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Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter #2
Heart of Scars
The Cheyenne spirits have named him Heart of Scars.The Beast has taken just about everything it can from Sylvester Logan James, and for twenty years he has waged his war with silver bullets and a perfect willingness to die. But fighting monsters poses danger beyond death.Sylvester’s feud has made him a villainous hero whose only remaining virtue is the greater evil of his adversary. Like a wounded animal, he charges headlong toward his own destruction. He contends with not just the ancient werewolf Peter Stubbe, the cannibalistic demon Windigo, and secret cartels, but with his own newfound fear of damnation. Haunted by cryptic nightmares and insatiable guilt, Sylvester’s own resolve will not let him surrender to an easy death. And he may just find that his own demons are his closest allies.
348 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2010
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113 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 31, 2011
Heart of Scars, Easton’s sequel to When the Autumn Moon is Bright: Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter, is easily one of the most action-packed, tour de force, dark urban fantasy novels I’ve ever read. This epic werewolf saga is non-stop action from start to finish with unflinching violence so well-crafted the pages practically turn themselves. Readers with faint hearts need not apply.
The voice of the novel differs sharply from its autobiographical predecessor, less a hindsight account of events than an as-it’s-happening report. The first installment was written from the vantage point of a man reexamining his life, and Logan’s introspective chronicle of his actions from orphaned childhood to Reydosnin warrior to hardened werewolf hunter during his self-destructive war on the Beast were peppered with hindsight wisdom. Heart of Scars conveys no such wisdom as readers follow Logan’s dark descent of the human soul while his hatred for the Beast consumes him.
Heart of Scars focuses more heavily on Logan’s clandestine employment for the Canadian government and various missions utilizing his assassination skills (a la James Bond) forcing his werewolf obsession to the back burner. This departure from fanatical werewolf-killing that was so integral to the first book may be off-putting for some reader, but there are still numerous encounters along the way in which Logan dispatches the Beast or its various hosts. Persevere with the story and you will be rewarded with an Odyssey of trials Logan is forced to undergo in order to come to terms with his hatred for the Beast in his quest for redemption.
Among his action-packed adventures are sadistic fight scenes with human and animal predators described in vivid, gore-soaked detail, explosive confrontations with agents of Jabberwocky—the global criminal organization dealing in such murky business as slave trading, organ harvesting, fetus sales, occult sacrifice—and a disturbing twist as Logan is possessed by the Windigo spirit whose presence infuses him with creepy cannibalistic urges coupled by freaky hallucinations and aberrant sexual fantasies while lending the physical strength to go head-to-head with Peter Stubbe, an ancient boxenwulf and Logan’s chief nemesis as he contends with legacy werewolves of the Gandillion line.
Like its predecessor, this novel is well-written, clever, and very intelligent. Easton’s vocabulary coupled with the minutiae of details sprinkled casually throughout the story showcase his talent for page-turning prose that engulfs readers in Logan’s world – dark and dangerous as it may be. The research Easton must have put into this novel is evident in both his vivid narrative descriptions and clever dialogue. Many new and interesting characters make an appearance in the novel and the running list of new colleagues and villains is challenging to keep straight. Former characters make walk-on appearances but are less involved in new storylines. A closer examination of Logan’s family results in an unforeseen twist that paves the way for a third novel in this engrossing series.
I’m an avid reader of werewolf fiction, and Easton’s Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter series is easily one of the most gritty, hardboiled, creative dark urban fantasy worlds I’ve ever read. I found myself thoroughly absorbed by this book and reluctant to finish. Now I am eagerly awaiting the next installment. If you haven’t checked out this series, I highly recommend it. You won’t be disappointed.
The voice of the novel differs sharply from its autobiographical predecessor, less a hindsight account of events than an as-it’s-happening report. The first installment was written from the vantage point of a man reexamining his life, and Logan’s introspective chronicle of his actions from orphaned childhood to Reydosnin warrior to hardened werewolf hunter during his self-destructive war on the Beast were peppered with hindsight wisdom. Heart of Scars conveys no such wisdom as readers follow Logan’s dark descent of the human soul while his hatred for the Beast consumes him.
Heart of Scars focuses more heavily on Logan’s clandestine employment for the Canadian government and various missions utilizing his assassination skills (a la James Bond) forcing his werewolf obsession to the back burner. This departure from fanatical werewolf-killing that was so integral to the first book may be off-putting for some reader, but there are still numerous encounters along the way in which Logan dispatches the Beast or its various hosts. Persevere with the story and you will be rewarded with an Odyssey of trials Logan is forced to undergo in order to come to terms with his hatred for the Beast in his quest for redemption.
Among his action-packed adventures are sadistic fight scenes with human and animal predators described in vivid, gore-soaked detail, explosive confrontations with agents of Jabberwocky—the global criminal organization dealing in such murky business as slave trading, organ harvesting, fetus sales, occult sacrifice—and a disturbing twist as Logan is possessed by the Windigo spirit whose presence infuses him with creepy cannibalistic urges coupled by freaky hallucinations and aberrant sexual fantasies while lending the physical strength to go head-to-head with Peter Stubbe, an ancient boxenwulf and Logan’s chief nemesis as he contends with legacy werewolves of the Gandillion line.
Like its predecessor, this novel is well-written, clever, and very intelligent. Easton’s vocabulary coupled with the minutiae of details sprinkled casually throughout the story showcase his talent for page-turning prose that engulfs readers in Logan’s world – dark and dangerous as it may be. The research Easton must have put into this novel is evident in both his vivid narrative descriptions and clever dialogue. Many new and interesting characters make an appearance in the novel and the running list of new colleagues and villains is challenging to keep straight. Former characters make walk-on appearances but are less involved in new storylines. A closer examination of Logan’s family results in an unforeseen twist that paves the way for a third novel in this engrossing series.
I’m an avid reader of werewolf fiction, and Easton’s Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter series is easily one of the most gritty, hardboiled, creative dark urban fantasy worlds I’ve ever read. I found myself thoroughly absorbed by this book and reluctant to finish. Now I am eagerly awaiting the next installment. If you haven’t checked out this series, I highly recommend it. You won’t be disappointed.
January 25, 2013
Another great entry in the Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter saga. This book is dark and foreboding and the main character, Sylvester Logan James, just might be the greatest anti-hero ever.
Read this book. You won't be disappointed.
Read this book. You won't be disappointed.
July 2, 2022
Unbelievable
I'm not sure I have the words to do this series Justice. I've read so many werewolf novels and series that they all, at some point blend together and there is overlap in mythos, but the way that the author uses first person narrative to still accurately depict such vivid imagery. It's almost unreal. Beyond that, the depth and levels of evil of the wolves is incomprehensible. It does for werewolves what Lumley's necroscope series did for vampires. On to the 3rd installment!!
I'm not sure I have the words to do this series Justice. I've read so many werewolf novels and series that they all, at some point blend together and there is overlap in mythos, but the way that the author uses first person narrative to still accurately depict such vivid imagery. It's almost unreal. Beyond that, the depth and levels of evil of the wolves is incomprehensible. It does for werewolves what Lumley's necroscope series did for vampires. On to the 3rd installment!!
January 15, 2019
Pretty grim story...
But it's a good one. It's hard to imagine just how much pain Sylvester deals with in this story. He's got more holes in him than a pincushion. But he ends up with l of answers by the end of the book. Not for the squeamish.
But it's a good one. It's hard to imagine just how much pain Sylvester deals with in this story. He's got more holes in him than a pincushion. But he ends up with l of answers by the end of the book. Not for the squeamish.
May 26, 2022
2nd book in the Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter trilogy. Grim and extremely brutal as the story has continued. Brian Easton, again, does not disappoint with his story telling skills and intricate detailed descriptions. Solid follow-up to its predecessor and leaves one enticed for the final installation 🐺
Read
November 17, 2019Loved it
October 16, 2025
Still a very cool world, but this one was too complicated.
January 18, 2016
The sequel to Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter by Brian P. Easton, Heart of Scars resumes Sylvester's quest to rid the world of the Beast. I have to give props to Brian P. Easton because in two books, he's created the single most unromantic depiction of werewolves (or any supernatural creature) ever.
It makes me want to see what he could do with vampires because the werewolves are murderous, monstrous, Satanic scum. Really, for those people who are a bit tired of the "misunderstood monster" genre this is definitely the antidote.
Heart of Scars is less of an anthology than the previous book, which makes sense since Sylvester is slowing down in his middle years. A large portion of the book is devoted to examining the staggering toll on his sanity that the hunt for the Beast has enacted.
Sylvester doesn't whine about his condition, though. Brian P. Easton is better than that. Instead, we follow Sylvester as he travels further and further down the slippery slope until he thinks he's no better than the monsters he fights. Except, of course, the monsters keep traveling down it themselves.
As bad and nasty as Sylvester becomes, somehow, the monsters just keep getting worse. Seriously, they're involved in everything from cannibal flesh-trading to drugs to slavery to releasing s***** video games (okay, not the last one, but they could be). The creation of organized werewolf crime syndicates and hints at a greater hierarchy makes the monsters of this book more interesting creature than the violent serial killers of the first volume.
Really, it's a nice dissection of the usual treatment of monster and monster hunter. In a lot of books we get Vegetarian Vampire Hunters and the mortals who irrationally want to destroy them. Here, it's shown repeatedly that no matter how bad a human being is, he'll never be as bad as he would be if he was a werewolf. Lycanthropy seems to take everything bad about a person and turns it up to the eleven.
Surprisingly, Mister Easton grounds the story in realistic morality. He uses real-life monsters and criminal activity to give a context for the horrible crimes committed by werewolves and makes it clear they're evil but that doesn't necessarily make the people who fight them good. The opening of the book, with the trial of alleged werewolf Peter Stubbe from real-life history, makes the book feel more authentic. It also prepares the audience for the kind of messed up s*** they're going to encounter within the book.
For example, the book touches on the age-old D&D-ism "if all orcs are Chaotic Evil, what do you do with orc babies?" I won't spoil Sylvester's answer to the question.
Some of the actions taken by Sylvester during the book may shock readers of a delicate constitution (or who simply don't much care for ultraviolence). Sylvester is a seedy, violent, and brutal man who thinks he's willing to do whatever it takes to defeat his enemies (and usually is). The book doesn't excuse his behavior or attempt to make it cool. I've had enough of Jack Bauer being lauded as some sort of hero for torturing people, thank you very much. Sylvester is a broken man who gets by on pure grit.
Despite its many positive qualities, I think the book has some flaws. Sylvester's struggle with the Wendigo is something that tends a bit towards the metaphysical and our hero's always been a character best grounded in hard noir reality. The ending is confusing, relying on the surreal as opposed to the physical. Finally, there's a twist at the end that's somewhat unnecessary given we've already seen similar characters introduced in Sylvester's past life.
I also question how much Sylvester has changed at the end of his spiritual journey, mostly because he remains as ornery as ever. I suppose that can be forgiven, however, since that's what makes him interesting. If you change the main character too much, after all, you lose your audience. Sylvester is the meanest monster hunter since Solomon Kane and I wouldn't have it any other way.
8/10
It makes me want to see what he could do with vampires because the werewolves are murderous, monstrous, Satanic scum. Really, for those people who are a bit tired of the "misunderstood monster" genre this is definitely the antidote.
Heart of Scars is less of an anthology than the previous book, which makes sense since Sylvester is slowing down in his middle years. A large portion of the book is devoted to examining the staggering toll on his sanity that the hunt for the Beast has enacted.
Sylvester doesn't whine about his condition, though. Brian P. Easton is better than that. Instead, we follow Sylvester as he travels further and further down the slippery slope until he thinks he's no better than the monsters he fights. Except, of course, the monsters keep traveling down it themselves.
As bad and nasty as Sylvester becomes, somehow, the monsters just keep getting worse. Seriously, they're involved in everything from cannibal flesh-trading to drugs to slavery to releasing s***** video games (okay, not the last one, but they could be). The creation of organized werewolf crime syndicates and hints at a greater hierarchy makes the monsters of this book more interesting creature than the violent serial killers of the first volume.
Really, it's a nice dissection of the usual treatment of monster and monster hunter. In a lot of books we get Vegetarian Vampire Hunters and the mortals who irrationally want to destroy them. Here, it's shown repeatedly that no matter how bad a human being is, he'll never be as bad as he would be if he was a werewolf. Lycanthropy seems to take everything bad about a person and turns it up to the eleven.
Surprisingly, Mister Easton grounds the story in realistic morality. He uses real-life monsters and criminal activity to give a context for the horrible crimes committed by werewolves and makes it clear they're evil but that doesn't necessarily make the people who fight them good. The opening of the book, with the trial of alleged werewolf Peter Stubbe from real-life history, makes the book feel more authentic. It also prepares the audience for the kind of messed up s*** they're going to encounter within the book.
For example, the book touches on the age-old D&D-ism "if all orcs are Chaotic Evil, what do you do with orc babies?" I won't spoil Sylvester's answer to the question.
Some of the actions taken by Sylvester during the book may shock readers of a delicate constitution (or who simply don't much care for ultraviolence). Sylvester is a seedy, violent, and brutal man who thinks he's willing to do whatever it takes to defeat his enemies (and usually is). The book doesn't excuse his behavior or attempt to make it cool. I've had enough of Jack Bauer being lauded as some sort of hero for torturing people, thank you very much. Sylvester is a broken man who gets by on pure grit.
Despite its many positive qualities, I think the book has some flaws. Sylvester's struggle with the Wendigo is something that tends a bit towards the metaphysical and our hero's always been a character best grounded in hard noir reality. The ending is confusing, relying on the surreal as opposed to the physical. Finally, there's a twist at the end that's somewhat unnecessary given we've already seen similar characters introduced in Sylvester's past life.
I also question how much Sylvester has changed at the end of his spiritual journey, mostly because he remains as ornery as ever. I suppose that can be forgiven, however, since that's what makes him interesting. If you change the main character too much, after all, you lose your audience. Sylvester is the meanest monster hunter since Solomon Kane and I wouldn't have it any other way.
8/10
November 7, 2011
Heart of Scars, Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter, after the high I felt with the first book Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter, was a bit of a let down. I didn't like who Sylvester had become and he's the main character. I know he has issues from back when he was a child and watched a werewolf kill his father and then being raised/trained to hunt them. Add in being possessed by the Wendigo and Sylvester goes from being an honorable and noble man in the first book (yes, with some flaws) to something that was so different it was hard for me to wrap my head around. He's violent and vicious toward everyone, not just the creatures he has sworn to slay. I think the reason I had such a problem with the character change even with the possession was that Sylvester seemed so much stronger...like he would have been able to fight within himself more to keep the Wendigo at bay. That's my biggest issues with this book and I realize other readers may not feel the same as I and that is what I love about reading...we all get something different out of a story.
The rest of Heart of Scars was spot on with detail. The settings were visual and stunningly intricate. Brian P Easton, also, knows how to pack a punch...or should I say write a punch? The action is tangible. I swear I could "feel" the pain that characters when through as they were slaughtered and maimed. It was awesome! Definitely bloody without being gory and grotesque.
The rest of Heart of Scars was spot on with detail. The settings were visual and stunningly intricate. Brian P Easton, also, knows how to pack a punch...or should I say write a punch? The action is tangible. I swear I could "feel" the pain that characters when through as they were slaughtered and maimed. It was awesome! Definitely bloody without being gory and grotesque.
November 8, 2015
This was tough. For me it was a very hard read. The beginning flowed smooth enough. The ground work was established for a decent plot and then it went pear shaped. The character devolved. There was no cohesiveness for the character to the plot. I get that the author was writing from the standpoint of the character being overtaken by a foreign entity but the result was somewhat difficult to follow. The story was drawn out and in some places torturous to read through. I will say that the end snapped everything into place and like with the character everything became clear but it was a tiresome journey. It gives me hope for the next one.
June 27, 2009
Much, much darker in tone than the first book in this series, though you wouldn't think that could be possible.
An excellent account of Sylvester's descent into madness as he is possessed by the spirit of the Windigo in exchange for the power to best his enemies.
The second installation of The Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter is violent, gory, highly-sexed and just plain nasty. But in a good way, if that makes sense. This book is NOT for light reading in any sense of the word.
The Beast has much less face time here, though, so werewolf fans may feel some slight disappointment.
An excellent account of Sylvester's descent into madness as he is possessed by the spirit of the Windigo in exchange for the power to best his enemies.
The second installation of The Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter is violent, gory, highly-sexed and just plain nasty. But in a good way, if that makes sense. This book is NOT for light reading in any sense of the word.
The Beast has much less face time here, though, so werewolf fans may feel some slight disappointment.
June 26, 2016
Awesome book
Very well written. A very little long winded but the book makes you want to believe , do you root for the man or the spirit wolf.......read this and decide for your self you won't
be disappointed. It's a fight for your soul and self through out the entire book for Logan and you come along for the sometimes not so pleasant a ride never wanting to leave him.
Very well written. A very little long winded but the book makes you want to believe , do you root for the man or the spirit wolf.......read this and decide for your self you won't
be disappointed. It's a fight for your soul and self through out the entire book for Logan and you come along for the sometimes not so pleasant a ride never wanting to leave him.
January 6, 2014
Not as epic as the first book, but ten times gorier. Looking forward to the next installment.
October 28, 2013
I had to push myself through this one. I like the bones of the story, but the flesh seems to be lacking.
March 19, 2014
Again slow like the first book, but I can't help but follow this damaged man's story.
April 2, 2015
Great sequel.
Ties many loose ends from the first book, but was much darker. Captivated me from the start. Can't wait for the third book!
Ties many loose ends from the first book, but was much darker. Captivated me from the start. Can't wait for the third book!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews