Booklog 73/2020: Kevin Hearne: Trapped - Iron Druid #5 - Audiobook

Two thousand year old Iron Druid, Atticus, his wolfhound Oberon, and apprentice Druid, Granuaile are on the run from the gods of several pantheons, in particular the Norse lot whom Atticus severely upset a couple of books ago, and now the Greek gods as well. All Atticus wants to do is bind Granuaile to the earth to finish her training and make her into a full Druid. On top of that he has several enemies in Tir Na N'Og. Over the past few books he's amassed an enormous body count and it seems as though it's payback time. Twelve years ago he faked his and Granuaile's death so he could finish her Druid training in peace, but  now the gods have realised he's still alive and several of them have scores to settle. Things go from bad to worse, but there are a few bright spots and they meet a few friends on the way. I had this as an audiobook from Audible. It's narrated by Christopher Ragland, and while he's a decent narrator, after a while the 'comic' voice he uses for Oberon (who is telepathic) becomes a little wearing. If I'm honest I'd like to see Atticus in a situation where he's not running from or fighting gods all the time.

Booklog 74/2020: Jim Butcher: Storm Front - Dresden Chronicles #1 Audiobook

I've read this before, but a long time ago. It's the opening book in the long running and much loved Harry Dresden series, about the only wizard in the Chicago phone book. It was fun to revisit as an audiobook, read very nicely by James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but this time with his own American accent). It's a good match for the story as Dresden is called in by Chicago cop, Murphy, to consult on a series of murders which seem to have been committed by magic. It's noir detective meets magic as Dresden's seemingly separate cases come together for a stormy finale.

Booklog 75/2020: Jodi Taylor: Doing Time - Time Police #1 Audiobook

This is the first book in Jodi Taylor's Time Police series which is a spin off from her popular Chronicles of St Mary's and as you might expect there's some crossover. One of the three main characters is Matthew, son of Max and Leon from St Mary's. Matthew had a troubled childhood, spending his first eight years (after being kidnapped) dodging around the timeline being sold into squalid jobs and finally becoming a climbing boy for a cruel chimney sweep. Eventually rescued, he took a long time to adjust and spent part of his formative years at school with the Time Police, so maybe it was to be expected that eventually he'd join up. He's teamed up with mild, timid Jane who joined the time police to get away from her dragon of a grandmother, and rich playboy, Luke, who was delivered to the time police by his father's secretary to teach him a lesson. The Time Police were formed a long time ago in the future, their job was to protect the timeline from rogue time travellers trying to kill Hitler or save Richard III at Bosworth. You can't change history because history has a way of striking back. They spent many years shooting first and asking questions later, but times are changing. Most of the recruits fit the bullish pattern, but Matthew, Jane and Luke do things their own way. Eventually they bond to become 'Team Weird.' Like the St Mary's books this is narrated by Zara Ramm. She's an excellent reader for Ms Taylor's work, her reading bringing out the dry wit of the author's voice. Expect some of the St Mary's characters to pop up in the story.