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Silver City #2
The Wolf Within
Part two of Pamela Belle's gripping trilogy....
Born with an awesome talent for magic... Tortured by the tempations to use it.
Son of the sorcerer Ansaryon, Bron can find no peace. His soul has been won by the wolf god and the wolf's thirst for death boils up inside him every time the magic threatens to break free. Appalled at what the future holds, Bron runs away from Ansaryon and Halthris and into a world thats teems with exotic peoples, new experiences and terrible danger. But he can never escape the curse of who he is and the power that he holds.
His one hope lies in the love of Mallaso, a woman who carries the pain of her slaughtered people. But his love for her leads him inexorably into a terrifying conflict with a man who armies threaten the whole continent; the arrogant emperor Ba'lekkt. Supremely cruel, responsible for the salughter of Mallaso's people amd even now turning his avaricious eye towards the beauty of the Silver City...
Born with an awesome talent for magic... Tortured by the tempations to use it.
Son of the sorcerer Ansaryon, Bron can find no peace. His soul has been won by the wolf god and the wolf's thirst for death boils up inside him every time the magic threatens to break free. Appalled at what the future holds, Bron runs away from Ansaryon and Halthris and into a world thats teems with exotic peoples, new experiences and terrible danger. But he can never escape the curse of who he is and the power that he holds.
His one hope lies in the love of Mallaso, a woman who carries the pain of her slaughtered people. But his love for her leads him inexorably into a terrifying conflict with a man who armies threaten the whole continent; the arrogant emperor Ba'lekkt. Supremely cruel, responsible for the salughter of Mallaso's people amd even now turning his avaricious eye towards the beauty of the Silver City...
- GenresFantasy
500 pages, Paperback
Published May 10, 1996
7 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Belle
20 books80 followersBelle, who also writes contemporary fiction as Alice Marlow, always wanted to be an author. As a child the books she read were adventure stories like "Treasure Island," "Swallows and Amazons," and the novels of John Buchan and CS Forester. She wrote her first book at the age of twelve and having visited the site of a lovely Elizabethan manor house called Rushbrooke and observing the bare, moated island which was all that was left, she wanted to bring Rushbrooke back and chose to do so in print.
Over the next few years 'The Epic', as it became known, grew and grew. Belle drew up a huge family tree and a plan of the house very like Rushbrooke.
Married and a teacher of a class of six-year-olds, she wrote in longhand and, while publishers made encouraging noises, no one was prepared to risk publishing a large book by an unknown author. Eventually the agent Vivienne Schuster was wonderfully enthusiastic about it and found a publisher.
"The Moon in the Water" and its two sequels were published in the UK and the USA with considerable success. Belle gave up teaching in 1985 to spend more time researching and writing. She plans to write a book about Alfred the Great if she can fit it in between looking after the children, dogs, cats and husband.
Over the next few years 'The Epic', as it became known, grew and grew. Belle drew up a huge family tree and a plan of the house very like Rushbrooke.
Married and a teacher of a class of six-year-olds, she wrote in longhand and, while publishers made encouraging noises, no one was prepared to risk publishing a large book by an unknown author. Eventually the agent Vivienne Schuster was wonderfully enthusiastic about it and found a publisher.
"The Moon in the Water" and its two sequels were published in the UK and the USA with considerable success. Belle gave up teaching in 1985 to spend more time researching and writing. She plans to write a book about Alfred the Great if she can fit it in between looking after the children, dogs, cats and husband.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 12, 2017
My Review:
Even though this book had names and places I couldn't pronounce even in my head, even after seeing them time and time again all through the whole book, I gave this a 5-star rating! This has to be one of the best fantasy books I've read in a while! Looking at other reviews, I can see you either love it or don't. I loved it and now need to get the other two books in the trilogy.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to lose themselves in a wonderful fantasy world that may seem vaguely familiar to parts of planet earth. To follow a character who just wants to live his life quietly and ends up becoming a hero because he believes in doing what's right with what he's been given. Sounds sappy? There's nothing sappy about Bron's life. When you start your life with two ultimate evils controlling you, it's not sappy. One evil on the inside trying to take over and one evil outside training and abusing you to do her will. Then while you are still a child, your best friend is killed in front of you to punish you, you lose your temper and annihilate 6000 people without a thought. Nope, not sappy. Magic.
Each time he finds a spot to rest, the evil awakens again and he is driven on in his journey to find help or oblivion. He gets sidetracked a time or two making friends, but he always gets back on track and finally solves his personal problem. But then he takes up a crusade to try to save his world and doesn't want anyone he cares for to get hurt, so of course, he has to do it on his own. But he spends a lot of time pushing people away since he's the sort of guy people like and want to help. Yeah, a likable hero.
