I first saw this book recommended over at Bluestocking (not by Laura, but by someone else posting a comment), but then someone else mentioned it on the Fiction Book thread at Times and Seasons. I checked it out at Amazon; the description lent me to believe it was a comic Celtic epic fantasy. And given all that, I figured I ought to read it.
I finished it Saturday evening, and I spent most of the day Sunday trying to figure out what I thought of it. It’s a good book — a Tolkein-esque Journey by two children to save the world from Evil. They meet lots of fun and interesting people along the way, the evil Goddess Morrigan (prounounced More-ree-an) was sufficiently terrifying and evil, and while I think I missed out on the “comic” parts, it was enjoyable to read. But, as I went along, something bugged me: the kids — Pidge and Brigit — never did anything. They walked, and things happened to them. They walked and a donkey lead them into faery land. They walked and someone else showed them on the way. Their pursuers — the hounds of the title — got to close and the Dagda (the great God) resuced them. They got in a jam, and an earwig they were nice to got them out. Get the picture? These kids never did anything but walk. And it bothered me.
That, and I don’t think Pat O’Shea spent enough time with the hounds. I think she was building up some sort of betrayal of Morrigan by the hounds, but she never quite got there. Now, that would have been an interesting, exciting and somewhat fulfilling ending. The ending she wrote was nice, but not exactly fulfilling.
That said, Frodo’s journey consisted mostly of walking, too, and people consider Lord of the Rings to be a classic (as do I). So, maybe action is overrated. I did enjoy the book. I just wish the kids would have done more.
The Book Nut 
I don’t remember that book being mentioned–but anyway, reminds me of Dorothy on her way to Oz. She walked, and walked, and walked, and walked . . . and she even sang as she walked. I don’t think she picked up buffalo chips, however.
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It was on one of your posts in the comments… someone had dropped by and noticed your list of children’s authors and wanted to recommend the book.I forgot about Dorothy’s journey. But wasn’t that the point of the story? She was journeying to get home. Whereas these kids were supposed to be fighting Evil. Still the Journey is a popular theme in children’s books, I think.
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Melissa, I realize it’s been a while since you reviewed this book but I finished it this weekend and enjoyed it very much. You know what I think the children did? They made choices and had to live with those choices. Most of their decisions to go or do this or that were good choices but some were not and they had to suffer (or enjoy) the consequences. It didn’t bother me that the children weren’t more active as it seemed they were doing a lot for 10 and 5 year olds; actually they seemed older and more responsible than most 10 and 5 year olds I know. I just wish there were other books by Pat O’Shea to read and enjoy!
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I read The Hounds of the Morrigan when I was in 4th grade (almost 20 years ago). The librarian looked at me over her eyeglasses as I checked it out and said, “Weeelll…most students don’t usually try this book until the 6th grade. Are you sure this is the one you want?” The nerve of her…I gobbled it up in no time, as I recall and it has been, along with The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (which I read not long after, thank you, Ms. Librarian), one of my top favorite books of all time. Whatever small criticisms there may be of this book, they pale in comparison to its merits and to what it gave me and inspired in me as a child. I’m sorry for those of you who didn’t have the chance to read this for the first time as a kid. It’s not quite the same reading it with adult eyes.
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I think maybe when I was 17 or 18 I was drawn to The Hounds of the Morrigan because of the cover. I saw it in the library and actually judged the cover right off to think that it was probably a stupid book. But I kept going back to it. I skeptically picked it up to read the synopsis on the back cover and didn’t think it sounded too bad since I am into fantasy books. It IS my all time favorite book. And I’ve read it about every other year since then. I wish there were other books to make a series of it so I could read those too. I’d like to see a movie of it as well, but Hollywood seems to botch most book-to-movie translations.-Tribal Fusion Goddess
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I read this book in my early/mid 20’s. I came across it in a bookstore while shopping for xmas prsents for my teenage cousins. I thought it looked interestng. I have often wondered why O’Shea didn’t publish anything else, as I thought The Hounds was a fantastic book.. I learned recently she did start a sequel but did not finish it. I read that it took her 13 years to write The Hounds of Morrigan. Pat O’Shea passed away in 2007 I think, in her late 70’s. Anyway, fabulous book. One of my favorites. ~ Vesper
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I found the book in my school library when i was 9. I had my dad read it to me and i fell in love with it. later i bought the book off amazon. the book is like a fairy tale, but more than a tale. Thats why they just walked. because the book was a fairy tale.
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I read this book when I was about ten years old, about seven years back. Then I re-read it again a few years later. Then re-read it again. This is the first book that the more I read, the more I love it. It's a brilliant book and Pat O Shea was a brilliant writer. It should have been a best-seller.
— Myra
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