Same humor as Iron Druid, but lacks the pacing.

I'm a huge fan of Kevin Hearne and devoured the Iron Druid Chronicles, so when I picked up Ink & Sigil, that's what I was expecting. The wit, the cynicism, the pacing of a modern tale of adventure. It wasn't, but let me explain.

Al is an interesting character, cursed with the ability to make anyone hate him if he speaks, and blessed with the ability to work a spell with ink. And when his apprentice shows up dead, he uncovers unsavory aspects of his life, which throws us into the main plot of the mystery, and Al working to find out the who behind the why.

Each component of the story was interesting enough, but I didn't find myself entirely smitten with it. In comparison to the Iron Druid books, I was left a little unimpressed, but this isn't to say it isn't a GOOD book. It's funny, quirky, has interesting characters with unique traits and flaws. Each character can stand on their own. But for me, something was missing.

Thank you NetGalley and Balkantinefor a copy of the eArc of Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne. My introduction to Hearne was A Plague of Giants and I went on to read A Blight of Blackwings and the Tales of Pell trilogy (co-wrote with Delilah S. Dawson). These books show the range in Hearne's storytelling from epic fantasy to pun-wielding comedic fantasy trope adventure. I had not read the Iron Druid Chronicles, the source world for for Ink & Sigil.

Ink & Sigil adds another layer to Hearne's storytelling that I didn't know was there, urban fantasy. McBharrius is a Scottish Sigil writer whose apprentices keep dying and he finds his latest apprentice has died while hiding a secret. The apprentice had been luring Fae creatures to our realm and seeking them. McBharrius must investigate this apprentice's death while evading the police and other Fae creatures.

Hearne's charm and humor are present in this book. While the story stands on its own, I felt the constant wonder on how it fits into the Iron Druid Chronicles. Of course I want to go back and read those books now.

★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
The biggest challenge to writing about this book is choosing what not to talk about, I really feel like I could go on and on and on about it. Then the pendulum swings to the point I don't say much at all...

WHAT'S INK & SIGIL ABOUT?
Aloysius MacBharrais is a Sigil Agent—one of five on the Earth. They're tasked with preserving the various treaties that supernatural creatures had set up throughout the world to keep the peace and govern the activities of the various pantheons on the mortal plane. They've been equipped with the barest magical tools necessary to get the job done—largely by Brighid of the Tuatha Dé Dannan to make up for the work that her Druid wasn't doing when he was hiding for centuries on end.* Thre's more to it, but that'll work for starters.

* See everything that Atticus O'Sullivan was doing before the first of the Iron Druid Chronicles.

Al has horrible luck when it comes to apprentices, they keep falling prey to accidental death. The most recent is Gordie, who died after choking on a raisin scone. Before I get into things, can I say how wonderful it is to have a magic-user—even an apprentice—die by such mundane means (and you have never, I mean ever, come across this many jokes about raisins or scones in your life)? As Al goes to Gordie's house to clean up all traces of his magic tools, he discovers that Gordie's been up to some pretty dark and criminal stuff right under his nose.

This book takes Al and his associates around Scotland and even to the U.S. finding out just what Gordie was into and trying to set it right.

A NEW KIND OF UF
There are outliers, but largely, Urban Fantasy series deal in variations on a theme—I'm not complaining, I'm into most of them. But basically, you've got a wizard (or something like that), a vampire, and/or a werewolf doing a P.I./Private Security/Hunter thing. There are different kinds of magic users, or vampire types, or were-species, but really, that's about it. Lately, some variations have come from using different kinds of protagonists, like whatever Nell Ingram is or...(I had another example when I started this paragraph), but you get the point.

Here our variation comes in the type of mage—he uses sigils, particular designs in particular (and strange) inks which give a temporary effect to the bearer or beholder. Also, Al's an elderly Scot who wears a derby and has an immaculately-styled mustache. He's about as far from the grizzled hero in a leather jacket/trenchcoat as you can get. Outside of supporting characters or Marley Jacobs from A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark, you don't see that (outside of characters who are supernaturally old, but appear young) .

Al's associates aren't standard either, but I'm going to resist using 3-4 paragraphs talking about them. I'm just going to say I enjoyed them all and can't wait to spend more time with them.

IRON DRUID TIE-IN
As indicated above, this takes place in the same universe as The Iron Druid Chronicles, sometime after Scourged and contains references to some of the series' events and characters. Al himself shows up in a short story in Besieged as a minor character.

There's a brief appearance by Atticus and Oberon, and a longer one with Brighid. Both were a lot of fun, and the Atticus one was pretty sweet. I enjoyed seeing Brighid from someone else's point of view. The door is open for more IDC characters to show up, but it's not necessary, which I appreciate.

You do not have to have read the IDC to get into this, and not catching all the allusions/references/cross-overs will not diminish anything for you. It's a spin-off, but isn't dependent on the original.

DID HEARNE REGRET THIS CHOICE?
Al's a Glaswegian and most of the book takes place in and around Glasgow. Hearne made the choice to write all the dialogue (and even Al's first-person narration) in the dialect. Most authors wouldn't have gone this far, and I have to wonder how often Hearne questioned this choice as he wrote—talk about making things hard on yourself. I enjoyed it—and it really helped me "hear" Al and everyone.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT INK & SIGIL?
While the IDC contained more than it's share of laughs (and even The Seven Kennings had amusing moments), this seemed like a better merging of jokes and story. It feels like a natural outgrowth of The Tales of Pell (but not as humor-focused as those). For sheer enjoyment value, this was fantastic.

The story was pretty strong, too. But a lot of space was devoted to introducing us to this particular corner of the world and the cast of characters. I'd like to see what Hearne does with a novel where he doesn't have to do that.

The world is familiar, yet Hearne's doing something new in it. The characters are just not what you're used to seeing in the genre. The plot was great—and speaks clearly to our current situation. And I laughed a lot. There's little to complain about here and a lot to commend. I had a blast and I think most readers will, too. I can't wait for the sequel.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

First of all, thank you to Del Rey books and Net Galley for an eARC of Ink & Sigil!

I started reading the Iron Druid Chronicles in 2019, and I loved Kevin Hearnes voice and writing style, not to mention the urban fantasy aspects and Celtic mythology woven into these books! Last summer, when he posted photos of him in Scotland researching for a new book, I WAS SO READY.

Ink & Sigil follow Al MacBharrais, a Sigil Agent who has been cursed. Anyone who hears his voice will begin to hate Al. His wife was killed in an accident, his son hates him, and now, his latest apprentice, Gordie, has wound up dead. Al discovers that Gordie had been trafficking fae folk, and as an agent, Al will do everything to get to the bottom of this.

Like all of Hearne's books, Ink & Sigil has a quirky humor underlying the hwole of the story. I visited Scotland, so I felt a warm appreciation for this book and the cast of characters, and I can't wait to listen to it in audio format! This actually felt more grown-up than Iron Druid. I think it has something ot do with Al as a main character, and if I'm being honest, I don't think I've ever read a book with an older character as the narrator. This was first person, but often times I almost forgot that becuase it reall is so immersive!

This does have a slower pace than the Iron Druid Chronicles, but like the whiskey Al drinks, savor it. Smell it, swirl it, and enjoy.

Is that weird? Eh, who doesn't sniff books?

"New York Times bestselling author Kevin Hearne returns to the world of his beloved Iron Druid Chronicles in a spin-off series about an eccentric master of rare magic solving an uncanny mystery in Scotland.

“Ink and Sigil is escape reading, and I loved every word.” - Charlaine Harris, New York Times bestselling author of A Longer Fall.

Al MacBharrais is both blessed and cursed. He is blessed with an extraordinary white moustache, an appreciation for craft cocktails - and a most unique magical talent. He can cast spells with magically enchanted ink and he uses his gifts to protect our world from rogue minions of various pantheons, especially the Fae.

But he is also cursed. Anyone who hears his voice will begin to feel an inexplicable hatred for Al, so he can only communicate through the written word or speech apps. And his apprentices keep dying in peculiar freak accidents. As his personal life crumbles around him, he devotes his life to his work, all the while trying to crack the secret of his curse.

But when his latest apprentice, Gordie, turns up dead in his Glasgow flat, Al discovers evidence that Gordie was living a secret life of crime. Now Al is forced to play detective - while avoiding actual detectives who are wondering why death seems to always follow Al. Investigating his apprentice’s death will take him through Scotland’s magical underworld, and he’ll need the help of a mischievous hobgoblin if he’s to survive."

