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Vampire Earth #1
Way of the Wolf
Louisiana, 2065. A lot has changed in the 43rd year of the Kurian Order. Possessed of an unnatural and legendary hunger, the bloodthirsty Reapers have come to Earth to establish a New Order built on the harvesting of enslaved human souls. They rule the planet. They thrive on the scent of fear. And if it is night, as sure as darkness, they will come. On this pitiless world, the indomitable spirit of mankind still breathes in Lieutenant David Valentine. Brought into the special forces of The Wolves—an elite guerilla force sworn to win back Earth—this is Valentine’s first command in the Kurian Zone. Driven by the losses of his past and the hope of a future, Valentine is in it to win. No matter how long it takes. No matter what doom of fate awaits him beyond his wildest nightmares. Fight. Kill. Survive. This is the way of The Wolves. “If The Red Badge of Courage had been written by H.P. Lovecraft.”—Paul Witcover, author of Waking Beauty
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2001
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June 23, 2013
This is an exceedingly tricky review for me. There’s a lot I want to say, without taking up too much space. This novel is a great amalgamation of post apocalyptic science fiction and horror. It is the first book in the Vampire Earth series, which is thankfully a bit of a misnomer. The Kurians are an alien race that can extend their lives indefinitely by feeding off human auras. In order for them to harvest these auras, they have bred a genetically enhanced race of beings called Reapers who prey on humans, drinking their blood. Vampirisim by proxy, if you will. There’s more to the story than that, of course. The Kurians have gained control of Earth by setting off a number of disasters, both environmental and nuclear, so there is a lot of devastated real estate (which is probably a requirement in post apocalyptic fiction). However, the most notable of their strategies involve the use of a virus called the Raving Madness, which essentially turns people into zombies.
The world building in Way of the Wolf is outstanding. By the time this story takes place Earth has been under occupation for forty odd years and a number of important developments have taken place. The occupation itself is reminiscent of nazi-occupied Europe. There are the collaborators, and, of course, the resistance. The Kurian overlords have also divided portions of the spoils and there are some internal politics that come into play. The Free Territories are areas where humans have been able to fight off the alien invaders and hold their own through the help of the Lifeweavers (more aliens) who imbue certain selected humans with skills that can aid them in fighting the Reapers. These ‘enhanced’ humans are referred to as Wolves, Cats or Bears, depending on their particular skills, hence the title of the novel.
The Reapers are nasty enough, but the Kurians also employ a number of other critters who do their bidding. These are referred to as Grogs collectively and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Again, there is more to this than meets the eye, with some of the Grogs being more malicious than others. There are even a few who side with the humans, and in some places they co-exist side by side. And what would a post apocalyptic story be without bandits, marauders, trappers and profiteers? It’s all here of course. The world Knight weaves is a rich tapestry, but it is also very dark and foreboding. This is one grim and brutal novel, not to mention disturbing. With so many elements added to the smelting pot, the story does lend itself to some nastiness.
Due to the regression of tech and the way the free human colonies are set up in the wilds, the story does have a very prominent old west / civil war flavour, which I found remarkably refreshing in the midst of all the mayhem. Something else I was immediately reminded of was The Huntsman by Douglas Hill. The novel's greatest strengths are arguably the world building and marvelously creepy / spooky atmosphere. Highly recommended.
The world building in Way of the Wolf is outstanding. By the time this story takes place Earth has been under occupation for forty odd years and a number of important developments have taken place. The occupation itself is reminiscent of nazi-occupied Europe. There are the collaborators, and, of course, the resistance. The Kurian overlords have also divided portions of the spoils and there are some internal politics that come into play. The Free Territories are areas where humans have been able to fight off the alien invaders and hold their own through the help of the Lifeweavers (more aliens) who imbue certain selected humans with skills that can aid them in fighting the Reapers. These ‘enhanced’ humans are referred to as Wolves, Cats or Bears, depending on their particular skills, hence the title of the novel.
The Reapers are nasty enough, but the Kurians also employ a number of other critters who do their bidding. These are referred to as Grogs collectively and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Again, there is more to this than meets the eye, with some of the Grogs being more malicious than others. There are even a few who side with the humans, and in some places they co-exist side by side. And what would a post apocalyptic story be without bandits, marauders, trappers and profiteers? It’s all here of course. The world Knight weaves is a rich tapestry, but it is also very dark and foreboding. This is one grim and brutal novel, not to mention disturbing. With so many elements added to the smelting pot, the story does lend itself to some nastiness.
Due to the regression of tech and the way the free human colonies are set up in the wilds, the story does have a very prominent old west / civil war flavour, which I found remarkably refreshing in the midst of all the mayhem. Something else I was immediately reminded of was The Huntsman by Douglas Hill. The novel's greatest strengths are arguably the world building and marvelously creepy / spooky atmosphere. Highly recommended.
October 23, 2014
This was an excellent read, but I read it when it first came out a decade ago or so. Since then I've kept up with the series & enjoyed it, but it was very nice to go back to it in audio format. Excellent reader & Knight does his own little foreword - very short, sweet, & to the point.
This is the beginning of a journey in a really neat, very realistic world. The 'vampires' & other monsters are not the normal UF or PNR fare at all, but more of an SF take on it. Our civilization has been shattered & the way people are coping is awesome. No super heroes, although there are plenty of heroic & despicable deeds, but the people are very real. There are no angels, but devils abound while most are somewhere in between. They're regular people in hard situations doing the best they can. Sometimes they don't measure up or die trying.
There is a strong military thread in the book, some light romance, & plenty of adventure. For all the wonderful detail, it's a fairly quick read. I can't recommend this series highly enough in both written & audio format.
This is the beginning of a journey in a really neat, very realistic world. The 'vampires' & other monsters are not the normal UF or PNR fare at all, but more of an SF take on it. Our civilization has been shattered & the way people are coping is awesome. No super heroes, although there are plenty of heroic & despicable deeds, but the people are very real. There are no angels, but devils abound while most are somewhere in between. They're regular people in hard situations doing the best they can. Sometimes they don't measure up or die trying.
There is a strong military thread in the book, some light romance, & plenty of adventure. For all the wonderful detail, it's a fairly quick read. I can't recommend this series highly enough in both written & audio format.
February 22, 2009
When I first saw Way of the Wolf on the shelf, I hesitated about buying it. It didn't seem like my kind of book. However, after years of people telling me I should read it, I finally decided to try it.
It's an interesting book, certainly a unique take on . . . well, practically everything. It's part "apocalyptic America", part "vampire" story, part "army recruit in training". A mix of many types of stories. Certainly the way in which E.E. Knight twisted the vampire story is intriguing. So the ideas woven into the book caught my attention and made me want to read more.
However, I had some issues with the book. Probably the most blatant issue is that the book is written without any visible plot. Each chapter is basically a little vignette, a little piece of the main character's story from his life in the Boundary Waters, to his recruitment into the Way of the Wolf. So I guess that the plot is his transition. But the chapters were far too disconnected for me. I wanted there to be some kind of thread tying the chapters together, some way that they connected to each other and eventually developed into a full-fledged plot. . . . But they didn't. At least not until WELL into the book. The last third of the book (perhaps) brought us to a connected story, where one chapter led to the others. But nothing from the previous chapters related back to this main story. I wanted some of the previous characters to return, to factor into this main story. Instead, the main character resolves everything himself, by going off into the heart of enemy territory by himself, in such a way that stretched my suspension of disbelief. The resolution was a little too pat, a little too perfect, too easy, and happened a little too coincidentally.
