The Wolf Gift
Anne Rice
Knopf, Feb 14 2012, $26.95
ISBN: 9780307595119
San Francisco Observer reporter twentyish Reuben comes from a privileged heritage filled with a stately mansion. His editor sends him to interview elegant and exotic late thirtyish Marchent Nideck who desperately wants to sell the estate in Mendocino County she inherited from her great Uncle Felix who vanished two decades but only now is declared legally dead. Used to Russian and Nob Hills, he still finds the isolated mansion, four hours from San Francisco and miles even from the village of Nideck, incredibly beautiful, nicer than any home he has ever seen before. Reuben feels an obsession to know the recent tragic history of Nideck Mansion. Though he has a girlfriend Celeste in the city, Reuben and Marchent make love.
When he awakens from a nap, Reuben hears Marchent scream. He races to the noise only to be attacked by two men; one cuts him with a knife and a ferocious dog bites him. As he thinks he is dying, first responders arrive, but the intruders are gone and his hostess is dead. A few weeks later, a still traumatized Reuben begins displaying strange physical and mental changes. He fears what he has become, but seeks similar beasts to mentor him.
This is an entertaining Wolf-man urban fantasy starring a beleaguered protagonist who loses his innocence with the assault. The storyline is fast-paced as the hero changes in a sort of horror coming of age theme. Although longtime fans will see parallels to the good and evil theme of the Vampire Chronicles and the personality metamorphose similar to Jack Nicholson’s middle-aged Will Randall in Wolf, readers will appreciate Anne Rice latest horror thriller.
Harriet Klausner
January 13, 2012 at 1:05 am |
Sounds good. Still waiting for good and serious Werewolf Stuff!
January 13, 2012 at 2:14 am |
Sounds like it will be a good read as all your books have been. I myself am not into the whole wolf thing but you always draw me in with your writing styles. I can’t wait to read more and find out what kind of twist you put on this story.
January 13, 2012 at 3:23 am |
Looking forward to this new book. Will have it on my K.Fire and be able to read when I want. I have enjoyed all Ms. Rice’s writings and sure that this will be among her best.
January 13, 2012 at 3:28 am |
I cannot wait til Feb. to read. This will be my birthday present to myself. . . I have been eagerly awaiting a new dark-beasty adventure from Anne.