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Immortal Lycanthropes
“A shameful fact about humanity is that some people can be so ugly that no one will be friends with them. It is shameful that humans can be so cruel, and it is shameful that humans can be so ugly.”
So begins the incredible story of Myron Horowitz, a disfigured thirteen-year-old just trying to fit in at his Pennsylvania school. When a fight with a bully leaves him unconscious and naked in the wreckage of the cafeteria, Myron discovers that he is an immortal lycanthrope—a were-mammal who can transform from human to animal. He also discovers that there are others like him, and many of them want Myron dead. “People will turn into animals,” says the razor-witted narrator of this tour-de-force, “and here come ancient secrets and rivers of blood.”
So begins the incredible story of Myron Horowitz, a disfigured thirteen-year-old just trying to fit in at his Pennsylvania school. When a fight with a bully leaves him unconscious and naked in the wreckage of the cafeteria, Myron discovers that he is an immortal lycanthrope—a were-mammal who can transform from human to animal. He also discovers that there are others like him, and many of them want Myron dead. “People will turn into animals,” says the razor-witted narrator of this tour-de-force, “and here come ancient secrets and rivers of blood.”
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 4, 2012
13 people are currently reading
561 people want to read
About the author
Hal Johnson
13 books159 followersI don't think Hal Johnson is a very unusual sort of a guy. He's just — well, the average American citizen and family man, the kind that are the backbone of the nation. I admire him and like him. I like his attitude. Until, that is, he gets behind the wheel of an automobile. At that point he changes. He changes from a careful, considerate citizen — to a menace.
–"Driven to Kill," 1948 driver's safety film.
–"Driven to Kill," 1948 driver's safety film.
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October 25, 2015honestly, this cover is so rad, i don't even care what it is about; i must have it.
July 20, 2012
I'd like to start by noting that this is by far the best YA book I've read in some time. I haven't gotten this completely ensconced in the world of a YA book's narrative since first reading the Gone series (not that there is anything similar about the two). Maybe it has something to do with my deep love for anthropomorphized animals in literature (Watership Down, the Redwall series) and also the fact that I ate and breathed Animorphs growing up (I largely contribute my deep, extreme love for reading and writing on that series).
The narrative itself is completely unique, because the narrator, Arthur (just one of his names), is relaying events as were told to him, and although there seems like a big emotional distance between himself and Myron Horowitz, our hero, there is truly deep concern and love. Not that this in itself is unique - many novels are narrated as a retelling of events - but Arthur tells the story with a sense of disgusted vigor, with sardonic humor and mysterious, unsettling wit - which at first gave me pause - but you will see if you read it that the story could not have been dictated any other way based on the things that happen and what Myron goes through. Arthur is truly one of the only people that actually cares what happens to Myron, so his narrative anger stems the tragedy and injustice that befalls him.
This isn't just some book about humans that turn into animals and that are also immortal. These are animals that through eons and millennia began to discover that they, in fact, could turn human. When I learned this, it completely changed my perspective of the book, and was actually my first instance of loving it. The general idea (if that is possible) is that Myron is one of these "immortal lycanthropes", essential a "were-animal". The lycanthropes learn to possess a human form of their own and live through their years without ever aging as either animal or human. They have basically paved the contemporary world as we know it, taking part in almost every historical event we can fathom.
The history and lore of the lycanthropes is fascinating and engaging. We are given so many names, and groups of people, without ever learning much about them. Arthur remains a distant narrator even though he is a part of this world - because to him all this information is known and understood. Even Myron never gets fully explained details on everything he is doing, everyone he meets, and, frankly, what the hell is going on. Some readers might need those things, but I didn't. The loosely described history painted an extraordinarily complex and intriguing mosaic of this world, whether it be focusing on the Nine Unknown Men (still not known), the Rosicrucians, Dantaghata and the Pashupatastra, the illustrious hat-wearing Illuminati, the Central Anarchist Council, the Society of the Nights of Eternal Levity, the Carbonari, the Brotherhood of Moloch, etc. We get enough to understand it within the context of the story, which is all that was meant to be given. Most YA books would go into stupid, unnecessary detail about EVERYTHING, which I think steals away from the magic of the story. Not everything needs or warrants an explanation, and why would Arthur, who has lived for thousands and thousands of years, care to reiterate all that he already knows?
The novel is almost closer to being of an adult genre, but I think that could be because I simply have never read any YA that is so profoundly interesting. There are no vampires, or werewolves, or stupid love triangles (no love storyline at all, for that matter) or cliches involving plot direction. Everything you think might happen won't. If you can even fathom coming up with possibilities. I had no idea what would happen in each coming paragraph and that was thrilling. All normal narrative convention was thrown away from the get-go. I honestly think this book would sell better with lovers of CS Lewis and Tolkien and other writers of high fantasy. Much in the same way that Lev Grossman's The Magicians reinvented the magic-fantasy paradigm by stripping the false whimsy in boy-gets-transported-to-magic-lands-to-train-to-become-a-wizard type storytelling, Immortal Lycanthropes reimagines the animal-human-fantasy genre, and may create a pretext for such storytelling to come.
So, all in all, absolutely fantastic. I want to say that I wish there was a sequel to come, but I severely doubt that possibility; plus, I think it would take away from the essence of the story to have a follow up. There doesn't need to be one. But if Hal Johnson writes another book I'll read it in a heartbeat.
The narrative itself is completely unique, because the narrator, Arthur (just one of his names), is relaying events as were told to him, and although there seems like a big emotional distance between himself and Myron Horowitz, our hero, there is truly deep concern and love. Not that this in itself is unique - many novels are narrated as a retelling of events - but Arthur tells the story with a sense of disgusted vigor, with sardonic humor and mysterious, unsettling wit - which at first gave me pause - but you will see if you read it that the story could not have been dictated any other way based on the things that happen and what Myron goes through. Arthur is truly one of the only people that actually cares what happens to Myron, so his narrative anger stems the tragedy and injustice that befalls him.