I don't know if you follow Charlaine Harris's book recommendations like I do, but they are ALWAYS good. So listen to Charlaine and get this book!

Ink & Sigil (Ink & Sigil #1) by Kevin Hearne was one of my most anticipated books of August and I'm so lucky to have received an ARC via NetGalley. Luckily, it mostly lived up to my sky high expectations. This series is a spin off of The Iron Druid Chronicles which is one of my all time favorites. It's set in the same world as that series and I enjoyed seeing more of the wider world and how our new cast and this series opener connect into it. It's just as funny as that series which is another aspect I was looking forward to as well. I seriously laughed out loud a few times at some of the things Al had to say, or his thought process. I should mention that it's not necessary to have read The Iron Druid Chronicles to understand or fully enjoy this series, but there are some moments like that awesome cameo that would make it all the more entertaining if you had.

NetGalley ARC.

Al MacBharrais is a Sigil Agent located in Glaswgow, basically a bureaucrat for the Fae planes. He is doubly cursed. His apprentices keep dying and anyone who hears his voice feels an inexplicable hatred towards him. He now communicates through a text to voice app on his phone. When his latest apprentice chokes on a scone (raisin!), Al discovers that apprentice Gordie was trafficking Fae creatures for unknown purposes. Al feels like he must get to the bottom of things. With him is captive Hobgoblin Buck and manager Nadia.

This book definitely filled the Iron Druid sized hole in my heart. Both books take place in the same world, but don't expect many cameos, these are definitely two different series. Al is very methodical in his search. He researches and makes plans before he acts and he enlists the help of others. I found myself a lot less frustrated with him than other fantasy protagonists. The story moved at a nice pace and we got to know all the characters pretty well by the end of the book. Nadia is an awesome badass and Buck provides great comedy. I thought Al having to communicate via text to voice was awkward, and this particular curse made me very sad. I hope he is able to solve the issue in later books.

Ink & Sigil is a ton of fun! Mysterious deaths, fae, hobgoblins, trolls, government conspiracies, and fantasy all mashed together in a mystery with a satisfying ending. Who could ask for anything more? Highly recommended!

Ahh, yes. The Iron Druid world. A little bloody, a whole lot crazy, and you never know when you might run into a person of importance or power. In Al's case, they might have importance, power, and they miiiiiight be in the running to punch him in the ribs before calling it a night.

Or...OR they might throw a curse at him and let him sort out the particulars after his world has crumbled around him.

Yeah, Al leads an interesting life. And that's even before he begins to unravel what his most recent apprentice was dabbling in during his spare time. Frankly, Gordie was a massive jerk who deserved everything that raisin did to him and then some.

A gloriously complex world (with a brief appearance by one Iron Druid) with all the insanity you've come to expect when the fae and humans interact. We're talking brawls and fist fights and melees and a straight razor that knows how to leave a mark. And with the mystery of who cursed Al still hanging over his head (along with all the junk that goes along with that particular curse), there's plenty to still be explored.

A spinoff of The Iron Druid series, which I really enjoyed. Al is a sigil agent for the fae. Contract to be in the Earth realm starts with him. Mysterious deaths, curses, fae trafficking, and a pink hobgoblin. I loved it's snarky wit and a darn fine story. Al will be the aging hero you didn't know you'd want. Book provided by Netgalley.

A fun addition to the world of the Iron Druid, set in Glasgow, Scotland; that introduces the reader to a whole new world of and style of magic. A subtle lesson or two about the real world is woven into the plot too. Hopefully readers will take to the lesson as well as they should the characters and their version of urban Scotland.

I loved this new adventure in Hearne's world. This time, the story revolves around a not-wizard and not-druid who is in charge of using sygils to keep his part of the world safe from the otherworlds. It is an adventure for anyone, but especially for him as he also has a curse he has to deal with. Fun abounds! People get thrown across rooms! Things explode! Fun for all!

I want more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is my first read by this author. What first grabbed me with this book was the book cover and the title. I read the summary and already got hooked. The book went off to a great start that keeps you hooked into the story. Very original plot and action packed. It is set in the modern world but there still exists magical creatures on different planes living together and of course, something happens in the process and our main character delves into the mystery of it all. I'm a fan of both crime/mystery and fantasy so this combination of mystery with fantasy which is always a good and entertaining mix. Looking forward to more of this series! Recommend this book!

So there's this series called the Iron Druid Chronicles which is a favorite of mine in the urban fantasy genre. I've listened to almost all them as audiobooks. I say almost because I have one book left. The final book in the series, and it's been sitting unread since 2018 because I don't want the story to end. If I don't read it, then it can't be over. Which is, of course, a highly logical conclusion to come to 🙄.

But Kevin Hearne has given us a new world adjacent to the Iron Druid, full of fun great characters and an interesting take on magic. In Ink & Sigil we meet Scottish Sigil Agent Al McBharrais. An older gentleman with a well turned out mustache, cane, and who's been cursed so that anyone who hears his voice over a length of time comes to despise him, so he communicates via text-to-speech apps.

A Sigil Agent is kind of a combo between a spellcaster whose magic lies in the ink and symbols he draws and a gate/peace keeper of the pantheons. No otherworldly creature can set foot on our plane without clearing it with him first. And there are only a handful of Agents in the entire world.

This book contains underground fight clubs, CIA spies, rogue trolls, wailing banshees, whisky heists, and just some generally fun shenanigans.

A great read for my 75th book for the year, which was also my goal for the year.. If you like the Dresden Files or the Iron Druid Chronicles, this should definitely be on your TBR list.

This story introduces Al MacBharrais who is a sigil agent. Sigil agents use special, magical ink to create sigils which have magical effects. Sigil agents are also the ones who write the contracts that keep beings from the nine magical realms from having free reign on Earth.

Al is an older man who is a grieving widower and who is under a curse. Anyone who hears his voice also begins to hate him. So he uses his phone and computer's speech apps to do his talking for him.

Al also has a problem with his apprentices. When the story begins, he is informed of the death of his seventh apprentice who fell victim to eating a raisin scone. Al has lost all of his apprentices to a series of freak accidents.

As he looks into his apprentices death and also goes to the scene to gather up all of his special inks and pens before someone might accidentally use them, he learns that his apprentice wasn't quite what he had thought. In fact it looks like Gordie was trafficking in fae for some unknown purpose. When Al arrives at his apartment, he discovers that Gordie had captured a hob and was planning to sell him. Hiding the hob from the police is not a trivial task even with his magical sigils. D I Munro should have had her memory wiped but she still remembers bits and pieces and finds Al very suspicious.

Al isn't alone in his investigation. His office manager Nadia is also a battle seer and he is friends with a hacker who goes by the name of Saxon Codpiece. The hob who names himself Buck Foi also becomes one of his partners in this enterprise. Together they find themselves looking into suspicious government agencies and evil scientists as they try to stop the trafficking in fae.

The story is filled with humor but also includes a number of more serious issues like human trafficking. I enjoyed Al's character with his cursed loneliness and grief, well-tended mustache, love of designer gin, and determination to do the right thing even though he isn't totally against stealing already stolen money.

Ink and Sigil is a spin off of Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles and you do not have to have read the Iron Druid books to enjoy this one. The characters in this urban fantasy are in your face snarky with Scottish brogue and so many likeable characters. Al the MC is in his 60’s and while he will tell you like it is still has compassion and heart for what he does and for everyone in his life. There are a many slow plot parts in this book but overall it was engaging and I enjoyed a new way of thinking about magic through sigils.

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was an enjoyable urban fantasy/mystery set in the same world as the Iron Druid, but set in Scotland and with a whole new set of characters, although the background is still based in the same Irish deities/mythology. There is both Scottish dialect and the main character talks mainly through a computer, however, I felt the author pulls both of these off with minimal distraction from the story. I would say my biggest negative is the attempts to be funny with the hobgoblin sometimes came across as more forced than funny. Otherwise I enjoyed the jump to a new set of characters and am looking forward to future installments. Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm really hoping that I may have just found a new favorite author. I've wanted to check out Kevin Hearne's books for a really long time now, and Ink and Sigil seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally do so. And wow, I am so glad that I picked this book up. That was the most fun I've had reading in a long time.

