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.

Series Info/Source: I got this as an eGalley from NetGalley for review. This is the first book in the new Ink & Sigil series. This series is set in the same world as the Iron Druid Chronicles but some time after that series.

Story (5/5): I loved the idea of Sigil Agents and enjoyed being introduced to Al MacBharrais’s world. In addition to Al’s fascinating day to day life there is an excellent mystery here that encompasses the strange deaths of many of his apprentices and a curse placed on Al himself. There is also a more contained mystery involving fae trafficking, which Al’s most recently deceased apprentice Gordie was involved in. I love urban fantasies that have a contained mystery/story that is solved in one volume but also have an overarching story that carries across multiple volumes.

Characters (5/5): I was a bit skeptical that I would like and engage with an “old-man” character but found myself pleasantly surprised. I loved Al; he is capable and humorous and has a lot of depth as a character. I really enjoyed the hobgoblin he contracted and his bad-ass battle goddess office manager, Nadia. The characters in here are fun and interesting and just a hoot to read about. I loved them all and they were incredibly well done. We also have run-ins with characters from the Iron Druid Chronicles and it was intriguing to see them from a different point of view.

Setting (5/5): I loved the world of the Iron Druid Chronicles so it’s no surprise that I continue to love this world. Here we see this complex world of gods, goddesses, and different realities through a slightly different viewpoint...that of a Sigil Agent. This is an intricate and well thought world that I absolutely love!

Writing Style (5/5): This book is engaging, well-paced, and very easy to read. The writing flows seamlessly and I love how the mystery of Gordie’s fae trafficking is blended seamlessly with the mystery around Al’s curse and his constantly dying apprentices. I always enjoy Hearne’s writing style but feel like this book was even more polished and well written than previous books in his Iron Druid Chronicles.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I ended up absolutely adoring this book. I think I like it even better than the Iron Druid Chronicles so far. I approached this a bit tentatively but I shouldn’t have. I loved the characters, the mystery and the idea behind the sigil agents. This was so much fun and so well put together, I can’t wait to read more books in this series!

Off to a good start

Kevin Hearne has begun a new series set in his Iron Druid world. Aloysius MacBharrais is a Sigil agent, which is a bit like a notary public for the supernatural world. He has special training in contract preparation between beings on different planes and he has the right, on this plane, to adjudicate breaches in said contracts. He also is specially trained in a kind of witchery that works through "Sigils" or spells that are pictographs carefully drawn using specially formulated inks.

"Ink & Sigil" is an excellent beginning to what could lead to a long run. There is a lot of room in Al MacBharrais's Glasgow for Mr. Hearne to be creative. We can surely hope.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed this book tremendously! Hearne has a gift for writing engrossing stories, with interesting characters, with plots that are fun to read - not that bad things don't happen, but that they're a realistic part of the plot and that they aren't thrown in for no reason.

Like the Iron Druid series and the two books so far in the Seven Kennings series, the book has interesting, well drawn characters. It's a bit of a treat to have a central character who's an older man, and who presents as an older person, unlike the Iron Druid. And the other characters have some depth - they're not just cardboard cutouts there to fill spots.

The system of sigils and sigil agents in which the book operates is complicated, but not too much - complicated enough to seem fresh and not repetitive of other books, yet well written enough to make sense. I understood the overall system and could enjoy how it worked, and how the plot progressed within this system.

It seems pretty clear that the door is wide open for more books in this series, although this book does end - you don't have to wait for a sequel to have the basic plot wrapped up. However, there are interesting plot lines waiting to be developed in future books, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading them.

here are two curses on Aloysius MacBharrais, placed by someone who is very good at what they do. Curse one involves Al having to be very careful with who he talks to - and how. Curse two seemed to only manifest itself in one character who wasn't even a character; this character was only a name and had no presence in the book. So here goes Al trying to keep his part of the world's geography clearly marked with who and what can travel here from other planes. Somebody is working some kind of trafficking in altered Fae. So who, what and why? That's all Al has to figure out. And fix.

I began reading the Iron Druid Chronicles written by this author and loved them until....I didn't. I think this movement to a character completely grounded in the modern world has the chance to become interesting because of the scope available for future stories. However, having Al saddled with that curse made story progression slow down and almost halt at times. He also has to retire to a special place to draw the sigils he will (?) need in whatever encounter he's going toward. Then using each sigil has it's own difficulties. It just felt rather awkward and slow for the special effects to be utilized. If you've been missing Atticus O'Sullivan and Oberon they both make an appearance in this book, but not as actors in this drama, more as a temptation. Seemed like an author pushing their own series within a different series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine, Del Ray for an e-galley of this novel.

"Do you have a headache?"

"I've got you, have I no'?"

Al MacBharrais is a Sigil agent. He is one of the few humans tasked with keeping the human and Fae world separate. And his apprentice just choked to death on a raisin scone.

So down the rabbit hole Al goes, armed only with his Sigils (magical symbols which can grant him a multitude of practical powers,) his lustrous mustache, a hacker with a penchant for exhibition, an accountant who can beat the shit out of anyone, man or fae, a tiny pink man with a raunchy sense of humor, and Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite.

If you were looking for a serious book, a book to make you think very hard, or a book to change your life... don't look here.

But if like me, you're damned tired of 2020 and could use some weird shite to make you laugh (and make you say shite instead of shit,) you've come to the right place!

At first I wasn't too keen on ole Al. Why? I need to emotionally connect with characters to be interested in a book. Al lost his wife, and his grief is barely touched on in the beginning. So I struggled to retain interest for a few chapters.

And then I met his side characters.

There's Buck Foi, the pink hobgoblin who must balance his good deeds with beer theft and pranks, and incidentally gets high off of salsa.

There's Nadia, the Weegie Goth, with her glorious Wizard van. She's Al's accountant and a battle seer.

There's Saxon Codpiece, Professional Wanker (and hacker.)

And then of course we can't forget Gladys, whose "utter unflappability distinguishes Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite from all other Gladyses."

Once we really got rolling it was quite hilarious. The pranks and general dialogue were funny and made me want to keep reading. The side characters made me more interested in Al, and the mystery was in no way easy to predict. (Because don't you just hate when you can tell exactly where a story is going? I do.)

So overall I'm going to give this a solid 3.5 stars. I needed a read like this right now, and I'd read another about the shenanigans of Al and his crazy gang of misfits.

This book starts a new series by Kevin Hearne, but it's set in the same world as his Iron Druid stories. As such, it makes a perfect spot for new readers to jump in as well as a welcome return for those of us who already enjoy Atticus and Oberon's world. Hearne's trademark humor and expansive world-building are on display here, with some more serious elements to add depth. Some readers may find the Glaswegian dialect hard to parse at first, but it adds flavor. And I'm of an age to appreciate the musings on mortality and legacy from the protagonist, Al.

Ink & Sigil is a satisfying tale on its own, but contains hints of future adventures and quests. That's welcome news, because I'd love to spend more time with Al, Buck, and Nadia.

I was so excited when I heard about this book. The Iron Druid Chronicles are one of my all time favorite series. I was really happy to return to this world. At the same time I was skeptical since it's different characters.
I ended up really enjoying it. I love Al. He reminded me of Owen. I love this world and the magic. And I love the humor. I tend to avoid humorous books. I prefer morally gray characters in my fantasy, but Kevin Hearne does humor so well. I need to listen to this on audio when it comes out because I think it would be even more amusing.

Aloysius “Al” MacBharrais is a Sigil Agent. Only five such people in the world exist and it is their ability to create sigils from special ink that make them special. These sigils work like magic spells and can be used for both offensive and defensive and even for more mundane purposes. But when Al’s apprentice dies by choking to death on a scone, Al is convinced it isn’t really an accident. Perhaps that is because his previous six apprentices have also all died in various accidents. His investigation into the death leads him to another crime, this time a large-scale fey trafficking ring being run by what appears to be some sort of governmental organization. He manages to free a mischievous hobgoblin who was next to be sold off and who then acts as a sidekick throughout the rest of the story.

This first-in-a-series novel takes place in the same universe as the author’s Iron Druid Chronicles although it’s important to note that it is not necessary to have read those books in order to enjoy this one. The character of Al MacBharrais is well developed in this first book along with his sigil craft and several of his closest friends and allies. Some of this is told through brief flashback sequences but the author does this in creative ways to avoid the dreaded info dumps. At one point he even remembers back to when he met Atticus O'Sullivan, the Iron Druid himself, as well as his loyal dog companion Oberon.

This book does have a fair bit of dialog that reflects unique Scottish terminology and accents (specifically Glaswegian, or “Weegie). When I read that in the author’s note at the beginning of the book along with a pronunciation guide, I was plenty worried. That sort of thing often yanks me out of any kind of immersive storytelling experience. But here, it didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I think it helped me see and hear these people better.

There is quite a bit of humor in the novel, perhaps even more than can be found in the Iron Druid stories. Some of it is a little juvenile, especially from the hobgoblin, but then that seems totally in character for a hob anyway. Most of it is actually quite clever and original.

Recommended. Keven Hearne fans will not be disappointed.

Few humans are aware that the fae and other magical beings not only exist, but also enjoy coming to visit and wreck havoc in our modern world. The rare humans who are in the know work with the magical world to keep it that way, and to keep the humans safe in their beds. By using ink made from complicated recipes, the human agents can create sigils, which is basically like doing a spell, but they need to be written down & prepared properly in advance. After his apprentice's untimely death, Al, an Irish sigil agent, discovers that his apprentice had been trafficking magical beings to an unknown third party, possibly for scientific experimentation. It's now his job to clean up the mess.

Al is one of the most interesting heroes I've ever met. He's not big and brawny or young and brash. He's a middle aged man, closer to aged than middle, who's been at this job for many years. He bears a curse that causes anyone to whom he speaks with too often to hate him. Luckily, there are text to voice apps that he can make use of, although the discovery of his curse came too late to save some of his dearest relationships. Al is great at his job, but he doesn't run around like a spring chicken farmboy hero. He's methodical and thorough, true to his age. He's also very Irish, which adds plenty of spicy flavors. He's kind of like Gandalf, but a more human one that we can relate to. He's not the usual cliched hero, and he's all the more interesting for it.

The writing style here was more complex than the typical modern easy to read prose. Not that it was a drudge to read. It was very well written, but it's the kind of book that you need a moment to get used to its deeper and satirical style and slower pace before you're fully absorbed. It works very well in this book, but I also found myself constantly switching in and out every other chapter between reading other, more fast paced books. Still, it was far from boring, and while it took me a long time to finish, I kept coming back to it. It was easy to remember and enjoyable to return to.

The setting and dialect was very Irish. The writing uses an Irish spelling and most characters speak with that accent, spelled out the way it sounds, so I came away from the book thinking in Irish. It was nicely done, although it takes a chapter or two to get used to and to better understand it. Once you do, it's fun and immersive, and hey, it's fun to try speaking that way in everyday conversations.

As with any proper hero, Al has a sidekick team, consisting of his bookkeeper/manager/war-seer, a lady I totally want to meet, and a mischievous hobgoblin. The sigil magic system is pretty cool. That and the world building were very well done. For all I know, there really are fae and other beings running about Earth, bound by contracts with the local sigil agent. The plot is a nice mix of action and investigative work and some cool magic sigil exploits. I haven't read any other books by this author, but now I'm eager to read his other series.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderful writing, intense characters and fascinating story! I loved this book so much. The author has a brilliant imagination and his characters seem to be so alive and they are so complex

I found it difficult at first to get into this story because some of the characters speak in dialect and for me that can be a bit distracting. However it did not take me long to get into the story and get caught up in the unfolding mystery. Al has had apprentice # 7 die after eating a raisin scone. He may have been a bit of trouble since he might have been trafficking Fae and Al is on the case. This is a very atmospheric book and the feelings of place are very evocative. This is a fun and engaging mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new series set in the Iron Druid world. If you have not yet read the Iron Druid books, don’t despair, you can easily read this book and understand the world quite well. I highly recommend though that you read the Author’s Note at the beginning that explains how to read the Scottish dialect. Otherwise some things, like the fact that they have an aversion to the word not, might make reading the dialogue rather difficult.

Al MacBharrais is one of the most interesting main characters that I have read in awhile. He is old, in his sixties, but does okay. He is witty and likes to tell stories and enjoys a good whiskey or gin. He is also cursed, he can not talk to anyone without them coming to hate him after a short while. This means he has to use a text to speech app on his phone. Unfortunately this made him estranged from his family, which makes him a lonely guy.

Even with his curse, Al is able to surround himself with a small group of allies/friends that know what he does and helps him when he needs it. Nadia is his muscle when he needs it and is a very strong female character with a lot going for her. Buck is a hobgoblin that Al befriends at the start of the book and he quickly becomes a great sidekick who often lends a bit of humor to dark situations. Saxon is his computer guy who can pretty much find any information Al needs. Saxon was also quite amusing and I hope to see more of him in the series.

So the magical system was very interesting and it is what sets this story apart. Al is a sigil agent, which is something that Brighid, First among the Fae, came up with to make up for the lack of Druids. They are basically lawyers/police force that keep the Fae and the humans apart. But they also use sigils drawn with magical ink to perform magic. These sigils can give someone limited strength and magical sight and lots of other things. We didn’t get a whole lot of explanation of the magical inks, but what we did get was fascinating. Some of the ingredients for making the ink was quite interesting too. I never really thought about how ink is made, but this book has made me more interested in finding out more.

The story itself is a little bit mystery, a little bit thriller with some government conspiracy thrown in for good measure. It is fast paced and will keep you on your toes as to what will happen next. I don’t want to give away too much, but I liked how the author paralleled what was happening in the magical world to things happening in the real world. And Atticus and Oberon even make a cameo appearance which I was very excited about.

I am very excited for this new series and am looking forward to the next book.

So, this was okay.

It was REALLY funny. I laughed a lot. Which is exactly why I picked up this book in the first place. It sounded like it was going to be a blast.

My problem is with the pacing. Its all over the place with a lot of irrelevant or badly timed information thrown into the book as "interludes" as well as information given in an info dump way. There is an entire chapter towards the end of the book that begins with, "tell me how you met Nadia while I cook you dinner" and the plot is interrupted to get Nadia's back story.

Over all I think this would be better told as a collection of short stories, but if you're looking for a laugh and like a Scottish settings this delivers.

I love, love, love the Iron Druid series and it was so great to get to return to that world but look at it from a different perspective. If you are already a fan of Kevin Hearne then I don't think you will be disappointed. His sense of humor his on full display and fans of Atticus and his friends (and enemies) will find a lot that is familiar here. If you are unfamiliar with The Iron Druid Chronicle but are an urban fantasy fan looking for a new series this is a great place to start. I can't wait to read more!

I have enjoyed all (but the very last) of the Iron Druid Chronicles, so I was excited to be introduced to a new character and aspect of this world. Sigils were fun but may have made life a little too easy in places which took some of the suspense out of the book. Al, the MC is an older man who is a Sigil Agent who soon after the start of the book gains an obscene, humorous hobgoblin sidekick. Al learns that his recently decreased apprentice was involved in Fae smuggling and soon goes to investigate and right any wrongs. I liked this plot line even if the ending was overly dramatic and unrealistic with the high body count usually found in action books, but it worked here. This book reads like an action, thriller kind of urban fantasy books. Lots of fighting, obscene humor and while it was not my favorite, I was greatly appreciative that it was done without being homophobic, xenophobic or misogynistic. This might be the best I have even seen that balance achieved. My main issue and why it dropped to 3 stars was because of the human smuggling subplot and how forced it felt to the overall plot. I agree completely with the author’s feelings and explanations but the long info dumps took one out of the book and made me want to skim them. It also felt forced and very unrealistic with the relationship with the police. There would have been ways to comment on parallels to human smuggling without just having Al lecture. I am not sure if I will return for the second, but I recommend it to anyone who likes humor and action adventures and is tired of having to deal with problematic protagonists to do so.

Overall this was a disappointment for me. I absolutely loved the Iron Druid Chronicles so I am comparing this book pretty heavily to those. This one has much more of an Urban Fantasy feel to it with less nature, though there is some in flashbacks and there could certainly be more in upcoming books in the series. I would have liked to see more about making inks and the sigils Al works with. It was great to see characters from the Iron Druid Chronicles again (even a brief story with Atticus and Oberon!) and meet Al, Nadia, and Buck.
My least favorite thing about this book is how in-your-face politically preachy it is. Hearne’s books have been progressively heading in this direction the past few years and the obviousness of it really takes me out of the story. Unfortunately this will probably be my last Kevin Hearn book, though I still do who heartedly recommend the Iron Druid Chronicles books if you haven’t read those.

It was great going back to the world of the fae, and druids, while focusing on a whole different type of characters - sigil agents. When created correctly, sigils can do things like enhance battle prowess, make a person believable, or increase sexual prowess. Our main character is an agent, and it is good he doesn't have to read his work aloud since those who hear his voice quickly learn to hate him. At the death of his apprentice, Al discovers that the apprentice was involved in some shady dealings, and the majority of the book involves this investigation. Al soon gains a sidekick, Buck Foi, who is great comic relief (although Oberon in the first series will never be topped :) ) My favorite scenes in this book involved Buck and his creations.

You'd be fine reading this book even if you've never read the Iron Druid Chronicles, although I'd certainly recommend reading them because they are great.

Thanks to netgalley for giving me a review copy!

As along time reader of Kevin Hearne's work, I was extremely excited to see a new book.
Al is witty and wry and curious, and an utter contrast to Atticus, without it feeling forced. He is a very full bodied character who feels grounded in the world, and seeing it through his eyes, his perceptions was fantastic. He's morally grey and I found that rather interesting after spending so long with Atticus.

The magic feels like a natural part of the world instead of something that was just thrown into an already established structure. Because of that care, the story is more richly realized.

The plot had me curious, always questioning who was going to be shown to be the BBE. I admit that I wasn't expecting what it ended up being .
I've already set the book to purchase for my library, and I eagerly await the chance to read the second.

Delightful new characters in a favorite world. If you liked the Iron Druid world, you will love Ink & Sigil. And even if you didn't know it, you need to expand your knowledge of gin, Glasgow, hobgoblin hijinx, fountain pens & badass underground fighters. Looking forward to more stories from this world.