Northern Wolf

Northern Wolf #1

by Daniel Greene

A broken man will be forged in the flames of war...

It is late 1862, and the United States has been ripped apart by civil war for over a year with no end in sight. The war is a distant thought to Johannes Wolf, a young German immigrant with a crippled leg keeping him off the muster lists.

Desperately dredging the gutters for recruits, Wolf cons his way into the depleted, demoralized, and poorly run Union army, and is promptly placed in the undesirable F Company of the 13th Michigan Cavalry.

Wolf's company find themselves riding with Custer and the Michigan Brigade on a collision course with master horseman J.E.B. Stuart and the Army of Northern Virginia in a small town in Pennsylvania, called Gettysburg.

Will they stand tall against the knights of the South and prove themselves worthy? Or will they fall beneath screaming bullets and sweeping blades, becoming more bloody fodder for a lost cause?

Northern Wolf is a thrilling, historical page-turner packed with detailed passages of battle, the horrors of war, and the struggle to discover oneself. Fans of Bernard Cornwell, Jeff Shaara, Simon Scarrow, and Steven Pressfield will be captivated by this powerful new series. Start the adventure today!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Civil War, War, Military Fiction, Audiobook, Historical

245 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 10, 2019

About the author

Daniel is the award-winning author of The End Time Saga and the historical fiction Northern Wolf Series. Whether it’s a saber charge in the American Civil War or a gun battle between two rival bands surviving a hellish landscape, he is known for his ability to embed every page with fast-paced action, thrilling suspense, and gritty realism.

He is an avid traveler and physical fitness enthusiast with a deep passion for history. The works of George R.R. Martin, Steven Pressfield, Bernard Cornwell, Robert Jordan, and George Romero, have inspired his work. Although he is a Midwesterner for life, he's lived in Virginia long enough to consider it home.

He is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association, the Historical Novel Society, and the Military Writers Society of America.

Contact him on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DanielGreene...

Or his website: http://www.danielgreenebooks.com/

Reviews

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been seriously studying the Civil War for more than two decades. I cannot say how taken aback I was to start reading this fictional account and feel like I was reading letters from real soldiers, as portrayed on the Ken Burns’ Civil War. There was more than one time when I was ready for Shelby Foote to step in and give a forward to a chapter!

This work in one word: excellent. Superb is another word. One of the finest pieces of Civil War fiction written in the last 50 years.

The author used the history of the period to bring his fictional men alive. The reader quickly feels like he is part of the 13th.

I honestly think this work will be able to sit comfortably on a book shelf next to WEB Griffin's Brotherhood of War. Honestly not since Horatio Hornblower has a fictional character been so wonderfully fit into the historical record in such a sublime fashion, you forget you are reading fiction.

Certainly, one of the greatest books I have ever read. I recommend this book to everyone who is a fan of history or a fan of the underdog. Sheer brilliance.

I would have given this six stars out of five but am limited to 5+ stars.

Fantastic book.

My Rating: 5+ stars

Reviewed by: Mr. N

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[Jim Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a fan of Historical Fiction or Civil War novels, this one is a must read. I REALLY enjoyed Northern Wolf. What I liked most about Dan Greene's latest novel is how the story revolves around a man who had every excuse to lead a mediocre life and who most people wrote off as a failure. This broken man is then thrust into one of the most divisive and extraordinary times in American history where no one expects him to succeed or even to survive. Following Johannes Wolf as he faces internal and external challenges made for an incredibly compelling story. I guarantee you'll love this book.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Battle of Gettysburg from the perspective of a Michigan cavalry regiment. Outstanding historical fiction!!

[Mary Yarde · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We will either carry this day in glory or fade into history as the men who lost the United States of America."

Johannes Wolf had been waiting his whole life for this. He may not be able to walk very well, but he could ride, and he could fight. With his trusted steed, Billy, he was confident that the day would be theirs and the states of America would once again be united. At least, he hoped...

From a drunken brawl outside a tavern in Michigan to the largest and bloodiest battle fought during The American Civil War. Northern Wolf (Northern Wolf #1) by Daniel Greene is an utterly victorious novel from start to finish.

The historical detailing of this book is staggering. The American Civil War (1861 – 1865) was an especially savage period of history — as civil wars so often are. Such conflicts are tediously protracted, and the loss of life is always nothing short of a tragedy. There are many great fiction books written about The American Civil War, and I will now count Daniel Greene's Northern Wolf among that number. Greene has extensive knowledge of this era and the people who are forever immortalised by their deeds and daring. At the same time, Greene has a novelists intuition of what makes a book entertaining. He has gifted his readers with some truly unforgettable characters, both fiction and historical. Northern Wolf is not, however, a balanced account of The American Civil War for it is told from the Union's perspective. The Confederate States Army is standing in the way of a united America, and therefore it needs to be defeated. Greene wants his readers to lament when the South are winning because of what it means for the characters in his story. I have read several American Civil War books of late where the author tries to tell both sides of the story, which can sometimes make the story rather cumbersome in the telling. Greene's approach to his novel worked exceptionally well, and it made the narrative fast-paced and very engaging.

Greene takes his readers on a march alongside the fictional 13 The Michigan Cavalry as they enlist, train, prepare for war, and finally fight in a battle that would leave tens of thousands dead. For most of this book, we follow the story of Johannes Wolf. After a horrific injury to his leg, Wolf falls into a spiral of alcoholic destruction. He wanted to join the army and fight, for he believes in the Unionists' cause. But he is prevented from doing so because of his disability. His frustration is understandable, and his cunning and his uncanny knack of being able to manipulate an event so that he is eventually considered for the cavalry shows his reckless determination. Like many young men, he has a rose-tinted vision of what war is. He imagines honour when the reality is that he is going to do things he never thought he would do and see things he wishes could be unseen. This brash, hot-headed young man learns that his father was right all along. War is not glorious. It is not honourable. War is death. It is a dark and horrible thing where the losers die, and the winners have to live with a lifetime of nightmares. Wolf goes on an incredible journey during this book, and it was one that was endlessly fascinating and impossible to turn away from. I thought Wolf's depiction was especially well-drawn, and he was a character that I really came to care about.

Dressed in black velvet, his cascading fair hair streaming in the wind, and his sabre drawn, twenty-three-year-old Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer, the Boy General, takes to the stage. Greene presents Custer in all his daring brashness. We watch as Custer rallies his men, inspiring them by leading from the front in this story of battle, blood and patriotism. His almost cavalier attitude and a hefty helping of Custer's Luck meant that men were not only willing to follow him but were willing to die for him. For one so young to animate so many, to give courage in the face of adversity is a legacy that not many generals could ever hope to leave, but Custer does, and Greene honours that legacy in this book. I thought Greene's depiction of Custer was absolutely fabulous. There is a beautiful scene in this book where Wolf admits to Custer that he has disobeyed an order and Custer simply smiles and replies "Haven't we all?" which for me, really sums up Custer's approach to life. History tells us that Custer was often in trouble at West Point, and graduated last in his class, but what he had could not be taught. Greene has drawn on the historical sources for Custer and given his readers a very realistic depiction of a man whose name is still, almost 160 years later, associated with courage, camaraderie, and controversy.

There are several secondary characters in this book, both historical and fictional, but I thought Greene's portrayal of Corporal Wilhelm was sublime. Unlike the eager young men in his regiment, Wilhelm has the wisdom of experience, and he is in the same regiment as his son — perhaps to keep an eye on him. Wilhelm is something of a fatherly figure to these young lads, and he knows how to inspire confidence. Wilhelm brings a great deal to this story, and it was an absolute pleasure reading about him.

Brimming with confidence, General Lee marched his army northwards, across the Potomac River into Maryland and onwards into southern Pennsylvania. And here his army met the newly promoted Major General George Gordon Meade's, Unionist Army. This was the battle which Lee thought would see the Confederacy victorious. Only, it did not quite work out like that. Told with an epic, almost cinematic approach to the writing, Greene has depicted The Battle of Gettysburg in all its desperate horror. The despairing screams of the horses, the thundering roar of the artillery guns, the terror of hand-to-hand combat, all of this and more has Greene portrayed. I could almost taste the smoke from the cannons and gag on the metallic scent of blood. When it comes to writing battle scenes, Greene really comes into his own. They are vivid, evocative and all too graphic. I felt the desperation of the soldiers as they fought to stay alive — their utter fear, as well as their despair, rang clearly out through the expressive prose. There is no doubt in my mind that Greene was in his absolute element as he composed this scene. Brilliantly executed. Fabulously written. Battle scenes don't get better than this.

If you are a fan of battle heavy Historical Fiction, then check out Daniel Greene's Northern Wolf (Northern Wolf #1). I, for one, cannot wait to get my hands on book 2 of what promises to be a fabulous series.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.

[Brady Bunnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading Daniel Greene ‘s books a few years ago with The End Time Saga and with each addition to the story it just got better and better. I thought, as a writer, he gains more and more confidence with each book in the series and I like that in a “new” author, it’s fun to watch them grow. Northern Wolf was a surprising but welcomed diversion from the post-apocalyptic world he created in the End Time Saga, and to be honest I wasn’t sure how I felt about a “Civil War Book”. But trusting DG, I took the brave leap into the fray and chaos that is Northern Wolf…and how happy I am that I did!! Set in the late 1800’s, I felt transported back to that time, it read as though I was there and the characters were just as real and visceral as any modern war book. My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t be able to relate to them, but I totally did. As with all reviews that I write I don’t like spoiling any of the plot details or characters arcs, But I’m happy to say that riding with the 13th Michigan was an honor, it was scary, it was intense, and it was at times surprisingly funny and it is something I look forward to reading more about, which for someone who wasn’t initially a Civil War fan should tell you something.
NOTE: For anybody who is on the fence about picking this one up I will say, I got the book which read fast and furious, flowing perfectly AND the Audible version using Whispersync, and it was awesome! So, when I was at home I read, but in daily commute I loved hearing Brad Hasting Narration.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

If history were taught the way this book is written, it would have been a more enjoyable subject for me. This isn't exactly a James Michener style story, we haven't followed three families over 5,000 or so years but, it grabs your interest just like Michener did. Also, like Michener, this author skillfully weaves his fictional characters with historical facts and you'll find yourself saying (as I did), "Yeah, these characters could have been real people and behaved just like this".
One of the things that made the greatest impression on me was how clearly I could see and feel the individual soldier's motivations to fight at great personal risk. Sure, they most likely understand the "Big-Picture" a war is fought over but, that rarely drives the soldier to heroic acts. Reading this exciting, individual soldier oriented story, I could relate to the feelings of brotherhood and camaraderie that compel individuals to risk and sacrifice their lives for the protection of fellow soldiers. It really helped me understand the expression, "I've got your six!" Okay, that's a current expression but, the feeling and behavior is the same today as it was back in 1863.

Review by THE HOLEY ONE

[R Pata · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fairly good storyline. A few too many references and attachments to modern time with the overly long references to wokeism. It just doesn’t fit with mid 19th century reality.

However, the author stayed very close to researchable history of the events covered in the story’s frame of time references. Allowing for acceptable minimal changes in actual events (Hampton wounded by shrapnel v a bullet), the movement of action was very well done.

The introspection was too long and convoluted and didn’t move things along for an action-oriented historical fiction novel. A tendency to skip some portions with this characteristic was hard to resist.

I could’ve given a 3-3.5 stars if there was a bit more adherence to cultural and societal standards of mid 19th century America.

[Levi Borba · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that talks about the rear-conflict at Gettysburg! Instead of Lee and Longstreet vs Meade, it takes the battle between Custe+Gregg vs Hampton and Stuart. This singular and rare fact alone would make this book deserve a good evaluation. The only reason I drop 1 star is that the fighting skills of the protagonist simply soared too fast. After a single skirmish and few months, he is already defeating legendary platoons and markinf multiple kills. All that while having a numb leg. This is quite unrealistic.
There are some stereotypes that just are too forced (Shugart, the religious-naive soldier, for example).

Other than that, a good historical fiction novel.

[Lisa Omstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enticing Civil War story!
While historical, civil war fiction is not my first pick of genre to read, I was pleasantly surprised by this gem. Along with main character Johannes Wolf, other characters (some fictional, some non-fictional) wove a remarkable tapestry of one of this nation’s most horrific time periods. Very well done, Mr. Greene!

[ann betts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Northern Wolf 1

A very well written story about the different ethnic groups that made up the Union Army during the Civil war, and I enjoyed the everyday lives and battle sequences of the Soldiers and Officers . Course Custer has never been one of my favorites,

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Greene's best book yet! You can really tell the author's enthusiasm for history. I loved the character evolution and the integration of real Civil War personalities. Fast paced and engaging the entire time. I can't wait for the next one! Highly recommended!

[Bret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Civil War Novel Since The Starbucks series

A simply great Civil War novel. Great character development and I loved the storyline. The battle scenes were among the best I’ve read in years. I gave this book 5-stars and can’t wait to start the second novel in the series.

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. The story of Johannes Wolf, the crippled son of German immigrants who is recruited/joins the Union cavalry in time to participate in the Battle of Gettysburg. I found Wolf to be a compelling character. In fact, I enjoyed all the characters in this book. Author Daniel Greene does a good job brining them to life, both the fictional and historical characters. The author also did a fantastic job with his portrayal of battle and army camp life in the Union Army. I look forward to continuing with this series.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started this audiobook I wasn't sure I wanted to keep going since the hero was in a drunken tavern brawl. It had been some time since I got this book from Audible so I didn't remember what it was about. Fortunately, I continued listening and am glad I did. The hero is more likeable than I initially thought would be the case and the story, about a young man and other volunteers in the Union army, is a good one. Certainly there is violence being a story about war, but there is little or no offensive language and no sex. The characters are believable.

[Allan Stein · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book seemed to lose track once the Michigan 13th went into action. Up until that point, the book was concentrated on the enlistment of young men in this unit and followed them. Then more characters were introduced into the story and it become unfocused. The book skipped from one group to another. When dealing with the 13th, the story dealt with the young men who had been together since the units inception, the privates, corporals and sergeants. But new groups, consistently dealth with general officers, and to me, the narrative became disjointed.

[Rick Farlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindle Customer
THE CALVARY AT GETTYSBURG
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
Being a Civil War buff and a one time reenactor, I found this book to be very intriguing and a quick read... It centers primarily around the battle of Gettysburg and the engagements surrounding the battlefield which determined the final outcome of the bloodiest battle in American history. Well written and RECOMMENDED

[Don A. Whitehead, Sr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb Civil War Story

Combining narrative fiction and well-researched history this book deserves 5 stars. The characters (both fictional and historical) are very well drawn and believable, situations and battles exciting and locales well described. Looking forward to reading the next Books in the series!

[Frank Kelso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent historical novel about critical action at Gettysburg.

The author creates a thriling version of The Cavalry Field battle east of Missionary Ridge that prevent Stuart's Calvary from sticking the Union's rear as Longstreet struck the front. It changed the date of the Southern Cause.

[Robert Cubitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johannes Wolf.is a young man who is drifting aimlessly through life. Due to a leg injury sustained as a child he is unable to work and, feeling unmanned by his disability, he settled into a life of drinking and brawling. Unwisely, he decides to take on three brothers, Polish migrants with little understanding of the English language, and he ends up in jail, in the next cell to his three former opponents.

At this point a recruiting Sergeant for the Union Army turns up and tries to sign up the three brothers; big, strapping lads who would make good soldiers. The sergeant plays on their lack of language skills to get them to sign the enlistment forms. Wolf signals to the brothers that this isn’t a good idea.

He then persuades the Sergeant that he can get the brothers to sign, but only on condition that he too is allowed to enlist (he had previously been turned down by the Army because of his disability). While Johannes may not be able to march very well, he has no problem riding a horse and the Sergeant is recruiting for the cavalry.

Unable to resist the temptation of signing three good recruits, the Sergeant agrees reluctantly, and Wolf and the three Poles set off to start a new life in the 13th Michigan Cavalry. They are then shipped off to a training camp outside Washington DC, a city under threat from the advancing Confederate Army.

It comes as no surprise to anyone who knows a little bit of history that it isn’t long before Wolf and his comrades are called upon to fight in the Battle of Gettysburg (1st – 3rd July 1863). The 13th Michigan are assigned to the Michigan Cavalry Brigade under the command of the newly promoted Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer, who would later find fame for less glorious reasons, but who has already established a reputation for being something of a maverick and a firebrand. That is a fact, by the way, Custer did command this brigade at Gettysburg, though the inclusion of the 13th Michigan Cavalry in the brigade is a fiction.

I won’t go into any more detail here, preferring to let author Daniel Greene tell the story, which he does very well.

The plot isn’t a complicated one, but the story is well told and the characters Greene creates are interesting and believable. Johannes Wolf finds he enjoys army life and his new sense of purpose motivates him to become a good soldier. Greene surrounds Wolf with a cast of similarly well rounded characters.

So why only 4 stars?

It is down to the battle scenes. I found them confusing, unable to picture the whereabouts of the characters within the action; who is doing what, where and to whom. There are no helpful maps of the battlefield and I found I lost track of events very quickly

No doubt this reflects the fog of war, but it doesn’t help the reader to keep track of events to see how the battle develops and moves through its critical phases. In particular it doesn’t place the book’s characters at the centre of the action where they can influence the outcome. They become irrelevant to the events around them, less than pawns in a game of chess. As Wolf is the main character, he should be right at the centre of the action, saving the day for the Union Army (even if only fictitiously).

There is one scene where Wolf’s character is really influential (I won’t give it away here), but that is one incident in a book that is 245 pages long.

However, don’t let me put you off this book because, for lovers of historical novels with a military flavour, it is an enjoyable read. This may not be Richard Sharpe at his finest, but Wolf is a likeable character and I found I really came to care about what would become of him.

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review

Northern Wolf is the story of Johannes Wolf, a young German immigrant with a crippled leg, who cons his way into the disorganized Union Army in 1862. The opening scene takes place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as Wolf gets into a barroom brawl. After cooling off in a jail cell he joins the fictional 13th Michigan Volunteer Calvary.

Author Daniel Greene takes Wolf and his unit through the rigors of training and primitive camp conditions before experiencing battle under the leadership of a courageous George Armstrong Custer, "the boy general." There have been multiple depictions of Custer in American literature. In Northern Wolf he is the warrior commander who leads from the front.

The realistic battle scenes are set in the Eastern Calvary Fields, long considered a sideshow to the Battle of Gettysburg. In the historical notes that Greene provides, he argues that this battle was, in fact, crucial in producing a Union victory. Custer's foe is the infamous Confederate general J.E.B. Stuart who unsuccessfully tried to breach the rear of the Union line.

By portraying Wolf and other characters in the story as immigrants, Greene emphasizes that the war was not a uniquely American experience but much more global. Approximately 500,000 immigrants fought for the North and thousands more for the South.

The mixture of fact and fiction makes Northern Wolf a worthwhile addition to the many historical novels that have been written about this era. Greene is a veteran researcher and writer who promises that this is the first in a series.

Review by James Elsener (April 2023)

[jjmann3 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Northern Wolf is the story of a handicapped young man finding his way from backwater Michigan into the Union Army calvary right before the battle of Gettysburg. It is not a bad story, but I found it a bit disjointed. The first part centered on Johannes Wolf and his F-company comrades and their adjustment to army life, but evolved into a battle narrative of the 3-days of Gettysburg.

I like the grit and all that comes with serious historical fiction and some parts, particularly about the Red Shirts, I found very interesting. But Northern Wolf is geared toward more of a young-adult or tween audience. Abolition and the idea of "the Union" motivated few of the German, Irish, or for that matter, Polish Union Army conscripts. "Yes..." Its characters came across largely as cartoonishly one-sided (bad Confederates, good Unionists!) with narration geared squarely toward our more enlightened times. While I have little sympathy for the Confederacy, the concept of "glory" seemed to be over indulged, a fill-in feeling of sorts, to sum up--in the same cadence even--the respective yearnings of Wolf, Custer, and Wade Hampton at different times of the story.

[Patrick Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good historical fiction, Gettysburg felt fresh from a Calvary perspective.

I particularly enjoyed Sgt Cobb who was a terrific literary figure (unusual for military historical fiction) it really felt like I was riding next to a federal Calvary trooper who had suffered defeat, disappointment, humiliation and dejection time after time. He was broken in spirit, a drunken lazy a-hole who wanted the new recruits to experience his own pain and humiliation at the hands of the rebels but at times you can see glimmers of the man he was before being broken. Seemed very authentic from how a union soldier probably felt at that time of the war and how disgusted he was with new (clueless) bright eyed troops ready to “take on Johnny”

[Cody Engdahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michigan Cavalry Rides in Glory

Johannes Wolf is a German immigrant destined for a destitute life of bitterness after an accident in his father’s shop leaves him with a bum leg in a brace. A drunken bar brawl ends up with another trip to the city slammer, but also an opportunity to make something of his life in the Michigan Cavalry. To do so, Wolf and his friends must prove themselves on the training grounds and, ultimately, on the battlefields at Gettysburg.

Northern Wolf is an absolute romp through the real history of the American Civil War. Author Daniel Greene does a great job of weaving historical and technical aspects with an exciting adventure with likable characters, both fictional and real. I especially liked his authentic depictions of Generals George Custer and Wade Hampton.

So much has been written about the Battle of Gettysburg, but Greene manages to bring a fresh perspective through Michigan troopers and the cavalry battles in the rear of the Federal line, which happened during the same time as Pickett’s infamous frontal assault. 

If you’re looking for an exciting new look at America’s most controversial war, saddle up and ride with The Northern Wolf!

[betty hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Civil War novel.

I found the location for the battles quite interesting in that the author did not use the typical locations and events in this famous battle that we have all read and heard about for years. I am personally familiar with the area in that I grew up very close to the battlefield and have visited it numerous times, and was able to picture the area in my mind. The coming of age tale of not only the main character but of all his comrades is a story that all young men who go off to war can relate to. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to any historical novel enthusiast.

[Antoinette Van Graan · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many out of place, flowery or repeated descriptions pulled me right out of the story in the supposed heat of battle that I just couldn't stay focussed through the messy fight scenes.

Also, I was sort of hoping some more of the boys would die just for some realism, that is how little I cared for these characters.

These are not the best-expressed criticisms or my only qualms with the book. But I'm really annoyed at the moment, maybe I'll come back later and do a more extensive review.

Maybe I'm missing something or perhaps the other reviewers are just fans of Daniel, but I don't see this novel earning the 5 stars so many others have given.

[Mbsuther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Northern Wolf

I am a big fan of Civil War, especially historical ones. I loved the Michael Killian novels because of their historical significance. I was anticipating a novel of many aspects of the Civil War, so was a bit disappointed that it really only talked about one battle, Gettysburg. The author did not explore much of a back story of the main character and I was put off when the others who joined them didn't have a back story either. I still liked the story, but didn't like the lack on History. A 3.8 out of 5 rating.

[Francis X DuFour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Builds to a great ending

This historical fiction follows a unit in George Custer’s calvary command and their ordeals thru the battle of Gettysburg. Giving a glimpse inside the oft overlooked US calvary operations during the larger battle, the author does a good job describing the trials and tribulations that these troopers experienced. A totally different angle on the great battle, the excitement slowly builds to an explosive conclusion.

[Tom Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a Bernard Cornwell replacement and this title came up. It was full of exciting and believable sequences and I shredded through it. There was a lot of instructional detail about armament and battle strategy and much of this was enthralling. Tempted to continue with the series as it only took a few days to read.

[Mark Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess this is the first in a series. Pretty good Civil War novel. I picked it up after I had a hankering for a Stephen Ambrose like Civil War novel. As a Marine I definitely related to the narrators perspective of going through training and being in a unit in which you didn’t always love your NCOs. If you like war stories and Civil War history this is a pretty good read.

[Joe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing. The book has no depth or sophistication. The characters are one-dimensional, and the dialogue is stilted and, at times, downright corny. Worst of all, the narrative is tough to follow in many instances, making the flow of events muddled. Needless to say, I won't be following Northern Wolf to Book #2.