This isn't just some book about humans that turn into animals and that are also immortal. These are animals that through eons and millennia began to discover that they, in fact, could turn human. When I learned this, it completely changed my perspective of the book, and was actually my first instance of loving it. The general idea (if that is possible) is that Myron is one of these "immortal lycanthropes", essential a "were-animal". The lycanthropes learn to possess a human form of their own and live through their years without ever aging as either animal or human. They have basically paved the contemporary world as we know it, taking part in almost every historical event we can fathom.
The history and lore of the lycanthropes is fascinating and engaging. We are given so many names, and groups of people, without ever learning much about them. Arthur remains a distant narrator even though he is a part of this world - because to him all this information is known and understood. Even Myron never gets fully explained details on everything he is doing, everyone he meets, and, frankly, what the hell is going on. Some readers might need those things, but I didn't. The loosely described history painted an extraordinarily complex and intriguing mosaic of this world, whether it be focusing on the Nine Unknown Men (still not known), the Rosicrucians, Dantaghata and the Pashupatastra, the illustrious hat-wearing Illuminati, the Central Anarchist Council, the Society of the Nights of Eternal Levity, the Carbonari, the Brotherhood of Moloch, etc. We get enough to understand it within the context of the story, which is all that was meant to be given. Most YA books would go into stupid, unnecessary detail about EVERYTHING, which I think steals away from the magic of the story. Not everything needs or warrants an explanation, and why would Arthur, who has lived for thousands and thousands of years, care to reiterate all that he already knows?
The novel is almost closer to being of an adult genre, but I think that could be because I simply have never read any YA that is so profoundly interesting. There are no vampires, or werewolves, or stupid love triangles (no love storyline at all, for that matter) or cliches involving plot direction. Everything you think might happen won't. If you can even fathom coming up with possibilities. I had no idea what would happen in each coming paragraph and that was thrilling. All normal narrative convention was thrown away from the get-go. I honestly think this book would sell better with lovers of CS Lewis and Tolkien and other writers of high fantasy. Much in the same way that Lev Grossman's The Magicians reinvented the magic-fantasy paradigm by stripping the false whimsy in boy-gets-transported-to-magic-lands-to-train-to-become-a-wizard type storytelling, Immortal Lycanthropes reimagines the animal-human-fantasy genre, and may create a pretext for such storytelling to come.
So, all in all, absolutely fantastic. I want to say that I wish there was a sequel to come, but I severely doubt that possibility; plus, I think it would take away from the essence of the story to have a follow up. There doesn't need to be one. But if Hal Johnson writes another book I'll read it in a heartbeat.
August 23, 2013
Difficult to categorize or to explain, this book begins with an observation on the cruelty of humans toward anyone who is considered too ugly. Myron Horowitz, 13, is horribly disfigured, and most of those who meet him cannot bear to look at his face. When I first began reading the book, I thought that it would essentially be a book about bullying since Myron, not surprisingly, is picked on by others at his Pennsylvania school. But before I could settle down to read with that theme in mind, the author took me off in a completely different direction. It turns out that Myron is a lycanthrope, part of a secret society of were-creatures bent on killing each other. Since Myron is rumored to be the chosen one, everyone wants him, and he is kept prisoner in an exclusive private school that isn't really what it seems as well as on a private estate. Through it all, he has no idea what animal he will be when he finally changes. There are many changes of setting, and strange characters that move in and out of the storyline, even an intrusive narrator who pops up to share his own observations through his first-person point of view. I'm not sure what the point of it all is, but the author certainly has a vivid imagination and a flair for fantasy and science fiction. I enjoyed this title quite a bit as well as all the animal characters and illustrations as Myron flees from one messy situation to the next. There's plenty of humor amid all the adventure too.
August 16, 2013
This is not what I expected, and I loved it. A horribly disfigured boy lives through the shame of his affliction and how people respond to his presence, but draws a line when the bullying begins. How he fights back, he doesn't know, and the bully isn't talking. This is when his life takes a turn for the paranormal, and strange people appear in his life, claiming to be shapeshiftings, and that he is one too. He isn't sure about himself, but they prove their own abilities early on. The immortal lycanthropes play Hot Potato with the boy, from rescuer, to kidnapper, to manipulator, and so on and so forth. Between it all, he makes friends and learns about the darker side of immortality, and his own place in the world.
This story is somber but thrilling, melancholy but hopeful, and all-around inspiring. Definitely a must read.
This story is somber but thrilling, melancholy but hopeful, and all-around inspiring. Definitely a must read.
November 2, 2013
I stumbled onto this book at Midtown Comics (getting my X-Files Season 10 fix, if you must know) and boy is it weird and delightful. At first I was thinking, "oh, this is going to be a sort of Neil-Gaiman-meets-Lewis-Carroll type thing, maybe even a bit Harry Potteresque," but I am pleased to tell you that it's smarter and funnier and darker than all of those things. And the ending - !!! Read it!
July 16, 2015
I made it to about the halfway point of the book before dropping it. I simply cannot continue, not with the build up of frustration, confusion and utter boredom that I feel from reading this.
The book, despite its promising premise, is very superficially written. The narration is inconsistent, the events jumbled and confusingly written, and the writing just too harsh for me personally. As soon as I began reading I got the idea of what the author's style is like, but after several repetitions of the word "orgy" to, I think, unnecessarily describe a bloody and gruesome battle situation, and the stressing of the fact that Myron was plain ugly, I felt uncomfortable with reading. It wasn't what I wanted to read, to be honest, and I wish that the summary on Goodreads or inside the dustcover would've somehow reflected that. It was a mad frenzy of a story where the characters were all unlikable and the plot still eluded me even at the halfway point of the book. It was when the Illumanati came into the story that I began losing my patience, and when, somewhere around page 125, where the moose told Myron about how the flying squirrel assassinated Nietzsche, that I knew I'd had enough.
From what I read, the race of immortal lycanthropes were just selfish and cowardly in a way that mimicked my opinion of the human race itself. The only definition for killing each other was because they could, because some, like the tiger, were stronger and could kill the weaker mice and other innocent or weak animal species. The idea that there was only one immortal lycanthrope of each species was cool, and the only aspect of the book that I did enjoy. But it was buried deeply under painfully written dialogue and choppy narrative, often forcing me to reread chunks because it didn't seem grammatically sound or proper.
I have no idea who this book will appeal to, honestly. Definitely the more open minded or experimentally willing reader, for starters. As for me, I got the total opposite of what I hoped for, and as much as I enjoy very fresh and "contemporary" methods of telling stories, this wasn't one of them. It was too harsh and unpleasant to read, and the characters were difficult to connect with, to say nothing of the actual story. I'm glad I picked this up from the library rather than trying to buy a copy - I would've really regretted it otherwise. And a shame, because I really was looking forward to reading it, and to seeing Teagan White's artwork, which I am a huge fan of.
The book, despite its promising premise, is very superficially written. The narration is inconsistent, the events jumbled and confusingly written, and the writing just too harsh for me personally. As soon as I began reading I got the idea of what the author's style is like, but after several repetitions of the word "orgy" to, I think, unnecessarily describe a bloody and gruesome battle situation, and the stressing of the fact that Myron was plain ugly, I felt uncomfortable with reading. It wasn't what I wanted to read, to be honest, and I wish that the summary on Goodreads or inside the dustcover would've somehow reflected that. It was a mad frenzy of a story where the characters were all unlikable and the plot still eluded me even at the halfway point of the book. It was when the Illumanati came into the story that I began losing my patience, and when, somewhere around page 125, where the moose told Myron about how the flying squirrel assassinated Nietzsche, that I knew I'd had enough.
From what I read, the race of immortal lycanthropes were just selfish and cowardly in a way that mimicked my opinion of the human race itself. The only definition for killing each other was because they could, because some, like the tiger, were stronger and could kill the weaker mice and other innocent or weak animal species. The idea that there was only one immortal lycanthrope of each species was cool, and the only aspect of the book that I did enjoy. But it was buried deeply under painfully written dialogue and choppy narrative, often forcing me to reread chunks because it didn't seem grammatically sound or proper.
I have no idea who this book will appeal to, honestly. Definitely the more open minded or experimentally willing reader, for starters. As for me, I got the total opposite of what I hoped for, and as much as I enjoy very fresh and "contemporary" methods of telling stories, this wasn't one of them. It was too harsh and unpleasant to read, and the characters were difficult to connect with, to say nothing of the actual story. I'm glad I picked this up from the library rather than trying to buy a copy - I would've really regretted it otherwise. And a shame, because I really was looking forward to reading it, and to seeing Teagan White's artwork, which I am a huge fan of.
July 18, 2022
Hilarious, melancholic, completely unpredictable, and as fun for me to read in my early thirties as I'm sure it would've been when I was 12. In a better world, I feel this would have been a SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS- style hit. I guess gentle cynicism, an eccentric and verbose unreliable narrator, Daniel Pinkwater-esque episodic screwball comedy, poignant extended meditations on how much it would suck to live forever*, and a complete lack of any romantic subplots weren't what the people were looking for in the era of TWILIGHT and THE HUNGER GAMES. At any rate, this is the rare YA novel I'd recommend without caveat to adults as well as older kids.
*Unlike in most fiction involving immortal characters, these are pretty convincing!
*Unlike in most fiction involving immortal characters, these are pretty convincing!
March 20, 2013
Although confusing,chaotic, and the writing style not fully matured, it is fun, clever and interesting to the end. The writer knows how to tell a story with aplomb. I would not call this a simple read, however. I was continually referencing characters. Now that I know who's who, a sequel is in order. More Myron and all the other delightful Lycanthropes!
December 11, 2012
I describe this bizarre, hilarious book as, "Going Bovine meets Animorphs." Impossible to define or categorize. Talking to my husband about it, I couldn't even explain the plot, but I enjoyed Myron, his adventures, and the unique world-building.
October 3, 2014
Fun read, great alternative to the same old, same old YA novel. Some moments of levity and enough nuance I definitely want to hear more.
May 29, 2016
I'm not sure I know what this was really about, but I had a lot of fun reading it.
March 27, 2025
Can this novel get some more attention? Seriously, it really needs it.
(“A shameful fact about humanity is that some people can be so ugly that no one will be friends with them. It is shameful that humans can be so cruel, and it is shameful that humans can be so ugly.”
So begins the incredible story of Myron Horowitz, a disfigured thirteen-year-old just trying to fit in at his Pennsylvania school. When a fight with a bully leaves him unconscious and naked in the wreckage of the cafeteria, Myron discovers that he is an immortal lycanthrope—a were-mammal who can transform from human to animal. He also discovers that there are others like him, and many of them want Myron dead. “People will turn into animals,” says the razor-witted narrator of this tour-de-force, “and here come ancient secrets and rivers of blood.”) ~ Blurb from Goodreads
The narrator was hilarious. He basically acts like he hates the story he's telling and has no qualms about roasting all of the characters, but there's this sense that he's secretly enjoying everything just by how much fun he's clearly having telling this story.
The illustrations were really cool. They remind me a lot of the black and white charcoal drawings from the In Case We're Made Into Coats series, but there's this refined elegance to them and given how the prose tends to use fancier language, it really fits.
I found a couple of ideas related to the shapeshifting system to be rather interesting. So there is only one Immortal Lycanthrope per species (i.e one jaguar, one hippo, etc) and that the only way to kill an Immortal Lycanthrope is for another Immortal Lycanthrope to use their animal form to do it. I think these elements really add a sense of logical uniqueness to the shapeshifting system while also allowing the reader to try and solve the mystery of what Myron's animal form is.
I really enjoyed the ending.
That being said, the amount of times Myron gets knocked out or passes out is ridiculous. Not only does it become rather repetitive, but it also feels like a lazy way to move the plot along. If it only happened maybe once or twice, I really wouldn't mind it all that much. I also think coming up with different ways to move the plot along would've helped. Like, instead of having Oliver hit Myron over the head in order to get him into the underground lab, Oliver could've just gagged Myron and dragged him down there.
Overall, Immortal Lycanthropes was a fun, quirky little novel jam packed with cleverness.
Overall Grade: A-
(“A shameful fact about humanity is that some people can be so ugly that no one will be friends with them. It is shameful that humans can be so cruel, and it is shameful that humans can be so ugly.”
So begins the incredible story of Myron Horowitz, a disfigured thirteen-year-old just trying to fit in at his Pennsylvania school. When a fight with a bully leaves him unconscious and naked in the wreckage of the cafeteria, Myron discovers that he is an immortal lycanthrope—a were-mammal who can transform from human to animal. He also discovers that there are others like him, and many of them want Myron dead. “People will turn into animals,” says the razor-witted narrator of this tour-de-force, “and here come ancient secrets and rivers of blood.”) ~ Blurb from Goodreads
The narrator was hilarious. He basically acts like he hates the story he's telling and has no qualms about roasting all of the characters, but there's this sense that he's secretly enjoying everything just by how much fun he's clearly having telling this story.
The illustrations were really cool. They remind me a lot of the black and white charcoal drawings from the In Case We're Made Into Coats series, but there's this refined elegance to them and given how the prose tends to use fancier language, it really fits.
I found a couple of ideas related to the shapeshifting system to be rather interesting. So there is only one Immortal Lycanthrope per species (i.e one jaguar, one hippo, etc) and that the only way to kill an Immortal Lycanthrope is for another Immortal Lycanthrope to use their animal form to do it. I think these elements really add a sense of logical uniqueness to the shapeshifting system while also allowing the reader to try and solve the mystery of what Myron's animal form is.
I really enjoyed the ending.
That being said, the amount of times Myron gets knocked out or passes out is ridiculous. Not only does it become rather repetitive, but it also feels like a lazy way to move the plot along. If it only happened maybe once or twice, I really wouldn't mind it all that much. I also think coming up with different ways to move the plot along would've helped. Like, instead of having Oliver hit Myron over the head in order to get him into the underground lab, Oliver could've just gagged Myron and dragged him down there.
Overall, Immortal Lycanthropes was a fun, quirky little novel jam packed with cleverness.
Overall Grade: A-
November 2, 2012
Review can also be found on Booksource.com
Readers are led to believe that Myron is 13, but small for his age. His face is horribly disfigured by an accident, which he does not remember, nor anything of his life before. Because of his deformed features, Myron has a severe bullying problem. One of the bullies gives him an injury that should be fatal. Because he recovers with supernatural speed, Myron suspects he isn’t an ordinary child. No one, not even Myron himself, knows what he is until the very end.
Every species of mammal has a single member who is immortal. Through the centuries, these immortals have learned to shift into human form. This is how the immortals discover each other, and that they can only be killed by the teeth or claws of another immortal being. Because of the mystery behind Myron’s original form, he is seen as the biggest threat and the immortal lion becomes fixated on eliminating him.
Though often brutal, it is also quite hilarious—sometimes both at once. Arthur, the immortal binturong and friend to Myron, is the snarky and often abrasive narrator of this story. He is very well spoken, and his occasional use of more challenging vocabulary will stimulate readers. Some very obscure mammals make appearances. Groups of legendary long-lived/immortal humans are also involved, such as the Illuminati and the Rosicrucians. Many characters claim to be directly involved with major events, mythology, and literature throughout history. These snippets are so interesting, that many readers may research these topics on their own.
All immortal lycanthropes are sterile. Readers burnt-out on love triangles will find the lack of a love story refreshing. Fans of The Hunger Games and Animorphs will find much to enjoy within these pages. Discussions of the subjective nature of right and wrong will inevitably take place if being read by a group of students. The fate of the bullies (which is vague and horrible) should also be talked about, though only a brief part of the story. This is a tale with depth, and will cause students to think about it for long after they have finished the last page and discovered what Myron truly is.
Readers are led to believe that Myron is 13, but small for his age. His face is horribly disfigured by an accident, which he does not remember, nor anything of his life before. Because of his deformed features, Myron has a severe bullying problem. One of the bullies gives him an injury that should be fatal. Because he recovers with supernatural speed, Myron suspects he isn’t an ordinary child. No one, not even Myron himself, knows what he is until the very end.
Every species of mammal has a single member who is immortal. Through the centuries, these immortals have learned to shift into human form. This is how the immortals discover each other, and that they can only be killed by the teeth or claws of another immortal being. Because of the mystery behind Myron’s original form, he is seen as the biggest threat and the immortal lion becomes fixated on eliminating him.
Though often brutal, it is also quite hilarious—sometimes both at once. Arthur, the immortal binturong and friend to Myron, is the snarky and often abrasive narrator of this story. He is very well spoken, and his occasional use of more challenging vocabulary will stimulate readers. Some very obscure mammals make appearances. Groups of legendary long-lived/immortal humans are also involved, such as the Illuminati and the Rosicrucians. Many characters claim to be directly involved with major events, mythology, and literature throughout history. These snippets are so interesting, that many readers may research these topics on their own.
All immortal lycanthropes are sterile. Readers burnt-out on love triangles will find the lack of a love story refreshing. Fans of The Hunger Games and Animorphs will find much to enjoy within these pages. Discussions of the subjective nature of right and wrong will inevitably take place if being read by a group of students. The fate of the bullies (which is vague and horrible) should also be talked about, though only a brief part of the story. This is a tale with depth, and will cause students to think about it for long after they have finished the last page and discovered what Myron truly is.
August 24, 2012
This is a copy of my review posted on www.underagraysky.com
If you take Roald Dahl's James & the Giant Peach, Lewis Carrol's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass, and Dan Brown's DaVinci Code and combine them all together into one book, then you'll have an idea of what Immortal Lycanthropes is like to read. It was a definite wild ride. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this book (well, maybe The Night Circus, but I didn't really like that book).
Amazon has Immortal Lycanthropes listed for ages 12 and up. I personally think that is a little young for this book. My son will be turning 12 next month, I wouldn't be comfortable letting him or his friends read it because of a few words used in the story. Totally not a big deal but I just really think ages 14 and up would be more appropriate. There are many characters in this book and so many settings. We cross the country with the main character, Myron, as he simultaneously tries to discover his past, figure out what type of animal he turns into, and avoid those who want to kill or use him.
The author, Hal Johnson, does a great job creating a magical alternative world right smack in the middle of the real world. Immortal Lycanthropes is not a book of warm fuzzy were-animals who romp around having fun with their "magic". It is gritty and real. "Real" in the sense that immortality is not always a gift in some ways it can be a curse.
I think what I appreciated the most out of this book was the ending. It was a surprise and I was very happy with it. I also appreciate the fact that this is a stand alone book, not just the lead in to a new series.
I'd also like to say thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and netgally.com for giving me a digital copy of Immortal Lycanthropes to read in exchange for my impartial review.
If you take Roald Dahl's James & the Giant Peach, Lewis Carrol's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass, and Dan Brown's DaVinci Code and combine them all together into one book, then you'll have an idea of what Immortal Lycanthropes is like to read. It was a definite wild ride. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this book (well, maybe The Night Circus, but I didn't really like that book).
Amazon has Immortal Lycanthropes listed for ages 12 and up. I personally think that is a little young for this book. My son will be turning 12 next month, I wouldn't be comfortable letting him or his friends read it because of a few words used in the story. Totally not a big deal but I just really think ages 14 and up would be more appropriate. There are many characters in this book and so many settings. We cross the country with the main character, Myron, as he simultaneously tries to discover his past, figure out what type of animal he turns into, and avoid those who want to kill or use him.
The author, Hal Johnson, does a great job creating a magical alternative world right smack in the middle of the real world. Immortal Lycanthropes is not a book of warm fuzzy were-animals who romp around having fun with their "magic". It is gritty and real. "Real" in the sense that immortality is not always a gift in some ways it can be a curse.
I think what I appreciated the most out of this book was the ending. It was a surprise and I was very happy with it. I also appreciate the fact that this is a stand alone book, not just the lead in to a new series.
I'd also like to say thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and netgally.com for giving me a digital copy of Immortal Lycanthropes to read in exchange for my impartial review.
April 10, 2015
found this book in the St. Lukes library then bought it at a book sale. I decided to read this book because my brother hated it and since my brother and I are nearly complete opposites I decided to read it. Eventually I came to like the book for its wacky ideas and plot.
The book is about a boy called Myron Horowitz. A 13 year old boy who is bullied for being disfigured, by that I mean ugly, then is beaten mercilessly to the brink of death. After surviving his brutal beating he finds himself to be immortal and also he can change into animals. This isn't a great but it is entertaining that I have shared with some friends that also like it.
My favourite character by far is Arthur. He is the narrator of the book and has the best animal, which is a human because he is actually a binturong. he not the strongest nor the fastest but he is the luckiest (in most cases). out of the whole group he is considered more of an adrenaline junkie than anything else. I like the way he's slightly snark in his comments and has an outgoing attitude.
What this book has taught me is that humans are more of a pest or virus tan anything else. They are cruel, shallow and just basically like hell inside of a person. but the book has also shown me how much effort it actually is to be kind and that those people who have had suffering, dark times and thoughts but prevailed are the ones that are the most ideal people to be and be around.
"People will turn into animals".-Arthur
This quote appeals to me because this doesn't just refer to the people that can turn into animals but it metaphorically means that will will turn turn to a darker side of themselves and therefore the term animals. Look at the history of mankind. This perfectly shows the animalistic ways of man and shows how the number one reason people are struggling now is because of people turning into animals.
The book is about a boy called Myron Horowitz. A 13 year old boy who is bullied for being disfigured, by that I mean ugly, then is beaten mercilessly to the brink of death. After surviving his brutal beating he finds himself to be immortal and also he can change into animals. This isn't a great but it is entertaining that I have shared with some friends that also like it.
My favourite character by far is Arthur. He is the narrator of the book and has the best animal, which is a human because he is actually a binturong. he not the strongest nor the fastest but he is the luckiest (in most cases). out of the whole group he is considered more of an adrenaline junkie than anything else. I like the way he's slightly snark in his comments and has an outgoing attitude.
What this book has taught me is that humans are more of a pest or virus tan anything else. They are cruel, shallow and just basically like hell inside of a person. but the book has also shown me how much effort it actually is to be kind and that those people who have had suffering, dark times and thoughts but prevailed are the ones that are the most ideal people to be and be around.
"People will turn into animals".-Arthur
This quote appeals to me because this doesn't just refer to the people that can turn into animals but it metaphorically means that will will turn turn to a darker side of themselves and therefore the term animals. Look at the history of mankind. This perfectly shows the animalistic ways of man and shows how the number one reason people are struggling now is because of people turning into animals.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2012
I've never read anything quite like this, and I can't quite classify it--and I don't mean that it "has a good personality" (though it does). You should totally date this book. It's just that it's marketed for ages 12 and up, so technically it's older middle grade? But it has YA sensibilities and an adult voice, so I guess it's more of a crossover book. I guess "12 and up" really is the best description, but you have to shelve it somewhere, right? But everyone should read it!
Anyway, it's about a boy named Myron Horowitz, by all appearances a 13-year-old boy with a face as ugly as his name. He falls in with some shapechanging animals: so-called "immortal lycanthropes" who can assume human form. Some of them are kind of after him, and he's after some of them, and there are secret societies coming out of the woodwork, and there's even a doomsday device. Everyone wants to know who he is, especially Myron. He has lots of questions, most of all who he can trust and what his destiny is, as he travels the country encountering quirky and sage characters like an immortal gorilla, an immortal moose, an immortal red panda, and so on. And the answers to those questions will surprise you, dear reader. This is a trippy road trip with plenty of humor tempered by tragedy and philosophy; as Myron learns, sometimes all you can do is hold on for dear life and see where you end up.
Anyway, it's about a boy named Myron Horowitz, by all appearances a 13-year-old boy with a face as ugly as his name. He falls in with some shapechanging animals: so-called "immortal lycanthropes" who can assume human form. Some of them are kind of after him, and he's after some of them, and there are secret societies coming out of the woodwork, and there's even a doomsday device. Everyone wants to know who he is, especially Myron. He has lots of questions, most of all who he can trust and what his destiny is, as he travels the country encountering quirky and sage characters like an immortal gorilla, an immortal moose, an immortal red panda, and so on. And the answers to those questions will surprise you, dear reader. This is a trippy road trip with plenty of humor tempered by tragedy and philosophy; as Myron learns, sometimes all you can do is hold on for dear life and see where you end up.
May 24, 2016
This Book puts a whole new spin on the term Were-animals. in this story the character have the ability to choose when they change into their animal forms- in fact it is suggested that they were animals first, and then assumed humans forms later. the story is about deformed teenage lycanthrope named Myron, who is first picked on mercilessly by bullies, and then whisked away by another set of people who claim he is a lycan (lycanthrope). it is told from the point of view of another lycan, who by the way doesn't meet him until very late in the story. This lycan- unlike most of the other lycan- wants to help him, the others want him dead for one reason or another. The story follows Myron from when he discovers he is a lycan, until he discovers just exactly what kind of animal he is and comes to terms with it.
All in all a very funny, good book
All in all a very funny, good book
August 24, 2012
So here's something I didn't expect this book to be: hysterically funny. Myron is a horribly disfigured teenager whose life is turned upside down by the sudden knowledge that he's an immortal lycanthrope--a were-mammal who can turn back and forth from human. Except that Myron has no memories before his horrible accident five years ago. He doesn't think he's really terribly immortal, and he certainly doesn't know what animal he is. This is the story of his journey across the US, meeting various creatures and shady secret societies. The story is quite engaging, but the dry wit of the narrator is really what makes this one. Snarky teens will love it.
September 6, 2013
Like some other reviewers have mentioned, the story told within Immortal Lycanthropes by Hal Johnson was not what I was expecting and I really, really enjoyed that! Loved, loved, loved the pacing of this story! Loved the menagerie of quirky characters, the many twists & turns the storyline took . . . there were no dull moments! I also loved Myron and would enjoy reading of his further adventures!
December 7, 2020
A wild book with a satisfying ending that answers the question every character wants to know. The story is full of hilarious characters, thought-provoking questions, and (of course) the Illuminati and other meddlesome members of the occult. What else can a reader ask for? If Catch-22 were made into a modern, eclectic fantasy novel, Immortal Lycanthropes would be it.
March 16, 2015
It is really hard to describe this book. It is sad, funny, smart, strange, and magical. I loved it. It is beautiful, in content and form (it has gorgeous illustrations throughout). Everyone should read it!
March 3, 2014
I found it quite entertaining, and the illustrations (which I didn't expect to even be in the ebook version) were lovely.
October 28, 2023
I originally bought this book after I saw it reviewed on Boing Boing. To tell you the truth though, I didn't need a positive review in order to want to buy it - the title alone was enough to sell me.
The story itself is about a 13 year-old horribly disfigured boy named Myron, who was adopted after he was found at the side of the road with amnesia. One day, he's attacked by a school bully, only to black out and then wake up naked, surrounded by the tattered remnants of his clothes, next to a severely injured bully... what follows is Myron's discovery that he is an "immortal lycanthrope" (therianthrope). Basically, for each animal that exists, and has ever existed, there is one immortal individual who can, at will, change into a human if they want. It appears as though Myron is stuck in his human form - though he doesn't know which animal he is, because he doesn't know how to consciously change into it. Only an immortal therianthrope can kill an immortal therianthrope... so, when Myron discovers that the Lion is gunning for him, he's got something to fear.
The book actually turns the genre a little bit on its head though, with Myron deciding that he must be the Chosen One, and announcing it to most everyone he meets, while assuming that he's about to go on an adventure like the heroes of his favourite books. Through the course of the book, he discovers that adventures aren't really all they're cracked up to be. The book is VERY bloody and not at all forgiving, nor do things get wrapped up in sunshine and rainbows... it really does turn the genre a bit on its head, and refuses to bend to the usual rules. The "Immortal Lycanthropes" are just as bad as humans, if not worse, when it comes to being ugly - which is a huge theme of the book. (The inside flap of the book starts with quote: "A shameful fact about humanity is that some people can be so ugly that no one will be friends with them. It is shameful that humans can be so cruel, and it is shameful that humans can be so ugly."
The Quality of the Writing:
I'm not actually sure what age-group the book is meant for, besides maybe a vague "teens" - whatever that means. But basically, if you're a fan of Lemony Snicket, you'll like this book. Seeing as Hal Johnson is by all evidence a pseudonym/nom-de-plume, the book could have very well been written by Snicket/Handler. It's very much in keeping with his writing style in A Series of Unfortunate Events, in that:
1)The narrator of the book is a secondary character in the book that tells the story after having researched the journey of the main character (though he also sometimes interacts with the main character and affects the story-arc directly).
