Format: Hardcover

A well-developed, tightly plotted fantasy; readers will want installments two and three.

In 15th-century Europe, war looms and monstrous wolves and other beasts roam the night. The year is 1461, and neighborin... In 15th-century Europe, war looms and monstrous wolves and other beasts roam the night. The year is 1461, and neighboring countries Skoland and Medinia seem to brokering an uneasy truce after generations of war. Not all are happy about this development, however. Leaders and peasants on both sides have a difficult time trusting that there will be peace, especially after a series of brutal attacks in the countryside leave both sides suspecting the other. Willie, a young serf, is dragged into the conflict directly when he attempts to save the animals on his farm from a pack of creatures with characteristics of both man and wolf, which possess inhuman strength and speed. He’s bitten but survives. As a result, the Pack takes him to nearby Varakov, where this group of wolfmen lives under the protection of the mysterious Lord Victor, who may not be completely human either. Willie hates the Pack and all associated with them, but he soon learns that everything is more complicated than he once believed; he must decide for himself whom he can trust and whom he cannot. While this is mostly Willie’s tale, the rest of the cast is granted complex personalities, allowing the reader to decide, like Willie, who can be believed. Similarly, there is a wonderful exchange between fantasy and historical fiction here, as the countries of Skoland, Medinia and Varakov have their histories firmly based in the true medieval history of Europe, while leaving room for fantasy in the narratives of the Pack and their brethren. Two books follow this one, and they each promise to add more to this excellent world. A well-developed, tightly plotted fantasy; readers will want installments two and three.

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Format: Hardcover

Run with the Wolves Vol 1 The Pack

By combining several common dark fantasy elements and adding a few of his own creations, T c Tombs has avoided the bigge... By combining several common dark fantasy elements and adding a few of his own creations, T c Tombs has avoided the biggest problem of werewolf stories: most of them are pretty much the same. Thus, The Pack, the first volume in his Run with the Wolves trilogy, is more interesting than the majority of novels in the genre. Set in the 15th century, the tale commences as a large pack of two-legged and four-legged “wolves” attacks a farm in the kingdom of Medinia. Amazingly, Willie, a brave field hand, dispatches two of the giant wolves before he is brought down by a severe bite. Despite disagreements among the packs’ individuals, Woodrow, the two-legged pack leader, saves Willie and takes him back to his mountain cabin in the adjacent country of Varakov. Gradually, readers learn about the lunar curse that inflicts both wolves and men in Varakov and which will inflict Willie because he has been bitten. The author also introduces: Lord Victor, the Varakovan king and shape-changing liege to whom the wolf pack owes its loyalty; the Oddities, a clan of outcasts with physical and philosophical abnormalities who live in the Sanctuary in the forest also populated by the Pack; a ruthless band of mercenary soldiers also faithful to King Victor; and the royalty of the two feuding nations that border Varakov, the previously mentioned Medinia and Skoland. The Pack succeeds primarily because of Tombs’ talent for characterization. Readers will find empathy for those cursed by the moon as much as for their victims. And their interaction and dialogue are believable. However, the names he has chosen don’t fit with 15th century customs. Princess Hillary Michelle, for instance, has two modern names. Other names, such as Vinnie and Tiffany, also distract from a well-written and addictive first novel. Also available in paperback and ebook

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Format: Hardcover

Run With The Wolves (Volume One: The Pack)

Run With the Wolves is a fantasy adventure piece of fiction set in the 15th century. Author T. C. Tombs takes the well w... Run With the Wolves is a fantasy adventure piece of fiction set in the 15th century. Author T. C. Tombs takes the well worn and told werewolf and breathes fresh new life into it. He includes not only strong historical references but also refreshes the tried-and-true werewolf story with its darker fantasy elements as a brand-new narrative. The story begins with the well-to-do Smythe family who are headed on a trip to the outpost. Keep in mind we are in the 15th century, so this type of travel consists of a long trip away from home. Willie is a boy who has essentially been adopted by the Smythes, though he pays his dues acting like an indentured servant. He is close with his adoptive family’s birth son, almost as close as brothers. Willie is expected to tend to the farm and home when a group of Medinian Knights show up at Willie’s home. They barge in for some rest, relaxation and feasting. The interlopers had caused such a distraction to Willie that he didn’t realize he had forgotten to coral the sheep and cattle. On his trip to round up the animals, Willie is attacked by a large and aggressive pack of wolves. But these aren’t your average wolf pack, some of them are half wolf, half man. They walk upright like humans, coexisting and hunting with their four-legged counterparts. Here, Willie’s life is forever changed. T. C. Tombs is a master of description and transporting the reader directly into the story. I found his visuals to be all encompassing and easy to imagine. He does a fantastic job at giving the characters distinct voices and personalities. I highly recommend this book to anyone. The story is invigorating, especially if you are looking for a new twist on the classical werewolf lore. Run With the Wolves is an interesting take on an old tale that kept me reading late into the night.

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