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Wereworld #1
Rise of the Wolf
Imagine a world ruled by Werelords - men and women who can shift at will into bears, lions, and serpents. When Drew suddenly discovers he's not only a werewolf but the long-lost heir to the murdered Wolf King's throne, he must use his wits and newfound powers to survive in a land suddenly full of enemies. Drew's the only one who can unite the kingdom in a massive uprising against its tyrant ruler, Leopold the Lion. But the king is hot on Drew's tail and won't rest until he's got the rebel Wolf's head.
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2011
459 people are currently reading
6838 people want to read
About the author
Curtis Jobling
31 books337 followersCurtis Jobling is an author and illustrator based in the UK. Working in publishing and animation he is possibly most (in)famously known as the designer of the BAFTA winning "Bob The Builder", as well as creator of CBeebies "Raa Raa the Noisy Lion" and CBBC's "Frankenstein’s Cat". Early work in animation included model and puppet painting on Wallace & Gromit’s "A Close Shave" and Tim Burton’s "Mars Attacks!" He’s also the creator/director/producer of Nickelodeon’s "Curious Cow" interstitials, a series of animated shorts featuring the varied and hilarious deaths of a bewildered bovine.
As a published author and illustrator of children’s books, Curtis’s works include Dinosaurs After Dark (with Jonathan Emmett), Skeleton in the Closet (with Alice Schertle), My Daddy, Cheeky Monkey and perhaps his most notorious character Frankenstein’s Cat, now an animated series in its own right commissioned by the BBC and sold to broadcasters worldwide.
The Wereworld series of novels were first published by Penguin in the UK in January 2011, with "Rise of the Wolf", the first in the fantasy horror, shortlisted for the Waterstone's Book Prize. Penguin/Viking first published the debut novel in September 2011.
As a published author and illustrator of children’s books, Curtis’s works include Dinosaurs After Dark (with Jonathan Emmett), Skeleton in the Closet (with Alice Schertle), My Daddy, Cheeky Monkey and perhaps his most notorious character Frankenstein’s Cat, now an animated series in its own right commissioned by the BBC and sold to broadcasters worldwide.
The Wereworld series of novels were first published by Penguin in the UK in January 2011, with "Rise of the Wolf", the first in the fantasy horror, shortlisted for the Waterstone's Book Prize. Penguin/Viking first published the debut novel in September 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 469 reviews
January 2, 2011
Well I'm a bit biased, really, aren't I?
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http://www.curtisjobling.com
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http://www.curtisjobling.com
March 11, 2020
Basta maganda sya, hehe! 😄😊
An amazing read. It just that it has a lot of characters, too many places to remember. But still its a nice good story that if you start reading you don't want to stop even if your eyes want to 💤💤💤
An amazing read. It just that it has a lot of characters, too many places to remember. But still its a nice good story that if you start reading you don't want to stop even if your eyes want to 💤💤💤
November 13, 2011
I honestly don't have a bad word to say about this book. It was amazing. Honestly, this will most likely be more of a gush that a review...but hey...it's my blog right?
I don't think I realized this about myself before, but after reading Wereworld I discovered that I love me a character who can get his ass thoroughly kicked, and either run away or luckily win a fight because someone who cared about them helped them out...not just because they are the main character, and they are uber, and have super powers and are God-like. I seriously hate when a main character wins just because they are the main character and so you know they must. It takes the suspense right out of it for me. But with Drew, the main character of Wereworld, you never lose that suspense. That poor boy sure does take his beatings, and takes the time to heal from them afterwards. He doesn't just jump up, all better, and save the world. I respect that.
I also respect the fact that Drew is a true chivalrous character. He does what is right, because it truly bothers him when people are doing wrong. He doesn't want fame and fortune, he would much prefer to hide back at his family's farm herding sheep, but fate won't let him. Half the time he doesn't even mean to be all chivalrous and heroic. When his temper gets him all riled up he steps in to block the punch on the little guy just as quickly as most other men lose their tempers and swing out at whatever is near them. It just comes naturally to Drew to protect and stand up for the people who cannot stand up for themselves. Have I mentioned how much I adore Drew?
A large portion of the characters in this book are what I refer to as shifters, in some form or another. It was quite entertaining to see all the types of shifters, known as Werelords, in the book. The shifting process seemed quite involved and I found myself squirming as characters shifted completely, and sometimes just parts of their bodies. I loved how Werelords broke out their shifted paws, jaws and claws whenever it came time to do battle.
I have to admit that as much as I love werewolves, in this book the wereshark won me over completely. Count Vega of the Cluster Isles was like a Captain Jack Sparrow meets Captain James Hook meets Jaws. He was awesome.
The world building was phenomenal. Everything was so realistic and lively. It reacted to the characters and the characters reacted back in turn. It wasn't just a colorful scene painted in the background merely just to be there. The swamps, the woods, the seas, everything was just so alive! It was easy to immerse oneself deeply into the world around them as they journeyed right there beside Drew every step of the way.
And the story, let's not forget about the story itself! Although not overly unique, the Jobling did such a wonderful job with the story-telling it's almost as fresh as a newly written, never heard before story.
I can't wait for the second one to come out! Rage of the Lions...yup...you know what is coming...and it has to be good!
I don't think I realized this about myself before, but after reading Wereworld I discovered that I love me a character who can get his ass thoroughly kicked, and either run away or luckily win a fight because someone who cared about them helped them out...not just because they are the main character, and they are uber, and have super powers and are God-like. I seriously hate when a main character wins just because they are the main character and so you know they must. It takes the suspense right out of it for me. But with Drew, the main character of Wereworld, you never lose that suspense. That poor boy sure does take his beatings, and takes the time to heal from them afterwards. He doesn't just jump up, all better, and save the world. I respect that.
I also respect the fact that Drew is a true chivalrous character. He does what is right, because it truly bothers him when people are doing wrong. He doesn't want fame and fortune, he would much prefer to hide back at his family's farm herding sheep, but fate won't let him. Half the time he doesn't even mean to be all chivalrous and heroic. When his temper gets him all riled up he steps in to block the punch on the little guy just as quickly as most other men lose their tempers and swing out at whatever is near them. It just comes naturally to Drew to protect and stand up for the people who cannot stand up for themselves. Have I mentioned how much I adore Drew?
A large portion of the characters in this book are what I refer to as shifters, in some form or another. It was quite entertaining to see all the types of shifters, known as Werelords, in the book. The shifting process seemed quite involved and I found myself squirming as characters shifted completely, and sometimes just parts of their bodies. I loved how Werelords broke out their shifted paws, jaws and claws whenever it came time to do battle.
I have to admit that as much as I love werewolves, in this book the wereshark won me over completely. Count Vega of the Cluster Isles was like a Captain Jack Sparrow meets Captain James Hook meets Jaws. He was awesome.
The world building was phenomenal. Everything was so realistic and lively. It reacted to the characters and the characters reacted back in turn. It wasn't just a colorful scene painted in the background merely just to be there. The swamps, the woods, the seas, everything was just so alive! It was easy to immerse oneself deeply into the world around them as they journeyed right there beside Drew every step of the way.
And the story, let's not forget about the story itself! Although not overly unique, the Jobling did such a wonderful job with the story-telling it's almost as fresh as a newly written, never heard before story.
I can't wait for the second one to come out! Rage of the Lions...yup...you know what is coming...and it has to be good!
September 2, 2011
http://www.rantingdragon.com/wereworl...
Curtis Jobling, the author of Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, is also the brains behind Bob the Builder. A book combining Bob the Builder with such a title might not sound very promising to you. In fact, you might note that the very title Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf sounds as corny as you always imagined Bob the Builder to be. Well, if that’s the case, you are spot on.
Much epicness in this one
The first thirty pages introduce us to Drew, a sheepherder who lives in a backwater town in the middle of nowhere. You know the kind—a town that is defenseless against any orc, trolloc, or wererat—yes, really, I just said “wererat”—attack, with the nearest payphone hundreds of miles away. Drew has a father who hates him and a brother who is completely different from him. His mother loves him, though, as do his sheep. Except this full moon, they seem frightened of him. No matter, we shall move on, not dwelling on the subtle foreshadowing.
One night, all hell breaks loose. Drew’s father and brother are conveniently out of town as his mother is telling him that he is indeed very different, because… KABAM! A monstrous creature storms in. Drew is feeling a bit weak after staring at the full moon, so he is powerless—guilt is perfect for future force-fed character development!—to stop the monster from brutally ripping his mom’s throat out. Not before she yells some ridiculously obvious things for foreshadowing purposes, though. Suddenly, Drew changes into a monster too—too much moonlight is very bad for your health!—and fights the other monster.
No cliché spared
In the epic journey that follows, Drew discovers he is the chosen one: the last living werewolf among heaps of other werecreatures such as werebears, wereboars (please, Jobling, no more piggy and fatty jokes!), werebadgers, werelizards (also known as the evil lizardmen), weresharks, and other types of werefish. He is destined to battle the evil dark lord King Leopard the werelion; very vague prophesies say so.
As you can tell, no trope or cliché of the epic fantasy genre is spared. Though slightly entertaining at first, this becomes annoying very quickly, an annoyance that is only further underlined by the extreme predictability of the story. Anyone who has previously read fantasy novels will be able to guess what happens next at any point in Rise of the Wolf. The foreshadowing, as already mentioned in my little summary, is obvious and blatant.
Significant lack of werecockroaches
Another nuisance is Jobling’s habit of ending chapters on cliffhangers, only to start the next chapter with an entirely random “alternative” viewpoint. A good example is the chapter where Drew is jailed. Instead of starting the next chapter watching Drew in his cell, we follow a cockroach as it scuttles across the floor of the cell to eat some discarded bread, only to be attacked by a rat. Only then, after wasting two perfectly good pages, do we see Drew watching the vermin run away. It wasn’t even a werecockroach, either.
This takes its toll in the overall pacing of the story, which was already slow to begin with. As with many a poorly written epic journey, a lot is underway, but nothing really seems to contribute to the main story. As such, it is very easy to lay the book down. Suspense is almost nonexistent. Admittedly, though, the last thirty pages were different. The final battle—you probably already saw a final battle coming—was in fact quite exciting to read, with thrilling fighting sequences and a fairly interesting, albeit predictable, solution.
