Book Review: The Wolf King

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Wolf King     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Alice Borchardt
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   ShapeShifter
Del Rey, Feb 2001, $25.95, 380 pp.

The runaway slave finds the scantily clad unconscious woman in the freezing snow. The Saxon ponders how soft and stupid the descendants of Caesar have become. Still, he saves the life of Regeane, carrying her to the nearby abbey at the pass, which he planned to avoid because of the brutal rumors of non-human occupants. The two stragglers receive an unfriendly welcoming by the monastery's residents and the Saxon is taken to the dungeon for torture and probable death. The two prisoners learn that a demonic spirit Bear controls everyone.

Regeane's "wolf-mate" Maeniel rescues them from hell, but the Bear realizes that Regeane is a werewolf and wants control of her to add to his already powerful arsenal. The Bear follows the trio using and discarding weak mortals while Maeniel does an errand for the Emperor Charlemagne.

The third entry in Alice Borchardt's "Wolf" series, THE WOLF KING, is a powerful entry in a strong supernatural historical series that makes werewolves and other paranormal creatures seem genuine. The story line is exciting from the first page to the last and the tidbits from the Charlemagne era add depth to the plot. It helps to have read the first two books (see THE SILVER WOLF and NIGHT OF THE WOLF) to better understand the motives of the stars. Still, this novel is a well-written stand-alone tale that will please sub-genre fans.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner