THE WOLVES OF WAR ARE BAREING THEIR FANGS
International bestseller John Gwynne delivers a blockbuster epic fantasy inspired by Slavic mythology and packed with ancient magic, heroic sacrifice and thrilling adventure.
‘A heartfelt tour de force by one of fantasy’s greatest writers’ Jay Kristoff, New York Times bestselling author of Empire of the Vampire
The Clans once lived freely, honouring their gods and traditions. Then the northern invaders unleashed a tide of blood and fire. Now the Clans are a conquered people.
Ivan cares not for wars or kings. His only concern is the safety of his family, especially his daughter Halia, whom he would protect with his life. Halia has been trapped in her own body since birth, yet at night she has dreams of running with wolves and speaking with fae creatures of the forest. Many believe her cursed, but Halia’s awakening powers may be the only way she and her family can survive the coming storm.
For the wolves of war are stalking the horizon. Two princes have become mortal enemies, and an iron-toothed witch haunts the shadows. As mighty nations clash, Halia must master her strange magic to protect those she loves. To do so, she must accept a terrifying truth.
Sometimes, the only way through the darkness is to embrace it.
‘A truly breathtaking epic – vivid, moving and absolutely gripping’ Elodie Harper, No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf Den
‘From the very first sentence, I fell into the story. Excellent’ Robin Hobb, New York Times bestselling author
‘John Gwynne’s Wolves of War is a thrilling tale of battles large and small with his trademark authenticity . . . The narrative is at turns tender, violent, imaginative, and exciting. And sometimes all of these things at once’ Mark Lawrence, author of Prince of Thorns
‘Gwynne’s heart bleeds onto every page of this epic adventure. It is both tender and violent, savage and comforting. Easily my favourite read of the year’ Ryan Cahill, author of Of Blood and Fire
‘An utterly captivating tale of war, magic, treasure, and most of all, the love that binds family. John Gwynne is a master storyteller whose heroic characters remind us that even in dark and violent times, there is goodness and light’ Fonda Lee, author of The Last Contract of Isako and the Green Bone Saga
‘With deadly prose, armoured in weighty themes, Gwynne is a rare breed of writer whose gift lies not in his panoply of talents, but in his authenticity’ Pierce Brown, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author
REVIEW
The Wolves of War is one of the most epic titles I have ever seen to open a fantasy series by the brilliant John Gwynne. Time and time again, I am astonished that Gwynne works with the determination of one of Napoleon’s most brilliant marshals and yet, like a Nordic skald, can produce epic volumes of Norse fantasy for the world. That is a delight, and a testament to his determination to deliver the best in fantasy writing. So kudos to Gwynne himself.
The world is, of course, inspired by my instinct, from the days of Medieval Muscovy and the Vikings of the Rus. There is enough material and Slavic mythology to draw references from. And it is great that we get more of this from fantasy novels. We need to explore other periods of Medieval history that aren’t solely a rendition of Medieval England. So ask yourself: the world contains ruthless characters, scheming ones, cunning ones, manipulative ones. People who love magic and people who hate it. The coming storms arrive.
And do they ever produce peace? Can peace exist in the world Gwynne creates? Is there always war around? There’s a ton of questions. And without wishing to spoil anything, it becomes clear that if you read this book, you’ll be immersed in worlds that make you want to forget the real world. I hope one day that I too can write a series like Gwynne does at his level. It’s a fantastic novel, and I give this a 10/10.
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