Promise of the Wolves: A Novel (The Wolf Chronicles): Dorothy Hearst

Fourteen-thousand years ago, wolf-pup Kaala has been born under a sign; whether it is bad or good remains to be seen. What is known is that her mother's mate was an Outsider and therefore Kaala and her littermates bear mixed-blood. When her mother presents her to the pack leader, Ruuqo, he does what he believes he should. Only Kaala is left alive and her mother driven out, after the Greatwolves intervene. They insist that Kaala must remain with the Swift River pack, though Ruuqo believes this will bring ill-luck on all of them. Everyone has noticed the white-furred crescent moon shining in the black fur of Kaala's chest. It is a portent of change in the Wide Valley.

Though Kaala tries to integrate herself into the pack some, pups and grown, believe her to be nothing more then an interloper. She befriends two of the pups; Azzuen, a runt who must fight to earn his name and Marra, a headstrong and stubborn girl who fears little. As the pack moves from winter to summer home, the pups begin learning the skills they will need to survive but Ruuqo is making it clear that though Kaala must stay with the Swift River pack, she will never be one of them. He thwarts her efforts to hunt and ignores her in all else. It is only when the pups come into contact with humans that the real danger of Kaala's presence becomes known.

The Swift River wolves, and all wolves in the Wide Valley, operate under belief in the Promise of the Wolf: never consort with humans, never kill a human, and never allow a mixed-blood wolf to live thus the unease over Kaala's presence. As the wolves settle into their summer encampment they are invaded by a human hunting party. All too quickly the pups must be taught about the Promise. Unfortunately for Kaala, she feels unbearably drawn to humans. She cannot stop herself and soon befriends one. Azzuen and Marra become drawn in and before long their actions bring down a flood-tide of change that will sweep across the Wide Valley, bringing to light many untold truths, and revealing just how fragile and untenable the Promise really is.

I'm a bitter and jaded old woman. I picked this up and thought "Why am I even bothering with this? I know it's going to be a frickin' talking animal movie soon." I was crying for Kaala by about.... half-way through it. I'll let that sink in for second... I was effing crying!!! For a talking wolf-pup in a book!!! Ahem, it was a very good book. I don't know what it was about it but Hearst just has a particular way of verbalizing for the wolves that didn't come across as silly or over-the-top. The writing was actually very simple but very beautiful and quite effective. There was a poignancy to some of the scenes because, though they may have been talking, sentient creatures, they were still creatures who hunted and and very often lost pack-members. What especially got me was Kaala's treatment by Ruuqo. It just made me so sad to think of this poor, motherless pup trying so hard to fit in and knowing that, unlike the human world, if she doesn't fit in here, she will die. It puts things in perspective and makes some problems seem not so bad. This is a wonderful offering from Hearst and I highly recommend it.

One thing that comes shining through in this book is the obvious correlation between humans overrunning the Wide Valley and taking all the food and what we've done to the planet in the modern era. There's a great demand but we're running low on supply. Soon there won't be anything else and unfortunately, the Wide Valley wolves aren't here to restore the Balance. Someone else will have to.
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Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (June 3, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416569987
ISBN-13: 978-1416569985