
Scourged (The Iron Druid Chronicles)

I love Kevin Hearne and everything he’s written. But $14.00 for 270 pages in an e-book, is pushing it way too far. Greedy sir! If it was 450-500 pages then maybe $9.99. I can wait and the price will go down.

Aww, I'm so sad to see this series end! I loved so many of the characters and it's so unique to the urban fantasy genre. But all good things must end. This book was basically one giant battle. The three main characters were split into different places of the world and out fighting their own battles, all of which lead to one of the most bittersweet endings I've ever read in fiction. I'm honestly torn about it. All said, it's a good ending that completes the arcs of everyone involved, but the fangirl in me was hoping for more sappiness. Still, the action was strong and the new characters that were introduced were memorable and fun. The book was much shorter than I expected, but this was a satisfying to a truly exciting series.

I’m just glad this wasn’t the first book in the series or I would have missed out on all of the Iron Druid awesomeness. It was more of a novella than a novel. I’m sure it’s impossible to write an ending that will please everyone but this just didn’t cut it. Really.

Why is the kindle version substantially more than the paperback ???? No i didn't read it and i wont at these prices. Kevin, have a chat with whomever you need to regarding this discrepancy, its ridiculous.

A somewhat disappointing end to one of the most entertaining series in recent years. Granuile's arc was wasted in this final book and her final reaction to Atticus was ... awfully one dimensional. There was a LOT of context to the actions she objected to which she seemed to take into no account.

Still, parts were hugely entertaining (Owen got a lot of the lighter moments this time around) and I'm not sorry to have read it, just a little sad that it's all over and it went out with more of a whimper than a bang.

This was my least favorite book of the series. If it had been my first I probably would not have read a second. For me it was over the top silly at times. Having said that, I will still read the next one hoping the balance returns.

A terrible ending to the series. I have been a fan of this series all along and the amount of thought put into this one is minimal at best. The end fight which was being built up from the last few books was boring and not exciting at all.

For the love of all things Iron Druid, stop after chapter 24 and decide how you want things to wrap up. If you want the full experience include flashing the Virgin Mary and some wisdom from Jesus in your conclusion.

I own 8 Iron Druid books. I was a huge fan of the story being told from one point of view. As the books continued, sometimes it seemed the good stuff was with one character or another, and I would be trudging through a chapter just to get to the story I was more interested in. So instead of pre-order, i waited a few weeks and read what people thought. It seemed like the trend had continued so I checked it out from the library instead of purchasing. Shame on me. This book was well written and reminded me of some of the first books. I was out loud laughing and could not put the book down. (SPOILER AHEAD) I think the ending was completely necessary for Granuile, and there is so much potential for more stories if Kevin decides to do some stand alones in a few years. For example, Owen’s grove plus Slomo, Kevin maybe spends some time again with the Morrigan, and pretty much anything with Coyote.

Make your own opinion folks. This is getting a lot of negativity, but I strongly disagree. It will be on a birthday list to complete my collection.

I absolutely loved this final book of the Iron Druid Chronicles. Hearne nicely ties up loose ends and answers a lot of questions left open in the other books in the series. Hopefully there will be further books, novellas, and short stories to come from this universe, but I'm satisfied (if a little sad) at the conclusion of this part of it. I laughed out loud multiple times and was thrilled that Mr. Hearne even brought in a new character to fall in love with. I highly recommend reading this and the entire series.

After a series that, for a long time was one of my favorite fantasy series in existence; this book has me feeling like Kevin had gotten tired of writing the books, but his publisher wouldn't let him take a break; write some other things, and come back to it.

After eight books of Atticus being in the thick of things, this story ignores that existing character by having him be almost completely inconsequential when it comes to Ragnarok.

Additionally, the pacing felt off. Owen's story was essentially unconnected from the other stories and would have been better suited as a novella of its own. Until the final pre-epilogue scene, Granuaile's story was only tangentially related as well.

This book has everything you expected of a book in the Iron Druid series: exciting action, stimulating dialogues, and plenty of humor. I’m quite satisfied with the way Hearne tied up all the loose ends. Very happy I came across this series.

For such an upbeat fun series the ending was just a bit of a downer. This book tied up the plot lines but didn’t wasn’t terribly enjoyable on its own. Nothing particularly new was done and it seemed like there was another mediocre tainted victory at every turn.

This definitely was not the best book in the series, for the reasons already expressed by other reviewers. And yet, I was satisfied with the tone of the ending. Happily ever after seems trite for someone over 2000 years old, but I also didn’t want a totally depressing and hopeless ending. This hit a middle ground for me and seemed a good way to say goodbye to the character.

This book is the final book in a nine book series so it had stuff to resolve. I would consider it a must read if you have read the previous eight books in the series. However, not much actually happened in this book. We had a lot of cameos from minor characters in previous novels and short stories. We had a lot of fighting. We didn't have a lot of plot or character development. I also wasn't pleased by the behavior of a major character at the end of the book. They did something pretty crappy that made them come across pretty nasty. So if you are up to date on the series then yes, finish it. See how it all ended. If you are looking to jump in without already being a fan, don't.

This whole series is entertainment reading at it's best!!!! I am sorry to see it come to an end ( if it really does.) I have come to love these characters. Kevin Hearne is a brilliant writer able to mix mythologies of the world into an adventurous,funny and exciting plot line. I thoroughly enjoyed each installment.

First and foremost, I LOVE this series! Scourged is the perfect finale to the Iron Druid. All of the characters I know and love (and a few I hate) make an appearance at one time or another and it wraps everything up beautifully.

It made me laugh out loud (and one or two shrieks), several times. I took my allergy medicine but someone must have been cutting onions in here because I have to admit I leaked a couple of times, too.

If you haven’t read anything else in the Iron Druid series, start with Hounded and read every single book, novella, and short story before you read Scourged for maximum impact – and get ready for a fantastic ride! If you’re already a fan, don’t hesitate a second longer – pick up Scourged immediately and savor every last word.

I award this book 1 billion wagging dog tails for a fulfilling, unexpected finale to what has been one of my favorite series.

Remember a few books back when Atticus, ignoring the advice of his good friend Jesus, made a few poor decisions and set off the events of Ragnarök? It's time to pay the piper.

Told in quick, shotgun-blast chapters from the viewpoint of Atticus, Owen, and Granuaile, the events of Scourged cover a relatively short period of time -- perhaps even less than a day. (Can anyone verify this for me?) As Loki initiates the violence of Ragnarök, other baddies around the world decide to take advantage of the chaos to wreak a little havoc of their own. The three druids and some heroes of world pantheons rise up to meet them, culminating in an epic battle against Loki.

(You will snicker a little at the wager that the gods and goddesses have going on who will be the one to finally slay Loki.)

Several figures from the past play a part in the finale, but the hounds are noticeably absent. Hardcore Oberon fans will miss him, but who brings their pet to the battleground? Not Atticus. Don't forget to read Oberon's Meaty Mysteries if you need a hit.

And speaking of animals, Owen makes his own furry friend, and I keep thinking about it throughout the day and internally squeeing a little.

For a fun fantasy romp of a series, it doesn't shy away from harsh losses and the need for atonement. Not all of the good guys make it out alive, and not all of the living survive unscathed. Atticus is forced to reckon with the knowledge that he is responsible for much of it.

The series did not end the way I anticipated it, and I doubt many other readers will see the ending coming, either. I'm pretty confident this is the last book Mr. Hearne has planned for Atticus. But you still see future adventures for him off in the distance, and can imagine him and his doggos off saving the world and speaking in the Irish accent he has reclaimed for himself.

ARC received via Netgalley

(Also, quit giving the book bad reviews because you think it is too expensive -- if it is more than you can pay right now, you can always rent it from the library and enjoy it anyway. The author does not set the price.)

It is allways tough to come to the end of a series and to like how the author ended things. I have enjoyed the Iron Druid from book one and have pulled for Atticus O’Sullivan as he worked though all of the trials in previous books. Scourged brings him to his most important battle. One he caused and must win or all will be lost. Told from the viewpoint of Atticus, Owen, and Granuaile we see the action and leave them for a final time. While it was a interesting end for me it was a little disappointing. Read it and see what the think and how you feel.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I do not understand the negative reviews and while I leaving a series I have so enjoyed, I want to thank Kevin Hearne for carrying it through to what I feel is an appropriate solution. Loose ends that need tied up are tied. Others are left open and pointing in general directions that let me spend some time relaxing and thinking where the characters might yet go.
Is the book exactly what I wanted as a conclusion? No. I don't think the final book ever is if you really enjoy a series, but I feel like I made a deal with the author to follow along on his path, wherever he decided he wanted to take us. Like I said, it is appropriate, it makes sense, and I feel the journey was well worth the time.

Final installment of a fabulous series. Well written, as always, but I was looking for something l didn't find during Ragnarok. I wonder if, in this particular case, it would have been better portrayed on film. I think the single pov limited the scope of what I felt during the battle. At any rate, Atticus's pov was eloquently transmitted. Thank you, Kevin Hearne, for an exciting ride through nine books and several short stories. I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Wow! I almost cannot believe the negativity of some of these reviews. I found this book to be very fun and it wrapped up the saga of the Iron Druid exceedingly well. The tone of the book was done in the same style of the rest of the series. The only disappointing point is that this is the end of a terrific series. I will not give away plot points, I suggest you read it for yourself. Also, the audiobook is stellar.

Kevin Hearne has done an outstanding job wrapping up the series. He keeps up the usual puns, jokes, and insights into the human condition. A great ending with more than its share of twists that are not where you thought it would go.

SPOILER....SORT OF....WARNING. Which, btw, was not stated by those who gave it a one star, at least those I read, some of which do not tell the truth about the ending. The ending is not ambiguous, nor is it tragic. There's an internal logic instead. So Atticus has made/makes mistakes; the end honors that reality. The book is not the best in the series. Those are more the second, third, even fourth and fifth (whichever has Atticus mowing the grass of the older Irish woman...that one was my favorite). Often winding up the story, setting the universe, getting the action going is the most fun of any series. Ending series such as this has to be hard. Butcher has let Dresden drag too long, for example. But there is a resting place, a likely long coda in place. I actually hopeHearne returns to this universe; I bet it will whisper to him strongly in a few years. Or maybe he'll keep publishing short stories that fit into the larger world and characters. Bottom line to those who have followed along the way, do not approach in dread. Long live Oberon!

So, this is the series finale. There are like 9 of these, and some short stories, and I just love this series. Scourged, the series finale, is a fitting cap to these stories, and literally my only complaint with the ending is that it leaves you wanting to know what happens next. I'm looking forward to the next series from Mr. Hearne!

Without spoiling anything, I'll say it was a fine wrap-up to the series. I was a little concerned about foreshadowing in previous books, but it turned out well. Not Disney-happy, but there's hope. I'm sad to see the series end.

Oh, and that sloth is fantastic.

A satisfying conclusion to the wild ride of the Iron Druid Chronicles. While I will miss the adventures of Atticus and Oberon, I can't wait to read more of Kevin Hearne's work including the next book in the Plague of Giants series.

Kevin Hearne is amazing. This story is a great ending. There are things that you do not agree with, but that is the wonderful thing about how Kevin Hearne writes. He writes the story as it needs to be told, not to give the results that people might like the best. Life is out of control and there is nothing more out of control than Ragnarok

I love this series!!! This book was a bit tough, though. Many threads to weave into one tale and bring it to a conclusion. 3 is fair for this final installment but a must for anyone following the series.

Good story. Love Owen, his dialog is hilarious and right on. I knew something bad was going to happen to Atticus, and I like the way you handled it. I do wish that you would write series about Owen and his grove - and the puppies, of course. It would be a sweet story. Loved the Giant book and waiting for more.