The Silver Wolf

Rating:
Summary: Great historical fiction
Review: First off, a note to those who have not read this book yet. This is the first in the series. "The Wolf King" is the second, but is actually a prequel. "Night of the Wolf" is the third, but picks up where "The Silver Wolf" leaves off.

What attracted me to the book in the first place was the cover and title. Both are lovely. What kept me reading the series by this author, was the fact that Borchardt has a wonderful command and sense of this time period. Her discriptions of the characters, the government, and the place itself is astonishing. I agree with a couple of others that it did cause the story line to drag a bit at some points, but it also helped the reader to understand what prompts the characters to react the way they do to each other and their enviroment. I liked her well rounded characters, none where perfect. Lucilla, who was portrayed as a strong, powerful woman--was also vunerable to hardships just like anyone else in the book.

I enjoyed Borchardt's descriptions. I could easily picture events and places and even place myself in the story. I could find myself standing on the street in the doorway of a tavern or out in the field watching Regeane (as a wolf) learning to stalk and capture field mice. I like the way she easily described the personality of everyone in the book and kept them as individuals. They were sexy, strong, silly, dumb, adventurous, or even funny. (The wolf looking up women's skirts!) I so thoroughly enjoyed reading this first novel that I wanted to know more about the author--something I rarely do unless I plan to read more by them. That was when I discovered to my surprise she is the sister of Anne Rice. Being from Louisiana myself, I automatically read everything by Anne Rice. Not that she deserves to be read, just because she is from here and lives here also, and I believe in supporting my natives. At this point I have read all of the novels by both authors and can tell you that, yes, there is a little similarity between the authors. Being they are both heavy in the discription area. That is where the similarities end. Borchardt is much better able to develop her characters into believable and approchable people or beings, for that matter. The reader can feel what they feel and understand why they do or decide to do the things they do. She can draw the reader into her books. I've never found Anne Rice to do any of these things.

I hope my opinion was helpful.

Rating:
Summary: The Wolf Is Among Us...
Review: This book focuses on Regeane, a misunderstood and orphaned noblewoman, mistreated by her relatives, who happens to be a werewolf. She has fought the wolf part of herself and has not really come into her power. She is a pawn in a huge powerplay which could effect the entire Empire or at least what's left of it. She meets Maeniel from Night of the Wolf. In human form, neither knows at first that the other is a wolf. The book goes from there and sees justice for Regeane as well as happiness.

Rating:
Summary: A chick-book set in post-empire Rome
Review: Borchardt has clearly written a book intended for a female audience. Her novel left me constantly hungering for more. The female protagonist, with her duel psyches of the wolf and the human, is a power figure both figuratively and literally, as she transforms into a creature of the wild. Borchardt's exploration of the sensuality of the protagonist, as both wolf and woman, is delicious.

Yet there is description merely for description's sake. It is as if Borchardt is showing off her knowledge of the period. The heroine's antagonists are typecast as cunning, and possessing a power over the heroine far exceeding what they really have. This left me wondering whether it was their immoral power, or the heroine's own stupid, that causes her to wind up every night in chains.

A comparable text set in the Middle Ages is Lady Hawk. While Silver Wolf is a lot more romantic and sentimental, Lady Hawk possesses strong central characters that we like and laugh with, and secondary characters created for our benefit not just for the central character's development.

Rating:
Summary: Lush epic werewolf fantasy
Review: During Charlamagne's rule, the once powerful and gorgeous city of Rome is now in ruin. Corruption and political ambition drive its citizens above all else. Regeane is a distant kin to Charlemagne, but that's the least of her incredible assets. She's also inherited her father's ability to shape shift into a wolf.

But her talents and abilities are exploited at every turn by just about everyone she encounters. Her cousin and uncle have kept her captive and living in poverty for years. Now that she's reached the proper age, they have decided to marry her off to a Barbarian she's never even laid eyes on. Their plan is to eventually dispose of the man, and live off his wealth. Can Regeane take control of her destiny and survive in such a ruthless world? With the wolf urging her own, the woman embarks upon the most dangerous fight of all: the fight for freedom, and survival.

Ms. Borchardt has written a superb werewolf novel in THE SILVER WOLF. The writing is lyrical and engrossing, and she has a wonderful knack for depicting a lush and imaginative fantasy world. Though the pacing may lag a little at times, the superb writing style more than makes up for it. The characters are beautifully developed, and each is individually intriguing and mysterious. The rich background she's developed for all her characters truly makes this story come to life.

If you're looking for a fabulous blend of intrigue, mystery, adventure, sprinkled with just the right touch of romance, don't hesitate to pick up THE SILVER WOLF.

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly disappointing - AKA -- BAD BAD BAD!
Review: I love to read. I am a huge fan of supernatural fiction. I have read all of Anne Rice's novels, I have read many werewolf and vampire novels. Based on the majority of good reviews I thought I would enjoy this book. Instead I found myself loathing to open the book. I gave up many times and it took me 20 times longer than I normally take to read a book.

I could care less about the main character or any other character. The story jumps all over is confusing and doesn't make any sense. The book is mainly a vehicle to write about violence and sex and isn't even very good at that. Romance what romance? Borchardt tries to cover up the bad plot, the meandering story line, and ridiculous characters with the subtext of history. The problem is the book is so out there that the history doesn't even seem realistic. These characters and their actions do not seem like ones you would expect in ancient rome.
Nothing was remotely satisfying about this book except for when I finished it.

If you are remotely hesitant to pick up this book then DON'T. It is horrible. You are not missing anything if you don't read it. If you like werewolves try Kelley Armstrong, or Laurell K Hamilton.

Rating:
Summary: To be enjoyed rather than nitpicked
Review: This is a book for those who read strictly for pleasure, who can relax and allow the author to tell her story her way. Those who prefer to read critically and who consider themselves superior to those of us who are more relaxed and uncritical in our reading will find little technical details to grouse about.

Alice Borchardt's werewolves have a distinct difference from those in other books. Her books portray the human personality and the wolf personality as two separate personalities in the same body, personalities who are compatable and able to communicate with each other. I liked this idea myself and felt it quite enhanced the tale.

Basically, this is the story of the heroine who's being used by her uncle and cousin to make them rich by marrying a barbarian noble and then in time killing him. But this is a gal who strives to be a liberated woman even in ancient Rome, and as such goes through several adventures both as a woman and as a wolf. The details are richly painted, and the action is fairly sustained throughout. It's a romance, but not too syrupy for us guys to appreciate. There are predictable elements here, but like I say, just relax and let the author tell her story and I think you'll enjoy it. (Unless you'd rather be a nitpicker).