The character of Bron is well developed and you get to know him well enough to predict some of his moves. That's not to say he's predictable. Just that you gain some insight. Some of the secondary characters you get to know for short periods of time. They remain real in your mind, too. The conflicts and events of the story are really good. It's bloody and violent, but it's an empire at war with sorcerors and armies with sharp pointy weapons. There are warm, close relationships formed as well. Old people die and babies are born. The book takes place over a span of years, so a lot happens and Ms. Belle handles it very well. I'm seriously looking for a week that I can dedicate to reading the whole trilogy through from start to finish once I get the other two books.
This trilogy was originally published in the 90s in paperback, but I believe it is now out of print. It is available in ebook these days, though with lovely new covers.
I was provided an eARC of this book by Endeavor Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own.
~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review
Even though this book had names and places I couldn't pronounce even in my head, even after seeing them time and time again all through the whole book, I gave this a 5-star rating! This has to be one of the best fantasy books I've read in a while! Looking at other reviews, I can see you either love it or don't. I loved it and now need to get the other two books in the trilogy.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to lose themselves in a wonderful fantasy world that may seem vaguely familiar to parts of planet earth. To follow a character who just wants to live his life quietly and ends up becoming a hero because he believes in doing what's right with what he's been given. Sounds sappy? There's nothing sappy about Bron's life. When you start your life with two ultimate evils controlling you, it's not sappy. One evil on the inside trying to take over and one evil outside training and abusing you to do her will. Then while you are still a child, your best friend is killed in front of you to punish you, you lose your temper and annihilate 6000 people without a thought. Nope, not sappy. Magic.
Each time he finds a spot to rest, the evil awakens again and he is driven on in his journey to find help or oblivion. He gets sidetracked a time or two making friends, but he always gets back on track and finally solves his personal problem. But then he takes up a crusade to try to save his world and doesn't want anyone he cares for to get hurt, so of course, he has to do it on his own. But he spends a lot of time pushing people away since he's the sort of guy people like and want to help. Yeah, a likable hero.
The character of Bron is well developed and you get to know him well enough to predict some of his moves. That's not to say he's predictable. Just that you gain some insight. Some of the secondary characters you get to know for short periods of time. They remain real in your mind, too. The conflicts and events of the story are really good. It's bloody and violent, but it's an empire at war with sorcerors and armies with sharp pointy weapons. There are warm, close relationships formed as well. Old people die and babies are born. The book takes place over a span of years, so a lot happens and Ms. Belle handles it very well. I'm seriously looking for a week that I can dedicate to reading the whole trilogy through from start to finish once I get the other two books.
This trilogy was originally published in the 90s in paperback, but I believe it is now out of print. It is available in ebook these days, though with lovely new covers.
I was provided an eARC of this book by Endeavor Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I am not being compensated in any way. All opinions are fully my own.
~ Judi E. Easley for Blue Cat Review
September 23, 2025
This is the second book in Pamela Belle’s Silver City trilogy. I have read and re-read this series for several years and in my opinion it ranks up there with all the other well known fantasy series.
This middle book focuses on the main character Bron who after destroying the Ska'i tribe in the end of "Silver Sity" fights the wolf within in his soul who takes control whenever Bron becomes very angry. After some embarrasing events in the city of Zithirian his father Ansaryon decides it is better fro Bron to leave the family and find a life for himself far away where the Wolf cannot harm others.
Bron's adventures start in Kerenth (a country where women are in charge) he becomes the consort of the Queen only to be cursed by the Gods and thrown over a cliff.
Bron then surfaces in Toktelyi where he becomes entangled in the life of tavern-owner Mallaso who's life is also very scarred by events in her past. Together they travel the islands of the archipelago to the magical island of Jo'ami to learn the secrets of the wolf within and ultimately leading them to an earth shattering conclusion. I love this book. I can't speak more highly of it. Just incredible characters and a rich fantasy world with places you can feel and touch.
This middle book focuses on the main character Bron who after destroying the Ska'i tribe in the end of "Silver Sity" fights the wolf within in his soul who takes control whenever Bron becomes very angry. After some embarrasing events in the city of Zithirian his father Ansaryon decides it is better fro Bron to leave the family and find a life for himself far away where the Wolf cannot harm others.
Bron's adventures start in Kerenth (a country where women are in charge) he becomes the consort of the Queen only to be cursed by the Gods and thrown over a cliff.
Bron then surfaces in Toktelyi where he becomes entangled in the life of tavern-owner Mallaso who's life is also very scarred by events in her past. Together they travel the islands of the archipelago to the magical island of Jo'ami to learn the secrets of the wolf within and ultimately leading them to an earth shattering conclusion. I love this book. I can't speak more highly of it. Just incredible characters and a rich fantasy world with places you can feel and touch.
March 21, 2012
It was a good sequel, though less strong than the first book. I felt that the characterization was ropey at times, and the expanded travels through the world revealed issues with the worldbuilding that were more hinted at than fully evident in the first book. Liked it well enough to continue on to the third, though!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews