Night Creature

Werewolf Chronicles #1

by Rodman Philbrick, Lynn Harnett

Born human and raised as a wolf—but forever destined to be a monster

Abandoned as a child, Gruff is taken in and raised by a Wolfmother. She teaches him to survive in the wild—and to be wary of the Legwalkers.
 
When a chance encounter brings Gruff near humans again, he wants to know more about this world to which he no longer belongs. But as he soon discovers, he doesn’t really fit in with the wolves either. As Gruff feels his body change into that of a monster—and hears the evil call coming from others like him—he knows it’s time to face the terrible truth about himself.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Werewolves, Wolves, Childrens, Paranormal, Shapeshifters

148 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Aka William R Dantz, Chris Jordan, W.R. Philbrick.

Rodman Philbrick grew up on the New England coast, where he worked as a longshoreman and boat builder. For many years he wrote mysteries and detective novels. The Private Eye Writers of America nominated two of his T.D.Stash series as best detective novel and then selected Philbrick's 'Brothers & Sinners' as Best Novel in 1993. Writing under the pen name 'William R. Dantz' he has explored the near-future worlds of genetic engineering and hi-tech brain control in books like 'Hunger', 'Pulse', 'The Seventh Sleeper'. And 'Nine Levels Down'.

Inspired by the life of a boy who lived a few blocks away, he wrote 'Freak The Mighty', the award-winning young-adult novel, which has been translated into numerous languages and is now read in schools throughout the world. The book was adapted to the screen in 1998 as 'The Mighty', starring Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, James Gandolfini, Kieran Culkin, and Elden Henson.

Philbrick, a screenwriter as well as a novelist, is the author of a number of novels for young readers, including 'The Fire Pony', 'Max the Mighty', 'REM World', 'The Last Book In The Universe', 'The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds' and 'The Young Man And The Sea'. His recent novels for adults include 'Dark Matter', 'Coffins', and 'Taken'. He and his wife divide their time between Maine and the Florida Keys.

Reviews

[Coramcg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was looking for paranormal romantic suspense with werewolves. This story is a coming-of-age werewolf in a world where werewolves are evil monsters trying to take over the world. So it wasn’t what I was looking for, but it was an enjoyable trilogy that was short enough to have been one book.

Gruff, born human and abandoned in the swamp, was raised by a wolf pack. He is accepted as part of the pack even though he is not as fast or skilled at hunting as his pack-mates.

At 12, Gruff changes for the first time to a werewolf with full moon and meets vicious killer werewolves who try to steal a human child from a nearby town and blame it on wolves. Gruff stops them. When the humans come to kill the wolf pack, Gruff diverts them and is taken to town to live with humans until they find his parents. He is treated well and accepted by the family, who teach him to speak English and try to socialize him.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 3 out of 5]

My love of reading started when i was young, and it gives me immense pleasure to provide books to Spread the Word Nevada, an organization that passes them on to children in the community. They are a terrific organization supporting an important cause. If your local I encourage you to check them out. For those living further a field, look in your own community, their may already be a similar program in place. And if not, you can always help start one.

http://spreadthewordnevada.org/

Myself, I go out on the weekends and
shop thrift store and bulk book lots to rescue books and donate them. Sometimes I'll find a book I remember reading when I was young and will read it again before passing it on.

I don't rate these books using my normal scale, instead I give most of them three stars. This isn't a Criticism of the book, simply my way of rating them as good for children.

[Kaleb Riell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This rating was, for me, definitely heavy on the nostalgia. You know how you have those books from childhood that are just vague memories, and you don't remember any concrete facts about it, and you think you might remember what the color of the cover was but you could be wrong?

For me, that was this book. I read this around 10 or 11 years old and I was captivated. It was dark. It was scary. It featured a kid with a terrible curse! Who would ever accept him?!

Reading it again some, god, what, seventeen years later? It doesn't hit quite the same, of course, but I'm enjoying it. I see a lot of themes that have recurred in my own writing, like this book had wriggled into my subconscious and stayed there. I'm really happy to have found it again after all these years.

[Shadoe Hare · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whoooo boy....this was a horrible read. The plot was okay for being a children's book, but the writing was pure torture, it was beyond simple. This book is so silly that might do for a five year old, but not a teenager or above. I recommend something like "Animorphs" instead.

[R.A. Danger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is more of an introduction to the character Gruff. Who after living with a wolf family for 12 years learns he is a werewolf. Unfortunately the other werewolves want him to be an evil werewolf and his wolf family is scared of him (when he changes). If that wasn't problem enough, the humans think his wolf family is stealing their kids.

It won't be till the second book one knows the real plans of the werewolves.

[Lori Schiele · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finished reading this book in an hour and a half. Only 100 pages and very simplistically written, as if written for a 10 year old. VERY simplistic and young-YOUNG adult.
A boy is raised by wolves and as he nears puberty, discovers he's a werewolf who must protect his wolf family--and the humans of the town nearby--from the evil werewolves who want to hunt his family and make him one of them.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading these books a long, long time ago. I think it may very well have been the first werewolf-centric series I read. I don't think I remember enough about the series to judge each book individually, but I remember rereading the first one.

[Najwa Warraich · Rating 4 out of 5]

re-reading this trilogy after so long and I'm absolutely enjoying it. the first book was a great introduction to the main character and setting up the story. the ending left off on a cliffhanger and I'm so excited for the next book. it reminds me of my childhood days

[Le-li Hollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. it's a little overdramatic but i think it was fantastic.

[Brianna]

Just awesome I loved the imagery that the put book to life.

[Umair Sial · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a series you won't ever want to put down. Loved it as a child and still find it a great story.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has 146 pages