Wolf Brother: Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Book 1 - Hardcover

Paver, Michelle

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1842551701 ISBN 13: 9781842551707

Publisher: Orion Childrens Books, 2004

Synopsis

Thousands of years ago the land is one dark forest. Its people are hunter-gatherers. They know every tree and herb and they know how to survive in a time of enchantment and powerful magic. Until an ambitious and malevolent force conjures a demon: a demon so evil that it can be contained only in the body of a ferocious bear that will slay everything it sees, a demon determined to destroy the world.
Only one boy can stop it - 12 year old Torak, who has seen his father murdered by the bear. With his dying breath, Torak's father tells his son of the burden that is his. He must lead the bear to the mountain of the World Spirit and beg that spirit's help to overcome it.
Torak is an unwilling hero. He is scared and trusts no one. His only companion is a wolf cub only three moons old, whom he seems to understand better than any human.
Theirs is a terrifying quest in a world of wolves, tree spirits and Hidden People, a world in which trusting a friend means risking your life.

About this title

Review:

From extensive research about how the people of Northern Europe may have lived more than six thousand years ago, Michelle Paver has fashioned a remarkable debut novel for children. Wolf Brother, the first instalment of her six-book Chronicles of Ancient Darkness sequence, takes its readers back in time to an atmospheric world of snow, hunter-gatherers, tribes, clans, mountains, forests, bears and unearthly superstitions. For humans then, life was hard and Paver’s narrative taps wonderfully into all the sensations they must have experienced living amidst such an unforgiving landscape.

The book begins dramatically with the death of Torak’s father, the mage, Fa, from mortal wounds inflicted by a giant, possessed bear. Fa’s dying words bind Torak to a quest to find the mythical Mountain of the World Spirit. Only there will Torak find the strength needed to defeat the demonic creature and killer of men.

Having lived apart from other Clans, and burdened by such an impossible task, Torak is bereft by the death of his only companion in life and struggles to survive in the harsh conditions he now finds himself in. Then, instead of killing an orphaned wolf cub for food, Torak spares the tiny animal and together they travel north.

Torak gains a further companion for his arduous journey in the form of Renn, a headstrong and feisty girl of his own age whose Clan Torak inadvertently has an altercation with. Renn believes Torak to be The Listener--a prophesised being who will save the world--and together they escape from danger... into a different sort of peril.

Paver’s novel is strong on detail and the authenticity of her settings is breathtaking. She cleverly weaves a fantastical, but believable, layer onto her narrative that enriches her story and makes it all the more readable. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay

Review:

Wolf Brother combines elements of fantasy, prehistoric fiction and facts, to make a brilliant book. This the first in a series of six (and one of the best, too). I would recommend it to any one who likes wolves (essential!), magic and stone age people! (THE GUARDIAN)

The story is a rich tale full strong with the themes of survival, magic and folklore. Michelle Paver manages to install the same dreams in the reader's head that she once had herself - the dream to run with wolves in a prehistoric forest. (FANTASY BOOK REVIEW)

Wolf Brother, the first of six books in Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, is a terrific read, and I was instantly grabbed by the throat and whooshed along by the power of the writing. (HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY)

Rich in detail which brings the past to life and makes the forest background vivid to all readers (LOVEREADING4KIDS)

I liked the book because it is a thrilling, packed with a ton of action, and is an adventure you don't usually find in books. Wolf Brother never lets you stop reading, and it keeps a ton of suspense. (TEEN INK subscriber review)

Wolf Brother is a book where time passes quickly as the reader is absorbed into a colourful world. And before you know it the book has ended and you find you just have to grab the next book in the series and continue reading. (THE DESK OF KAREN LEE FIELD REVIEW)

Wolf Brother is the kind of story you dream of reading and all too rarely find...The descriptions of an ancient world... are wonderful. The vivid prose leaps off the page. (Amanda Craig The Times, 21 Aug 04)

Epic adventure (Publishing News, 14 May 04)

Deeply Atmospheric... breathtakingly expansive, classically formed adventure story. (The Bookseller Buyer's Guide Highlights, Autumn 04)

Michelle Paver...writes in a clear, engaging style...The relationships and setting are persuasively described. (Nicolette Jones, Children's Book of the Week The Sunday Times, 22 Aug 04)

About this edition

• Publisher: Orion Childrens Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1842551701
• ISBN 13: 9781842551707
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 236