This book review was part of a podcast discussion.
Listen to the episode here.
Hounded is a well written book. It’s got an army of interesting characters and cool imagery of Gods and demons and figures of folklore. It’s a book that at times feels very familiar in the genre of urban fantasy.
Unfortunately, that’s about all the positive words I have for the novel. Hounded is a book that bathes itself in a main character that is profoundly unlikeable. A character that has inexplicable sexual encounters with women both divine and mundane. A character that exhibits a disdain for his fellow humans and acts only out of personal self-interest often at the cost of human life, blaming on his upbringing in a past century when men were more barbaric and the world less forgiving. A character that covers all of that with an arrogance that borders on sociopathy and a false politeness that he bludgeons the world with.
It’s probably not since I attempted to read the Amber series by Zelazny that I bounced so hard off a main character and it was for much the same reason. I could have other complaints about the nature of the magic in the world and the lack of a cohesive driving plot to the story, but I think with a different perspective I could easily live with those issues to the book that are seen often in urban fantasy.
The biggest likeable aspect of the novel is the main characters animal companion. A big loveable Irish Wolfhound named Oberon. A telepathic companion who offers color commentary to the story’s progression and the only thing the main character seems willing to relate to and defend from harm. It’s a shame that even this aspect is besmirched by sexism at the end of the novel.
I give a single star, out of five, to Hounded by Kevin Hearne.
Chicago, IL
A preacher's kid from the South who went North a long time ago. I'm an Engineer by day trying desperately to enjoy my day job. I love fantasy and sci-fi and I'm always looking for new worlds to explore.
DanielEavenson.com is my author site.
