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Supernatural #17
Children of Anubis
A brand new Supernatural novel inspired by the record-breaking show starring Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles.
A brand-new Supernatural novel that reveals a previously unseen adventure for the Winchester brothers, from the hit TV series!
Sam and Dean travel to Indiana, to investigate a murder that could be the work of a werewolf. But they soon discover that werewolves aren't the only things going bump in the night. The town is also home to a pack of jakkals who worship the god carrion-eating scavengers who hate werewolves. With the help of Garth, the Winchester brothers must stop the werewolf-jakkal turf war before it engulfs the town - and before the god Anubis is awakened...
A brand-new Supernatural novel that reveals a previously unseen adventure for the Winchester brothers, from the hit TV series!
Sam and Dean travel to Indiana, to investigate a murder that could be the work of a werewolf. But they soon discover that werewolves aren't the only things going bump in the night. The town is also home to a pack of jakkals who worship the god carrion-eating scavengers who hate werewolves. With the help of Garth, the Winchester brothers must stop the werewolf-jakkal turf war before it engulfs the town - and before the god Anubis is awakened...
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published April 30, 2019
55 people are currently reading
2250 people want to read
About the author
Tim Waggoner
282 books757 followersTim Waggoner's first novel came out in 2001, and since then, he's published over sixty novels and eight collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. He's written tie-in fiction based on Supernatural, The X-Files, Alien, Doctor Who, Conan the Barbarian, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Grimm, and Transformers, among others, and he's written novelizations for films such as Ti West’s X-Trilogy, Halloween Kills, Terrifier 2 and 3, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. He’s also the author of the award-winning guide to horror Writing in the Dark. He’s a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, a one-time winner of the Scribe Award, and he’s been a two-time finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and a one-time finalist for the Splatterpunk Award. He’s also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
January 24, 2020
Is it even possible to pick up a Supernatural novel without playing Kansas' 'Carry On Wayward Son'?
Not for this #SPN fan it isn't, I have been watching this series from the beginning, and now, rewatching with my tweens-series 1 to 13 are on Amazon-I realise how we have watched the Winchester Bros grow, mature and become something very special in the hall of tv fame.
Keeping a genre show going for 15 years is pretty damn amazing, it's not easy getting something like this launched-basic premise is 2 brothers hunting down the demon who killed their mother, heaven, hell and everything in between-the cancellation axe has been hanging over them too many times to recall. And now that they are bowing out, under their own terms, is anyone really ready for season 15?
I'm not!
Anyway, this digression is to show how beloved this tv show is, so much that spin off novels have been written featuring Sam and Dean alongside series regulars in stand alone adventures. Some are spcifically placed to run alongside certain points in the tv show whislst others are there to amplify the universe. This novel takes place during Season 12.
For me, one of the strengths of Tim Waggoner's writing is how he captures Sam and Dean's voices-it would be easy to chuck in some rock music refs, Dean getting friendly with a girl or two and Sam's wrestling with his conscience. However, this book is written with just the right tone of knowin these two iconic characters yet being welcoming enough to anyone stumbling into the Supernatural universe for the first time.
Being caught in between a werewolf and a jakkal war is every day business for the WInchesters. But dealing with an Egyptian god is, I think, a first. They seem to be way out of their league in this trip to Indiana but with some outside help, just maybe, they can save the town of Bridge Valley before it quite literally goes to hell. Featuring flashbacks and characters beloved of the series such as Garth and Bobby, this is absolutely just like reading an episode of the show. Tim Waggoner has clearly done his research into the show, it's not a case of Dean saying 'Hey, remember that time when we...', or doing a literary cutaway to a previous adventure.
As a book, it stands in its own right and as an extension of the Supernatural universe, it slots in so well, even bridging gaps and filling in backstory in a very satisfying manner. Mixing scares with humour and a convincing story which could stand alongside some of my favourite episodes, this is a really enjoyable book.
I genuinely hope that the book series continues, like Titan's 'Firefly novels, so that we don't have to say farewell to Sam and Dean just yet...
Not for this #SPN fan it isn't, I have been watching this series from the beginning, and now, rewatching with my tweens-series 1 to 13 are on Amazon-I realise how we have watched the Winchester Bros grow, mature and become something very special in the hall of tv fame.
Keeping a genre show going for 15 years is pretty damn amazing, it's not easy getting something like this launched-basic premise is 2 brothers hunting down the demon who killed their mother, heaven, hell and everything in between-the cancellation axe has been hanging over them too many times to recall. And now that they are bowing out, under their own terms, is anyone really ready for season 15?
I'm not!
Anyway, this digression is to show how beloved this tv show is, so much that spin off novels have been written featuring Sam and Dean alongside series regulars in stand alone adventures. Some are spcifically placed to run alongside certain points in the tv show whislst others are there to amplify the universe. This novel takes place during Season 12.
For me, one of the strengths of Tim Waggoner's writing is how he captures Sam and Dean's voices-it would be easy to chuck in some rock music refs, Dean getting friendly with a girl or two and Sam's wrestling with his conscience. However, this book is written with just the right tone of knowin these two iconic characters yet being welcoming enough to anyone stumbling into the Supernatural universe for the first time.
Being caught in between a werewolf and a jakkal war is every day business for the WInchesters. But dealing with an Egyptian god is, I think, a first. They seem to be way out of their league in this trip to Indiana but with some outside help, just maybe, they can save the town of Bridge Valley before it quite literally goes to hell. Featuring flashbacks and characters beloved of the series such as Garth and Bobby, this is absolutely just like reading an episode of the show. Tim Waggoner has clearly done his research into the show, it's not a case of Dean saying 'Hey, remember that time when we...', or doing a literary cutaway to a previous adventure.
As a book, it stands in its own right and as an extension of the Supernatural universe, it slots in so well, even bridging gaps and filling in backstory in a very satisfying manner. Mixing scares with humour and a convincing story which could stand alongside some of my favourite episodes, this is a really enjoyable book.
I genuinely hope that the book series continues, like Titan's 'Firefly novels, so that we don't have to say farewell to Sam and Dean just yet...
May 7, 2019
One word... Garth!
Tim Waggoner is not my favorite of the writer’s of Supernatural novels, I don’t feel he “gets” the characters completely, but he writes a good story. Fans of Supernatural will enjoy spending time with Sam, Dean, and Garth, encountering a new kind of creature, and well, you know the drill, saving people and hunting things.
Tim Waggoner is not my favorite of the writer’s of Supernatural novels, I don’t feel he “gets” the characters completely, but he writes a good story. Fans of Supernatural will enjoy spending time with Sam, Dean, and Garth, encountering a new kind of creature, and well, you know the drill, saving people and hunting things.
November 2, 2021
Two stars, both of which are for Dean, my baby.
October 18, 2020
I’ve read 10 of the 17 Supernatural Fandom boom and this takes 1st place for me! I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing, plot, climax, characters, and how well the author wrote Sam & Dean (plus, I’m a huge sucker for Garth). From start to finish this was a fun, easy read!!
May 24, 2019
Felt like an episode
The banter between the two boys was reminiscent of conversations they've had. The flashback to a time with Bobby and their adventure filled in some blanks and had good feels. One of the better novels I've read and would read again.
The banter between the two boys was reminiscent of conversations they've had. The flashback to a time with Bobby and their adventure filled in some blanks and had good feels. One of the better novels I've read and would read again.
June 3, 2019
An excellent story.
July 31, 2019
Finished, loved it! Will be reading more of the Supernatural tie-ins!
May 26, 2020
The boys are on the hunt and they run into their good friend Garth. Together they face off against not only a pack of werewolves, but a pack of jakkals too.
October 14, 2020
This book read like a middle grade book, hence the three star rating.
October 28, 2023
I liked the jakkal lore/culture. It was cool and would have been fun to have seen that as an actual show episode and how they would have done that visually. Little heavy-handed and clunky on the werewolf-jakkal racism but was still entertaining.
February 22, 2024
I actually would have loved to have this storyline be an actual episode rather than a book!
November 17, 2020
I enjoyed this book and out of all the tie-in novels it’s one of my favorites. There was quite the monster mash-up. Garth joins the Winchesters, and brings his normal zany ways, but also his knowledge and skills as a werewolf to the hunt. There’s also a side story of Sam and Dean as kids that included Bobby, which was enjoyable as well.
December 6, 2023
(takes place after Season 12 episode "The One You've Been Waiting For")
"A wise wolf knows when to growl and when to stay silent."
Having a different kind of shifter in this reminds me of the Anita Blake series where there's basically a shifter clan for any animal you can think of. Throwing in the Anubis aspect for the jackal/jakkal shifters was pretty cool.
And Garth, yay!
"A wise wolf knows when to growl and when to stay silent."
Having a different kind of shifter in this reminds me of the Anita Blake series where there's basically a shifter clan for any animal you can think of. Throwing in the Anubis aspect for the jackal/jakkal shifters was pretty cool.
And Garth, yay!
October 1, 2021
Children of Anubis is book seventeen in the series of TV Tie-in novels from the CW show Supernatural, and is the third to have been written by Tim Waggoner. It takes place during season twelve between episodes 5 (The One You’ve Been Waiting For) and 6 (Celebrating the Life of Asa Fox).
Book seventeen follows on immediately after series 12, episode 5 ends, with the boys eating pie and discussing the previous case. Then an online news report sends the Winchester brothers rushing off to Indiana, where they believe a man has been murdered by a werewolf.
Usually the synopsis featured on the back cover of a book highlights the main story without giving away too much detail. However, in this case I felt as though I’d already read the full novel, after reading the two paragraphs adorning this book’s glossy back cover. I summarise in the following paragraph:
Essentially it states that the boys team up with their hunter friend, Garth to hunt not just werewolves, but also Jakkals. These two wolf-like creatures are enemies and the Jakkals have encroached on the werewolves’ territory. Unfortunately, this pack of Jakkals worship the ancient Egyptian God, Anubis. The Winchesters must stop the turf-war before Anubis awakens.
As far as plot goes there isn’t much else to say, except for the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ style Shakespearean love story between the teenagers, Greg and Morgan. The book pretty much plays out as described by the synopsis.
Garth isn’t the only hunter to make an appearance in this novel though, as Bobby Singer also makes a brief cameo. In a flashback to an earlier time a young Sam and Dean revisit a previous encounter with another werewolf, when they were just kids being looked after by their uncle Bobby.
Both Bobby and Garth are such great characters in the show, so I love the fact that they appear in this book. Garth uses writing as a cover story for his investigation into the strange death in Indiana, as opposed to Sam and Dean’s FBI roles, and I found the ‘fangisms’ that he concocts for his book ‘The Way of the Fang’ quite amusing. This adds some lightness to an otherwise serious story.
Despite the synopsis pretty much giving away the entire plot, I did really enjoy this book. There wasn’t much by way of action until nearer the end and I didn’t necessarily care much about any of the characters, except Sam, Dean, Garth and Bobby of course. However, it had a good pace and held my attention. I liked the idea of the Jakkals and this is something original that the show hasn’t touched on before. At 4 out of 5 stars I’d recommend Children of Anubis to fans who are interested in giving the novels a try, as I feel that this is one of the better books in the series.
Book seventeen follows on immediately after series 12, episode 5 ends, with the boys eating pie and discussing the previous case. Then an online news report sends the Winchester brothers rushing off to Indiana, where they believe a man has been murdered by a werewolf.
Usually the synopsis featured on the back cover of a book highlights the main story without giving away too much detail. However, in this case I felt as though I’d already read the full novel, after reading the two paragraphs adorning this book’s glossy back cover. I summarise in the following paragraph:
Essentially it states that the boys team up with their hunter friend, Garth to hunt not just werewolves, but also Jakkals. These two wolf-like creatures are enemies and the Jakkals have encroached on the werewolves’ territory. Unfortunately, this pack of Jakkals worship the ancient Egyptian God, Anubis. The Winchesters must stop the turf-war before Anubis awakens.
As far as plot goes there isn’t much else to say, except for the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ style Shakespearean love story between the teenagers, Greg and Morgan. The book pretty much plays out as described by the synopsis.
Garth isn’t the only hunter to make an appearance in this novel though, as Bobby Singer also makes a brief cameo. In a flashback to an earlier time a young Sam and Dean revisit a previous encounter with another werewolf, when they were just kids being looked after by their uncle Bobby.
Both Bobby and Garth are such great characters in the show, so I love the fact that they appear in this book. Garth uses writing as a cover story for his investigation into the strange death in Indiana, as opposed to Sam and Dean’s FBI roles, and I found the ‘fangisms’ that he concocts for his book ‘The Way of the Fang’ quite amusing. This adds some lightness to an otherwise serious story.
Despite the synopsis pretty much giving away the entire plot, I did really enjoy this book. There wasn’t much by way of action until nearer the end and I didn’t necessarily care much about any of the characters, except Sam, Dean, Garth and Bobby of course. However, it had a good pace and held my attention. I liked the idea of the Jakkals and this is something original that the show hasn’t touched on before. At 4 out of 5 stars I’d recommend Children of Anubis to fans who are interested in giving the novels a try, as I feel that this is one of the better books in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2021
Well... where do I start?
I suppose, when you go into books like this, you shouldn't really expect too much, and I didn't. I went into this knowing that this will be entertaining for me as a fan of the series but from a plot standpoint, it will not be the best read ever.
This book is both good and bad, I suppose.
I really enjoyed reading about the Winchesters, and their characters were portrayed very well, and the plot was entertaining enough for the book to feel like another episode of the show. Having Garth make an appearance was also a nice touch.
The plot was a pretty standard Supernatural plot. Not bad, not exceedingly good.
What I didn't like is the motivation of the characters. The instant love between Greg and Morgan - they knew each other for literally a day - was just a no for me. I think that the idea of the two rival packs being linked somehow is a very good one, but it could've done without the imprinting.
Another big minus for me was just how many writing mistakes there were throughout the book. Unnecessary repetitions, phrasings, sentence structures.
As a writer, I notice things like that instantly, and though for a lot of people it would not have been a minus - a lot of people would not have noticed in the first place - for me it was a big let-down.
I can't say that I loved this book, but it was a good start to the book series, and I can see myself picking up a few more in the future. Maybe even all of them.
I suppose, when you go into books like this, you shouldn't really expect too much, and I didn't. I went into this knowing that this will be entertaining for me as a fan of the series but from a plot standpoint, it will not be the best read ever.
This book is both good and bad, I suppose.
I really enjoyed reading about the Winchesters, and their characters were portrayed very well, and the plot was entertaining enough for the book to feel like another episode of the show. Having Garth make an appearance was also a nice touch.
The plot was a pretty standard Supernatural plot. Not bad, not exceedingly good.
What I didn't like is the motivation of the characters. The instant love between Greg and Morgan - they knew each other for literally a day - was just a no for me. I think that the idea of the two rival packs being linked somehow is a very good one, but it could've done without the imprinting.
Another big minus for me was just how many writing mistakes there were throughout the book. Unnecessary repetitions, phrasings, sentence structures.
As a writer, I notice things like that instantly, and though for a lot of people it would not have been a minus - a lot of people would not have noticed in the first place - for me it was a big let-down.
I can't say that I loved this book, but it was a good start to the book series, and I can see myself picking up a few more in the future. Maybe even all of them.
October 8, 2021
I'm conflicted on this one.
I liked the concept of the rivalry between werewolves and jakkals and I liked the concept of werewolves kidnapping people and setting them up to be hunted, I also liked the flashbacks to the mini Winchesters....but damn, it all fell together and resulted in 'meh' story, still enjoyable for the most part, but meh.
Don't even get me started Romeo and Juliet of the monster world, as if both that and instalove weren't already tired tropes.
Their 'bond' just felt so unnatural and I'm tired of the 'I'm a monster but I'm not A monster' stories.
It's been done to death for years, even in Supernatural itself...it didn't work for Bloodlines so why would it here? At least Bloodlines didn't take as long to watch.
All in all, it's readable if you look past the romance (but that's my aversion to the genre and it isn't all that prevelant in the book so it's easily looked over beyond being two character's motivation) and the tired tropes.
Granted, there's some mistakes that pop up or sentence structures/wording that could use some working but over all it's still better than One Year Gone.
Oh how I loathe One Year Gone...
I liked the concept of the rivalry between werewolves and jakkals and I liked the concept of werewolves kidnapping people and setting them up to be hunted, I also liked the flashbacks to the mini Winchesters....but damn, it all fell together and resulted in 'meh' story, still enjoyable for the most part, but meh.
Don't even get me started Romeo and Juliet of the monster world, as if both that and instalove weren't already tired tropes.
Their 'bond' just felt so unnatural and I'm tired of the 'I'm a monster but I'm not A monster' stories.
It's been done to death for years, even in Supernatural itself...it didn't work for Bloodlines so why would it here? At least Bloodlines didn't take as long to watch.
All in all, it's readable if you look past the romance (but that's my aversion to the genre and it isn't all that prevelant in the book so it's easily looked over beyond being two character's motivation) and the tired tropes.
Granted, there's some mistakes that pop up or sentence structures/wording that could use some working but over all it's still better than One Year Gone.
Oh how I loathe One Year Gone...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2022
I know better than to get books as a meme. I was on my first American holiday, and it was right there in Barnes and Nobles. And Supernatural was a childhood favourite. So I got it.
Damn this book is bad. The writing in the introduction, honestly, I'm pretty sure there is better writing in fanfiction. And that's free, I paid 10 dollars for this. I think it read like bad middle grade fiction.
The plot is like a regular episode, not one about the overarching plot, which I liked. The Winchesters are caught between werewolves and jakkals, and an Egyptian god is thrown in the mix. Good times. It is rather straightforward and there aren't really any great plot twists. And in true Supernatural style, many people die at the end.
Then we come to the one great thing, Garth Fitzgerald IV. I love Garth, and I did like that the author gave Sam and Dean some respect for the man in their inner dialogue. One star for this.
Damn this book is bad. The writing in the introduction, honestly, I'm pretty sure there is better writing in fanfiction. And that's free, I paid 10 dollars for this. I think it read like bad middle grade fiction.
The plot is like a regular episode, not one about the overarching plot, which I liked. The Winchesters are caught between werewolves and jakkals, and an Egyptian god is thrown in the mix. Good times. It is rather straightforward and there aren't really any great plot twists. And in true Supernatural style, many people die at the end.
Then we come to the one great thing, Garth Fitzgerald IV. I love Garth, and I did like that the author gave Sam and Dean some respect for the man in their inner dialogue. One star for this.
October 17, 2021
Tim Waggoner is never my first choice for authors, but pretty consistent with his works is the fact that they're not overly long and they tend to be fast paced. In this instance, not only is his usual style followed, but he produced one of the best SPN novels. The case they're investigating - strange deaths have occurred in a small town that look like they could from the local werewolves, but meantime a pack of jakkals arrive, shapeshifters similar to werewolves who take the form of the Egyptian dog and worship the god Anubis - absolutely feels like a SPN episode start to finish. And best of all, not only does Bobby make a cameo in a flashback, but good ol' Garth shows up and helps with the modern day investigation. I wish all the novels were written like this one.
December 24, 2019
What I loved most about this book wasn't the Romeo and Juliet-like romance, it wasn't Garth (although I freakin' LOVE Garth) it wasn't even the flashback which held Bobby (though that comes in a close second), it was how seamlessly everything was tied together into one large story. Tim Waggoner has a talent for taking several points of view and sub-stories and turning them into one flawless novel. As the newest addition to the Supernatural Novel Collection, and one of my favourites so far! I look forward to reading whatever Tim has next in store for us, either with this franchise or not.
February 2, 2021
Tim Waggoner is a great author. This book has loads of detail, is well written, has a great pacing and the werewolves and Jakkals are all great characters, but... this is a book about Sam and Dean and I always find that Tim Waggoner gives the secondary characters real depth, but often at the expense of Sam and Dean. They always seem to be secondary characters themselves, turning up to finish the bad guys at the end. However, I loved thr idea of the Jakkals and their relationship with the werewolves. Well written and enjoyed it.
December 12, 2021
I loved this instalment of the Supernatural books. It was fast paced, had a well written storyline and stayed true to the characters of Sam, Dean and Garth. Having Garth join in on this hunt brought a nostalgic essence to this story for those who have missed him in the actual show.
At first I thought bringing two different types of Monsters was going to be too much going on and fill the story with nonsense but the two melded together perfectly in what Dean described as a monster version of Romeo and Juliet. Of course in the end the monsters got Garthed.
At first I thought bringing two different types of Monsters was going to be too much going on and fill the story with nonsense but the two melded together perfectly in what Dean described as a monster version of Romeo and Juliet. Of course in the end the monsters got Garthed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2021
Wonderful
Out of all the Supernatural books I have read, Tim has not been my favorite author. Very slow in getting to the point but this book has been my favorite!
I seriously love Garth and was so happy to get to read about him and all he went through. We got to learn a little more about his back story.
Abd of course our boys, as always, were amazing. I love hearing small details of their pass!!!
Very great story.
Out of all the Supernatural books I have read, Tim has not been my favorite author. Very slow in getting to the point but this book has been my favorite!
I seriously love Garth and was so happy to get to read about him and all he went through. We got to learn a little more about his back story.
Abd of course our boys, as always, were amazing. I love hearing small details of their pass!!!
Very great story.
July 28, 2022
A tad disappointing for the final book in the series, even if it wasn't intended to be the final novel. The story feels quite basic and a bit of a let down. The Romeo and Juliet story was cliche and cringeworthy. It was cool to see Garth featured, especially as an insight to the lupine mind. I do wonder how the jakkals and wolves will end up living peacefully together if they supposedly hate each other as much as was indicated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2023
Being a huge Supernatural fan, this book brought me so much happiness! It was great following Sam and Dean and another fan favorite, Garth, on an adventure that wasn't written into the original TV series. I could picture the events so well even though it wasn't a story I was familiar with, and of course, the entire book was packed with action and suspense like you'd expect from a Supernatural book!
August 27, 2023
This was the first Supernatural "fan fic" I've read. While the story was enjoyable, especially given that the author was able to use a creature not introduced in the show at any point, there was a lack of the boys. I enjoyed that Garth was brought into the story, given that werewolves were involved, but there was more about the werewolves and the jackals than Sam and Dean. Understandable, but we all watch the show to watch the boys.
October 1, 2023
Don't quite know how to rate this first book I've read based on a TV series. Don't have anything to compare it to. However, it is a good story that fits into what I know about the characters. The pace of action is mostly good though a little too much interfered with the action at the climax. It was a fairly fast read- "good beach read" if you will. So with all that I'm going to give it a solid 4 with the option of upping it with further reading of other books from this series.
May 14, 2019
Better than the rest
Compared with the other Supernatural tie-in novels, this book is far better. It had a plot that was believable in the Supernatural world, and the characters were well developed. The pace was quick and the ending satisfying. Children of Anubis was worth the money I spent.
Compared with the other Supernatural tie-in novels, this book is far better. It had a plot that was believable in the Supernatural world, and the characters were well developed. The pace was quick and the ending satisfying. Children of Anubis was worth the money I spent.
June 5, 2019
Mr. Waggoner has nailed the good old Supernatural formula for the monster of the week and the humor that goes with it. He gives us a ride to a story of an unheard creature, still staying true to the style of the show. These books are a perfect read for those summers where the show is jumping seasons and we have a craving for the Winchester Brothers' adventures.
January 22, 2020
I am always worried that authors won't nail Sam or Dean's personality, but this one didn't fail. The back and forth left them short on "screentime," but it was not only necessary for the story, but also gave you a much broader prospective between the hunters and the monsters. It made the story much richer and very well rounded. I hate admitting it, but I am sold on this author and on this book.
March 13, 2021
Absolutely LOVED SUPERNATURAL as a tv show. Always LOVED SUPERNATURAL as novels. I’m sad this is the last novel (that I know of) I recommend this to every SPN fan. You won’t ever be disappointed. The show may be over, but it will live on. If you have only watched the show and not read the novels, I suggest you start with Number 1 and then ultimately read this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews