Wolves of the Gods (Tales of the Timuras, Book 2) [Paperback]

Allan Cole (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 17, 1998

The triumphant epic fantasy inspired by Omar Khayyam's The Rubaiyat, The Wolves of the Gods is a world of breathtaking beauty and savagery, of noble sacrifice and base betrayal, a world where the most powerful magic of all, for good and evil, lies in the divided hearts of humans and demons . . .

A nameless evil stalks the land, preying on all that lives, human and demon alike. Only one man has the power to stem the ravening tide: Safar Timura, greatest wizard of the age, whose matchless magic once raised Iraj Protarus to the throne of all Esmir . . . and then, when king turned tyrant, destroyed him.

Now Safar is done with the deadly intrigues of courts and kings. Back in his mountain home of Kyrania, he wants only to be left alone. But when a brutal murder smashes his solitude, Safar must lead his people on a desperate trek to safety--a perilous journey to fabled, far-off Syrapis guided only by a magical vision and the words of a sorcerer long dead.

The road leads straight through dark Caluz, a once-proud land now fallen beneath the sorcerous yoke of an unspeakable darkness. But there is no going back. Close at Safar's heels another evil follows like a rapacious wolf: Iraj Protarus. For the King of Kings has returned from the dead, hideously transformed--and thirsting for Safar's blood.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Magic and battle flourish as Safar Timura, great wizard and hero, is pursued by his former friend, now nemesis, Iraj Protarus, who has come back from the dead as a wolven shape-changer. Safar must lead his people to safety from their native Kyrania; secretly, he is also following a vision from the master-wizard Lord Asper and hoping to stop the blight affecting his world. In his quest, he is aided by Leiria, a female soldier; Palimak, a half-demon, half-human child whom Safar is raising as a son; and Khysmet, the perfect steed whom Safar was destined to find along the way. These and a variety of striking secondary characters journey through the ensorcelled land of Caluz on their way to a new home in fabled Syrapis across the sea. Not only Iraj, but others, such as the circus-troupe Safar joined as a youth, return; but even so this second volume in the series remains very accessible to new readers. The book strikes a good balance between action and character development and provides a rich mixture of demons, sorcery, swordplay and political intrigue. Cole also manages more moments of real horror than most fantasy writers while still hitting the high notes of wonder, romance and fellowship. (Mar.) FYI: A sample chapter will be bound into 127,000 issues of Realm of Fantasy magazine.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Cole says his current major project, begun in Wizard of the Winds and of which this is the second volume, is based on The Rubaiyat, and certainly a Middle Eastern flavor is present in abundance. As to plot, Wolves picks up the conflict between the wizard Safar Timura and the supposedly dead King of Kings, Iraj Protarus, where its predecessor left it. Iraj was once Safar's friend but was afterward destroyed by Safar when power turned Iraj to evil. Now Safar has to lead his people on a grim quest for ancient magic, which contains their only hope of safety, across the hostile land of Caluz, which Cole depicts most vividly, thanks to abundant, well-chosen detail. Cole proves once again his mastery of setting as well as pacing, and the characterizations are more than acceptable, with the apparent return of Iraj from the dead, more bloodthirsty than ever, providing a cliffhanger ending and promising well for the remainder of the saga. Roland Green

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Product Details

• Paperback: 385 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; 1st edition (March 17, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345401794
• ISBN-13: 978-0345401793
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #436,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ALLAN COLE is a best-selling author, screenwriter and former prize-winning newsman. The son of a CIA operative, Cole was raised in Europe and the Far East. For details see Allan's website at www.acole.com. Here's what critics have said about Cole's work: The Sten Series: Landmark science fiction -Publishers Weekly; When The Gods Slept: Page turner of the year - Locus; The Far Kingdoms Series: Glorious... Swashbuckling - Locus; A Reckoning For Kings: Classic war novel - SF Chronicle; Lucky In Cyprus - A haunting, enlightening experience - BookLoons.com; A Cop's Life: Must read by anyone with a badge - Philadelphia Fraternal Order Of Police.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An engrossing continuation of the Timura trilogy., June 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wolves of the Gods (Tales of the Timuras, Book 2) (Paperback)

An engrossing continuation of the Timura trilogy, WOLVES OF THE GODS delves even deeper into the connected fates of its main characters and expands the landscape and cultural scope of the epic. Again, I can't wait for the next book in the series.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining book with memorable characters!, June 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Wolves of the Gods (Tales of the Timuras, Book 2) (Paperback)

The second book of the Timura Tales is a wonderfull and entertaining read. There are a few twists that are surprising given one has read the first book, and assuming that you don't read the back cover which may reveal one crucial twist. I can't wait for the next installment of this series. Mr. Cole has weaved a memorable book which leaves you waiting anxiously for the conclusion, although you may find yourself asking for more!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fast-paced, powerful punch of a sequel, January 20, 1998

By 

J. Mitchell (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wolves of the Gods (Tales of the Timuras, Book 2) (Paperback)

This is a series to be enjoyed by sf-readers as well as fantasy fans, as the magical elements are subordinate to an involving and suspenseful plot. This second volume brings to a pitch the increasingly intense and violent struggle between Timura and Protarus, while it continues to hint at their common destiny. Wolves is no simple story of clear moral good; we see both characters struggle with the compromise of their ideals and the acceptance of wrong action to achieve necessary ends. High level of suspense and engaging episodes of adventure. While the story is dark in tone, it's well balanced with moments of humor and sentiment. Terrifically paced, hard to put down. An exciting read.