The series is characterized by its blend of mythology and the modern day, following the story of Atticus O’Sullivan as he is dragged into a world of gods and fantasy creatures.
Spanning 10 books that include rising stakes and a diverse cast of characters and mythological creatures, Hearne has created a series that reads fast and keeps you hooked from the very beginning.
If you’ve recently found yourself interested in this book series, but want to know more about the correct reading order, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I’m going to give you a definitive reading order for the series so that you won’t miss any of the multi-faceted world-building or exciting plotlines.
About The Iron Druid Chronicles
This series is well known for its fast pace, action, witty humor, and engaging characters that stick with readers.
Hearne has created a unique world that blends epic mythology and modern-day culture for an immersive world that keeps readers hooked.
Each book in the series increases the stakes of the story, with the main character Atticus struggling with all kinds of increasingly powerful foes.
From the first novel in the series Hounded, readers are introduced to Atticus O’Sullivan, who is a 2000-year-old druid living in the modern-day setting of Arizona, USA.
Pursued by a Celtic God and equipped with some important magical items and powers, readers follow as Atticus is caught up in a saga of various magical creatures and dangerous plots.
With 10 main entries in the series, as well as a short story collection and prequel novel, there is a lot for you to get through if you’re a new fan of the series.
In the section below, I’m going to take you through each novel in the series, and explain a decisive reading order that will help you experience the lore of the world in the best possible way.
Hexed is the second installment of The Iron Druid Chronicles, following Atticus as he investigates a sudden increase in the witch population in town Soon he is forced into a tirade of mythical monsters, including a fallen angel that feasts on local high school students, and a Celtic goddess chasing after him.
This sequel follows on from the first novel, expanding Hearne’s urban fantasy into another thrilling adventure.
For the third novel of the year, Kevin Hearne released Hammered, an entry to the series that focuses on the Norse god of thunder Thor.
This entry focuses on the side character of Leif Helgarson, who enlists Atticus to help him take down the god.
This, combined with a vampire turf war beginning to range back at home, creates a thrilling blend of mythologies and an epic showdown between magical creatures and gods.
Pros
Features Norse mythology.
Cons
Lots of different mythologies can be overwhelming for a new reader.
This novel is the first of three novellas that take place between Tricked and the next entry Trapped.
You should read them if you want to have a full understanding of the lore and the events that occur, but you can skip them if you just want to read the main entries of the series.
Next up is The Demon Barker Of Wheat Street, a novella that takes Atticus on a more light-hearted journey through a carnival with a horrifying secret.
If you’re looking for something fun, short, and easy to read, this is another great entry that expands the world and does more with the central characters of Atticus and Granuaile.
For the second full entry published in 2012, we have Trapped, a novel that sees Atticus take on an apprentice and introduce another druid to the world.
This story sees Atticus, Oberon, and his new apprentice traveling to Mount Olympus to battle against roman gods, dark elves, and an ancient vampire.
This is the first novel in the series to fully explore the new character of Granuaile who becomes important in subsequent entries.
Hearne’s only entry in 2013 was Hunted, a tale that sees Atticus pursued by the goddesses of the hunt.
This story will take you through some of the most important parts of Europe, in a deadly game of hide and seek that features both Norse and Greek mythology.
Pros
Fast-paced and interesting.
Cons
Requires knowledge of previous entries to fully enjoy.
This is the first novel in the series that sees three druids in the world.
Follow the series as it expands to include more characters, unveils old druid lore, and thrills you with a whole crew of druids versus a series of intriguing mythological creatures.
Shattered is another entry that ramps up the stakes and expands the urban fantasy world that Hearne has created.
Pros
Includes a larger cast.
Cons
Very much a late novel that requires you to know about the lore.
Following the tradition of whimsical novellas between his main series, Hearne published The Purloined Poodle, a novel that follows Atticus’ faithful Irish wolfhound Oberon as he tries to solve the case of a kidnapped poodle.
This is a great tale if you want a break from the main series.
Pros
A whimsical tale and a good break from the series.
Besieged is the next novel in the Iron Druid Chronicles and an unusual entry that is a collection of stories from all different parts of Atticus’ past.
If you’re looking for some one-shots that you can read and enjoy on the fly, this is a great expansion of Hearne’s universe.
For the final novel in the series, we have Scourged, which sees Atticus and the crew face off against the end of the world.
This is the last entry into the main series and so the last one you should read.
Pros
A great conclusion to the series.
Cons
Definitely can’t be read as a standalone entry.
Final Thoughts
So that was my recommended reading order for The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne.
As you can see, there’s a lot to get through, and a lot of different stories for you to enjoy.
One thing I’d like to point out before I finish is that even though the order above should be your preferred choice, you can still read the books out of order as they follow an episode ‘monster-of-the-week’ kind of format, especially the novellas and short stories—so it’s not the end of the world if you happen to buy one book before the next.
I hope that this guide has given you an idea of how to tackle this large series by Kevin Hearne and that you’re now more confident about which entry to pick up next!
Happy reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There Going To Be Another Iron Druid Book?
Although there’s still a chance for extra novellas or even entries, Kevin Hearne has concluded the series with Scourged in 2018.
Does Kevin Hearne Have Another Series?
If you want to check out his other series, you should try The Seven Kennings which is a 3 book series in a new fantasy world.
Noah Burton works as a Librarian full time, and is a blogger in his spare time. His goal is to write compelling recommendations for all of the most popular books he can find, from science fiction to romance.
With a passion for books, a drive to find new reads to get stuck into, and a love for sharing book recommendations with others, Noah can help you find the next novel for your bucket list.
![Trapped (Iron Druid Chronicles) by Hearne, Kevin [29 November 2012]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxIDEiIHdpZHRoPSIxIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEiIGRhdGEtdT0iaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZtLm1lZGlhLWFtYXpvbi5jb20lMkZpbWFnZXMlMkZJJTJGNTFTRzZxMzQxeEwuanBnIiBkYXRhLXc9IjEiIGRhdGEtaD0iMSIgZGF0YS1iaXA9IiI+PC9zdmc+)