2)The book is filled with weird secret societies being weird and ridiculous.
3)The book has a wonderful mix of humour, sarcasm, and philosophical discussion disguised as humour and sarcasm.
The writing in the book isn't quite as refined and precise as Snicket though. The pace is a bit uneven in places, and in the paragraph I quoted above, I actually edited out an errant comma in one of the sentences. By the end of the book, I HAD actually guessed Myron's animal-form before it was revealed, but I think I might have been lucky... or I knew what I would do if I were writing the book, and the author and I just think alike. Judging by the reviews on amazon (which you shouldn't read until after you read the book!) people were generally taken by surprise.
All in all, a very enjoyable and quick read. I'm a sucker for therianthropes of course, so I might be a little biased - but I'm also a sucker for books that are fun without talking down to the audience, and use ridiculous premises to talk about morality, the turning of history, and the existence, or non-existence, of innocence.
The story itself is about a 13 year-old horribly disfigured boy named Myron, who was adopted after he was found at the side of the road with amnesia. One day, he's attacked by a school bully, only to black out and then wake up naked, surrounded by the tattered remnants of his clothes, next to a severely injured bully... what follows is Myron's discovery that he is an "immortal lycanthrope" (therianthrope). Basically, for each animal that exists, and has ever existed, there is one immortal individual who can, at will, change into a human if they want. It appears as though Myron is stuck in his human form - though he doesn't know which animal he is, because he doesn't know how to consciously change into it. Only an immortal therianthrope can kill an immortal therianthrope... so, when Myron discovers that the Lion is gunning for him, he's got something to fear.
The book actually turns the genre a little bit on its head though, with Myron deciding that he must be the Chosen One, and announcing it to most everyone he meets, while assuming that he's about to go on an adventure like the heroes of his favourite books. Through the course of the book, he discovers that adventures aren't really all they're cracked up to be. The book is VERY bloody and not at all forgiving, nor do things get wrapped up in sunshine and rainbows... it really does turn the genre a bit on its head, and refuses to bend to the usual rules. The "Immortal Lycanthropes" are just as bad as humans, if not worse, when it comes to being ugly - which is a huge theme of the book. (The inside flap of the book starts with quote: "A shameful fact about humanity is that some people can be so ugly that no one will be friends with them. It is shameful that humans can be so cruel, and it is shameful that humans can be so ugly."
The Quality of the Writing:
I'm not actually sure what age-group the book is meant for, besides maybe a vague "teens" - whatever that means. But basically, if you're a fan of Lemony Snicket, you'll like this book. Seeing as Hal Johnson is by all evidence a pseudonym/nom-de-plume, the book could have very well been written by Snicket/Handler. It's very much in keeping with his writing style in A Series of Unfortunate Events, in that:
1)The narrator of the book is a secondary character in the book that tells the story after having researched the journey of the main character (though he also sometimes interacts with the main character and affects the story-arc directly).
2)The book is filled with weird secret societies being weird and ridiculous.
3)The book has a wonderful mix of humour, sarcasm, and philosophical discussion disguised as humour and sarcasm.
The writing in the book isn't quite as refined and precise as Snicket though. The pace is a bit uneven in places, and in the paragraph I quoted above, I actually edited out an errant comma in one of the sentences. By the end of the book, I HAD actually guessed Myron's animal-form before it was revealed, but I think I might have been lucky... or I knew what I would do if I were writing the book, and the author and I just think alike. Judging by the reviews on amazon (which you shouldn't read until after you read the book!) people were generally taken by surprise.
All in all, a very enjoyable and quick read. I'm a sucker for therianthropes of course, so I might be a little biased - but I'm also a sucker for books that are fun without talking down to the audience, and use ridiculous premises to talk about morality, the turning of history, and the existence, or non-existence, of innocence.
dnf
September 8, 2019Couldn’t do it. DNF at 157.
This book had a lot of promise to begin with even though it was a bit weird. It lost my interest though halfway through. I tried to stay into it, but I was lost on where the story was going. Plus I felt like I had to look up words every couple of paragraphs.
This book had a lot of promise to begin with even though it was a bit weird. It lost my interest though halfway through. I tried to stay into it, but I was lost on where the story was going. Plus I felt like I had to look up words every couple of paragraphs.
September 6, 2021
I would have loved this book as a kid. I only "like" it as an adult. I discovered it when it was reviewed by BoingBoing. I let it sit on my shelf for a long time after I bought it because it looked very...young adult-ish when I got it in person. But don't let the cover deceive you. It deals with adult subject matter -- but in a way that is safe (?) for kids and through methods they could understand.
The story is narrated in a monotone voice and with dry humor. Kind of unreliable, but also factual. Turns out to be a character in the story. That kind of thing.
The story centers around beings who can turn into animals. Wait, they are mammalian animals that, thousands of years ago, realized they could turn into humans. They don't know why or how. Like us, they just are. And they cannot die unless killed by another Lycanthrope, which seems pretty Highlander-esque but also very this-ish too. It's The Jungle Book meets Highlander, honestly. And there's even an equal amount of Scott-ish-ness (hyphens purposeful). The main villain doesn't have a lot of motivation for why he does what he does, but I also argue he's not the main villain. There is no main villain or even real hero in this story. That's what makes it so good.
But oh wait, they aren't really Lycanthropes. That word is really more of an eponym that's meant to represent more than just wolves. It's the "colloquial" term, as one character says. In the past, some were worshiped as gods. Now they're aware of each other and think Myron is the newest of them all -- perhaps even "the chosen one."
There is only one of each animal (don't worry about how evolution makes that messy, though it's touched on in the book). And there's a badguy lion who wants to kill our main character, Myron, just because. Myron is a disfigured little boy -- rather, he looks like one. Who knows what animal he really can turn into? And when the 'thropes do turn back and forth, they end up naked -- it's not like watching the eye-roll worthy moments of Hulk in short-shorts (though it is a bit for the gorilla...).
The story plays out in a world where secret societies like the Illuminati and alchemists are real, where anarchists attend Lycanthrope-hosted conferences, and the gods probably exist because they are called on a lot (?). Just go with it. I also learned about a secret society called The Nine Unknown Men, which, not gonna lie, threw me off a bit because the story assumes you would know about them. But kids probably won't. It's not a big deal but it would have been nice to have known their rumor beforehand or have the story explain them a bit better. I thought they were something Johnson made up.
It's all told so directly and without flourish that it makes it realistic. Time is handled very well -- the forgetfulness of the immortal beings, the way they explain the world (while all having a slightly different view of it). Along the way Myron meets a communist con artist who is also a gorilla. A moose who loves cheese and shuns society. And a bearcat who ghostwrites for a living. (Can you tell who the narrator is?).
Myron is knocked unconscious "entirely too many times" (as he puts it) in order to speed things along. However, this is not a fast-paced tale. The plot isn't want keeps you turning pages, it's the mystery and the narrator. I loved the voice and the meta-ness of it all. It helped carry the morally-grey subject matter. There are long conversations with immortals over their life stories. There is a lot of death. There is a lot of unrealistic things that seem so plausible when put into this story.
Read muy full review here: https://blackandwhitepandaduh.wordpre...
The story is narrated in a monotone voice and with dry humor. Kind of unreliable, but also factual. Turns out to be a character in the story. That kind of thing.
The story centers around beings who can turn into animals. Wait, they are mammalian animals that, thousands of years ago, realized they could turn into humans. They don't know why or how. Like us, they just are. And they cannot die unless killed by another Lycanthrope, which seems pretty Highlander-esque but also very this-ish too. It's The Jungle Book meets Highlander, honestly. And there's even an equal amount of Scott-ish-ness (hyphens purposeful). The main villain doesn't have a lot of motivation for why he does what he does, but I also argue he's not the main villain. There is no main villain or even real hero in this story. That's what makes it so good.
But oh wait, they aren't really Lycanthropes. That word is really more of an eponym that's meant to represent more than just wolves. It's the "colloquial" term, as one character says. In the past, some were worshiped as gods. Now they're aware of each other and think Myron is the newest of them all -- perhaps even "the chosen one."
There is only one of each animal (don't worry about how evolution makes that messy, though it's touched on in the book). And there's a badguy lion who wants to kill our main character, Myron, just because. Myron is a disfigured little boy -- rather, he looks like one. Who knows what animal he really can turn into? And when the 'thropes do turn back and forth, they end up naked -- it's not like watching the eye-roll worthy moments of Hulk in short-shorts (though it is a bit for the gorilla...).
The story plays out in a world where secret societies like the Illuminati and alchemists are real, where anarchists attend Lycanthrope-hosted conferences, and the gods probably exist because they are called on a lot (?). Just go with it. I also learned about a secret society called The Nine Unknown Men, which, not gonna lie, threw me off a bit because the story assumes you would know about them. But kids probably won't. It's not a big deal but it would have been nice to have known their rumor beforehand or have the story explain them a bit better. I thought they were something Johnson made up.
It's all told so directly and without flourish that it makes it realistic. Time is handled very well -- the forgetfulness of the immortal beings, the way they explain the world (while all having a slightly different view of it). Along the way Myron meets a communist con artist who is also a gorilla. A moose who loves cheese and shuns society. And a bearcat who ghostwrites for a living. (Can you tell who the narrator is?).
Myron is knocked unconscious "entirely too many times" (as he puts it) in order to speed things along. However, this is not a fast-paced tale. The plot isn't want keeps you turning pages, it's the mystery and the narrator. I loved the voice and the meta-ness of it all. It helped carry the morally-grey subject matter. There are long conversations with immortals over their life stories. There is a lot of death. There is a lot of unrealistic things that seem so plausible when put into this story.
Read muy full review here: https://blackandwhitepandaduh.wordpre...
January 28, 2015
I keep going back and forth about whether to rate it 3 or 4 stars. I've settled with 4 because. Although I'm not the biggest fantasy reader, I got pulled into a story about a group of lycanthropes (which means any animal that can change into a human). In this novel, the lycanthropes (all are mammals, by the way) are immortal, and can only be killed by another lycanthrope. The main character, Myron, is a lycanthropes who doesn't realize he is one. The book is an adventure story in which Myron attempts to find out who (or what) he is while trying not to get killed by the lion (who is the strongest of the lycanthropes). The novel's plot got bogged down somewhat near the end, but I kept reading because I wanted to know whether Myron was a savior who would keep the lycanthropes from killing each other and I needed to find out what kind of animal Myron is. But then the action picked up leading to a satisfying conclusion.
December 30, 2012
Ok...one of the stranger books I've read. A really interesting premise with some very memorable characters. Writing was witty. Some slow periods in the middle of the book and a strange ending. Not necessarily disappointing, just strange and not quite what I was expecting.
January 3, 2013
If I didn't have to read this for the Library Materials Review Committee, I would have stopped after about 25 pages. This book just was not my style.
August 16, 2020
This book was middle of the road for me. I like that it had a Series of Unfortunate Events vibe going on and I didn't expect the plot twist at the end, which I thought was good. However, there were some parts of the book, like the 'school for boys', that I didn't think we're necessary to the story line. I also felt like the main villain was always in the background, but never came to the forefront until the last chapter. To me it felt like his henchmen were more important than he was.
February 24, 2023
I am honestly not sure what I even just read but I think it was good. Not sure on that point either. Overall an intriguing book but very convoluted with no obvious story arc. It felt a little bit like a dream where ideas and scenes are just barely tied together combined with a distracted child's ability to tell a story. You get to the end and you have no idea how you got there and are left wondering what the point even was.
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