Having been a fan of Meraki’s and loving his previous series The Cubi. I had high expectation.
Well, I am not disappointed at all.
Matt is a young man on the verge of adulthood. He has agreed to go on a school exchange pretty much to please his mom, who wants him to learn about his late dad’s culture in Denmark.
Whilst in Denmark he certainly learns about his dad’s culture and his world is turned upside down.
Whilst out in town he comes across a demonstration that leads to a chain reaction and suddenly he is not only learning about a new countries culture but also the Vargr werewolf species, of which he belongs too.
If you have read any of this authors books, you will know he is a master Story world builder. I was amazed of his skill in The Cubi Series. Which I thought he could not improve. Yet that is exactly what Maraki has done.
In the first book of this new series, he has taken on a new sub-genre (werewolves) and added Denmark’s Mythology. As the foundations. The way he weaves the mythology as the basis of the werewolf culture truly enriches the story.
I really enjoyed the capitalism vs socialism argument and how he determined that one is not better then the other, and the middle ground would probably be a better way to live.
As he begins to learn about the Vargr side of him, along with the pack culture and hierarchy. Things from his past start to slot into place, such as being a loner and protective of his mother.
The surroundings are so vividly shown that I can place myself in the scenes. The cast may be a little larger than some might be used to, but each character is unique and brings different personality and skills to the story.
Though this first book is Young Adult and has a coming-of-age vibe. You get the feel that there is so much to come from the characters not only Matt, but the whole pack and friends.
I loved how Matt won two races against the unbeatable Klaus, by using his head. This creates a few very comical scenes.
I found the way Matt processed the news of his origins and the fact he is a werewolf, felt real and many if the questions he was asking, felt like the kind of thing I would ask in his shoes.
For me the best werewolf / shifter novels are the kind that show what it is like to be a wolf and in a pack. I like to learn about their culture and society.
I am looking forward to seeing how Matt grows in the future, as I think he is destined for a big future.
