Drew Ferran é um adolescente de 15 anos, que leva uma vida mansa até que... a lua cheia surge, uma terrível febre o acomete, sua gengiva se dilacera, suas unhas tornam-se garras... Ele se transforma em uma criatura animalesca! Drew não pode mais fugir de seu implacável destino. Uma fera terrível está pronta para atacar, e ele e seus inseparáveis amigos, Hector e Gretchen, iniciam uma caçada brutal, travando uma verdadeira batalha de vida ou morte. A origem do lobo é o primeiro livro da série Wereworld - uma eletrizante jornada épica de fantasia e horror.

Drew discovers his life is as the worst one, suddenly everybody wants to kill him, including the man he believed to be his father. He flees, hides, but destiny puts enemies and good friends on his way. These friends reveal his true story and show him where his place is in that world inhabited by werecreatures avid for power.

Rise of the Wolf is book one of a series created by Curtis Jobling; the author created a fictional world with human beings and werelords—humans that can change to boars, foxes, serpents, wolves…

They fight for power, love and other stuff.

It is a delightful book, very creative and interesting. The plot and characters are complex; you can´t predict what will happen. It captives you the moment you start the reading and you don´t want to stop until reaching the last page. ( )

The author created a fictional world with human beings and werelords, humans that can change into boars, foxes, serpents, wolves… they fight for power, love and other stuff. Very creative and interesting.

Drew´s life changes drastically; all of a sudden, everybody wants to kill him, including the man he thought was his father. He flees, hides, but the destiny put enemies and good friends in his way. These friends reveal his true story and show where his place is in that world inhabited by werecreatures avid for power.

The book is full of action, twists and turns that keep the story moving forward in a rushed rhythm. You can´t predict what comes next.

It´s a complex story and a little hard to understand what´s going on because there´s a mystery around Drew. You always ask yourself who Drew is. Well, I´ll just reveal that he is an intriguing character that seems powerless in the beginning but shows his strength when he has to survive in an hostile and unknown world. ( )

I loved the world in this story, a world where humans are ruled by werelords, shape-shifters with extraordinary powers that can transform into animals.
Our hero, Drew, believes he is just a shepherd's son. In fact he is the last of the werewolves, and if the werelion king gets his way he will soon join the rest of his race.
A fast paced adventure, I enjoyed thoroughly.

My only complain: This is a men's world. The ladies just look pretty and wait to be rescued.

For a full review go to: http://www.myshelf.com/tweener/fiction/11/riseofthewolf.htm ( )

I read this book out loud to my son. It was an okay fantasy story. I did have quite a few problems with it. My husband and son both listened along. My husband said 3 stars and my son 4 stars.

When Drew’s mother is brutally murdered Drew finds out he is a werewolf, but not just any werewolf. Drew is the long lost heir to the murdered Wolf-King’s throne and he will have to survive a whole bevy of enemies if he is going to claim his inheritance...or at least just stay alive.

This is a complex world with a lot of action and politics. However, some of the language was pretty awkward (which we all especially noticed because I was reading it out loud). There are a lot of archaic terms and a lot of very stilted sounding language. It just sounds clumsy at points. And the length of sentences...OMG...buy me an oxygen tank here...some of them were nearly a paragraph long.

This is a very violent story. It is marketed as middle grade and my son (at 7 years old) is just starting to read middle grade books like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I would recommend for older middle grade readers only. The injuries the characters get are incredibly explicit and numerous.

There are also many scenes where characters are beaten into unconsciousness and tortured. It was a bit intense for a middle grade novel and we almost stopped reading it because it was upsetting to my son. He just didn't understand why someone would be so cruel. He is a very enthusiastic reader, but he wants nothing more to do with this series. Maybe when he gets older he will revisit it.

My last complaint is the lack of strong female heroines. This is more apparent at the beginning of the book. In the beginning of the book there is Drew's mother (who is quickly slaughtered to death) and a noble girl named Gretchen who is a really obnoxious and nasty girl (pretty much your typical spoiled princess). I didn't appreciate the portrayal of women as generally helpless and conceited. Gretchen does gain more depth as the story continues and we do meet a couple other women characters towards the end of the book who have stronger and more interesting personalities.

