From the South three sisters fair ran athwart the gloom. Dressed of fur and fierce of tooth… the maidens of the moon.
Jimmy Finn is having a real bad day. He woke up drunk and on the wrong end of a nightstick. He lost his job, and had to see his shrink. Now the cops are after him, he’s falling apart, and his only friend is a volatile drug lord. How could it get any worse?
As smoke envelopes the city, he finds himself on the run, and out of time. He’s either losing his mind, or becoming a monster. Or maybe it’s both. Jimmy Finn has one last hope. A long-buried family secret, lost above a mysterious town in the mountains, full of bizarre shadows and a strange girl that haunts his memories.
“Populated by a collection of characters you definitely want to have a drink with, but then hide in your basement while you count your fingers and toes afterward, this tale does not disappoint.” – Robert Bose, nEvermore, AB Negative
“Axel Howerton pens a slick stylish werewolf tale that digs in its teeth and tears at your heart. Furr has a voice that speaks to the animal in us all.” – Sarah L. Johnson, author of Suicide Stitch: Eleven Stories
Axel Howerton is a former entertainment journalist, and the Arthur Ellis Award nominated author of the detective caper "Hot Sinatra"; the modern gothic fairytale "Furr"; the zombie novella "Living Dead at Zigfreid & Roy"; and the noir fable "Con Morte". His forthcoming "Wolf & Devil" urban fantasy series for Tyche Books kicks off with "Demon Days" in February 2018.
When he's not on-duty as a "purveyor of literary badassery" and "hometown anti-hero", Axel wanders the foothills of Southern Alberta with his two brilliant sons, and a wife that is way out of his league.
Visit Axel online at www.axelhow.com or seek him out on social media as #AxelHow
Dressed of fur and fierce of tooth... Howerton hooks you in from the first page and never lets go, and not only because he concocted the perfect antihero to root for, but because he also brings you into a world so realistic that it hits quite close to hime, at times.
The mystery that drags Finn back to his nowhere hometown not only carries a heavy load of folklore, but some form of magic that fell into the wrong hands and turned into abuse on the town's folks. And then, there are werewolves thrown into the mix, from a stripper that exudes some controls on men to an older gentleman that knows his fair share of secrets.
By far, this is my favourite of Howerton; a rich storytelling with twists and turns that leave you breathless until you hit the last page. Quite the read, and highly recommended for anyone who loves supernatural elements without annoying romance.
Jimmy Finn can’t catch a break, any break. He’s falling apart, a train wreck, his dreams a mess of half-memories and fragments of poetry. Teetering on the edge of insanity, and out of options, he sets out to discover the truth about his family history and himself.
What do you get to when you mix a messed up modern world with ancient Irish folkloreand a healthy dose of the supernatural? A fast moving werewolf story populated by a collection of characters you’ll want to have a drink with, dance with, party with, but then hide in your basement while you count your fingers. A tornado of non-stop twists and turns you won’t want to put down.
Furr is a dark, humorous werewolf fantasy about emergence, self-realisation, and coming to terms with not being what was expected. The prose is vivid, even lurid, and if I had to pick a single word: beautiful. The protagonist, Finn, unexpectedly finds he has a large, family with unlikely allies, who are possibly even more strange than he is. That should have explained everything and made him feel better, except that family is about to be destroyed by an extremely despicable antagonist and his equally vile sidekick. The plot develops at break-neck speed and doesn't let up until it's all over. Towards the end of the book, I was thinking it would have been perfect if an extremely interesting character introduced at the beginning would make a reappearance, and boom! There he was, along with a hint that the next book would prominently feature him. Very enjoyable and recommended.
I'm not normally a werewolf story reader, but was thrilled to receive a review copy of this book as I have greatly enjoyed the author's noir fiction, especially Hot Sinatra. I admit to finding the first few chapters a bit slow as the complexities of the main character are explored, but once things get going it's a non-stop thrill ride. Furr is much, much more than werewolves, but delves deep into the mythos of 'the other'. Where Furr truly shines, however, is with its collection of zany characters, each further over-the-top than the last. When you reach the last page, you'll be reaching for the book's sequel, and then hammering the walls if it isn't immediately available.
Think you've read every kind of werewolf novel there is? Think again. Furr is a gothic family drama about identity, destiny, and protecting what's yours, even if you're not sure you want it. The family in question just happens to be werewolves. Jimmy Finn, having recently discovered who and what he really is, returns to his ancestral home only to find his relatives in danger. From there Howerton crafts a narrative of equal parts style, substance, and delightful mayhem. Furr is a satisfying novel to bite into, just don't be surprised if it bites back.
Loved it. Jimmy is messed up. He's been messed up his whole life. He's on drugs to keep the smells and dreams away. He doesn't belong in the city. He dreams of a little girl named Emma. His bitch mother tells him they don't know an Emma. He keeps getting in trouble. A friend and a stranger tell him where to go and the truth will be apparent. Will he finally fit in and be able to actually live his life in peace???
“From the south, three sisters fair /Ran athwart the gloom, Dressed in fur, fierce of tooth /The maidens of the moon”
This rhyme runs through Jimmy’s past, a cocktail of drugs, alcohol, and therapy keep him paralysed in the present. When he wakes up in the hospital, under guard, with the doctors talking about him coughing up human fingers, he figures he cant sink any lower. At that moment hope appears, a stranger claiming to know his father, starts Jimmy on a fast paced adventure to find the truth about himself and the mythical Strong Wolves of Bensonhall.
If you are looking for a typical werewolf story, this isn’t one. It is an outstanding, tautly-written voyage into the soul of a man who just happens to be a werewolf. Written in first person, Mr. Howerton’s anti-hero grabs you from the first page and drags you with him through the agonizing transformation from loser to leader. Book two can’t come fast enough!
It is a true work of art. The words are written with depth of imagination and creativity.
I instantly felt a connection with the main character, and was drawn into his dark, mysterious world. As his journey progresses, the bond only gets deeper. The reader has no choice but to spend every spare moment glued to the pages, desperately wanting to know what happens next.
As the story builds, the action and excitement rise. Unexpected twists surprise and delight.
I can't wait until the next book in this series comes out!
Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down until I was done, compelling from start to finish. It was a beautiful mix of ancient legends and the protagonistd search to discover his place in the world today. I loved how Howerton starts with a broken man and rebuilds him into a confident hero as the story progressed. A fantastic and smooth read.
Loved this writers' descriptions and language. Deep POV expertly executed, I was right inside the mind and body of a werewolf. This book is a must read.
‘’My jaws close around him, not the bird, but the man. Old and foul and filled with death and rot and sulfur.”
Canadian author Axel Howerton, a former entertainment journalist, writes books that focus on paranormal fantasies, crime, science fiction – all in a manner unique to him. He maintains ‘human contact’ at all times with his characters who shift into other forms and in doing so makes his stories more related to psychological dissections of reality versus fantasy. It works! Axel is the Prairies director of the Crime Writers of Canada and a member of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association, the Calgary Crime Writers, and the Kintsugi Poets. He is also the editor of the books AB Negative and Tall Tales of the Weird West, and the organizer behind one of Canada's first recurring "Noir At The Bar" events, #NoirBarYYC.
The richly atmospheric flavor of this werewolf novel is hinted gently in the opening paragraphs – ‘I can smell the smoke coming down from the mountains. It’s still a long way off, days even, but I can smell it all the same. Or I’m due for what my mother called a spell. Because I can’t possibly smell the trees burning four or five hundred kilometres away, but it’s there, coating the inside of my nose the same as if it was a campfire two feet in front of me. “You smell that?” Devil looks at me from under one doubtful eyebrow. “Do I smell what?” he grumbles, paying little attention to me and serious attention to the hundred bucks I just put in his hand. “You just want the usual, right?” “Of course.” Devil and I were friends. Had been friends. A very long time ago. Now he was just my weed dealer, and I was just one more awkward desk jockey nerd scoring off him in a back alley. Devil DeVille, master of every possible way to be cool. Leaning against his gleaming black Charger, in his black leather jacket, his black leather boots. Fonzie boots with the little buckles. I can smell the oil on those boots. Fresh oil. They gleam even in the sickly orange streetlight glow. Devil reaches into his pocket and tosses me a little plastic-bag coated bundle. The ripe stink of it brings water to my eyes and I pull back, while my fingers miraculously wrap around the bundle and pick it from the air. “Nice catch, Jimmy.” “Thanks.” I want to tell him how I’ve been oddly coordinated lately. How every wastebasket three-pointer has sunk, how every jagged sidewalk block that has tripped me up for the better part of three years has suddenly smoothed out in front of me. How I hear like a bat and pounce like a cat. I want to talk to him about the woman across the road, how I can smell her perfume when the balcony door is open. I want to share it with somebody, but I know what he’ll say. He’ll think I’m losing it again.’
Axel offers a very brief outline of the direction of this novel – ‘Jimmy Finn is having a real bad day. He woke up drunk and on the wrong end of a nightstick. He lost his job, and had to see his shrink. Now the cops are after him, he's falling apart, and his only friend is a volatile drug lord. How could it get any worse? As smoke envelopes the city, he finds himself on the run, and out of time. He's either losing his mind, or becoming a monster. Or maybe it's both. Jimmy Finn has one last hope. A long-buried family secret, lost above a mysterious town in the mountains, full of bizarre shadows and a strange girl that haunts his memories.’
The discoveries Finn makes are bristling, horrifying, and yet because of the manner in which Axel writes they almost seem real. THAT is when a paranormal writer has succeeded - when the fine line between fantasy and reality blurs and out pours a story that is, in other writers’ hands, make –believe. Axel Howerton pulls us into the immediacy of the tale – and incredible feat.
I haven’t read a whole lot of werewolf based books, so I can’t really say how different it was from the norm in the genre. With that being said, I really enjoyed it. It wasn’t your standard story, the main character was really broken and even after finding out what he is, he is still broken. But he isn’t alone anymore, he has a family.
I liked how unapologetic the Author was in his writing, he wasn’t afraid to touch hard subjects. In some places, he was pretty brutally honest about it. Which just added that extra tone and layer to the story, making it feel all the more real. Depression wasn’t shied upon, it was told with nothing but the truth to it.
(Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the Publicist working with the Author. Does not affect my review)
This is a book of two halves - the first half is gritty and absorbing. In particular, the stuff about the protagonist's loneliness, his fear he is going mad, and his sensitivity to smells is excellent. Devil is such a good character too. But I really struggled with the second half, after the main character discovers the reason he is going mad. The change in location and introduction of a long-lost family meant that the ominous atmosphere was lost. It was almost like things became too easy for Finn in the second half of the book and suddenly all tension in the story is gone. In addition, there aren't very many female characters and none of them are very fleshed-out. However, the prose was good and the author's eye for detail was brilliant. And kudos for the Yamazaki whisky shoutout.
Furr was a novel akin to that high school relationship you had, that just didn't pan out. Sure, things were amazing in the beginning, but then things happened and it was over. But you still think fondly about what could have been.
That was Furr for me. The writing was exquisite. I will say the author is quite the talented individual. I picked up Furr and instantly fell under its spell. Jimmy had a distinct voice that felt so real, I swore I could hear the words. And as his story unfolded though his voice, it was so down to earth and riddled with shit, I couldn't help but keep reading to see what happened next. And when his high school friend, Devil, was introduced, I was hooked.
I will say, while I was reading this story I thought to myself: "this is one of the best urban fantasy novels I have ever read."
And then we passed into the last two thirds of the novel, and the honeymoon slowly ended. The writing never stopped being amazing. But once Jimmy went into the mountains to find his roots, the substance of the story changed. It went from a struggling Jimmy, to a Jimmy who found out he was Finn and was welcomed by his long lost family. But his ancestors are being be-spelled by the big bad and his henchman, and only Finn can save them.
I will say this first: If you like gory, urban fantasy romance, I think you will really like Furr.
I won't get into too many details here, but I am going to cite what didn't work for me in the latter half of the novel, and why, so you can determine (for yourself) if Furr is your type of story.
1. When chaos starts to overwhelm Finn he reaches out to Devil via phone. But instead of reintroducing Devil as an active character, it stops at the phone call. Devil, who was such an active character in the first half, never shows up in the second half. The story changes from one of the best bromances I have ever read, to a romance. Instead of Devil supporting Finn (as I would have liked to see) his new "pack" helps, which is fine... but the whole "the girl that's his soulmate being his strength" really didn't work for me as a replacement to the friendship of Devil and Finn. There was also a perfect connection from Devil to the big bad (through voodoo symbols and knowledge) I wish the author had called back on, and made the story more of a Finn and Devil friendship triumph story.
2. Jules. Tough girl, aggressive: yet she felt remarkably like a trope to me. She betrays the pack, and does suffer, but never in connection to her actions and selfishness or the deaths they've caused. She loses her father, and no one really blinks an eye. They count the fact she gets maimed/ hurt as enough punishment for her crime, (without ever saying so directly) and that felt so empty.
3. Girl characters in general. Few and far between, and mostly romantic purposed (Girl of his literal dreams, aggressive girl cousin that comes onto him.) The only others are the wacky aunt who gets a single scene, his crazy mother, and a crazy waitress.
4. Some of the extras died too quickly to be effective, and I felt too many of them kicked the bucket (for the plot) it just seemed gratuitous. One even died off screen after only having a single scene, and it just didn't make me sympathetic.
5. There is also a gratuitous amount of rape (not shown, just spoken about) by the henchman to Jules. I was not okay with this for a number of reasons. Firstly, when Finn is still Jimmy he loses control seeing a random girl about to get raped in Calgary and mangles the guys. When he is Finn he is flat out told about the non-consensual sex happening to his cousins and he literally sees the situation and walks away. I cannot be sympathetic to the guy after that. There is also mind-controlled sex of the lead romantic interest, Emma, by the big bad. The rape also is not even close to necessary for the plot, and leads into my last issue here too.
6. I found absolutely no reason that the henchman (or the big bad) needed to be men. Their gender served no purpose to the plot, aside from all the rapey mind control. I think a gender flip of at least one of these characters would have added a whole new layer to the story.
Like I said, these are my issues alone. If they don't bother you, then I think you will love Furr. There was a preview of the sequel, and it revolves around Jules and Devil, but it seems to be very trope romance so I won't be picking that up. Finn's story is done, so my wish for the first half of Furr to continue to a friend triumph conclusion isn't going to happen. But Like I said, if you like gory, gritty, romance then Furr and Wolf & Devil are for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.