The Prophecy of the Wolf

by Thomas Davis

If it's true, as I suspect, that most of us have only the most vague notions of the time when the French were exploring and exploiting the interior of North America, and perhaps have no realistic notion at all of the Native peoples with whom they would interact, then I think this brilliantly researched and imagined historical novel will bring us one giant step closer to clarity in our thinking of that time and place. That we may also gain some clarity in our thinking of cultural and familial relationships is a bonus.
Told in the voice of its very uncertain boy-becoming-man (non)hero, Ogima, Davis' story leads his reader, in an entertaining and mythic manner, through the woods and over the waters of real-world places – villages, islands, and a peninsula – and also through a belief system in large part erased since the time portrayed, which is the very dawning of recorded history in this part of the world, although the oral tradition reaches back to time immemorial, and is the basis for much of what we learn here.
~ Ralph Murre ( Door County, Wisconsin poet laureate, 2015-2017), Editor, and Publisher

Set in a time of great turmoil and with a framework of crucial historical events, Prophecy of the Wolf , a gripping tale, is primarily about a young Neshnabek man, Ogima, who doubts his own abilities. Following our protagonist, we plunge deep into cultures just beginning to feel the clash between Europeans, represented by French fur traders in the novel, and American Indian tribes that will soon grip the entire North American continent. Set in the mid 1600s, this adventure, set on the Door Peninsula and Washington Island in Wisconsin, involves some of the earliest known historical figures on the Great Lakes.
Thomas Davis, the well-known author of In the Unsettled Homeland of Dreams , is a master of taking a few stray threads of elusive history and weaving from them a masterful tapestry. His works are full of historical and cultural gems, but, above all, deep personal insights into interesting and compelling individuals. The connections become more significant the more you know about early French and Potawatomi history in Wisconsin but will pull you in on whatever level you embark on this amazing tale!

~ David Lea , local Door County historian

386 pages, Paperback

Published April 13, 2023

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully well written book that captures you from the first chapter. Not often do I read a book that I cannot put down, reading late into the night and from the minute I wake the next day. This is my first Thomas Davis novel, but will definitely not be my last. Rich characters, engaging & shifting plot all imbedded in a beautiful tapestry of Native American history.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a really long time to read. Mostly because I wanted to read it on Washington Island to get the full affect of being on location.

The setting is the mid 1600s during the beginning of the fur trading between the Native Americans and the French. The story was told by a Native American who reflected on his life. He belonged to a group of Potawatomi Indians who wanted to keep their traditions and not trade with the French or convert to Christianity.

I really appreciate the Glossary Bookmark that Deb from the Fair Isle bookshop made, it helped me immensely with all of the Native American names.

[John Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-1/2 ⭐️ Fascinating Historical Fiction about Native American tribes in Northern Wisconsin during the 1600s as the French for trappers invade North America! Beautiful descriptions and believable characters!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely powerful and moving story.