Synopsis:
Othrun of Eastrealm’s victories in battle have made him a warlord to be feared throughout the continent of Acremia. His formidable knights have wreaked havoc on his foes. Now, the ultimate test awaits him and his warriors, as the great existential threat of invasion from the north has finally come to pass.
A confederacy led by the most ruthless Sanaavian rulers has besieged the tiny Eltnish kingdom of Rogonhe, a key strategic foothold the invaders covet in their plans to conquer all of Eltnia.
King Hert of Carthlughe has long fought to keep Rogonhe free and secure. Now, Hert calls his vassal Othrun, and his other allies to march their spears north into the bitter winter, to face the deadly, marauding Sanaavians, for whom war is but a sport.
Othrun’s situation has never been so dire. He is reeling from abandonment by his spiritual guide, marital troubles, and the core foundation of his beliefs being challenged by the pagan magic surrounding him. Despite this, Othrun must face harsh weather, rampaging armies, and sinister druids, risking not only his own life, but the lives of his family, and his entire army, to be faithful to Hert’s summons.
Othrun must also contend with the daunting powers and ruthless ambition of Queen Lysi, leader of the mysterious Coven of Mages, and his complicated relationship with her.
And finally, an old, bitter rival awaits Othrun in the cold north, bent on bringing the proud former Second Prince of Atalantyx to his knees.
But under Hert’s fierce leadership, all will not be easily lost for the Eltnish alliance. Hert plans to set upon his enemies like a pack of wolves, ripping them apart.
Blood will be spilt in the snow, heroes will fall, and Othrun’s legend as a warlord is bound to only grow if he can survive the fight.
But what price will Othrun pay for fidelity, and for glory?
Review:
I want to start off by saying this series just gets better over time.
P.L. Stuart has an incredible knack for weaving intricate plot lines, and A Pack of Wolves showcased that to its fullest. It was the culmination of so many events that began in earlier books, that as a reader, I knew were coming eventually, but how they were delivered… There was no predicting some of it. And I loved that.
The only comparison I can think of to make with this plot is it reminded me of a high-stakes game of Risk, with a dozen players all vying for supremacy. Alliances are formed—sometimes out of necessity, sometimes between “friends”, but in some cases, they were forced. There was betrayal and scheming. There was revenge, and some players got what was coming to them…but some were wholly undeserving of their fates.
And of course, there was battle and blood. There was the biggest, most epic battle of the series yet—and no one came out of it unscathed. But there were also a few heart-warming moments scattered throughout the book to balance out all of the death and destruction. It was really well done.
With the intricacies of the plot in this series, it’s one of those that the reader really needs to pay attention to details, because some of the seemingly unimportant comments or tidbits of information tend to become important later on. It’s epic, political fantasy at its best—and so worth the read.
If you haven’t checked out PL Stuart’s books yet, I encourage you to do so. The series begins with A Drowned Kingdom.
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