8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Where are the last three chapters of this book?!?!, June 22, 2001
This review is from: *OP Predator & Prey Werewolf (Vampire: The Masquerade Predator & Prey) (Paperback)
Gherbod Flemming's writing style has improved a great deal since his/her/its earlier White Wolf novels to the point where recent books probably wouldn't even need the "World of Darkness" label to encourage reader interest. _Predator and Prey: Werewolf_ continues the tradition, and delivers interesting, fully fleshed-out characters in a fast-paced manner that never allows the reader to get bored. While not particularly scary, the novel still has its share of suspense, and also delves into emotional problems and conflicts many readers will be able to relate to. In short, I enjoyed reading this book...
..right up until the end. This novel ends on page 254 with huge holes left in the storyline. It *BEGS* to have at least 2 more chapters to flesh out important issues that were brought up in the novel, like what happens to Kaitlin or what the exact actions of the sept will be. In fact, the last chapter sets things up for a huge showdown to occur between "good" and "evil" (if such concepts can be used in the World of Darkness), but instead the novel just ends. Well, not JUST ends - there are 30 pages of sample chapters from various upcoming White Wolf novels following the final chapter. Personally, I'd rather have had 1 or 2 more chapters to complete THIS book rather than selections from books that aren't even released yet. Maybe we'll get lucky and White Wolf will have the author write the last chapter or two of this book, then post it on their website for everyone to enjoy. Otherwise, I'll feel incredibly short-changed.
For those of you still interested in this novel after my complaints, here are a few more comments: 1) though this is the third novel in the "Predator and Prey" series, you do not have to read any of the other books to understand what is going on (in fact, many people skipped the first novel in the series); 2) for those of you completely unfamiliar with the various labels on this book, it deals with "werewolves" (enraged and nearly extinct protectors of the world's natural resources) and "hunters" (humans that have special powers to detect and defend against the supernatural); 3) I would have given this book 4 or 5 stars if two more solid chapters had been written and provided a solid conclusion to this novel.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good - Up to a Point, July 19, 2001
This review is from: *OP Predator & Prey Werewolf (Vampire: The Masquerade Predator & Prey) (Paperback)
Kaitlin, a young black woman, has fled from the pain of her ability to perceive the world of the monsters that surrounds her. Originally from around Detroit she has moved to a small northern town. Unsuspectingly she discovers that her neighbor, a small town bar, is a hangout for werewolves. Thus forcing her to confront the very issues she was trying to avoid.
Black Rindle is the metis werewolf that Kaitlin spotted after a kill. He is a child of a forbidden relationship between two werewolves, and bears a hunchback as the brand of his parentage. Metis are normally killed at birth, and the other Garou in his sept see his deformity as a mark of shame. To them, Black Rindle is a barely tolerated outcast, rejected by his father, and blamed for the illness and death of his mother. Browbeaten since birth, Rindle has internalized everyone's opinion of himself and has become a drifter and an alcoholic.
Kaitlin, terrorized by the appearance of Black Rindle, manages to overcome her fear of him when she finds his broken body by the road. Rindle had been set upon by one of his sept brothers, EveSong, and left to suffer. Kaitlin brings Rindle to her home and helps him to recover. A thorny and difficult relationship forms between them. When Kaitlin lands a job as a local waste disposal site Black Rindle smells a taint lingering about her. A sure sign of the Wyrm. When they discover that the taint is coming from a laboratory at the hazardous waste repository Rindle realizes that he must turn his life around. He is an Ahroun, a warrior, and is duty bound to fight any manifestation of the Wyrm. He must arouse the sept and prepare for battle.
This series was originally intended to illuminate the role of the Hunters, new characters in the World of Darkness. With this, the third in the series, I am beginning to suspect that the focus of the series is elsewhere. While Kaitlin, the hunter of the tale, has a prominent role, it is trivial compared to that of Black Rindle. The story says almost nothing about the hunters, although it provides a wealth of information about werewolves. Nor is Kaitlin particularly sympathetic. She can barely control here cowardice, and often lashes out in paranoid anger. This is a far cry from the Hunters as described in Andrew Bates' "Heralds of the Storm."
Gherbod Flemming, as usual, manages to make the plot work and keep the reader's interest up, despite the flawed characterizations. Unfortunately something inexplicable happens at the end of the novel. Actually the end never really happens. Having set the scene for what should be a titanic struggle with the Wyrm, and a growing relationship between Black Rindle and Kaitlin, Flemming suddenly abandons the tale in midstream. The entire tale is left hanging, apparently to make space for promotional material for a new series. This ruins this story, makes me wonder if this series is doomed to mediocrity, and certainly does not make me interested in the new series. I am tempted to suggest that Flemming abandon the White Wolf label and strike out on his own. Unfortunately that would deal too severe a blow to the World of Darkness game world. It would be unfair to punish so many gamers for the sins of their publisher.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid Book, Terrible Spelling, July 7, 2002
This review is from: *OP Predator & Prey Werewolf (Vampire: The Masquerade Predator & Prey) (Paperback)
Thoroughly enjoyable and consistent work from White Wolf's best writer. The story is small and focused mainly on two characters, each at the crossroad of major decisions in their lives. I loved how the action is paced throughout, lending more time to building characters and raising the stakes. The chapter with the farm attack was incredible and quite shocking, showing the massive power and stamina of the garou. My only real problems with the novel are that I wish it had more of a conclusion and that the copy editor would do their job and fix all the spelling and punctuation mistakes.
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