The mythical backdrop completely shifts in Hammered (the third book of the Iron Druid Chronicles). In order to secure the assistance of a powerful Hindi witch, which he needed to destroy a powerful enemy in the previous book, Atticus O’Sullivan agreed to steal one of Idun’s golden apples, which bestow immortality. He manages to sneak into Asgard but encounters more than he bargained for, and barely escapes with his life. Now the Norse pantheon is after him, including Odin and the Valkyries.
But there’s more. Atticus is maneuvered into leading a band of vengeful supernatural beings into Asgard again–this time to kill an enemy they hold in common, a Norse deity whom it turns out is universally hated: Thor. An epic battle ensues on the plains of the Norse realm. I won’t give the ending away, but the book closes on a cliffhanger. On a side note, Kevin Hearne has managed to stay relatively respectful of Christianity in earlier books, mostly by simply ignoring it and focusing on pagan mythologies. The Virgin Mary played a small role in Hexed, bestowing her blessing on some arrows intended for a demon battle, but Hammered actually includes a scene where Jesus Christ has a beer with Atticus and giving him advice. It’s clear that Jesus is just another supernatural being among all the other pagan/fairy/etc. ones, but otherwise the portrayal isn’t as offensive (to Christians) as it could have been.
Hammered by Kevin Hearne (The Iron Druid Chronicles #3) Purchase Links: Paperback, Kindle Edition, Audible.com Audiobook