I guess just be aware that this is a very male oriented world and the story was in general very chauvinistic. I probably think about this more than most because I have a young boy in the house who is already under the impression that girls wear glitter, lots of pink, and are silly and helpless. I would rather he see girls as people who are just as capable as he is.

Okay enough ranting. I guess I had a lot to say about this book. It's not an awful story but there are much better middle grade books out there. Check out Harry Potter JK Rowling, the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan, and Brandon Mull's Fablehaven and Five Kingdoms series. All of those series are much better middle grade reads. ( )

Drew is different. He's always known it. He's just never known how, or why. He confesses this to his mother, but before she can tell him how, something terrible happens. Something terrible that is blamed on him, forcing him to flee. He is a monster. Or so they think.Years later, he is found in the woods standing over a boy, who had fainted at the sight of him as a monster. Captured and taken to the king, Drew realizes that he is not a monster. He never was. He has a gift, a gift that many possess. Drew is a werelord, the last of the Werewolves. This an ability thought to have died out years ago. It is an ability hated, and an ability feared. Now Drew is a symbol of hope for the people, and now he is being hunted. What's a werewolf to do?
Rise of The Wolf is a very good book. Curtis Jobling doesn't just have werewolves. Oh no, he branches out into werelions and werefoxes and even wereotters! Imagination is skillfully woven into this new world with no limitations to how far it can reach. He does a wonderful job explaining how this can happen, the plot is filled with just the right amount of action and emotion, and the details are amazing. If you're looking for a good fantasy book, this is one to read! ( )

Rise of the Wolf: Book 1 (Wereworld) is the fiction-like book that a young boy figures out he is a werewolf. He has to battle many enemies to meet his goal to prove to his father that he did not kill him mother. He was raised on a farm one day and his father and twin brother went to the market to get stuff while the main character and his mother stay home and watch the house. A beast, not yet to be known, breaks in and kills the mother. The main character tries to fight the beast off with his father's sword, but instead, gets a beating and figures out he is a werewolf. He fights this beast with rage and manages to injure the beast. The beast flees and the fathers sees only the son laying next to the dead mother and the father goes into rage and stabs the main character. The main character escapes and the novel begins.
I really loved the part of how the main character had to go into conflict and it started the whole story. My opinion is that this was very good and that I have no dislikes at all. Drew, the main character is a mysterious character who is trying to prove that a beast that killed his mother was not him to his father. His father is a vengeful father who I kind of dislike because the part of him stabbing Drew and not letting Drew explain I think is way too harsh. Drew is my favorite character. He is the heart of the this book and I hope to read the others. I like how he is on many quests and still tries to prove his father. That beast that killed Drew's mother got me mad actually. I felt like I was him in real life. The story just blew my mind and I was stuck reading day and night when I got the chance to. This is the best novel I have read yet. ( )

This book starts gently, describing farmboy Drew, but already you get the feeling that something isn't quite right. Within the first few chapters the first major event takes place and from then on the plot rattles along nicely. Drew acts both as the main character and as the reader's way into the wonderful world created by Jobling - as Drew didn't know he was a werewolf he didn't know anything of the world of werelords. This world building is a key part of the plot and one I loved, at every turn there is a new were- species to be unveiled, my favourite was one of the last to be revealed - an animal I would have never thought could be a were- but one that works brilliantly.

I loved the character of Drew, for me he was just the right mix of headstrong yet uncertain teenager and leading man. The characters around Drew are also well written, and interesting. I particularly liked the character of Hector and the way his friendship with Drew evolved throughout the book. I also found I developed a soft spot for the lovely Duke Bergen. The plot is essentially journey based so this means there are lots of characters that are met along the way. I never found that I was having trouble keeping track of the more minor characters or that any of them had been less developed simply because they were only making a brief appearance.