Morally monotonous
Don’t read Rise of the Wolf for its characterizations, either. Jobling’s characters are stereotyped and morally monotonous. Oftentimes, I wondered how main characters such as Drew and his friends Hector and Gretchen could be so extremely perfect. Sure, there was some force-fed character development (“Oh no, I killed a man! No matter that he was about to stab me through the heart, I will feel awful about this for weeks!”), but overall, these characters always seemed to make the right choices without question. On the opposite side stand thoroughly corrupt nobles and a petty, truly evil, dark king. The only interesting character was that of Vala the wereshark, whose motives were not entirely clear for a while. In the end, though, even he fell perfectly into a stereotyped role.
Why should you read this book?
You might have guessed, but I honestly believe you shouldn’t read Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf. Perhaps you could buy this YA novel for your eight-year-old kid, if you want to familiarize them with all the popular tropes of fantasy in only 450 pages. Otherwise, however, I advise you to keep a clear berth. Of course, that’s just my opinion, so just to balance it a bit, here is a review from someone who did enjoy Rise of the Wolf.
No (were)animals were harmed while writing this review.
Curtis Jobling, the author of Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, is also the brains behind Bob the Builder. A book combining Bob the Builder with such a title might not sound very promising to you. In fact, you might note that the very title Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf sounds as corny as you always imagined Bob the Builder to be. Well, if that’s the case, you are spot on.
Much epicness in this one
The first thirty pages introduce us to Drew, a sheepherder who lives in a backwater town in the middle of nowhere. You know the kind—a town that is defenseless against any orc, trolloc, or wererat—yes, really, I just said “wererat”—attack, with the nearest payphone hundreds of miles away. Drew has a father who hates him and a brother who is completely different from him. His mother loves him, though, as do his sheep. Except this full moon, they seem frightened of him. No matter, we shall move on, not dwelling on the subtle foreshadowing.
One night, all hell breaks loose. Drew’s father and brother are conveniently out of town as his mother is telling him that he is indeed very different, because… KABAM! A monstrous creature storms in. Drew is feeling a bit weak after staring at the full moon, so he is powerless—guilt is perfect for future force-fed character development!—to stop the monster from brutally ripping his mom’s throat out. Not before she yells some ridiculously obvious things for foreshadowing purposes, though. Suddenly, Drew changes into a monster too—too much moonlight is very bad for your health!—and fights the other monster.
No cliché spared
In the epic journey that follows, Drew discovers he is the chosen one: the last living werewolf among heaps of other werecreatures such as werebears, wereboars (please, Jobling, no more piggy and fatty jokes!), werebadgers, werelizards (also known as the evil lizardmen), weresharks, and other types of werefish. He is destined to battle the evil dark lord King Leopard the werelion; very vague prophesies say so.
As you can tell, no trope or cliché of the epic fantasy genre is spared. Though slightly entertaining at first, this becomes annoying very quickly, an annoyance that is only further underlined by the extreme predictability of the story. Anyone who has previously read fantasy novels will be able to guess what happens next at any point in Rise of the Wolf. The foreshadowing, as already mentioned in my little summary, is obvious and blatant.
Significant lack of werecockroaches
Another nuisance is Jobling’s habit of ending chapters on cliffhangers, only to start the next chapter with an entirely random “alternative” viewpoint. A good example is the chapter where Drew is jailed. Instead of starting the next chapter watching Drew in his cell, we follow a cockroach as it scuttles across the floor of the cell to eat some discarded bread, only to be attacked by a rat. Only then, after wasting two perfectly good pages, do we see Drew watching the vermin run away. It wasn’t even a werecockroach, either.
This takes its toll in the overall pacing of the story, which was already slow to begin with. As with many a poorly written epic journey, a lot is underway, but nothing really seems to contribute to the main story. As such, it is very easy to lay the book down. Suspense is almost nonexistent. Admittedly, though, the last thirty pages were different. The final battle—you probably already saw a final battle coming—was in fact quite exciting to read, with thrilling fighting sequences and a fairly interesting, albeit predictable, solution.
Morally monotonous
Don’t read Rise of the Wolf for its characterizations, either. Jobling’s characters are stereotyped and morally monotonous. Oftentimes, I wondered how main characters such as Drew and his friends Hector and Gretchen could be so extremely perfect. Sure, there was some force-fed character development (“Oh no, I killed a man! No matter that he was about to stab me through the heart, I will feel awful about this for weeks!”), but overall, these characters always seemed to make the right choices without question. On the opposite side stand thoroughly corrupt nobles and a petty, truly evil, dark king. The only interesting character was that of Vala the wereshark, whose motives were not entirely clear for a while. In the end, though, even he fell perfectly into a stereotyped role.
Why should you read this book?
You might have guessed, but I honestly believe you shouldn’t read Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf. Perhaps you could buy this YA novel for your eight-year-old kid, if you want to familiarize them with all the popular tropes of fantasy in only 450 pages. Otherwise, however, I advise you to keep a clear berth. Of course, that’s just my opinion, so just to balance it a bit, here is a review from someone who did enjoy Rise of the Wolf.
No (were)animals were harmed while writing this review.
October 5, 2015
Final rating: 4/5 stars
Now, this was an interesting book. I missed reading high fantasy and i liked this one. Though i must say that it was pretty much dark, and i have no idea how goodreads classified this to be children's book, because it certainly didn't feel like one. I feel that the world building was a bit different than what i was used to - there were many shapeshifters of all kinds and i loved that. No, seriously, it's an interesting world. Oh, and i heard that the sequels were even better! Oh and the covers for this series are GORGEOUS!!!!!
The problems i had with this book were:
1)the writing - i couldn't help but noticed that this book actually needed more dialogues than the description of the events that followed.
2)And the sudden jumping from one pov to another ( i didn't mind that much, but it took me time to get used to).
3)And, while story might sound and feel a bit cliched, which leads to some predictable moments, there were still some stuff that were just OMFGWHATJUSTHAPPENED style and i loved it because it was just....dunno..interesting (i loved it anyway).
While i was reading the end of the book, i was mostly pulling my hair out.
I mean, Drew just went from being in one trouble - to another! Common, give him a break, or a medal for being sane through it all!!!
____________________________________________
Characters :
____________________________________________
i loved the characters, especially Drew and Hector. They were interesting, and i feel the need to find more about them. As for Drew, he is the main character of this story, and he is followed by certain amount of bad luck - through the whole freaking book! Gretchen was certainly irritating, a princess Werefox about to be married to future asshole werelion king Lucas, whom i wanted to strangle like.... in. every. single. scene. in. which. he. appeared. in. Don't get me started on his father.... But Gretchen was not so bad afterall, when she is not being bitchy or anything, i actually liked her.
And, i had thought one thing when i read the part in the beginning with Drew's father :
#a horrible decision... really.
Because, hey, he just doomed his son's fate. Bravooooooo!!!! Oh, and btw, most of the characters just avoid and don't listen to Drew at all. Makes my heart hurt for him. But! Enter Hector and other people! No seriously, i wanted to strangle every.single.character. who hurt Drew (and he gets hurt a lot, both physically and mentally).
____________________________________________
Overall :
____________________________________________
I couldn't help but like this book. It's interesting, with certain amount of darkness in it, with lot of action and interesting world. I hope that all who read it will like it as much as i did :D
Oh, and i love you Raven for recommending this to me!
____________________________________________
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________
REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:
◈ Rise of the Wolf (Wereworld, #1)
◈ Rage of Lions (Wereworld, #2)
◈ Shadow of the Hawk (Wereworld, #3)
◈ Nest of Serpents (Wereworld, #4)
Now, this was an interesting book. I missed reading high fantasy and i liked this one. Though i must say that it was pretty much dark, and i have no idea how goodreads classified this to be children's book, because it certainly didn't feel like one. I feel that the world building was a bit different than what i was used to - there were many shapeshifters of all kinds and i loved that. No, seriously, it's an interesting world. Oh, and i heard that the sequels were even better! Oh and the covers for this series are GORGEOUS!!!!!
The problems i had with this book were:
1)the writing - i couldn't help but noticed that this book actually needed more dialogues than the description of the events that followed.
2)And the sudden jumping from one pov to another ( i didn't mind that much, but it took me time to get used to).
3)And, while story might sound and feel a bit cliched, which leads to some predictable moments, there were still some stuff that were just OMFGWHATJUSTHAPPENED style and i loved it because it was just....dunno..interesting (i loved it anyway).
While i was reading the end of the book, i was mostly pulling my hair out.
I mean, Drew just went from being in one trouble - to another! Common, give him a break, or a medal for being sane through it all!!!
____________________________________________
Characters :
____________________________________________
i loved the characters, especially Drew and Hector. They were interesting, and i feel the need to find more about them. As for Drew, he is the main character of this story, and he is followed by certain amount of bad luck - through the whole freaking book! Gretchen was certainly irritating, a princess Werefox about to be married to future
And, i had thought one thing when i read the part in the beginning with Drew's father :
#a horrible decision... really.
Because, hey, he just doomed his son's fate. Bravooooooo!!!! Oh, and btw, most of the characters just avoid and don't listen to Drew at all. Makes my heart hurt for him. But! Enter Hector and other people! No seriously, i wanted to strangle every.single.character. who hurt Drew (and he gets hurt a lot, both physically and mentally).
____________________________________________
Overall :
____________________________________________
I couldn't help but like this book. It's interesting, with certain amount of darkness in it, with lot of action and interesting world. I hope that all who read it will like it as much as i did :D
Oh, and i love you Raven for recommending this to me!
____________________________________________
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
____________________________________________
REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:
◈ Rise of the Wolf (Wereworld, #1)
◈ Rage of Lions (Wereworld, #2)
◈ Shadow of the Hawk (Wereworld, #3)
◈ Nest of Serpents (Wereworld, #4)
March 24, 2021
like all "Young Adult Novel"( or Y.A.N) it's repetitive, they just follow the hero's journey beat for beat, although most have some sort of hook that reels you in with, this one is not the Werewolves it's the gore.
My dang is the are some scenes descriptive it a little darker than other books and why it's classified as a children's book is beyond me.
The Plot was good if not predictable, the Characters were fun if not too tropey, and the World it takes place in interesting but all these things come with the territory of Y.A.N.
If you just want another easy to read story to put on your shelf, then Rise of the wolf isn't a bad pick
My dang is the are some scenes descriptive it a little darker than other books and why it's classified as a children's book is beyond me.
The Plot was good if not predictable, the Characters were fun if not too tropey, and the World it takes place in interesting but all these things come with the territory of Y.A.N.
If you just want another easy to read story to put on your shelf, then Rise of the wolf isn't a bad pick
July 26, 2018
I loved this book! The action, the suspense and the characters development were all addicting. When I picked up the book I had such a hard time putting it down, especially when it came to be that there was a were shark. I was totally flabbergasted lol. Drew, the wolf was awesome, every time he started to shift I got all excited bc there was going to be a major ass kicking coming. Can't wait to read the other 2 books in series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2011
Tragedy, romance, flying fur, and sharpened, pointy teeth tearing through flesh...to top it all off werewolves were not the only things shifting in this book.
This is the realm of the Werelords. The noble families are all of different were descent. Fox, wolf, bear, and even boar are all represented in the land of Lyssia. Drew and his brother, Trent grew up on a farm with their mother and father, not unlike many other poor farming families in the kingdom. One night, as Drew and his mother awaited the remainder of the family to come back from town, a storm blew in the window of their home along with it the hopes of any normal future Drew had. A hulking monster attacked Drew, slays his mother, and flees after Drew manages to injure the terrifying beast. Upon Mark's (Drew's father) return, he attacks Drew thinking he is responsible for his beautiful wife's murder.
After running Drew through with his sword, the most extraordinary thing happened. Drew not only managed to keep his footing, but he was able to flee.
From here Drew seems to alter the lives of everyone he comes into contact with. Prophecies have been written about a change soon to come. Could Drew be the one foretold in the ancient prophecies? This young lad, who isn't even quite sure what he is, has the innate ability to reach out and help those in their most dire hour. The kingdom is being controlled by the werelion, who has used his power to keep the people downtrodden and looking for a brighter future. Drew may be their only shining hope.
I devoured this novel. I had to force myself on several occasions to put this book down so I could not only work, but get my school work in as well. The scenes were described in great detail, but not to where it bored the reader and stopping the flow and action in the story. I have a tendency to "tune out" when the descriptions are too narrative and puts a halt to the adventures of the characters. The descriptions were done mainly through the viewpoints of the characters, which I always find more interesting than a page narrative about the environment.
The characters are enchanting. Some you love, some you are weary of, some you admire. By the end of the story, I remembered each of their names(which is an accomplishment for me), and am actually invested in their futures. this is not a short story, and we have plenty of time to get to know them intimately.
Some of the parts were predictable in the story, but I think that was still one of the charms of the book. We always know in these stories that we will have the one character, at least, that we will get to see grow, mature, change, and become the person we knew he or she could be. That provided me with the familiar comfort that I long for in certain stories. But there was enough action and twists in the story that I was always wanting to turn the page to see where our heroes and antagonists would take us next. Heroes and enemies popped up where we least expected, and death was not saved for the villains.
This books is set to be published in September of this year. Please, reserve your copy of this book, and put it on your to-read-list. It was an amazing adventure, and it was one I was reluctant to leave behind. Five stars to Wereworld and Curtis Jobling.
This is the realm of the Werelords. The noble families are all of different were descent. Fox, wolf, bear, and even boar are all represented in the land of Lyssia. Drew and his brother, Trent grew up on a farm with their mother and father, not unlike many other poor farming families in the kingdom. One night, as Drew and his mother awaited the remainder of the family to come back from town, a storm blew in the window of their home along with it the hopes of any normal future Drew had. A hulking monster attacked Drew, slays his mother, and flees after Drew manages to injure the terrifying beast. Upon Mark's (Drew's father) return, he attacks Drew thinking he is responsible for his beautiful wife's murder.
After running Drew through with his sword, the most extraordinary thing happened. Drew not only managed to keep his footing, but he was able to flee.
From here Drew seems to alter the lives of everyone he comes into contact with. Prophecies have been written about a change soon to come. Could Drew be the one foretold in the ancient prophecies? This young lad, who isn't even quite sure what he is, has the innate ability to reach out and help those in their most dire hour. The kingdom is being controlled by the werelion, who has used his power to keep the people downtrodden and looking for a brighter future. Drew may be their only shining hope.
I devoured this novel. I had to force myself on several occasions to put this book down so I could not only work, but get my school work in as well. The scenes were described in great detail, but not to where it bored the reader and stopping the flow and action in the story. I have a tendency to "tune out" when the descriptions are too narrative and puts a halt to the adventures of the characters. The descriptions were done mainly through the viewpoints of the characters, which I always find more interesting than a page narrative about the environment.
The characters are enchanting. Some you love, some you are weary of, some you admire. By the end of the story, I remembered each of their names(which is an accomplishment for me), and am actually invested in their futures. this is not a short story, and we have plenty of time to get to know them intimately.
Some of the parts were predictable in the story, but I think that was still one of the charms of the book. We always know in these stories that we will have the one character, at least, that we will get to see grow, mature, change, and become the person we knew he or she could be. That provided me with the familiar comfort that I long for in certain stories. But there was enough action and twists in the story that I was always wanting to turn the page to see where our heroes and antagonists would take us next. Heroes and enemies popped up where we least expected, and death was not saved for the villains.
This books is set to be published in September of this year. Please, reserve your copy of this book, and put it on your to-read-list. It was an amazing adventure, and it was one I was reluctant to leave behind. Five stars to Wereworld and Curtis Jobling.
December 22, 2010
Every werewolf book has its perks, needless to say, WEREWORLD: Rise of the Wolf is unquestionably a book which stands out from the rest. With its super attractive cover, I got consumed within a world of adventure, action and speck of romance.
The protagonist, Drew, is a character that’s empowered with strength, power and a whole lot of ability. There are many qualities I love however, the main thing I really love how he is extremely determined to do anything.
It was heartbreaking to witness Drew being forced to leave the people he loves, his family. He always grasped that they were keeping him in the dark- there was more than what met the eye. In Drew’s perspective, it was obvious that he was different from everybody else. At the time he discovered his true nature and what he really was he knew that his destiny was set.
This epic book of fantasy contains events of such that are constant but changing. The unexpected happen, a whole lot of fighting involved as Drew faces his battles. Others are there that join him and the story carries along with the many spins and turns that are to come.
The relationship between Drew and Hector is something special. It’s nice to distinguish how their bond of friendship strengthens and grows throughout the book.
I really love the style in which Curtis writes. It’s not the usual day to day words but writing that grips you to your seat. There is this magic and splendour to it that makes it unique.
This is a book that must be on your bookshelf :)
The protagonist, Drew, is a character that’s empowered with strength, power and a whole lot of ability. There are many qualities I love however, the main thing I really love how he is extremely determined to do anything.
It was heartbreaking to witness Drew being forced to leave the people he loves, his family. He always grasped that they were keeping him in the dark- there was more than what met the eye. In Drew’s perspective, it was obvious that he was different from everybody else. At the time he discovered his true nature and what he really was he knew that his destiny was set.
This epic book of fantasy contains events of such that are constant but changing. The unexpected happen, a whole lot of fighting involved as Drew faces his battles. Others are there that join him and the story carries along with the many spins and turns that are to come.
The relationship between Drew and Hector is something special. It’s nice to distinguish how their bond of friendship strengthens and grows throughout the book.
I really love the style in which Curtis writes. It’s not the usual day to day words but writing that grips you to your seat. There is this magic and splendour to it that makes it unique.
This is a book that must be on your bookshelf :)
November 20, 2012
This one was recommended to me by an enthusiastic young male reader, and I can see why. Werewolves for young adults, yes, but none of that romance stuff or competition with vampires or anything at all like the horde of Twilight spawns. It's a high fantasy, where the lords, ladies, and nobility are all werecreatures of one sort or another.
Drew, our young protagonist, is a simple farm lad. Until the day a creature of some sort crashes through the window and kills his mom and he instinctively transforms into a creature himself to chase off the intruder. His dad arrives home and, thinking Drew is the murderer, tries to kill him. Drew flees into the woods and lives as a wild beast for months, until an encounter with others draws him out and he begins to learn about the larger world. There is more to Drew's story than he knows, and suddenly strangers are both hunting him down to kill him and offering him assistance, and he finds himself caught up in a world of action, intrigue, and betrayal.
Fast-paced and suspenseful, this is a good option for those looking for a new adventure fantasy series to get hooked into.
-----
Drew shook his head, wanting to dispel this fresh madness that crashed over him. The thought that he and a select few "nobles" were therianthropes had been hard enough for him to handle. To now hear that his warm, compassionate friend was some kind of budding necromancer threatened to tip him over the edge. Whatever the Boarlord was planning, surely it was beyond anything he'd read about in his books. Surely it was dangerous.
Drew, our young protagonist, is a simple farm lad. Until the day a creature of some sort crashes through the window and kills his mom and he instinctively transforms into a creature himself to chase off the intruder. His dad arrives home and, thinking Drew is the murderer, tries to kill him. Drew flees into the woods and lives as a wild beast for months, until an encounter with others draws him out and he begins to learn about the larger world. There is more to Drew's story than he knows, and suddenly strangers are both hunting him down to kill him and offering him assistance, and he finds himself caught up in a world of action, intrigue, and betrayal.
Fast-paced and suspenseful, this is a good option for those looking for a new adventure fantasy series to get hooked into.
-----
Drew shook his head, wanting to dispel this fresh madness that crashed over him. The thought that he and a select few "nobles" were therianthropes had been hard enough for him to handle. To now hear that his warm, compassionate friend was some kind of budding necromancer threatened to tip him over the edge. Whatever the Boarlord was planning, surely it was beyond anything he'd read about in his books. Surely it was dangerous.
March 25, 2011
The first thing that caught my attention with this book was unbelievably the index. The story is set out in different sections which had my imagination questioning the reasoning for this before I even started reading - Would there be mini-stories? Would it be different points in time? Would it be different characters focalization? Remember this is all before I even started reading the book - the power of the index [ : D ]
Another thing I have to mention about the book before I started reading it, is the beautiful illustrations throughout that are not only eye-catching, detailed and generally gorgeous but really added another dimension to the the story. The chapter heading were visually arresting drawing you into the story even before the words had a chance to.
Written in third person narrative but focalized from Drew's perspective. The use of the third person narrator allows plot hints to be placed surreptitiously into the narrative, different story threads to be created while not distracting from the main theme. The writing is wonderfully descriptive making it easy to imagine the world of Lyssia, for me Curtis Jobling has created an entire mythical world on a par to Middle Earth (well to be completely truthful I found Lyssia actually easier to picture than Middle Earth).
A number of different genres seem to be molded together to create the overall story, the use of fantasy/horror and Gothic imagery provide a powerful and compelling storyline. The imagery is very realistic and relatable. Unfortunately (for me) this also involved a giant serpent - the stuff of my nightmares - thank you so much Curtis *sarcasm*.
The tension builds quickly and doesn't let up for a moment, I was kept flipping the pages with a voracious appetite to know what was going to happen next. After the first few chapters I really felt as if I had bonded with Drew. Such a wonderful character to create within the imagination. You feel for his plight dealing with his unique 'illness'. I practically felt his pain via the vivid description of his transformation and subsequent emotional consequences. The whole ideal that it is what is on the inside that counts really seemed apt applied to Drew. He is charismatic, caring, kind, loyal; what you would class as an all round 'nice guy' even if he is a werewolf. I did keep comparing Drew to Robin Hood, obviously not with the robbery but with the aiding of the oppressed against a tyrannical ruler. Drew's strength of character is amazing and only gets enhanced with the trials and tribulations he has to face. Elements of nature versus nurture enter the story with regards especially to Drew's 'siblings' [ ; D ] Bringing to mind Kane and Abel - brother against brother in the pursuit of power.
All the characters are well-rounded and individually interesting not only for the way in which they interact with Drew. It made me want to know more about their individual stories/history. I wonder if we will in future books????
I have to mention that the inclusion of silver in its traditional context against werecreatures had been given a whole new element in this story.
Without giving away any spoilers I will say the ending was wonderful, maybe I should say new beginning rather than the ending. All the plot threads were artfully woven together providing an engaging conclusion. I am already imagining the movies/video games/action figures/werworld conventions.
I just have to mention that I took the book into the library to read during a free lesson, 3 of the pupils that spotted the book on my desk have already requested to have it reserved for them when it goes onto the computer system, based solely on the cover and the synopsis [ : D ]
Don't forget to check back tomorrow for Trailer Tuesday featuring the WereWorld Trailer and also this weeks Saturday Spotlight a guest post by Curtis Jobling on reading inspirations.
Another thing I have to mention about the book before I started reading it, is the beautiful illustrations throughout that are not only eye-catching, detailed and generally gorgeous but really added another dimension to the the story. The chapter heading were visually arresting drawing you into the story even before the words had a chance to.
Written in third person narrative but focalized from Drew's perspective. The use of the third person narrator allows plot hints to be placed surreptitiously into the narrative, different story threads to be created while not distracting from the main theme. The writing is wonderfully descriptive making it easy to imagine the world of Lyssia, for me Curtis Jobling has created an entire mythical world on a par to Middle Earth (well to be completely truthful I found Lyssia actually easier to picture than Middle Earth).
A number of different genres seem to be molded together to create the overall story, the use of fantasy/horror and Gothic imagery provide a powerful and compelling storyline. The imagery is very realistic and relatable. Unfortunately (for me) this also involved a giant serpent - the stuff of my nightmares - thank you so much Curtis *sarcasm*.
The tension builds quickly and doesn't let up for a moment, I was kept flipping the pages with a voracious appetite to know what was going to happen next. After the first few chapters I really felt as if I had bonded with Drew. Such a wonderful character to create within the imagination. You feel for his plight dealing with his unique 'illness'. I practically felt his pain via the vivid description of his transformation and subsequent emotional consequences. The whole ideal that it is what is on the inside that counts really seemed apt applied to Drew. He is charismatic, caring, kind, loyal; what you would class as an all round 'nice guy' even if he is a werewolf. I did keep comparing Drew to Robin Hood, obviously not with the robbery but with the aiding of the oppressed against a tyrannical ruler. Drew's strength of character is amazing and only gets enhanced with the trials and tribulations he has to face. Elements of nature versus nurture enter the story with regards especially to Drew's 'siblings' [ ; D ] Bringing to mind Kane and Abel - brother against brother in the pursuit of power.
All the characters are well-rounded and individually interesting not only for the way in which they interact with Drew. It made me want to know more about their individual stories/history. I wonder if we will in future books????
I have to mention that the inclusion of silver in its traditional context against werecreatures had been given a whole new element in this story.
Without giving away any spoilers I will say the ending was wonderful, maybe I should say new beginning rather than the ending. All the plot threads were artfully woven together providing an engaging conclusion. I am already imagining the movies/video games/action figures/werworld conventions.
I just have to mention that I took the book into the library to read during a free lesson, 3 of the pupils that spotted the book on my desk have already requested to have it reserved for them when it goes onto the computer system, based solely on the cover and the synopsis [ : D ]
Don't forget to check back tomorrow for Trailer Tuesday featuring the WereWorld Trailer and also this weeks Saturday Spotlight a guest post by Curtis Jobling on reading inspirations.
February 7, 2011
Drew is happy with his simple life living on the farm with his parents and his brother, he loves the land and has no plans to leave. Then one terrible night everything changes, after a vicious attack by a mysterious creature Drew is changed forever. Suddenly he doesn't know who he is anymore and he realises that everything he has been told as he was growing up was a lie. Forced to leave his home after a terrible accusation Drew finds himself alone and on the run in one of the most dangerous parts of Lyssia. When he is captured he has to find a way to prove that he is not the enemy and figure out a way to bring the real culprit to justice.
I used to read a lot of fantasy stories but it's been a long time since I enjoyed one as much as I liked Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf. Curtis Jobling has done a fantastic job creating a detailed and interesting world that can rival many others I've come across and it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. The descriptions make it very easy to picture Lyssia and I loved the range of different werecreatures that populate the world. I had quite a lot of fun trying to guess what kind of animals characters were able to turn into. The story definitely reminded me of the Belgariad series by David Eddings which is meant as a compliment as I love that series. Although the worlds are very different they are both just as detailed and they are the kind of places you want to visit again and again.
Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf also contains a wide range of interesting characters, some who play vital parts in this story and others who I'm hoping we will see a lot more of throughout the series. I loved Drew from the beginning and enjoyed watching his character develop as he learnt more about his past and about his new abilities. I loved the friendship between Drew and Hector and hope we get to see more of that in future books. Gretchen was a character who will take a while to grow on you but by the end she is easy to warm to and I love her sense of humor. If there was one slight negative it would be that I felt Gretchen was a little too similar to Ce'Nedra from the Belgariad series, I had a feeling I knew how things would progress with her and Drew from early in the story and so far I've not been proved wrong. However, that didn't effect my enjoyment of the story and wouldn't even register for someone who has never read the Belgariad series so it is a minor irritation.
Curtis Jobling has also created some great evil characters who you will love to hate, he certainly doesn't make life easy for his heroes and you're never quite sure what he will throw at them next. The story is well paced, easy to read and one that will keep you gripped from beginning to end. I'm thoroughly looking forward to seeing how the series progresses - if this is what the author can write for his debut I'm sure we can expect great things in the future! If you're a fantasy fan (or even if you've never picked up a fantasy story before) I would urge you to give Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf a try - it's a great adventure story with touches of both humor and horror that make for an addictive read.
I used to read a lot of fantasy stories but it's been a long time since I enjoyed one as much as I liked Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf. Curtis Jobling has done a fantastic job creating a detailed and interesting world that can rival many others I've come across and it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. The descriptions make it very easy to picture Lyssia and I loved the range of different werecreatures that populate the world. I had quite a lot of fun trying to guess what kind of animals characters were able to turn into. The story definitely reminded me of the Belgariad series by David Eddings which is meant as a compliment as I love that series. Although the worlds are very different they are both just as detailed and they are the kind of places you want to visit again and again.
Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf also contains a wide range of interesting characters, some who play vital parts in this story and others who I'm hoping we will see a lot more of throughout the series. I loved Drew from the beginning and enjoyed watching his character develop as he learnt more about his past and about his new abilities. I loved the friendship between Drew and Hector and hope we get to see more of that in future books. Gretchen was a character who will take a while to grow on you but by the end she is easy to warm to and I love her sense of humor. If there was one slight negative it would be that I felt Gretchen was a little too similar to Ce'Nedra from the Belgariad series, I had a feeling I knew how things would progress with her and Drew from early in the story and so far I've not been proved wrong. However, that didn't effect my enjoyment of the story and wouldn't even register for someone who has never read the Belgariad series so it is a minor irritation.
Curtis Jobling has also created some great evil characters who you will love to hate, he certainly doesn't make life easy for his heroes and you're never quite sure what he will throw at them next. The story is well paced, easy to read and one that will keep you gripped from beginning to end. I'm thoroughly looking forward to seeing how the series progresses - if this is what the author can write for his debut I'm sure we can expect great things in the future! If you're a fantasy fan (or even if you've never picked up a fantasy story before) I would urge you to give Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf a try - it's a great adventure story with touches of both humor and horror that make for an addictive read.
January 9, 2011
4.5/5 Review originally published at Cem's Book Hideout.
I must confess that I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy this book. I thought it sounded good, and that I'd likely consider it a decent read, just maybe not for me. Turned out, I loved it! I'm a huge urban fantasy fan, but rarely a fantasy one. But Drew had me won over in a very short space of time.
Drew is a strong character, but events early in the book take a tole on his confidence and leave him seeming more vulnerable and a little younger than he actually is. Yet despite this, he proves himself over and over to be tough, capable and loyal. I loved watching him grow and change as the book went on and see him really find his feet again. There is a very good supporting cast of characters as well, be they the good guys or bad, they all have their specific characteristics that really jump off the page at you.
There is some impressive world building here as well. It's a vivid story, one that has as much horror to it as fantasy, with plenty of action. And pretty much every scene jumps off the page at you. I could see almost the whole story playing out like a movie in my head as I was reading it, right down to camera angles some times! Very unusual for me to see a book played out so clearly, normally characters are my focus, but the scene was just as easy to picture. I love the set up with the various were creatures and all the mythology involved with it. It's a book rich in description of events past and present but never at the cost of the pacing of the book. I found it very hard to put down and just kept turning the pages because I had to find out what happened next.
The first half of he book has a steady pace, not slow by any means as plenty happens, but it does take a real up turn at the halfway point where the tension and danger increases rapidly. And so does the horror aspect I have to say! It's not excessivly graphic but it still gives enough to cause some chills. Not that that's a bad thing. I really enjoyed the dark gritty nature to Rise of the Wolf. Despite the painful events Drew, and the others he meets along his journey face, there is a definite lack of angst. Plenty of emotion to make the characters seem real but never over done either. Which makes it all the more of a pleasure to read!
This is a fantastic start to a new series! It's written in third person and for once that's something I loved. Rise of the Wolf is such a well rounded story, both in plot and with the characters. I loved the world building and could happily have stayed lost in Drew's world for much longer! It's got an actioned packed and intense ending, and despite it not having a true cliff hanger, I was left wishing book 2 was out already. Great read and one I highly recommend!!
I must confess that I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy this book. I thought it sounded good, and that I'd likely consider it a decent read, just maybe not for me. Turned out, I loved it! I'm a huge urban fantasy fan, but rarely a fantasy one. But Drew had me won over in a very short space of time.
Drew is a strong character, but events early in the book take a tole on his confidence and leave him seeming more vulnerable and a little younger than he actually is. Yet despite this, he proves himself over and over to be tough, capable and loyal. I loved watching him grow and change as the book went on and see him really find his feet again. There is a very good supporting cast of characters as well, be they the good guys or bad, they all have their specific characteristics that really jump off the page at you.
There is some impressive world building here as well. It's a vivid story, one that has as much horror to it as fantasy, with plenty of action. And pretty much every scene jumps off the page at you. I could see almost the whole story playing out like a movie in my head as I was reading it, right down to camera angles some times! Very unusual for me to see a book played out so clearly, normally characters are my focus, but the scene was just as easy to picture. I love the set up with the various were creatures and all the mythology involved with it. It's a book rich in description of events past and present but never at the cost of the pacing of the book. I found it very hard to put down and just kept turning the pages because I had to find out what happened next.
The first half of he book has a steady pace, not slow by any means as plenty happens, but it does take a real up turn at the halfway point where the tension and danger increases rapidly. And so does the horror aspect I have to say! It's not excessivly graphic but it still gives enough to cause some chills. Not that that's a bad thing. I really enjoyed the dark gritty nature to Rise of the Wolf. Despite the painful events Drew, and the others he meets along his journey face, there is a definite lack of angst. Plenty of emotion to make the characters seem real but never over done either. Which makes it all the more of a pleasure to read!
This is a fantastic start to a new series! It's written in third person and for once that's something I loved. Rise of the Wolf is such a well rounded story, both in plot and with the characters. I loved the world building and could happily have stayed lost in Drew's world for much longer! It's got an actioned packed and intense ending, and despite it not having a true cliff hanger, I was left wishing book 2 was out already. Great read and one I highly recommend!!
February 28, 2012
"Rise of the Wolf" is an astonishing fantasy debut and a book, for which I have waited many, many years. For too long the subgenre of the epic fantasy was dying in the vicelike grip of slow-moving, low tension and neverending series of massive proportion and no sense of wonder and adventure at all. With "Rise of the Wolf" Curtis Jobling brings the genre back to its roots and creates an original world, in which he unleashes his imagination to create a fast paced adventure, which could easily be put next to the best works of Terry Brooks, Margaret Weis or David Eddings.
Drew is an ordinary farmboy, who lives with his family and helps them with the cattle. He is courageous and agile, but he is no hero or so he thinks. Things begin to rapidly worsen when his mother is suddenly killed by a mysterious black monster and Drew himself answers to this becoming a monstrous creature too. When his father returns, he finds only his transformed son, blames him for the dead of his beloved wife and attacks him. Terrified, Drew runs for his life, thus becoming a fugitive and losing everything in a few horrifying ours. In the next few months, he lives like an animal in the creepy Dyrewood, being slowly consumed by the wolfish being, which is part of his nature. When he is captured by scouts however, Drew returns to his human self and soon discovers astonishing secrets - that he is a shapeshifter and all nobles in the world are creatures like him. Even more interesting is that he is the last werewolf - and thus is a sworn enemy of the Lion, who has usurped the throne of the king of all Werelords and is determined to wipe out the wolfish kind...
From there to the end, amazing adventures follow. Drew meets other werecreatures, some of them friendly, most of the them not, fights desperate battles against monstrous enemies and never loses the spark that makes him a true wolf - to fight for the weak and oppressed and never to back down when he sees injustices. In a world dominated by cynicism, this is always a welcome message and in a genre, full with pretentious series with obnoxious characters, this is a major comeback, which shows that the covenant, left by JRR Tolkien is still alive. Thank you, Curtis Jobling!
Drew is an ordinary farmboy, who lives with his family and helps them with the cattle. He is courageous and agile, but he is no hero or so he thinks. Things begin to rapidly worsen when his mother is suddenly killed by a mysterious black monster and Drew himself answers to this becoming a monstrous creature too. When his father returns, he finds only his transformed son, blames him for the dead of his beloved wife and attacks him. Terrified, Drew runs for his life, thus becoming a fugitive and losing everything in a few horrifying ours. In the next few months, he lives like an animal in the creepy Dyrewood, being slowly consumed by the wolfish being, which is part of his nature. When he is captured by scouts however, Drew returns to his human self and soon discovers astonishing secrets - that he is a shapeshifter and all nobles in the world are creatures like him. Even more interesting is that he is the last werewolf - and thus is a sworn enemy of the Lion, who has usurped the throne of the king of all Werelords and is determined to wipe out the wolfish kind...
From there to the end, amazing adventures follow. Drew meets other werecreatures, some of them friendly, most of the them not, fights desperate battles against monstrous enemies and never loses the spark that makes him a true wolf - to fight for the weak and oppressed and never to back down when he sees injustices. In a world dominated by cynicism, this is always a welcome message and in a genre, full with pretentious series with obnoxious characters, this is a major comeback, which shows that the covenant, left by JRR Tolkien is still alive. Thank you, Curtis Jobling!
June 5, 2015
Its very adventurous and its mostly about a farm boy who doesn't know that he is a prince and werewolf. He found himself with lost of experience and mystery. I really recommend it if someone loves fantasy.
August 2, 2017
4.25 out of 5 Stars
To be honest, I bought this book on a whim; I thought it was going to be some typical Middle Grade Fantasy series that I've read a bajillion times before--nothing too special.
OH. MY. JESUS.
i w a s s o w r o n g
I was surprised with how hooked I was to this book. And, before I got any further, yes, it did have the typical tropes of a fantasy novel: a farm boy who finds out his very existence is in danger, yet valued and much needed; has a secret ability; is a long lost 'heir'/noble figure; etc. But, the shit still entertains me and I love seeing how other people find creative ways to tell that story.
BUT, I will say that it may be mis-marketed. The Wereworld series is technically Middle Grade, but there are some graphic scenes in this installment (Minor spoilers): There's a decapitation; there's a scene where Drew is getting sliced up and tortured(similar to the scene from One Punch Man where Genos is getting hacked by that mosquito lady...or, at least, that's how I pictured it lol)
Also, I really liked how Curtis Jobling made Werewolves, or werecreatures cool again, instead of whiny teenagers that always take their shirts off and lust over random girls and babies. Though this first installment only explains it for like a couple of paragraphs, to Drew, I hope that in later books, it explains more. Speaking of which, I like characters like Drew: someone who just wants a simple life, but finds himself saving the world, when he doesn't really want to. Someone who constantly questions his worth in the world and, despite being hunted and captured by the bad guys, even then, finds himself saving them from death...because they're people, too.
Also, Hector is awesome(even though I spoiled myself accidentally about things he does in later volumes trying to find the other books on BookOutlet, BUT, I still think highly of him and, I'd be Hector in certain situations in this book, as well.)
It takes a lot for a book--that I wasn't even halfway through--for me to say to go: "I need ALL of the books, right now!" I hope the rest of the books are just as entertaining as this was.
To be honest, I bought this book on a whim; I thought it was going to be some typical Middle Grade Fantasy series that I've read a bajillion times before--nothing too special.
OH. MY. JESUS.
i w a s s o w r o n g
I was surprised with how hooked I was to this book. And, before I got any further, yes, it did have the typical tropes of a fantasy novel: a farm boy who finds out his very existence is in danger, yet valued and much needed; has a secret ability; is a long lost 'heir'/noble figure; etc. But, the shit still entertains me and I love seeing how other people find creative ways to tell that story.
BUT, I will say that it may be mis-marketed. The Wereworld series is technically Middle Grade, but there are some graphic scenes in this installment (Minor spoilers): There's a decapitation; there's a scene where Drew is getting sliced up and tortured(similar to the scene from One Punch Man where Genos is getting hacked by that mosquito lady...or, at least, that's how I pictured it lol)
Also, I really liked how Curtis Jobling made Werewolves, or werecreatures cool again, instead of whiny teenagers that always take their shirts off and lust over random girls and babies. Though this first installment only explains it for like a couple of paragraphs, to Drew, I hope that in later books, it explains more. Speaking of which, I like characters like Drew: someone who just wants a simple life, but finds himself saving the world, when he doesn't really want to. Someone who constantly questions his worth in the world and, despite being hunted and captured by the bad guys, even then, finds himself saving them from death...because they're people, too.
Also, Hector is awesome(even though I spoiled myself accidentally about things he does in later volumes trying to find the other books on BookOutlet, BUT, I still think highly of him and, I'd be Hector in certain situations in this book, as well.)
It takes a lot for a book--that I wasn't even halfway through--for me to say to go: "I need ALL of the books, right now!" I hope the rest of the books are just as entertaining as this was.
April 11, 2025
Such a great adventure story. Very cliche but still enjoyable.
The plot and world are very simple but the stakes are still high and everything is still very entertaining. I was bored very rarely as there was always something happening.
I do think the only thing I'm not happy with are the characters. They're not unbearable but very flat and copy and paste. Very few of them if any of them have real depth. Also their actions were inconsistent at times as if they were just doing certain things to further the plot.
3.5 stars
The plot and world are very simple but the stakes are still high and everything is still very entertaining. I was bored very rarely as there was always something happening.
I do think the only thing I'm not happy with are the characters. They're not unbearable but very flat and copy and paste. Very few of them if any of them have real depth. Also their actions were inconsistent at times as if they were just doing certain things to further the plot.
3.5 stars
August 16, 2017
رواية مسلية ولطيفة لكن الترجمة السيئة جعلتني أفقد المتعة أثناء القراءة👎
January 1, 2011
Imagine a fantasy world on par with that created by Tolkien for his Lord of the Rings books, and then take away the orcs, elves, dwarves, etc. and throw in a werewolf. And some werelions. Oh yes, and whilst you're at it wererats, werefoxes, wereboar and even a wereshark. Add to this a huge amount of writing talent and the end product is Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling, the most exciting fantasy story I have read for years.
I imagine that many readers will make the same incorrect assumption about this book that I made: i.e. it is about a werewolf so therefore it must be a horror story. I couldn't have been more wrong - yes, there are some pretty nasty moments throughout the book, but this is truly a traditional fantasy story, although the kind I feel would still have great appeal to horror fans who claim that they "don't do fantasy". The main title, Wereworld, is the big clue to this books genre, for that is exactly what Curtis Jobling as created - a whole new world where the ruling elite are the werelords, all of them shapeshifters, and all able to turn into their own particular animal. Some of these werelords belong to long and magnificent dynasties, others have fallen from grace and now serve the more powerful shapeshifters in some way or another.
Like all great fantasy writers Curtis Jobling has not just created a world for his story, but in Rise of the Wolf has has also created a back history, elements of which he reveals teasingly as the story progresses. This left me completely torn in two as a reader - dying to know how the events of the story would unfold, but also desperate for the action to be put on hold so that I could find out more about this incredibly original fantasy world. This made for perfect reading in my opinion - the pages kept turning and the chapters flew by long into the night as I became totally immersed in the story. This man really knows how to tell a story!
As you can probably guess from my praise so far, the world building is one of the huge strengths of this book, but a well-built fantasy world does not on its own make a great story - for that you need believable characters who readers will grow to love and hate, and Rise of the Wolf is certainly not short of these. First up, there is Drew, a farm boy who lives a simple life with his parents and brother. He is most definitely a mummy's boy, his father very obviously favouring his brother, with whom Drew has very little in common. But he is happy. However, one night something happens that finds Drew on the run, wrongly suspected of a heinous crime committed by a hideous beast, the like of which Drew has never before seen, and so begins Drew's epic journey of discovery. For he is the only remaining werewolf, last in a long line of an ancient royal line, but also a threat to the power of the land's ruler - the evil and merciless werelion King Leopold.
For many authors it can be quite a challenge just to create one or main characters that will pull the reader into their world. However, along with world-building the other gift that Curtis Jobling has as a writer is that of character creation as his fictional world of Lyssia is populated with myriad colourful characters that somehow all manage to stick in the memory of the reader, whether they have appeared in chapter after chapter, or have only made a fleeting appearance in a couple of key scenes. Some of them will make your laugh, some of them may make you cry. Some of them will most definitely pop up in a nightmare at some point in the future, I am sure. The beautiful thing about the whole werelord concept is that as readers we have pre-conceived notions of the personalities that various animals might have, and then when reading about the werelords in their human forms we automatically associate those traits with them. This helped me create very vivid pictures in my mind of what these various characters looked like, thus making them all the more memorable. Sometimes when reading large scale fantasy stories populated with vast numbers of characters I find myself having to stop and remind myself who some of the main characters are; in Wereworld this did not happen even once.
This really is the kind of story that could get reluctant readers hooked on books, although a degree of confidence when reading is needed. I know a good number of academically able boys whose parents despair because they supposedly find book boring, and would rather be playing on their X-Boxes, PS3s, and so on. Having just equipped myself with an iphone 4, and wasted a great deal of time playing with games and apps, I wonder whether I would have read as much if all these fab gadgets had been around back then. What I do know is that Wereworld is one of those books that would have pulled me away from those other distractions and had me enthralled from the first page until the very last, leaving me hungry for the next instalment.
I imagine that many readers will make the same incorrect assumption about this book that I made: i.e. it is about a werewolf so therefore it must be a horror story. I couldn't have been more wrong - yes, there are some pretty nasty moments throughout the book, but this is truly a traditional fantasy story, although the kind I feel would still have great appeal to horror fans who claim that they "don't do fantasy". The main title, Wereworld, is the big clue to this books genre, for that is exactly what Curtis Jobling as created - a whole new world where the ruling elite are the werelords, all of them shapeshifters, and all able to turn into their own particular animal. Some of these werelords belong to long and magnificent dynasties, others have fallen from grace and now serve the more powerful shapeshifters in some way or another.
Like all great fantasy writers Curtis Jobling has not just created a world for his story, but in Rise of the Wolf has has also created a back history, elements of which he reveals teasingly as the story progresses. This left me completely torn in two as a reader - dying to know how the events of the story would unfold, but also desperate for the action to be put on hold so that I could find out more about this incredibly original fantasy world. This made for perfect reading in my opinion - the pages kept turning and the chapters flew by long into the night as I became totally immersed in the story. This man really knows how to tell a story!
As you can probably guess from my praise so far, the world building is one of the huge strengths of this book, but a well-built fantasy world does not on its own make a great story - for that you need believable characters who readers will grow to love and hate, and Rise of the Wolf is certainly not short of these. First up, there is Drew, a farm boy who lives a simple life with his parents and brother. He is most definitely a mummy's boy, his father very obviously favouring his brother, with whom Drew has very little in common. But he is happy. However, one night something happens that finds Drew on the run, wrongly suspected of a heinous crime committed by a hideous beast, the like of which Drew has never before seen, and so begins Drew's epic journey of discovery. For he is the only remaining werewolf, last in a long line of an ancient royal line, but also a threat to the power of the land's ruler - the evil and merciless werelion King Leopold.
For many authors it can be quite a challenge just to create one or main characters that will pull the reader into their world. However, along with world-building the other gift that Curtis Jobling has as a writer is that of character creation as his fictional world of Lyssia is populated with myriad colourful characters that somehow all manage to stick in the memory of the reader, whether they have appeared in chapter after chapter, or have only made a fleeting appearance in a couple of key scenes. Some of them will make your laugh, some of them may make you cry. Some of them will most definitely pop up in a nightmare at some point in the future, I am sure. The beautiful thing about the whole werelord concept is that as readers we have pre-conceived notions of the personalities that various animals might have, and then when reading about the werelords in their human forms we automatically associate those traits with them. This helped me create very vivid pictures in my mind of what these various characters looked like, thus making them all the more memorable. Sometimes when reading large scale fantasy stories populated with vast numbers of characters I find myself having to stop and remind myself who some of the main characters are; in Wereworld this did not happen even once.
This really is the kind of story that could get reluctant readers hooked on books, although a degree of confidence when reading is needed. I know a good number of academically able boys whose parents despair because they supposedly find book boring, and would rather be playing on their X-Boxes, PS3s, and so on. Having just equipped myself with an iphone 4, and wasted a great deal of time playing with games and apps, I wonder whether I would have read as much if all these fab gadgets had been around back then. What I do know is that Wereworld is one of those books that would have pulled me away from those other distractions and had me enthralled from the first page until the very last, leaving me hungry for the next instalment.
April 9, 2011
I am going to unleash the fan girl within me and say I LOVE THIS BOOK *squealing*!
Drew is a farm boy living with his family in a remoted part of Lyssia. He doesn't fit in and, when compared with his twin brother, feels that he can't do much. One night, something terrible happens to him and before he knows it, he finds himself on the run and having to survive in hostile environments full of werecreatures. His journey though is only beginning and he will go through more than he could ever imagine.
This book is fantastic and everyone should read it! I was hooked from the first page (literally) and couldn't let go of it. And now all I want is to reread it until I can get my hands on the sequel!
The mythology created by Curtis Jobling is truly fascinating. The world of Lyssia and its mysterious inhabitants and customs blew me away. When we start the story we don't exactly know what is going on and the further we discover this world through Drew's eyes, the more we realise there is to learn. Drew lived in a remoted place and his vision of Lyssia is not the same as someone living in the populated areas. Lyssia is ruled by a ruthless tyrant and all the inhabitants are afraid. We also realise that Drew doesn't exactly believe in the myth of werecreatures but he will soon enough realise that they do exist.
I won't say more on this because if you pick up this book you will love discovering everything and everyone through the story, but I honestly can't get over the amazingness of Lyssia and its inhabitants.
The characters, and Drew in particular, are all thoroughly well-described and multi-dimensional. I absolutely loved Hector, Gretchen and Whitley! Gretchen is the ultimate snotty girl who keeps bringing Drew down, but there is more to her than her haughty attitude. Whitley's character is just amazing and I just loved this character's involvement in the story! The relationship and dynamics between characters made me want to read more and learn more about the story. And you need to read this book in order to meet Count Verga! He is just wow! I loved every single moments of the book with him!
The story-telling is brilliant! It is a third-person point of view but following Drew. Not only will you be hooked from the beginning, but you will let yourself guide through the story by Drew's voice. I always have the nasty habit of guessing the end of a book before it happens and even though I knew where the story was going, I kept being surprised at all the characters coming up along the story and the different plot points. It has been one wonderful ride and I won't be forgetting this adventure anytime soon. To tell you the truth, I read this book three weeks ago and have read a dozen in-between and all I can think about are werecreatures. I have a love for shape-shifters in general, but I have really fallen for this story.
I can't tell you enough how wonderful this book is and what an amazing addition to the fantasy genre! I am more than thrilled that Curtis Jobling started writing and I will be keeping an eye on his future books from now on.
Info: The book is perfect for both boys and girls. It contains some violent scenes so better suited for 11/12+ age range.
Drew is a farm boy living with his family in a remoted part of Lyssia. He doesn't fit in and, when compared with his twin brother, feels that he can't do much. One night, something terrible happens to him and before he knows it, he finds himself on the run and having to survive in hostile environments full of werecreatures. His journey though is only beginning and he will go through more than he could ever imagine.
This book is fantastic and everyone should read it! I was hooked from the first page (literally) and couldn't let go of it. And now all I want is to reread it until I can get my hands on the sequel!
The mythology created by Curtis Jobling is truly fascinating. The world of Lyssia and its mysterious inhabitants and customs blew me away. When we start the story we don't exactly know what is going on and the further we discover this world through Drew's eyes, the more we realise there is to learn. Drew lived in a remoted place and his vision of Lyssia is not the same as someone living in the populated areas. Lyssia is ruled by a ruthless tyrant and all the inhabitants are afraid. We also realise that Drew doesn't exactly believe in the myth of werecreatures but he will soon enough realise that they do exist.
I won't say more on this because if you pick up this book you will love discovering everything and everyone through the story, but I honestly can't get over the amazingness of Lyssia and its inhabitants.
The characters, and Drew in particular, are all thoroughly well-described and multi-dimensional. I absolutely loved Hector, Gretchen and Whitley! Gretchen is the ultimate snotty girl who keeps bringing Drew down, but there is more to her than her haughty attitude. Whitley's character is just amazing and I just loved this character's involvement in the story! The relationship and dynamics between characters made me want to read more and learn more about the story. And you need to read this book in order to meet Count Verga! He is just wow! I loved every single moments of the book with him!
The story-telling is brilliant! It is a third-person point of view but following Drew. Not only will you be hooked from the beginning, but you will let yourself guide through the story by Drew's voice. I always have the nasty habit of guessing the end of a book before it happens and even though I knew where the story was going, I kept being surprised at all the characters coming up along the story and the different plot points. It has been one wonderful ride and I won't be forgetting this adventure anytime soon. To tell you the truth, I read this book three weeks ago and have read a dozen in-between and all I can think about are werecreatures. I have a love for shape-shifters in general, but I have really fallen for this story.
I can't tell you enough how wonderful this book is and what an amazing addition to the fantasy genre! I am more than thrilled that Curtis Jobling started writing and I will be keeping an eye on his future books from now on.
Info: The book is perfect for both boys and girls. It contains some violent scenes so better suited for 11/12+ age range.
December 29, 2012
This probably sounds like a snobbish criticism, the kind of thing an ass might say, but at times throughout this book it almost seemed like Jobling was trying too hard, at least harder than he needed to in order to tell the story and get the right tone across. Don't get me wrong, I liked this book, enjoyed parts of it a great deal, but there were moments that seemed to be lacking in a way. I can't quite put my finger on it, something about the way the author writes his narrative just had me cringing a little in places -- there were moments when the story came across as cheesy, which was a shame, because it's a good story, it's compelling enough for me to want to carry on with this series and see what happens to Drew and the rest of the characters, and since I own the second book I'll probably go right into that and see how it goes.
June 12, 2025
Ich hab mir letztens ein paar Folgen der ersten Staffel hierzu angeschaut (The Wolf King) und auch wenn ich finde, dass die Serie von der Optik her mich nicht so ganz anspricht, hat mich die Geschichte an sich echt neugierig gemacht!
Deshalb hab ich jetzt auch direkt angefangen und bin begeistert :) Das englisch war recht einfach für mich zu verstehen und die vielen Abenteuer und phantastischen Elemente haben viel Spaß gemacht!
Ich freu mich auf die nächsten Bände :)
Deshalb hab ich jetzt auch direkt angefangen und bin begeistert :) Das englisch war recht einfach für mich zu verstehen und die vielen Abenteuer und phantastischen Elemente haben viel Spaß gemacht!
Ich freu mich auf die nächsten Bände :)
January 14, 2011
‘Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf’ is the first Young Adult paranormal book from Curtis Jobling. Jobling is already a renowned British illustrator and animator, best known for his work on the TV show ‘Bob the Builder’.
The Seven Realms is a mythical world where territories and borders are divided according to Lycanthropic rule. These ‘rulers’ are not only the traditional shapeshifting Werewolves, but a plethora of were animals known as ‘Werelords’. There are Wererats and Werefoxes stretching from The Badlands to Omir and many lands in between.
Our hero is Drew Ferran, a simple farmer’s son who is accused of a heinous crime he did not commit. Drew saw his mother murdered by a slavering beast. . . a beast he soon came to resemble. Now his father and twin brother, Trent, are on the hunt for the monster they believe Drew to be. He is forced to seek refuge in dangerous Lyssia where Drew discovers he is the last of the royal Werewolf blood line. . . and the Werelion, King Leopold, intends to make sure the blood stops with Drew.
I wasn’t sure I would like this Young Adult fantasy novel. It seemed like a thorough boys book and I went into it with much (girlish) trepidation . . . but by the end of the third chapter, I was hooked.
This book kicks off with a high-octane pace and doesn’t let up. I knew I was reading something special after the third chapter left me covered in goose-bumps. Jobling has a truly heinous talent for writing action and gore, and the scene in which Drew first encounters the monster that kills his mother is full of high-emotion and high-action;
The creature slowly advanced into the kitchen, drawing out the inevitable. It stepped through the chaos, wind cloaking it with rainwater as it shambled up to the table. A huge clawed hand trailed playfully along the wood, blood dripping on to the surface.
Tilly Ferran whispered the word ‘No’ over and over, again and again, but she knew this was her end, knew there was nothing she could do to stop the monster. The beast shook its head, stinking drool falling on to the table beside her head.
“I thought. . . I thought I was safe from you,” she mouthed, though the words found no volume. “I thought you’d never find us.”
The animal snarled a grin, leaning in towards her and mouthing a single word as it opened its mouth.
“Never.”
Then it closed its jaws round her throat.
Jobling’s novel is medieval-action-fantasy of the tallest order. Yes, this is a bit of a boys book (light on the romance, but with many a fight scene) . . . but fantasy and paranormal connoisseurs’ will appreciate ‘Wereworld’ for the intricate and fantastical tale that Jobling expertly weaves.
The novel has a bit of a Tolkien-esque feel to it, purely for the impressive world-building. Jobling writes about the Seven Realms with plenty of back story to keep readers hooked and mythical creatures to wow the imagination. This is a world that young readers can immerse themselves in, get lost in the Seven Realms history and mythology and let their imaginations run wild in the Wereworld universe. Brilliant!
The book has a very Brothers Grimm, Faustian feel to it. Drew is a fantastic protagonist with a heartbreaking task set for him. This book (and the series) is really all about Drew testing his mettle, discovering the ‘monster’ within and learning to either banish or accept it as a part of himself. There’s also a very interesting sibling dynamic going on between Drew and Trent that heightens the emotional stakes.
Though ‘Wereworld’ will stand out for the fantastical universe Jobling has created, it’s also the cachet of characters that made this an outstanding read. Werelion, King Leopold, is a great and god-like bad guy. And some of the secondary characters are fantastic; like Drew’s newfound friend, Gretchen, who became an instant favourite for her whip-quick wit.
Curtis Jobling’s debut YA book will no doubt appeal to the young male readership. It’s a gory swashbuckling fantasy-fest and guaranteed crowd-pleaser. But even though it is geared mostly toward the male readership, fans (both young, old and female) of the fantasy and paranormal genre will be sucked into Jobling’s impressive Wereworld and tugged along with Drew on his harrowing journey of (monster)self-discovery.
The second book in the Wereworld series is set for a January 2012 release, and I can’t wait!
September 4, 2025
Ik heb de serie gekeken op Netflix en zag dat het gebaseerd was op een boekenserie. De serie was gaaf, maar dit boek was echt de volle 5 sterren waard!
De serie is een stuk kindvriendelijker gemaakt, maar ik hou van de slightly gorey en gruwelijke details die in het boek zitten. Zal heel snel het vervolgdeel lezen!
De serie is een stuk kindvriendelijker gemaakt, maar ik hou van de slightly gorey en gruwelijke details die in het boek zitten. Zal heel snel het vervolgdeel lezen!
January 20, 2011
Drew Ferran was raised on a rural farmstead in an area called the Cold Coast. Drew lived the simple life with his family until tragedy struck one night while his father and brother were away at market. A monster invades their home. While terrified, Drew unleashes a beast from within himself that he never knew existed. His father and brother return to a gruesome scene of Drew huddled over his bloodied mother. Confusion and rage ensue as the blame quickly falls on Drew. He is forced to flee his own home to the forests where he has to survive on his own. Isolated and alone, Drew must come to terms with his demons and his destiny.
It has been awhile since I’ve read something in the young adult category. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the simple way these stories are told. The drawback of its simplicity is that the plot is quite transparent — I knew what was ultimately going to happen by the end of the second or third chapter. Even so, it was still a very enjoyable journey. Despite my initial reservations about the simple plot, I found myself excited to come home from work and buzz through a few chapters before bed.
The characters are likable in Rise of the Wolf, even if they are the typical Rurals, Royalty, and Renegades (my three R’s of fantasy characters) you see in most medieval fantasy. It’s also the Werecreateures themselves. The Weres retain most of their cognitive ability when transformed; They can even talk. Weres are also the royalty of this world. They pass down the transforming abilities genetically. Families of Werebears, boars, lions, and others are the nobles that control the various lands that make up the kingdom of Lyssia.
I changed my star rating for Rise of the Wolf three times. Bouncing from 3 to 3.5 before settling on the higher score of 4 stars. I was torn because I actually liked the book a great deal, but could not shake the feeling that such a cool idea for a world was wasted on another “farm boy finds his destiny” story line. I then came to the conclusion that I’m not your typical 13 year old. I am in fact 30, and have read more fantasy than your average young adult. If I had stumbled across Rise of the Wolf at an earlier age, it might very well be listed as one my favorite books and I’d think back on it fondly. Kind of like books you read a long time ago which might not now speak to you as they once did. The classic concepts used in Rise of the Wolf would have been new to me when I was the age this book was intended for. I figured it wasn’t quite fair to hold it to the same standards as the books I typically read.
Rise of the Wolf is the start of a new series by Curtis Jobling. Jobling has vast experience in communicating to a young audience. He is after all, the creator of Bob the Builder. If you are familiar with Jobling then you need to rid yourself of any preconceptions immediately. Rise of the Wolf is very much young adult complete with lots of blood, torture, and general mayhem. Nothing too graphic for 12 or 13 year olds, but I hesitate to recommend it for anyone younger than that. Parents should definitely give it a read first. Overall I found the characters to be charming, and the story engaging and fun — exactly what a YA book should be. The ending left no question that the intention is to release more WEREWORLD books, and I truly hope they do. —Justin for fantasyliterature.com
It has been awhile since I’ve read something in the young adult category. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the simple way these stories are told. The drawback of its simplicity is that the plot is quite transparent — I knew what was ultimately going to happen by the end of the second or third chapter. Even so, it was still a very enjoyable journey. Despite my initial reservations about the simple plot, I found myself excited to come home from work and buzz through a few chapters before bed.
The characters are likable in Rise of the Wolf, even if they are the typical Rurals, Royalty, and Renegades (my three R’s of fantasy characters) you see in most medieval fantasy. It’s also the Werecreateures themselves. The Weres retain most of their cognitive ability when transformed; They can even talk. Weres are also the royalty of this world. They pass down the transforming abilities genetically. Families of Werebears, boars, lions, and others are the nobles that control the various lands that make up the kingdom of Lyssia.
I changed my star rating for Rise of the Wolf three times. Bouncing from 3 to 3.5 before settling on the higher score of 4 stars. I was torn because I actually liked the book a great deal, but could not shake the feeling that such a cool idea for a world was wasted on another “farm boy finds his destiny” story line. I then came to the conclusion that I’m not your typical 13 year old. I am in fact 30, and have read more fantasy than your average young adult. If I had stumbled across Rise of the Wolf at an earlier age, it might very well be listed as one my favorite books and I’d think back on it fondly. Kind of like books you read a long time ago which might not now speak to you as they once did. The classic concepts used in Rise of the Wolf would have been new to me when I was the age this book was intended for. I figured it wasn’t quite fair to hold it to the same standards as the books I typically read.
Rise of the Wolf is the start of a new series by Curtis Jobling. Jobling has vast experience in communicating to a young audience. He is after all, the creator of Bob the Builder. If you are familiar with Jobling then you need to rid yourself of any preconceptions immediately. Rise of the Wolf is very much young adult complete with lots of blood, torture, and general mayhem. Nothing too graphic for 12 or 13 year olds, but I hesitate to recommend it for anyone younger than that. Parents should definitely give it a read first. Overall I found the characters to be charming, and the story engaging and fun — exactly what a YA book should be. The ending left no question that the intention is to release more WEREWORLD books, and I truly hope they do. —Justin for fantasyliterature.com
December 11, 2012
I will be the first to admit that I haven't delved into the werewolf/shape shifting genre. I really wasn't sure how a book like this would turn out to be for younger readers. Needless to say, I was really drawn in by the wonderful realm Curtis Jobling created. Not only that, Drew is such a likeable character. He strives to do the right thing above all. The supporting characters also help add dimension to the story providing for the action that is to follow.
The story begins with Drew living in a small farm town as a shepherd's son. This small town falls under the Seven Realms which are controlled by King Leopold the Lion a mean and ruthless leader. Hints that Drew is somehow different begin to emerge when the farm animals begin to get skittish around him and then he appears to be suffering from some ailment. Things drastically change when a black creature breaks into the home attacking his mother. Drew is forced into transforming into a Werewolf. Despite his efforts, Drew's mother is killed and upon his father's return, he is labelled her murder. Drew flees into the forest when his father attempts to kill him. Drew then roams the forest until he is captured by the Bearlords men. It is then he learns of his parentage and how he is sought after by non other than the King of Lyssia. There is way more to the story but I don't want to give to much away in my review.
Drew's story is a mythical tale involving Kings and Lords, Princes who transform from a human form into their Werelord counterpart, be it a bear, boar, fox or even shark. The detail with which the transformations for Drew are described can seem somewhat graphic (what with bones cracking and faces shifting) but intriguing and not to disturbing. Not a book for the faint of heart, yet it is also a story of allegiances and a boy who is true at heart. A delightful fantasy for a slightly older audience or someone who appreciates fantasy horror with plenty of action. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking for the next in the series as I want to see how the story progresses plus which Werelord will make an appearance next. Overall a 4 out of 5 book for me. An interesting side note, author Curtis Jobling designed "Bob The Builder." He has also posted a missing chapter from the book on his blog this past Halloween. http://badablingthing.blogspot.com/20...
Just for the record, copy of the book provided by Penguin publishing and won at Charlotteslibrary.blogspot. A big thank you to both.
The story begins with Drew living in a small farm town as a shepherd's son. This small town falls under the Seven Realms which are controlled by King Leopold the Lion a mean and ruthless leader. Hints that Drew is somehow different begin to emerge when the farm animals begin to get skittish around him and then he appears to be suffering from some ailment. Things drastically change when a black creature breaks into the home attacking his mother. Drew is forced into transforming into a Werewolf. Despite his efforts, Drew's mother is killed and upon his father's return, he is labelled her murder. Drew flees into the forest when his father attempts to kill him. Drew then roams the forest until he is captured by the Bearlords men. It is then he learns of his parentage and how he is sought after by non other than the King of Lyssia. There is way more to the story but I don't want to give to much away in my review.
Drew's story is a mythical tale involving Kings and Lords, Princes who transform from a human form into their Werelord counterpart, be it a bear, boar, fox or even shark. The detail with which the transformations for Drew are described can seem somewhat graphic (what with bones cracking and faces shifting) but intriguing and not to disturbing. Not a book for the faint of heart, yet it is also a story of allegiances and a boy who is true at heart. A delightful fantasy for a slightly older audience or someone who appreciates fantasy horror with plenty of action. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be looking for the next in the series as I want to see how the story progresses plus which Werelord will make an appearance next. Overall a 4 out of 5 book for me. An interesting side note, author Curtis Jobling designed "Bob The Builder." He has also posted a missing chapter from the book on his blog this past Halloween. http://badablingthing.blogspot.com/20...
Just for the record, copy of the book provided by Penguin publishing and won at Charlotteslibrary.blogspot. A big thank you to both.
October 6, 2015
***SPOILER ALERT*** (Lel not really)
Drew is an ordinary shepard's son, until a horrifying creature bursts into his home and savagely murders his mother-and Drew transforms into a beast himself. The genre of the book is fantasy, as it does involve magic and werewolf. My overall opinion on the book was would be an 8/10. I thought it deserved at least a 6 when I started the book, but as I progressed through the book, it got better.
The book is about a young boy named Drew who adventures on a long quest to stablize his werewolf powers. It takes place in the land of Dyrewood. Dyrewood really makes you care for the people there by being so peaceful and partially sad at times. The type of conflict is fate, as he eventually ends his quest and realizes he had the power to control it in him all along. A theme in the story could be adventure. I feel this way because there never seems to be a peaceful moment in the book, you just get used to the intensity of the book.
A major event that changed Drew into a more
serious and mature character. This event is Drew witnessing his mom die in front of him. An interesting thing that I learned in this story was that sometimes its okay to give up, especially when your surrounded by a vicious horde of werewolves.
My favorite part of the book would probably be when Drew stands up to a tribe of werewolves, and they leave him alone. I was satisfied when Darnoc, ruler of the werewolves was slayed by Drew in a final showdown. I thought that the ending of the book really made you frustrated, but thankfully, its continued in a series of the books. I was suprised when Lance, a very important character was killed.
I would rate this book a 3/5 because I didn't really like the how the ending left you on a cliffhanger. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes werewolves and fantasy books. If you liked my book review, your bound to like the book!!!
Drew is an ordinary shepard's son, until a horrifying creature bursts into his home and savagely murders his mother-and Drew transforms into a beast himself. The genre of the book is fantasy, as it does involve magic and werewolf. My overall opinion on the book was would be an 8/10. I thought it deserved at least a 6 when I started the book, but as I progressed through the book, it got better.
The book is about a young boy named Drew who adventures on a long quest to stablize his werewolf powers. It takes place in the land of Dyrewood. Dyrewood really makes you care for the people there by being so peaceful and partially sad at times. The type of conflict is fate, as he eventually ends his quest and realizes he had the power to control it in him all along. A theme in the story could be adventure. I feel this way because there never seems to be a peaceful moment in the book, you just get used to the intensity of the book.
A major event that changed Drew into a more
serious and mature character. This event is Drew witnessing his mom die in front of him. An interesting thing that I learned in this story was that sometimes its okay to give up, especially when your surrounded by a vicious horde of werewolves.
My favorite part of the book would probably be when Drew stands up to a tribe of werewolves, and they leave him alone. I was satisfied when Darnoc, ruler of the werewolves was slayed by Drew in a final showdown. I thought that the ending of the book really made you frustrated, but thankfully, its continued in a series of the books. I was suprised when Lance, a very important character was killed.
I would rate this book a 3/5 because I didn't really like the how the ending left you on a cliffhanger. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes werewolves and fantasy books. If you liked my book review, your bound to like the book!!!
December 28, 2010
I’d say the best way to describe this book is Pirates of the Caribbean meets Lord of the rings. Curtis Joblings introduces us to a completely unique and exciting world full of unpredictability and adventure.
But don’t be fooled by Curtis Joblings graceful writing style, he doesn’t pull any punches. The amount of horrible things that happen to the main characters especially Drew really makes you wonder exactly how much pain can a reader endure.
The first half of the book develops at a calm steady pace, as there is a lot to set up in the world of Lyssia. The second half goes at a much faster pace as the plot really kicks in, but at times I found it hard to keep up with the array of plot twists, and had to flip back and reread a few pages.
My favorite character in Rise of the wolf was Gretchen; I experience every emotion possible towards her, from irritation and anger to downright hate then to sympathy and worship, Gretchen is officially an awesome character. Her witty jokes definitely lighten the mood of the novel.
Overall Wereworld was a great read; it’s not like the other werewolf books. It’s packed with, action, violence, romance, betrayal and likeable and also hateable characters. I’m really interested to see what the characters will do next as the Wereworld is such a rich and dense world, anything could happen. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel to see what happens next in the werewar.
But don’t be fooled by Curtis Joblings graceful writing style, he doesn’t pull any punches. The amount of horrible things that happen to the main characters especially Drew really makes you wonder exactly how much pain can a reader endure.
The first half of the book develops at a calm steady pace, as there is a lot to set up in the world of Lyssia. The second half goes at a much faster pace as the plot really kicks in, but at times I found it hard to keep up with the array of plot twists, and had to flip back and reread a few pages.
My favorite character in Rise of the wolf was Gretchen; I experience every emotion possible towards her, from irritation and anger to downright hate then to sympathy and worship, Gretchen is officially an awesome character. Her witty jokes definitely lighten the mood of the novel.
Overall Wereworld was a great read; it’s not like the other werewolf books. It’s packed with, action, violence, romance, betrayal and likeable and also hateable characters. I’m really interested to see what the characters will do next as the Wereworld is such a rich and dense world, anything could happen. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel to see what happens next in the werewar.
September 9, 2015
I am conflicted about this book.
It uses a trope that is commonly seen--below average boy suddenly finds out that he is above average and probably a king or wizard or other really cool thing--so the novel wasn't exactly unpredictable. The pacing was slow, especially at the beginning where the book really takes a good 60 pages *after* the inciting incident to really get rolling and then continues to struggle with long blocks of little happening interspersed with a few good action sequences. But those things could be overlooked. They could be dealt with if that were it. But I found myself so distracted by the writing that it was a true struggle to enjoy the good that could be found in the story, if not the storytelling. And I think the key word there may be "telling." There is so much telling the reader how every character is feeling and why they are doing what they are doing, that it is distracting. Add to that the frequency with which we we were head-jumping in what felt like a mostly-third-person-close-but-every-now-and-then-for-one-sentence-omniscient narrator and I often felt myself jarred from the story. It's a shame, too, because I can see the potential for a great story in a world full of were-creatures.
I am undecided about whether or not I will continue, despite assurances that it gets better...
It uses a trope that is commonly seen--below average boy suddenly finds out that he is above average and probably a king or wizard or other really cool thing--so the novel wasn't exactly unpredictable. The pacing was slow, especially at the beginning where the book really takes a good 60 pages *after* the inciting incident to really get rolling and then continues to struggle with long blocks of little happening interspersed with a few good action sequences. But those things could be overlooked. They could be dealt with if that were it. But I found myself so distracted by the writing that it was a true struggle to enjoy the good that could be found in the story, if not the storytelling. And I think the key word there may be "telling." There is so much telling the reader how every character is feeling and why they are doing what they are doing, that it is distracting. Add to that the frequency with which we we were head-jumping in what felt like a mostly-third-person-close-but-every-now-and-then-for-one-sentence-omniscient narrator and I often felt myself jarred from the story. It's a shame, too, because I can see the potential for a great story in a world full of were-creatures.
I am undecided about whether or not I will continue, despite assurances that it gets better...
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