Wolfkin

Wolfkin
Lord of Wind and Fire Book One
Elaine Corvidae
2003, Mundania Press
ISBN: 1-59426-055-9
available in paperback, hardback, & ebook formats

Don’t judge this book by its cover! Despite art lifted straight from Poser, Elaine Corvidae’s Wolfkin is a very enjoyable read, bringing to the fantasy genre a well-crafted infusion of classic romantic tension.

Suchen is a plain-looking but strong-willed woman who fled her family to serve as steward to Lord Auglar and his new wife, Sifya. When the exiled wizard Ax orders her to find a young woman who is fleeing the royal court, she and her friends set off on a mission that could turn Lord Auglar against his peers and start a civil war.

But Ax has sent someone else after the woman, as well — an Aclyte, one of the slender, red-haired inhumans who form the detested servant class of the kingdom. Compelled by an old debt to obey the wizard’s request, Yozerf resents his mission and tries to keep his new human companions at bay with his bitter tongue and solitary habits. But for all his suspicion, Suchen’s brave and caring heart manages to win his reluctant admiration. Can the tentative bond that arises between them survive the strains of betrayal, persecution, and ancient political enmity?

Anyone who’s ever cracked a romance knows the answer, and Corvidae delivers, deftly weaving together swordfights and sorcery, and prejudice and politics, while keeping the uncertain attraction between Suchen and Yozerf at the forefront. As the two try to come to terms with their feelings for each other, their rescue mission turns into a clash of kings that literally shakes the palace to its foundations. Corvidae never lets the pace lapse — each time the reader thinks the book is about to end, she serves up another complication to keep the story in motion. But have no fear — the ending will leave you satisfied, wrapping up Wolfkin and setting the scene for the second in the trilogy, The Crow Queen. The third book, Dragon’s Son, is due out from Mundania Press this October.

Wolfkin doesn’t break any new ground in fantasy or romance, but it’s a satisfying and comfortable read, perfect for a quiet afternoon curled up on the sofa. The character types are familiar but likable, with hopes and fears that will touch a sympathetic chord in the reader. Few women will be able to resist the vulnerability behind Yozerf’s brittle façade, and Suchen is a strong heroine who is well worth the Aclyte’s regard.

My only real dissatisfaction with the novel was that it features yet another wolf who disdains humans. We’ve heard it before in novels by Lisle and Lindskold and others of their ilk, and I’m growing as tired of arrogant wolves as I am of effete vampires. The wolf’s constant refrain of “stupid, stupid humans!” reminded me of the words of the pie-tin-riding alien in Plan 9 from Outer Space: “You see! You see! Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!” ... and I’m afraid that it was just as convincing.

Quibbles aside, Wolfkin’s agreeable combination of fantasy, romance, and shapeshifting is certain to appeal to many readers across genres. If you believe that winning a heart can be more difficult and rewarding than winning a throne, then I encourage you to pick up this novel and give it a try.

Wolfkin was nominated for the 2003 SilverMoon Chalice Award for Best Shapeshifter Romance. For an introduction to Yozerf, read the short story “A Treasure in and of Itself.”

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