But perhaps that's just me. Was it a bad book? No. As I said before, the world itself was interesting. But as I read, I kept expecting more--more connections, more plot, more danger. There are obvious points where the author is setting up major conflicts . . . but those mysteries never get addressed in this book. I assume they are covered in the sequels. I may be judging this book on the assumption that it was a self-contained book, when it fact I should be treating it as part of a much larger story arc. But I like my books, even those that are part of a series, to have their own internal story arc, with their own satisfactory resolutions. This book had a resolution . . . but it didn't feel satisfactory for me. It felt . . . rushed, especially the last few chapters. And there were lots of questions/issues raised for the characters and the readers that were never addressed in the book. I feel there is much more to be discovered in this world, and with this character.
So, final words: An intriguing world with lots of potential. But if you start the series, expect to read more than just this book if you want a complete and satisfactory story (on the assumption that the questions raised here ARE in fact answered in later books). Will I be reading the later books? More than likely. I'd like to see if E.E. Knight develops some of the interesting facets of his world.
It's an interesting book, certainly a unique take on . . . well, practically everything. It's part "apocalyptic America", part "vampire" story, part "army recruit in training". A mix of many types of stories. Certainly the way in which E.E. Knight twisted the vampire story is intriguing. So the ideas woven into the book caught my attention and made me want to read more.
However, I had some issues with the book. Probably the most blatant issue is that the book is written without any visible plot. Each chapter is basically a little vignette, a little piece of the main character's story from his life in the Boundary Waters, to his recruitment into the Way of the Wolf. So I guess that the plot is his transition. But the chapters were far too disconnected for me. I wanted there to be some kind of thread tying the chapters together, some way that they connected to each other and eventually developed into a full-fledged plot. . . . But they didn't. At least not until WELL into the book. The last third of the book (perhaps) brought us to a connected story, where one chapter led to the others. But nothing from the previous chapters related back to this main story. I wanted some of the previous characters to return, to factor into this main story. Instead, the main character resolves everything himself, by going off into the heart of enemy territory by himself, in such a way that stretched my suspension of disbelief. The resolution was a little too pat, a little too perfect, too easy, and happened a little too coincidentally.
But perhaps that's just me. Was it a bad book? No. As I said before, the world itself was interesting. But as I read, I kept expecting more--more connections, more plot, more danger. There are obvious points where the author is setting up major conflicts . . . but those mysteries never get addressed in this book. I assume they are covered in the sequels. I may be judging this book on the assumption that it was a self-contained book, when it fact I should be treating it as part of a much larger story arc. But I like my books, even those that are part of a series, to have their own internal story arc, with their own satisfactory resolutions. This book had a resolution . . . but it didn't feel satisfactory for me. It felt . . . rushed, especially the last few chapters. And there were lots of questions/issues raised for the characters and the readers that were never addressed in the book. I feel there is much more to be discovered in this world, and with this character.
So, final words: An intriguing world with lots of potential. But if you start the series, expect to read more than just this book if you want a complete and satisfactory story (on the assumption that the questions raised here ARE in fact answered in later books). Will I be reading the later books? More than likely. I'd like to see if E.E. Knight develops some of the interesting facets of his world.
November 1, 2013
It's 2065 in this post-apocalyptic and the world basically started to end 43 years ago when an alien race called the Kurians invaded Earth. We replied with nukes and other “solutions” but all it did was hurt the planet. The Kurians stay hidden in their fortifications mostly but their avatars known as Reapers do their bidding and they're a lot of like the mythological vampires. Under the Reapers are their shock troops known as Grogs, engineered creatures with a majority being intelligent apes.
And what of the human survivors?
A good number of them have realized it's hopeless and have joined the enemy. By the way, an incentive to join the enemy is to get protection from being eaten randomly or chosen because the Reapers have the right to take somebody randomly from a community and there's nothing you can do to stop them. If you're out past curfew hours you're fair game for them, too.
If you think that sounds grim then you're right. This is a dark sci-fi/fantasy tale, not Harry Potter, people.
There is some hope as a group of aliens tied to the Kurians (perhaps the same species) give assistance to the humans by granting some of their people special powers, enabling said people to mimic creatures of Earth (wolves, cats and bears).
The first novel focuses upon David Valentine, an orphan raised by a priest, who is a part of the resistance. Tale centers mostly upon the character's early days before becoming a part of the wolf caste. He also falls in love with a girl but has to rescue her from the heart of a Kurian controlled city.
The world is well designed and I would say that's the most interesting aspect of the novel. The loss of our tech has put us back into an almost old frontier setting. Characters are good but sometimes the dialogue feels hollow.
This is the first in an ongoing series and he writes a lot faster than George R.R. Martin. Heh.
STORY/PLOTTING: B to B plus; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B; ACTION SCENES: B to B plus; SETTING: B plus to A minus; LOVE STORY: B; WHEN READ: 2009; OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.
And what of the human survivors?
A good number of them have realized it's hopeless and have joined the enemy. By the way, an incentive to join the enemy is to get protection from being eaten randomly or chosen because the Reapers have the right to take somebody randomly from a community and there's nothing you can do to stop them. If you're out past curfew hours you're fair game for them, too.
If you think that sounds grim then you're right. This is a dark sci-fi/fantasy tale, not Harry Potter, people.
There is some hope as a group of aliens tied to the Kurians (perhaps the same species) give assistance to the humans by granting some of their people special powers, enabling said people to mimic creatures of Earth (wolves, cats and bears).
The first novel focuses upon David Valentine, an orphan raised by a priest, who is a part of the resistance. Tale centers mostly upon the character's early days before becoming a part of the wolf caste. He also falls in love with a girl but has to rescue her from the heart of a Kurian controlled city.
The world is well designed and I would say that's the most interesting aspect of the novel. The loss of our tech has put us back into an almost old frontier setting. Characters are good but sometimes the dialogue feels hollow.
This is the first in an ongoing series and he writes a lot faster than George R.R. Martin. Heh.
STORY/PLOTTING: B to B plus; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B; ACTION SCENES: B to B plus; SETTING: B plus to A minus; LOVE STORY: B; WHEN READ: 2009; OVERALL GRADE: B to B plus.
December 17, 2022
Damned good and distasteful. Dystopic fiction isn't always like this, a cesspit of psychosexual horrors that pullulates with miasmic, diseased imagery as it sits closed as firmly as I can shut it.
Highly recommended for skinheads, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other scum.
Highly recommended for skinheads, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other scum.
November 23, 2012
"Way of the Wolf" (Vampire Earth 1) by E.E. Knight, is a terrifying, captivating futuristic action adventure with a hint of wry humor. Like a classic L'Amour western, the shy, canny, determined hero overcomes powerful opposition, and defends the weak. Civilization fell fighting aliens that seek immortality by psychically draining life energy 'aura', through hooded vampiric night monsters, whose long scaled tongues stab through living hearts to drain blood. A few gentle shape-shifters from the same distant world extend human abilities for stronger Hunters: tracker Wolf, tank Bear, and spy Cat.
