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The Iron Druid Chronicles #4.5
The Chapel Perilous
Originally published in 2013 in the
Unfettered anthology
edited by Shawn Speakman, now offered singly with cover art by Galen Dara.
Ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan has had plenty of adventures during his long life, and in “The Chapel Perilous” he shares one of them with his apprentice, Granuaile. He lays out the true story of the quest for the Holy Grail, in which he was personally involved—and the events of which are quite different from the Christian tale most people know today.
While on an errand for Ogma to recover the Dagda’s Cauldron, Atticus confronts evil at a mysterious chapel, takes the first steps to becoming the Iron Druid, and learns the shocking truth about goblin fashion choices.
He was, of course, in terrible peril.
Ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan has had plenty of adventures during his long life, and in “The Chapel Perilous” he shares one of them with his apprentice, Granuaile. He lays out the true story of the quest for the Holy Grail, in which he was personally involved—and the events of which are quite different from the Christian tale most people know today.
While on an errand for Ogma to recover the Dagda’s Cauldron, Atticus confronts evil at a mysterious chapel, takes the first steps to becoming the Iron Druid, and learns the shocking truth about goblin fashion choices.
He was, of course, in terrible peril.
33 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 24, 2014
110 people are currently reading
3950 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Hearne
72 books12.8k followersKevin is the NYT bestselling author of the Iron Druid Chronicles, as well as The Seven Kennings, an epic fantasy trilogy, and the Tales of Pell, a humorous fantasy series co-authored with Delilah S. Dawson. INK & SIGIL, a new urban fantasy series set in the Iron Druid universe, will be out in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
July 22, 2019
The Iron Druid tells a story.
Hounded was first published in 2011 and introduced Atticus O'Sullivan, also known as Siodhachan O Suileabhain, an ancient druid who owns an occult bookstore in Arizona but recounts ancient heroics over a great and lengthy lifetime.
The Chapel Perilous was first published in 2014 and allows Atticus to recount his experience in the quest for the Holy Grail – but from a revisionist standpoint: according to Atticus, his earlier pagan, druidic quest for the legendary Dagda’s Cauldron was later retold from a Christian perspective.
Reading between the lines I can see that this may be a recurring theme in the series.
Told with humor and a gamer’s eye for adventurous detail, the Iron Druid is a character I will visit again.
Very entertaining and a must read for that odd niche of the fantasy genre who likes stories from the druidic past.
Hounded was first published in 2011 and introduced Atticus O'Sullivan, also known as Siodhachan O Suileabhain, an ancient druid who owns an occult bookstore in Arizona but recounts ancient heroics over a great and lengthy lifetime.
The Chapel Perilous was first published in 2014 and allows Atticus to recount his experience in the quest for the Holy Grail – but from a revisionist standpoint: according to Atticus, his earlier pagan, druidic quest for the legendary Dagda’s Cauldron was later retold from a Christian perspective.
Reading between the lines I can see that this may be a recurring theme in the series.
Told with humor and a gamer’s eye for adventurous detail, the Iron Druid is a character I will visit again.
Very entertaining and a must read for that odd niche of the fantasy genre who likes stories from the druidic past.
March 7, 2017
Atticus as a Knight of the Round Table in search of the Grail? What could be better? How about if we add zombies? Yes!! Genius!
February 5, 2014
This was an interesting short story about Atticus's quest for the holy grail in 537 AD, before it was either holy or a grail -- it was "Dagda’s Cauldron, one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann, which could feed an army and never empty" in the story -- as told by Atticus around a campfire to Granuaile and Oberon.
Also interesting, to me at least, was the author's motivation to write the story, which can be found on his blog here, and his results of self publishing it, which can also be found on his blog here.
Also interesting, to me at least, was the author's motivation to write the story, which can be found on his blog here, and his results of self publishing it, which can also be found on his blog here.
October 28, 2014
"Tell me a story".
Many fish tales have been created in response to that request but if you're a druid of a certain age, you don't have to make stuff up....you've lived it.
Sitting around a campfire one night, Oberon & Granuaile ask Atticus for a bedtime story from his past (well....actually, Oberon asked for snacks but a juicy tale will hold him 'til the marshmallows are done).
So Atticus tells them of how he rescued the Holy Grail when he was just a garden variety druid, not yet bound to cold iron. The year is 537 & he went by the name of Gawain. The "grail" is actually Dagda's Cauldron, a large vessel capable of supplying a constant source of food, kind of a portable all-you-can-eat-forever-buffet.
It was stolen by one of those creepy Picts & Ogma asks Gawain to retrieve it. If he does (2 other druids have failed....PERIL! PERIL!), Ogma will help him hide from his perma-nemesis, Aenghus Og. Seems like a deal.
He has to cope with scary dead guys, bad weather & a smartass horse who suffers from paranoia (but can be bribed with...you guessed it...snacks).
If you're a fan, this short story will provide you with the laughs you've come to expect due to the author's penchant for putting his own hilarious spin on ancient mythology. But it's also evident how much research Hearne has done just as in his other books that illustrate a vast knowledge of Norse & Celtic lore. Love this series.
Many fish tales have been created in response to that request but if you're a druid of a certain age, you don't have to make stuff up....you've lived it.
Sitting around a campfire one night, Oberon & Granuaile ask Atticus for a bedtime story from his past (well....actually, Oberon asked for snacks but a juicy tale will hold him 'til the marshmallows are done).
So Atticus tells them of how he rescued the Holy Grail when he was just a garden variety druid, not yet bound to cold iron. The year is 537 & he went by the name of Gawain. The "grail" is actually Dagda's Cauldron, a large vessel capable of supplying a constant source of food, kind of a portable all-you-can-eat-forever-buffet.
It was stolen by one of those creepy Picts & Ogma asks Gawain to retrieve it. If he does (2 other druids have failed....PERIL! PERIL!), Ogma will help him hide from his perma-nemesis, Aenghus Og. Seems like a deal.
He has to cope with scary dead guys, bad weather & a smartass horse who suffers from paranoia (but can be bribed with...you guessed it...snacks).
If you're a fan, this short story will provide you with the laughs you've come to expect due to the author's penchant for putting his own hilarious spin on ancient mythology. But it's also evident how much research Hearne has done just as in his other books that illustrate a vast knowledge of Norse & Celtic lore. Love this series.
March 28, 2018
Once again we find ourselves enjoying a fire in the wilderness with Granuaile, Oberon, and Atticus. Over marshmallows, he shares the story of the holy grail originally known to him as Dagda’s Cauldron. Atticus claims that the story is a Celtic Druid story that was twisted through time. I enjoyed Hearne's tale about the grail but loved the tidbits about the elemental, the iron around Atticus's neck and his inspiration for his charms and future companions.
This tale may only be thirty-three pages long, but boy did it pack a wallop. The year is 537AD, and Atticus calls himself Gawain. Dagda’s Cauldron is one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann and reported to feed an Army and never empty.
Gawain (Atticus) travels with a horse named Apple Jack to retrieve the "holy grail" Apple Jack could use speech like Oberon would decades later and their conversations were hilarious. I would love to have spent more time with this horse. The tale that unfolds has them traveling in rain, being attacked by an evil force at an old church and meeting the Fish King before he faces off with an evil entity. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
This tale may only be thirty-three pages long, but boy did it pack a wallop. The year is 537AD, and Atticus calls himself Gawain. Dagda’s Cauldron is one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann and reported to feed an Army and never empty.
Gawain (Atticus) travels with a horse named Apple Jack to retrieve the "holy grail" Apple Jack could use speech like Oberon would decades later and their conversations were hilarious. I would love to have spent more time with this horse. The tale that unfolds has them traveling in rain, being attacked by an evil force at an old church and meeting the Fish King before he faces off with an evil entity. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
June 17, 2018
As Oberon would say, "Tell me a story, Atticus".
This is a short tale from Atticus' past, set in very early Briton during the time of the Celts. Atticus agrees to retrieve the legendary Dagda’s Cauldron, which was stolen from the Tuatha Dé Danann, and in exchange he will be shown how to shift to the proto-American continent to escape another Fae who wants him dead.
I really enjoyed this interlude from his past. It gives you a sense of who he was and how he has become the Druid he is today, and a few laughs thrown in for good measure. I really really love this series!
This is a short tale from Atticus' past, set in very early Briton during the time of the Celts. Atticus agrees to retrieve the legendary Dagda’s Cauldron, which was stolen from the Tuatha Dé Danann, and in exchange he will be shown how to shift to the proto-American continent to escape another Fae who wants him dead.
I really enjoyed this interlude from his past. It gives you a sense of who he was and how he has become the Druid he is today, and a few laughs thrown in for good measure. I really really love this series!
March 3, 2014
Enjoyable story. But now I want more about Apple Jack, dang it.
July 20, 2021
This is a very short story but fills in some of the gaps in Atticus's life just as author Kevin Hearne hoped and intended. I LOVE the Iron Druid series so I am always happy to find pieces of it that I haven't yet read. A very different take on the Grail or the "graal" than I'm sure everyone is used to reading.
January 5, 2022
Atticus tells Oberon the story of how he recovers the holy grail
December 5, 2014
The adventures of Atticus and his faithful hound, Oberon, have entertained me mightily since the very first book, Hounded (although I’m a little less enthused with the most recent one, Shattered) and the accompanying novellas and short stories are always fun, too. The Chapel Perilous continues the tradition.
The whole idea of a Holy Grail that isn’t quite the same Holy Grail we all know about is wonderful, made even more so because it’s set way back before Atticus became the Iron Druid with so much power. There’s not a lot of Oberon in this story and, since I adore him, that made me a little sad at first but then this other critter shows up that had me laughing out loud. Apple Jack is worth the story all by himself and, even if you’ve never read any of the chronicles, you can still enjoy this fellow.
Is this short story as engaging as the novels? No, of course not, as it’s not possible to have much depth in such a few pages but it’s a nice fill-in between books.
The whole idea of a Holy Grail that isn’t quite the same Holy Grail we all know about is wonderful, made even more so because it’s set way back before Atticus became the Iron Druid with so much power. There’s not a lot of Oberon in this story and, since I adore him, that made me a little sad at first but then this other critter shows up that had me laughing out loud. Apple Jack is worth the story all by himself and, even if you’ve never read any of the chronicles, you can still enjoy this fellow.
Is this short story as engaging as the novels? No, of course not, as it’s not possible to have much depth in such a few pages but it’s a nice fill-in between books.
March 13, 2015
Very entertaining retake of 6th century Sir Gawain's quest for the grail - this time with a druid as knight, a necromantic pict laying waste to the Fisher King's empire. In fact, the grail's legend is founded in celtic mythology and this is a loosely derived but excellently told story.
The frame story starts with the same druid in contemporary U.S. telling his intelligent dog and his apprentice this story. This modern, "cool" language gives the epic quest a funny side note which I liked. And there is this sidekick horse AppleJack which is wise in its own way, always holding back the druid's cockiness.
I'll put Hearne's series start Hounded on my tbr shelf - this is Atticus's origin story and how he came to his cold iron amulet and the silver charms on his necklace as well as his inspiration to teach languages to animals (like to his dog Oberon).
The frame story starts with the same druid in contemporary U.S. telling his intelligent dog and his apprentice this story. This modern, "cool" language gives the epic quest a funny side note which I liked. And there is this sidekick horse AppleJack which is wise in its own way, always holding back the druid's cockiness.
I'll put Hearne's series start Hounded on my tbr shelf - this is Atticus's origin story and how he came to his cold iron amulet and the silver charms on his necklace as well as his inspiration to teach languages to animals (like to his dog Oberon).
April 8, 2018
48 points/100 (2.5 stars/5).
Atticus tells the tale of how he recovered the lost grail.
Technically this tale takes place chronologically after The Eye of Horus though this was written before it came out. This story takes place simply for Hearne to tell us his character is so cool because his main character did cool famous things in the past. If this was just the tale of Atticus recovering a magic instrument from some necromancer, it would still be a decent story, but because it is the grail it is supposed to be somehow better. It doesn't make it any better, it just makes it more annoying.
This is a rather unnecessary short story that overall adds nothing to the story. It is just a side tale of life prior to the series.
Atticus tells the tale of how he recovered the lost grail.
Technically this tale takes place chronologically after The Eye of Horus though this was written before it came out. This story takes place simply for Hearne to tell us his character is so cool because his main character did cool famous things in the past. If this was just the tale of Atticus recovering a magic instrument from some necromancer, it would still be a decent story, but because it is the grail it is supposed to be somehow better. It doesn't make it any better, it just makes it more annoying.
This is a rather unnecessary short story that overall adds nothing to the story. It is just a side tale of life prior to the series.
September 7, 2016
2.5 stars
Unfortunately, I find this short story forgettable. Or maybe I read it on a wrong mood or something. The 'talking' horse feels like a substitute for Oberon (do we need another talking animal). I end up not really caring about the whole Holy Grail quest. Again, maybe reading this in wrong mood, but I feel like other short stories from this series as more interesting. This just came as big MEH for me.
Unfortunately, I find this short story forgettable. Or maybe I read it on a wrong mood or something. The 'talking' horse feels like a substitute for Oberon (do we need another talking animal). I end up not really caring about the whole Holy Grail quest. Again, maybe reading this in wrong mood, but I feel like other short stories from this series as more interesting. This just came as big MEH for me.
August 1, 2017
I fun short backstory from the Iron Druid Chronicles, featuring Atticus retelling his version of the real search for the "Holy" Grail and Sir Gawain....which according to him is really a Celtic Druid story that was twisted into its modern version over the years of storytelling.
Fun story, and also some insight into why Atticus started making charms and teaching his animal companions language. Thanks Apple Jack!
Fun story, and also some insight into why Atticus started making charms and teaching his animal companions language. Thanks Apple Jack!
February 3, 2014
I enjoyed the very short story in the Iron Druid world. If you enjoy reading about the adventures of Atticus and enjoy a very small contribution by his apprentice and faithful companion Oberon, you'll probably enjoy the quick read as well. At $.99 for the kindle version, was well worth my hour of enjoyment.
September 9, 2016
When I heard there was a new short story of our favorite druid, I just had to read it and to my surprise Mr Hearne never ceases to make Atticus O'Sullivan's adventures as action packed and full of mythology as always this is definitely a must read before "Shattered" is released.
December 13, 2021
I love it when Atticus plays the bard, a nice twist on the green knight, chapel and grael lore! Very nice! if you have the chance pick this up, always fun to read a tale told by the Seanachie Hearne!
February 9, 2014
Great read! This is Hearne's take on the Holy Grail!
October 24, 2014
Awesome backstory on Atticus' history and why he always has talking animals.
June 27, 2016
Fun story about the 'making of a legend.'
January 24, 2016
Another great short story in this series. This one give you a nice glimpse of the life of the main character before the main story line takes place. Highly recommended
December 15, 2016
Rating 4.5
Only downside is that is a little short, but then again it is a short story.
Only downside is that is a little short, but then again it is a short story.
May 24, 2018
Actual rating: 3.25
January 30, 2023
The Chapel Perilous takes place around the 6th century CE in Wales, and places Atticus with events and myths commonly associated with the Arthurian legends. The setup is Atticus telling the story to his apprentice and dog, but we get a glimpse as well into the his early centuries and pre-Saxon Britain.
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Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
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Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck is that Felix fellow? Glad you asked! He's the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome.
Assaph Mehr, author of Murder In Absentia: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
September 27, 2018
Aww, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin. How I love your writing voice. It's so deep and witty and wise and fills up the spaces between my ears. How I love Oberon and Atticus and the World Building. The Chapel Perilous and is short but so perfect in so many ways. The characters are so alive, so filling, so perfect. It's a shame the series took a turn for the worse when they did. I wish you could call back the last volume or two and rewrite it for your fans sake. It was a wrecking ball. This is a love-hate relationship right here. I love you, man!
May 17, 2023
I'll burn through a couple of these novellas during my afternoon commute. I would say, as in many cases, these are for completists and not all that impactful (so far) on the ongoing series.
Atticus is relating a story to his disciple and dog from his past journeys. Hey, bet we all didn't know that Gawain was actually the Druid Atticus.
This is a grail story, but The Grail as most of us know.
With a little necromancy tossed in.
Atticus is relating a story to his disciple and dog from his past journeys. Hey, bet we all didn't know that Gawain was actually the Druid Atticus.
This is a grail story, but The Grail as most of us know.
With a little necromancy tossed in.
February 3, 2017
Novellas, fun but quite short. The Iron Druid Chronicles was recommended so I tried out a small sampling. And I like them! 2000 year old Druid still on Earth, practicing his form of magic. He's tied to nature and benevolent. But not everyone else shares his love of nature/humanity so then he has to get down and dirty.
June 8, 2018
Fun addition to the Iron Druid Chronicles
A story out of Atticus's past, shared with Oberon and Granuaile during her apprenticeship, a re-imagining of the Holy Grail given its original pagan past. Not necessary to the storyline of the series, it is a fun little jaunt into their world.
A story out of Atticus's past, shared with Oberon and Granuaile during her apprenticeship, a re-imagining of the Holy Grail given its original pagan past. Not necessary to the storyline of the series, it is a fun little jaunt into their world.
November 18, 2018
A quick, but entertaining short story featuring a much younger Atticus, the immortal Druid.
This story explores the origins of the Grail stories with an imagined one of its own. Atticus is asked to regain a never empty cauldron which was stolen from an Irish goddess. He crosses the landscape from England into Wales and takes on an evil sorcerer with some help from a talking horse.
This story explores the origins of the Grail stories with an imagined one of its own. Atticus is asked to regain a never empty cauldron which was stolen from an Irish goddess. He crosses the landscape from England into Wales and takes on an evil sorcerer with some help from a talking horse.
February 16, 2021
Fun story.
Apple Jack the talking horse really kept to character.
Apple Jack:
"Just one more thing, When I smell things that scare me.
You have to either kill them or let me run away."
Apple Jack: part of his description on goblins.
"They wear horsehide leather, Me hide leather"
"Lets get out of here"
Apple Jack the talking horse really kept to character.
Apple Jack:
"Just one more thing, When I smell things that scare me.
You have to either kill them or let me run away."
Apple Jack: part of his description on goblins.
"They wear horsehide leather, Me hide leather"
"Lets get out of here"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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