Review: ...in which we learn Atticus has a problem with the Bangles...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 27, 2013
And now an observation from that long-lived philosopher, Atticus O'Sullivan: "People today think ancient Egypt was ineffably cool. I blame this misconception on hieroglyphics and (to a lesser extent) on the Bangles."To whet your appetite and to tide you over, Kevin Hearne's launched an eBook prequel novella, "Grimoire of the Lamb," one month before the release ofHunted (The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book Six), the much anticipated next installment in the Iron Druid Chronicles. In Hearne's own words, "Grimoire of the Lamb" is "set in 2005, four years beforeHounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book One. Aenghus Óg hasn't found him yet, Granuaile isn't bartending at Rúla Búla, but we do get a cameo from the widow MacDonagh." Nostalgia drops in for a visit.In 2005, Atticus O'Sullivan's cover wasn't yet blown. He was still an established rare-book dealer running his own hybrid book shop/apothecary in Tempe, Arizona. One day an Egyptian bloke named Nkosi Elkhashab inquires about a rare book in Atticus's collection, titled "Grimoire of the Lamb." And when the Egyptian shows up at the  Third Eye Books and Herbs and steals the book, Atticus is forced to reassess his assumption that it's an ancient recipe book about cooking lambs. Oh, and he also gives chase... all the way to Egypt. His awesomely snarky telepathic Irish wolfhound, Oberon, tags along.Although it works as a fine stand-alone adventure, I don't know that this story works as well as a jumping on point for initiates to the series. For readers already steeped in the Iron Druid Chronicles, Hearne treats them to further background material on Atticus, specifically his underhanded exploits in ancient Egypt, and expressly his looting of the legendary Library of Alexandria. Atticus is aware that he's still persona non grata in Egypt, and so he makes it priority one to appease the cat goddess, Bast, who still holds a mighty grudge. But before the detente there's an exciting chase sequence in which Atticus and Oberon are pursued by frenzied Egyptian cats. What Oberon has to say about this is priceless.It's very much an Iron Druid story in the sense that Hearne is able to bring the rich worldbuilding we'd come to expect and the character work and the levity and also a touch of nostalgic for old times' sake. But this isn't as enjoyable as Hearne's other novella,Two Ravens and One Crow: An Iron Druid Chronicles Novella, and I'm having trouble articulating why. Maybe it's because most of Atticus's cast is missing and so we're derived of those fun interactions. For example, Granuaile and the Morrigan are two of my favorite characters, and they're absent here. Maybe there's an element of marginalization because this arc, while harrowing in bits, simply isn't as relevant in light of what Atticus and company are currently undergoing. I found myself getting impatient while reading the extended segment in which Atticus infiltrates and explores the nasty crocodile priest's sanctum sanctorum. Still, I can't blame Hearne too much. I appreciate that he took time to write this story as a tide over tidbit to the fans. He does reward us by peeling back another page of Atticus's past, after all. He also presents a neat twist near the end of the story. And at least Oberon's here, loaded with canine witticisms and angling for treats. 3.5 out of 5 stars.