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Ramblefoot
Set in the world of wolves at a time when their dominion has been threatened by a terrifying new predator intent on their annihilation, Ramblefoot tells the story of Raspail, a raffish black wolf with a singular flair for survival. Groomed for greatness by his adoptive uncles, Raspail is destined to be the next facet of the elk-rich province of Cob Ash. All of that changes when a vicious act of jealousy leaves him without a voice and makes him an outcast in his own pack. Exiled from Cob Ash and separated from his beloved Kileo, Raspail becomes the most dreaded wolf of all, a lone wolf --a Ramblefoot.
To fend off the madness of isolation Raspail forms an unusual alliance with a raven named Poitu, and together they embark on a journey to the fringes of the wolf territories, dangerously close to where man wages war on the wolf. It is here, in an anarchic enclave where disenfranchised ramblefoots gamble with death plundering the bountiful treasures of man, where Raspail regains his voice and comes to prominence as a legend among wolves. But Raspail has no interest in power, only Kileo, the love he was torn from. With old foes waiting to assassinate him and Cob Ash recently allied with hostile neighbor Draguignon, Raspail will need to unite the lawless, meatdrunk ramblefoots and conquer Cob Ash if he is to ever see Kileo again.
Ramblefoot is a book that celebrates nature at its most visceral, never whitewashing the world of the wolf with cliche, mawkishness, or magic. Meticulously researched and then imaginatively extrapolated, Ramblefoot has a keen eye for the extraordinary events that bloom in the wild when man isn’t looking. Ramblefoot is a powerful escapist pleasure that will immerse you in its sprawling adventure from Raspail's first trial to his last.
To fend off the madness of isolation Raspail forms an unusual alliance with a raven named Poitu, and together they embark on a journey to the fringes of the wolf territories, dangerously close to where man wages war on the wolf. It is here, in an anarchic enclave where disenfranchised ramblefoots gamble with death plundering the bountiful treasures of man, where Raspail regains his voice and comes to prominence as a legend among wolves. But Raspail has no interest in power, only Kileo, the love he was torn from. With old foes waiting to assassinate him and Cob Ash recently allied with hostile neighbor Draguignon, Raspail will need to unite the lawless, meatdrunk ramblefoots and conquer Cob Ash if he is to ever see Kileo again.
Ramblefoot is a book that celebrates nature at its most visceral, never whitewashing the world of the wolf with cliche, mawkishness, or magic. Meticulously researched and then imaginatively extrapolated, Ramblefoot has a keen eye for the extraordinary events that bloom in the wild when man isn’t looking. Ramblefoot is a powerful escapist pleasure that will immerse you in its sprawling adventure from Raspail's first trial to his last.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 27, 2012
Ramblefoot is the tale of the orphan wolf Raspail, his early life in the pack that adopts him, his various betrayals and misadventures, and his slow (but rather obvious) growth into "Facet" (alpha wolf).
this is a long, digressive, fairly engrossing tale of adventure. the wolves are semi-anthropomorphized: they are given many "human" attributes, but essential aspects of their nature remain resolutely wolfish. Ramblefoot is an adult epic. there is a ton of violence - many throats torn out, animals slaughtered, at one point a rather pathetic pregnant coyote is gleefully killed and eaten by our always-hungry protagonists. there is a lot of pissing, which i guess is understandable. and there is a good deal of vomit-eating and ass-sniffing, which i found to be a bit taxing at times. still, it is highly readable.
the book does have some serious flaws. it is in dire need of an editor. it is perhaps longer than it should be and overly digressive. although the prose can be quite marvelous - rich and beautiful and clever and raw... almost as often, the language is downright clumsy, crude, or thuddingly obvious. action tends to be fairly well-done, and dynamic... but sometimes things get unnecessarily confusing, rushed. i think a stern editor could do wonders.
i also had a problem with the logic behind the central villain's characterization: an omega-wolf named Hesser, full of barely hidden resentments and eager to become top dog. my understanding of canine/lupine mentality - based on a lot of conversation with my vet friends and a dog-trainer i know - is that one of the unique qualities of a pack (a dog or wolf pack, as opposed to a human pack) is the lack of resentment at the roles given to individual members. however, this is just minor quibbling - for all i know, it may happen; Hesser is an intriguing character and his place in the narrative works fine.
anyway, back to the good stuff... much like Watership Down, there are intriguing elements of animal mythology that are detailed. also similarly, humans are included at various times and they are portrayed as both oblique and terrifying. Raspail has a clever raven ally, a fellow outsider named Poitu, and their relationship is lovely. a favorite character of mine is the complicated dwarf wolf Repetto. there is a hilarious sequence when Raspail and his mate Kileo, physically bonded post-sex by that 'knot' thing that some animals have on their dicks, are forced to run off together while bonded, and then turn and fight, as one. the villains are fascinating: the above-mentioned Hesser, the truly unpleasant Siksac (later turned into a cave-dwelling war-machine by immersion within some boiling water: nerve endings killed, skin & hair & dirt & debris all bonded together to form an unbreachable coat), and especially the ruthless, righteous, treacherous and beautiful she-wolf Sarassin. and the names are rather wonderful: Raspail... Sarassin... Poitu... Cob Ash... Balfort... Maddocq... Cortess... Aratus... Abillon... Draguignon.
overall, a substantially flawed but interesting and unusual book.
here's a little taste of the wolfiness:
this is a long, digressive, fairly engrossing tale of adventure. the wolves are semi-anthropomorphized: they are given many "human" attributes, but essential aspects of their nature remain resolutely wolfish. Ramblefoot is an adult epic. there is a ton of violence - many throats torn out, animals slaughtered, at one point a rather pathetic pregnant coyote is gleefully killed and eaten by our always-hungry protagonists. there is a lot of pissing, which i guess is understandable. and there is a good deal of vomit-eating and ass-sniffing, which i found to be a bit taxing at times. still, it is highly readable.
the book does have some serious flaws. it is in dire need of an editor. it is perhaps longer than it should be and overly digressive. although the prose can be quite marvelous - rich and beautiful and clever and raw... almost as often, the language is downright clumsy, crude, or thuddingly obvious. action tends to be fairly well-done, and dynamic... but sometimes things get unnecessarily confusing, rushed. i think a stern editor could do wonders.
i also had a problem with the logic behind the central villain's characterization: an omega-wolf named Hesser, full of barely hidden resentments and eager to become top dog. my understanding of canine/lupine mentality - based on a lot of conversation with my vet friends and a dog-trainer i know - is that one of the unique qualities of a pack (a dog or wolf pack, as opposed to a human pack) is the lack of resentment at the roles given to individual members. however, this is just minor quibbling - for all i know, it may happen; Hesser is an intriguing character and his place in the narrative works fine.
anyway, back to the good stuff... much like Watership Down, there are intriguing elements of animal mythology that are detailed. also similarly, humans are included at various times and they are portrayed as both oblique and terrifying. Raspail has a clever raven ally, a fellow outsider named Poitu, and their relationship is lovely. a favorite character of mine is the complicated dwarf wolf Repetto. there is a hilarious sequence when Raspail and his mate Kileo, physically bonded post-sex by that 'knot' thing that some animals have on their dicks, are forced to run off together while bonded, and then turn and fight, as one. the villains are fascinating: the above-mentioned Hesser, the truly unpleasant Siksac (later turned into a cave-dwelling war-machine by immersion within some boiling water: nerve endings killed, skin & hair & dirt & debris all bonded together to form an unbreachable coat), and especially the ruthless, righteous, treacherous and beautiful she-wolf Sarassin. and the names are rather wonderful: Raspail... Sarassin... Poitu... Cob Ash... Balfort... Maddocq... Cortess... Aratus... Abillon... Draguignon.
overall, a substantially flawed but interesting and unusual book.
here's a little taste of the wolfiness:
"Did we not share our childhood?" Abillon pleaded. "Did we not play and hunt together? Can you not think of a single happy moment we enjoyed together?"
Raspail cocked his head as if to fondly recollect. "I suppose we did share one happy moment."
"What happy moment, Raspail? I can think of many, not just one!" Abillon said hopefully, thinking it might dredge up Raspail's mercy.
"It was that happy moment... when I killed you." Raspail said.
And as Abillon arched his neck to howl... Raspail lunged at his throat and pinched it shut before the vibrations fomenting in his chest could escape.
March 16, 2012
There's a feature on goodreads that you can put in a question for requesting friends to answer. Mine is "Which book would you want to live in?" It's interesting to me which books these are for others. I've found some good books this way. The kind of books that someone wants to be real. That's what I want. (I have declined people who wrote something about how they wouldn't want to live in a book. "I love my life!" They probably wouldn't like me anyway. Good for you, then! But did they *sob* have to say "Why would anyone want to live in a book?!" Because!) I don't really know the answer to that myself, not definitively. I would like to travel. Watership Down is the book that I felt like I really did live in it. That feeling is precious to me. I want to live it as often as I possibly can. (I haven't reread it more than twice. I'm "saving" it for when I really need it.)
If something is compared to Watership Down I will want to read it. It was obvious that I was leading up to this, right? "They aren't allowed to leave the house and they gotta have babies for the iron fisting man of that house? That sounds like General Woundwort! Sign me up!" You might recall my adventures last year with Watership Down with Birds and More Watership Down with Birds. They are immensely popular. If my goodreads bud Manny invoked the great Watership Down name that's all I need to be as slutty as a bunny once more. Plus, I like the cover.
I don't know what it is about Watership Down that made me lose myself in it. If I knew I would be making up wonderful stories that don't feel like just stories for myself right now instead of this review. I would be happy. I didn't think about me at all. Richard Adams did not succeed in recreating this in More Tales from Watership Down or Plague Dogs. Beak of the Moon didn't have it. They aren't bad books, or anything, they just didn't have the lived in feeling. Beak of the Moon was too self conscious. If you could hardly take a bite because the sound of your own crunching on cereal disturbed you that would be Beak of the Moon. Or if I wrote a story that detailed every freaking step. I started and ended on the wrong foot. Way too boring and someone sucked the air out of the room (not to mention the bizarre propaganda for the birds themselves. Keas can't read! Although they are incredibly intelligent creatures and with better problem solving skills than I have. They don't know you are telling them not to eat the sheep they need to survive. They wouldn't need it if man hadn't destroyed their natural habitats! Weirdo). Ramblefoot is self conscious in a different way. It's like telling a fairy tale with a moral of the story in place right beside you as you are conscious of walking. I never forgot that I was reading the book. Kaufman would throw in such asides as (not a direct quote) "All troubled young wolves know that... or feel that..." I want to feel it with him. I want to forget about me. If you love yourself then everyone else will love you. Platitudes, really. Well meaning, but you can't live platitudes. (Please don't tell me that you can live platitudes and I've been doing everything all wrong this whole time.)
I liked that Kaufman went for the angle about the lone wolf and living in a pack survival mentality. It was more than the looking for the home to be yourself in and then figuring it out later who the self is. The self is the home. Hunger in the belly, who do you absolutely have to have to survive. Food is loneliness and that starvation is the hunger. The survival of the fittest angle in Beak of the Moon (everyone has read this so I don't feel bad about constantly making comparisons) depressed the shit out of me. Isn't there more to life than that? Ramblefoot was wolf versus wolf. I mean wolf in wolf's clothing. I mean the inner wolf. It's an edge of the bigger life. The wolves get "meat drunk" a lot (and partake in "meat orgies". It's not what it sounds like and is totally what it sounds like. If you are thinking of what I am thinking of). Life is eating, shitting, fucking and rolling over for the dog eat dog. I can believe that without the greeting card on my birthdays to remind me I haven't figured everything out yet. Sure, Raspail could get kind of emo (coughs) doing the lone wolf thing. I am not a rational reviewer, though, so I mentally complained about the pack urge. The love interest Kileo who makes him work for it but also saves his life and never gives up, leading the other wolves in his absence blah blah. I felt as if I were reading it as a flashback it was so predictable. I believed it more when he wasn't yearning to be apart of something else. If it had felt like something you missed, instead of a how it should be (freaking fairy tales). If I imagined how a wolf felt when he was on the chase for the kill I wouldn't be trying to imagine anything beyond that. Maybe it is hard to be a wolf because you think about the rules too much. Packs mean other people. Lick the wounds and regroup. Eat even though it won't last and you'll only break your diet. Also, I'm not a normal pack kind of girl and the marriage and the kids and the house is too abstract. I loved his raven friend, Poitu. The bird wasn't what anyone is handed down in the spoken or unspoken rules of society. That shit just doesn't happen. They had no rules. Maybe I just wanted to live it without thinking about what the rules are so much like Poitu. Rules of storytelling, maybe. Gut feeling and not what you tell yourself is really good advice and maybe you had best follow it. The whole fairytale thing! Tell yourself a story and you don't have a rules playbook.
It might not be a bad thing that I didn't feel one of the pack, as far as rationally judging a books merit goes. None of them really did feel like they could belong. Position isn't secure. You have to fight for it. Dominated or dominating (yes, I mean that kind of dominate. I haven't been this creeped out since the attempted rape scene in Dark of the Moon). My gr buddy Mark Monday mentioned in his review that pack animals may not resent their placement in a pack as they do in Ramblefoot. I see a lot of power play just with my dogs so it may be possible. I don't know that much about wolves except that they look awesome on posters and t-shirts set against awesome backgrounds of lightning storms. Kaufman seems to have researched and made shit up equally. One wolf puts his "arm" around another wolf. The dwarf wolf does a back flip. The baddie inexplicably takes his revenge against young Raspail when he fails to dominate the white wolf he lusts over (ruining Raspail's life for some time to come). It was hard to take it seriously when it was so ridiculous his whole issue was over that. (It was pretty icky when another wolf's penis is stuck inside his bitches ass. Played for slapstick effect.) He reminded me of when my chihuahua/feist mutt Seamus humps his toys. He'll cry and hold onto it with his teeth, breathing heavily before having another go at it. The image didn't exactly make me feel the drama. He was as confused about pack life as Raspail. It shouldn't have been pathetically humorous. I can tell myself that things work and other things don't work if I force my brain to be book review objective. Besides all that, I know it's not a bad book. I also know that it wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. If I knew how I would write my own book and me and Bigwig would be hanging out better than Raspail and any of his wolves ever could. Poitu can come over. Ravens are just as cool on t-shirts.