I really enjoyed reading this book and am already eagerly awaiting the next instalment in the series. I think this has the potential to become a new favourite series. ( )

This book starts gently, describing farmboy Drew, but already you get the feeling that something isn't quite right. Within the first few chapters the first major event takes place and from then on the plot rattles along nicely. Drew acts both as the main character and as the reader's way into the wonderful world created by Jobling - as Drew didn't know he was a werewolf he didn't know anything of the world of werelords. This world building is a key part of the plot and one I loved, at every turn there is a new were- species to be unveiled, my favourite was one of the last to be revealed - an animal I would have never thought could be a were- but one that works brilliantly.

I loved the character of Drew, for me he was just the right mix of headstrong yet uncertain teenager and leading man. The characters around Drew are also well written, and interesting. I particularly liked the character of Hector and the way his friendship with Drew evolved throughout the book. I also found I developed a soft spot for the lovely Duke Bergen. The plot is essentially journey based so this means there are lots of characters that are met along the way. I never found that I was having trouble keeping track of the more minor characters or that any of them had been less developed simply because they were only making a brief appearance.

I really enjoyed reading this book and am already eagerly awaiting the next instalment in the series. I think this has the potential to become a new favourite series. ( )

Imagine a fantasy world on par with that created by Tolkien for his Lord of the Rings books, and then take away the orcs, elves, dwarves, etc. and throw in a werewolf. And some werelions. Oh yes, and whilst you're at it wererats, werefoxes, wereboar and even a wereshark. Add to this a huge amount of writing talent and the end product is Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling, the most exciting fantasy story I have read for years.

I imagine that many readers will make the same incorrect assumption about this book that I made: i.e. it is about a werewolf so therefore it must be a horror story. I couldn't have been more wrong - yes, there are some pretty nasty moments throughout the book, but this is truly a traditional fantasy story, although the kind I feel would still have great appeal to horror fans who claim that they "don't do fantasy". The main title, Wereworld, is the big clue to this books genre, for that is exactly what Curtis Jobling as created - a whole new world where the ruling elite are the werelords, all of them shapeshifters, and all able to turn into their own particular animal. Some of these werelords belong to long and magnificent dynasties, others have fallen from grace and now serve the more powerful shapeshifters in some way or another.

Like all great fantasy writers Curtis Jobling has not just created a world for his story, but in Rise of the Wolf has has also created a back history, elements of which he reveals teasingly as the story progresses. This left me completely torn in two as a reader - dying to know how the events of the story would unfold, but also desperate for the action to be put on hold so that I could find out more about this incredibly original fantasy world. This made for perfect reading in my opinion - the pages kept turning and the chapters flew by long into the night as I became totally immersed in the story. This man really knows how to tell a story!

As you can probably guess from my praise so far, the world building is one of the huge strengths of this book, but a well-built fantasy world does not on its own make a great story - for that you need believable characters who readers will grow to love and hate, and Rise of the Wolf is certainly not short of these. First up, there is Drew, a farm boy who lives a simple life with his parents and brother. He is most definitely a mummy's boy, his father very obviously favouring his brother, with whom Drew has very little in common. But he is happy. However, one night something happens that finds Drew on the run, wrongly suspected of a heinous crime committed by a hideous beast, the like of which Drew has never before seen, and so begins Drew's epic journey of discovery. For he is the only remaining werewolf, last in a long line of an ancient royal line, but also a threat to the power of the land's ruler - the evil and merciless werelion King Leopold.

For many authors it can be quite a challenge just to create one or main characters that will pull the reader into their world. However, along with world-building the other gift that Curtis Jobling has as a writer is that of character creation as his fictional world of Lyssia is populated with myriad colourful characters that somehow all manage to stick in the memory of the reader, whether they have appeared in chapter after chapter, or have only made a fleeting appearance in a couple of key scenes. Some of them will make your laugh, some of them may make you cry. Some of them will most definitely pop up in a nightmare at some point in the future, I am sure. The beautiful thing about the whole werelord concept is that as readers we have pre-conceived notions of the personalities that various animals might have, and then when reading about the werelords in their human forms we automatically associate those traits with them. This helped me create very vivid pictures in my mind of what these various characters looked like, thus making them all the more memorable. Sometimes when reading large scale fantasy stories populated with vast numbers of characters I find myself having to stop and remind myself who some of the main characters are; in Wereworld this did not happen even once.

This really is the kind of story that could get reluctant readers hooked on books, although a degree of confidence when reading is needed. I know a good number of academically able boys whose parents despair because they supposedly find book boring, and would rather be playing on their X-Boxes, PS3s, and so on. Having just equipped myself with an iphone 4, and wasted a great deal of time playing with games and apps, I wonder whether I would have read as much if all these fab gadgets had been around back then. What I do know is that Wereworld is one of those books that would have pulled me away from those other distractions and had me enthralled from the first page until the very last, leaving me hungry for the next instalment. ( )

I tried and tried to get into this story. It fits in nicely with my favorite genres of young adult paranormal books, but the story was very confusing to me.

After much thought and debate with myself, I have come to the conclusion that this story is more suited for actual YOUNG readers of YA, and more specifically for young male readers--a demographic lacking good storylines and great characters in the wake of the last Harry Potter movie.

There's potential here, but I'm sorry Mr. Jobling.....
1 star ( )

I honestly don't have a bad word to say about this book. It was amazing. Honestly, this will most likely be more of a gush that a review...but hey...it's my blog right?

I don't think I realized this about myself before, but after reading Wereworld I discovered that I love me a character who can get his ass thoroughly kicked, and either run away or luckily win a fight because someone who cared about them helped them out...not just because they are the main character, and they are uber, and have super powers and are God-like. I seriously hate when a main character wins just because they are the main character and so you know they must. It takes the suspense right out of it for me. But with Drew, the main character of Wereworld, you never lose that suspense. That poor boy sure does take his beatings, and takes the time to heal from them afterwards. He doesn't just jump up, all better, and save the world. I respect that.

I also respect the fact that Drew is a true chivalrous character. He does what is right, because it truly bothers him when people are doing wrong. He doesn't want fame and fortune, he would much prefer to hide back at his family's farm herding sheep, but fate won't let him. Half the time he doesn't even mean to be all chivalrous and heroic. When his temper gets him all riled up he steps in to block the punch on the little guy just as quickly as most other men lose their tempers and swing out at whatever is near them. It just comes naturally to Drew to protect and stand up for the people who cannot stand up for themselves. Have I mentioned how much I adore Drew?

A large portion of the characters in this book are what I refer to as shifters, in some form or another. It was quite entertaining to see all the types of shifters, known as Werelords, in the book. The shifting process seemed quite involved and I found myself squirming as characters shifted completely, and sometimes just parts of their bodies. I loved how Werelords broke out their shifted paws, jaws and claws whenever it came time to do battle.

I have to admit that as much as I love werewolves, in this book the wereshark won me over completely. Count Vega of the Cluster Isles was like a Captain Jack Sparrow meets Captain James Hook meets Jaws. He was awesome.

The world building was phenomenal. Everything was so realistic and lively. It reacted to the characters and the characters reacted back in turn. It wasn't just a colorful scene painted in the background merely just to be there. The swamps, the woods, the seas, everything was just so alive! It was easy to immerse oneself deeply into the world around them as they journeyed right there beside Drew every step of the way.

And the story, let's not forget about the story itself! Although not overly unique, the Jobling did such a wonderful job with the story-telling it's almost as fresh as a newly written, never heard before story.

I can't wait for the second one to come out! Rage of the Lions...yup...you know what is coming...and it has to be good! ( )

Tradução de Werewold: Rise of the Wolf

When I requested this book from LibraryThing I did not really think that I would win it. They have so many people asking for books each month that it is always exciting when I win a book. Yet when I received the book I was reluctant to start reading it. It had a lot to do with the cover. The cover at the top of this post is the same one on the ARC that I received and I was not impressed with the giant animal thing that faced my in full cover. If it was supposed to be Drew in wolf form than I did not like how much it did not resemble a wolf. I like my werecreatures to at least look like the animal that they turn into and that think looked like a rat.

