Geoff Cooper is a battle-weary werewolf moving his pack to Washington, D.C. in search of a new start. A rare oasis from inter-pack fighting, the city seems an ideal place for them to find peace.
Or so he thinks.
They are immediately beset by a shadowy government organization. Its mission is simple, yet shrouded in mystery: rid D.C. of werewolves by any means necessary. Cooper refuses to back down, determined to protect his pack's hard-won sanctuary.
As the struggle between agents and werewolves intensifies, an insidious threat lies dormant. It's a secret that could destroy them all – but will either side realize the true danger before it's too late?
M. D. Wiselln was born and raised in Ohio. He is not, so far as he knows, actually a werewolf, though he does go online and pretend to be one every now and then. He's been involved in chatroom-based roleplaying since the late 1990s and still spends plenty of late nights doing so. The Law of Teeth universe was inspired by the characters he's played and the stories they've woven across the years.
When not writing, roleplaying, or thinking about writing or roleplaying, he enjoys going to the movies and musical theater. He's a computer programmer by trade and works for a major U.S. bank at his day job.
He now lives in Kansas with his amazing wife (whom he actually met in one such chatroom) and several cats.
This book is so different than most werewolf novels. It is not a romance or a horror. This is a well written and engaging book, full of action and mystery and intrigue. If you like plots that are hard to predict and stories full of twists and turns, then this is the book for you. It is a constant crescendo without any drawn out pieces and will keep you engaged the whole way through.
How to spoil a book without spoilers, to pull someone in to read it? WEREWOLVES! Intrigue!! Reimagined figures! Think you know all of Forefathers of America? Think again. Like a game of cat and mouse (wolf and deer?) this book lures you along until the books (not series) conclusion. You get invested in the characters who, despite having a lot thrown at you, aren’t watered shallow beings, but have depth that I feel we haven’t yet begun to explore Can’t wait for the next!
The werewolf fiction genre is dominated almost exclusively by either horror or romance. Sins of the Forefathers is refreshingly unique. If you're interested in mystery, suspense, political intrigue AND werewolves, this is the book for you!
Even with the (accurate) fantasy tag, it's very modern and ultra-realistic. The characters are so believable and the plots so detailed that sometimes I forgot I was even reading about a pack of werewolves. I could easily relate to the trials and tribulations they went through. Each character is compelling and has a distinct voice, especially Geoff Cooper, the protagonist. By the end of the book, I felt like I actually knew him and now am sort of bummed I'm not actually a werewolf in his pack.
I've actually read this book three times and was just as interested and invested in the story and characters the third time as I was the first, even though I knew the story well. And I noticed clues/foreshadowings in subsequent readings that I missed the first time, which I consider to be indicative of a well thought-out plot.
This is M.D. Wiselln's first novel, but there's nothing amateur about it.
This was one of those author's I happened to find by chance. I absolutely love the title, and with the cover, it drew me in.
I very rarely get to read something along the lines of paranormal intrigue, so I was keen to start this one. The story flowed well and kept my interest. I did not want to put it down.
I did find Geoff's decisions questionable as a leader at times, but as someone not in his position, I respect enough is enough. You would want to just settle and fight for what is yours instead of constantly being on the move. What I did like about Geoff was the fact he did fight for his pack. He would protect them with his life, their hurts and issues were his hurts and issues. Nothing was too small for him.
My favourite character has to be Blysse. She isn't in it much, but I love that she is the tracker. I like her skill set and the traps she set up to protect her home. Her attitude is spot on.
I also appreciated the circumstances of the characters, and it made great story telling. Mark was a wolf afraid of wolves. Tally tried to protect her pack, and led them, unwittingly, into danger. Geoff wanted to take his pack somewhere safe, ending up somewhere far worse.
These characters have faults, they are not perfect, and that makes them far more interesting for me and want to follow their story.
Overall, I much enjoyed this. Well worth a read if you like werewolves and mystery! I really recommend and I would happily continue the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Sins of the Forefathers is an intriguing story of a pack of werewolves in their human form migrating to a new home across the country. It is a most interesting story of the trials and tribulations of a werewolf pack trying to live a quiet life away from the bias of their species. When pack leader Geoff Cooper moves his pack to Washington, D.C. to begin a new existence free of the tensions and warring of aggressive surrounding packs, he finds that being the only pack in the nation’s capital will not provide the easy, peaceful existence he envisioned. Little did he realize that he and his pack would become the focus of a shadow government agency intent on forcing them from their new home to prevent stirring up a centuries-old government secret. The plot reads like a spy thriller novel, and the plot moves fast and furious. The characters are likeable and give great insight on the human side of the werewolf culture (if it really did exist). I’m not usually a fan of werewolf stories and I was pleasantly surprised how the story immediately drew me in and kept me captive to the end. It was a great read, and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting an entertaining story of intrigue and suspense.
If you’re looking at this title or cover and thinking, “I’m not into werewolves,” trust me—that’s only because you haven’t read this book yet.
This story delivers intrigue in spades, with characters so vivid and well-drawn you forget they’re fictional. The world feels familiar enough to settle into immediately, yet it’s layered with lore so seamlessly woven in that you accept it as fact without question.
And the ending? A perfectly executed cliffhanger that will have you reaching for the next installment before you’ve even had time to process what just happened.
If I had to tag this book as 'read this if you like this,' I would say...if you like the twisty plots of Dan Brown but want a little fantasy mixed in, Sins of the Forefathers makes for a great read. Werewolves are a huge part of it, but it's the way that the grizzled main character is forced to navigate secrets and shadows that he doesn't give a damn about that really draws me in. It's very different from most supernatural fare out there today and I think opens the urban fantasy genre up to those who like the supernatural but aren't as into the romance that a lot of others have (which I like as well! This isn't meant to thumb a nose there). The author has a way with his turns of phrase that appeals to me personally and I'm looking forward to his next entry.
This book was such a refreshing take on how to drive a story forward! The plot is solid, the twists and surprises come unexpectedly, with information coming from varying points of view, and the story develops entirely by the characters. The author builds a connection between you and the characters, you get to guessing how they are going to handle each new situation and this drives the plot forward with their actions; and keeps your pages turning. This kind of werewolf story shows you the inner workings of a pack relying on each other to survive with loyalty and feral protectiveness. The metaphysical twists and layers keep you going for more details, to figure out what is going on, but the most exciting part is trying to figure out what the characters will do next. Cannot wait for more!
The book's focus on minor details adds authenticity to the setting and enriches the reader's enjoyment. The pacing of the plot is well-crafted, offering a mix of exciting events and introspective scenes. Wiselin expertly weaves together elements of mystery, suspense, politics, and werewolf lore. The story's unexpected developments will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I'm still quite new to fantasy, and this is totally different from what I'm used to.
This is a story that will stay stuck in your head even after you've first read it. A slow, delicious burn that doesn't stall out at any point - a wonderful read that will keep you wanting more. I can't wait for the next book!
Inoffensive plot-driven werewolf novel that puts family first
At its best, this book rebukes a lot of the unhealthy stereotypes about wolf pack structure. I found the modern family dynamics of Wiselln's focal characters refreshing and laduable.
At its worst it is bogged down by overwritten action and needless usage of the depersonalising term "form" for someone's body. This is a roleplay carryover that should not have made it past first draft.
For the most part the book plays well with an interesting historical twist, a mostly believable government agency angle, and a flawed but ultimately well-meaning pack leader. The pack members are diverse and each has their rightful place in the narrative.
Not as much HBO-level bite as True Blood, but certainly more palatable for a non-devotee to the genre than a lot of other works that tend to put the more carnal side of things first.
A few caveats: it ends on a well-telegraphed cliffhanger, and I am sad to say I set aside the sequel due to those aforementioned bad roleplay habits taking over, to the point where certain characters convincingly intelligent thus far go all kinds of incompetent for a drawn out, predictable action scene with major plot repercussions that felt neither organic nor earned.
But if a reader can overlook this sort of thing for a decently written, pretty slick ride with plenty of interesting characters and a fairly fresh take on urban fantasy that skews more X Files than Underworld...have at it.
Those who grew up reading Gene De Weese's "The Adventures of a Two-Minute Werewolf" and later came to enjoy espionage thrillers will want to give this book a try. Werewolves are presented in a folksy, relatable, and empathetic manner akin to the former, which came out long before paranormal romance and Omegaverse tropes became synonymous with shifters of every type. Espionage thriller fans ought to enjoy the intrigue surrounding a US government agency so secret that it doesn't even *have* a TLA, hearkening back to the Founding and featuring several of the Founding Fathers themselves. (World-weary old hand Agent Mitchum was my favorite character in a narrative with surprises in store even for him.) The wolves of Geoffskari are all unique and interesting. Each have made their pack mates their adoptive family, and clan leader Geoff Cooper leads by example in caring for each other and protecting them all. But will that be enough? Readers will have to pick up the book and find out for themselves. Though they may want to plan on purchasing at least the first two books of the series and read them one right after the other, given the frustratingly abrupt cliffhanger this first book ends on.
This book is a different take on the Werewolves aspect and I liked it! I loved the whole family aspect between Geoff and his "pack". The book has it all from mysterious things happening, frustrating road blocks and the touch of a loving pack that takes care of one another no matter what! The ending was unexpected in the best way although it pulled at the heart strings in the end. The books is perfect for anyone that likes the Werewolves aspect in books. It's a great book and I recommend checking it out and can't wait to check out book 2
Werewolves in DC? Yes, please! This was SUCH a refreshing read. It felt like a crime drama with the politics of True Blood and elements of Supernatural. I love that Geoff has a very distinctive voice and is a flawed character at times, making questionable leadership choices. Each character has a very distinctive voice and I felt it was watching a supernatural crime drama in my head. I cannot wait to dive into the next book!
This is not my typical genre of book, but I was intrigued by the description. So glad I decided to read this. There's a great mix of intrigue, folklore, mystery, history, and action in this story. I particularly like the intermix of flashbacks at the right parts that adds just enough backstory to make you want to keep reading.
Right up my alley! Suspense, mystery, political intrigue, originality and an engaging storyline. What more could I ask for?! For someone who isn't a big werewolf fan, this book exceeded my expectations and made me want more - no I need more and I'm excited to see what comes next.