6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Delicious Meal For The Mind, November 2, 2001
This review is from: Secret of the Wolf (Historical Werewolf Series, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
SECRET OF THE WOLF is not only a conceptually brilliant book--- it is well-executed and terribly enjoyable to read with its lush descriptions of California's natural surroundings, and realistic depictions of fallible humans battling their own personal demons at the Der Haven Sanctuary. Also, I find Susan Krinard's depiction of her werewolf Quentin Forster in this 2001 novel, totally credible and sympathetic. Forster is the semi-human, tortured loup-garou caught between constantly vacillating states of mind and body... If all Romance novels had been written by Ms. Krinard, I would have faithfully begun to read this genre long ago! (Heretofore I have been primarily a reader and lay-writer of horror fiction .) Quentin Forster proves to be a sexy rogue; wildly sensuous, provocative, intriguing and an a-typical rusty-haired leading creature (man)!
Krinard has taken a courageous departure here from the perceived mainstream Romance novels. In SECRET she weaves the fallibility of humans into her work exhibited through the unique frailties of the small handful of Der Haven's "mental patients". This book just might destabilize the intellectually enfeebled because Krinard takes genre-crossing risks. She mates romance and the supernatural apparently she was born to write about sexy beast/s and slightly lonely but self-reliant ladies. One message shining through in SECRET is how sometimes frailties and neuroses found in the human species can be secret strengths as well.
Far from `grandstanding' on the topic of mental illness, Krinard seems to embrace the human uniqueness and fascination of the mentally afflicted; both severely neurotic and the delusional. She makes such characters somehow a little bit relatable to all of us. Her characters are compelling to read about in SECRET and rusty-haired Quentin is damn alluring; dripping with animal magnetism! Who wants to read about cookie-cutter lovers when the human soul is much deeper, varied and tortured? Are we not merely housed by the husks of our bodies? Susan Krinard's sophisticated readers will look deeply into the enigmatic eyes of her werewolve/s and certainly fall into the depth of her character/s. Readers will be sucked into the paranormal pages comprising this novel. Indeed, it will be hard to break the spell... Definitely not for cliche'-seekers or intellectual midgets.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More happening than meets the eye!, October 11, 2001
This review is from: Secret of the Wolf (Historical Werewolf Series, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
Set in 1880, Dr. Wilhelm Schell rehabilitated patients be use of hypnotism. When an attack made him mentally disabled, his daughter took over. Dr. Johanna Schell took care of around six mental patients, and her father, at their farm called The Haven in the Napa Valley. Johanna found Quentin Forster unconscious near her farm, stinking of alcohol. She nursed him to health while, with his permission, tried to cure him of his need to drink alcohol through hypnotism. Quentin also had several lapses of memories that Johanna hoped to help him with as well.
Quentin Forster was loup-garou. During his childhood he suffered much abuse from his grandfather. Quentin existed by instinct, emotion, and whim while in wolf form. While in human form he played the rouge dandy as a type of defense from something unknown to even himself. The Shadow seemed to follow him everywhere. He constantly moved from place to place until he met Johanna, his Valkyrie. With her help he hoped to find out and face the horrors locked away in his mind.
***** I have left out the sub-plot above. There are two or three and they are fascinating! A perfect end to the Wolf trilogy! The action began in the first paragraph and held my attention tightly until the very end. An exciting story that I highly recommend! The name Susan Krinard means Romance! *****
Reviewed by Detra Fitch
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fabulous Read!, August 2, 2002
This review is from: Secret of the Wolf (Historical Werewolf Series, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)
"Secret of the Wolf" is the final chapter in Susan Krinard's captivating trilogy that started with "Touch of the Wolf" and "Once a Wolf" and in my opinion it is much the best. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy, but "Secret of the Wolf" is something really special. Krinard has created an amazingly insightful, touching, and thought-provoking novel that I could not put down (I was even reading it at stoplights in my car!).
Amidst the lush vineyards and rolling hills of the picturesque Napa Valley is Dr. Johanna Schell's Der Haven, a place where those who know the pain of being different can come to live in peace. Well ahead of her time, Johanna uses hypnotism as one of her main tools to treat her patients' mental illnesses. The patients at Der Haven are a diverse bunch: Lewis, the obsessive compulsive former Reverend, Harper, the catatonic ex-soldier, Irene, a middle-aged ex-theatre actress who thinks she's still a star, May, an incredibly shy and nervous young girl who rarely shows her face, and Oscar, whose mind will forever be child-like. Krinard paints all of these characters with compassion and realism, and as a result they become almost as intriguing as the primary characters.
The story begins when on her way home after a trip, Johanna finds a man unconscious on the path leading to Der Haven, reeking of liquor. Unable to ignore anyone in need, Johanna brings the man to Der Haven, where she goes about treating his condition.
When Quentin Forster finally wakes, he doesn't have a clue where he is or how he got there. But that is nothing new to Quentin, who has been suffering from terrifying spells of amnesia that leave him with nothing more than a impression of violence. But Quentin is no ordinary man; he is one of the last survivors of a race of werewolves or loups-garous, noble and majestic creatures that have kept their existence hidden from the human world. Quentin has been running from his personal demons for years, but he finally may have found a place where he can stop running and begin to heal, if only he can find the courage to face the shadows that haunt him.
As time passes and Quentin settles in at Der Haven, Johanna is amazed at his ability to draw out the other patients, especially May. But the biggest issue Johanna must face is her intense attraction to Quentin, which becomes harder and harder to deny, and threatens to interfere with Quentin's treatment. Though afraid of what he may discover within himself, Quentin has great faith and trust in Johanna and her ability to make him whole again. And it doesn't take long for Quentin's trust to become something deeper and more permanent - love.
But Quentin has many demons to face before he can even start to think about building a life with Johanna. While hypnotized, Johanna is shocked to discover that Quentin becomes violent and evil, and also suffers from delusions that he is a werewolf. But worst of all is the emergence of an entirely separate personality, Fenris, the embodiment of all of Quentin's fear and hatred, created during his years of childhood abuse and torture. Realizing she is in over her head and allowing her emotions to cloud her judgement, Johanna begins to doubt her ability to help Quentin.
But trouble is heading Johanna and Quentin's way. Dr. Feodor Bolkonsky arrives in Silverado Springs under the guise of wanting to discuss hypnotism with a fellow doctor. But it isn't long before Johanna discovers that Bolkonsky is really there to return May to her sexually abusive father. Determined to keep May away from her father Johanna begins to construct a plan, and when Quentin finds out what's happening, he is determined to protect May at all costs. However, Bolkonsky has another and much more sinister hidden agenda, and Johanna must find the courage within herself to trust, heal, and love Quentin in order to save him!
"Secret of the Wolf" is an affecting tale of love, self-discovery, and redemption. Krinard shows amazing insight into the inner workings of the minds and hearts of her rich and vivid characters and these fascinating characters kept me utterly absorbed in the story because I cared so much about them. Susan Krinard is one of the best paranormal romance authors out there, and "Secret of the Wolf" is a terrific read that does the genre proud. So don't miss out on this exceptional read, buy it right away and enjoy!
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