I broke down after more months than I would care to admit to. Yet the moment I read the first page I was hooked. I had already started to try to guess what was going to happen so that I could maybe say that I knew the ending from the first page. Oh how wrong I was. While I was able to guess some things none of it was really how I thought it would be. It kept me thinking and it kept me interested. I also found out that the animal on the cover was a rat and that made me feel a mixture of embarrassment and awesomeness.

I really liked this book. I was able to feel anger at the characters that were against Drew but then when they turned out to be good people somehow I was forced against my will to actually like them. Which is much harder than is sounds. Any author can make you dislike someone it is when they are able to make me like someone that a couple of pages ago was the enemy that my respect for them builds. Curtis did that to me and he did not just do it once but more times than I can count.

This book is one huge continuous adventure that I absolutely adored. I only wish that I had read it sooner.

P.S. Don't let the cover fool you. I liked it and I don't usually like hard-core fantasy novels complete with words that I can't pronounce. ( )

An epic ya fantasy adventure that takes place in a medieval type world. Drew, a farm boy, has his world turned upside down when he and his mother are attacked and Drew transforms into a wolf. Escaping into the Dyrewood he manages to survive and is then drawn into intrigues. While a bit slow at times, Drew was a very appealing character as were his companions along the road. To be released in September 2011. ( )

A bog-down start that turns into an exciting story around the chapters where Hector joins the fray. The cover seems a little too dark, but this book can't be judge by the cover as we see that even beast can be the good guys sometimes. Some of the major discoveries seem too obvious in my perspective and easy to deduce. I got confused sometimes by the changing of perspectives in the same chapter. For example there was a part were you are reading about Drew and what he is doing and thinking to find yourself knowing what Whitley is thinking. It is after the break in my fluent reading that I re-read and find the change only I sort of missed the cue. Maybe it is just me.

The book will do well with young teenagers that seek fantasy in their reads and I for one would like to see what happens next. I also like the fact that while Werewolves are a little over used presently there was the distinction that these wolves were able to change at will which makes them more shape shifters whose changed form happens to be a wolf. Same with all other shape shifters in the story and their respective animal alter egos. The fact that it seems only nobles have the gift is also rare since in most stories the characters with these kinds of gift end up as outcast or are outcast in the first place.

On my last note I would like to comment on the back cover of the book. I don't know if it is important but statements like "better than Eragon..." as praise for the book seems to be inappropriate. I mean you don't want to raise your book by putting other authors’ books down. I know it is The Times saying these words, but still I think it is Ill done to put on the book. ( )

_Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf_ by Curtis Jobling is the story of Drew Ferran, a farmboy shocked into awareness of his wolf nature. He is a compelling character with a pure heart who inspires trust and admiration in nearly everyone he meets. _Wereworld_ is a coming-of-age novel with a werewolf twist intended for young adult audiences.

The book gets off to a slow start—“Part One” is clogged with clichés and British idioms that students in the U.S. would find puzzling, but once Drew meets his sidekick the story is addictive. Adult readers may feel that the world already has too many werewolf books, but _Wereworld_ would be a great choice for an unjaded new reader, male or female. It might not be gory enough for today’s youth raised on crime dramas, autopsy shows, and r-rated films, but it is plenty exciting.

I can only hope that some additional editing with help remove clichés and Briticisms in advance of the U.S. release. ( )

This book was a wonderful surprise. The characters were well developed throughout the story, and the back story was introduced along the main story, as to not interfere with the flow.

The author attempted a few big reveals throughout the story, some of which were typical and easy to see coming, but others were thoughtfully and elegantly introduced.

This book is YA fiction, but read with a maturity that was unexpected in such a book. All in all, a fine read. Very entertaining. A little mature for the youngest of YA readers, but fine for a teen. And more than entertaining for an adult. ( )

Wereworld is an excellent book for young teens (especially boys). It was, however, a little dark—with some violence—so I would recommend that careful parents read it before giving it to impressionable younger children. On the other hand, the main character has good moral values—he loves his family and friends and he has their best interest at heart. He doesn’t go about aimlessly killing the bad guys, but keeps the higher moral ground. I appreciate that in young adult books! I loved the creative new world that was introduced in this book, and look forward to the rest of the series. ( )

I’ll be honest, after looking at the cover art, I wasn’t really expecting great things. I mean, really, how many more werewolf/vampire/zombie books do we need these days. Was this just going to be another hokey take on the latest tripe filling local bookstore shelves? Well, I had the book in hand, and there was something mildly thrilling about having a book that wasn’t even going on sale for five more months, and I had signed up for it, so I sat down to read.

First off, the setting of the book is a fictional place called Wereworld. It’s a bit like Tolkien’s Middle Earth, with the time period feeling like the Middle Ages. The kingdom is called Lyssia and it is surrounding by the Seven Realms. There are common folk, soldiers, and what essentially makes up the gentry and ruling classes, the Werelords. While the main character does turn out to be a werewolf, there are werepeople of every species imaginable and they are introduced gradually as the story progresses.

The storyline itself was actually not half bad. Young farm boy, Drew, finds out he is really a werewolf, and not only just a werewolf, one of the last werewolves and apparently displaced heir to the throne of Lyssia. His struggles, his role and the relationships he develops are a bit predictable, but given that it is written for younger audiences, the predictability is fairly acceptable. The vocabulary choices start out feeling fresh, but after a while, I began to feel like the author was getting too much use out of his thesaurus. The description of the settings was above par and did draw me in and help me visualize fairly precisely what things looked like. The dialogue was a bit clunky and awkward; however, younger audiences probably won’t be bothered by it. I felt it was a little heavy on the foreshadowing early on and I wasn’t really surprised by much in the story. The names for the various lands told me exactly what to expect in their descriptions and the types of characters to be encountered there.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed as much as I did. I wouldn’t place it up there with my favorite stories, but I would read it again to my thirteen-year-old son. I think I would even consider reading further installments. Not a bad first attempt for a new author. ( )

I didn’t know what to think when I first received this book. The cover art made me think of the Conan, and like, books on my Dad’s bookshelf. But I’m one to try anything, and I’m glad I did. Not only is it a Must Read, but definitely one of the best books I have read thus far this year. The beginning had a slow start, but in the way a storm builds. You can feel the pressure changing in the air, sense the approaching darkness. At the moment everything is quiet, peaceful, but in the back of your mind, you know things are about to shift. You can’t explain it, you just know.

Drew Ferran, knew nothing of the outside world that flowered along the edges of his family’s farm. And he was content with that; living the life of a farmers son, herding sheep. But when Fate, has other plans, there’s nothing you can do about it. Left at home with his mother, while his father and brother head off on an errand, Drew is unaware of the impending danger. That a beast is lurking in the darkness, with the intent to spill blood. A beast, similar to the one Drew, has hidden within himself. Before the night is through, Drew will come face to face with the creature. Not as a boy, but as one himself.

Drew, suddenly finds himself being wrongfully accused, by his very own father, for the atrocious murder of his mother. With his father and brother turning on him, Drew, is left with no other option, but to flee. The life he once knew is forever lost to him now. Entering into a series of life altering events, Drew, will embark on a journey of self discovery. What he learns will shock him. Even more, the world he knew nothing about, is depending on him to survive. For he, is their last hope.

Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf, is an amazing book. Not only did Curtis Jobling, prove that he has supreme world-building skills, but that he is equally talented in developing characters. A rare find amongst fantasy writers, or really any writers. The world he created, Lyssia, is so wonderfully designed, that I found myself envisioning it as a real place. More astonishing than that, are his characters. Each one is not only unique, but Curtis Jobling, has a way of bringing them to life. I love how even the small mentioned characters have development. You continue to remember them long after they’re mentioned, as much as you would the main and secondary characters.

Curtis Jobling, did extremely well, when it came to writing his main character Drew. Drew’s development throughout the story is captivating. Each action, consequence, thought, that Drew, takes or has, shows the depth of who and why he is such a noble character. So many times when faced with difficulty, that would normally cause others to turn away, he silences that inner-taunting voice and stands strong. The best part, is Curtis Jobling, provides us with detailed actions, leading the reader to develop this understanding, rather than just ‘telling’ the reader, who Drew is.

Same can be said for all his other characters. I enjoyed witnessing Drew’s influence and the affect he had on others. How he was able to show Hector, a friend found during the most distressing time, how to live. The way he was able to get under the skin of Gretchen, a snob in everyway possible, and break her down. A character, you enjoy to hate in the beginning, yet find yourself loving in the end. And that is only mentioning few of many.

An even bigger enjoyment, is a twist on the whole ‘were’ species. Curtis Jobling, has given us a wide range of species, of every imaginable animal. The best part, is they don’t shift like we find most ‘were’ species doing in current YA literature, but more like the legends from horror movies. That, I absolutely love more than anything.

I honestly could keep going on and on. With no doubt, this will be put on my Top Shelf. Definitely something I recommend, not just to it’s targeted age group, but something I think all ages and sexes will enjoy. I can’t wait to grab hold of the next book and follow Drew, and others, on his journey throughout Lyssia. A-round of applause for Curtis Jobling.

www.FollowMeReviews.Blogspot.com ( )

I need a book to hook me right at the beginning. This one didn't, which is why it only warrants a 4 star review. Were I not reading it for Early Reviewers I would have quit it. Luckily I trudged ahead because the story was excellent once I got into it. This is a book my students would definitely enjoy and it's nice to piggy back off the recent interest in paranormal novels. ( )

Readers sick of high school teen settings with a romance oriented plot rejoice. Following the classic standby of a young farm kid discovering he is much more this is a well written young adult novel that seems aimed more towards the male crowd. That is not to say that girls won't enjoy it, I certainly did, but it is more action focused than many of it's counterparts and while there is potential for some romance later on it is downplayed and not a significant part of the story.

Not what I was expecting, in a good way. Werewolves are not the only weres in this world and it would seem there exists a were counterpart to every creature and some are more powerful than others. The Werewolves were a royal line until they were betrayed and a lion were reigns in their place. All the lords and nobles of the land that the reader is introduced to are weres who in other books might be termed shape shifters. Certain creatures seem to have special abilities that come with their animal form such as the wolf taking strength from the moon. We get introduced to some of the various groups and learn of their hereditary roles as well as what has brought the kingdom to the current state the reader find it.
I'm never sure when I read a young adult novel like this how I will find it. Often I find them to be a bit watered down or filled with phrases and references meant to make the book sound modern but ultimately age the book and sound like the author was trying to hard. This read has none of those problems.
Overall it was an enjoyable read. There were a few minor parts I found a bit awkward but as I don't remember them well enough to pinpoint exactly where they were I don't suppose they were that significant. I will note that the inside description page was terrible and if it had been the back cover I'd never have picked up the book to read off a shelf. The front art was nicely done however and I think will appeal to who I view as the target audience.

I'd recommend this to any young reader of either gender who likes the more traditional werewolves or a good fantasy read, especially those who prefer a bit less romance than the current twilight inspired books provide. ( )

Imagine a world ruled by Werelords--men and women who can shift at will into bears, lions, and serpents. When Drew suddenly discovers he's not only a werewolf but the long-lost heir to the murdered Wolf King's throne, he must use his wits and newfound powers to survive in a land suddenly full of enemies. Drew's the only one who can unite the kingdom in a massive uprising against its tyrant ruler, Leopold the Lion. But the king is hot on Drew's tail and won't rest until he's got the rebel Wolf's head.



I received this book from Librarything’s Early Review program. I have to admit I wasn’t sure if I would like it. Nothing against werewolves, but there are just so many good paranormal stories out there. In the first chapter or two things seemed to be moving so slowly, I had just about decided this was going to be one of those laborious reads. But, I was wrong. All of a sudden this story really took off and it became a real page turner.





Though the wolf takes the lead in this story, it’s not just about lycanthropy. Therianthropism runs rampant in this story. The Seven Realms is inhabited by were beasts of all kinds: wolves, lions, foxes, stags, bears, rats, serpents, boars, and even sharks. I found that this made it more than just your normal run of the mill paranormal fantasy. This story has it all: a little romance, lost children, treachery, a little magic, and a little necromancy and of course, good vs. evil. Leopold, the Lion Werelord and current ruler of Lyssia, stole the throne from Wergar the Wolf King. Leopold murdered the king and all of his children - or so he thought.



Our hero, Drew, is the long lost son of the murdered king, hidden away by a loyal servant. He knows nothing of who or what he is, until one night a monster attacks his family and Drew makes his first shift to the inner wolf. That night is the first step that will lead Drew to his true history and destiny.



What I liked about this book: The pacing. Even though it gets off to a slow beginning, once it gets started it really moves along. I was often reluctant to put it down. Though there is some magic, I like that the story is more about paranormal creatures than it is about magic. I like the fact that Drew inspires loyalty in those around him, NOT because he the long lost son of the old king, but because of his character. For a young boy thrown into a fantastical situation, he really is very level headed. The contrast between his level headed down to earth character and the haughty spoiled nature of Gretchen works well. Though, Jobling could have worked a little more on the growth of Gretchen’s character. Gretchen aside (and I think we will see her grow more in future books), the characters seem very well developed. There is nothing flat about this book at all.



The only thing that concerned me just a little is that the back of the ARC states that the intended audience is ages 10 and up. To me the story seems a little older – perhaps for teens. It’s a very clean story, perhaps a little scary with some of the creatures. Somehow it just seems as though the story is for an older audience.



The back of the ARC also includes a quote from The Times (London) – “Superior to Eragon, and pure fun.” I liked Eragon. But you know? I think I agree with The Times.



This book is scheduled for release in September 2011. Book two: Rage of Lions is scheduled for release in 2012. ( )

Tragedy, romance, flying fur, and sharpened, pointy teeth tearing through flesh...to top it all off werewolves were not the only things shifting in this book.

This is the realm of the Werelords. The noble families are all of different were descent. Fox, wolf, bear, and even boar are all represented in the land of Lyssia. Drew and his brother, Trent grew up on a farm with their mother and father, not unlike many other poor farming families in the kingdom. One night, as Drew and his mother awaited the remainder of the family to come back from town, a storm blew in the window of their home along with it the hopes of any normal future Drew had. A hulking monster attacked Drew, slays his mother, and flees after Drew manages to injure the terrifying beast. Upon Mark's (Drew's father) return, he attacks Drew thinking he is responsible for his beautiful wife's murder.
After running Drew through with his sword, the most extraordinary thing happened. Drew not only managed to keep his footing, but he was able to flee.

From here Drew seems to alter the lives of everyone he comes into contact with. Prophecies have been written about a change soon to come. Could Drew be the one foretold in the ancient prophecies? This young lad, who isn't even quite sure what he is, has the innate ability to reach out and help those in their most dire hour. The kingdom is being controlled by the werelion, who has used his power to keep the people downtrodden and looking for a brighter future. Drew may be their only shining hope.

I devoured this novel. I had to force myself on several occasions to put this book down so I could not only work, but get my school work in as well. The scenes were described in great detail, but not to where it bored the reader and stopping the flow and action in the story. I have a tendency to "tune out" when the descriptions are too narrative and puts a halt to the adventures of the characters. The descriptions were done mainly through the viewpoints of the characters, which I always find more interesting than a page narrative about the environment.

The characters are enchanting. Some you love, some you are weary of, some you admire. By the end of the story, I remembered each of their names(which is an accomplishment for me), and am actually invested in their futures. this is not a short story, and we have plenty of time to get to know them intimately.

Some of the parts were predictable in the story, but I think that was still one of the charms of the book. We always know in these stories that we will have the one character, at least, that we will get to see grow, mature, change, and become the person we knew he or she could be. That provided me with the familiar comfort that I long for in certain stories. But there was enough action and twists in the story that I was always wanting to turn the page to see where our heroes and antagonists would take us next. Heroes and enemies popped up where we least expected, and death was not saved for the villains.

This books is set to be published in September of this year. Please, reserve your copy of this book, and put it on your to-read-list. It was an amazing adventure, and it was one I was reluctant to leave behind. Five stars to Wereworld and Curtis Jobling. ( )