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Island Wolfman #1
Paradise
Marooned. Alone with only the voices in my head -- and an island full of sex crazed wolfmen... They call this Paradise? Really?
What started out as a romantic cruise -- a last ditch effort to save our fading marriage -- turned ugly when my wife, Cecily, dumps me off me on an island in the middle of the Caribbean. To be fair, the virus was turning the men into monsters. All the men got left behind, to keep the women safe. But did she have to look so happy to get rid of me?
Immune to the virus that's ripped our world apart, I'm the only human left on this damnable island. I'm a slightly neurotic forty-year-old college professor playing Robinson Crusoe on the Island of Dr. Moreau.
"Oh please, Ari. You're far from Robinson Crusoe. He was a real man."
Oh, and my wife? She's still nagging me, if only in my mind. And now there's a certain wolfman after me who just doesn't understand I'm not looking to switch teams. Then there's the heat and humidity, wild wolfmen ready to attack, and a hurricane looming on the horizon.
Island life is far from paradise.
What started out as a romantic cruise -- a last ditch effort to save our fading marriage -- turned ugly when my wife, Cecily, dumps me off me on an island in the middle of the Caribbean. To be fair, the virus was turning the men into monsters. All the men got left behind, to keep the women safe. But did she have to look so happy to get rid of me?
Immune to the virus that's ripped our world apart, I'm the only human left on this damnable island. I'm a slightly neurotic forty-year-old college professor playing Robinson Crusoe on the Island of Dr. Moreau.
"Oh please, Ari. You're far from Robinson Crusoe. He was a real man."
Oh, and my wife? She's still nagging me, if only in my mind. And now there's a certain wolfman after me who just doesn't understand I'm not looking to switch teams. Then there's the heat and humidity, wild wolfmen ready to attack, and a hurricane looming on the horizon.
Island life is far from paradise.
87 pages, Nook
First published April 17, 2012
About the author
Brannan Black
21 books59 followersDark Dreams, Forbidden Fantasies. What if...
Brannan writes books that move people, balancing gritty realism with a sprinkling of humor and leavened with love. Her critically acclaimed books include post apocalyptic, fantasy and paranormal genres. Gender is no barrier to love so you'll find m/f, m/m and m/m/f couples sharing the adventures and romances of a lifetime. She loves to put average people in tough and unusual spots to see what makes them tick. OK, some are not so average and are from different realities but they are still as real to her as anyone.
Brannan can often be found writing out on her patio, while traveling with her hubby or squirreled away in her studio. She lives on a small ranch in Colorado and enjoys traveling, making stained glass windows and staring out the window over looking her ranch wondering “what if?”
Come lose yourself in Brannan’s worlds where passion and gritty action coexist.
Brannan writes books that move people, balancing gritty realism with a sprinkling of humor and leavened with love. Her critically acclaimed books include post apocalyptic, fantasy and paranormal genres. Gender is no barrier to love so you'll find m/f, m/m and m/m/f couples sharing the adventures and romances of a lifetime. She loves to put average people in tough and unusual spots to see what makes them tick. OK, some are not so average and are from different realities but they are still as real to her as anyone.
Brannan can often be found writing out on her patio, while traveling with her hubby or squirreled away in her studio. She lives on a small ranch in Colorado and enjoys traveling, making stained glass windows and staring out the window over looking her ranch wondering “what if?”
Come lose yourself in Brannan’s worlds where passion and gritty action coexist.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 5, 2012
This new series has the same apocalyptic setting As (Wolfman series). The story has an interesting plot. The story is developed on the Island, where the same virulent plague devastated most of the island's population. Of the men who survived, most of them, changed into into human/wolf hybrids.
Ari was a survivor of this virus as well. He was marooned on the island for years the same as many other man population with him. But Ari didn't change as many others did, he was immune to the plague.
Because the pack of Thugs, as Ari called them, didn't know how to survive they wanted Aris help, to teach them how to prepare the food and which food was good.
This series has a huge promise. I will definitely read other parts in the future.
Ari was a survivor of this virus as well. He was marooned on the island for years the same as many other man population with him. But Ari didn't change as many others did, he was immune to the plague.
Because the pack of Thugs, as Ari called them, didn't know how to survive they wanted Aris help, to teach them how to prepare the food and which food was good.
This series has a huge promise. I will definitely read other parts in the future.
February 9, 2012
I love this author's work. Her
Wolfman series
is one of my favourite reads. This book looks to be the beginning of a new series still set in the same apocalyptic world but with very different characters and a lighter touch.
Ari was on a cruise with his wife trying to rekindle their relationship when the wolfman virus struck. He, along with all the other men on the ship, were abandoned on an island. He is the only one immune to the virus and has been living hand to mouth, dodging wild wolfman packs, with only his bitchy wife's voice in his head for company. The story opens with Ari being chased by a wolfman pack through the dense forest of the island.
Ari's a great character. Nearly 40, professor, and total misfit, he is fearful of the rowdy and aggressive wolf pack that has captured him but at the same time can't stop himself from interfering in their lives and trying to humanise them and protect them. His previously secret and illicit thoughts about men are severely tested by the protective and dominant Zach (one of the leading pack members.)
Despite this being just novella sized, it's a satisfying read. I like that it's set on an island, and wonder how that artificial isolation will affect then all. Will others arrive? Will the ship return? I like that the wolf men are fairly newly 'turned' and seem to have so much to learn. I also like the younger members of the pack and wonder what will happen with Ari's kids who he misses so much. I loved the sexual tension and confusion between Zach and Ari although Ari's acceptance does feel a little rushed at the end. I will definitely be reading more books in this series!
Ari was on a cruise with his wife trying to rekindle their relationship when the wolfman virus struck. He, along with all the other men on the ship, were abandoned on an island. He is the only one immune to the virus and has been living hand to mouth, dodging wild wolfman packs, with only his bitchy wife's voice in his head for company. The story opens with Ari being chased by a wolfman pack through the dense forest of the island.
Ari's a great character. Nearly 40, professor, and total misfit, he is fearful of the rowdy and aggressive wolf pack that has captured him but at the same time can't stop himself from interfering in their lives and trying to humanise them and protect them. His previously secret and illicit thoughts about men are severely tested by the protective and dominant Zach (one of the leading pack members.)
Despite this being just novella sized, it's a satisfying read. I like that it's set on an island, and wonder how that artificial isolation will affect then all. Will others arrive? Will the ship return? I like that the wolf men are fairly newly 'turned' and seem to have so much to learn. I also like the younger members of the pack and wonder what will happen with Ari's kids who he misses so much. I loved the sexual tension and confusion between Zach and Ari although Ari's acceptance does feel a little rushed at the end. I will definitely be reading more books in this series!
May 15, 2012
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
I grinned when I first read the blurb for the first book of the Island Wolfman series. I was going to get more of the rough stuff, meet new characters and just enjoy Black's terrific world. I got just what I had expected.
Ari is a human on an island filled with wolfmen. Once the virus hit, he was on a cruise with his wife who didn't hesitate to dump him and the rest of the men on an island while the women sailed away. Now, after being alone and avoiding the infected men for so long, he is finally caught, and not only is he expected to teach the wolfmen to provide for themselves he also has to fight his own attraction toward Zach, one of the strongest members of the pack who likes screaming ‘mine' when Ari is around.
This book was tamer than the previous series set in the same world. The wolfmen seemed more scattered and their dominance not as expressed. They still growled, fought and fucked, but it was not as intense and they were much more open to negotiation as well as simple conversation. Ari heard the voice of his wife in his head through the whole book. It is a good addition to the story but it really annoyed me because I didn't know that woman, I didn't want to read about her and for future reference, wouldn't mind if she never appeared in the series at all. The ending was wrapped up quickly and Ari's acceptance of the situation went from resistance to almost instant oh-yes-please.
All of that listed, I still loved this book. It might not have been as danger edged as the others but it was still very interesting. The pack relations always do it for me as do the altercations between the pack members. Brannan Black's got a winner with this series and as she knows and likes to write them rough, we like to read about it just as much. Recommended for readers who like it different.
I grinned when I first read the blurb for the first book of the Island Wolfman series. I was going to get more of the rough stuff, meet new characters and just enjoy Black's terrific world. I got just what I had expected.
Ari is a human on an island filled with wolfmen. Once the virus hit, he was on a cruise with his wife who didn't hesitate to dump him and the rest of the men on an island while the women sailed away. Now, after being alone and avoiding the infected men for so long, he is finally caught, and not only is he expected to teach the wolfmen to provide for themselves he also has to fight his own attraction toward Zach, one of the strongest members of the pack who likes screaming ‘mine' when Ari is around.
This book was tamer than the previous series set in the same world. The wolfmen seemed more scattered and their dominance not as expressed. They still growled, fought and fucked, but it was not as intense and they were much more open to negotiation as well as simple conversation. Ari heard the voice of his wife in his head through the whole book. It is a good addition to the story but it really annoyed me because I didn't know that woman, I didn't want to read about her and for future reference, wouldn't mind if she never appeared in the series at all. The ending was wrapped up quickly and Ari's acceptance of the situation went from resistance to almost instant oh-yes-please.
All of that listed, I still loved this book. It might not have been as danger edged as the others but it was still very interesting. The pack relations always do it for me as do the altercations between the pack members. Brannan Black's got a winner with this series and as she knows and likes to write them rough, we like to read about it just as much. Recommended for readers who like it different.
February 4, 2012
This is a different setting for the Wolfman "virus" with different main characters. While on a cruise with his wife, apparently the virus started making itself known so it was decided to dump the men on a resort island while evacuating the women there. Immune himself, Ari has managed to avoid those afflected and survive, all while listening to his wife's imagined (and bitchy!) running dialogue in his head.
A fun, quick read....this author is able to pack more punch in a novella length story than many authors do in a novel plus book. A great use of words; tightly written and good story flow.
A fun, quick read....this author is able to pack more punch in a novella length story than many authors do in a novel plus book. A great use of words; tightly written and good story flow.
February 6, 2012
Writing was very good, characters interesting, funny.
I didn't like how the relationship progressed. Looked a little rushed to the end. Too easy. All our character needed to do was to accept it. Maybe problems will arise in the sequel.
Also wolfmen looked a little too soft in here comparing to the ones I read before by this author. It looked like they could change their behavior way too easy and too fast. Basically no rough path to becoming more civilized. This clashed with the view of them I had before.
Still interested in sequel.
I didn't like how the relationship progressed. Looked a little rushed to the end. Too easy. All our character needed to do was to accept it. Maybe problems will arise in the sequel.
Also wolfmen looked a little too soft in here comparing to the ones I read before by this author. It looked like they could change their behavior way too easy and too fast. Basically no rough path to becoming more civilized. This clashed with the view of them I had before.
Still interested in sequel.
February 10, 2012
Not a bad read but a very watered down version of the Wolfmen that I have come to love in her other books.
February 11, 2017
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
After reading and enjoying the Wolfman: Apocalypse Collection so much, I couldn’t wait to get into this one. Paradise takes place in the same universe but in a different locale and showcases life after the virus, not only in the closed environment of an island, but with a group of wolfmen that haven’t got the level of ‘civilization’ the previous series did. Here’s where Ari comes in; the only man on the island that didn’t succumb to the virus and change, Ari has retained all of his memories and skills which makes him valuable to the wolfmen when they find him.
I found the differences between this book and the other series interesting; I liked seeing the ‘start’ of a wolfman society as opposed to one that’s been in place for years already and seeing Ari discover things and make connections about their behavior and pack structure was kind of neat. The one thing I didn’t care for was the remnant of his so called wife as she nagged him relentlessly about pretty much everything but, at the same time, I understand coping mechanisms so it made sense to me that Ari would be having conversations with a voice in his head in order to not feel so alone. I can still wish it had been someone more pleasant, however. :P
There is sex in the book though most of it takes place between various members of the pack instead of the main characters; they eventually get their own action but there’s a lot of non explicit ‘pack bonding’ going on which was in line with what I’d read before. Overall, I enjoyed the story and this made for an entertaining look at the post apocalyptic world when the survivors are still working to start over. You don’t have to read the previous series in order to understand or enjoy this one, but I’d still recommend it because it was really good. Also, while there hasn’t been a second book released for the Island Wolfman series yet, Paradise has no cliffhangers and works well as a standalone so if you’re interested in it, don’t be afraid to pick it up based on the release date. I enjoyed this and am really hoping the author will pick the series back up at some point as I’d love to read more. :)
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/02/1...
After reading and enjoying the Wolfman: Apocalypse Collection so much, I couldn’t wait to get into this one. Paradise takes place in the same universe but in a different locale and showcases life after the virus, not only in the closed environment of an island, but with a group of wolfmen that haven’t got the level of ‘civilization’ the previous series did. Here’s where Ari comes in; the only man on the island that didn’t succumb to the virus and change, Ari has retained all of his memories and skills which makes him valuable to the wolfmen when they find him.
I found the differences between this book and the other series interesting; I liked seeing the ‘start’ of a wolfman society as opposed to one that’s been in place for years already and seeing Ari discover things and make connections about their behavior and pack structure was kind of neat. The one thing I didn’t care for was the remnant of his so called wife as she nagged him relentlessly about pretty much everything but, at the same time, I understand coping mechanisms so it made sense to me that Ari would be having conversations with a voice in his head in order to not feel so alone. I can still wish it had been someone more pleasant, however. :P
There is sex in the book though most of it takes place between various members of the pack instead of the main characters; they eventually get their own action but there’s a lot of non explicit ‘pack bonding’ going on which was in line with what I’d read before. Overall, I enjoyed the story and this made for an entertaining look at the post apocalyptic world when the survivors are still working to start over. You don’t have to read the previous series in order to understand or enjoy this one, but I’d still recommend it because it was really good. Also, while there hasn’t been a second book released for the Island Wolfman series yet, Paradise has no cliffhangers and works well as a standalone so if you’re interested in it, don’t be afraid to pick it up based on the release date. I enjoyed this and am really hoping the author will pick the series back up at some point as I’d love to read more. :)
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/02/1...
August 10, 2012
The premise of this book was hard for me to swallow. While on a cruise, the main character, Ari, is abandoned on a remote island. He and all the other male passengers from the cruise ship are being quarantined due to the infestation of a virus that turns them all into wolfmen. For some reason, Ari is immune to the virus.
Ari, a forty year old married, heterosexual college professor, has to learn some survivalist skills in order to care for himself and stay alive. He also struggles to steer clear of the pack of wolfmen, whom he regards as cannibalistic savages.
When Ari is captured by the pack, he quickly discovers that the wolf men are not a threat to him. They welcome him into their group and are eager to learn from him. He teaches them skills to help them improve. In the process, he falls in love with one of the pack leaders, Zach.
Throughout the story, Ari is plagued by an internal mental dialogue. He constantly hears the voice of his ex wife in his head, harping at him for everything he does. He argues with her as she mocks and ridicules him for his homosexual attractions, and repeatedly he denies them and acknowledges how disgusting the mere idea of sex with another man (or man-like wolf)actually is.
Eventually he caves into his primal desires and has sex with his half-human partner. They become mates and the story ends at a point where there is a setup for a sequel.
It was an interesting read, but I really had difficulty suspending disbelief. This is perhaps a very subjective analysis based upon my own taste, coming from someone who does not often read books within this sub genre.
Ari, a forty year old married, heterosexual college professor, has to learn some survivalist skills in order to care for himself and stay alive. He also struggles to steer clear of the pack of wolfmen, whom he regards as cannibalistic savages.
When Ari is captured by the pack, he quickly discovers that the wolf men are not a threat to him. They welcome him into their group and are eager to learn from him. He teaches them skills to help them improve. In the process, he falls in love with one of the pack leaders, Zach.
Throughout the story, Ari is plagued by an internal mental dialogue. He constantly hears the voice of his ex wife in his head, harping at him for everything he does. He argues with her as she mocks and ridicules him for his homosexual attractions, and repeatedly he denies them and acknowledges how disgusting the mere idea of sex with another man (or man-like wolf)actually is.
Eventually he caves into his primal desires and has sex with his half-human partner. They become mates and the story ends at a point where there is a setup for a sequel.
It was an interesting read, but I really had difficulty suspending disbelief. This is perhaps a very subjective analysis based upon my own taste, coming from someone who does not often read books within this sub genre.
September 30, 2012
I really liked how conflicted Ari was, with Cecily in his head. Bitch! You can see the Wolfmen may not be human but they are emotional nonetheless. Zach is just trying so hard. I want the one-eyed boy to grow up and get his HEA.
February 10, 2012
Good start. Did enjoy reading it.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews