Book Review: Wolf Who Rules

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Wolf Who Rules     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Wen Spencer
Class/Genre:   Fantasy
Baen, Apr 2006, $25.00

Elven Viceroy of the Wind Clan, Wolf Who Rules struggles with keeping his people safe as an Oni invasion is imminent. He brings in outside forces to help in the upcoming battle, but soon finds himself pondering if there is a better way as his allies squabble. Instead of planning for war, Wolf Who Rules plays peacemaker between the factions that make up his force (his clan, humans, the Stone Clan, and the royals).

At the same time that civil war looks probable even before the major clash, the Oni struggle with their breeding experiment as their half-breed children (at least the human side) demand freedom Tinker investigates a weird expanding discontinuity in Turtle Creek and her nightmares, that she assumes are visions, just might save Pittsburgh from a fate worst than losing a Superbowl. Her only clue outside of her dreams comes from the enigmatic unreliable Queen's Oracle whose advice is “Follow the Yellow Brick Road”. Tinker thinks this is Pittsburgh not Kansas so what yellow brick road to skip on is the question even as she and Wolf Who Rules cross paths again with two realms at stake.

As she did with the prequel TINKER, Wen Spencer provides a wild satirical fantasy that brings a whole different meaning to Pittsburgh. The story line is action-packed and somehow seemingly faster than its predecessor, which had made the speed of light seem more like slow motion. Tinker is terrific as she and WOLF WHO RULES must combine forces to stop overwhelmingly superior forces. Once again tongue in cheek satire at its most exciting, humorous and irreverently biting best, that is worth a second joy ride that the current Superbowl champions has not seen.

Harriet Klausner

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