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Summary: 15 years later, I still have nightmares
Review: I read this book ages ago, when I was in 7th or 8th grade. Normally, 'horror' books don't do much for me... if they're written well or have an interesting concept, they can make decent reads... but this one scared the bejeesus out of me... reading the book, it wasn't particularly scary... but the author's descriptions were just so real the wolfen took on a life of their own, I could see them in situations and know how they'd react... and when they entered my dreams, they were as real as any dream can be... gave me nightmares for months after reading it, and every once in a while since then, I'll have one, usually after seeing some sort of wolf-involved movie...
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Summary: a one night reader,couldn't put it down
Review: I read Wolfen quite a few years ago,shortly after it came out in paperback.Not too many books have grabbed me and compelled me to read just one more page ,before I go to sleep.Needless to say ,I read the blasted book in one day till 3 am. The story is basically about a species of wolf,The Wolfen,that are the basis of the werewolf legends.They are a highly evolved species and you are allowed inside their pack ,you hear their thoughts,what makes them choose their kills. They attack with such speed,one character explains this by telling the two detectives ,if they saw a wolfen,your throat would have already been ripped out. As I said I read the book in one day and night,I had just put the book down ,when my dog came in and more or less indicated she had to go for a walk.In March ,at 3am,my luck,I looked under every car in the parking lot,jumped at every noise and couldn't relax till we were back in my apartment. I hope this book is published again,it really is terrific.Not at all like the movie.
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Summary: Food for the beast.
Review: Much better than movie and very thought proviking, why do so many peopld dissappear each year? Where do they go? A good book to sit back and enjoy.
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Summary: Movie Was Better
Review: One of those few instances of the movie being an improvement on the book. While I had no problem with Mr. Streiber's writing, and enjoyed his forays into the minds of the Wolfen, I didn't think the story rang true. The police accepted the existence of the Wolfen too readily, and there were certain instances (like the scene in which they attacked after using the wounded policeman in Central Park as a decoy and Wilson and Becky escaped on the motorcycle) that seemed kind of contrived and a little too hard to explain away. How could oversized dogs chase away two detectives on motorbikes without all the patrolmen at the crime scene noticing, or at the least asking more questions? The Medical Examiner's subsequent motivation for staying away from the larger group where he'd be safe and electing to crawl into the detectives' car likewise didn't make much sense.Having seen the movie first, I missed the Native American angle as well. Communion is a better novel.
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Summary: A really unique horror story
Review: Strieber's debut book put him on the literary map, so to speak. A pack of highly intelligent wolves is hunting in New York and the police are just beginning to figure it out and become the hunted. Original and satisfying on its own terms. But Strieber's writing career crashed and burned a long time ago.
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Summary: Wolfen is One Howling Tell !
Review: Strieber's entry to stardom came by way of The Wolfen. An excellent premise dominates this book about intelligent wolves, cops, and city politics. The writing style as well as the plot is a little primitive at times but does not distract from the overall story. Lots of twist and turns add to the mystery. I like how the Author stays within the bounds of reality and does jag-off into some kind of fantasy like so many writers today. It is horror at it's best. The movie and the book are somewhat different so don't get one expecting a repeat of the other. Highly recommended!
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Summary: Know what it means to be hunted
Review: The only book I ever read that had me waking up in the middle of the night frightened for my life. So well written it makes the story almost believable. After all, science continues to discover incredible animals and animal behavior every day. This book is about a pack of highly intelligent wolves that live in the inner city and prey the weak and homeless; those that will not be missed. They dedicate their lives to keeping their existence a secret by always covering their tracks wherever they go. They know we are a dangerous enemy that would exterminate them if we knew they existed. A pair of detectives investigate the death of two cops who turned up in the wrong place at the wrong time and were killed by a foolish young wolfen who hadn't learned not to attack the strong and young yet. The two detectives uncover some of the truth and, naturally, nobody believes them. But the wolfen know that they know and the hunt is on. Every step they take could be their last as they struggle to prove the existence of something that nobody has seen and survived. Brilliantly written and makes you feel unsafe, even in your own bed.
Rating:
Summary: Know what it means to be hunted
Review: The only book I ever read that had me waking up in the middle of the night frightened for my life. So well written it makes the story almost believable. After all, science continues to discover incredible animals and animal behavior every day. This book is about a pack of highly intelligent wolves that live in the inner city and prey the weak and homeless; those that will not be missed. They dedicate their lives to keeping their existence a secret by always covering their tracks wherever they go. They know we are a dangerous enemy that would exterminate them if we knew they existed. A pair of detectives investigate the death of two cops who turned up in the wrong place at the wrong time and were killed by a foolish young wolfen who hadn't learned not to attack the strong and young yet. The two detectives uncover some of the truth and, naturally, nobody believes them. But the wolfen know that they know and the hunt is on. Every step they take could be their last as they struggle to prove the existence of something that nobody has seen and survived. Brilliantly written and makes you feel unsafe, even in your own bed.
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Summary: Great Research Can't Save This Tired Werewolf Tale
Review: The Wolfen is a great showcase for the lycanthropy research Whitley Strieber seems to have done for this story, which in parts reads like an account of werewolf history, demographics and behavioral patterns. In fact, Strieber apparently has so much respect for the society of werewolves that he imparts to creatures greater intelligence and cultural richness than I have seen in any other horror story. An interesting and previously unseen (for me, anyway) aspect of this story is its narrative from the Wolfen's perspective. It's too bad that this dedication to and admiration for his subject couldn't save such a lame story, though. The dialog between all of the characters is dull and contrived, and there are a lot of relationship twists that get introduced and never resolved. For instance the crush that older, cranky detective George Wilson has for Becky Neff is mildly interesting, largely unbelievable (a 20 year age difference, a surface level disdain for one another), and completely useless. So is the confusion Becky feels for her husband Dick, who is mired in a police investigation for being on the take in order to fund his dad's nursing home bills. There are feuds and mistrust among the officers, medical examiner, and researchers as well, that seem to serve no other purpose than to create strife, and to make Becky and George's seem like mavericks in their pursuit of the werewolves that only they believe in (with a minimum of proof, I might add). To swallow the premise of this story, you pretty much need to believe that werewolves have been among us forever, including in our metropolitan areas, yet are intelligent enough to avoid human detection despite eating the weak among us (hobos, drunks, the blind, etc.). In fact, the Wolfen of the story would still be undiscovered were it not for an uncharacteristic errant attack on two police officers at the beginning of the story, and a series of absurd coincidences that eventually lead them into Becky and George's hands. The ending doesn't really solve much, either, and tries to pass off noncommittal as mysteriously vague.
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Summary: Wolfen
Review: The Wolfen is sooo scary! It is a REALLY good book, but definately the most scary book I have EVER read. My mother read it in high school and she claims she locked all of the doors and windows and sat on her bed, too scared to do anything else! I read it for the first time in 6th grade and I loved it. It is the best book out there for people who loved to be frightened.
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