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The Larger World #2
Vengeance of the Wolf
Detective John Yardley and FBI agent, Frank Williams are on a quest. They are determined to stop a manipulative, unknown mass murderer, whose targets seem to be specific politicians in a bizarre and maniacal killing spree...one that draws them into a world of dreams and nightmares beyond their wildest imaginations. Awaiting them are unbelievable terrors, chilling twists and turns, and a scope of destruction that they would never have believed possible. "Solitaire Parke takes the reader into the world of dreams. The description is so well written; the reader is transported into the world Dorian creates for his victims. Everything is so vivid and descriptive that it isn't hard to get lost in the story. 'Vengeance of the Wolf' is an absolute read by anyone who loves a good thriller...It leaves you guessing until the very end." -Beverly Rearick - Inscriptions Magazine
316 pages, Paperback
Published February 23, 2012
7 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Solitaire Parke
31 books41 followersSolitaire Parke is an author of Science Fiction/Urban Fantasy, Poetry and Larger World books. He is a lover of dragons, the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, and has a large collection of science fiction books and movies. After becoming an award winning photographer and earning a degree in music theory, he worked in graphic and web design, but he always returns to writing. When he is not writing, you can find him reading, watching a sci-fi television show or movie, or researching a new “techno gadget” on the internet. He now resides in Arizona with his family and two very spoiled dogs!
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 6, 2012
(Book provided through Read It & Reap in the Shut Up & Read group, in exchange for an honest review.)
3.5/5 stars. I might have given it a 4, only it was frustrating in some aspects.
I was drawn to this book by the concept of dreams and nightmares, which is something that usually catches my interest, and I indeed found the method of killing quite interesting as well as thrilling. Troubling as this may be, seeing the killer in action, the way he picked at his victims and toyed with them, the way he thought, was just as interesting. The chilling feeling I got out of those scenes was reinforced by the descriptions, which were detailed enough to allow me to easily picture places and dreamscape. The 'bad guy' is clearly pretty deranged here; there was something almost touching to the reason behind his killing spree—a tiny spark that could've died quickly, that might even have seemed laughable to many people, yet blossomed instead into something terrifying, served by means beyond normal human scope. (The nursery rhymes quoted at the beginning of each chapter made me feel this even more strongly: they're definitely reminiscent of something child-like, with an added creepy edge.)
All the characters had their part to play in the plot, with more or less spotlight, of course. Although it took me some time to get a real liking to Yardley and Williams, they are interesting personae, with spunk and potential, along with willpower and resiliency (how many people would've gone on trying to put an end to such an eluding case?). There were a few moments when I was confused at whose point of view I was following (in instances where "IT" and "the man" appeared); otherwise, the dates, places and POVs were clear and evident.
Overall, I had a good time reading this story, and wanted to know how it went from beginning to end (the epilogue was chilly, by the way—it screams for a catastrophe in the making, really). However, I remained frustrated at some things that I wished would have been more elaborated on. For instance, Celeste and her family (there's something mysterious here, and I was hoping to learn more); the exact mechanism of the killer's abilities; or Anthony's motives and involvement, that were partly explained only, in my opinion. I think I'd have enjoyed the novel more if those loose ends had been tied. Last but not least, I managed to guess who the killer was fairly early; once I had it in my head, my hypothesis kept on being validated regularly. I'd have wanted that mystery to last longer.
3.5/5 stars. I might have given it a 4, only it was frustrating in some aspects.
I was drawn to this book by the concept of dreams and nightmares, which is something that usually catches my interest, and I indeed found the method of killing quite interesting as well as thrilling. Troubling as this may be, seeing the killer in action, the way he picked at his victims and toyed with them, the way he thought, was just as interesting. The chilling feeling I got out of those scenes was reinforced by the descriptions, which were detailed enough to allow me to easily picture places and dreamscape. The 'bad guy' is clearly pretty deranged here; there was something almost touching to the reason behind his killing spree—a tiny spark that could've died quickly, that might even have seemed laughable to many people, yet blossomed instead into something terrifying, served by means beyond normal human scope. (The nursery rhymes quoted at the beginning of each chapter made me feel this even more strongly: they're definitely reminiscent of something child-like, with an added creepy edge.)
All the characters had their part to play in the plot, with more or less spotlight, of course. Although it took me some time to get a real liking to Yardley and Williams, they are interesting personae, with spunk and potential, along with willpower and resiliency (how many people would've gone on trying to put an end to such an eluding case?). There were a few moments when I was confused at whose point of view I was following (in instances where "IT" and "the man" appeared); otherwise, the dates, places and POVs were clear and evident.
Overall, I had a good time reading this story, and wanted to know how it went from beginning to end (the epilogue was chilly, by the way—it screams for a catastrophe in the making, really). However, I remained frustrated at some things that I wished would have been more elaborated on. For instance, Celeste and her family (there's something mysterious here, and I was hoping to learn more); the exact mechanism of the killer's abilities; or Anthony's motives and involvement, that were partly explained only, in my opinion. I think I'd have enjoyed the novel more if those loose ends had been tied. Last but not least, I managed to guess who the killer was fairly early; once I had it in my head, my hypothesis kept on being validated regularly. I'd have wanted that mystery to last longer.
August 13, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved the idea for the story and at times I was really into it, wanting to find out what would happen. On the other hand, there were times when I was just reading because I had promised to review it and otherwise might have put it down and not picked it up again.
Right from the start there were quite a few grammatical errors, for example: missing commas, the use of 'was' instead of 'were' and errors in sentence structure. This tends to put me off a book and doesn't give me very high expectations. There were also simple spelling errors such as 'through' instead of 'threw' and 'you're' instead of 'your'. In addition, many of the similes didn't quite work and some of the word choices were a little odd and didn't seem to have been considered. This wasn't always the case. Some of the writing was very good, but it wasn't consistent throughout the whole book.
At the beginning, when I just wanted to get a feel for the story and get to know the setting and one or two of the main characters, the frequent change of point of view didn't help me to get settled with this book. Just when I got into reading from one point of view, it changed. In addition,
I felt I was given too little information about what was going on to keep me wanting to read more. It was frustrating and a bit confusing. It wasn't until I read the latter half of the book that much of it became clear. There was too much I didn't know, telling me that the author knew what was going to happen, but hadn't thought enough about the story from the point of view of the reader.
In some scenes, it seemed that although there was no doubt that the author knew exactly what he wanted to portray and had a clear image in his mind, the description on the page didn't quite create a detailed enough image for the reader. Often, details were left out that would have helped the story flow better, e.g. Shortly after Williams' arrival, when Yardley and Williams are having a conversation about having to work together, we are only aware of the two of them being present in the conference room. Suddenly, there are lots of other people in the room, reminding the reader that he/she (the reader) is not in the story and doesn't have a full picture of the scene. It causes confusion and prevents the reader engaging fully with the story.
During the first few murders, Dorian entraps his victims while they are asleep and it is assumed he can only do this while they are sleeping. However, the killing spree at the 'party' in Russia takes place while they are awake. I assume this was a development as opposed to an accidental inconsistency by the author, but it would have been good to have an explanation for this change, which seems a bit sudden and inconsistent.
I struggled to get a grip on Yardley's character and didn't find him consistent in his behaviour, which would have helped me get to know him better. Williams, too, seemed subject to sudden, out of character mood changes. Dorian's character was much more consistent, although it was strange that he got upset at a couple of, in his opinion, 'innocent' killings, yet shortly afterwards, killed hundreds of innocent people when he destroyed all the planes and the airport in Tel Aviv.
I really didn't like the name Cullen Edwards. After reading Twilight, I'm not sure anyone would fail to make the connection. It may not have been intentional, but because of this, it just didn't feel like the name was real (other than being invented by Dorian).
I was suspicious right from the start that the 'office blonde' was involved and noted at the time that it was a little soon to have my suspicion roused, as the character had only just been introduced. However, I forgot all about her, as after meeting her right at the beginning of the book, no more is mentioned about her until right at the end, when her involvement is not really explained, but just hinted at and left for the reader to make the connection back to the beginning. I feel this thread could have been developed as another layer of the story, but was neglected.
Certain events didn't seem very realistic. I found it hard to believe that people, even loquacious politicians, would talk when their necks had been broken. I know this is not our reality, but I didn't find that believable even within the realms of the story. I also doubted that Williams would have time to ponder something as mundane as why the elevators always took such a long time. His impatience is to be expected, but not his thoughts, which would surely have been too caught up in the awful events and trying to make some sense of it all to pay attention to the floors passing.
The fact that I could not read this book in a day, does not in itself make it bad. Some books simply cannot be read cover to cover without a break and I think this book belongs in that category. I did however take longer than expected to read it, because I found it hard going at times. The pace of the story was too slow in places. Quite early on, I was willing the story to move on and develop and found myself reading about yet another politician's dream and demise. It was quite frustrating, that half way through I still knew little about the wolves or why and how they were relevant. I think that if there were more threads woven through the story, this would have helped to move the story forward while still allowing for the repeated descriptions of Dorian's executions of those he considered guilty.
About ⅔ of the way through, I had started to lose hope and considered giving up. Too many people had tried to stand up against Dorian, building up my hopes that they might stop him and move the story on, only to fail and become another statistic on the 'assassinated politicians' list. It started to get too repetitive and didn't seem to be going anywhere. Then eventually, during his massacre in Russia, he meets the creative Russian politician, who toys with him and plays him at his own game, making it interesting and causing us to wonder if he has finally met his match. Although the Russian does not succeed, it gives us hope that Dorian is not untouchable.
It is very thought provoking at times. We see chaos ensuing and realise that one man has caused it all. Depending on your own political opinions, it is perhaps fit punishment for the selfish politicians, who would happily step over their colleagues and friends to save themselves. It was interesting that Dorian did not see himself as the monster; he didn't think of himself as a criminal. Strangely, and perhaps slightly worryingly, I found myself understanding Dorian and his cause, if not agreeing with his methods.
I was a little disappointed with the resolution to the story. I had suspected Cullen from very early on and had also suspected that Stephen Anthony was not actually dead. I did think the 'death' of Dorian / Cullen was a bit sudden and uneventful and had expected more of a struggle at the end before Dorian was caught. Again, I think it came down to the fact that it wasn't clear until afterwards that the final scene of the parade had been changed and was Stephen Anthony's way of stopping Dorian.
I love the final chapter, which surprises us with little Dorian Jnr. It prompts many questions over whether Celeste should be telling the stories of Dorian, the hero who fought the world and showed people what they were doing wrong and whether she should be encouraging Dorian Jnr who wants to become just like his daddy. This was a great place to end this book, leaving the reader with those thoughts.
This does seem to be quite a negative review, but I didn't dislike the book. I just think it could have been much better. I think the author would benefit from an having someone give him an honest second opinion before publishing. I think the author is a great writer and lots of the negative points I have mentioned could be ironed out quite quickly with a thorough read through by someone not involved and not afraid to say what they think.
I would like to read more by this author, as I think he is obviously very creative and writes about subjects that interest me. I hope this review is constructive in helping him reflect on his work and develop his writing ability further.
Right from the start there were quite a few grammatical errors, for example: missing commas, the use of 'was' instead of 'were' and errors in sentence structure. This tends to put me off a book and doesn't give me very high expectations. There were also simple spelling errors such as 'through' instead of 'threw' and 'you're' instead of 'your'. In addition, many of the similes didn't quite work and some of the word choices were a little odd and didn't seem to have been considered. This wasn't always the case. Some of the writing was very good, but it wasn't consistent throughout the whole book.
At the beginning, when I just wanted to get a feel for the story and get to know the setting and one or two of the main characters, the frequent change of point of view didn't help me to get settled with this book. Just when I got into reading from one point of view, it changed. In addition,
I felt I was given too little information about what was going on to keep me wanting to read more. It was frustrating and a bit confusing. It wasn't until I read the latter half of the book that much of it became clear. There was too much I didn't know, telling me that the author knew what was going to happen, but hadn't thought enough about the story from the point of view of the reader.
In some scenes, it seemed that although there was no doubt that the author knew exactly what he wanted to portray and had a clear image in his mind, the description on the page didn't quite create a detailed enough image for the reader. Often, details were left out that would have helped the story flow better, e.g. Shortly after Williams' arrival, when Yardley and Williams are having a conversation about having to work together, we are only aware of the two of them being present in the conference room. Suddenly, there are lots of other people in the room, reminding the reader that he/she (the reader) is not in the story and doesn't have a full picture of the scene. It causes confusion and prevents the reader engaging fully with the story.
