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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Medieval Werewolves - Fantastic!, November 8, 2001
This review is from: Black Wolf (Forgotten Realms: Sembia series, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)
'Black Wolf' is Dave Gross' follow-up to his short story in the "Sembia - Halls of Stormweather" anthology. It centers on Talbot Uskevren, the son of a noble family who has recently become a werewolf. Gross' story is well written and well paced, filled with an impressively diverse cast of characters including the young hero Talbot, his rival Rusk (the werewolf who infected him), a bizarre shark-like vampire, an old gypsy wise-woman, a moon-worshiping religious cult and an extended pack of rustic werewolves. The novel features countless nods to the classic 1930's film "The Wolf Man" - most noticeably in the names of some of the main characters - Talbot, Maleva and Chaney. The most impressive aspect of the novel is the nearly equal focus on the world of the villains - complex characters with strong motives, not merely an unspoken devotion to some evil code of conduct. The scenes set among the forest-dwelling werewolf pack are frequently more engaging than the trials of the book's hero. The only weak spots come from spotty editing - Some descriptive lines and phrases are repeated almost verbatim within a few paragraphs, as if the author has forgotten that he's already said it. These flaws are minimal though, and don't mar the engaging storyline that carries the book. Particularly high praise goes to Mr. Gross for raising "Black Wolf" above the bar of standard 'role-playing novel' fare, usually overstocked with evil wizards, dragons and mystical quests. Even the inclusion of a monkey-like pair of 'cute animal' characters named Otter & Lommy is handled with refreshing restraint. Those who haven't read the former books in the series will at least want to read the "Black Wolf" chapter of "Halls of Stormweather" to jump-start their familiarity with the land of Sembia.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Faerun Book Ever Written, October 8, 2005
This review is from: Black Wolf (Forgotten Realms: Sembia series, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)
I know this is a bold statement, but this novel is easily the best installment in the Forgotten Realms universe. The writing and plot actually venture into the world of real "literature". The love story, action and drama of the protagonists' triple life (actor, werewolf, scion of an important family) all combine to make a truly compelling novel. This is probably not a good "first" Forgotten Realms Novel: I always recommend Shadowdale, Tantras and Waterdeep, but if you are looking for a good tale set in everyone's favorite fantasy campaign world, this is where to look.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Sembia book!, August 18, 2005
This review is from: Black Wolf (Forgotten Realms: Sembia series, Book 4) (Mass Market Paperback)
The Sembia series is a series of books that intriqued me fromt he start. An interesting concept having a bunch of authors write books about the same cast of characters for the most part. Yet, this book stuck out in the series to me.
It's a fantastic take on werewolves int he Forgotten realms setting. When you really think about it there haven't been a lot of book in the Forgotten Realms dedicated to Werewolves or Vampires. Yet, this one tackles werewolves in grand fashion. The plot is seemingly easy to understand until you get deeper into the book and it starts to get more complex.
The character development through out the book is very subtle, but effectively done. I also like how the main character, Talbot, is not the typical hero in that he has doubts and he's not perfect, he has flaws. He's not all powerful, he can be hurt. Truly a great character to read about.
Fans of the Forgotten Realms will enjoy this book. People just coming into the Forgotten Realms could do worse than starting with this one.
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