Promise of the Wolves

Something different - a book from the wolf's POV. Very well-written and perfectly paced. Can't wait to read the next books in the series!

I selected this book from the vine program because I expected it to be like Fire Bringer, Watership Down: A Novel, or even Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh (Aladdin Fantasy) - books that anthropomorphize animals. And to a degree it was. The wolves of the story do think and reason. The opening page of the review copy has a message to the reader, ..."you will accept (and almost forget) that Kaala and her companions are wolf. Or, you'll forget that you are not." This statement could not be more true! While "Promise of the Wolves" is like the books I mentioned, it is more like The Earth's Children series, in particular The Clan of the Cave Bear, by Jean Auel - it was that good. Kaala is a mix with "outsider blood." She should have been killed at birth, as Ayla should have been left for dead. Both are rich stories of young females fighting for their place in a pack (clan) that does not want them. Both defy tradition to make themselves stronger. And they will cause monumental changes to the world. The different species of animals are akin to the different clans and tribes Ayla encounters. The manner in which the story is told is also similar. Hearst uses introductory sentences like "The legends say that..." and "It is said..." This is common in literature of this nature. It is almost as if Hearst read Earths Children and asked herself, what would that time have been like from an animal's perspective? I do not mean to say that this is a rip-off. It is wholly original and unique, the author just took a good idea in an entirely new direction. Both books have simple stories - young girls trying to survive in a brutal world. Yet, they are engrossing. You find yourself turning page after page - I read this in one night. Wolves opens with a prologue set 40, 000 years ago, describing a 3-year long winter that is broken when a young female wolf defies the law to hunt with a human to provide food for her family, and his. This is part of a legend that will influence the heroine, Kaala, introduced in Chapter 1. The novel is told from her perspective, though not in first person. The alpha wolf Ruuqo wants to kill Kaala because she is a danger to the pack. But, the "Greatwolves" step in and spare her life. Yet, it will be an uphill battle to survive because while Ruuqo will not kill her outright, he won't help her either (as pack should). The wolves of Wide Valley are bound to a covenant to avoid humans, but not harm them, because long ago Wolves helped humans learn more than they should and it caused a war that threatened creation itself. This covenant is a challenge because wolves are drawn to humans. Kaala feels this pull more than the other wolves. She suspects something is wrong with the legends, and the actions of the Greatwolves. Her secret friendship with a human girl will reveal lies that have been told, and change her pack forever. "Wolves" reminded me of another great book, "The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West" by

Setting: Southern Europe, 14,000 years ago. The Wolf's Promise (a law handed down from ancient times: Never consort with humans. Never kill a human unprovoked. Never allow a mixed-blood wolf to live. Story: Kaala is a young wolf, born of an unknown father, who was probably from outside The Valley. That makes her a mixed-blood and, according to the ancient Promise, she is to be put to death. The leader of the pack, Ruuqo sets out to do just that, but his mate intercedes, with help from one of the Greatwolves (an elder wolf, who is more than wolf). Kaala gets to live, but is nearly an outcast within her own pack, forever bearing the enmity of Ruuqo, and her mother his exiled from The Valley. As Kaala grows up, she manages to befriend two of Ruuqo's pups, the clever Azzuen and the brave Marra. She later manages to save a young human girl, TaLi, and finds herself increasingly drawn toward the forbidden: contact with TaLi and other humans. With guidance from her adoptive packmates, a Spiritwolf (ghost), and a trickster raven, Tlitoo, Kaala learns many things, including how to hunt, the lore of the wolves, and the true meaning of friendship. She also learns that the ancient legends do not tell the whole truth, and that truth could forever alter life in The Valley, for wolves, for humans, and for all who live there. Is Kaala destined to create tragedy, or to save them all? The Promise omits mention of the paradox: humans and wolves must live together, but humans and wolves cannot live together. Humans and wolves can learn much from one another, but they are also rival apex predators, and often end up at each others' throats. Wolves can teach humans about pack hunting and tracking, and humans can work with wolves to hunt together, in ways that are more effective than what either species can do alone, if they do not kill each other. All animals in The Valley must strive for The Balance, but previous attempts at wolf-human interaction have resulted in carnage, sooner or later. My Take: This is the first book of The Wolf Chronicles, and The Promise of the Wolves is an excellent launching of that series. The characters, lupine, human, and corbae (crow) are diverse and developed well. Even the lesser characters, like the "elkryn" (moose?) leader were distinct and colorful. Kaala was admirable, Azzuen was cute and clever, and Marra was complex. Tlitoo, the raven, was wise and funny. The entire social complex, with the different wolf-packs and lore and rituals, was elaborate and fascinating. The description of early human hunter-gatherer society also seemed accurate and was interesting. While this book is clearly an introduction, with much groundwork to be laid, and not as much plot as most novels have, it does its job admirably, and there is plenty of action. The characters and scenes and action are made very real through the author's words. This is an excellent piece of historical fantasy, that probably best fits readers from a

Taking place more than ten thousand of years ago - nearing the end of the Stone (Paleolithic Era) Age - Promise of the Wolves: Wolf Chronicles Book One (Wolf Chronicles) is the first book I've read, since I was a child, that is told from an animal's point of view. Kaala the wolf pup tells of her struggles to stay with the pack, despite a pack leader who doesn't want her. She is pulled to break the covenant that separates Wolf from Man. While Promise of the Wolves doesn't cover this time period with any of the detail that, say The Clan of the Cave Bear or People of the Wolf (The First North Americans series, Book 1) do, it describes a period before technology, a period in which mankind isn't yet forced to go to extremes to try to preserve what's left of the earth. It tells of the balances that are needed to maintain equilibrium between Man and the "lower" animals. Further, Promise of the Wolves is an absolutely delightful story. I can't believe that it's the first book by author Dorothy Hearst; she's got the ups and downs, the crests and climaxes, that some more seasoned authors lack. Devouring books about a history before ours, I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the trilogy.

Having read Clan of the Cave Bear and the subsequent books in the Earth's Children Series, I was eager to read this book that has been compared to Clan of the Cave Bear. This is the first book in a trilogy Dorothy Hearst is writing called The Wolf Chronicles. It is also her first novel. In Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst, Kaala, a young pup is born of outside blood, and to complicate things further, she bears the mark of the moon. She struggles with her desire to gain pack approval, while dealing with her strong calling to be with and protect humans. Dorothy Hearst captures the voice and spirit of the wolf well throughout hunts, disagreements, fights, and the joy of being a wolf. There are so many fascinating characters in this book. Tlitoo, a raven, interacts with the wolves spouting cheeky poetry in a humorous and wise manner. The Great Wolves Jandra and Frandu mysteriously appear, disappear, protect, and keep secrets from Kaala and the other wolf packs. A spirit wolf magically appears and helps Kaala at her most desperate hours. What makes this book so interesting and is that it tells the tale of the relationship between wolves and humans 14,000 years ago from the wolf point of view. There have been other books written from the human point of view the feature wolves, but this book is unique. Ms. Hearst has created a distinct work that I'm sure will develop a strong following. It was a joy to read. I recommend this book to anyone ages 12 and up who is interested in wolves and their possible interactions with humans thousands of years ago. This book would make an incredible Disney movie. If you love wolves, or if you wonder what a Disney movie would be like if wolves were the central character, then I think you will enjoy this book.

This book has been compared to 'Watership Down' and 'The Clan of the Cave Bear', both intriguing, innovative books and a lot to live up to. After the first twenty or so pages I discovered that it definitely lived up to these claims and more. The story centers on a wolf pack that lived 10,000 years ago. A young wolf, barely accepted by her pack has to struggle and fight for her life from the first day she emerges from her den. The product of an unauthorized breeding she escapes death only because she has an unusual marking, one that a legend claims will be worn by a wolf who will change all of wolfkind. As she tries to learn the lessons needed to become accepted into the pack the young wolf, Kaala, finds that everything she learns only brings her more questions. This is, not only the first volume of a planned trilogy, but also the author's first published novel. While it is an intriguing and innovative work it does have some 'first novel' flaws. The author has, for the most part, told a most original story but from time to time other novels appear in the background, hopefully as the series progresses Hearst's own voice will grow stronger. The biggest problem with this book is...how long until I can get my hands on the rest of the series? I have to know what happens next!