David Valentine survives his Minnesota family massacre at 11. A soldier buddy of his dad recruits him at 16.
David Valentine survives his Minnesota family massacre at 11. A soldier buddy of his dad recruits him at 16.
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December 17, 2008This book has the distinction of being the first in a long time to work its way into my dreams. Given the subject matter, they weren't fun dreams. Thanks a lot, Knight!
Way of the Wolf is subtitled "Book One of The Vampire Earth", and comes with a nice little tag phrase. "Welcome to the year 2065. Earth is under new management."
"Vampire Earth" is a little misleading. Earth has been conquered by the alien Kurians, who feed on our life essences. In order to feed, they created the Reapers: nightmare creatures who tear open our throats and insert long, serpentine tongues directly into our hearts to feed on our blood while transmitting our vital essence back to their Kurian masters. In other words, if you're expecting traditional vampires and wooden stakes and garlic and quipping blonde teenagers, you're reading the wrong book.
In the humans' corner, we have the Lifeweavers, kin to the Kurians. The Lifeweavers don't fight directly, but they use their powers to change human warriors, to make them better, stronger, faster. These changed humans fall into three categories: Cats (scouts and loners), Bears (bad-ass warriors) and Wolves (the guerilla fighters). This first book introduces us to the world of 2065 through the eyes of the young wolf David Valentine.
The first half of the book is completely episodic. Each chapter is a chapter of Valentine's life, showing us his past, his training, and his missions as a Wolf. There's plenty of tension and a lot of action, but little in the way of overall plot tying it all together. That changes in the second half, when Valentine and one of his men take refuge on a human farm. Here we see more of the day-to-day life of normal humans under Kurian rule. Valentine falls in love, and then has to save his protectors from both Reapers and Quislings (human traitors who have chosen to serve the Kurians).
The early chapters accomplish what they set out to do. Each one adds to the reader's understanding of this world, and the self-contained stories of Valentine's life certainly keep you turning the pages. But I started to wonder where this was going, and whether there was an actual destination for the book, or if this was intended simply to show us this conquered world. The second half helped, but this is still a book where the worldbuilding comes first. Book two, Choice of the Cat, looks like it brings more balance, giving Valentine a clearer mission. (One which picks up on hints from the first book which are never fully explored.)
Knight has created a dark world, and he doesn't flinch from some of the nastiness that comes with it. I did enjoy the book, despite the dreams of that first night. But I couldn't help feeling like I was missing the larger story, that Valentine's POV limited me to the trees when I wanted to see more forest. I suspect I'll be picking up book two to see where the story goes from here.
Way of the Wolf is subtitled "Book One of The Vampire Earth", and comes with a nice little tag phrase. "Welcome to the year 2065. Earth is under new management."
"Vampire Earth" is a little misleading. Earth has been conquered by the alien Kurians, who feed on our life essences. In order to feed, they created the Reapers: nightmare creatures who tear open our throats and insert long, serpentine tongues directly into our hearts to feed on our blood while transmitting our vital essence back to their Kurian masters. In other words, if you're expecting traditional vampires and wooden stakes and garlic and quipping blonde teenagers, you're reading the wrong book.
In the humans' corner, we have the Lifeweavers, kin to the Kurians. The Lifeweavers don't fight directly, but they use their powers to change human warriors, to make them better, stronger, faster. These changed humans fall into three categories: Cats (scouts and loners), Bears (bad-ass warriors) and Wolves (the guerilla fighters). This first book introduces us to the world of 2065 through the eyes of the young wolf David Valentine.
The first half of the book is completely episodic. Each chapter is a chapter of Valentine's life, showing us his past, his training, and his missions as a Wolf. There's plenty of tension and a lot of action, but little in the way of overall plot tying it all together. That changes in the second half, when Valentine and one of his men take refuge on a human farm. Here we see more of the day-to-day life of normal humans under Kurian rule. Valentine falls in love, and then has to save his protectors from both Reapers and Quislings (human traitors who have chosen to serve the Kurians).
The early chapters accomplish what they set out to do. Each one adds to the reader's understanding of this world, and the self-contained stories of Valentine's life certainly keep you turning the pages. But I started to wonder where this was going, and whether there was an actual destination for the book, or if this was intended simply to show us this conquered world. The second half helped, but this is still a book where the worldbuilding comes first. Book two, Choice of the Cat, looks like it brings more balance, giving Valentine a clearer mission. (One which picks up on hints from the first book which are never fully explored.)
Knight has created a dark world, and he doesn't flinch from some of the nastiness that comes with it. I did enjoy the book, despite the dreams of that first night. But I couldn't help feeling like I was missing the larger story, that Valentine's POV limited me to the trees when I wanted to see more forest. I suspect I'll be picking up book two to see where the story goes from here.
June 22, 2020
This is a different kind of vampire story. This is a story about vampires rule the world humankind live in. Human are struggling to survive in the story Because Vampires they feed on Human for prolonging their life.They are from another planet and the species looking for eternity life for a long time. It is interesting that the aspect of the species's evolution depends on other species's vitality. Yes, It seems like they are vampire. Humankind has been chosen to be the food for those intruders. vampires have their own server to hunt down human. It sounds like a horror story and it is ture. As readers follow protagonist's ponit of view. you will find out more information about those hostility alien. The apocalypse setting with vampire host and human military has a lot of actions in one book. It is very interesting setting I have seen in vampire fantasy.
February 6, 2011
I put this one down...I didn't hate it....but I just lost interest. I'll be the first to admit, maybe it's me, maybe I've just read too many like this. The book is a pretty standard "post vampire apocalypse" read with just a dash of modern zombie and a taste dystopian future thrown in for good measure.
I think my interest level started to drop (or maybe finally dropped off to where disinterest set in) when it became obvious we were dealing with not only a type of conquering vampire but also the now famous and apparently ubiquitous "infectious zombie". Zombies have been a horror story and myth standard for a long time. I suppose they took on a new aspect a sort of "new lease on an un-life" with Night of the Living Dead, though the "if you're even scratched by one you'll turn into a zombie to" motif wasn't set in stone there. It was just that any dead came back...apparently because "all dead" were coming back. It seems to me that the "once bitten you'll die no matter what and become a zombie" theme started in earnest with video games like Resident Evil. Gone were evil priests, nasty dark wizards, undead sorcerers and sorceresses, no sign of voodoo or curses, now it's a plague. Okay to each his own...but I've pretty much enjoyed as much of that plot device as I can stand.
As I said...not awful, but not worth it to me I didn't want to use my limited and valuable reading time (and life time) on finishing a book that dropped my interest in the first 50 pages. If you like it enjoy.
The thing is, I'm not dissing the book "as such". I'm sure some will find it just what they're looking for and enjoy it. That's great, but as I said, not for me.
I think my interest level started to drop (or maybe finally dropped off to where disinterest set in) when it became obvious we were dealing with not only a type of conquering vampire but also the now famous and apparently ubiquitous "infectious zombie". Zombies have been a horror story and myth standard for a long time. I suppose they took on a new aspect a sort of "new lease on an un-life" with Night of the Living Dead, though the "if you're even scratched by one you'll turn into a zombie to" motif wasn't set in stone there. It was just that any dead came back...apparently because "all dead" were coming back. It seems to me that the "once bitten you'll die no matter what and become a zombie" theme started in earnest with video games like Resident Evil. Gone were evil priests, nasty dark wizards, undead sorcerers and sorceresses, no sign of voodoo or curses, now it's a plague. Okay to each his own...but I've pretty much enjoyed as much of that plot device as I can stand.
As I said...not awful, but not worth it to me I didn't want to use my limited and valuable reading time (and life time) on finishing a book that dropped my interest in the first 50 pages. If you like it enjoy.
The thing is, I'm not dissing the book "as such". I'm sure some will find it just what they're looking for and enjoy it. That's great, but as I said, not for me.
August 3, 2009
4.0 stars. Excellent first novel. Very cool concept and excellent world-building. The various creatures as well as the political and civil organizations are well thought out and create a great basis for future stories. A very fun read.
April 24, 2010
Post-apocalyptic science fiction is one of my favorite sub-genres. Finding a good fantasy equivalent can sometimes be difficult, as it usually gets classified as science fiction. E.E. Knight’s Way of the Wolf has vampires and magic, and clearly falls into the category of fantasy. It also is about a post-nuclear United States with aliens, and scattered communities of humanity fighting for survival. It’s a strange mix, but it all works out well.
In the 2020’s a series of natural disasters struck earth, followed by a disease that caused the infected to go insane and die. The population of the earth was decimated. Shortly after these events, the Kurians, a race of magical beings, appeared and assumed control over the planet. The Kurians feed off the life force of humans (and others), and they use a group of really tough critters (Reapers) to do their collecting. These are the vampires of the story. Our protagonist, David Valentine, is a part of an elite group of human rebels called the Wolves. With their senses magically enhanced, they are the Kurians’ and Reapers’ worst nightmare. Way of the Wolf follows David through his early and present encounters with the Kurian oppressors.
As you can see by my summary, the plot and background is fairly simple at a glance. But as you follow David in his travels, you begin to peel back the onion and understand that there are more complex issues at play. I was expecting an action-packed romp of “Mad Max the Vampire Hunter,” and in a lot of ways that is what I got. On the other hand I wasn’t expecting the characters in Way of the Wolf to be quite like they were. The hero is a rather quiet and well-read fellow, choosing to lead through example rather than aggressiveness. He is not the gung-ho type and knows exactly when he should run rather than stand and fight. The female characters are not your typical choices in post-apocalyptic fiction either. Typically you would have a Mary Sue type with milk-white skin and the undying need for a strong man… or a butchy bullet-chewing she-warrior. E.E. Knight places his female characters squarely in between the two stereotypes. They are feminine but still tough, as you would expect from anyone living in their world.
I listened to Way of the Wolf on audio book CD from Brilliance Audio. It was read to me by Christian Rummel who is a rather prolific voice talent, and for good reason: he’s awesome. Seriously, how this man goes from gritty cigar chomping old veteran to sweet sensual Wisconsin beauty is beyond me. “Wisconsin beauty? That specific?” Yes dear readers, the man has his Northern/Midwestern accents down to an art form. If I ever win the lottery I will personally hire him to come to my house and read to me. I may even have him read Louisa May Alcott simply because it would be coolest rendition of Little Women known to mankind.
Overall, I loved the book and its audio adaptation. Those of you who straddle the line between fantasy and sci-fi will find a nice home in Way of the Wolf. It’s an action-filled, somewhat male-centric perspective of life under alien vampire overlords. Christian Rummel was a perfect fit to read the audio version, and I look forward to listening to/reading the rest of them. I have yet again been hooked into another great series!
www.fantasyliterature.com
In the 2020’s a series of natural disasters struck earth, followed by a disease that caused the infected to go insane and die. The population of the earth was decimated. Shortly after these events, the Kurians, a race of magical beings, appeared and assumed control over the planet. The Kurians feed off the life force of humans (and others), and they use a group of really tough critters (Reapers) to do their collecting. These are the vampires of the story. Our protagonist, David Valentine, is a part of an elite group of human rebels called the Wolves. With their senses magically enhanced, they are the Kurians’ and Reapers’ worst nightmare. Way of the Wolf follows David through his early and present encounters with the Kurian oppressors.
As you can see by my summary, the plot and background is fairly simple at a glance. But as you follow David in his travels, you begin to peel back the onion and understand that there are more complex issues at play. I was expecting an action-packed romp of “Mad Max the Vampire Hunter,” and in a lot of ways that is what I got. On the other hand I wasn’t expecting the characters in Way of the Wolf to be quite like they were. The hero is a rather quiet and well-read fellow, choosing to lead through example rather than aggressiveness. He is not the gung-ho type and knows exactly when he should run rather than stand and fight. The female characters are not your typical choices in post-apocalyptic fiction either. Typically you would have a Mary Sue type with milk-white skin and the undying need for a strong man… or a butchy bullet-chewing she-warrior. E.E. Knight places his female characters squarely in between the two stereotypes. They are feminine but still tough, as you would expect from anyone living in their world.
I listened to Way of the Wolf on audio book CD from Brilliance Audio. It was read to me by Christian Rummel who is a rather prolific voice talent, and for good reason: he’s awesome. Seriously, how this man goes from gritty cigar chomping old veteran to sweet sensual Wisconsin beauty is beyond me. “Wisconsin beauty? That specific?” Yes dear readers, the man has his Northern/Midwestern accents down to an art form. If I ever win the lottery I will personally hire him to come to my house and read to me. I may even have him read Louisa May Alcott simply because it would be coolest rendition of Little Women known to mankind.
Overall, I loved the book and its audio adaptation. Those of you who straddle the line between fantasy and sci-fi will find a nice home in Way of the Wolf. It’s an action-filled, somewhat male-centric perspective of life under alien vampire overlords. Christian Rummel was a perfect fit to read the audio version, and I look forward to listening to/reading the rest of them. I have yet again been hooked into another great series!
www.fantasyliterature.com
October 23, 2014
The first in an interesting, post apocalyptic series. The earth has been invaded & the story unfolds from the POV of Valentine, a soldier in the resistance. Exactly what invaded & how is left a bit open. We know they are the Kurians, but not what they look like or exactly what their abilities are. Other creatures came with them & our civilization was devastated with much of mankind becoming slaves & food.
Half the interest of the series is that there aren't many certainties. Odd creatures, a broken civilization plus infighting among the conquerors all make for a rather confusing mix for our hero to sort out. Not only are there a lot of moral gray areas, but it's difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys a lot of times. The resistance is a piecemeal affair, several major organizations plus a lot of folks that just want to live free. Some of the new arrivals are good guys, interested in helping mankind, while others aren't interested in them at all.
Each book adds to Valentine's, thus our, knowledge of the world. It's a hard one & he faces some very tough choices. He's not a super hero, but a pretty tough guy in a very hard situation doing the best he can.
Overall, I'd rate the series with 3.5 stars. The first couple of books were excellent, a couple are just OK & a few were pretty awesome.
Half the interest of the series is that there aren't many certainties. Odd creatures, a broken civilization plus infighting among the conquerors all make for a rather confusing mix for our hero to sort out. Not only are there a lot of moral gray areas, but it's difficult to tell the good guys from the bad guys a lot of times. The resistance is a piecemeal affair, several major organizations plus a lot of folks that just want to live free. Some of the new arrivals are good guys, interested in helping mankind, while others aren't interested in them at all.
Each book adds to Valentine's, thus our, knowledge of the world. It's a hard one & he faces some very tough choices. He's not a super hero, but a pretty tough guy in a very hard situation doing the best he can.
Overall, I'd rate the series with 3.5 stars. The first couple of books were excellent, a couple are just OK & a few were pretty awesome.
July 31, 2015
24.7.2015 - 3,5*
Ono je těžké popsat tuto knihu.
Zaprvé - pokrývá velký časový rámec. Za což ji mám zatraceně ráda. Člověk rád vidí, že přestože je kniha ze série, probere se v jednom dílu pořádný děj. Zadruhé - styl psaní. Líbil se mi. Trochu mě mátl. Hlavní postava se změnila z dítěte v mladého muže, což tak trochu prokřížilo žánry od něčeho blízko YA k postapo-militantní(?) fantasy? Urbance? Nejsem si jistá, jak to zaškatulkovat.
Ale chytilo mě to. Podobné příběhy, kdy jeden maká, aby se vyšplhal výše, prokazuje svou cenu něčím více, než jen tím, že je zatracená Mary Sue a umí cokoliv, co božská ruka autora shledá jako lehký únik z nepříjemné situace. Navíc je tu ten svět, který je zatraceně dobře propracovaný a promyšlený, všechny ty detaily na mě udělaly dojem. Zasazení, kdy se příběh odehrává nejenom časově, ale i geograficky na velkém rámci a jsou nám představovány části Ameriky i s její různorodostí. Děj byl stejně dobrý, postavy věrohodné, interakce a vnější vlivy reálné. Dost mě to překvapilo, mile. Není to přehnaně složité, ale zaujme to tím, kam nás ve své fantazii autor zavede, a čím nás překvapí. .)
Ono je těžké popsat tuto knihu.
Zaprvé - pokrývá velký časový rámec. Za což ji mám zatraceně ráda. Člověk rád vidí, že přestože je kniha ze série, probere se v jednom dílu pořádný děj. Zadruhé - styl psaní. Líbil se mi. Trochu mě mátl. Hlavní postava se změnila z dítěte v mladého muže, což tak trochu prokřížilo žánry od něčeho blízko YA k postapo-militantní(?) fantasy? Urbance? Nejsem si jistá, jak to zaškatulkovat.
Ale chytilo mě to. Podobné příběhy, kdy jeden maká, aby se vyšplhal výše, prokazuje svou cenu něčím více, než jen tím, že je zatracená Mary Sue a umí cokoliv, co božská ruka autora shledá jako lehký únik z nepříjemné situace. Navíc je tu ten svět, který je zatraceně dobře propracovaný a promyšlený, všechny ty detaily na mě udělaly dojem. Zasazení, kdy se příběh odehrává nejenom časově, ale i geograficky na velkém rámci a jsou nám představovány části Ameriky i s její různorodostí. Děj byl stejně dobrý, postavy věrohodné, interakce a vnější vlivy reálné. Dost mě to překvapilo, mile. Není to přehnaně složité, ale zaujme to tím, kam nás ve své fantazii autor zavede, a čím nás překvapí. .)
July 23, 2010
OK!
So, one day about a year ago i was walking through Barnes and Noble and i happen to notice this shelf of books with the title, "E.E. Knight's new cult following!"
I am always a avid person of finding books before they become too huge. Well i found out how great this series was.
Now to give you a bit of a back round about me, I am ALMOST graduated with a degree in creative writing. So i take reading good books very seriously and i have to admit he hasn't let me down yet!
I began reading about David Valentine and his adventures and the thing about the author is that its so well written.
Here's my theory why:
I am from the U.S. Midwest and so is the Author, now one thing you have to understand about the Midwesterner's is that when we tell a yarn, we really tell it to a point that its like a story that your grandfather would tell you when your a little kid.
It is extremely simple to read through considering the fact that So much of the world has changed due to a alien takeover. It's really not like Dune saga where there is so much fact's thrown at you: you can hardly swim!
No, this story is so simple, yet so intriguing you cannot put it down!
gold star to you MR. E.E. Knight!
So, one day about a year ago i was walking through Barnes and Noble and i happen to notice this shelf of books with the title, "E.E. Knight's new cult following!"
I am always a avid person of finding books before they become too huge. Well i found out how great this series was.
Now to give you a bit of a back round about me, I am ALMOST graduated with a degree in creative writing. So i take reading good books very seriously and i have to admit he hasn't let me down yet!
I began reading about David Valentine and his adventures and the thing about the author is that its so well written.
Here's my theory why:
I am from the U.S. Midwest and so is the Author, now one thing you have to understand about the Midwesterner's is that when we tell a yarn, we really tell it to a point that its like a story that your grandfather would tell you when your a little kid.
It is extremely simple to read through considering the fact that So much of the world has changed due to a alien takeover. It's really not like Dune saga where there is so much fact's thrown at you: you can hardly swim!
No, this story is so simple, yet so intriguing you cannot put it down!
gold star to you MR. E.E. Knight!
January 31, 2025
A well-crafted, vampiric post-apocalypse. While reading this, it occurred to me just how often post-apocalyptic stories are told in a travelog format. This definitely fits that bill, and it's related to what I found to be the biggest weakness for this book: aimlessness. While I did find myself compelled by the prose and the worldbuilding, there seemed to be relatively little overarching plot to motivate things.
It's kind of like a gory, gritty David Copperfield. It sure seems like the Valentine guy is going to grow up to be an important guy who does important things, and to be fully invested in that it makes sense to have an idea of who he is and where he comes from, but that's putting a lot of faith into the idea that the series will actually go somewhere instead of circling through interchangeable, episodic scenes.
I don't intend to be too harsh. Ultimately, I did like the book, and I've already read the second one, but I have some concerns about how worthwhile things will feel at the end.
It's kind of like a gory, gritty David Copperfield. It sure seems like the Valentine guy is going to grow up to be an important guy who does important things, and to be fully invested in that it makes sense to have an idea of who he is and where he comes from, but that's putting a lot of faith into the idea that the series will actually go somewhere instead of circling through interchangeable, episodic scenes.
I don't intend to be too harsh. Ultimately, I did like the book, and I've already read the second one, but I have some concerns about how worthwhile things will feel at the end.
July 25, 2016
I chose this book due to the recommendation of a fellow book blogger who never steers me wrong, and I'm really glad I followed his advice. This is the first of a series called "The Vampire Earth" series. It is labeled as science fiction and, indeed, it does take place in the relatively near future (2065) but this one really mixes up the genres. Lots of horror elements in here as well as mystical fantasy, militaristic adventure, and some good 'ol wild west heroics as well.
The story concerns David Valentine, a young man who has grown up entirely in a post-apocolyptic society, after a virus has wiped out 75% of humanity and after the "Kurians," an alien species, has become the dominant masters of the planet. Many humans try to coexist with the aliens but there are still pockets of disenters who refuse to be subjected to this greater power. David finds his way into the resistance forces as a "wolf", part of the Southern Command in the Ozark Free Territory. Due to his abilities he is quickly promoted to Lieutenant. There is some back story that explains how this earth came about as well as how David evolves from a relatively normal teenager (in such a society) into a hero-to-be. Yet this is not a "military sci-fi" novel nor is it a "vampire" book like the myriads of "Twilight" clones out there right now. The vampire parts of this novel refer to the nature of how the alien Reapers feed on the auras of humans. The mythos behind the story events, the world building if you will, is cleverly thought out and delightfully original. I'll definitely be pursuing the other books in this series as it reportedly gets better and better.
The story concerns David Valentine, a young man who has grown up entirely in a post-apocolyptic society, after a virus has wiped out 75% of humanity and after the "Kurians," an alien species, has become the dominant masters of the planet. Many humans try to coexist with the aliens but there are still pockets of disenters who refuse to be subjected to this greater power. David finds his way into the resistance forces as a "wolf", part of the Southern Command in the Ozark Free Territory. Due to his abilities he is quickly promoted to Lieutenant. There is some back story that explains how this earth came about as well as how David evolves from a relatively normal teenager (in such a society) into a hero-to-be. Yet this is not a "military sci-fi" novel nor is it a "vampire" book like the myriads of "Twilight" clones out there right now. The vampire parts of this novel refer to the nature of how the alien Reapers feed on the auras of humans. The mythos behind the story events, the world building if you will, is cleverly thought out and delightfully original. I'll definitely be pursuing the other books in this series as it reportedly gets better and better.
September 5, 2025
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading
; skaitom nakties rezimu
This series of books has some interesting titles, so I picked the first, Way of the Wolf by E.E. Knight. But whether I’ll continue the Vampire Earth remains to be seen, as this one wasn’t all that memorable.
My Opinion: There’s some kind of shamanism or something happening in this book, as per what title implies – some soldiers, training to fight infected and possibly even the so-called Reapers, harness supernatural powers. Science fiction of aliens upon Earth mixes with fantasy, and I’m not much of a fan. But the book is well written, reads like a good, old adventure book, if dark, think whatever old and battered fantasy / sci-fi books you’ve got home, maybe Elrick of Melnibone, or the Witch Web. The story itself wasn’t very interesting though, and characters are all very alike, following clear patterns that don’t stray or change. Resulting in a very odd read for me, personally. Still, I do recognize this is a good book that smells of classics.
A 4 out of 5, can’t give it more due to how characters were written. Nor do I know if I want to continue, as nothing offered a hook. But I’ll know where to look if I want the good, old-school urban fantasy.
This series of books has some interesting titles, so I picked the first, Way of the Wolf by E.E. Knight. But whether I’ll continue the Vampire Earth remains to be seen, as this one wasn’t all that memorable.
My Opinion: There’s some kind of shamanism or something happening in this book, as per what title implies – some soldiers, training to fight infected and possibly even the so-called Reapers, harness supernatural powers. Science fiction of aliens upon Earth mixes with fantasy, and I’m not much of a fan. But the book is well written, reads like a good, old adventure book, if dark, think whatever old and battered fantasy / sci-fi books you’ve got home, maybe Elrick of Melnibone, or the Witch Web. The story itself wasn’t very interesting though, and characters are all very alike, following clear patterns that don’t stray or change. Resulting in a very odd read for me, personally. Still, I do recognize this is a good book that smells of classics.
A 4 out of 5, can’t give it more due to how characters were written. Nor do I know if I want to continue, as nothing offered a hook. But I’ll know where to look if I want the good, old-school urban fantasy.
May 31, 2022
Interesting start to the series. This is a sci-fi romp that's a bit slow but interesting for the genre.
March 30, 2017
kind of long winded in some parts but pretty good!!!
April 28, 2012
In the first book in a series E.E. Knight follows the life of David Valentine who wants to make a difference in a world that has fallen into chaos.
The year is 2065 and a lot has changed from our time. David Valentine did not know what the world was like before the Kurian order. He only knew what his father and mother told him. But they are no longer able to share what they experienced as they have been killed by the New Order that has made its way to Earth. Valentine has always know since that day he has wanted to make a difference and has done everything in his power to prepare for when the Wolves (a group of freedom fighters) comes looking for recruits to sign up. But there is more to Wolves than just fighting together again the Reapers, they are special and only a few are chosen to fight the battles that only the Wolves can fight and their mission is to win back Earth.
This book ventures into a mixture of science fiction/fantasy/dystopia/horror genres, however, this book did not start off with a good impression for me. I had a hard time really understanding what was going on in the prologue of the novel. If you can make it past the prologue to first few chapters it explain what has occurred though I did find myself getting a bit lost in the explanation. I actually wish that Knight would not have had the prologue and just started the book with the first chapter as I found the prologue confusing.
I struggled through reading this book. I was interested in Valentine's journey however, I felt that the book was very slow. The book does jump through the years in a way that I have not read before; each chapter essentially is a different episode in Valentine's life. There is a short blurb before each chapter that explains the important aspects of what has happened to the world and Valentine in the time shifts. I think this is what mainly hindered the story for this is supposed to be about Valentine journey but it was fragmented with each chapter. I think that Knight might have felt forced to do this as he tries to achieve too many things in this novel and maybe this is caused by mixing too many genres together, that it became too convoluted (at least it was for me).
Knight does a good job of world building (minus the first chapter) the changes in the landscape, people, world were really well done. You can feel the pain, hurt and fear of the people who are trying to make a living in the free land, but they are constantly on guard for the next attack. The Reapers and other creatures in the novel are very creepy and have some interesting powers, I wish there was more interaction with the Reapers to make it more of horror feel, which is what I think Knight was going for. I also liked Valentine as a character but felt like I missed out with his character with the fragmentation of his life as I was not really able to fully see how he developed into the person that he is.
The main flaw for this book for me is that I could not connect to the story as much as I would have liked. I do not read too many just sci-fi/fantasy based novels, therefore, I think that someone who typically reads this type of book may enjoy it as it has the journey aspect of the main character that many fantasy have. I would read another book by Knight as I think he excels in the right places of world building and scary creature, but I do not think that I would read one that is in genre, maybe one where Knight does not try to do too much. This book was just not for me.
Cheers!!!
The year is 2065 and a lot has changed from our time. David Valentine did not know what the world was like before the Kurian order. He only knew what his father and mother told him. But they are no longer able to share what they experienced as they have been killed by the New Order that has made its way to Earth. Valentine has always know since that day he has wanted to make a difference and has done everything in his power to prepare for when the Wolves (a group of freedom fighters) comes looking for recruits to sign up. But there is more to Wolves than just fighting together again the Reapers, they are special and only a few are chosen to fight the battles that only the Wolves can fight and their mission is to win back Earth.
This book ventures into a mixture of science fiction/fantasy/dystopia/horror genres, however, this book did not start off with a good impression for me. I had a hard time really understanding what was going on in the prologue of the novel. If you can make it past the prologue to first few chapters it explain what has occurred though I did find myself getting a bit lost in the explanation. I actually wish that Knight would not have had the prologue and just started the book with the first chapter as I found the prologue confusing.
I struggled through reading this book. I was interested in Valentine's journey however, I felt that the book was very slow. The book does jump through the years in a way that I have not read before; each chapter essentially is a different episode in Valentine's life. There is a short blurb before each chapter that explains the important aspects of what has happened to the world and Valentine in the time shifts. I think this is what mainly hindered the story for this is supposed to be about Valentine journey but it was fragmented with each chapter. I think that Knight might have felt forced to do this as he tries to achieve too many things in this novel and maybe this is caused by mixing too many genres together, that it became too convoluted (at least it was for me).
Knight does a good job of world building (minus the first chapter) the changes in the landscape, people, world were really well done. You can feel the pain, hurt and fear of the people who are trying to make a living in the free land, but they are constantly on guard for the next attack. The Reapers and other creatures in the novel are very creepy and have some interesting powers, I wish there was more interaction with the Reapers to make it more of horror feel, which is what I think Knight was going for. I also liked Valentine as a character but felt like I missed out with his character with the fragmentation of his life as I was not really able to fully see how he developed into the person that he is.
The main flaw for this book for me is that I could not connect to the story as much as I would have liked. I do not read too many just sci-fi/fantasy based novels, therefore, I think that someone who typically reads this type of book may enjoy it as it has the journey aspect of the main character that many fantasy have. I would read another book by Knight as I think he excels in the right places of world building and scary creature, but I do not think that I would read one that is in genre, maybe one where Knight does not try to do too much. This book was just not for me.
Cheers!!!
December 27, 2023
Just as a note, before Goodreads deletes this despite it being an important consideration for many in deciding whether to read book(s) by a particular author, I will mention that this author is on my personal 'authors behaving badly' list.
Here is my review of this book, as well as relevant links and (polite!) comments.
---------------
One reviewer on Amazon.com dared to post a negative review of this novel in E.E. Knight's 'Vampire Earth' series.
While I do agree that I personally would not weigh a review by someone who has not read the entire book as heavily as someone who did read it in its entirety, I believe the free speech issue applies here. In other words, if you don't think someone has written a good review (i.e. positive or negative) the answer IS NOT a personal attack type comment in response. Even less appropriate to my mind, is the fact that the author posted the review in question to their blog in order to ridicule the reviewer. I found this completely inappropriate and unprofessional.
Here is the original review (click on the comments section to see the various replies, which include one by yours truly, posting as 'Alicia'). Here is the post on the author's blog.
In the event my comment gets erased, here is my (slightly edited) reply to the original reviewer, who mentioned the Marty Stu aspect of the story.
"I read the WHOLE BOOK and unfortunately I must concur with the Marty Stu aspect. Yes, the situation isn't as simple as the main character being loved by everyone he meets, but let's list all the items, shall we?
(i) He is one of the most brilliant soldiers ever (and gets promoted almost immediately upon being recruited as a soldier)
(ii) He manages to come up with the pefect solution to virtually every tricky situation he and other characters find themselves in
(iii) He is a 'natural leader'
(iv) Several people manage to mention how good looking he is
(v) It is hinted that he will develop unusual powers (i.e. one of the 'good aliens' finds him particularly interesting for this reason, if I'm reading the hints in the novel right)
(vi) He has received more education than the usual person and so recognizes obscure quotes that others don't (although the author does manage to justify this aspect via his upbringing)
Isn't it wonderful how people who dare to post negative reviews get harassed on this site? I just reported the responses to this review as abusive.
My post in my blog above lists several examples of authors behaving badly. Congratulations Mr. Knight, you just made my list!"
--------------
In other comments about this book, I will also add that the way women are treated in the book is quite disappointing, as well. Because they appear to exist in this novel mostly as various appendages of the male characters.
Here is my review of this book, as well as relevant links and (polite!) comments.
---------------
One reviewer on Amazon.com dared to post a negative review of this novel in E.E. Knight's 'Vampire Earth' series.
While I do agree that I personally would not weigh a review by someone who has not read the entire book as heavily as someone who did read it in its entirety, I believe the free speech issue applies here. In other words, if you don't think someone has written a good review (i.e. positive or negative) the answer IS NOT a personal attack type comment in response. Even less appropriate to my mind, is the fact that the author posted the review in question to their blog in order to ridicule the reviewer. I found this completely inappropriate and unprofessional.
Here is the original review (click on the comments section to see the various replies, which include one by yours truly, posting as 'Alicia'). Here is the post on the author's blog.
In the event my comment gets erased, here is my (slightly edited) reply to the original reviewer, who mentioned the Marty Stu aspect of the story.
"I read the WHOLE BOOK and unfortunately I must concur with the Marty Stu aspect. Yes, the situation isn't as simple as the main character being loved by everyone he meets, but let's list all the items, shall we?
(i) He is one of the most brilliant soldiers ever (and gets promoted almost immediately upon being recruited as a soldier)
(ii) He manages to come up with the pefect solution to virtually every tricky situation he and other characters find themselves in
(iii) He is a 'natural leader'
(iv) Several people manage to mention how good looking he is
(v) It is hinted that he will develop unusual powers (i.e. one of the 'good aliens' finds him particularly interesting for this reason, if I'm reading the hints in the novel right)
(vi) He has received more education than the usual person and so recognizes obscure quotes that others don't (although the author does manage to justify this aspect via his upbringing)
Isn't it wonderful how people who dare to post negative reviews get harassed on this site? I just reported the responses to this review as abusive.
My post in my blog above lists several examples of authors behaving badly. Congratulations Mr. Knight, you just made my list!"
--------------
In other comments about this book, I will also add that the way women are treated in the book is quite disappointing, as well. Because they appear to exist in this novel mostly as various appendages of the male characters.
August 3, 2011
The format in which this book is done is interesting. I haven’t come across this until now. For a good part of the novel, you get what looks like short stories of Valentine’s life before the actual plot begins. I understand how some readers thought this wasn’t the most perfect way to introduce the story. However I thought it was not only different but a good way to introduce the main character, and his background, with background information about the setting in this way. You follow Valentine throughout his youth, then you follow him through the period on where he first starts training to become a “Wolf” (a special elite unit). It’s not until a good later part of the book is where the actual plot begins. I liked this kind of introduction. It made getting to know Valentine easier. It gave Valentine a three dimensional form and it chronicles his development in good detail.
The setting is also interesting, however it took me a while to finally get the hang of it (without consulting the glossary at the back). The vampires here are ruthless and evil, so you will definitely not find the romantic stereotype anywhere in this book. There’s a blend of post apocalyptic characteristics, with dark fantasy, and science fiction elements. So really you have a good mixture of just about everything in here. Personally, I like the dark fantasy and post apocalyptic parts. Earth really is a bleak place to be and the descriptions, and characters enhance the setting.
Valentine is all right as a character. He does seem like your most awesome hero and at times it could get a little annoying. I wish he could have a bit of a darker edge to him (ie: he could be a jerk once in a while) but he seems to be your average good guy with a troubled past. I suppose that’s not too bad although it could be considered cliche and overdone by other readers.
What I did enjoy most about the novel is the overall plot. The pace was good although certain areas did experience a bit of a bump here and there. However all I will ask is for the author to not do any more romantic scenes and I’m shuddering to think if there will be more romance in the other books to follow. I read a particular romance moment and I just about nearly choked. Really? a man would do what Valentine did?? that’s just gross! after having a fit for about a few minutes I resumed with the story (Apologies for not being specific. It is detailed and explicit so I won’t go further than that). After finishing the book I still found that particular passage to be still unnerving. That’s the only part that I strongly dislike in the book. Seriously, just take the romance out of this. It wasn’t necessary and the plot was fine without it!
This was a nice interesting start to what looks like an action packed series. I’m definitely going to follow this series for sure. If you like dark fantasy with sci fi elements in a post apocalyptic world try this. Plus, the vampires aren’t sparkling. You might just like it!
The setting is also interesting, however it took me a while to finally get the hang of it (without consulting the glossary at the back). The vampires here are ruthless and evil, so you will definitely not find the romantic stereotype anywhere in this book. There’s a blend of post apocalyptic characteristics, with dark fantasy, and science fiction elements. So really you have a good mixture of just about everything in here. Personally, I like the dark fantasy and post apocalyptic parts. Earth really is a bleak place to be and the descriptions, and characters enhance the setting.
Valentine is all right as a character. He does seem like your most awesome hero and at times it could get a little annoying. I wish he could have a bit of a darker edge to him (ie: he could be a jerk once in a while) but he seems to be your average good guy with a troubled past. I suppose that’s not too bad although it could be considered cliche and overdone by other readers.
What I did enjoy most about the novel is the overall plot. The pace was good although certain areas did experience a bit of a bump here and there. However all I will ask is for the author to not do any more romantic scenes and I’m shuddering to think if there will be more romance in the other books to follow. I read a particular romance moment and I just about nearly choked. Really? a man would do what Valentine did?? that’s just gross! after having a fit for about a few minutes I resumed with the story (Apologies for not being specific. It is detailed and explicit so I won’t go further than that). After finishing the book I still found that particular passage to be still unnerving. That’s the only part that I strongly dislike in the book. Seriously, just take the romance out of this. It wasn’t necessary and the plot was fine without it!
This was a nice interesting start to what looks like an action packed series. I’m definitely going to follow this series for sure. If you like dark fantasy with sci fi elements in a post apocalyptic world try this. Plus, the vampires aren’t sparkling. You might just like it!
April 23, 2017
The book takes place in 2065. The word has been taken over by an alien race called the Kurians. They need to devour blood and auras to live longer. They have bred Reapers to collect these for them. The world is in shambles and a some people team together to try to fight them. David Valentine is a young recruit who wants to avenge his parents death at their hands but also winds up wanting to avenge others like him. In order to succeed they get extra powers "wolflike" to help them in this pursuit. The Lightbringers who are also from the Kurian race help them when they can, mainly by giving them these powers. Not everyone can handle them. There are a couple of different types that are made Wolves, Cats and Bears. David is a wolf and moves up in the ranks of the militia that is formed to combat the Kurians.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book but it dragged a little in the middle. Too much military stuff for my taste although I understood its significance. But by the end I really enjoyed it. I will read the next book in the series.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book but it dragged a little in the middle. Too much military stuff for my taste although I understood its significance. But by the end I really enjoyed it. I will read the next book in the series.
July 15, 2012
The series had a few intriguing ideas. I liked the shamans modifying humans into somewhat superhuman wolves, cats, & bears. The aliens taking over the earth was a fun version of apacolypse - for once we didn't destroy ourselves.
I read most of the series because a friend had lent me all of them and they are a quick read. I was entertained by the first book, Way of the Wolf, but the second book was exactly the same as the first, and the third as like the previous two, and well you get the idea.
The writing isn't very good. The main character shows no development in any of the books. The situation never changes. I felt like sisyphus pushing the reading stone up the hill, only to pick up another book and start all over again.
I concluded that the author has no desire to write actual literature. He is perhaps an RPG gamer who is more interested in writing about tactical combat settings than actual stories.
I read most of the series because a friend had lent me all of them and they are a quick read. I was entertained by the first book, Way of the Wolf, but the second book was exactly the same as the first, and the third as like the previous two, and well you get the idea.
The writing isn't very good. The main character shows no development in any of the books. The situation never changes. I felt like sisyphus pushing the reading stone up the hill, only to pick up another book and start all over again.
I concluded that the author has no desire to write actual literature. He is perhaps an RPG gamer who is more interested in writing about tactical combat settings than actual stories.
September 24, 2009
This book is one of the first post-apocalyptic/Vampire book that I've truly loved. The reasons I loved this book are that it is a book about undying hope and determination even in the depths of fear and predation. The main character, Lt. David Valentine, is not your typical save-the-world type hero, the reluctant warrior who when faced with a helpless opponent shows mercy, he is a killer, a man unafraid to kill for the greater good of humanity. He is the hero for a new age, A dark warrior with his own dark secrets. The food chain for the world has undergone a drastic change. Humanity is no longer at the top of the food chain, that role has been usurped by the Vampiric Kur and humanity is relegated to the role of cattle. Valentine will stop at nothing to restore Humanity to it's rightful glory and position at the top of the food chain.
January 2, 2008
People who know me know well that I love me a good vampire story (one of my wife's Christmas gifts to me was the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic book collection). So it should probably come as no surprise that I plowed right through this book and plan on reading the other books in the series in quick succession (though I may not review them all). Although it took a bit of "suspension of disbelief" to get past the alien-gate-traveler/vampiric-aura-consumer thing, it turned out to be an interesting twist on the traditional vampire mythos. While the ending to the book was somewhat predictable, the book overall was enjoyable enough that I'm going to pursue the rest of the series as well.
November 23, 2009
The title is a bit deceptive, probably to capitalize on the current vampire craze. Vampires-light like Edward wouldn't last ten minutes in this world (one can only wish that they fared as poorly in ours). The "vampires" here are an alien invasion force that has ushered in an apocalypse and enslaved much of humanity. Knight melds elements of horror, sci-fi, and military fiction into a well-developed imagining of the future. Strong characters, plenty of action. Some dark and disturbing moments...don't let your 10 year olds get their hands on this one. Great read...I've just cracked the cover on the second book, and it appears to be just as strong.
August 13, 2008
Way of the Wolf is the first book in one of the best vampire series ever. The story is very complex, original and ambitiously written. It definitely has a 'military' touch and fighting and battle in it, which I usually don't read and would think of as 'male' books. But this one also spends a lot of time to describe the characters, their motivations and feelings. You should really give it a try! You may also check out the author's website which presents further background information to the vampire earth series.
July 8, 2010
In this post-apocalyptic tale civilization has not ended altogether; there is a regressed farm-based slowly declining dystopic society ruled by alien-vampires and a patchwork of societies that enjoy various levels of freedom and prosperity. I don't recall being annoyed by any glaring inconsistencies in this new world. Too much emotional distance between the reader and Valentine depleted the story of tension, suspense, and a general feeling of involvement. Still the action sequences were engaging enough to keep me reading and the overall pacing of the story was excellent.
October 30, 2010
Although I expected more from this story in the way of high adventure I still enjoyed it.
This is simply a story of a young man and his journey as he goes from hiding into fighting the Kurians who have been ruling Earth for 40 yrs.
It reads as a rebel/service primer for wannabe heroes but the details are still interesting. I will probably read #2 in this series in the hopes that the MC creates more inter-personal relationships and has a bit more excitement.
This is simply a story of a young man and his journey as he goes from hiding into fighting the Kurians who have been ruling Earth for 40 yrs.
It reads as a rebel/service primer for wannabe heroes but the details are still interesting. I will probably read #2 in this series in the hopes that the MC creates more inter-personal relationships and has a bit more excitement.
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