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Wolven #1
Der Clan der Wolfen
Das kann doch nur ein Witz sein! Nat will zwar einen Hund, aber nicht diesen zotteligen, dreckigen Riesenköter. Dann heißt der auch noch Woody. Aber irgendwas ist da, in seinen Augen, in seinem Blick. Die Wahrheit hätte Nat sich jedoch nicht mal in seinen wildesten Träumen vorstellen können. Woody ist ein Wolfen, ein Gestaltenwandler der höchsten Art. Und er ist auf der Flucht. Denn Woody ist in allerletzter Sekunde einem streng geheimen Forschungsprojekt entkommen. Allerdings sind seine Verfolger ihm längst auf der Spur. Und das sind gefährliche Typen der übelsten Sorte ...
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2009
53 people are currently reading
592 people want to read
About the author
Di Toft
8 books15 followersDi Toft was born in the black and white olden days of 1958, in Watford, Herts. A move to Somerset ten years later reinforced her love of the countryside and animals.
At school, she bribed friends to read her early stories, which were usually about vampires or ponies, or people being electrocuted in the bath. Some stories featured vampires and ponies, which wasn’t always a popular combination.
During the long hot summer of 1975, Di left school to find most of the best jobs were being done by other people. Her varied career has led to jobs in advertising, sales, and watching people dig holes in the road. She has also edited publications as well as written editorial and advertising features for newspapers and magazines. Although a very early ambition to become Dr. Who’s assistant was sadly unfulfilled, she is delighted that her other ambition - to be a published writer - came to pass in 2001, when she sold her first story to a magazine.
Di lives in Somerset with her husband and daughter; her grown-up son lives in London. Sharing the house is Dave, a dog so large he can actually be seen from space on Google Earth.
At school, she bribed friends to read her early stories, which were usually about vampires or ponies, or people being electrocuted in the bath. Some stories featured vampires and ponies, which wasn’t always a popular combination.
During the long hot summer of 1975, Di left school to find most of the best jobs were being done by other people. Her varied career has led to jobs in advertising, sales, and watching people dig holes in the road. She has also edited publications as well as written editorial and advertising features for newspapers and magazines. Although a very early ambition to become Dr. Who’s assistant was sadly unfulfilled, she is delighted that her other ambition - to be a published writer - came to pass in 2001, when she sold her first story to a magazine.
Di lives in Somerset with her husband and daughter; her grown-up son lives in London. Sharing the house is Dave, a dog so large he can actually be seen from space on Google Earth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
August 3, 2010
Reason for Reading: I love stories of shape shifters and I'm always open to a fun werewolf story.
First impression, the cover. Maybe it's just me, but I really find that dog/wolf face goofy looking and had the idea that this was going to be a humorous Middle Grade werewolf story with lots of humour and a little of the scary. The first few chapters humorously held up my belief but as the book progressed there soon came a time when I realized this book was serious.
Nat adopts a strange looking mutt from a farmer because he knows said farmer will drown it if this last chance try to get rid of him doesn't work. He's a ragtag mutt all right, 3yo, large, filthy, howls and looks like someone has taken a knife and fork to his fur. After Woody, the dog, has been cleaned up Nat starts to bond with him then one day he finds a naked boy lying on the floor beside his bed. Turns out Woody is a Wolven, a wolf who can change into a human. Woody's in trouble, some very bad government guys are looking for him, along with a crew of bad werewolves, so they can use Woody to further their experiments in diabolical genetic mutations for military purposes.
A bit of a shaky start, but once the action started I was hooked. An intricate story involving bad government experiments gone wrong and evil creatures on the loose. The book is age appropriate but is certainly quite intense and there is violence. Not graphically detailed but heads get severed and loved ones get shot in the chest, over and over. I know my own son wouldn't be able to handle the tension, severed heads wouldn't bother him, but the anticipation of dread would do him in. (He's sensitive in that regard) I on the other hand am not, and loved it and found the book to be well-written and right on with the targeted age group. There is a lot of humour to be found in the dialogue which lightens the mood evening out the heavy, scary moments. It is a typically British type of humour and helps keep the story grounded in England, where the possibility of these legendary creatures is so much more plausible than in the New World.
An intense, involved plot in this genre for the MG crowd which looks like it may be a series or at least a trilogy as the second book is already out in the UK, Wolven: The Twilight Circus.
First impression, the cover. Maybe it's just me, but I really find that dog/wolf face goofy looking and had the idea that this was going to be a humorous Middle Grade werewolf story with lots of humour and a little of the scary. The first few chapters humorously held up my belief but as the book progressed there soon came a time when I realized this book was serious.
Nat adopts a strange looking mutt from a farmer because he knows said farmer will drown it if this last chance try to get rid of him doesn't work. He's a ragtag mutt all right, 3yo, large, filthy, howls and looks like someone has taken a knife and fork to his fur. After Woody, the dog, has been cleaned up Nat starts to bond with him then one day he finds a naked boy lying on the floor beside his bed. Turns out Woody is a Wolven, a wolf who can change into a human. Woody's in trouble, some very bad government guys are looking for him, along with a crew of bad werewolves, so they can use Woody to further their experiments in diabolical genetic mutations for military purposes.
A bit of a shaky start, but once the action started I was hooked. An intricate story involving bad government experiments gone wrong and evil creatures on the loose. The book is age appropriate but is certainly quite intense and there is violence. Not graphically detailed but heads get severed and loved ones get shot in the chest, over and over. I know my own son wouldn't be able to handle the tension, severed heads wouldn't bother him, but the anticipation of dread would do him in. (He's sensitive in that regard) I on the other hand am not, and loved it and found the book to be well-written and right on with the targeted age group. There is a lot of humour to be found in the dialogue which lightens the mood evening out the heavy, scary moments. It is a typically British type of humour and helps keep the story grounded in England, where the possibility of these legendary creatures is so much more plausible than in the New World.
An intense, involved plot in this genre for the MG crowd which looks like it may be a series or at least a trilogy as the second book is already out in the UK, Wolven: The Twilight Circus.
July 22, 2021
This is a book from my childhood that I recently re-read and I love it so much
May 29, 2015
I admit I have a bit of a weak spot for werewolf stories; I'm fascinated by the idea of beings who are not-quite-human (or maybe a little more-than-human), and the ways in which they're inevitably ostracized by "normal" society. It's the main reason I love superhero movies, particularly ones like X-Men where they leverage a fantasy-based narrative to poke holes in societal issues.
So, I had vague hopes for this book and was looking for, at the worst, a light, fun read. It started off on a promising note: a boy accidentally buys a werewolf when he's intending to bring home his first dog. There's a lot of potential in just that plot point. Unfortunately, the disappointment sank in about halfway through, when it turned into some strangely rushed story about a secret government base and cartoonish villains who literally dance around while smashing things in anger. There were also a lot of unimportant character introductions that must have been set up for the later books in the series - which I definitely won't be reading - because they piled up and did absolutely nothing. This book needed a much stronger edit to pull its plot into a coherent form and to give the characters (particularly the weirdly childish adults!) proper motivations.
Even the timeline was inexplicably nebulous: in one chapter, it would be dark; in the next, it'd switch to other characters in broad daylight; then it'd go back to the original nighttime scene. It was hard to tell when things were happening - sometimes an hour would pass and it would suddenly be dark again, even though the actions outlined on the page couldn't possibly have taken more than a few minutes. Then, in the final dramatic battle, three villains switch to the good side for no apparent reason, and one of the "heroes" murders all of the werewolves in the facility. The logic is that once a werewolf tastes human blood, they turn into slavering beasts that can't possibly be redeemed. Except, in this case, the werewolves only came into contact with human blood because the "good guys" let them out of their cages and sent them to kill the lab workers. It's a weird way to conclude a story that hinges on the idea of saving a shapeshifter boy and proving that he's harmless.
Ultimately, a good idea, sloppily executed.
So, I had vague hopes for this book and was looking for, at the worst, a light, fun read. It started off on a promising note: a boy accidentally buys a werewolf when he's intending to bring home his first dog. There's a lot of potential in just that plot point. Unfortunately, the disappointment sank in about halfway through, when it turned into some strangely rushed story about a secret government base and cartoonish villains who literally dance around while smashing things in anger. There were also a lot of unimportant character introductions that must have been set up for the later books in the series - which I definitely won't be reading - because they piled up and did absolutely nothing. This book needed a much stronger edit to pull its plot into a coherent form and to give the characters (particularly the weirdly childish adults!) proper motivations.
Even the timeline was inexplicably nebulous: in one chapter, it would be dark; in the next, it'd switch to other characters in broad daylight; then it'd go back to the original nighttime scene. It was hard to tell when things were happening - sometimes an hour would pass and it would suddenly be dark again, even though the actions outlined on the page couldn't possibly have taken more than a few minutes. Then, in the final dramatic battle, three villains switch to the good side for no apparent reason, and one of the "heroes" murders all of the werewolves in the facility. The logic is that once a werewolf tastes human blood, they turn into slavering beasts that can't possibly be redeemed. Except, in this case, the werewolves only came into contact with human blood because the "good guys" let them out of their cages and sent them to kill the lab workers. It's a weird way to conclude a story that hinges on the idea of saving a shapeshifter boy and proving that he's harmless.
Ultimately, a good idea, sloppily executed.
September 8, 2016
I like this book a lot, though it is very confusing. Sometimes I don't know whats going on. But from what I understand this boy has a dog. But one day his dog turns into a human being and Nat ( the boy) understands that he's in a big government conspiracy where they want to make wolven weapons. He realizes that his dog is actually a Wolven. Wolven can shape shift between wolves and human with no problem. Now Nat and his wolf/human have adventures and they need to be careful so no one can take Woody (the wolven). They need to make sure that no one can take woody and turn them into a weapon.
September 10, 2018
Good for kids, kind of boring.
January 8, 2020
i would recommend to someone who likes either werewolves , friendships between animals and humans , and shape-shifting this is a good book over all but kind of a snooze . but i likethis book and my favorite part was when the wolven starts to change back to a human but he knows his family's in the drive way . the story takes place in London and its when a mad scientist takes a tribe of wolven into his laboratory makes mutations to make super soldiers it got a little confusing when they said the nights wolven and he got into the story . but all in all i rate this story 4 out f five stars
February 27, 2021
Good story about a boy and his dog (actually shape-shifting wolf). Great beginning of the story, humorous episodes with the dog and the boy and the actual shape-shifting, time travel into the past to learn of the dog's culture and a contest at the county fair were all fun and imaginative scenes. Getting the "evil" government and its minions into the story and then getting scarier scenes and weird science changed the character of the story and the ending seemed too simplistic. I love that his family came to the rescue though.
February 21, 2019
Language - G, Sexual Content - G; Violence - G
Nat and his mom are moving into his mom's parents house. When they get there his grandparents decide to get him a dog. They find Woody and Nat chooses to get him. That night Nat discovers that Woody isn't just a dog, he's a wolven and is being hunted.
It was a pretty interesting book, just really slow. I really enjoyed the idea of wolvens but again, it was just too slow for me to actually enjoy.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Nat and his mom are moving into his mom's parents house. When they get there his grandparents decide to get him a dog. They find Woody and Nat chooses to get him. That night Nat discovers that Woody isn't just a dog, he's a wolven and is being hunted.
It was a pretty interesting book, just really slow. I really enjoyed the idea of wolvens but again, it was just too slow for me to actually enjoy.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
April 22, 2020
This Book has Got me HOOKED!I've always loved werewolves my entire life, even when i was, I think, 9 or 10 years old, and I still love them! I always wonder if they'll make a movie about this every time I read this book! I'm always hanging off the edge of my seat when something really good happens within the story! the plot is wonderful! I think they should DEFINITELY Make a movie about this Series! I would watch it 24/7!
May 23, 2020
Wolven is a paranormal book for upper elementary age students. As an adult I also found it entertaining. Nat wants a new puppy. He is introduced to Woody is not a puppy and is strange looking. However there is something about Woody that makes Nat choose him. Soon he finds that it is not just his looks that are different. Woody is a Wolven. A Shapeshifter and he is being hunted by evil men who will hurt anyone who stands in their way of capturing this young Wolven. Great book.
May 28, 2019
This is a book about the bond between a boy and his best friend/dog. How government agencies are all out to capture you and experiment on you and how your family will always come to your rescue.
Sort of. I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and had paranormal stuff (which I like).
Sort of. I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and had paranormal stuff (which I like).
October 14, 2019
Cute book....not completely what I was thinking. I did like the characters and the writing was well done. The ending wasn’t what I was expecting...but that means I need to read book 2... haha!!! Happy Reading :)
January 21, 2020
Gave 4stars because I'm not a fan of the government conspiracy part. But overall it was a good story! And I learned something about lycantrope, and the difference between wolven and werewolf. I just felt a little too old to read the next 2 sequels.
July 20, 2017
I so far thing this book is fine. I am on page 10. They live on a farm. The characters are nat,Alec,Jude,mick,and Tate.
November 8, 2018
I love this book, ever since I was a child and read this book for the first time. Even reading it again as an adult it doesn't disappoint!
July 2, 2020
My nine year old loves these books. He is profoundly gifted and this presents challenges in finding suitable reading that engages him. He has read a ton of books and this is one of his favorites.
July 8, 2021
7/10
August 3, 2021
[3.75]
February 2, 2022
As a kid reading this, the book was exciting, heartwarming and I loved every page. Even now at 16 I love to read this every now and then, as a kick of nostalgia and feel good book :)
March 14, 2022
good very good
August 30, 2010
Kurzbeschreibung:
Das kann doch nur ein Witz sein! Nat will zwar einen Hund, aber nicht diesen zotteligen, dreckigen Riesenköter. Dann heißt der auch noch Woody. Aber irgendwas ist da, in seinen Augen, in seinem Blick. Die Wahrheit hätte Nat sich jedoch nicht mal in seinen wildesten Träumen vorstellen können.
Woody ist ein Wolfen, ein Gestaltenwandler der höchsten Art. Leider hat er seine Verwandlungen nicht ganz im Griff. Und das bringt Nat nicht nur in peinliche Erklärungsnöte, sondern die beiden in tödliche Gefahr. Denn Woody ist auf der Flucht. Er konnte zwar in allerletzter Sekunde einem streng geheimen Forschungsprojekt entkommen. Aber seine Verfolger sind ihm längst auf der Spur. Und das sind gefährliche Typen der übelsten Sorte...
Zur Autorin:
Di Toft hatte schon die verschiedensten Jobs. Sie verkaufte sehr noble Häuser an Fußballer, beobachtete Männer, die tiefe Löcher in die Straße gruben, schrieb Dienstvorschriften und Werbetexte. Heute arbeitet sie in der neuen Bibliothek ihrer alten Schule. "Der Clan der Wolfen" ist ihr erstes Buch - und der Auftakt zu einer Trilogie. Di lebt mit ihrer Familie und einem Hund namens Dave in Portishead, England. Dave ist riesengroß. Man kann ihn auf Google Earth sogar aus dem All erkennen.
Teddy grinste benommen und starrte weiter in die Lichter. Dann erhaschte er eine Bewegung beim Picknickplatz drüben, und als er hinüberspähte, stockte ihm der Atem. An einem der Steintische saß eine wahre Albtraumgestalt, schlimmer als in jedem Horrorfilm, und verspeiste Sandwiches aus einem großen Picknickkorb. (Seite 215)
Rezension:
Nat möchte einen Hund, aber muss es ausgerechnet dieses dreckige, riesige und nicht gerade schön anzusehende Exemplar sein, dass ihm der Farmer Alec Tate andrehen will? Ja, genau der soll es sein, denn Woody blickt Nat aus seinen bernsteinfarbenen Augen an und schon ist es um ihn geschehen. Doch Woody hält noch eine viel größere Überraschung parat: Er ist ein Wolfen, ein Gestaltenwandler, der sich in einen Jungen verwandelt, wenn nicht unbedingt jemand damit rechnet.
Dadurch sind beide in Gefahr, denn Woody flüchtete aus einem geheimen Forschungsprojekt der Regierung und nun sind einige sehr unangenehme Zeitgenossen hinter ihm her, angeführt von dem rabiaten Lucas Scale. Sie versuchen alles, um Woody wieder einzufangen. Ob ihnen das wohl gelingen wird?
"Der Clan der Wolfen" ist der 1. Band einer Trilogie um Nat und Woody. Der englische 2. Band "Wolven - The Twilight Circus" wurde im Mai 2010 veröffentlicht, der 3. Band soll im Mai 2011 erscheinen. Wann die deutsche Fortsetzung geplant ist, steht leider noch nicht fest.
Mich hat dieses Jugendbuch, das ab 11 Jahren empfohlen wird, begeistert. Die Geschichte fängt zunächst recht lustig an, man lernt Nat und seine Familie, die aus seiner Mutter Jude und den Großeltern Mick und Apple besteht (Nats Vater befindet sich momentan in Frankreich) kennen, wie sie gerade bei Farmer Alec Tate zu Gast sind, der ihnen Woody unbedingt andrehen will.
Später geht es dann recht spannend zur Sache, als die unheimlichen Verfolger Woodys auf den Plan treten. Doch auch der Witz bleibt nicht auf der Strecke. Der Autorin Di Toft ist mit diesem Auftaktband ein unterhaltsames, lustiges, aber auch spannendes und in manchen Teilen unheimliches Buch gelungen, das für schöne Lesestunden sorgt. Die Sprache ist einfach und verständlich und die Hauptpersonen Nat, seine Familie und Woody sind schnell ins Herz geschlossen.
Das Ende bleibt ein wenig offen und es wird bereits eine kurze Leseprobe zum nächsten Band geboten. Rundum eine Empfehlung für jugendliche Leser, aber auch für Erwachsene, die gerne mal ein Jugendbuch lesen, geeignet.
Zur Gestaltung des Buchs: Das Cover ist eines der originellsten, die mir in letzter Zeit aufgefallen sind. Es besteht nämlich aus einem sogenannten Wackelbild: Beim Hin- und Herschwenken wechselt Woody, der Junge zu Woody, dem Wolfen. Eine sehr schöne Idee!
Fazit: Witzige Elemente gepaart mit Spannung - Di Toft ist mit "Der Clan der Wolfen" ein schöner Auftakt zu dieser Trilogie gelungen, die ich gerne empfehlen möchte.
Wertung: 4 von 5 Punkten
Das kann doch nur ein Witz sein! Nat will zwar einen Hund, aber nicht diesen zotteligen, dreckigen Riesenköter. Dann heißt der auch noch Woody. Aber irgendwas ist da, in seinen Augen, in seinem Blick. Die Wahrheit hätte Nat sich jedoch nicht mal in seinen wildesten Träumen vorstellen können.
Woody ist ein Wolfen, ein Gestaltenwandler der höchsten Art. Leider hat er seine Verwandlungen nicht ganz im Griff. Und das bringt Nat nicht nur in peinliche Erklärungsnöte, sondern die beiden in tödliche Gefahr. Denn Woody ist auf der Flucht. Er konnte zwar in allerletzter Sekunde einem streng geheimen Forschungsprojekt entkommen. Aber seine Verfolger sind ihm längst auf der Spur. Und das sind gefährliche Typen der übelsten Sorte...
Zur Autorin:
Di Toft hatte schon die verschiedensten Jobs. Sie verkaufte sehr noble Häuser an Fußballer, beobachtete Männer, die tiefe Löcher in die Straße gruben, schrieb Dienstvorschriften und Werbetexte. Heute arbeitet sie in der neuen Bibliothek ihrer alten Schule. "Der Clan der Wolfen" ist ihr erstes Buch - und der Auftakt zu einer Trilogie. Di lebt mit ihrer Familie und einem Hund namens Dave in Portishead, England. Dave ist riesengroß. Man kann ihn auf Google Earth sogar aus dem All erkennen.
Teddy grinste benommen und starrte weiter in die Lichter. Dann erhaschte er eine Bewegung beim Picknickplatz drüben, und als er hinüberspähte, stockte ihm der Atem. An einem der Steintische saß eine wahre Albtraumgestalt, schlimmer als in jedem Horrorfilm, und verspeiste Sandwiches aus einem großen Picknickkorb. (Seite 215)
Rezension:
Nat möchte einen Hund, aber muss es ausgerechnet dieses dreckige, riesige und nicht gerade schön anzusehende Exemplar sein, dass ihm der Farmer Alec Tate andrehen will? Ja, genau der soll es sein, denn Woody blickt Nat aus seinen bernsteinfarbenen Augen an und schon ist es um ihn geschehen. Doch Woody hält noch eine viel größere Überraschung parat: Er ist ein Wolfen, ein Gestaltenwandler, der sich in einen Jungen verwandelt, wenn nicht unbedingt jemand damit rechnet.
Dadurch sind beide in Gefahr, denn Woody flüchtete aus einem geheimen Forschungsprojekt der Regierung und nun sind einige sehr unangenehme Zeitgenossen hinter ihm her, angeführt von dem rabiaten Lucas Scale. Sie versuchen alles, um Woody wieder einzufangen. Ob ihnen das wohl gelingen wird?
"Der Clan der Wolfen" ist der 1. Band einer Trilogie um Nat und Woody. Der englische 2. Band "Wolven - The Twilight Circus" wurde im Mai 2010 veröffentlicht, der 3. Band soll im Mai 2011 erscheinen. Wann die deutsche Fortsetzung geplant ist, steht leider noch nicht fest.
Mich hat dieses Jugendbuch, das ab 11 Jahren empfohlen wird, begeistert. Die Geschichte fängt zunächst recht lustig an, man lernt Nat und seine Familie, die aus seiner Mutter Jude und den Großeltern Mick und Apple besteht (Nats Vater befindet sich momentan in Frankreich) kennen, wie sie gerade bei Farmer Alec Tate zu Gast sind, der ihnen Woody unbedingt andrehen will.
Später geht es dann recht spannend zur Sache, als die unheimlichen Verfolger Woodys auf den Plan treten. Doch auch der Witz bleibt nicht auf der Strecke. Der Autorin Di Toft ist mit diesem Auftaktband ein unterhaltsames, lustiges, aber auch spannendes und in manchen Teilen unheimliches Buch gelungen, das für schöne Lesestunden sorgt. Die Sprache ist einfach und verständlich und die Hauptpersonen Nat, seine Familie und Woody sind schnell ins Herz geschlossen.
Das Ende bleibt ein wenig offen und es wird bereits eine kurze Leseprobe zum nächsten Band geboten. Rundum eine Empfehlung für jugendliche Leser, aber auch für Erwachsene, die gerne mal ein Jugendbuch lesen, geeignet.
Zur Gestaltung des Buchs: Das Cover ist eines der originellsten, die mir in letzter Zeit aufgefallen sind. Es besteht nämlich aus einem sogenannten Wackelbild: Beim Hin- und Herschwenken wechselt Woody, der Junge zu Woody, dem Wolfen. Eine sehr schöne Idee!
Fazit: Witzige Elemente gepaart mit Spannung - Di Toft ist mit "Der Clan der Wolfen" ein schöner Auftakt zu dieser Trilogie gelungen, die ich gerne empfehlen möchte.
Wertung: 4 von 5 Punkten
July 29, 2014
Wolven, by Di Toft
Review by Adam Bolander
I’ll admit, the only reason I bought Wolven was because I’d already bought an ARC copy of the sequel, Wolven: The Twilight Circus, from a used bookstore. The story sounded interesting enough, a boy buys a dog from a local farmer, and is shocked when he discovers the dog can turn into a boy at points in time. The dog, who he named Woody, is actually a Wolven, an ancient race of shape shifting warriors that used to keep the peace. Unfortunately, those times are gone, and Woody believes he is the only one of his kind left. A few miles away in a government laboratory, a madman and a psychotic werewolf are trying to breed a new type of werewolf supersoldier, and Woody is essential to their plans.
The first thing I noticed about Wolven was the funny cover, displaying Woody giving the reader a big goofy grin. This confused me, because the back cover blurb didn’t sound all that funny. I decided to overlook it, though, and read the book anyway. As it turns out, Wolven seems to suffer from a bit of an identity crisis. Some parts of it are as serious as the blurb suggests, but other parts are as light hearted and funny as the cover. It was like trying to read two different books. There’s nothing wrong with putting humor into a serious story, or having a few serious moments into a funny story, but you’ve got to make sure they mesh together well. When Lucas Scale, the mad werewolf, was first introduced, I thought he would make an awesome antagonist. Toft described him in all the right ways, making him seem menacing and intimidating... until he got sat on by an old lady. No, seriously, an old lady sat on him and asked him “Who’s your mummy?” Not only that, but Scale gets humiliatingly defeated several other times during the story. This took away so much of his intimidation factor that I began to think he was the comical villain, and that another, much scarier villain, was on the way. I just could not believe that after all she’d put him through, Toft still expected me to think Scale was a scary bad guy- but the way she describes him makes it clear that that’s exactly what she wants. This is one of the biggest reasons her humor and her action don’t mesh together well.
This may have been a bit more acceptable if her humor was able to good. There were times when I chuckled here or there about Nat and Woody’s actions, but I never found myself actually laughing. Most of the jokes are weird, like the aforementioned “Who’s your mummy?!” bit, or when Nat pretends to have a seizure because his grandma’s apple cider is growing hairs on the inside of his chest. They’re just not that funny, which makes it even more awkward when she tries to combine it with the action side of her story.
Another small gripe I had was that Toft never really explained the difference between a werewolf and a wolven. She makes it clear that they are not the same thing, but the way she describes them makes them sound as if they are. The only difference I could find is that the wolven prefer to stay in wolf form while werewolves prefer human form, though neither of them seem to be limited to that choice. Woody becomes able to shift between wolf and human form easily, and other werewolves in the story are shown to be able to shift at will too. A little more detail in this regard would have helped me understand the story a lot more.
In the end, Wolven is not the greatest book ever. Not by a long shot. Then again, it’s not the worst book ever either. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I’m ever going to go back and read it again. I might not even read Twilight Circus, either. There are just too many things in this book that could have been done better for me to recommend it, but if you see it on the library shelf and can’t find anything else to read, it may be worth a look. Just don’t spend money on it.
I give Wolven by Di Toft a 3/5 stars.
Review by Adam Bolander
I’ll admit, the only reason I bought Wolven was because I’d already bought an ARC copy of the sequel, Wolven: The Twilight Circus, from a used bookstore. The story sounded interesting enough, a boy buys a dog from a local farmer, and is shocked when he discovers the dog can turn into a boy at points in time. The dog, who he named Woody, is actually a Wolven, an ancient race of shape shifting warriors that used to keep the peace. Unfortunately, those times are gone, and Woody believes he is the only one of his kind left. A few miles away in a government laboratory, a madman and a psychotic werewolf are trying to breed a new type of werewolf supersoldier, and Woody is essential to their plans.
The first thing I noticed about Wolven was the funny cover, displaying Woody giving the reader a big goofy grin. This confused me, because the back cover blurb didn’t sound all that funny. I decided to overlook it, though, and read the book anyway. As it turns out, Wolven seems to suffer from a bit of an identity crisis. Some parts of it are as serious as the blurb suggests, but other parts are as light hearted and funny as the cover. It was like trying to read two different books. There’s nothing wrong with putting humor into a serious story, or having a few serious moments into a funny story, but you’ve got to make sure they mesh together well. When Lucas Scale, the mad werewolf, was first introduced, I thought he would make an awesome antagonist. Toft described him in all the right ways, making him seem menacing and intimidating... until he got sat on by an old lady. No, seriously, an old lady sat on him and asked him “Who’s your mummy?” Not only that, but Scale gets humiliatingly defeated several other times during the story. This took away so much of his intimidation factor that I began to think he was the comical villain, and that another, much scarier villain, was on the way. I just could not believe that after all she’d put him through, Toft still expected me to think Scale was a scary bad guy- but the way she describes him makes it clear that that’s exactly what she wants. This is one of the biggest reasons her humor and her action don’t mesh together well.
This may have been a bit more acceptable if her humor was able to good. There were times when I chuckled here or there about Nat and Woody’s actions, but I never found myself actually laughing. Most of the jokes are weird, like the aforementioned “Who’s your mummy?!” bit, or when Nat pretends to have a seizure because his grandma’s apple cider is growing hairs on the inside of his chest. They’re just not that funny, which makes it even more awkward when she tries to combine it with the action side of her story.
Another small gripe I had was that Toft never really explained the difference between a werewolf and a wolven. She makes it clear that they are not the same thing, but the way she describes them makes them sound as if they are. The only difference I could find is that the wolven prefer to stay in wolf form while werewolves prefer human form, though neither of them seem to be limited to that choice. Woody becomes able to shift between wolf and human form easily, and other werewolves in the story are shown to be able to shift at will too. A little more detail in this regard would have helped me understand the story a lot more.
In the end, Wolven is not the greatest book ever. Not by a long shot. Then again, it’s not the worst book ever either. I enjoyed it, but I don’t think I’m ever going to go back and read it again. I might not even read Twilight Circus, either. There are just too many things in this book that could have been done better for me to recommend it, but if you see it on the library shelf and can’t find anything else to read, it may be worth a look. Just don’t spend money on it.
I give Wolven by Di Toft a 3/5 stars.
October 8, 2018
Wolven is a book about a wolf boy named Woody trying to outrun Scale (The main antagonist). Woody was hidden in a barn but he was only a little pup so he started growing and it was harder for the barn keeper to hide him. Nat (the main character) goes to the barn with his parents and takes Woody home. Nat soon finds out that he’s not a dog and that he’s a wolven. Scientist want to take him away from Nat so they have to find out how to hide away.
In my opinion Wolven is a pretty good book. There's lots of adventure and fantasy in this book. The book, in my opinion, does have one or two boring parts where the characters talk for a little too long. I wasn’t a big fan of it at the beginning either when Nat first sees Woody at the barn but it gets way better. It was really hard to put this book down. I love the story and the characters.
In my opinion Wolven is a pretty good book. There's lots of adventure and fantasy in this book. The book, in my opinion, does have one or two boring parts where the characters talk for a little too long. I wasn’t a big fan of it at the beginning either when Nat first sees Woody at the barn but it gets way better. It was really hard to put this book down. I love the story and the characters.
May 25, 2020
What to say about this one? It was bad enough to be entertaining. So, it's about a boy who gets an ugly dog that can shape-shift into a boy, and this boy is the last of a long line of such creatures, called Wolven, who helped King Richard the Lionheart in the crusades. A corrupt secret government research lab is after the last Wolven--though we know not why since the lab is already successfully breeding nasty werewolves and venomous, constricting snakes that can transform into people to be sold as mercenaries to the highest bidder. Anyway, the boys get caught by mean government researcher and are rescued by boy's grandfather, some werewolves that suddenly grow a conscience, and unrelated woman whose husband secretly gave the ugly dog to the boy in the first place. Oh, and the Wolven can do telepathy, but yet this truly amazing skill is never deployed to help the boy and Wolven escape. And what the boy's mother does after she learns that her son has been captured by aforementioned bad guy is never explained by author. Also never explained is how telepathic wolfish dogs that transform into boys helped Richard in the crusades.
July 28, 2011
Nat wünscht sich schon länger einen Hund. Zusammen mit seiner Mutter und seinem Großvater fährt er zu einer Farm, um sich einen Welpen auszusuchen. Als der Farmer ihm jedoch den großen, viel zu haarigen Woody präsentiert, ist die Enttäuschung groß. Obwohl sein Großvater weiterhin auf einen Welpfen besteht, ist Nats Interesse an dem Hund geweckt, da er in seinen Augen Bilder sehen kann.
Was Nat jedoch nicht ahnt, ist die Tatsache, dass Woody vielmehr als nur ein Hund ist. Er ist ein sogenannter Wolfen, der zu den Gestaltwandlern zählt.
Dadurch ist für Nat nicht nur ein großes Abenteuer vorpgrammiert, sondern viele Gefahren warten auf ihn und Woody.
Ich muss gestehen, dass ich „Der Clan der Wolfen“ allein wegen des wunderschönen Covers lesen wollte. Zum Glück hat mich der Inhalt nicht enttäuscht.
Di Toft hat mit diesem Buch eine tolle Geschichte geschrieben, die mal völlig anders ist, als bislang alle anderen Geschichten über Gestaltwandler, die ich gelesen habe.
Hier werden nicht nur viele Fantasyelemente geboten, sondern auch jede Menge Spannung und eine große Portion Humor.
„Der Clan der Wolfen“ liest sich durch seine mittelgroße Schriftgröße sehr leicht und flüssig und man findet sich schnell in die Geschichte ein.
Die Charaktere sind sehr herzlich und wunderbar beschrieben, dass man sie schnell in sein Herz lässt.
Vor allem Nat und Woody haben mir hier gefallen.
Nat war bislang immer ein Außenseiter, der von anderen schikaniert und gemieden wurde. Durch seinen Vater, der als Wissenschafter arbeitet und derzeit unbekannt im Ausland lebt, war Nat oft allein und lernte schnell, was es heißt, auf sich selbst angewiesen zu sein.
Durch Woody konnte ich sehr oft schmunzeln, da seine Meinung über Menschen stellenweise doch sehr fadenscheinig und urig herüberkommt.
Sein Wissen hat er hauptsächlich aus dem Fernsehen.
Vor allem die Gestaltung gefällt mir sehr gut.
Auf dem Cover befindet sich ein Wackelbildung, auf dem man die Verwandlung von Woody begutachten kann. Aber auch die Farben und weiteren Details sind wunderbar passend und stimmig, dass es zu einem absoluter Hingucker im Bücherregal wird.
Die Geschichte ist sehr gut in mittellangen Kapiteln unterteilt. An jedem Kapitelanfang findet man Abdrücke von Pfoten.
„Der Clan der Wolfen“ ist der erste Band einer geplanten Trilogie.
Mit diesem Buch kann man nichts falsch machen. Das perfekte Jugendbuch für zwischendurch.
Was Nat jedoch nicht ahnt, ist die Tatsache, dass Woody vielmehr als nur ein Hund ist. Er ist ein sogenannter Wolfen, der zu den Gestaltwandlern zählt.
Dadurch ist für Nat nicht nur ein großes Abenteuer vorpgrammiert, sondern viele Gefahren warten auf ihn und Woody.
Ich muss gestehen, dass ich „Der Clan der Wolfen“ allein wegen des wunderschönen Covers lesen wollte. Zum Glück hat mich der Inhalt nicht enttäuscht.
Di Toft hat mit diesem Buch eine tolle Geschichte geschrieben, die mal völlig anders ist, als bislang alle anderen Geschichten über Gestaltwandler, die ich gelesen habe.
Hier werden nicht nur viele Fantasyelemente geboten, sondern auch jede Menge Spannung und eine große Portion Humor.
„Der Clan der Wolfen“ liest sich durch seine mittelgroße Schriftgröße sehr leicht und flüssig und man findet sich schnell in die Geschichte ein.
Die Charaktere sind sehr herzlich und wunderbar beschrieben, dass man sie schnell in sein Herz lässt.
Vor allem Nat und Woody haben mir hier gefallen.
Nat war bislang immer ein Außenseiter, der von anderen schikaniert und gemieden wurde. Durch seinen Vater, der als Wissenschafter arbeitet und derzeit unbekannt im Ausland lebt, war Nat oft allein und lernte schnell, was es heißt, auf sich selbst angewiesen zu sein.
Durch Woody konnte ich sehr oft schmunzeln, da seine Meinung über Menschen stellenweise doch sehr fadenscheinig und urig herüberkommt.
Sein Wissen hat er hauptsächlich aus dem Fernsehen.
Vor allem die Gestaltung gefällt mir sehr gut.
Auf dem Cover befindet sich ein Wackelbildung, auf dem man die Verwandlung von Woody begutachten kann. Aber auch die Farben und weiteren Details sind wunderbar passend und stimmig, dass es zu einem absoluter Hingucker im Bücherregal wird.
Die Geschichte ist sehr gut in mittellangen Kapiteln unterteilt. An jedem Kapitelanfang findet man Abdrücke von Pfoten.
„Der Clan der Wolfen“ ist der erste Band einer geplanten Trilogie.
Mit diesem Buch kann man nichts falsch machen. Das perfekte Jugendbuch für zwischendurch.
November 26, 2014
One of my students allowed me to borrow this book from her to read, so I certainly wasn't going to turn her down on the offer. It was an interesting book, though far too advanced, I felt, for a third grade student. The vocabulary would be a significant challenge, and the content of werewolves is a bit too frightening for students that young. A boy named Nat has moved into his grandparents' house with his mother. They decide to let him get a puppy, but the local farmer who had advertised a German Shepherd pup, has anything but that when they arrive. Instead, the dog (named Woody) is massive, of an unknown breed, and more than a few years old. However, Nat gets a strange image flashed into his mind while they are at the farmer's that tells him the dog is in danger. Nat is insistent upon the fact that they need to take the dog home. He soon discovers that this canine is even more unusual than they had originally thought. For instance, he can shape-shift between being a dog and being a boy. He is not a werewolf, but rather a member of the Wolven clan, and seemingly the last of his kind. They are a pureblooded breed, and are known for both their bravery and kindness. Unfortunately, the government knows how powerful and special these creatures would be as a part of a military force. They begin to experiment with creating a hybrid species consisting of part werewolf and part Wolven creatures. These experiments do not go as smoothly as they had hoped, and many of the Wolven creatures lose their lives as a result. Knowing that one Wolven, Woody, is still alive, makes him a sought after commodity. It is up to Nat to help keep his best friend safe from harm's way. To find out what happens, and whether or not the government succeeds in their mission, you will have to read the book.
November 19, 2012
Nat Carver is net met zijn moeder bij zijn opa en oma ingetrokken en heeft in het dorp nog geen vrienden. Om hem op te vrolijken wil zijn opa een jonge, gezonde puppy voor hem kopen. Maar uiteindelijk komt Nat met een driejarige, vieze en vreemde hond thuis. Met volle maan ontdekt Nat dat Woody geen gewone hond is; hij is een Wolfling, een speciaal soort weerwolven. Woody is de laatste in zijn soort. En Nat merkt dat de kostbare Wolfling niet zomaar aan hem verkocht is: Woody is ontsnapt aan een geheim, wetenschappelijk project en de slechte wetenschappers willen hem terug. Kan Nat zijn enige vriend beschermen?
Avontuur, vriendschap en gevaar
Wolfling is een spannend avontuur. Al vanaf het begin zit de dreiging erin en het gevaar wordt steeds groter. De spanningsboog zorgt ervoor dat het boek moeilijk weg te leggen is, ook aan het einde van een hoofdstuk. Het valt dan ook aan te raden om – voor het lezen – naar de wc te gaan, want anders zit je uiteindelijk met boek en al op de pot.
Een van de belangrijkste thema's in dit boek is vriendschap. Nat is eenzaam tot hij de rare Woody ontmoet. Ook met Woody wordt hij gepest, maar hij leert zich beter te weren. Terwijl de problemen zich opstapelen en het gevaar steeds groter wordt, wordt de vriendschap sterker. Nat kan dan wel de buurtjongens aan met Woody bij zijn zij, maar hoe kunnen ze het ooit winnen van weerwolven, wetenschappers en de regering? Ze weten immers nog redelijk weinig over Wolflingen, het verleden en hun tegenstanders. Door deze spanning en de zeer sterke vriendschap tussen de jongens ga je echt meeleven en huiveren.
Wil je de gehele recensie lezen? Klik dan hier:
http://www.fantasywereld.nl/recensies...
Avontuur, vriendschap en gevaar
Wolfling is een spannend avontuur. Al vanaf het begin zit de dreiging erin en het gevaar wordt steeds groter. De spanningsboog zorgt ervoor dat het boek moeilijk weg te leggen is, ook aan het einde van een hoofdstuk. Het valt dan ook aan te raden om – voor het lezen – naar de wc te gaan, want anders zit je uiteindelijk met boek en al op de pot.
Een van de belangrijkste thema's in dit boek is vriendschap. Nat is eenzaam tot hij de rare Woody ontmoet. Ook met Woody wordt hij gepest, maar hij leert zich beter te weren. Terwijl de problemen zich opstapelen en het gevaar steeds groter wordt, wordt de vriendschap sterker. Nat kan dan wel de buurtjongens aan met Woody bij zijn zij, maar hoe kunnen ze het ooit winnen van weerwolven, wetenschappers en de regering? Ze weten immers nog redelijk weinig over Wolflingen, het verleden en hun tegenstanders. Door deze spanning en de zeer sterke vriendschap tussen de jongens ga je echt meeleven en huiveren.
Wil je de gehele recensie lezen? Klik dan hier:
http://www.fantasywereld.nl/recensies...
February 16, 2024
"Również rozlegające się tu dźwięki przywodziły na myśl zoo; odgłosy niespokojnych zwierząt chodzących w kółko, wściekłe warknięcia i dzikie jęki. Nat nie chciał sobie nawet wyobrażać, co za stwory są trzymane w tych celach."
W domu Nata Carvera, pewnego dnia pojawia się dziwaczny pies, który okaże się już raz na zawsze zmienić życie trzynastolatka. Szybko okazuje się, że Woody jest ostatnim z Wilkenów - wilkopodobnych stworzeń, które na pozór nie mają prawa istnieć w tym świecie. Jakby tego było mało, Nat będzie musiał walczyć z członkami pewnej szemranej placówki badawczej, z której Woody uciekł - źli ludzie zrobią wiele, aby dostać go z powrotem w swoje brudne łapska.
Nie ukrywam, książka przeleżała na mojej półce bardzo długi czas. Dlaczego? Nie wiem. Ale kiedy już w końcu doczekała się swoich pięciu sekund okazała się naprawdę przyjemną i pełną akcji powieścią! Zapewniła mi podróż sentymentalną do czasów dzieciństwa, kiedy to pochłaniałam tego typu książki. Ale fakt, że jest to literatura dziecięca nie stanowił tu problemu, bo cóż to za książka dla dzieci, która nie podoba się dorosłym?
Fabuła jest przemyślana, a postaci przystępne, skrywające pewne tajemnice. Akcja dzieje się w niewielkim miasteczku, a później przenosi się w toń mrocznego lasu i tajnych laboratoriów. Jest pewien dreszczyk emocji, są chwile, w których czytelnik wstrzymuje oddech i przede wszystkim - jest przygoda.
To dopiero początek serii, a ja na pewno sięgnę po kolejne tomy, już czekające na mnie na półce. Dla mnie to strzał w dziesiątkę - niewymagająca, lekka i przyjemna lektura pełna wilków i wilkołaków oraz niecodziennej przyjaźni. Myślę, że dzieciom na pewno się spodoba, a i dorośli szukający czegoś luźniejszego też znajdą tu coś dla siebie!
W domu Nata Carvera, pewnego dnia pojawia się dziwaczny pies, który okaże się już raz na zawsze zmienić życie trzynastolatka. Szybko okazuje się, że Woody jest ostatnim z Wilkenów - wilkopodobnych stworzeń, które na pozór nie mają prawa istnieć w tym świecie. Jakby tego było mało, Nat będzie musiał walczyć z członkami pewnej szemranej placówki badawczej, z której Woody uciekł - źli ludzie zrobią wiele, aby dostać go z powrotem w swoje brudne łapska.
Nie ukrywam, książka przeleżała na mojej półce bardzo długi czas. Dlaczego? Nie wiem. Ale kiedy już w końcu doczekała się swoich pięciu sekund okazała się naprawdę przyjemną i pełną akcji powieścią! Zapewniła mi podróż sentymentalną do czasów dzieciństwa, kiedy to pochłaniałam tego typu książki. Ale fakt, że jest to literatura dziecięca nie stanowił tu problemu, bo cóż to za książka dla dzieci, która nie podoba się dorosłym?
Fabuła jest przemyślana, a postaci przystępne, skrywające pewne tajemnice. Akcja dzieje się w niewielkim miasteczku, a później przenosi się w toń mrocznego lasu i tajnych laboratoriów. Jest pewien dreszczyk emocji, są chwile, w których czytelnik wstrzymuje oddech i przede wszystkim - jest przygoda.
To dopiero początek serii, a ja na pewno sięgnę po kolejne tomy, już czekające na mnie na półce. Dla mnie to strzał w dziesiątkę - niewymagająca, lekka i przyjemna lektura pełna wilków i wilkołaków oraz niecodziennej przyjaźni. Myślę, że dzieciom na pewno się spodoba, a i dorośli szukający czegoś luźniejszego też znajdą tu coś dla siebie!
April 12, 2010
Wolven
By: Di Toft
A Review By: Chase Pixley
The minute Nat Carver saw the dog, he knew that Woody was… different than other dogs. For one, the scraggly pooch telepathically shows Nat a picture of Woody drowned, convincing Nat that he had to save the dog. More suspicions are raised when Nat’s family finds the word “Proteus” (a shape-changing Greek god) tattooed on the back of the dog’s neck. Nat is even more surprised when, one night, Woody turns into a human boy! According to Woody, he is not a werewolf, but a “Wolven”, a half-human and half-wolf creature with stunning telepathic capabilities.
When Woody begins to act human while in wolf form he attracts unwanted attention, and soon a government agency is trying to get a hold of Woody to experiment. Can Nat keep his best friend’s powers a secret while keeping him out of trouble?
This four-star story tells of how a normal boy would react to this kind of situation. This is unlike some books when the hero is literally born for the job or given tools, courage, or a first-time explanation to aid them. Nat begins from scratch with almost zero help. Almost anyone can relate to Nat. He hurtles both the challenges set by his curious canine and normal, every day things such as bullies, secrets, and family problems.
This book is perfect for everyone who likes the supernatural, mysterious situations and a good werewolf story. Find it on shelves in June!
By: Di Toft
A Review By: Chase Pixley
The minute Nat Carver saw the dog, he knew that Woody was… different than other dogs. For one, the scraggly pooch telepathically shows Nat a picture of Woody drowned, convincing Nat that he had to save the dog. More suspicions are raised when Nat’s family finds the word “Proteus” (a shape-changing Greek god) tattooed on the back of the dog’s neck. Nat is even more surprised when, one night, Woody turns into a human boy! According to Woody, he is not a werewolf, but a “Wolven”, a half-human and half-wolf creature with stunning telepathic capabilities.
When Woody begins to act human while in wolf form he attracts unwanted attention, and soon a government agency is trying to get a hold of Woody to experiment. Can Nat keep his best friend’s powers a secret while keeping him out of trouble?
This four-star story tells of how a normal boy would react to this kind of situation. This is unlike some books when the hero is literally born for the job or given tools, courage, or a first-time explanation to aid them. Nat begins from scratch with almost zero help. Almost anyone can relate to Nat. He hurtles both the challenges set by his curious canine and normal, every day things such as bullies, secrets, and family problems.
This book is perfect for everyone who likes the supernatural, mysterious situations and a good werewolf story. Find it on shelves in June!
December 24, 2024
Bullet review:
+The characters are pretty decent. I liked Nat and Woody a lot, plus the development of the bully character was nice. There were a few solid side characters as well.
+I like the worldbuilding. The Wolven lore was interesting enough and has a rich history going back centuries. I also like the concept of a type of werewolf that is primarily a wolf but happens to turn human, rather than the far more common vice versa.
+The climax is very intense.
-I couldn't quite get into the villains. They were pretty one-dimensional and boring and just your standard "evil government facility that wants to perform experiments on the main creature" fare.
-Some of the characters kinda turn to the good side on a dime and while this could be a good character development, the actual handling of it in the book was rather rushed.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
+The characters are pretty decent. I liked Nat and Woody a lot, plus the development of the bully character was nice. There were a few solid side characters as well.
+I like the worldbuilding. The Wolven lore was interesting enough and has a rich history going back centuries. I also like the concept of a type of werewolf that is primarily a wolf but happens to turn human, rather than the far more common vice versa.
+The climax is very intense.
-I couldn't quite get into the villains. They were pretty one-dimensional and boring and just your standard "evil government facility that wants to perform experiments on the main creature" fare.
-Some of the characters kinda turn to the good side on a dime and while this could be a good character development, the actual handling of it in the book was rather rushed.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
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