What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wolves of Langabhat by D A Watson
‘The Wolves of Langabhat is an accomplished, terrifying novel that doesn’t disappoint.' ~ Snakebite Horror 1014 AD The terror of the Viking raids is a fading memory for the people on the Isle of Lewis, and the once dreaded Northmen have now begun settling on the island, living in peace with the natives. But when the settlement of Eanach is attacked and burned to ashes in the dead of night, the slaughter heralds the arrival of a terrible new threat on the island. Something far worse than the sea raiders of years past. 2014 AD Five old friends come to Lewis for alcohol, the Celtic music festival, and a spot of canoeing. Cal's stag is the perfect way for them to reunite, and comes as a welcome distraction for Ian, the troubled musician tormented by his own twisted existence. As a giant hill dweller with murder on his mind stalks the group, something very strange is happening out at the ancient Calanais Standing Stones, and an inhuman horror from the distant past begins to stir. Something is howling in the dark of night. The Wolves of Langabhat have risen.
- GenresHorrorWerewolves
Paperback
First published August 2, 2015
11 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
D.A. Watson
17 books5 followersD.A. Watson is the author of four novels and the fiction and poetry collection Tales of the What the Fuck.
His stories, verse and articles have appeared in several anthologies and collections and have won gongs and acclaim from Greenock to Dunedin, including nominations for a Pushcart Prize in the US and the UK People's Book Prize. An occasional poetry performer, he also appeared on the main stage of the Burnsfest Festival in 2018 as the warm up act for the one and only Chesney Hawkes, a personal milestone and career highlight.
He lives with his family on the west coast of Scotland and is still telling stories.
His stories, verse and articles have appeared in several anthologies and collections and have won gongs and acclaim from Greenock to Dunedin, including nominations for a Pushcart Prize in the US and the UK People's Book Prize. An occasional poetry performer, he also appeared on the main stage of the Burnsfest Festival in 2018 as the warm up act for the one and only Chesney Hawkes, a personal milestone and career highlight.
He lives with his family on the west coast of Scotland and is still telling stories.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 4, 2015
The Wolves of Langabhat by Dave Watson
1014 AD
The terror of the Viking raids is a fading memory for the people on the Isle of Lewis, and the once dreaded Northmen have now begun settling on the island, living in peace with the natives. But when the settlement of Eanach is attacked and burned to ashes in the dead of night, the slaughter heralds the arrival of a terrible new threat on the island. Something far worse than the sea raiders of years past.
2014 AD
Five old friends come to Lewis for alcohol, the Celtic music festival, and a spot of canoeing. Cal's stag is the perfect way for them to reunite, and comes as a welcome distraction for Ian, the troubled musician tormented by his own twisted existence. As a giant hill dweller with murder on his mind stalks the group, something very strange is happening out at the ancient Calanais Standing Stones, and an inhuman horror from the distant past begins to stir.
Something is howling in the dark of night. The Wolves of Langabhat have risen.
I adored Dave Watson’s last novel, ‘In the Devil’s name,’ simply for the freshness it brought to the horror genre. Scottish horror wasn’t something I’d read before and it made a pleasant change from Yanks and the English being torn to pieces by some demonic monstrosity. He does it again with ‘The Wolves of Langabhat,’ keeping with the formula of a group of friends encountering ancient evil, pulling it off with a fantastic cinematic appeal, and creating a bunch of characters you really feel for, at times even caring whether they lived or die. Watson creates a rapport between these old friends that comes from more than imagination, you can tell it comes from the heart, so the reader really feels when there’s bloodletting. A thing I did notice was that Watson had toned back the inclusion of Scots dialect in much of his dialogue, not that this is a good or bad thing, but with rough humour and likable, often broken characters, he still comes across as Irvine Welsh with teeth.
Spoiler: this book contains wolves. Big, fucking, scary wolves. Psychotic wolves. With an appetite. And swords. And they can sail. The great thing about ‘The Wolves of Langabhat’ is that it’s not just a story about friends on a holiday gone tits and teeth up. Another tale, weaved throughout the modern day, tell us about how the wolves came to Langabhat centuries ago. These flashback chapters give the story a strong backbone and a greater depth I hadn’t expected when I first started reading. With the popularity of ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Vikings riding popular at the moment, just imagine a Viking VS Werewolves story. Cool yeah? Now imagine hundreds of werewolves and zero silver bullets… you get the idea. It gets bloody very, very quickly and doesn’t stop bleeding.
With twists and turns aplenty, ‘The Wolves of Langabhat,’ is shaping up to by my favourite novel of the year. It takes no prisoners, practically no one is spared as a tide of werewolves sweep through two time zones, ripping, shredding and eating anything softer than them in their path. To reveal any more of the story would ruin it for you, but rest assured, if you like breakneck thrill rides, ‘The Wolves of Langabhat is an accomplished, terrifying novel that doesn’t disappoint.
5/5
1014 AD
The terror of the Viking raids is a fading memory for the people on the Isle of Lewis, and the once dreaded Northmen have now begun settling on the island, living in peace with the natives. But when the settlement of Eanach is attacked and burned to ashes in the dead of night, the slaughter heralds the arrival of a terrible new threat on the island. Something far worse than the sea raiders of years past.
2014 AD
Five old friends come to Lewis for alcohol, the Celtic music festival, and a spot of canoeing. Cal's stag is the perfect way for them to reunite, and comes as a welcome distraction for Ian, the troubled musician tormented by his own twisted existence. As a giant hill dweller with murder on his mind stalks the group, something very strange is happening out at the ancient Calanais Standing Stones, and an inhuman horror from the distant past begins to stir.
Something is howling in the dark of night. The Wolves of Langabhat have risen.
I adored Dave Watson’s last novel, ‘In the Devil’s name,’ simply for the freshness it brought to the horror genre. Scottish horror wasn’t something I’d read before and it made a pleasant change from Yanks and the English being torn to pieces by some demonic monstrosity. He does it again with ‘The Wolves of Langabhat,’ keeping with the formula of a group of friends encountering ancient evil, pulling it off with a fantastic cinematic appeal, and creating a bunch of characters you really feel for, at times even caring whether they lived or die. Watson creates a rapport between these old friends that comes from more than imagination, you can tell it comes from the heart, so the reader really feels when there’s bloodletting. A thing I did notice was that Watson had toned back the inclusion of Scots dialect in much of his dialogue, not that this is a good or bad thing, but with rough humour and likable, often broken characters, he still comes across as Irvine Welsh with teeth.
Spoiler: this book contains wolves. Big, fucking, scary wolves. Psychotic wolves. With an appetite. And swords. And they can sail. The great thing about ‘The Wolves of Langabhat’ is that it’s not just a story about friends on a holiday gone tits and teeth up. Another tale, weaved throughout the modern day, tell us about how the wolves came to Langabhat centuries ago. These flashback chapters give the story a strong backbone and a greater depth I hadn’t expected when I first started reading. With the popularity of ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Vikings riding popular at the moment, just imagine a Viking VS Werewolves story. Cool yeah? Now imagine hundreds of werewolves and zero silver bullets… you get the idea. It gets bloody very, very quickly and doesn’t stop bleeding.
With twists and turns aplenty, ‘The Wolves of Langabhat,’ is shaping up to by my favourite novel of the year. It takes no prisoners, practically no one is spared as a tide of werewolves sweep through two time zones, ripping, shredding and eating anything softer than them in their path. To reveal any more of the story would ruin it for you, but rest assured, if you like breakneck thrill rides, ‘The Wolves of Langabhat is an accomplished, terrifying novel that doesn’t disappoint.
5/5
January 8, 2017
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:
This is a tale of two stories - literally. The book alternates between a story set in modern times and another one story set in 1000's. The two stories are linked by the wolves and eventually merge, but here's the thing: the two stories are vastly different in quality and interest. It's almost like two different people wrote each story.
The story set in the time of the Vikings was fascinating. The tale had mythology and legends, heroes and villains. I couldn't wait to get back to it so the story could continue. This part of the book was four stars.
The story set in modern times felt halting. There wasn't really a flow and I didn't feel connected to any of characters. The same antagonists that felt natural (in a supernatural sort of way) in the other story felt out of place and fake in this story. This part of the book was two stars.
Overall, it is an interesting book and a different take on werewolves. You'll probably really enjoy at least part of it, although not the ending because it barely got the job done (maybe a sequel coming?)
If you are into lycanthropy, read it!
This is a tale of two stories - literally. The book alternates between a story set in modern times and another one story set in 1000's. The two stories are linked by the wolves and eventually merge, but here's the thing: the two stories are vastly different in quality and interest. It's almost like two different people wrote each story.
The story set in the time of the Vikings was fascinating. The tale had mythology and legends, heroes and villains. I couldn't wait to get back to it so the story could continue. This part of the book was four stars.
The story set in modern times felt halting. There wasn't really a flow and I didn't feel connected to any of characters. The same antagonists that felt natural (in a supernatural sort of way) in the other story felt out of place and fake in this story. This part of the book was two stars.
Overall, it is an interesting book and a different take on werewolves. You'll probably really enjoy at least part of it, although not the ending because it barely got the job done (maybe a sequel coming?)
If you are into lycanthropy, read it!
June 12, 2016
I'm a huge fan of Norse mythology and this author did an amazing job with accurate details.I love how the story goes back and forth between past and present,it gives it fantastic depth and the supernatural qualities and plot had me glued to the pages.An Excellent,Brilliant read,I highly recommend it.
February 20, 2016
Good story. Distracting typos.
Really, it should be a 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it and would recommend it, but there were some distracting typos. The premise was good.
Really, it should be a 3.5 stars. I enjoyed it and would recommend it, but there were some distracting typos. The premise was good.
Read
January 15, 2017Thought it was a Great Book if You like this sort of Thing. I love Fantasy and Horror. I am Currently reading the Left behind Series, so I read just about anything...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews