Customer Reviews

Through Wolf's Eyes

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Jane Lindskold's THROUGH WOLF'S EYES may well be her best tale yet. Reminding me as much of Clavell's SHOGUN as Zelazny's NINE PRINCES IN AMBER or Turtledove's BETWEEN THE RIVERS, this almost-600-page novel kept me eagerly reading until the last page, and now I'm rabid for a sequel and purchasing copies for my friends!

Twelve years ago, King Tedric disowned his third child, Prince Barden, when the prince defied his father and led a small expedition beyond the Iron Mountains to live outside the King's micromanaging grasp. The kingdom lost contact with the colony, and Prince Barden's name was blotted from the books. Now, however, the two interceding heirs have died, the King is unwell, and infighting reigns at court. Earl Kestrel mounts a rescue party to bring back Prince Barden's daughter, Lady Blysse, of the right age and bloodline to press a claim for the throne - under Kestrel tutelage, of course.

The party finds the colony burned to the ground, but discovers a sole survivor, a young woman of the right age to be Blysse, who has been raised by (of all things) wolves as a member of the pack. (Through Lindskold's masterful use of backstory we learn that these were Royal Wolves, and that the pack adopted the girl at the behest of mysterious Others). This woman, who calls herself Firekeeper, has no recollection of speech: the sounds humans make mean less to her than the "chirps of the day birds settling in to sleep." Wolves and wild animals speak to Firekeeper, and she to them. When Firekeeper eventually realizes that humans talk mostly with their mouths, she finds the concept "limiting. How could you tell someone to keep away from your food when your own mouth was full?"

Earl Kestrel adopts Firekeeper into his household, and names her "Lady Blysse." With the assistance of Derian, an able young carter forced on the Kestrel party as partial payment for the horses leased from his family by the earl, Firekeeper gradually learns human languages and customs. Accompanied by Blind Seer, a wolf from her pack and a falcon she has befriended, she is thrust into the complex competition for the succession to the throne (which Lindskold subtly compares to the continual dominance struggle in a wolf pack), which encompasses court, national, and eventually international intrigue. (Never one to follow a formula, rather than have her human/wolf fall in love with Derian, Lindskold intimates that Firekeeper is actually sweet on Blind Seer: a big part of her curiosity about humans stems from her desire to see whether any have the power to magically transform her into a real wolf.)

The feral child's adaptation to humanity is fascinating. Firekeeper's gradual education allows the author to guide the reader through the rich history and culture that she has created for this series (according to her website, a second book, WOLF'S HEAD, WOLF'S HEART is forthcoming from TOR in May, 2002 - I can't wait). Lindskold keeps the reader riveted with Firekeeper's discovery, reminiscent of Clavell's Blackthorne exploring Tokugawa Japan in SHOGUN. As always, Lindskold populates her world with a wealth of interesting characters that develop to charm the reader into wanting to hear just a little more from them. (There are lots of characters - Firekeeper observes that keeping track of all the different people makes her head hurt - but the author subtly handles them so that there's always a reminder of who they are somewhere on the page.) These very real characters deal with disturbing psychological situations (such as the frightening control a manipulative mother exhibits over her children - is it sorcery or not?) as well as the evolving political situations in a way that has the reader asking their questions with them, and caring about the answers. Is Firekeeper really Prince Barden's daughter? Can she adapt to and survive in court society? How will Tedric's kingdom of Hawk Haven respond when its neighbor and enemy is attacked by outside forces? Who will succeed Tedric? More than in any of her previous novels, Lindskold sculpts her chapters to tantalize the reader: building one scene of action to a crescendo, then whisking the reader to another, and repeating the process. Her skillful writing makes this fairly lengthy book fly past a reader's eyes - leaving him to realize that he has to get up for work in two hours! This is one fine story.

When I first saw this book, I thought it was going to be a kind of feminist medieval rewrite of Kipling's Jungle Book. Instead, I found it one of the most tightly plotted, gripping works of suspense and political intrigue that I've ever had the pleasure to read.

The wolf's eyes refer to the viewpoint of an orphaned girl raised by mysterious intelligent wolves, and the book begins when she makes her first contact with humans in a decade. This is interesting enough, but the book really gets fascinating when "Firekeeper" is brought back to civilization and thrust into the turmoil surrounding the succession to the local kingdom's throne.

This is the true heart of the book - the dynastic jockeying for a throne with no clear heir, in a kingdom caught in a cold war that could heat up at any moment. The many alliances and intrigues that swirl around Firekeeper (hailed by some as the king's grandchild, reviled by others as a pretender) are compelling and realistic.

Don't start reading until a weekend - you won't be able to put it down.

Many years have passed since Prince Bardon and his followers journeyed from the relative safety of Hawk Haven to establish a colony. The group traveled to the wilderness beyond the nearby mountains. However, no one ever heard from the Prince again.

In the present, controversy over regal succession rules so Earl Kestrel leads an expedition to find the Prince or learn what happened to him. The search excursion fails to find the Prince, but a teenage woman calling herself Firekeeper enters their camp carrying Bardon's dagger. The Earl realizes she is most likely the Prince's daughter and places her under his protection. Apparently, Firekeeper, now called Lady Blysse by her fellow humans, lived with a special breed of wolves. On the trek back, a distinguished falcon and one of the intelligent wolves accompany Blysse to her new home. In the human royal court, everyone competes to gain Blysse's favor with most thinking she is an ignorant primitive. Her time with the wolves trained her quite well for dealing with a pack of nobles, but her preference remains turning into a real wolf.

THROUGH WOLF'S EYES is a powerful gender bending Jungle Book that works because the kingdom, the magically embellished animals, the nobles, and the heroine feel real. The charcaters make the plot seem plausible. On top of a strong fantasy adventure, readers gain a political infighting subplot that anchors the prime theme to a reality base. The weakness of Jane Lindskold's fascinating novel is that this almost six hundred page complex story line compels the reader into one finishing it in one sitting.

Harriet Klausner

I picked this book up as a lark not really knowing what to expect, but liking the title I thought I'd give it a try. I really was not disapointed. The book seems on the surface like many other fantasy novels. A girl is raised by wolves an must conform the human world etc, etc. However, however the book is much more than that Firekeeper is an interesting and dynamic character and Blind Seer just as thought out and remains true to his own character. Its interesting that book has so many characters, but I never really found myself overwhelmed or thinging that people were flat. In fact, many of the characters evolve in completely unexpected, but believable ways. You may finding yourself loving a character you once hated. The whole world is equally rich and full. Overall, I loved this book and speeded through it. The rest of the series is equally enjoyable and I would hightly recommend it to everyone who enjoys great characters and a fast fun plot.

Through Wolf's Eyes is probably the most exciting fantasy I've ever read. King Tedric of Hawk Haven had disowned his son Prince Barden twelve years ago. Defying his father Prince Barden and a group of settlers set off into the wilds of a never before explored place. Contact had been lost between the settlers soon thereafter. Later, with all of his children and grandchildren dead, King Tedric must name an heir to the throne of Hawk Haven. Earl Kestrel, eager to get something out of the situation himself, sets out to find out what happened to Prince Barden. His search leads him to the ruins of a settlement where Barden and his group obviously died in a tragic fire. Then one night, a strange girl wanders in to the Earl's camp. At her waist hangs Barden's dagger. Raised by wolves, this young woman has lost all knowledge of speech and human ways. Since she is the right age to be Barden's daughter, Earl Kestrel names her Lady Blysse. Called by the wolves Firekeeper, she soon learns human speech enough to communicate with them. Derian, the young man that Firekeeper trusts more than others, is given the duty of teaching her human ways. Most of the nobles in court are against her, seeing her as a threat to their claims to the throne. In this intriguing fantasy, Firekeeper must learn to adapt to human ways while wishing she could become a wolf in body as well as in heart.

It's a fascinating adventure with a complex plot and many characters. Fortunately, there's a geneology chart at the front and a glossary of names at the back. Basically, it's a story of a king in need of an heir. All his relatives want the position. It's the story of Firekeeper, a brave young girl raised by wolves who can communicate with animals, who might be the heir he seeks. Through Wolf's Eyes was hard to put down. I look forward to reading the sequel with great anticipation.

Oh, come on. Yes, the parts of the book featuring the wolves were indeed believable, more so than many earlier fantasy stories involving wolves, but the politics of the royal succession were equally fascinating -- especially as seen through the eyes of the heroine who was raised by wolves as Tarzan was by apes. What she learns from wolfdom stands her in good stead in surviving "civilization." As in her earlier "Changer" and "Legends Walking," Lindskold is adept at giving us distinctive viewpoints from all her multiple characters. Give us a sequel!

I LOVED THE BOOK. I would recommend it for anyone and everyone. The history behind Firekeeper and the wolves who raised her is believable and a visible factor in the story. Many other fantasy books have the same baseline but cannot make it real for the readers. Through Wolf's Eyes, however, transports you right into the middle of the pack.
Jane Linskold has a perfect balance of plot and characters- the characters are intriguing and well brought out, and the actual story is a satisfying length for those who love to read, but does not drag on for those who don't. The unexpected twists of plot and agonizing dramatic irony keep the pages turning!

10 stars! too bad they dont let you put that! If you're pro-wolf, anti-"BIG BAD WOLF" (heehee me) you'll love this book! Even if you just love a great fantasy novel series you'll find yourself reading the whole series non-stop forget to do things you promised yourself to do because you were so deep into the book! My favorite book series along with the Julie of the Wolves series by Jean Craighead George. Please Read you'll love the books I promise! Love the Character glossary, map and family tree really helps with the complex storyline. Read the stories when I was 12 and 13 but readers from tweens to adult will all love these stories.

The first book is set in a different land in the mountains of Iron Mountains. At the foot of the mountains on the coast are the five nations of Waterland, New Kelvin, Hawk Haven, Bright Bay, and Stonehold. Settlers including a prince from Hawk Haven once settled over the mountains but the settlement was destroyed by fire. All were killed- except one.

The animals of the land are split in two- Royal and Cousins. The royal animals are much larger and have a complex yet natural society were deer and wolves can chat about the weather if they wanted to without predator-prey instincts kickin in. One of the Royal Wolf Packs witnessed the massacre of a fire. One little girl they saved, one girl they gave the gift of the language of the animals, that girl they called Firekeeper for her amazing gift to control fire.

Years later, the king is old his children have all died, he has no heir to the throne and he does not know what had become of his son that settled across the mountains. A small group cross the mountains to search for the prince or an heir but find the fate of the small settlement. Firekeepers' [wolf] parents tell her to go to the humans, learn their ways, and if she doesn't like it to come back. Her wolf brother Blind Seer and a peregrine falcon Elation join her to find the humans and live with them.

Firekeeper starts to learn the ways of humans once she finds herself among them (the humans dont take the size of her friends too well) and finds the consept of war and lying.

But while she is learning, she finds the truth of her wolves and other royals in ways she couldn't believe- could her wolves know the concept of lying? she couldn't accept it.

On top of it all, the court of Hawk Haven believe she is the daughter of the missing Prince. Is she? Is she Princess Blyss?

Firekeeper gets stuck between the wolf and human worlds. Was it her destiny? Was her destiny chosen by her wolves? Will she ever remember her childhood as a human?

"She cannot be permitted to die. We need her. Someday someone must speak our talks. Cross between worlds. Seperation forever is impossibe."

Love, Royal Drama, Cross species conflict, war, treason, and wolves, don't ya love it all!

This is the story of Firekeeper, a young girl who is the sole survivor of a settlement created by Prince Barden, the youngest child of King Tedric of Hawk Haven, who was tired of being redundant at home. After the death of the other settlers, Firekeeper was adopted and raised by a pack of intelligent wolves, and thinks of herself as a wolf. In the years since, all Tedric's other children have died and when Firekeeper, the possible daughter of Barden, is found by an ambitious nobleman, she becomes a player in the complex search for a successor to the aging king.

The story of Firekeeper's adjustment to living among humans is mixed in with the plots that swirl around control of the throne, making for an effective adventure.

This book is marked by interesting characters and nicely handled plot complications. The story does move a bit slowly, especially in the beginning, but uses that slow beginning well to establish characters.

Most impressive is the unusual and interesting protagonist. Lindskold draws her as identifying as wolf rather than human, giving her a unique perspective on the court intrigues that she has landed in. The result is a very enjoyable fantasy.

There are several sequels currently published, but this book is complete in itself.