Oh yeah, and a disclaimer. I could have read this for free. Manny kindly offered to and did contact the author, Ken Kaufman, on my behalf. He still needed my address and I had one of my moments that I probably shouldn't admit to on goodreads of not contacting the author with my address. Anyway, I paid the $1.99 on kindle. That I did that is totally in keeping with Ramblefoot, though! I know I'm being dumb and I'm gonna do it anyway. Don't ask me to explain it! Wait until a writer tries to make up what he thinks howling at the moon sounds like. Maybe they'll get some of it right.
If something is compared to Watership Down I will want to read it. It was obvious that I was leading up to this, right? "They aren't allowed to leave the house and they gotta have babies for the iron fisting man of that house? That sounds like General Woundwort! Sign me up!" You might recall my adventures last year with Watership Down with Birds and More Watership Down with Birds. They are immensely popular. If my goodreads bud Manny invoked the great Watership Down name that's all I need to be as slutty as a bunny once more. Plus, I like the cover.
I don't know what it is about Watership Down that made me lose myself in it. If I knew I would be making up wonderful stories that don't feel like just stories for myself right now instead of this review. I would be happy. I didn't think about me at all. Richard Adams did not succeed in recreating this in More Tales from Watership Down or Plague Dogs. Beak of the Moon didn't have it. They aren't bad books, or anything, they just didn't have the lived in feeling. Beak of the Moon was too self conscious. If you could hardly take a bite because the sound of your own crunching on cereal disturbed you that would be Beak of the Moon. Or if I wrote a story that detailed every freaking step. I started and ended on the wrong foot. Way too boring and someone sucked the air out of the room (not to mention the bizarre propaganda for the birds themselves. Keas can't read! Although they are incredibly intelligent creatures and with better problem solving skills than I have. They don't know you are telling them not to eat the sheep they need to survive. They wouldn't need it if man hadn't destroyed their natural habitats! Weirdo). Ramblefoot is self conscious in a different way. It's like telling a fairy tale with a moral of the story in place right beside you as you are conscious of walking. I never forgot that I was reading the book. Kaufman would throw in such asides as (not a direct quote) "All troubled young wolves know that... or feel that..." I want to feel it with him. I want to forget about me. If you love yourself then everyone else will love you. Platitudes, really. Well meaning, but you can't live platitudes. (Please don't tell me that you can live platitudes and I've been doing everything all wrong this whole time.)
I liked that Kaufman went for the angle about the lone wolf and living in a pack survival mentality. It was more than the looking for the home to be yourself in and then figuring it out later who the self is. The self is the home. Hunger in the belly, who do you absolutely have to have to survive. Food is loneliness and that starvation is the hunger. The survival of the fittest angle in Beak of the Moon (everyone has read this so I don't feel bad about constantly making comparisons) depressed the shit out of me. Isn't there more to life than that? Ramblefoot was wolf versus wolf. I mean wolf in wolf's clothing. I mean the inner wolf. It's an edge of the bigger life. The wolves get "meat drunk" a lot (and partake in "meat orgies". It's not what it sounds like and is totally what it sounds like. If you are thinking of what I am thinking of). Life is eating, shitting, fucking and rolling over for the dog eat dog. I can believe that without the greeting card on my birthdays to remind me I haven't figured everything out yet. Sure, Raspail could get kind of emo (coughs) doing the lone wolf thing. I am not a rational reviewer, though, so I mentally complained about the pack urge. The love interest Kileo who makes him work for it but also saves his life and never gives up, leading the other wolves in his absence blah blah. I felt as if I were reading it as a flashback it was so predictable. I believed it more when he wasn't yearning to be apart of something else. If it had felt like something you missed, instead of a how it should be (freaking fairy tales). If I imagined how a wolf felt when he was on the chase for the kill I wouldn't be trying to imagine anything beyond that. Maybe it is hard to be a wolf because you think about the rules too much. Packs mean other people. Lick the wounds and regroup. Eat even though it won't last and you'll only break your diet. Also, I'm not a normal pack kind of girl and the marriage and the kids and the house is too abstract. I loved his raven friend, Poitu. The bird wasn't what anyone is handed down in the spoken or unspoken rules of society. That shit just doesn't happen. They had no rules. Maybe I just wanted to live it without thinking about what the rules are so much like Poitu. Rules of storytelling, maybe. Gut feeling and not what you tell yourself is really good advice and maybe you had best follow it. The whole fairytale thing! Tell yourself a story and you don't have a rules playbook.
It might not be a bad thing that I didn't feel one of the pack, as far as rationally judging a books merit goes. None of them really did feel like they could belong. Position isn't secure. You have to fight for it. Dominated or dominating (yes, I mean that kind of dominate. I haven't been this creeped out since the attempted rape scene in Dark of the Moon). My gr buddy Mark Monday mentioned in his review that pack animals may not resent their placement in a pack as they do in Ramblefoot. I see a lot of power play just with my dogs so it may be possible. I don't know that much about wolves except that they look awesome on posters and t-shirts set against awesome backgrounds of lightning storms. Kaufman seems to have researched and made shit up equally. One wolf puts his "arm" around another wolf. The dwarf wolf does a back flip. The baddie inexplicably takes his revenge against young Raspail when he fails to dominate the white wolf he lusts over (ruining Raspail's life for some time to come). It was hard to take it seriously when it was so ridiculous his whole issue was over that. (It was pretty icky when another wolf's penis is stuck inside his bitches ass. Played for slapstick effect.) He reminded me of when my chihuahua/feist mutt Seamus humps his toys. He'll cry and hold onto it with his teeth, breathing heavily before having another go at it. The image didn't exactly make me feel the drama. He was as confused about pack life as Raspail. It shouldn't have been pathetically humorous. I can tell myself that things work and other things don't work if I force my brain to be book review objective. Besides all that, I know it's not a bad book. I also know that it wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. If I knew how I would write my own book and me and Bigwig would be hanging out better than Raspail and any of his wolves ever could. Poitu can come over. Ravens are just as cool on t-shirts.
Oh yeah, and a disclaimer. I could have read this for free. Manny kindly offered to and did contact the author, Ken Kaufman, on my behalf. He still needed my address and I had one of my moments that I probably shouldn't admit to on goodreads of not contacting the author with my address. Anyway, I paid the $1.99 on kindle. That I did that is totally in keeping with Ramblefoot, though! I know I'm being dumb and I'm gonna do it anyway. Don't ask me to explain it! Wait until a writer tries to make up what he thinks howling at the moon sounds like. Maybe they'll get some of it right.
December 6, 2011
I got sent Ramblefoot last week by the author. He's a screenwriter with some impressive credits to his name (Space Cowboys, Curious George). This is his first novel.
Well, I've just finished it, and I'm unusually conflicted about what to say. It's easy to pick holes. The language is clunky and there is a startling lack of proofreading. It has a very unfinished feel to it. But in many ways it's quite a worthwhile book. The author wants to tell a story where all the characters are wolves, and not anthropomorphize them more than is absolutely necessary; it's the Watership Down formula with wolves instead of rabbits, but taken much further.
He seems to know a fair amount about wolves; there are many striking details it's hard to imagine him making up. He describes how obsessed they are with killing and eating prey, how they play and fight together to establish dominance, how they mate. There is a lot of extremely graphic violence and some equally graphic sex. Wolves do not exactly come across as nice guys, though they have a nobility the author captures well.
The central figure, Raspail, is sympathetic. He's a ferocious black wolf who almost loses his voice when his larynx is crushed in a fight, and as a result he is expelled from his pack. He has many adventures and suffers greatly. The other characters aren't particularly well-drawn, but Raspail is memorable and carries the story forward. You want to know what will happen to him and the pack of fellow outcasts he assembles round himself. There are some strong images that I'm sure will stay with me.
I wondered why the author had written it. Is he Raspail? I couldn't help considering the idea. It's easy to see that he might be an excellent screenwriter: he plans scenes and lays out the plot confidently. He's just not a novelist, though. His prose is leaden, but he doesn't really care. Maybe he's the noble wolf with the broken voice, exiled in novel-land and planning a terrible revenge. I hope he returns in triumph and vanquishes his enemies and turns this into the movie it was really meant to be. I'd go and watch it.
Well, I've just finished it, and I'm unusually conflicted about what to say. It's easy to pick holes. The language is clunky and there is a startling lack of proofreading. It has a very unfinished feel to it. But in many ways it's quite a worthwhile book. The author wants to tell a story where all the characters are wolves, and not anthropomorphize them more than is absolutely necessary; it's the Watership Down formula with wolves instead of rabbits, but taken much further.
He seems to know a fair amount about wolves; there are many striking details it's hard to imagine him making up. He describes how obsessed they are with killing and eating prey, how they play and fight together to establish dominance, how they mate. There is a lot of extremely graphic violence and some equally graphic sex. Wolves do not exactly come across as nice guys, though they have a nobility the author captures well.
The central figure, Raspail, is sympathetic. He's a ferocious black wolf who almost loses his voice when his larynx is crushed in a fight, and as a result he is expelled from his pack. He has many adventures and suffers greatly. The other characters aren't particularly well-drawn, but Raspail is memorable and carries the story forward. You want to know what will happen to him and the pack of fellow outcasts he assembles round himself. There are some strong images that I'm sure will stay with me.
I wondered why the author had written it. Is he Raspail? I couldn't help considering the idea. It's easy to see that he might be an excellent screenwriter: he plans scenes and lays out the plot confidently. He's just not a novelist, though. His prose is leaden, but he doesn't really care. Maybe he's the noble wolf with the broken voice, exiled in novel-land and planning a terrible revenge. I hope he returns in triumph and vanquishes his enemies and turns this into the movie it was really meant to be. I'd go and watch it.
December 17, 2011
(note: I was sent a free review copy by the author)
Ramblefoot is a debut novel, and has several of the usual weaknesses of self-published debut novels (typos, leaden prose, etc.). I did enjoy the story, but I can't really give a full-throated recommendation for several reasons.
One, there's a little too much tell and not enough show. We're informed right in the first chapter that Raspail, the wolf protagonist, is headed for great things because of his character - he's tough and noble. And when I say we're informed, I mean that the narrator steps away from the book, looks directly at the reader, and says, "HEY THERE! THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN! CHECK OUT HOW AWESOME THIS DUDE IS!" There are several other places where the narrator breaks the fourth wall in that fashion, particularly in parenthetical asides, and it really hurts immersion.
Two...I'm finding it difficult to articulate this objection. Basically, the problem is that the book starts out as highly realistic; I can't recall anything metaphysical in the first few chapters. It appears to be a straight depiction of pack life, much like how Watership Down is (mostly) a straight depiction of burrow life. So when the metaphysical element finally gets introduced and the book transforms into something more like Tailchaser's Song (with Hagi playing the role of Eatbugs), it's too late to get total immersion, and it's just too hard to buy Siksak surviving being boiled alive, Raspail's intelligence, his communication with Kileo across a distance, and especially the reincarnation thing. (Notice that in Watership Down, Fiver's abilities are introduced almost on the very first page and Blackberry's cleverness is introduced on the first step of the journey, so by the time stealing the does from Efrafa enters the picture, the reader is fully on board and doesn't go, "Now wait a minute. They're rabbits.") (And whatever happened to Siksak? Last we saw him, he was following Hagi.)
Another problem I had is that the wolves were not human enough to relate to. There's plenty of defecation, urination, and estrus, with vivid descriptions of same. Of course, I know perfectly well that that's realistic, just as I know what Hazel and the others were really doing whenever they "chewed pellets", but it was too...gritty? for me. I certainly couldn't recommend this book to children, because parents would have too many questions to answer, I think.
All that said, Ramblefoot is still an interesting read. Raspail's journey is the traditional hero journey, complete with mentor figures, wandering, early losses, injuries, and triumphant return, and I liked his nobility and courage. The wolves are recognizably wolves, not furry humans (I always like a spot of Shown Their Work, even when I do think it shows a leetle too much). I do recommend the book to adults who like animal fiction.
Ramblefoot is a debut novel, and has several of the usual weaknesses of self-published debut novels (typos, leaden prose, etc.). I did enjoy the story, but I can't really give a full-throated recommendation for several reasons.
One, there's a little too much tell and not enough show. We're informed right in the first chapter that Raspail, the wolf protagonist, is headed for great things because of his character - he's tough and noble. And when I say we're informed, I mean that the narrator steps away from the book, looks directly at the reader, and says, "HEY THERE! THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN! CHECK OUT HOW AWESOME THIS DUDE IS!" There are several other places where the narrator breaks the fourth wall in that fashion, particularly in parenthetical asides, and it really hurts immersion.
Two...I'm finding it difficult to articulate this objection. Basically, the problem is that the book starts out as highly realistic; I can't recall anything metaphysical in the first few chapters. It appears to be a straight depiction of pack life, much like how Watership Down is (mostly) a straight depiction of burrow life. So when the metaphysical element finally gets introduced and the book transforms into something more like Tailchaser's Song (with Hagi playing the role of Eatbugs), it's too late to get total immersion, and it's just too hard to buy Siksak surviving being boiled alive, Raspail's intelligence, his communication with Kileo across a distance, and especially the reincarnation thing. (Notice that in Watership Down, Fiver's abilities are introduced almost on the very first page and Blackberry's cleverness is introduced on the first step of the journey, so by the time stealing the does from Efrafa enters the picture, the reader is fully on board and doesn't go, "Now wait a minute. They're rabbits.") (And whatever happened to Siksak? Last we saw him, he was following Hagi.)
Another problem I had is that the wolves were not human enough to relate to. There's plenty of defecation, urination, and estrus, with vivid descriptions of same. Of course, I know perfectly well that that's realistic, just as I know what Hazel and the others were really doing whenever they "chewed pellets", but it was too...gritty? for me. I certainly couldn't recommend this book to children, because parents would have too many questions to answer, I think.
All that said, Ramblefoot is still an interesting read. Raspail's journey is the traditional hero journey, complete with mentor figures, wandering, early losses, injuries, and triumphant return, and I liked his nobility and courage. The wolves are recognizably wolves, not furry humans (I always like a spot of Shown Their Work, even when I do think it shows a leetle too much). I do recommend the book to adults who like animal fiction.
January 11, 2022
The blurb on the back of this book states that it was “meticulously researched,” but it’s clear from the start that this is not the case (either that or the author did some research, then chose to completely ignore it!). Wolves, in reality, are social animals with strong bonds to their packs, while the characters in this book are cruel, callous and uncaring, frequently attacking other pack members and even killing them. The author does not properly understand how the coital tie works, and the lupine characters use human terms and slang of which wolves would have no knowledge. There are factual mistakes regarding other animals as well – the author uses “hare” and “rabbit” interchangeably, and seems to think these animals are rodents. He also calls spiders insects, and has the main character becoming ill from eating a snake, supposedly because of its venom (venom is harmless if ingested).
The blurb also promises a “sprawling mythology” which never materialises. There is a brief mention early on of the wolves seeing the moon as the eye of their ancestors, but this seems largely unimportant and is hardly referenced for much of the book. Close to the end, it’s suddenly a big deal – there’s a revelation that is obviously supposed to be very meaningful, but instead has virtually no impact as there was next to no set-up for it.
There is the seed of a good story somewhere in this book, but it’s buried under the bad writing. The whole thing reads like a first draft that could do with some serious work. There are multiple grammatical errors, and the author occasionally breaks the fourth wall by addressing the reader directly. He uses phrases such as “he remained where we left him” or “as we have seen,” and refers to the characters as “our heroes.” This jolts you out of the reality of the story. Additionally, he can’t seem to decide how to spell his characters’ names – we have Baudry/Beaudry and Sarrassin/Sarassin, among others – and some names are hyphenated one moment and not the next. This rather suggests little or no proof-reading took place.
With a lot of editing, this might actually make a decent book. As it stands, however, I can’t honestly recommend it.
The blurb also promises a “sprawling mythology” which never materialises. There is a brief mention early on of the wolves seeing the moon as the eye of their ancestors, but this seems largely unimportant and is hardly referenced for much of the book. Close to the end, it’s suddenly a big deal – there’s a revelation that is obviously supposed to be very meaningful, but instead has virtually no impact as there was next to no set-up for it.
There is the seed of a good story somewhere in this book, but it’s buried under the bad writing. The whole thing reads like a first draft that could do with some serious work. There are multiple grammatical errors, and the author occasionally breaks the fourth wall by addressing the reader directly. He uses phrases such as “he remained where we left him” or “as we have seen,” and refers to the characters as “our heroes.” This jolts you out of the reality of the story. Additionally, he can’t seem to decide how to spell his characters’ names – we have Baudry/Beaudry and Sarrassin/Sarassin, among others – and some names are hyphenated one moment and not the next. This rather suggests little or no proof-reading took place.
With a lot of editing, this might actually make a decent book. As it stands, however, I can’t honestly recommend it.
February 2, 2012
From ISawLightningFall.com
THREE-AND-A-HALF STARS
Note: I received a review copy of the following title from its author.
It's funny how some books transform entire genres while others don't. For instance, ever since a guy named John Ronald Reuel published a big book about a place named Middle Earth in 1954, fantasy has flung up worlds populated with dragon and orcs and dwarves. But for some reason, the equally excellent Watership Down (penned by fellow Brit Richard Adams) never left quite the same footprint. Few authors have attempted his feat of blending naturalistic zoology with imaginary animal cultures. But at least some are trying, such as Ken Kaufman with his Jack London-influenced Ramblefoot.
Raspail shouldn't have survived his infancy. The only member of his litter to emerge from the womb alive. Born to an ancient mother cast out by her own clan. Left to wander the wilderness in search of sustenance. Few wolves could've prevailed against such odds, yet Raspail did, even finding a place amongst a new pack. But his woes have only begun. Political machinations from without and private scheming from within will soon force him away from his new family, out into a hostile world where he'll face the most dangerous of predators -- man.
For a first-time author, Kaufman does remarkably well in a difficult genre. Like Adams, he incorporates lots of lupine biological detail, such as wolves' mating habits and dietary patterns. He also invents an interesting ethos for them, making them ancestor worshipers who believe the full moon is the all-seeing eye of the departed. What's more, Kaufman has a good sense of plotting. He layers his characters' interactions with conflict upon conflict. Unfortunately, if Ramblefoot stumbles, it's in its style. An unfortunate tendency to tell and not show combined with a love of adverbs and adjectives rob a number of scenes of their dramatic impact. Still, those who enjoyed Watership Down may find it worthwhile to traipse after Ramblefoot.
THREE-AND-A-HALF STARS
Note: I received a review copy of the following title from its author.
It's funny how some books transform entire genres while others don't. For instance, ever since a guy named John Ronald Reuel published a big book about a place named Middle Earth in 1954, fantasy has flung up worlds populated with dragon and orcs and dwarves. But for some reason, the equally excellent Watership Down (penned by fellow Brit Richard Adams) never left quite the same footprint. Few authors have attempted his feat of blending naturalistic zoology with imaginary animal cultures. But at least some are trying, such as Ken Kaufman with his Jack London-influenced Ramblefoot.
Raspail shouldn't have survived his infancy. The only member of his litter to emerge from the womb alive. Born to an ancient mother cast out by her own clan. Left to wander the wilderness in search of sustenance. Few wolves could've prevailed against such odds, yet Raspail did, even finding a place amongst a new pack. But his woes have only begun. Political machinations from without and private scheming from within will soon force him away from his new family, out into a hostile world where he'll face the most dangerous of predators -- man.
For a first-time author, Kaufman does remarkably well in a difficult genre. Like Adams, he incorporates lots of lupine biological detail, such as wolves' mating habits and dietary patterns. He also invents an interesting ethos for them, making them ancestor worshipers who believe the full moon is the all-seeing eye of the departed. What's more, Kaufman has a good sense of plotting. He layers his characters' interactions with conflict upon conflict. Unfortunately, if Ramblefoot stumbles, it's in its style. An unfortunate tendency to tell and not show combined with a love of adverbs and adjectives rob a number of scenes of their dramatic impact. Still, those who enjoyed Watership Down may find it worthwhile to traipse after Ramblefoot.
February 14, 2022
This book is poorly written. There are many grammatical errors, continuity errors like a hare becoming a rabbit, and amateurish mistakes like characters’ names varying in spelling, even over the course of a few sentences. The wolf behaviour is very unrealistic, and this is the third book I’ve read in which a wolf has a mystical raven companion (whose name the wolf seems to magically know, despite the fact that they never actually speak to one another). There is a lot of unnecessary talk about assholes and ballsacks, and occasional references to the wolves’ “crests,” which I found bizarre since wolves don’t have any kind of crest. Many of the names are strange too – the name of the main character, Raspail, constantly made me think of Rasputin and buckets. Repetto reminded me of Geppetto from Pinocchio, and some of the others, such as Draguignon and Abillon, sounded like medieval towns. Not a big issue, but I did find it distracting. A disappointing read.
November 7, 2011
**This book was received as a free advanced reader's copy.
This was a very wolfy book. Well it would have to be, with a wolf as the protagonist. I wasn't sure what to expect at first but was pleasantly surprised. It was a unique tale involving animals, which usually is a good combination.
Orphaned at a young age, Raspail clings desperately to survival, and is luckily picked up by some kindly wolves from another pack. They hope that he will become a strong hunter for the pack and they see something in him t hat tells him they won't be far off in their assessment. Raspail is a survivor, and a natural born leader. But misfortunes happen in his pack, and after the Facet (leader) is murdered, and Raspail suffering from an injury to his voice, he is unable to convince them of his innocence in the matter and has to flee. He wanders and regains strength with the help of a peculiar raven who becomes his friend and protector of sorts. Together they are joined by an older wolf, a story teller and what is known as a ramblefoot, a wolf who travels. He tells of a great land where game is free for the taking, but even with a full stomach, Raspail thinks of the pretty wolf he left behind and can't remain content.
Since these were wolves they can't exactly be related to normal characters for the majority of the time. Although I noticed that some of them had very human characteristics. As to their mannerisms, I only know a tiny bit about wolves, but they seemed to act in normal wolfish ways to me, yet the story progressed nicely with their thoughts and conversations. Raspail is a strong character and he really does emanate the strong leader vibe. I didn't find the bad guys extremely menacing, but considering that they're animals I suppose that's ok since I don't really see animals as being naturally evil. I did like Hagi the ramblefoot wolf. He was interesting and kind of like a guide for Raspail. The raven was a nice touch too.
This is kind of a wolf adventure in my mind. There isn't a real set plot unless you consider Raspail following his heart, but its more just the tale of his life and what he goes through. I did think the ending was a little bit abrupt. The pace of the rest of the novel was well done, enough to keep it interesting but not rushed, but I just felt that the ending did start the rushing and would have loved for it to be more drawn out. The writing had a nice tone to it and I liked the way the wolves communicated and played and just generally went about life. It should be noted though, that the wolf females were commonly referred to as a name that in all other contexts is a bad word, and one that I cannot put in this review. But since that's a proper name its alright to me.
A nice read. Good for those who like animals and especially would like to get in their heads sometimes. Since wolves are pretty popular, I can see a range of people enjoying this book.
Ramblefoot
Copyright 2011
293 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2011
More of my reviews can be found at ifithaswords.blogspot.com
This was a very wolfy book. Well it would have to be, with a wolf as the protagonist. I wasn't sure what to expect at first but was pleasantly surprised. It was a unique tale involving animals, which usually is a good combination.
Orphaned at a young age, Raspail clings desperately to survival, and is luckily picked up by some kindly wolves from another pack. They hope that he will become a strong hunter for the pack and they see something in him t hat tells him they won't be far off in their assessment. Raspail is a survivor, and a natural born leader. But misfortunes happen in his pack, and after the Facet (leader) is murdered, and Raspail suffering from an injury to his voice, he is unable to convince them of his innocence in the matter and has to flee. He wanders and regains strength with the help of a peculiar raven who becomes his friend and protector of sorts. Together they are joined by an older wolf, a story teller and what is known as a ramblefoot, a wolf who travels. He tells of a great land where game is free for the taking, but even with a full stomach, Raspail thinks of the pretty wolf he left behind and can't remain content.
Since these were wolves they can't exactly be related to normal characters for the majority of the time. Although I noticed that some of them had very human characteristics. As to their mannerisms, I only know a tiny bit about wolves, but they seemed to act in normal wolfish ways to me, yet the story progressed nicely with their thoughts and conversations. Raspail is a strong character and he really does emanate the strong leader vibe. I didn't find the bad guys extremely menacing, but considering that they're animals I suppose that's ok since I don't really see animals as being naturally evil. I did like Hagi the ramblefoot wolf. He was interesting and kind of like a guide for Raspail. The raven was a nice touch too.
This is kind of a wolf adventure in my mind. There isn't a real set plot unless you consider Raspail following his heart, but its more just the tale of his life and what he goes through. I did think the ending was a little bit abrupt. The pace of the rest of the novel was well done, enough to keep it interesting but not rushed, but I just felt that the ending did start the rushing and would have loved for it to be more drawn out. The writing had a nice tone to it and I liked the way the wolves communicated and played and just generally went about life. It should be noted though, that the wolf females were commonly referred to as a name that in all other contexts is a bad word, and one that I cannot put in this review. But since that's a proper name its alright to me.
A nice read. Good for those who like animals and especially would like to get in their heads sometimes. Since wolves are pretty popular, I can see a range of people enjoying this book.
Ramblefoot
Copyright 2011
293 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2011
More of my reviews can be found at ifithaswords.blogspot.com
May 8, 2012
Full disclosure: I received this book through Goodreads' First Reads program.
This review is a WIP.
So far I'm very delighted with this book. Raspail is an indomitable spirit, and it's a joy to watch his transformation from an orphaned pup to a valuable pack member. Even when things take a horrible turn for him, he finds a way to persevere. Most of the wolves are fleshed out and distinct in their characterization. There are lots of betrayals, and inter-pack politics which makes for a juicy story. I'm not really sure what I was expecting when I opened to the first page, but this wasn't it. I am pleasantly surprised.
The interlinking plots and characters were nicely done, as Kaufman covers the exploits of several packs of wolves. There were several plot threads that materialized toward the end of the story and were not resolved.
The social hierarchy of the wolves is rendered in an understandable and, to me, believable manner. There is information on the "myths" of the wolves and their habits, body language, hunting techniques, etc. Of course in stories like these there is heavy anthropomorphism, but so far it doesn't feel like I have to greatly suspend all notion of disbelief to get into the lore. All of these rambling descriptions do make the story more wordy than it strictly has to be, but I enjoyed it for the world-building.
The story is very adult; the fighting and hunting is rendered with visceral language, mating is discussed frankly, etc.
There are errors, mostly punctuation, but at one point Parsay's name is used instead of Poitu's. That was a bit confusing for a moment. More proofreading was definitely needed.
This review is a WIP.
So far I'm very delighted with this book. Raspail is an indomitable spirit, and it's a joy to watch his transformation from an orphaned pup to a valuable pack member. Even when things take a horrible turn for him, he finds a way to persevere. Most of the wolves are fleshed out and distinct in their characterization. There are lots of betrayals, and inter-pack politics which makes for a juicy story. I'm not really sure what I was expecting when I opened to the first page, but this wasn't it. I am pleasantly surprised.
The interlinking plots and characters were nicely done, as Kaufman covers the exploits of several packs of wolves. There were several plot threads that materialized toward the end of the story and were not resolved.
The social hierarchy of the wolves is rendered in an understandable and, to me, believable manner. There is information on the "myths" of the wolves and their habits, body language, hunting techniques, etc. Of course in stories like these there is heavy anthropomorphism, but so far it doesn't feel like I have to greatly suspend all notion of disbelief to get into the lore. All of these rambling descriptions do make the story more wordy than it strictly has to be, but I enjoyed it for the world-building.
The story is very adult; the fighting and hunting is rendered with visceral language, mating is discussed frankly, etc.
There are errors, mostly punctuation, but at one point Parsay's name is used instead of Poitu's. That was a bit confusing for a moment. More proofreading was definitely needed.
March 22, 2012
I loved this story! It was well written and felt true to nature. I wanted to howl and run with the pack! However, I don’t think my husband would have appreciated that. I found myself sympathizing with the characters, even the antagonists! Poitu strengthens my desire to have a companion raven before I die! I enjoy the relationship that she and Raspail develop. I’m not sure if this is an Adult or Young Adult story, but I don’t think it reads well for the under 13 category. Some points were dark (the pregnant coyote), and it has some adult moments. It was written in the same style as Watership Down (which I am very attached to). I’m honestly surprised that this is Mr. Kaufman’s first novel. My major complaint with this book (the Kindle version, atleast) was the editing.
August 30, 2012
I absolutely loved the way the wolves were characterized, without a deep sense of feeling and an animalistic bloodthirst. The main character Raspail may be a hero, but he has alot of beastly and vicious traits that make the reader, unlike most talking-animal fantasies, feel slightly afraid and hold him at a distance. Overall, this book is so very beautifully written, with many twists and turns and amazing and fantastic characters, and i highly reccomend it to wolf lover or just literature lover in general.
June 19, 2012
This book wasn't what I was expecting but still worthwhile! I enjoyed it.. I liked the writing and the story. It was a good book! I don't have really any huge critiques or comments to share - it was just a good book. :)
November 13, 2025
I have a love/hate relationship with this book. I loved it because it made me laugh ... but then the writting pushied it down for me. There are a lot of errors in this book - and some are quite noticeable too so it feels like it was never really proof read - just written and published. Those errors can be just annoying enough that they take away from the story and that they take you out of it entirely and then you struggle to get back into it. There is also a lot, and I mean a lot of immature humor in this one - there is poop jokes, there is urine jokes, there is fart jokes, there is wolves sniffing each other's privates - all normal parts of wolves lifes but with added humor and some of them genuinely made me laugh out loud. And this book has one of my favourite characters- Repetto - he is a runt that was abandoned by his mother, he stayed little but has the voice of a mature adult wolf - and his scenes were some of the best in this book. I also hated that the author keep saying that the wolves had arms - like: "He threw an arm around his friend." or "He used his arms to run swifter" because every time that was mentioned I kept imagining wolves with human arms or these weird human wolf hybrids when they are not, they are just wolves. And I also hated the ending - there is an epic battle where Raspail wins back his old pack's ground and the area that their neighbors occupied. He doesn't want to be the leader but his kids are born in the new land - he has an urge to go and wander again and leave with his family whilst his mate does not. She just gave birth and wants her kids to connect with the family that didn't betray them and that stayed with them - and the book ends with one of the antagonists still being alive attacking Raspail when he goes away from his mate after they fight, but Raspail manages to run back home and lose the attackers and that is where the book ends - no confrontation no fight, just... that and it feels like there will be a sequel but there was not. There is also a really graphic scene when one of Raspail's mates brothers wants to rape Raspail's mate which is his sister- that turning to evil was insanely fast and almost felt out of nowhere- but I love the satisfying ending to that even though the entire scene is rather graphic. There is also another two antagonists who work with the main antagonist whispering to him and working for him - one just... runs away and is never seen again and the other one just vanishes without any epic battle or anything - he comes to the old pack, whispers to the villain that they have a common enemy - Raspail and then is never seen again despite having a pretty big part throuhout the entire book and especially against Raspail and his friends. And I loved the main villain's Hesser's death - nobody kills him ... he just walks/swims into thorns, gets tangled in them and then he slowly bleeds out and dies. That was a pretty epic ending... for a mediocre villain because he was just pathetic as a bad guy. He hated Raspail and he was weak - and he had no real personality besides hating Raspail and being jealous of him. And wanting to be an alpha after he has been the lowest ranking wolf his entire life. Overall an okay book that made me laugh but the errors in this one can really ruin it for you as a reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2019
By far one of the best wolf-books I have read. As the author says, the vivid realm of wolves struggling with their fight against human endangering them and often between each other is very meticulously described with expressive vocabulary. If one would ask about the rating of this book, unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend it for too young readers by the virtue of some inexplicit sexual themes and violence which is rather graphically depicted, not missing any of the wolves' customs. The same time it gives the author his extraordinariness among the wolf-fiction writers. The characters are unusually created and the plot is coherent but containing elements of action and building anxiety.
January 11, 2019
Enticing!!
I'm very picky when it comes to good books. Reading through this peeked my interest soley for the story being told from a wolf's perspective. Through the pages of the sample, it hooked me in and kept my attention throughout the pages. This story is definitely not for younger readers, given details that are portrayed through the story. But a fantastic read none the less. I recommend!
I'm very picky when it comes to good books. Reading through this peeked my interest soley for the story being told from a wolf's perspective. Through the pages of the sample, it hooked me in and kept my attention throughout the pages. This story is definitely not for younger readers, given details that are portrayed through the story. But a fantastic read none the less. I recommend!
May 5, 2024
This book is extremely reminiscent of old stories I used to stumble upon in forums or DeviantArt about edgy wolf OC’s written by 13-year-olds. In that regard, it was fairly entertaining.
But everything else about it is BAD. The animal behaviors and systems are not accurate, the many many plots ramble (pun intended), and grammatical errors abound. Someone needs to teach the author the difference between “their,” “there,” and “they’re.”
But everything else about it is BAD. The animal behaviors and systems are not accurate, the many many plots ramble (pun intended), and grammatical errors abound. Someone needs to teach the author the difference between “their,” “there,” and “they’re.”
November 23, 2023
The story has some potential, but fails to deliver. The writing style is quite hard to read, and factual errors abound. The characters are vicious, heartless savages that kill their own family members (something wolves would never do), and there is far too much focus on bodily functions and genitals – this is not a suitable book for children, if you were wondering.
November 12, 2023
Annoying prose. Hard to follow, poorly-written dialogue. Too long for what it was overall. If I can compliment the book on anything, it was Poitu the raven. She was literally all that kept me reading this book to the very end.
June 29, 2021
Fantastic. A few editorial errors but this book is right up there with “The Sight” and “Firebringer.”
November 9, 2025
Lowered my rating to two stars upon second thought.
Just a rather boring read if you ask me. It had quite a few errors throughout (punctuation, name inconsistencies, etc.) which made it look unprofessional. I also thought Raspail was a genuine snorefest of a main character. He feels like a walking "nobody wolf who grows into a powerful leader" trope with little to no exceptions. The fact that he has a raven friend is supposed to make him unique, but irl wolf-raven cooperation is very common so it didn't feel unique at all. I guess I thought it was unique that Raspail was non-speaking for a while, but the author was too lazy to commit to this disability fully by having Raspail eventually talk again.
I guess there's two elements I liked in this story: Hagi and Repetto. They were pretty fun and interesting characters, honestly the only ones of the bunch because I found the rest of the cast to be a boring uninteresting snorefest. Thankfully Hagi and Repetto do have a lot of page-time, but even they weren't enough to keep me hooked to this story.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
Just a rather boring read if you ask me. It had quite a few errors throughout (punctuation, name inconsistencies, etc.) which made it look unprofessional. I also thought Raspail was a genuine snorefest of a main character. He feels like a walking "nobody wolf who grows into a powerful leader" trope with little to no exceptions. The fact that he has a raven friend is supposed to make him unique, but irl wolf-raven cooperation is very common so it didn't feel unique at all. I guess I thought it was unique that Raspail was non-speaking for a while, but the author was too lazy to commit to this disability fully by having Raspail eventually talk again.
I guess there's two elements I liked in this story: Hagi and Repetto. They were pretty fun and interesting characters, honestly the only ones of the bunch because I found the rest of the cast to be a boring uninteresting snorefest. Thankfully Hagi and Repetto do have a lot of page-time, but even they weren't enough to keep me hooked to this story.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
December 31, 2012
I enjoy the occasional allegory, particularly one about wolves, so when I was offered a chance to read this one, I went for it. Though not overly "realistic," it is a gripping adventure with a likeable hero and hateable villains.
Ramblefoot is the colorful story of Raspail, a wolf who loses everything, but rebuilds a wonderful life for himself in a changing world. When he is forced from his home and his true love at a young age, he embarks on an adventure and makes a number of new friends. He travels from wolf province to wolf province, never quite fitting in anywhere until he meets a tiny storytelling wolf who tells him of the wonders of Ramblefoot. It's a place where meat is plentiful but the dangers are many, and when they travel there, Raspail finds that his friend's stories are true. Meanwhile, changes are afoot in Raspail's old pack, and his true love, Kileo, is in danger. Ramblefoot has also become a very dangerous place, and now it's up to Raspail to return to the pack that rejected him and right old wrongs.
I love dramatic adventures, so I enjoyed this novel. I also think that boys from 10-15 would really like it. There is wolf sex and violence, but it's not terribly graphic, and Raspail's journey from wounded outcast to pack leader could really resonate with young men. It's hard to find decent books for boys that age, so I would definitely put this one on the list. That said, it's also very enjoyable for adults, featuring a story with dramatic twists and turns, and a happy ending. I would definitely read more of Raspail's adventures, or other books from this author.
Ramblefoot is the colorful story of Raspail, a wolf who loses everything, but rebuilds a wonderful life for himself in a changing world. When he is forced from his home and his true love at a young age, he embarks on an adventure and makes a number of new friends. He travels from wolf province to wolf province, never quite fitting in anywhere until he meets a tiny storytelling wolf who tells him of the wonders of Ramblefoot. It's a place where meat is plentiful but the dangers are many, and when they travel there, Raspail finds that his friend's stories are true. Meanwhile, changes are afoot in Raspail's old pack, and his true love, Kileo, is in danger. Ramblefoot has also become a very dangerous place, and now it's up to Raspail to return to the pack that rejected him and right old wrongs.
I love dramatic adventures, so I enjoyed this novel. I also think that boys from 10-15 would really like it. There is wolf sex and violence, but it's not terribly graphic, and Raspail's journey from wounded outcast to pack leader could really resonate with young men. It's hard to find decent books for boys that age, so I would definitely put this one on the list. That said, it's also very enjoyable for adults, featuring a story with dramatic twists and turns, and a happy ending. I would definitely read more of Raspail's adventures, or other books from this author.
June 18, 2013
It seemed more at first like the wolf's side of a nature book,then things started to go down hill. This was because the wolves have a strong sexual direse that got stronger as the book went on. At one spot in the book, a wolf tries to rape another wolf, at another wolf cubs are giggling behind a bush because a wolf is on top of another wolf which causes the two wolves to fall over. One of the oddest things it talks about, is one time when the wolves were following the scent of female wolves they noticed that they had a 5th leg that was growing. There were many gross things that happened through the book, but worse of all the language was terrible, because female wolves are called swear words, and a lot of the wolves curse. If I had read some of the other reviews on this book here on Goodreads, I probably wouldn't have read this book
November 29, 2015
While definitely enjoyable to a point, Ramblefoot is definitely a testosterone-filled tale. Lots of male comradery makes up the bones of the book, while the main character's misfortune makes up the body. It's more about building up a legend in a style similar to a campfire tale than it is about being a necessarily good story.
I would recommend Ramblefoot to people who enjoyed White Fang or The Sight, as it's a short read and enjoyable for those who can look past its flaws.
TW for a brief scene featuring sexual assault, though.
I would recommend Ramblefoot to people who enjoyed White Fang or The Sight, as it's a short read and enjoyable for those who can look past its flaws.
TW for a brief scene featuring sexual assault, though.
August 2, 2014
Excellent! Think along the lines of Tailchaser's Song (Tad Williams) or Watership Down. I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this book and highly recommend it. I read the Amazon summary and thought "um...what?" but trusted the good reviews of Goodreads and was not let down. This book may have some younger readers but my closest comparison is Tailchaser's song because it's nature uncut (which means blood, guts and other nature-y things). In other words, its not a childrens book
August 24, 2016
Amazing Read, Surprised that this isn't more popular.
This book, is the greatest story about wolves I have ever read. It has, action, adventure, humor, good poetry, and a great romance. No love of wolves or fiction should pass this book by. READ IT!!! You will have no regrets.
This book, is the greatest story about wolves I have ever read. It has, action, adventure, humor, good poetry, and a great romance. No love of wolves or fiction should pass this book by. READ IT!!! You will have no regrets.
January 19, 2017
Gory and often crude, but funny and interesting all the same. I enjoyed this one.
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