Oberon's Meaty Mysteries: The Purloined Poodle

Anyone who reads The Iron Druid novels knows that Oberon is a big part of the enjoyment. The loveable Irish wolfhound doesn't disappoint as he takes center stage in The Purloined Poodle. I hope this is the first of many Oberon and Starbuck adventures.

Another wonderful offering from Kevin Hearne's, with fantastic literary and cultural references liberally peppered throughout. No (major) spoilers for those who haven't read the series. So easy to relax and read from Oberon's perspective - highly recommend!

A solid addition to the compendium. This short story was thoroughly enjoyable and just the perfect length. While I love the choice of Oberon, having it in a longer book would have gotten tiresome after a while.

I pounced on this book the moment I woke up and saw it downloaded and waiting for me on my kindle. As always, Kevin Hearne is amazing. The prose are engaging and hilarious as usual, full of references and one liners that leave one in stitches.
It is sad top know this series it's nearly over,I can only hope that he manages to keep the humor in his forthcoming epic fantasy series.
I can't recommend this author to anyone wanting a fun story that is also full of excellent language and lifelike characters.
For those that like audio books, Luke Daniels brings it! He is distinct in his voices and was born to read Atticus and Oberon.

If you're a fan of the Iron Druid chronicles then a story from Oberon's point of view is a definite must read. I liked how it looped in so much of Oberon's storyline and filtered this short story through the eyes of a hound.

Anything Kevin Hearne, S.M. Stirling, or Lois McMaster Bujold is completely AWESOME... and should be explored accordingly!
Also, Luke Daniels' audio narration builds on Kevin Hearne's world Perfectly! 10 out of 10!

I loved it! I'm a big fan of the series and since Oberon is my favorite character this was a great read for me!! Definitely recommend! Easy read and a great way to bring a little sunshine on a rainy day.

I thoroughly enjoy Oberon's take on humanity. It's hard to pull off a "talking dog" as credible but Hearne is really masterful. The story was just too short, however. Now the waiting begins anew for the next "tail"!

I love Oberon, from his tweets, his perspective on human interaction, and of course his love of all things sausage. Iron Druid series is on of my favorites. Easy, light, and funny, can't wait for more.

Oberon is a great storyteller, and the hounds perspective was amusing to view the world from. We get a taste of that from his regular books, but there was more of it here, and it was enjoyable to witness :-)

Sleuth Pooch. Sirloins, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Platy-Puns.

What's not to love? Dognappers beware!

Wraps up a few loose ends for Atticus nicely at the end so we don't wast time dealing with it in the next installment of IDC. Which I hope will be a return to all things Atticus and no things Granuialle (spelling). It was soooooo nice not to have her be a PoV for these few short pages.

We never needed a lessr version of Atticus with boobs to begin with and her social and moral crusading is soapboxy and... unwanted by most if not all IDC fans. I was really rooting for her to get Murderized last book... hopefully K.H. kills her as hard in the next book as I do in my mind, every time I have ot read one of her shi... chapters.

I do like Hearne's writing, and Oberon's narration is clever, but kidnapping Grand Champion dogs to use at stud is an impossible premise. The 'chain of custody' for producing purebred registered pups would put most police departments to shame. No breeder would breed their female to Joe Blow's dog down the street, no matter what he looked like, because without paperwork signed by the registered owner, the litter would be unregisterable. These males could be used to produce pups, but not valuable pups. Nobody would pay for that. This flaw pretty much ruined the story for me

Amusing story, but completely bogus premise, making this a "fail" as a mystery.

The basic notion is that someone is kidnapping champion dogs in order to make money off their stud fees. Since no one pays money for stud fees without knowing the identity of the champion dog, the dog's real name would need to be used, and thus they would be immediately discovered through something as simple as an internet search. Using a made-up name would be immediately falsifiable from AKC records online. So how would they make money? And how would they stay hidden?

How did such a glaring problem in the mystery motive get overlooked?

Title: Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries - The Purloined Poodle - The Iron Druid Chronicles Book 8.5
Author: Kevin Hearne
Published: 9-30-2016
Publisher: Subterranean Press
Pages: 112
Genre: SciFi & Fantasy
Sub Genre: Paranormal & Urban; Action & Adventure; Novella
ISBN: 13: 9781596068094
ASIN: B01J78YGYQ
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: 4.75 Stars

I received a copy of "The Purloined Poodle" from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher's Description:

Thanks to his relationship with the ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan, Oberon the Irish wolfhound knows trouble when he smells it—and furthermore, he knows he can handle it.

When he discovers that a prizewinning poodle has been abducted in Eugene, Oregon, he learns that it’s part of a rash of hound abductions all over the Pacific Northwest. Since the police aren’t too worried about dogs they assume have run away, Oberon knows it’s up to him to track down those hounds and reunite them with their humans. For justice! And gravy!

Engaging the services of his faithful Druid, Oberon must travel throughout Oregon and Washington to question a man with a huge salami, thwart the plans of diabolical squirrels, and avoid, at all costs, a fight with a great big bear.

But if he’s going to solve the case of the Purloined Poodle, Oberon will have to recruit the help of a Boston terrier named Starbuck, survive the vegetables in a hipster pot pie, and firmly refuse to be distracted by fire hydrants and rabbits hiding in the rose bushes.

At the end of the day, will it be a sad bowl of dry kibble for the world’s finest hound detective, or will everything be coming up sirloins?
The Purloined Poodle is another exciting novella entry in Kevin Hearne’s New York Times best-selling Iron Druid series.

My Review:

This might be in a series of books, but can be read as a stand alone. Charming amusing, two words that readily describe the main character, Oberon, a wolfhound that has been blessed by the druids with a long life (s0 far over a thousand years)and superior intelligence. He may be hairy and walk on four legs, but he steals the show in this unusual novella. I started this book and could not walk away for any reason. I don't believe I even shifted the entire hour I was reading it. A quick easy read filled with humor, intriguing characters and a delightful mystery. My rating for "The Purloined Poodle is 4.75 out of 5 stars.

4.5*
A great little spin off novella from the Iron Druid Chronicles, the Purloined Poodle is told exclusively from Oberon’s point of view. On a visit to the dog park, Oberon has a run in with a boxer spoiling for a fight. After Atticus has a chat with the boxer’s humans, Oberon and Atticus, discover grand champions, including a prizewinning Poodle, have been stolen, which explains the boxer’s temperamental behaviour. Strangely, none of the owners have received a ransom demand. Because he is a druid’s hound, Oberon has powers denied to normal dogs he is able to speak with Atticus through a mental link.

The police believe the dogs have just run away, so are not making much of an effort to investigate the disappearances. Oberon and Atticus believe otherwise and decide to begin their own investigation, picking up a new friend in the process, Starbuck, a Boston terrier. Atticus teleports himself and Oberon around the Pacific Northwest in order to interview the owners of the missing dogs and follow leads, the story evolving into a kind of quirky, cozy murder mystery. Quite different to the full length books.

I really enjoyed listening to this well thought through tale. Luke Daniels has done an incredible job with Oberon’s ‘voice’ throughout the series and this is no exception. The lovely bond between Atticus and Oberon is illustrated brilliantly and their interactions are as amusing as ever. The balance is just right in that, although Oberon drives the story, his dogginess is apparent – he is easily distracted, hates squirrels, especially evil ones, and thinks about food constantly. An entertaining and fun listen, everything was wrapped up satisfactorily in the end.

If you’re a fan of the Iron Druid Chronicles this is a must. I hope there will be more Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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The best and most consistent part of The Iron Druid Chronicles has been Atticus' Irish Wolfhound, Oberon. Now Kevin Hearne has given us a novella narrated by and starring him, with Atticus in the supporting role. It's good that he kept the Druid around, because he has the whole opposable thumb thing going for him and can do things like communicate with other people

While playing in a dog park, Oberon stumbles upon a rash of dognappings -- the victims are all Grand Champions. Oberon is appalled that such a thing can happen and vows to find the dogs and return them home. He enlists Atticus to assist him (and well, to do most of the work). They spend the next couple of days moving around the country visiting various dog trainers/owners and skirting trouble with the law. While Atticus does the heavy lifting of investigating, Oberon has a lot of fun meeting various Champion dogs -- in particular, a Boston terrier named Starbuck.

The interplay between Atticus and Oberon is a lot of fun, but his narration is even better -- between the repeated mentions of trying to pull off "the Full Jules" (reciting Ezekiel 25:17 at just the right moment); his summary/slash review of The Great Gatsby (which will forever alter the way I look at the book); Oberon as food critic (his takes on coffee and mustard are highlights); and a repeated tribute to Denis Leary's best movie, this book was flat-out entertaining. Because it's by Hearne and featuring Oberon, I assumed I'd enjoy it -- I didn't plan on (but should've) cackling by the 7% mark.

Specific to the print version: I thoroughly enjoyed this -- the story was good enough to justify the time reading, but Oberon's voice elevates this to something really special. It is now one of my major Life Goals to hear Luke Daniels do the audiobook of this. If you've read an Iron Druid Chronicle or two, you'll know how good Oberon can be. Read this, you won't be disappointed.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Subterranean Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.

Specific to the audio version (which I paid for): I thoroughly enjoyed this as a novella -- the story was good enough to justify the time reading, but Daniels doing Oberon's voice elevates the audio version to something great. Daniel's Oberon doing a Pickup Truck commercial-voice over killed me -- how Luke Daniels could read this whole book in that voice, I'll never know. It must've required a lot of takes and more recovery time than you'd want to think about.

If you've read an Iron Druid Chronicle or two, you'll know how good Oberon can be. Get this -- you'll squee.

Oberon the Irish Wolfhound is quite possibly the most lovable character, ever. (Followed by Tolkien's Samwise Gamgee and Kevin Hearne's own Owen the Archdruid.) Getting to spend an entire novella inside his giant fuzzy head was a treat.

And it is a novella. Don't be disappointed when you realize you're going to blow through it in a single sitting. The mystery is light and easily solved, but you have to remember here, Oberon is a dog. An honest to goodness dog. He's not going to be hacking into foreign databases and rappelling down skyscrapers and getting into crazy Matrix shootouts. A DOG.

Instead, you get hilarious discourses on the trustworthiness of different dogs based on their willingness to let their behinds be sniffed, discussions on the rights of squirrels in the wild, and understandings of when you may pee on certain things, or not. He's quite good at investigative deduction, but struggles with the concept of time. I spent 45 minutes reading this thing and laughing out loud.

You could possibly read and enjoy this without any background in the Iron Druid series, if you're willing to just accept at face value that this dog can talk to one person who seems to have some inexplicable magical powers. But you should read the Iron Druid books anyway, because they're hilarious adventures.

I loved it. Kevin Hearne remains near the top of my "Authors Whom I Will Always Read Every Single Thing Ever" list.

I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a ridiculously fun romp! I'm sure this is not the first novel ever narrated from the point of view of a dog, but what Hearne does with the trope, in the short space this novella affords, is just downright brilliant and engaging. It's meant to be light-hearted and adorable and cute, and Hearne achieves all of that easily.

Of course, if you're a reader of Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles, you're familiar with our narrator Oberon, a longer-lived-than-should-be Irish Wolfhound (said long-life attributable to the workings of Oberon's owner/companion, the ancient and eternally young Druid Atticus O'Sullivan). Oberon's scenes in the IDC novels are the infectious comedic high-point of each book. Atticus may have several thousand years of pop culture trivia to lay down the snark with, but it's Oberon who twists so much of those comments into comedy gold.

The plot is simple: Oberon discovers champion-bred dogs are going missing throughout the Pacific Northwest, and he wants to rescue them. Atticus cannot help but agree to the task. There are some red herrings and a nice twist, and an intriguing police officer character I suspect we'll be seeing again in future IDC novels.

Do yourself a favor: if you need a good light read and a healthy dose of humor (and specifically, doggy-potty-humor), pick this up in print or ebook form. You won't be disappointed.

I was a little reluctant to read this novella from Kevin Hearne. Yes, I love the Iron Druid Chronicles, and yes, I love Oberon. But I wasn't sure how a story told from a dog's point of view, albeit a great dog, would work. I shouldn't have doubted Mr. Hearne's writing abilities. Oberon took center stage with grace, humor, and fun. We get a look into how Oberon thinks and feels about how Atticus goes about investigating, living life, and, most of important of all, how Atticus feeds Oberon wonderful sausages. Also showcased is how Oberon's unique canine abilities were instrumental in helping Atticus solve this dog-napping case. I have to admit I couldn't decide whether to give this book a four- or five-star rating. The book was wonderful, different than the regular series in a good way, and unique. That being said, I wish Oberon had been more involved in the sleuthing than he actually was. He was quite a bit, and I know he's a dog, but he's supposed to be the protagonist and should have been a teeny bit more involved in the action. However, don't think you shouldn't get this lovely book because of that. It is a truly wonderful and lighter addition to the Iron Druid Chronicles, well-worth a read. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for the free e-book which I voluntarily reviewed. This exact review posted on both the store and Goodreads.

Every dog gets his day and today is Oberon’s chance to shine.  Oberon isn’t an ordinary wolfhound.  His finely tuned instincts know when trouble’s afoot - in this case when prizewinning dogs have been stolen.  Solving the mystery is as appealing as snarfing sausages, so it is no surprise that Oberon thinks he and Atticus should take the case.  What druid can say no to such a loyal friend?

The entire novella is written from Oberon’s point of view.  I absolutely loved his zest and enthusiasm, whether it was directed towards investigating or cadging snacks.  The beginning, where he discusses the importance of butt smelling, is an absolute riot. If you enjoy the novel's description, you won't be disappointed.  The novella brought to mind Spencer Quinn’s Chet and Bernie mysteries.   If you like the one you will definitely like the other.

Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries are a delicious treat that readers will enjoy even if they haven’t read Kevin Hearne’s novels previously.  I highly recommend this fun read to dog lovers of all ages.

5/5

I received a copy of Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries:  The Purloined Poodle from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

—Crittermom

"The Purloined Poodle" appeared just as I was experience severe Kevin Hearne withdrawal, having finished all eight books in the Iron Druid chronicles. I love this series so much that, having read them all on Kindle, I'm starting to collect them in hard copy, to sit alongside all Terry Pratchett's Discworld books in my Bookcase of Honour to be re-read time and time again.

This delightfully lengthy novella is the first Druid story told from the point of view of Oberon, the Iron Druid's talking Irish Wolfhound (don't worry; only a select few can hear him). Oberon rivals Pratchett's Gaspode as my favourite talking pup, with just as much wit, sarcasm (picked up from Atticus, I am sure) and joie de vivre: Though Oberon would probably call it something else (like "sausage").

It doesn't matter what genre you love--fantasy, cozy mystery or urban something-or-other--"The Purloined Poodle" is a joy to read. Pure, witty, escapist fun--and for Iron Druid fans, rich with the glints of history, literature, geography and mythology we've come to expect.

I hope Kevin Hearne writes more Oberon Meaty Mysteries.

One of the rare few books to which I would happily assign TEN sausages.

Oh Oberon, how I missed you! This novella was short, sweet, fun, and absolutely hilarious. Oberon is one of the best parts of the IRON DRUID CHRONICLES, and it was great for him to get his own story and "voice." The story was pretty basic and easy to read, but this had all the elements I love in an IDC story with Oberon. There were a couple places where I was literally laughing out loud. The jokes were stellar, and the mystery was actually really intriguing. The ending was a little out of the blue, but I thought it went well with Oberon's character. There isn't much to say about the characters (it's clear this is mostly fan service), but Oberon is Oberon. You can't not fall in love with that guy! If you love dogs, IDC, Oberon, or meat references, this is the novella you want to pick up. All hail Sir Oberon Snackworthy!

I received an e-ARC of this novella through NetGalley and Subterranean Press.

First, please be aware that this is a novella, 112 pages in length. If you've read any of the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne and you are a dog lover, you have most likely formed a great attachment to Oberon the Irish Wolfhound belonging to Atticus - the Druid featured in the series. Oberon is so interesting to read about because you never know what he will understand and what Atticus will need to explain to him. These instances provide teaching moments for Atticus and learning moments for Oberon and often even for the reader. So, having set the stage the only other thing you need to know is that Atticus and Oberon communicate by thoughts, but Oberon can understand what other humans say as well.

In a trip to the local dog park Atticus and Oberon find out about the theft of a Grand Champion Poodle. As they are talking to that owner they discover that other Grand Champions are being kidnapped but no ransom is ever demanded. This leads Atticus to the supposition that the dogs are being put out to stud and the fees collected by the kidnappers. So the investigation is on with Atticus and Oberon almost getting into hot water because of their ability to "shift" from place to place through the astral plane. Investigating police detectives would just never understand that concept. During the investigation one of the pet owners is found dead and an entirely new aspect of the case begins to demand intensified action.

I enjoyed this a whole lot. Oberon is one of my favorite fictional characters and I think Mr. Hearne has a wonderful touch with writing realistic dialog between a human and a dog. If you've never tried one of the Iron Druid novels, this might be just the impetus you need to get you started with those. Start with the first book so you get the full understanding of the world being portrayed and the mystical powers of the characters.

A great addition to Hearne's Iron Druid chronicles, starring everyone's favorite Irish wolfhound, Oberon.

Champion dogs have been disappearing up and down the west coast, and Oberon decides to take it upon himself (with Atticus' help) to find out what's been happening to these dognapped hounds. Filled with Hearne's signature humor, and told exclusively from Oberon's POV, this is a genuinely funny book. Will definitely be picking up more of Oberon's Meaty Mysteries!

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 1/2
Awesome as always!!!! I loved this novella that Mr. Hearne wrote for us.
The Purloined Poodle is told from Oberon’s point of view. Oberon is one of my all time favorite character!! So listening to him tell this story was great. Of course the amazingly talented Luke Daniels narrator this book when makes just that much better. So in the Purloined Poodle Oberon and his trusty sidekick Atticus are on a mission to solve a murder. It was a fun journey! It was also great to see all the wonderful places in the Pacific Northwest that showed up in this story.
The only thing that made me sad was that this story was short. I can’t wait for the next installment in the IDC and I hope that we will get more of Oberon's Meaty Mysteries

Disclaimer:
I purchased this book from Audible.com and this is my honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

pets, dogs, kidnapping, suspense, urban-fantasy, audiobook ----------
I love Oberon in the regular Iron Druid series, and it's even better when I can have him as the main character in something of a more manageable length. His pals and enemies add to the fun,and even Atticus gets in on the action. A good read!
Luke Daniels gives his usual fine performance as narrator.

I have the audio version of this book and it was wonderful fun. I love the humor, the compassion, and the suspense of the story. The narrator of the audio version only makes it better. Oberon has a marvelous voice -- his viewpoint as written and his accent as spoken. I highly recommend.

Everyone who reads Kevin Hearne knows who Oberon is. Now, I love Oberon even more. He's so funny and that's what this book was to to me -- funny. Yes, I will surely be reading more of Oberon's enjoyable little books!

A neat little spinoff of the Iron Druid. The world is finally right as Oberon emerges as the lead detective in a doggy mystery caper. He earns many savory rewards and finds a pint size Watson to assist as he works to identify who is plundering the pooches.

Loved this book. It was great to have a book from mainly Oberon's point of view. One of my favourite things about Mr Hearns writing is that I have never felt that Oberon was less of a character than Atticus. The genuine affection between them is lovely. Looking forward to the audio version. I was extremely lucky to get this free for an honest review and I promise that is what you have got.