Customer Reviews

A Companion to Wolves

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I've been reading sf and f for more than 5 decades now, and rarely has a book been able to draw me into its "world" as effectively as this one. Excellent characters. Wonderful writing. Marvelous imagination. And great courage. The storyline is mythic (bad guys are invading, a small group of dedicated warriors must save the day, and to do so must make sacrifices; sound familiar?) and the plotting immaculate. The only flaws include a vast number of name-changing characters (many with named companion wolves)to keep track of and the fact that I actually saw it sitting (in a local bookstore) on the Teen Shelf, where it most certainly does NOT belong. This is, because of some of its content, very obviously an adult novel. I suspect many reviews will center on the "gay sex" aspects of the novel, but it is also a novel about war, so they might just as easily focus on the violence and psychological trauma as well--- Yes, I suppose if you are a homophobe you might be put off and thus miss what is surely one of the most interesting fantasy novels I have read in ages. Resist labeling this extraordinary book as anything other than an excellent, if adult, fantasy. But don't hand it to the children....

I loved this book--I couldn't put it down. But then I love rites of passage tales where the unformed hero takes a difficult path, entering into a whole new life/culture. In this case, teen-aged Njall, son and heir of the local lord does not hide from the tithe of boys that the Wolfcarls demand. These men and their large bonded wolves are all that stand between the villages and the brutal trolls and wyverns that ravage the countryside and honor demands that Njall do what is right despite the sacrifice. And yet, it's not truly a sacrifice since from the first, Njall is fascinated by the wolves. His father, on the other hand, hates the wolves and their men--who are figures of mystery and rumor and almost the bogeymen of children's tales.

This is because the bonded men feel what their wolves feel and act like a pack--which is one of the reasons they are so effective at fighting trolls. The downside is that when wolves go into heat and mate, it also drives the men. Njall, now called Isolfr, bonds with a gorgeous young bitch that is bound to become an alpha/Queen/konigenwolf. They are rare (more males are born, since they are all warriors). Isolfr loves his wolf, adapts well to the wolfheall (house for each local pack of wolfcarls and trellwolves)--all of which is fascinating reading--but he's ambivalent about the mating practices that goes along with being bonded with a female wolf.

The mating scenes are graphic enough, but not as detailed as they could have been. It's mostly that they are depicted with few punches held--not all romantic light-fantasy, but more gritty reality. For me, they gave the tale more depth, in that Isolfr truly is no longer in Kansas and needs to decide what he's capable of and what he truly wants/needs to do. There is also a gritty reality to the warrior life and battles, of course, but we are so used to violence that this doesn't raise an eyebrow, particularly in comparison to sex, sadly. (Personally, I find that aspect of our culture and our responses more troubling than any depiction of sex, which is a natural function, after all.)

At any rate, the initiation of Isolfr into the world of companions to wolves and battles and survival, and growing up and finding out about himself and his place in the world was compelling reading. I was sad when I finished this book; it left me still wishing for more.

I finished this book yesterday and still am not entirely sure how I feel about it. It's a coming-of-age tale, sure enough, complete with brave warriors fighting nasty trolls, military expeditions to the top of the world, and plenty of angst on the part of the main character, Isolfr. Given who the authors are, you probably won't be surprised to hear that the plot and characterization are top-notch, and the conclusion is both thoughtful and thought-provoking. Altogether an excellent effort in many ways. However....

(Warning: spoilers inevitable)

The problem with some of the graphic sex in this book isn't that it's graphic sex. It's that it's basically gang rape. The hero, Isolfr, has bonded with a female wolf. Because what happens sexually among the wolves is mirrored by what happens sexually among their bonded partners (all of whom are men), Isolfr knows that at some point he's going to have to submit to this treatment himself. If this sounds to you like it makes for queasy reading, you're absolutely right. You go through pages and pages with a feeling of dread, just waiting for his wolf to go into heat.

And not to quibble too much about logical inconsistencies, but there is nothing about the whole gang-rape situation that seems inevitable. By this I mean that 1) when the wolves go hunting for game, their human partners do not feel an irresistible urge to run slavering into the woods until they can sink their teeth into some bloody meat; and 2) when the wolves get sleepy, their partners don't fall to the floor and start snoring. Sex is the only one of the basic drives that crosses between human and animal, you see, and no magical reason (or any other kind of reason) for this fact is given. Leading one to suspect that this arrangement is introduced solely to add lots of sex to the story and create additional conflicts for Isolfr. I normally wouldn't object to either authorial objective, but I really, really dislike repeated scenes of horrifying sexual violence in novels.

Still, I give this novel 4 stars for all the things it does right. The proper names will tie your brain in a knot from time to time, but for the most part you'll enjoy the ride.

This was as well-written as I've come to expect from Sarah Monette, given that I've followed her other fantasy series (Felix Harrowgate/Mildmay the Fox). Isolfr becomes a wolf-carl when he bonds with a female wolf, to his father's displeasure. He deals with plenty of angst throughout the book, as well as graphic, non-consensual sex. It seems that not only do wolf-carls bond telepathically with their wolves, they also experience what the wolves do. However, this only applies to sex. There are quite a few inconsistencies with the plot, including the fact that the men ONLY fall prey to uncontrollable lust. The men don't fall asleep when the wolves decide to take naps, they don't feel the need to eat raw meat or tear out a deer's throat during the hunt. No real explanation is given for this, either, which left me with too many puzzling plot-holes. I'd recommend trying Ms. Monette's other books instead.

A book that can inspire such divergent opinions -- boring, horrifying, badly written, flowing prose -- seemed worth a glance. So let me add my own extreme reaction; I loved it. I loved it so much, I was so enthralled with the world, the characters, and their relationships that I re-read it immediately after finishing it.

Like some of the previous reviewers, I found the names and the name changing annoying. This was less of a problem on the second read. ;-) This book is fabulously dense for being so short. We are not treated to long-winded quests, endless exposition, or extraneous world-building. The plot and characters are well-thought out and spare with details, which makes this an incredibly engaging novel. The authors wisely leave enough room for the reader's imagination, something rare but found in all good fantasy. The novel also felt seamless to me; I couldn't tell you what was written by Bear and what written by Monette. So many collaborative novels are the opposite. However the world of Companion to Wolves is filtered so exactingly through Isolfr's thoughts and impressions that there was no sense of the authors at all.

And I agree whole-heartedly with the review that likens this to Pern for adults. The resemblance cannot be accidental. If you grew up reading Pern novels like I did, at some point you may have wondered about all the dirty details that McCaffrey doesn't bother our pretty little heads with. Well this book is all about the messy. Strangely it turns out that being bonded to giant intelligent wolves isn't actually that comfortable or always that convenient for their human companions. When you put a medieval, patriarchal society together with a highly organized matriarchal wolf society and the wolves are the dominant ones, well very uncomfortable things can happen for both humans and wolves. Sometimes this is about sex and sometimes this is about family but mostly it's about death. This is a very violent world. Humans with their wolf companions fight virtually every day and in almost every fight someone is maimed and someone dies. If you lose your companion -- wolf or human -- you find another among the human-wolf pack and then you get up and fight again. Time does not stop for grief and our characters always have the option of leaving. They must decide on a daily basis whether the sacrifices they make for their community is worth it or not.

Okay so enough with the theory. What is this book really about? Well for me it is the coming of age story of Isolfr, who starts out knowing who he is and where he fits in his world and ends up in a completely different place both physically and metaphorically. That place is both wonderful and terrible and going there forces him to become someone he could never have imagined, to grapple with issues outside of his experience, to well, grow up. Hopefully growing up isn't as painful for you as it is for Isolfr. :)

I decided to write a review after reading some of the other posts here, especially the negative ones, and began thinking about what might be relevant to someone interested but not sure if this was their cup of tea. So, here are some basic points you may wish to consider (there are no plot spoilers, and as few thematic ones as possible):

1) This is a character driven book more than a plot driven book. There is a plot, and I loved it, but more often than not you are "growing up" and being indoctrinated alongside the main character. Do not expect constant action or drama.
2) The time frame extends over several years, slowly progressing.
3) The story is frequently gritty, violent, and disgusting. If you disliked the dirty, sweaty, and generally un-prettified Lord of the Rings movie trilogy shots after the characters had been out in the wild for a while you will likely hate some scenes in this book.
4) The story is frequently "offensive" and semi-graphic in its handling of gender-roles and sexuality. It is meant to be. I read this book more like a cultural study on gender roles and society than anything else, and I think that really enhanced my enjoyment of the book. There is a clear "point" the authors are trying to make about gender expectations and the cost to individuals and society when only traditional male/female stereotypes are tolerated. The main character chooses to fulfill a necessary "female" role while simultaneously having to maintain his "male" identity in a sexually polarized society. I found the tension fascinating, but others may find it confusing, offensive, or traumatic. There are several horrific semi-consensual gang rape scenes that add weight to the main character's choice, and they can be hard to read.
5) In case it isn't clear yet... the authors went for gritty realism. Life is harsh, choices are harsh, realities are harsh, and the main character is in a harsh position that does not and will not get better so long as he chooses to remain with his wolf.
6) This book has a nordic flavor and base. Naming conventions and lifestyles reflect this. So if you cannot stand non-english-sounding names and naming practices (like taking on new names to reflect changing societal roles, etc.) or hate communal living situations... just don't bother. Personally, I love norse mythology and traditional tales, so I was in seventh heaven the whole time. By the way, there is a name key for wolves and human characters provided in the book if you need it.
7) This is not a love story, and the main character is not homosexual. Let's just get that out right now. The situation is not that simple. Sex in the book happens between consenting adults of both genders and combinations because their culture(s) either accept or demand it. The main character's position is fascinating and complicated, and one of the major drawbacks to it is that long-term relationships are either impossible or open, so no "love story" as such. I say he is not homosexual because that is not his inherent sexual preference, and it is up to the reader to decide whether he is bisexual, open, or whatever other label desired after choosing to stay with his wolf.
8) Some readers disliked the over-emphasis on the wolves' heat cycles. I agree. It does seem to be disproportionately overwhelming to the human psyche. However, what the other reviews mostly either missed or skipped is that human companions are affected by other strong wolf emotions too, and vice versa. Aggression sparks aggression and humans do merge with the wolves when hunting, for example. The reason heats and the main character's need to control his temper are emphasized is that they are the areas that are most difficult for "men." They both require him to behave "like a woman," and so are emphasized by both theme and through the main character's own preoccupation with them. I thought they fit, but I can see also where it would be a sticking point for some readers.

That said, I loved this book. I found it fascinating, thought-provoking, and definitely reminiscent of classic norse sagas. There is an air of tragedy about it, but also of acceptance and hope. If you like your fantasy realistic, your situations complicated, and your enemies not so black-and-white... this book is for you.

This is one of the best books I have read in years. The character development, the angst of the main character, the twist of the male on male relationships. Certainly it's not a novel for anyone who can't be described as an openminded adult but it is an absolutely incredible book. I don't really agree with the reviewer that labelled the sex scenes as gang rape. Is it rape if the person enters into it willingly, though with trepidation? To me the book's examination of homophobia and the young man's coming to terms with his own ideas of honor is one of the best parts of the book. Whatever a person may think of the sexual violence, it was an intergral part of the story. I couldn't put the book down after I started it, finished it in less than 24 hours. I do agree with the complaint about the tongue-twisting names. It would be easier to keep them all straight if the wolf names were distinctively different from the names of the men, but that really is my only complaint. If you are an adult with an open mind and don't have an aversion to a dark sexual component in a story then I would highly recommend this book.

I bought this book thinking it would be an engaging and thoughtful story. Despite all the effusive reviews, I found it to be absolutely awful. The concept itself is good, but the execution of the idea is lacking in every way.

First, the names of the characters are all almost identical, and on top of that they change at random intervals throughout the book. The language is mostly bastardized Norse, which I sadly do not speak fluently, so every time "ulf" was used instead of the usual "wolf" I cringed. The insertion of these other words for common English words did not add ambiance or whatever the author was attempting; it just made for an awkward read punctuated by sighs of dismay.

The mythology of the story is fantastic - the world quickly promised to be epic beyond the scope of the book, but little did I know just how little the book would touch on. Any time spent outside the wolfthreat was glossed over at best, summarized if possible. This just made the late addition of a whole other species completely jarring, and the characters' interactions with other people seemed to come out of the blue.

The treatment of the sexual relationships was absolutely horrifying, and that seems to be the only point of their existence. The bonds with the wolves are practically brushed aside until it's time for mating, and then they're a big deal. The repeated rape of the main character seems to be the focus of his every thought, and I certainly don't blame him - but rather than giving any kind of protest, he cheerfully volunteers for it and even initiates relationships, then immediately turns around and cries rape. I was completely baffled by his interactions with every single character, and was disturbed at how he became a significantly weaker character as the story went on. What happened to the boy who stood up to his father and volunteered to bond with a wolf to defend his homeland? He became a shivering wreck of a man, constantly in fear of any kind of contact with other people. While that could be an interesting story, the author keeps insisting he's become a stronger character. Sure... It takes such a strong character to go on a suicide run to escape his life of repeated rape, and then to meekly accept that life when the backwards attempt fails to end with his death.

When I first heard of this book, it was described to me as a realistic treatment of the wolf-bonding trope. It is anything but. I find it just as fantastical as the usual treatment, just flung in the opposite direction. This was a great disappointment, all the more so because of the initial promise of the premise and the world it takes place in.

I enjoyed this book even more than I thought I would. The previous reviews had me curious and worried that the book would be filled with brutal rape scenes or tortured sex of some type, but that is far from the truth. There are two scenes of orgiastic, animalistic frenzy, but they are not rapes, and the book is so much more than those two scenes. I suppose if you are somewhat prudish, or uncomfortable with fluid sexuality/gay themes, this might not be the book for you. I loved it.

The world created by these authors is fully realized, with its own inventive but naturalistic ethos. By this, I mean that the basic story of the book seems organic, that it could have logically evolved in some alternate fantasy realm, and that it does not seem forced or arbitrary. So many fantasy stories ask the reader to forego any type of critical thinking, or to just accept that things are the way they are because the author says so. This is not one of those stories.

The inner life of the main character, and his relationship to his wolf and friends, is both fascinating and intimate. The story is wide-ranging, and moves surprisingly quickly, but that intimacy I mentioned provides an anchor, pulling the reader along, so that you are always connected to the story, and never seem to be watching events from afar.

The one small but specific complaint I have has been mentioned by other reviewers. It is the names of the characters and their wolves. The names seem to be Viking-derived, with characters named Vethulf, Frithulf, Othwulf, Ulfgeirr, etc.). Many of the names are quite similar. Add to this the fact that many of the characters (including the main character) CHANGE their name partway through (in this world, when you become bonded to a wolf, you choose a new name for yourself), and it becomes literally impossible to keep the cast straight in your mind. The authors have tried to help by providing a list of characters in the front of the book (and by using tricks such as alliteration or giving certain characters an obvious identifying trait), but the list of names does not include all of the characters, and does not include BOTH names for those characters whose names change partway through the book, so the list is of little help. Truly, I spent so much time leafing back through the book trying to identify certain characters, that it would have been worth my time to make my own list from the beginning, adding a name each time a new character was introduced, linking the name of the person to the name of his wolf if he had one, and updating it when/if his name was changed. On the other hand, in most instances where I drove myself crazy trying to remember or look up who a certain character was, that character was of minor importance, or was never mentioned again--if you really can't remember who someone is, chances are you don't REALLY need to know--just move on, if you are able. As a rule, though, if you make an effort to remember who belongs to which wolf (and the personalities/rank of each wolf), and if you PAY CLOSE ATTENTION WHEN A CHARACTER CHANGES HIS NAME, it can only lessen your frustration and help you enjoy the book. I'm sorry to go on at such length about the issue with the names, but it was SO exasperating and maddening that I wanted to throttle both authors about halfway through, which is regrettable, because, except for that niggling issue, I really enjoyed the book!

I bought this book because I had read some positive reviews on LJ, and, as I love fantasy and like homoerotic themes, I thought I'd give it a try. Sadly, I'm very disappointed with it.

Unlike the other not so enthusiastic reviewers I have nothing against m/m sex scenes - in fact the homoeroticism was part of my decison to buy - and am not even squeamish about rape or non-con when there are believable reasons for it. The thing is I just couldn't buy this world. It seems the writers came up with the mating frenzy scenario and its consequences for the human bond partners first - and then had to invent a world where this concept could fit in. And it shows.

Like some reviewers before me already mentioned, it's somehow curious how the humans are infected by the wolves' sex drive but not their other urges. The argument that sex is the strongest drive doesn't convince me.

All in all, I can read this kind of story - and in the same quality of writing - for free on the net (just go to any major fanfic archive). This one's definitely for re-sale!