Wolf Hunt [School & Library Binding]

G. Bradshaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2002

Betrayal, love, and lycanthropy in the time of the Crusades

When Marie Penthièvre of Chalendrey is abducted from her Norman priory and taken to Brittany’s court, she vows never to dishonor her family’s ties by marrying a Breton brute. There is only one man who might change her mind: Tiarnán of Talensac, a handsome, skilled, and noble knight indeed. But Tiarnán does not love her, and when he marries a slip of a girl instead, Marie vows to become a nun as soon as she is able.

But Tiarnán has a secret, and that slip of a girl betrays him once she learns of it. When Tiarnán disappears and is presumed dead, his widow marries his one time rival and assumes title to his land, which steadily begins to decline under her unskilled, merciless rule. Marie knows something is wrong, and only she is clear headed enough to rescue Tiarnán and return him to his rightful status. But can she do so before it is too late?

Rich in romance, and intrigue, steeped in history and wonder, The Wolf Hunt is historical fiction at its best, by one of its most skilled practitioners.

Based on one of the Lais of Marie de France, The Wolf Hunt is a breathtaking adventure that showcases, once again, Gillian Bradshaw’s respectability as both a historian and as a novelist.

When Marie Penthièvre of Chalendrey is abducted from her Norman priory and taken to Brittany’s court, she vows never to dishonor her family’s ties by marrying a Breton brute. There is only one man who might change her mind: Tiarnán of Talensac, a handsome, skilled, and noble knight indeed. But Tiarnán does not love her, and when he marries a slip of a girl instead, Marie vows to become a nun as soon as she is able.

But Tiarnán has a secret, and that slip of a girl betrays him once she learns of it. When Tiarnán disappears and is presumed dead, his widow marries his one time rival and assumes title to his land, which steadily begins to decline under her unskilled, merciless rule. Marie knows something is wrong, and only she is clear headed enough to rescue Tiarnán and return him to his rightful status. But can she do so before it is too late?

Rich in romance, and intrigue, steeped in history and wonder, The Wolf Hunt is historical fiction at its best, by one of its most skilled practitioners.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bradshaw's refreshingly candid jaunt into the age of chivalry blends knightly honor and maidenly forbearance with fairy-tale overtones while revealing the uglier side of the feudal system. Strong research and a brisk writing style yield a fascinating primer on this European era, giving a glimpse into the routine activities of nobles and peasants alike. Marie PenthiŠvre de Chalandrey is abducted from her convent by knights of Duke Hoel of Brittany he has his eyes on lands held by her father, who is off fighting in the Crusades. She escapes her captors and flees through dense woods where Tiarn n of Talensac saves her from rape by thieves and wins her heart, but he returns her to the knights and leaves to wed Eline of Comper. Marie later befriends Eline, who, when Tiarn n disappears and is declared dead, tells Marie that he is a monster and she is well rid of him. Eline then claims the estate and weds her true love, Alaine de FourgŠres, a handsome but landless knight with no skill at running a manor. Alaine urges his cousin Tiher, a favorite knight of Hoel and suitor of Marie, to organize a hunt for a clever wolf that enters the village and evades all trackers. They corner the wolf but it licks Hoel's boot and is taken as a pet, becoming a court favorite and changing the lives of all those who come into contact with it. Bradshaw (Island of Ghosts) solidly grounds her historical fiction, but still lards it with plenty of fairy-tale excitement. Readers will have no trouble guessing the "secret" of the wolf, but that doesn't detract from the fun.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

British classics scholar and historical novelist Bradshaw (The Sand-Reckoner) here tries her hand at medieval romance. Marie Penthiovre, a young and spirited noblewoman, is kidnapped from a convent in Normandy by enemies of her father. Escaping into the wild forest of Brocaliande, she is rescued by the renowned knight Tiarn n of Talensac. He escorts her to the duke of Brittany, who encourages her to marry one of his knights. Marie's romantic dreams of wedding Tiarn n are dashed when he marries someone else, but when he disappears soon after his wedding, Marie determines to discover the truth and preserve Tiarn n's reputation as an honorable warrior. This tale of trust and loyalty slowly builds to a satisfying climax. Bradshaw displays her usual deft touch with characterization and setting. More mainstream than most of her novels, it is definitely recommended for all public libraries.Laurel Bliss, Yale Arts Lib.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• School & Library Binding
• Publisher: San Val (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613630084
• ISBN-13: 978-0613630085
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,132,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying Medieval Fantasy, October 18, 2001

By 

Sires "I enjoy mysteries, historical and proc... (Chesapeake, OH, United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Wolf Hunt (Hardcover)

I tried to think of another book this one was like, but the nearest
comparison that came to mind was the movie Ladyhawk. Wolf Hunt
combines a medieval setting and characters with Breton fantasy to
create a very satisfying read.

Based on the Lai de Bisclavret by the 12th century poet Marie de
France, Ms. Bradshaw takes the theme of the shape changer and
populates the story with interesting characters. The heroine, Marie
Penthieve of Chalandrey, is the inmate of a convent when she hears
that her brother is dead. This means that she is the heir to
Chalandrey, a rich manor in a strategic area between Brittany and
Normady. Her father's overlord is Duke Robert of Normandy. but she
is tricked away from her convent by the men of Duke Hoel of Brittany.

Fleeing from her captures she falls into the hands of outlaws and is
rescued by Tiarnan, Duke Hoel's best loved knight. Marie is
captivated by Tiarnan, but he is affianced to the beautiful Lady
Eline.

Shortly after his marriage though, Tiarnan disappears and Lady Eline
comforts herself for her loss by marrying a penniless knight named
Alain. Meanwhile there appears in the village a wolf with more than
natural abilities, a wolf that Alain is determined to hunt down and
destroy.

Marie, in the meantime, is trying to think of a way to prevent
herself from becoming a bone of contention between Duke Robert and
Duke Hoel, mourning Tiarnan and keeping at bay the attentions of

Alain's older and more honorable cousin.

Then Alain sends to Duke Hoel and suggests that he might enjoy
hunting the extraordinary wolf that is stalking Tiarnan's former
lands.

This is a book that can keep a reader up all night. The harshness of
Medieval life is not overplayed, but it is also not downplayed. The
character of Marie who is both intelligent and forceful contrasts
with the character of Eline whose unthinking, selfish actions set in
motion the events leading to her own downfall.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love Story, Not a Romance Story, August 16, 2002

By 

"whuffie" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wolf Hunt (Paperback)

I've run the gauntlet on werewolf fiction, and picked up the novel on that angle rather than on the historical richness of it. I'm overly familiar with the "snowbound castle with monster unleashed" or "pitchfork bearing peasants chase down monster" tales done, redone, and done again. With the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series rolling along in general popularity, werewolves have taken another turn, such as they have in the novel Bitten. It's not a turn that this reader, specifically, is fond of. Wolf Hunt has very strong characters in the sense that they are both believable, different, entertaining, and hold fast to their own morals and ideals. Anita and Bitten tend to be more trendy and modern, but also lean into being more than a little promiscuous, leading into sex scenes which come across as more of a dark fantasy put on paper. Wolf Hunt, on the other hand, is a tale very well spun, and although it lacks the white knuckle-page turning of Anita or Bitten, it has much more credibility and more solid characters. I wasn't aware of the poem it was based on, but there is also a folklore story which tells much the same, tragic tale which was expanded upon in this book. This lends to the feel of history I got from it. You get a very real, enjoyable sense of history through Wolf Hunt, and as mentioned, being in on the secret in no way spoils the fun. This book is one I would recommend to friends, both male and female alike. It is, simply put, a very good and enthralling story which will stick with me and be reread. While this is a love story, it is not a romance novel. By romance, I think someone like Krinard with her werewolf romance novels such as Prince of Shadows. While there is an element of love here, it isn't the usual template of a romance novel (we've all seen them, the sorts with the male portion of the story looking dashing and often shirtless, or perhaps a beautiful lady in a swoon over him on the cover.) Here, you have a generally solid feel for the love, love betrayed, and other mirrors of the every day, human condition. The love story does move on somewhat quickly, and the lead female character does fall in love in a hurry, but it doesn't go too far out on a limb to become utterly unbelievable. I also throughly enjoyed the feel for what life may very well have been like in medieval Europe, and the day to day lives which are glossed over in dry accounts of history found in actual history textbooks. This gave a sense of what family, social, and day to day living might have been. This is, by far, a better read in my opinion than the newer trends in werewolf fiction out there. You have more solidity to character and story, sense of history, a tale which holds itself together better, and don't have frivolous sex scenes used as garnish to sell the book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Perspective on a Werewolf, December 23, 2003

By 

J. Mattison (Fontana, California USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Wolf Hunt (Paperback)

Tiarnan of Talensac is a happy man. He has a profitable estate in Brittany with loyal peasants. He has the admiration of his liege lord for being an outstanding warrior. He is recently married to the beautiful Eline who is in love with him and with the idea of being the lady of his manor. He has rescued the stubbornly honorable Marie Penthiovre after her escape from his lord's knights. Tiarnan also has a secret. He is a werewolf.

I was absolutely enthralled by this book. Even if it were simply a historical novel of medevial France, it would be worth reading for its vivid descriptions of everyday life. But it has the fascinating twist of a hero "addicted" to his werewolf life. Tiarnan loves the woods and lands he lives on, and eagerly awaits the times when he can shed his humanity and experience his woods with the heightened senses of the wolf. His hearing and sense of smell are sharper, his strength and agility are increased, and these sensations draw him repeatedly to absent himself from his suspicious wife. Tiarnan is a conscientious landholder, a loyal subject of his Duke, and a dutiful husband, but his heart belongs to the times he spends as a wolf.

Eventually Eline, and her disappointed former suitor, discover Tiarnan's secret and self-righteously betray him. Tiarnan is no longer free to move between his human and wolf existances. He is trapped in his wolf's body, and only then begins to realize what he has lost with his humanity. His thought patterns are in disarray, and he struggles to reclaim any hold on language. He is nearly at the mercy of instinctive behavior rather than conscious choice. He ends up again serving his liege lord, but as a faithful "tame" wolf, and seems destined to remain so unless the grieving Marie, who had quietly loved him, continues to notice just how unusual this strange wolf is...

Gillian Bradshaw has taken a werewolf character, and has given him a fascinating twist. I loved experiencing Tiarnan's fascination with his wolf's life, and his grinding despair over his lost humanity. I also enjoyed the tragically weak "villains" as well as the flawed heroine. This is the best novel I have read by this talented author!