It's pretty rare that a book actually makes me laugh. Like, out loud, actual, genuine laughter. Ink and Sigil had me laughing the whole way through. Hearne's humor and timing just clicked really well with me. I'm a sucker for silly but smart humor and that's exactly what this book is full of. I'm really hoping this is a feature in all of his books, because I need more of it in my reading life, and it's probably the biggest thing I'll be looking forward to if this series continues.

The world building of Ink and Sigil is excellent. It's like Artemis Fowl meets the Wax and Wayne Mistborn books, but still somehow wholly unique. The Scottish dialogue used throughout the entire book was so immersive and fun. The urban fantasy vibe never felt gimmicky, but instead it just seemed like our world, only full of magic. The magic system was really unique, at least to me. I've never read anything similar, with the use of ink recipes and sigils granting different abilities and protections. It was well fleshed out, there were clear rules, but it never felt constricted.

The characters in this book were so good! Easily one of the strongest aspects. The cast is diverse, fully of unique personalities, so many of whom I couldn't help but just genuinely like. Al MacBharrais is not the kind of main character I'm usually drawn to- a sixty-something year old man- but I loved how he was written. So endearing and compelling. His story needs more and I really hope he gets the sequel he deserves. The secondary characters were just as great, from Al's amazing manager, Nadia, to the extremely funny hobgoblin, Buck Foi. (I told you this book was funny.) I just really enjoyed each and every character presented in this story. They all felt unique, and they obviously had their own lives and stories outside of Al's, which only added to the depth of his story. So well done.

Ink and Sigil is easily one of my favorite books I've read lately. It was like a breath of fresh air. It felt good to read it and laugh, to fall for a whole new set of characters, to find a new writer whose work I'm eager to seek out. It was genuinely funny, so heartfelt, and really wrapped up the story well. There were just enough loose ends left dangling to leave me really hoping for a sequel. Fans of fantasy, and anyone looking for humor in their books really, are sure to love this one. Ink and Sigil is definitely going to be one of those 'feel good' books I revisit over and over.

*Review will be Published 8/12/20*

Hello Fellow Reader,


First of all, let me just say that you don't have to be well versed in the Iron Druid Chronicles series to be able to enjoy Ink & Sigil. Does it help? Yes, nit while it takes place in the same world it can be read as a standalone. It's been a long time since I have read a book where the protagonist is a senior citizen, which is also true about fantasy reads.


Al, was an absolute sweetheart. He's been through so much, that it's a little heartbreaking, but also makes him think through his choices rather than let his emotions guide him. I also particularly enjoyed those around him and with names like Saxon Codpiece, Buck Foi, and Gladys who has seen some shite, who wouldn't? Nadia was my favorite by far and while she doesn't have too much of an interesting name, she still kicks major ass and takes names.


I've always enjoyed Hearne's writing in the Iron Druid books and I did like it but in Ink & Sigil I found the pacing a little slow. Also, everything with D.I. Munro seemed a little unnecessary, like it was only there to show off what Al can do. If this is a standalone it was great, but if it eventually becomes a series I wouldn't mind as I would love to see more of Al and his merry band of misfits.


Overall, If you enjoy fae Urban Fantasy this is for you.

A great message inside a good story can ruin everything.
This book is set in the Iron Druid universe, but you don't really need to have read those books first. It would be helpful and add quite a bit of depth to the story, but its not necessary.
The story is moving along fine, creative character and worldbuilding and then the MOST afterschool special ass paragraph in my life just stops everything. Its a good message about the dangers of human trafficking. I support the message. Trafficking is a problem that has to be looked and and uncomfortable conversations need to happen. In this case, it ruins the flow of the story TWICE, same character reads a "Now You Know, and Knowing is Half the Battle" script and just stops everything.
The plot goes from saving someone to stopping someone to saving someone else, all well done except for the jarring conversations that could have been done smoother. Saving someone and then having a discussion about trafficking would have been amazing, using the metaphor of a goblin or pixie to discuss the real plights of a Mexican or Ukranian, awesome idea. Just not well done in this case.
The story is good overall, a creative magic system that has a lot of potential to go places, I'll look for the sequel and give the series another chance to have a meaningful discussion without ruining the story.
**I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.