During the first few murders, Dorian entraps his victims while they are asleep and it is assumed he can only do this while they are sleeping. However, the killing spree at the 'party' in Russia takes place while they are awake. I assume this was a development as opposed to an accidental inconsistency by the author, but it would have been good to have an explanation for this change, which seems a bit sudden and inconsistent.
I struggled to get a grip on Yardley's character and didn't find him consistent in his behaviour, which would have helped me get to know him better. Williams, too, seemed subject to sudden, out of character mood changes. Dorian's character was much more consistent, although it was strange that he got upset at a couple of, in his opinion, 'innocent' killings, yet shortly afterwards, killed hundreds of innocent people when he destroyed all the planes and the airport in Tel Aviv.
I really didn't like the name Cullen Edwards. After reading Twilight, I'm not sure anyone would fail to make the connection. It may not have been intentional, but because of this, it just didn't feel like the name was real (other than being invented by Dorian).
I was suspicious right from the start that the 'office blonde' was involved and noted at the time that it was a little soon to have my suspicion roused, as the character had only just been introduced. However, I forgot all about her, as after meeting her right at the beginning of the book, no more is mentioned about her until right at the end, when her involvement is not really explained, but just hinted at and left for the reader to make the connection back to the beginning. I feel this thread could have been developed as another layer of the story, but was neglected.
Certain events didn't seem very realistic. I found it hard to believe that people, even loquacious politicians, would talk when their necks had been broken. I know this is not our reality, but I didn't find that believable even within the realms of the story. I also doubted that Williams would have time to ponder something as mundane as why the elevators always took such a long time. His impatience is to be expected, but not his thoughts, which would surely have been too caught up in the awful events and trying to make some sense of it all to pay attention to the floors passing.
The fact that I could not read this book in a day, does not in itself make it bad. Some books simply cannot be read cover to cover without a break and I think this book belongs in that category. I did however take longer than expected to read it, because I found it hard going at times. The pace of the story was too slow in places. Quite early on, I was willing the story to move on and develop and found myself reading about yet another politician's dream and demise. It was quite frustrating, that half way through I still knew little about the wolves or why and how they were relevant. I think that if there were more threads woven through the story, this would have helped to move the story forward while still allowing for the repeated descriptions of Dorian's executions of those he considered guilty.
About ⅔ of the way through, I had started to lose hope and considered giving up. Too many people had tried to stand up against Dorian, building up my hopes that they might stop him and move the story on, only to fail and become another statistic on the 'assassinated politicians' list. It started to get too repetitive and didn't seem to be going anywhere. Then eventually, during his massacre in Russia, he meets the creative Russian politician, who toys with him and plays him at his own game, making it interesting and causing us to wonder if he has finally met his match. Although the Russian does not succeed, it gives us hope that Dorian is not untouchable.
It is very thought provoking at times. We see chaos ensuing and realise that one man has caused it all. Depending on your own political opinions, it is perhaps fit punishment for the selfish politicians, who would happily step over their colleagues and friends to save themselves. It was interesting that Dorian did not see himself as the monster; he didn't think of himself as a criminal. Strangely, and perhaps slightly worryingly, I found myself understanding Dorian and his cause, if not agreeing with his methods.
I was a little disappointed with the resolution to the story. I had suspected Cullen from very early on and had also suspected that Stephen Anthony was not actually dead. I did think the 'death' of Dorian / Cullen was a bit sudden and uneventful and had expected more of a struggle at the end before Dorian was caught. Again, I think it came down to the fact that it wasn't clear until afterwards that the final scene of the parade had been changed and was Stephen Anthony's way of stopping Dorian.
I love the final chapter, which surprises us with little Dorian Jnr. It prompts many questions over whether Celeste should be telling the stories of Dorian, the hero who fought the world and showed people what they were doing wrong and whether she should be encouraging Dorian Jnr who wants to become just like his daddy. This was a great place to end this book, leaving the reader with those thoughts.
This does seem to be quite a negative review, but I didn't dislike the book. I just think it could have been much better. I think the author would benefit from an having someone give him an honest second opinion before publishing. I think the author is a great writer and lots of the negative points I have mentioned could be ironed out quite quickly with a thorough read through by someone not involved and not afraid to say what they think.
I would like to read more by this author, as I think he is obviously very creative and writes about subjects that interest me. I hope this review is constructive in helping him reflect on his work and develop his writing ability further.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2012
(Book provided through Read It & Reap in the Shut Up & Read group, in exchange for an honest review.)
I will be honest here, so to be fair. I really HATE political books in any form. I guess I really didn’t think that was a big part of this book, I should have went and read some reviews and stuff before I agreed to read this book. It was really hard for me to get into. I kept putting off reading it, not enjoying myself, and would end up flipping my Kindle fire carousel to another “fun paranormal” read, this didn’t give me enough of the fun intriguing paranormal feel to it. I guess I instantly thought “werewolves” when I seen the cover and read the title, unfortunately I am one of those to base a lot off the cover and names of books. Not a good thing in this case. It was more creepy really, than chilling and thriller like. But this also is me, who does not like horror movies, and books. I didn’t think it would go that way, and I bet for the normal person, it isn’t scary, but the mind of this killer is disturbing, and that gets to me.
I will not be able to finish this book. What I did get from it, is that it is well written, and more than likely will be loved by people who like Freddy Kruger type killings, in a world full of politicians. It also jumped around a little too much for my taste, and just could not follow it well, but part of that is me, not liking this kind of story. Again, it’s my fault for agreeing to read it. So give it a shot, unless your someone like me, who likes more paranormal fun type books (just see my reviews at Goodreads, and/or my Read shelf, you will see what I mean.) This is in no way anything against this author. It’s just not my kind of book. By the summary of the book, I had assumed it would turn out that there is some killer werewolves at large and some politicians got killed.(by the name and cover) I didn’t think it would get that deep into it, and that this murderer is so twisted in his mind. I do not know HOW he did what he did. But I actually do not want to know. His mind is too twisted for me.
Don’t pass on this book based on my review, please. I will not post this review at my blog , as I only post my favorite books, and mostly YA.
(I gave it a four star, based on the writing itself, as I do not feel its fair to give lower, just because I can't finish, and didn't like this kind of book)
I will be honest here, so to be fair. I really HATE political books in any form. I guess I really didn’t think that was a big part of this book, I should have went and read some reviews and stuff before I agreed to read this book. It was really hard for me to get into. I kept putting off reading it, not enjoying myself, and would end up flipping my Kindle fire carousel to another “fun paranormal” read, this didn’t give me enough of the fun intriguing paranormal feel to it. I guess I instantly thought “werewolves” when I seen the cover and read the title, unfortunately I am one of those to base a lot off the cover and names of books. Not a good thing in this case. It was more creepy really, than chilling and thriller like. But this also is me, who does not like horror movies, and books. I didn’t think it would go that way, and I bet for the normal person, it isn’t scary, but the mind of this killer is disturbing, and that gets to me.
I will not be able to finish this book. What I did get from it, is that it is well written, and more than likely will be loved by people who like Freddy Kruger type killings, in a world full of politicians. It also jumped around a little too much for my taste, and just could not follow it well, but part of that is me, not liking this kind of story. Again, it’s my fault for agreeing to read it. So give it a shot, unless your someone like me, who likes more paranormal fun type books (just see my reviews at Goodreads, and/or my Read shelf, you will see what I mean.) This is in no way anything against this author. It’s just not my kind of book. By the summary of the book, I had assumed it would turn out that there is some killer werewolves at large and some politicians got killed.(by the name and cover) I didn’t think it would get that deep into it, and that this murderer is so twisted in his mind. I do not know HOW he did what he did. But I actually do not want to know. His mind is too twisted for me.
Don’t pass on this book based on my review, please. I will not post this review at my blog , as I only post my favorite books, and mostly YA.
(I gave it a four star, based on the writing itself, as I do not feel its fair to give lower, just because I can't finish, and didn't like this kind of book)
August 6, 2012
Ok. I struggled with this book. I loved the whole ideal behind it, I loved the premise of a killer attacking thru dreams. But frankly it was just too confusing (I don't even know if that is the right word.). My first impression (and final) was that it was just too hard to follow what is going on.
This book would be a great discussion book to slowly read and analyze, maybe in a book club or some such setting.
My problems with the story:
Date/Time/Place- Over and over and over again. "Seattle, Washington - March 3rd, 1990" sometimes as often as a few sentences. I understand that the author has to convey the killer's flashbacks/views and other characters in the story, but there has to be a better way. After a few pages, I just started ignoring it all together.
Frustrating- It was not an easy read. Somethings you had to re-read and think about to understand what they meant. Such as "Back off Williams, or this little exercise of futility ceases making whatever sense it used to during the format change."
Sympathy- I just had very little sympathy for the senators, usually I will feel real pain for what the victims are suffering regardless of who they are or what they have done.
Basically I just was not able to connect with (besides a small connection to Williams and Cullen).
I usually give books around 100 pages to decide whether to read on or not, because you just never know. Sometimes it takes a while to create characters and their worlds so you have to give it a chance. I did. I struggled thru over half the book before giving up.
I think the writer has great promise and with a little direction could be a best seller one day.
This book would be a great discussion book to slowly read and analyze, maybe in a book club or some such setting.
My problems with the story:
Date/Time/Place- Over and over and over again. "Seattle, Washington - March 3rd, 1990" sometimes as often as a few sentences. I understand that the author has to convey the killer's flashbacks/views and other characters in the story, but there has to be a better way. After a few pages, I just started ignoring it all together.
Frustrating- It was not an easy read. Somethings you had to re-read and think about to understand what they meant. Such as "Back off Williams, or this little exercise of futility ceases making whatever sense it used to during the format change."
Sympathy- I just had very little sympathy for the senators, usually I will feel real pain for what the victims are suffering regardless of who they are or what they have done.
Basically I just was not able to connect with (besides a small connection to Williams and Cullen).
I usually give books around 100 pages to decide whether to read on or not, because you just never know. Sometimes it takes a while to create characters and their worlds so you have to give it a chance. I did. I struggled thru over half the book before giving up.
I think the writer has great promise and with a little direction could be a best seller one day.
August 13, 2012
“Vengeance of the Wolf” is a terrifically lyrical book, with vivid imagery which makes the reader feel both part of the scene, and in tune with the characters. The Paranormal elements and the intrinsic mystery are capably interwoven, keeping the reader riveted, anxious to find out what’s next. A seemingly implacable force of doom is destroying politicians in office, yet doing so in a method that seems physically and medically impossible. Yet, like a juggernaut, the killer continues, hopscotching from one U.S. locale to another, seemingly without rhyme or reason, at least none apparent to the local law enforcement communities, nor to the F.B.I. agent in charge of this multi-state case.
I especially liked the escalation of the Paranormal elements, beginning with what might be possible and moving on to become both deeper and more extensive. Of course, any mystery that so baffles law enforcement (think Jack the Ripper) is going to be conducive to reader enjoyment, because we know that eventually we’ll find out the facts, whether the police agencies do so or not.
This is a novel that will engross readers of many different genres, and I highly recommend it and anticipate more from author Solitaire Parke.
I especially liked the escalation of the Paranormal elements, beginning with what might be possible and moving on to become both deeper and more extensive. Of course, any mystery that so baffles law enforcement (think Jack the Ripper) is going to be conducive to reader enjoyment, because we know that eventually we’ll find out the facts, whether the police agencies do so or not.
This is a novel that will engross readers of many different genres, and I highly recommend it and anticipate more from author Solitaire Parke.
August 16, 2012
Vengeance of the Wolf is a story of a mass murderer who kills his victim's in their dreams... it touches on the paranormal realm and was an interesting story. The murderer has a plan and goes in a sequence with his murders. It was pretty creepy, describing the murders. The author does flashbacks of the murderer's childhood and ties it together at the end.
I really enjoyed this book, it was intriguing! I kept reading because I wanted to know how it ends. The ending was good, however there were a few things that were not answered and I was hoping to learn more; Celeste and her family, and how she taught the killer to "dream kill".
I was given this book by the author and the goodreads group Shut Up & Read for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, it was intriguing! I kept reading because I wanted to know how it ends. The ending was good, however there were a few things that were not answered and I was hoping to learn more; Celeste and her family, and how she taught the killer to "dream kill".
I was given this book by the author and the goodreads group Shut Up & Read for an honest review.
August 14, 2012
This was a great book,I couldn't put it down. Solitaire left you breathless with anticipation of what would happen next. I really liked the way he brought you into the story and made you feel as if you were there with the characters. I haven't read too many mystery type of books because I usually get lost and give up, however I was able to stick this one out til the end. I think I would most definatly recomend this to anyone looking to read something a little different from their usual style books.
April 22, 2012
Great book for those who love horror/thrillers. It was very creepy - not one that you want to read late at night if you're all alone. I had a hard time putting it down because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. It makes you leery of dreaming because of what happened to people in their dreams, and really makes you wonder if there are people who can control them like the main character did. Pretty scary thought! A great read!
June 23, 2012
Well done Solitaire! I enjoyed this story very much. I received the book as a gift but will eagerly await his next one. This story caught me up right away and carried me along with the detectives in it. The plot was well thought out, the action was intense, and the ending was very satisfying. They were a few editing oversights but these were easily overlooked by me as I followed the story along. I give it a full five stars for a very imaginative story that I really did enjoy. Thank you.
August 3, 2012
I tried to read it I really did....I got 100 pages in and I just wasn't connected at all. For me it jumps around to much and is very vague with the details and the characters just aren't established enough in my opinion. It is also highly political and I have never been able to get interested in political issues. The story has potential but if I am struggling at 100 pages in I cant imagine it getting better....sorry
August 11, 2012
Vengeance of the Wolf by Soltaire Parke was not an 'easy' read.
I loved the book description and couldn't wait to get started.
Who wouldn't love to read about a serial killer, ' a manipulative, unknown mass murderer...a bizarre and maniacal killing spree...a world of dreams and nightmares beyond their wildest imaginations.'?
I was intrigued but was not thrilled with this book; I found myself struggling to get through it.
I loved the book description and couldn't wait to get started.
Who wouldn't love to read about a serial killer, ' a manipulative, unknown mass murderer...a bizarre and maniacal killing spree...a world of dreams and nightmares beyond their wildest imaginations.'?
I was intrigued but was not thrilled with this book; I found myself struggling to get through it.
August 14, 2012
This is not the type of book I usually read. And not what I was expecting from the title, LOL.
I liked this book, but found that I got confused very easily with the way it jumped around. I did have to re-read a few pages to re-orient myself. I liked the writing style, but actually could not wrap my head around the reason for all the murders. It just didn't make sense to me, but then I'm not a psychopath killer with special abilities.
I liked this book, but found that I got confused very easily with the way it jumped around. I did have to re-read a few pages to re-orient myself. I liked the writing style, but actually could not wrap my head around the reason for all the murders. It just didn't make sense to me, but then I'm not a psychopath killer with special abilities.
September 3, 2022
What do you get when you cross the mystery of Criminal Minds with the politics of 24, and then cross that with the terror of Nightmare on Elm Street? Well, you get a story that's a bit uneven, and one which has trouble walking the fine line that is willing suspension of disbelief, but you also get one heck of an interesting read.
Vengeance Of The Wolf is the story of a political assassin who works through his target`s dreams. The story actually starts out with a bang-bang-bang immersion into those dreams, setting up a fantastic mystery of "how" when we discover that the deaths we witnessed don`t correspond to the physical evidence of the bodies. The very concept of being able to break every bone in the human body . . . from the inside . . . through a dream is creepy enough to compel any reader forward.
Enter Detective John Yardley and Agent Frank Williams, the two men charged with stopping the reign of terror before it reaches its ultimate target - the President of the United States. I hate to give away a plot twist, but since this one comes rather early, and since the book ultimately turns upon it, I have to saw I was shocked when they failed in their efforts. I couldn't see how anybody could stop the dreams so quickly, much less how the authorities could figure out the pattern with so little to go on, and was fully prepared for some cheesy bit of deus-ex-machina, followed by a mundane hunt-the-killer story.
Yes, I was shocked to see them fail, but also immensely satisfied to discover the book wasn't heading in the direction I feared.
Dorian is an interesting character, an almost likeable killer with whom you can`t help but sympathise. It takes a while before his motivation is fully revealed, but it worked for me, and really sold me on his cause. Celeste was definitely a surprise, and her role in the story was far from what I expected, based on our early, tantalizing glimpses. Yardley and Williams are a bit more stock in their make-up, and a bit harder to warm up to, but they definitely have the potential to carry a story (should there be another literary chance waiting).
Overall, it's a book that is more creepy than chilling, and one which moved a bit slow for my tastes (once the initial dream immersions were complete). I'm a bit on the fence as to the explanation of "how" Dorian enacted the murders, but it does work, even if it wasn`t necessarily the answer I was looking for.
A good, solid read, with an intriguing concept, and a nice flair for the macabre.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Vengeance Of The Wolf is the story of a political assassin who works through his target`s dreams. The story actually starts out with a bang-bang-bang immersion into those dreams, setting up a fantastic mystery of "how" when we discover that the deaths we witnessed don`t correspond to the physical evidence of the bodies. The very concept of being able to break every bone in the human body . . . from the inside . . . through a dream is creepy enough to compel any reader forward.
Enter Detective John Yardley and Agent Frank Williams, the two men charged with stopping the reign of terror before it reaches its ultimate target - the President of the United States. I hate to give away a plot twist, but since this one comes rather early, and since the book ultimately turns upon it, I have to saw I was shocked when they failed in their efforts. I couldn't see how anybody could stop the dreams so quickly, much less how the authorities could figure out the pattern with so little to go on, and was fully prepared for some cheesy bit of deus-ex-machina, followed by a mundane hunt-the-killer story.
Yes, I was shocked to see them fail, but also immensely satisfied to discover the book wasn't heading in the direction I feared.
Dorian is an interesting character, an almost likeable killer with whom you can`t help but sympathise. It takes a while before his motivation is fully revealed, but it worked for me, and really sold me on his cause. Celeste was definitely a surprise, and her role in the story was far from what I expected, based on our early, tantalizing glimpses. Yardley and Williams are a bit more stock in their make-up, and a bit harder to warm up to, but they definitely have the potential to carry a story (should there be another literary chance waiting).
Overall, it's a book that is more creepy than chilling, and one which moved a bit slow for my tastes (once the initial dream immersions were complete). I'm a bit on the fence as to the explanation of "how" Dorian enacted the murders, but it does work, even if it wasn`t necessarily the answer I was looking for.
A good, solid read, with an intriguing concept, and a nice flair for the macabre.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Read
May 27, 2012First Thoughts:
I’m usually not one who’s interested in the cop type books but this book was so different and creative that it was nothing like I expected. The whole concept and suspense was really good and kept me on my toes. This book really reminded me of the concept of the movie “Inception”; meaning it dealt with the dimensions of the dream world and created outrageous and cool boundaries…definitely a unique and interesting read.
Plot:
I really enjoyed the plot and backstories; they were creative and so different from what I’m used to reading. I felt that the book had all the usual elements we expect in a traditional plot, the ending was very satisfying and I loved what it was hinting at (I’ll leave you to see what that is) One thing I found I had to do was stop reading this book about 40 percent into it, it just kind of got to me…Kind of freaked me out and I decided to read another book before finishing this one up and thankfully I was able to do just that. But what I discovered was that the last half of the book was even more morbid and freaky and it really kind of made me want to finish the book even more quickly…there’s not many books out there that can really get to me but the way things unfolded and the reasons behind it really kind of had realism to it. It’s like there’s a person out there in our world that has this same thinking pattern and it really makes you think what could happen. As for the pace of the story it kind was slow to me, there was plenty of action though don’t get me wrong but for some reason maybe because of the content and how it got to me but it was a slower read to me but I think it would be different from reader to reader. As for the sub-plots there weren’t many of them, it was mainly just one big plot that bounced from POV to POV, it all ended in one big resolution. So overall the plot was good and definitely want that can mess with the mind.
Romance:
There was essentially very little of this in the book, there was a small romance that is worth mentioning but it’s none of that over dramatizing romance we see so much in YA these days. But the romance was soft and low key in this book and I really enjoyed this aspect, it’s getting kind of old reading about the romance between a couple and something coming between them....I much prefer this kind of romance, it’s not the main focus of the book but it’s still there, soft and gentle. So overall I enjoyed this aspect of the book.
Characters:
The characters were definitely created with care, some were livelier than others and some were more focused while the others were kind of fuzzy. I really enjoyed the antagonist, it was really cool to get inside the mind of a serial killer, to be able to really get a feel on how he thinks and his reasons behind his actions; super awesome. I also felt that the antagonist or “Uncle Sam Killer” had a lot of detail that went into creating him; he had many layers and emotions that helped connect the reader to character. As for some of the protagonists some I enjoyed and some I didn’t, I liked Williams, he had a lot of guts and personality to him that really made him realistic but as for some of the others they just kind of just fell flat to me for some reason, it wasn’t because of how they created but maybe of the role they played in the plot. But overall each character did fit well into the story and all were necessary in the overall plot of the book.
Transformation of the Character:
This wasn’t really an important role in the book; there weren’t really any transformations that took place. It really focused around releasing the characters qualities and allowing the reader to learn about them more slowly. So overall not something that added anything to the overall feel of the book.
Description:
I really enjoyed the description, some of the scenes were really well described that I kind of wanted to skim over it; it really gave me the chills and freaked me out. The way the antagonist killed some of this victims was brutal and creepy, I will never get that airport scene out of my mind *shudders* I did feel that some of the scenes were over-described, like the author went into too much detail but thankfully that only happened in a couple parts of the book. As for the way she described things, I really like her attention to detail in certain parts of the book, the way she described the killings was necessary and thought it can be morbid it did add more power to the overall message and feel to the story. As for the way the scenery and landscape was described, I felt she did a good job on creating rooms and places for the reader to really picture. Some of the best described landscapes were in the dream world; the reader was really able to see the incidents that took place within these dreams…it was really cool to see the contrasts between reality and the dream landscape…hard to describe, it is something you’ll just have to read about.
Style:
The style was different than I’m used to in the sense of how the story was organized. I did like the way she switched POV’s and she was very clear on the time period so it didn’t confuse the reader on where the scene was taking place and when. And I did like when she chose to switch POV’s, it really opened up the world so that the reader could get a better grasp on the situation and what was happening. The ending was definitely something I was only able to guess at till the mid-point! As for the writing itself, I had no problem reading it. So overall I liked the style of the book it just took some time to get used to it.
Quote of the book:
“A rock was overturned…A tree fell…A flower bloomed, and a voice sobbed its macabre refrain. A blade of grass withered…The stars disappeared…The eyes of many saw from the vision of one, yet none knew the answer of a needless demise.”
Goodreads Summary:
Detective John Yardley and FBI agent, Frank Williams are on a quest. They are determined to stop a manipulative, unknown mass murderer, whose targets seem to be specific politicians in a bizarre and maniacal killing spree...one that draws them into a world of dreams and nightmares beyond their wildest imaginations. Awaiting them are unbelievable terrors, chilling twists and turns, and a scope of destruction that they would never have believed possible.
Last Thoughts:
I would recommend this to fans of psychological thrillers and to any readers who enjoy a good mystery. I enjoyed this book; creepy but so worth it. I think the nursery rhymes really added a good element to the book; definitely amped up the creep factor. There are some scenes I’ll take from this book that will ever be engraved on my mind but I really liked the story behind this whole ordeal and do believe the mind of the serial killer is very much alive in one of the citizens in this world today *shudders* I will definitely be looking into more books by this author; her writing has a way of getting under your skin whether you like it or not.
I’m usually not one who’s interested in the cop type books but this book was so different and creative that it was nothing like I expected. The whole concept and suspense was really good and kept me on my toes. This book really reminded me of the concept of the movie “Inception”; meaning it dealt with the dimensions of the dream world and created outrageous and cool boundaries…definitely a unique and interesting read.
Plot:
I really enjoyed the plot and backstories; they were creative and so different from what I’m used to reading. I felt that the book had all the usual elements we expect in a traditional plot, the ending was very satisfying and I loved what it was hinting at (I’ll leave you to see what that is) One thing I found I had to do was stop reading this book about 40 percent into it, it just kind of got to me…Kind of freaked me out and I decided to read another book before finishing this one up and thankfully I was able to do just that. But what I discovered was that the last half of the book was even more morbid and freaky and it really kind of made me want to finish the book even more quickly…there’s not many books out there that can really get to me but the way things unfolded and the reasons behind it really kind of had realism to it. It’s like there’s a person out there in our world that has this same thinking pattern and it really makes you think what could happen. As for the pace of the story it kind was slow to me, there was plenty of action though don’t get me wrong but for some reason maybe because of the content and how it got to me but it was a slower read to me but I think it would be different from reader to reader. As for the sub-plots there weren’t many of them, it was mainly just one big plot that bounced from POV to POV, it all ended in one big resolution. So overall the plot was good and definitely want that can mess with the mind.
Romance:
There was essentially very little of this in the book, there was a small romance that is worth mentioning but it’s none of that over dramatizing romance we see so much in YA these days. But the romance was soft and low key in this book and I really enjoyed this aspect, it’s getting kind of old reading about the romance between a couple and something coming between them....I much prefer this kind of romance, it’s not the main focus of the book but it’s still there, soft and gentle. So overall I enjoyed this aspect of the book.
Characters:
The characters were definitely created with care, some were livelier than others and some were more focused while the others were kind of fuzzy. I really enjoyed the antagonist, it was really cool to get inside the mind of a serial killer, to be able to really get a feel on how he thinks and his reasons behind his actions; super awesome. I also felt that the antagonist or “Uncle Sam Killer” had a lot of detail that went into creating him; he had many layers and emotions that helped connect the reader to character. As for some of the protagonists some I enjoyed and some I didn’t, I liked Williams, he had a lot of guts and personality to him that really made him realistic but as for some of the others they just kind of just fell flat to me for some reason, it wasn’t because of how they created but maybe of the role they played in the plot. But overall each character did fit well into the story and all were necessary in the overall plot of the book.
Transformation of the Character:
This wasn’t really an important role in the book; there weren’t really any transformations that took place. It really focused around releasing the characters qualities and allowing the reader to learn about them more slowly. So overall not something that added anything to the overall feel of the book.
Description:
I really enjoyed the description, some of the scenes were really well described that I kind of wanted to skim over it; it really gave me the chills and freaked me out. The way the antagonist killed some of this victims was brutal and creepy, I will never get that airport scene out of my mind *shudders* I did feel that some of the scenes were over-described, like the author went into too much detail but thankfully that only happened in a couple parts of the book. As for the way she described things, I really like her attention to detail in certain parts of the book, the way she described the killings was necessary and thought it can be morbid it did add more power to the overall message and feel to the story. As for the way the scenery and landscape was described, I felt she did a good job on creating rooms and places for the reader to really picture. Some of the best described landscapes were in the dream world; the reader was really able to see the incidents that took place within these dreams…it was really cool to see the contrasts between reality and the dream landscape…hard to describe, it is something you’ll just have to read about.
Style:
The style was different than I’m used to in the sense of how the story was organized. I did like the way she switched POV’s and she was very clear on the time period so it didn’t confuse the reader on where the scene was taking place and when. And I did like when she chose to switch POV’s, it really opened up the world so that the reader could get a better grasp on the situation and what was happening. The ending was definitely something I was only able to guess at till the mid-point! As for the writing itself, I had no problem reading it. So overall I liked the style of the book it just took some time to get used to it.
Quote of the book:
“A rock was overturned…A tree fell…A flower bloomed, and a voice sobbed its macabre refrain. A blade of grass withered…The stars disappeared…The eyes of many saw from the vision of one, yet none knew the answer of a needless demise.”
Goodreads Summary:
Detective John Yardley and FBI agent, Frank Williams are on a quest. They are determined to stop a manipulative, unknown mass murderer, whose targets seem to be specific politicians in a bizarre and maniacal killing spree...one that draws them into a world of dreams and nightmares beyond their wildest imaginations. Awaiting them are unbelievable terrors, chilling twists and turns, and a scope of destruction that they would never have believed possible.
Last Thoughts:
I would recommend this to fans of psychological thrillers and to any readers who enjoy a good mystery. I enjoyed this book; creepy but so worth it. I think the nursery rhymes really added a good element to the book; definitely amped up the creep factor. There are some scenes I’ll take from this book that will ever be engraved on my mind but I really liked the story behind this whole ordeal and do believe the mind of the serial killer is very much alive in one of the citizens in this world today *shudders* I will definitely be looking into more books by this author; her writing has a way of getting under your skin whether you like it or not.
May 18, 2025
This book was such an interesting read, I enjoyed how each of the characters worked together, but at the same time had alliances that were different from each other. This book had a lot of scenes that were crazy, creepy and unexpected. Just when you thought that you understood what was happening, it all changed. Overall this book was a great read and I would recommend it to everyone.
May 28, 2012
Read full review here
The author gave me this book in exchange for an honest review two weeks ago and I finished it three days ago. I don't usually read books in such a slow pace so that's saying something, I guess.
The whole concept of the book and how the killer uses dream worlds to make his victims suffer even more was really interesting, though. Picking through the killer's head, figuring out how he thinks and what he'll do next was also quite a treat. The story was told in different POVs, but it still flowed naturally and you still have a clear idea of the plot. All the other characters had their own specific purpose and contributed to how the story went; there weren't any annoying prop characters or anything like that, but some characters had more personality than others.
The book was very morbid and haunting, with scenes described with full detail, it's as if you were there. Which, in this case, is slightly bad for the reader but good for the book. This psychological thriller is action packed, but so slow paced and I almost dozed off a few times. Some scenes did give me goosebumps, but it didn't made my skin crawl or anything. I did like that the author added lines from nursery rhymes here and there. It added an extra creep factor to the whole thing. The ending was very unexpected but it was one of the best parts of the book; it really gave me the jeevies.
The story is nicely written, it flows well, and the plot is realistic, but I wasn't really content with the book as a whole. It felt somewhat lacking. I guess I expected that the book would give me sleepless nights and buddy system-ed trips to the bathroom, but that didn't happen. I don't know, I honestly thought that it wasn't that scary. But that's just me.
The author gave me this book in exchange for an honest review two weeks ago and I finished it three days ago. I don't usually read books in such a slow pace so that's saying something, I guess.
The whole concept of the book and how the killer uses dream worlds to make his victims suffer even more was really interesting, though. Picking through the killer's head, figuring out how he thinks and what he'll do next was also quite a treat. The story was told in different POVs, but it still flowed naturally and you still have a clear idea of the plot. All the other characters had their own specific purpose and contributed to how the story went; there weren't any annoying prop characters or anything like that, but some characters had more personality than others.
The book was very morbid and haunting, with scenes described with full detail, it's as if you were there. Which, in this case, is slightly bad for the reader but good for the book. This psychological thriller is action packed, but so slow paced and I almost dozed off a few times. Some scenes did give me goosebumps, but it didn't made my skin crawl or anything. I did like that the author added lines from nursery rhymes here and there. It added an extra creep factor to the whole thing. The ending was very unexpected but it was one of the best parts of the book; it really gave me the jeevies.
The story is nicely written, it flows well, and the plot is realistic, but I wasn't really content with the book as a whole. It felt somewhat lacking. I guess I expected that the book would give me sleepless nights and buddy system-ed trips to the bathroom, but that didn't happen. I don't know, I honestly thought that it wasn't that scary. But that's just me.
November 10, 2012
Vengeance of the Wolf
By Solitaire Parke
Politicians are being murdered one by one in mysterious ways that cannot be natural, for instance the man whose heart has stopped that could have been explained as a heart attack except for the fact every bone in his body has been broken. Detective John Yardley, an FBI agent, and Frank Williams are determined to put a stop to these murders at any cost, but when the killer enters into a man’s dreams how will they ever find out who is responsible?
This is truly an original paranormal mystery, I had thought it would be scarier than it actually was but it leaned more towards the mystery side rather than the horror genre. All in all Solitaire Parke does a wonderful job bringing her scenes to life, drawing you into the nightmares of men and a bringing each instance to the forefront so vividly you will cringe. I just wish there had been more action, sometimes it can read rather slow but for the most part it is truly fascinating. With such a story line the novel is absolutely riveting; my favorite scene is when several vehicles run a woman over go around the block to do it again with the drivers having no control over themselves. I would give this one a try it may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is so unique it is worth the read.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
By Solitaire Parke
Politicians are being murdered one by one in mysterious ways that cannot be natural, for instance the man whose heart has stopped that could have been explained as a heart attack except for the fact every bone in his body has been broken. Detective John Yardley, an FBI agent, and Frank Williams are determined to put a stop to these murders at any cost, but when the killer enters into a man’s dreams how will they ever find out who is responsible?
This is truly an original paranormal mystery, I had thought it would be scarier than it actually was but it leaned more towards the mystery side rather than the horror genre. All in all Solitaire Parke does a wonderful job bringing her scenes to life, drawing you into the nightmares of men and a bringing each instance to the forefront so vividly you will cringe. I just wish there had been more action, sometimes it can read rather slow but for the most part it is truly fascinating. With such a story line the novel is absolutely riveting; my favorite scene is when several vehicles run a woman over go around the block to do it again with the drivers having no control over themselves. I would give this one a try it may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is so unique it is worth the read.
For More Reviews be sure to visit my blogs at:
http://reflectionsofabookworm.wordpre...
http://bookwormrflects8.blogspot.com/
August 14, 2012
Thanks for the opportunity to read this book. From the start I LOVED the premise. The idea that things can be done thru our dreams is fascinating and has a lot of potential. Now, for my honest opinion- This book did not meet my expectations. I didn’t like or dislike the book. I found the bouncing from place to place frustrating in the beginning but got used to it. Harder for me was the fact that I couldn’t feel any connection to any of the characters, which is the reason I am completely neutral about the story. I guessed pretty early on who the culprit was, but it seemed like it took forever for the author to bring things full circle.
On a positive note the author did a good job creating descriptive scenes at times. I like the nursery rhyme lines in the titles because it gave it a creepy, perverse feeling. The plot was well thought out and a great job was done with the killing scenes.
Thanks again for the opportunity to read this although I found myself struggling to get through it.
On a positive note the author did a good job creating descriptive scenes at times. I like the nursery rhyme lines in the titles because it gave it a creepy, perverse feeling. The plot was well thought out and a great job was done with the killing scenes.
Thanks again for the opportunity to read this although I found myself struggling to get through it.
April 23, 2012
I have read many different “how to” books on Out of Body experiences and this one is by far the most comprehensive. I like the step by step procedural approach and the diagrams, charts and exercises make this book easy to follow. I also enjoyed the examination of the 13 forces as well as the descriptions of the different environments that you may encounter while “traveling”. I have found that I can read this book over and over and find more in depth understanding as I progress in my learning. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in pursuing an OBE.
Read
April 23, 2012I read this book after having read Mr. Parkes’ 1st book in the series, Beyond the Astral Planes. I found that it was a more in depth look at the phenomenon known as OBE. I found the book to be informative and easy to comprehend. This book delves into the possibilities and reasons for pursuing an out of body experience. I like the fact that it focuses on cause and effect, rather than any form of mysticism. I recommend Threshold of Perception for the novice as well as anyone who has had some success with OBE’s
July 4, 2012
Solitaire Parke’s “Vengeance of the Wolf” is a mind swirl of suspense. You will be on the edge of your seat the entire time you are enveloped by the author’s mind. It is brilliantly written and is a pleasure to read.
The author’s words bring you into the story as the plot tantalizes your mind, not knowing what is coming next. While the characters, will become a welcomed friend or a known foe.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great suspense filled story. It is truly a great book; one, in which, I shall enjoy re-reading.
The author’s words bring you into the story as the plot tantalizes your mind, not knowing what is coming next. While the characters, will become a welcomed friend or a known foe.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great suspense filled story. It is truly a great book; one, in which, I shall enjoy re-reading.
Read
September 2, 2012Loved the book and loved the characters! Fantastic read and I can't wait for the next one. Well done!
December 3, 2012
Very in depth and detailed out of body experience book. Gives a really good insight to some meditative practices and alternative methodology.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews