The Last Werewolf (The Last Werewolf #1)

Jun 14, 2012 mark monday rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: secret-histories, horrortime

Glen Duncan + werewolves + ? = The Last Werewolf
Colson Whitehead + zombies + ? = Zone One
Justin Cronin + vampires + ? = The Passage

three individualistic, well-acclaimed and well-awarded but not exactly a household name literary wunderkinds decide to take a go at writing genre fiction. specifically Horror and three of its Big Bads. why did they do it? to reach a wider audience? to rake in the greenbacks? to see if their personal visions can somehow avoid degradation (or at least not be completel...more

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May 22, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Karen: It tastes like people

Shelves: reviewed, 2012, books-about-books, bio-memoir-diaries-letters, hem-steppers-and-bodice-rippers, in-by-of-england, in-by-of-the-americas, vamps-and-other-mythical-beasts

I give you Glen Duncan:

Glen Duncan author photo

I didn't pay attention to the photo on the back of the book when I bought it. Oh, okay, it's by a guy; I could figure that out from the name on the front. Thanks, publisher for the picture but you needn't have bothered. Then I started reading the book and glancing back at the photo from time to time. The more I read of this book, the more I thought, huh, maybe Glen Duncan wants to be Jack Marlowe (the werewolf protagonist). It's either that or the photo was taken as Mr. Du...more I give you Glen Duncan:

Glen Duncan author photo

I didn't pay attention to the photo on the back of the book when I bought it. Oh, okay, it's by a guy; I could figure that out from the name on the front. Thanks, publisher for the picture but you needn't have bothered. Then I started reading the book and glancing back at the photo from time to time. The more I read of this book, the more I thought, huh, maybe Glen Duncan wants to be Jack Marlowe (the werewolf protagonist). It's either that or the photo was taken as Mr. Duncan was returning from an audition for Heathcliff in a West End production of Wuthering Heights, the musical.

I was thinking about the similarity of Marlowe and this book with Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights today. In the latter, Emily Brontë seems to channel this force of nature. This man who is more than a man, both as a hero and also a monster. He is the thing that rides his back. He carries his dark shadows with him. All the wealth and knowledge he amasses doesn't do away with his monstrous obsessions and passions and needs; it just helps to feed them.

Jack Marlowe is Heathcliff. He's the Heathcliff of a different age, one that eases into the sensibility of the modern reader. He's got the elements of wish fulfillment that make him understandable and acceptable to us: rich, not-too-beautiful, skills with women, expensive and classic tastes, education, subtlety, strength, and confidence. He's the damn Alpha male out of any paranormal Bodice Ripper you can name. And then he's also a person-eating, soul-destroying monster, too. Again, he's the great appeal of the modern age.

Isn't it interesting how writers can create characters that both repel them and yet draw them in? The same way they do the rest of us. This is heightened by the way this story is told. The book is Marlowe's diary, so we have Marlowe's reflection, as the author of the tale, throughout. It gives the reader a jaunty, little meta jolt every chapter or so, but it is also what led me to the wish fulfillment question. Here: Novelists, notoriously, are always working, eyes and ears open for anything they may be able to use. Ditto werewolves. Not for quirky characters or snippets of dialogue but for murder locations, places that lend themselves to the secret kill. See what I mean? Mr. Duncan, perhaps you forgot? Marlowe is writing a diary, not a novel; no one is writing a novel here but you, sir.

It was kind of fascinating to read this book after so many of those paranormal romances, because in it we have all the same stuff: sex, angst, love-at-first-sight (twice!), and more plotting than sense at times. That this is considered literary work and the others are just fluff makes me pause. Why? What's the difference? That Duncan mentions Wittgenstein and Steinbeck? That he can make a literary allusion? That he uses the word "cunt" every ten pages instead of gentle euphemisms like "core?" Maybe it's just that we are ~~subjected~~ treated to a lot of sexual description but spared anyone having a "shattering" orgasm at the end. For whatever reason, The Times (London), describes this book as "Sexy, funny, blistering intelligent...Duncan is the cleverest literary horror merchant since Bram Stoker," but it's basically a romantic thriller. Admittedly, better written than a lot of the others, but fundamentally different? Not so much...(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Lou rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Lou by: Janette Fleming

Shelves: april-2012, supernatural, other-beings

He killed his first victim on 14th August, 1842. He was thirty-four years old. He will be two hundred and one in March.
A word of warning you are about to read a sort of kind of memoir of a werewolf in London, he's more animal not human and has a high libido so many of his adventures endure high libido activity. Oh yes also if your Red Riding Hood don't bother why would you want to learn about the life of possibly the last werewolf in the world. Being an only werewolf can be a lonely business, he...more He killed his first victim on 14th August, 1842. He was thirty-four years old. He will be two hundred and one in March.
A word of warning you are about to read a sort of kind of memoir of a werewolf in London, he's more animal not human and has a high libido so many of his adventures endure high libido activity. Oh yes also if your Red Riding Hood don't bother why would you want to learn about the life of possibly the last werewolf in the world. Being an only werewolf can be a lonely business, he talks of all the women he spends hours of flesh with leaving him with an empty heart. What he needs is a female counterpart a she-wolf one he could spend his long lifespan with.

This story reads at a times similar to an interview with a vampire by Anne rice, he takes you back to his first feeds and his feelings behind his first transformations and into his world view and philosophy on life and creation. Some high libido scenes do come with some vulgarity but you must remember due to him being a werewolf you have to understand the author trying to make it realistic as possible in an animal sense. It was a interesting read and being set in London gave it a more gothic feel. This is a werewolf story written in an way that puts you in the werewolves mind you feel more in p.o.v mode with his instincts and this all takes you back to the core feelings of being a werewolf without any fluffy romance urban twist. A werewolf story traditional sense as that of Bram Stokers Dracula but with an adrenaline boost update of the modern kind. The story was written in a style that made the pages flyby in no time at all. There are thrilling and humorous moments in the story and it does set you up for probably an even more entertaining story in the next instalment Talulla rising out April 4th.

"All wolf and no gang. Humour darkens. I looked out of the window. The snow was coming down with the implacability of an old testament plague. In earls court road pedestrians tottered and slid and in the cold swirling angelic freshness felt their childhoods still there and the shock like a snapped stem of not being children anymore. Two nights ago I'd eaten a 43 year old hedge fund specialist. I've been in a phase of taking the ones no one wants. My last phase, apparently."
(the reviewers thinking, considering the financial climate at present we need him to eat more guilty parties to the financial decline)

"The bigger problem, of being, just keeps getting bigger. One by one I've exhausted the modes: Hedonism, asceticism, spontaneity, reflection, everything from miserable Socrates to the happy pig. My mechanisms worn out. I don't have what it takes. I still have feeling but I am sick of having them. Which is anther feeling I am sick of having. I just... I just don't want any more life."

"The vampire gets immortality, immense physical strength, hypnotic ability, the power of flight, psychic grandeur and emotional depth. The werewolf gets dyslexia and a permanent
ere...on. It's hardly worth making the comparison....' For all of you which you can read: Werewolves get to have sex and we don't."

"Dog family. Any canine succumbs. There are beautiful women in Manhattan who would have married me on the spot for the charm I had over their mutts. Wow, he normally hates guys. I've never seen him like this. Do you live around here?"

Review also @http://more2read.com/review/the-last-werewolf-by-glen-duncan/

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Feb 01, 2013 Willowfaerie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: werewolf, horror

I have decided my biggest pet peeve with most lycanthrope stories is the annoying pack politics that seem to take place in every werewolf saga. There’s the ‘I love you, Bro’ romance between the he-wolves, the overbearing wolf mafia that bosses everybody around in a nauseating oppressive way, and the average, unremarkable Alpha that I can never figure out why everybody follows, except that the author says that he’s the big dog.

Consequently, The Last Werewolf is wonderfully refreshing. With there...more I have decided my biggest pet peeve with most lycanthrope stories is the annoying pack politics that seem to take place in every werewolf saga. There’s the ‘I love you, Bro’ romance between the he-wolves, the overbearing wolf mafia that bosses everybody around in a nauseating oppressive way, and the average, unremarkable Alpha that I can never figure out why everybody follows, except that the author says that he’s the big dog.

Consequently, The Last Werewolf is wonderfully refreshing. With there being only one werewolf left, there is no annoying pack! Yay! For that alone, I gave an extra star.

But that’s not the only thing this book has in its favor! It’s kind of bloody and gritty. There’s an element of horror to it. Werewolves are serial killers eating people once a month when the moon is full, and Duncan doesn’t gloss over that by having them chase a deer. He makes the change a true curse. The protagonist is horrified by the people he’s eaten, but his wolf side loves it, which makes him fittingly ambivalent.

There is one scene in the book about Jake’s first kill which is truly horrific. I haven’t read anything so powerful, ghoulish and gristly in a long time, and after reading it I was out of breath.

Yet while this book has some scenes of horror, it’s not quite a horror book. Jake is too yakky and careless, spouting philosophical insights. I’m amazed at how many times he’s gets beat up and taken prisoner. He’s certainly not the elusive killer that nobody can seem to track.

In fact, what I disliked about this book is Glen Duncan’s talky style. Jake is so gabby in his narrative, digressing continuously about movies, society and pop culture. This happens even during action scenes. This gives the impression of a talkative werewolf who has downed twelve cups of coffee and won’t let you get a word in edgewise. The poor reader is a captive audience. I wanted him to shut up, slow down, and get to the point! Especially toward the end of the book during the action packed finale. All this side talk pulled me away from the action and muted the emotions. There are some tragic scenes in this book, but I’m not sure I felt the full brunt of what had happened. It’s hard to feel Jake’s loss when he’s comparing it to a scene in a movie. Yet maybe that’s a good thing. This book might be really hard to read if you felt the full tragedy.

What I loved about the book was the connection between the werewolves. Of course, Jake isn’t the last one. How can he be? And I loved that he wasn’t. There has to be a crazy quilt to the world where nothing is absolute. When these characters are in wolf form, there is a deep connection that exists without words. It made me think back to my favorite line from the movie Wolfen. “In their world there can be no lies no crimes, no need for detectives.” Duncan captured that -- this ‘knowing’ and ‘other’ world. He also captured the jaded and cynical view of someone who has been alive too long. Bravo!

All in all, The Last Werewolf is one of the best werewolf books I’ve read. It’s not my dream werewolf book (which probably will never exist) but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I’m giving it four stars! A word of warning, there is some raunchy sex in this, which is about as subtle as a dog shoving his nose up your crotch. But what do you expect from werewolves? LOL
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Apr 26, 2012 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, 2011, fantasy, supernatural, literary-fiction

Glen Duncan’s take on the werewolf mythology, is gritty, violent and over sexed. Jake Marlowe is the last werewolf alive, with the pending extinction of his new race will he give up? The tone and voice Duncan has created is almost perfect, making this an interesting take on the genre. It is nothing like the popular style of werewolves in the paranormal genre, this is dark but too heavy on his libido. It focusing on the conflict within Jake; is he a man or is he a monster and his will to live a l...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Hannah G rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review is not going to be super sophisticated, and I admit I haven't actually finished the book, but as an avid werewolf fan, I'm pretty disappointed in this "literary" genre novel thus far. Here's why I'm not going to finish it.

The plot is Anne Rice-y, except without the juicy quality of her storytelling, and since the main character and first-person narrator is an opulent, hence jaded kind of werewolf, there's quite a bit of mediocre Hamlet style rumination. I could deal with a Hamlet sty...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Natacha P rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

Although I’ve been meaning to read my copy of I, Lucifer, I just had to dive into The Last Werewolf first (because werewolves take priority over Lucifer, duh). I really enjoyed it, and for different reasons it reminded me a lot of the “Underworld” movies… all of which I love. That’s not to say the book is identical or unoriginal; perhaps it’s the similar ‘dark and doomed’ vibe present in vampire and werewolf lore that bring to mind the comparisons.

In my opinion, the book was a lot more sexual t...more Although I’ve been meaning to read my copy of I, Lucifer, I just had to dive into The Last Werewolf first (because werewolves take priority over Lucifer, duh). I really enjoyed it, and for different reasons it reminded me a lot of the “Underworld” movies… all of which I love. That’s not to say the book is identical or unoriginal; perhaps it’s the similar ‘dark and doomed’ vibe present in vampire and werewolf lore that bring to mind the comparisons.

In my opinion, the book was a lot more sexual than it was violent, which might’ve been something I’d expect more from a vampire story than a werewolf’s. The story has its share of gore but sex was definitely the main activity of choice. It also had its human and more emotional moments. In terms of language, Jake’s voice—which entails advanced vocabulary choices as well as occasional British slang—might take some getting used to.

Now. For my grand ranting moment. Get ready… Go!

I definitely could’ve done without the “Jesus effin…Christ” slurs, which are not only disrespectful but likely out of context. I’m not pretending to know the intent behind this word choice, but I’ve often felt that these types of slurs are either a result of habit (which is wrong and should be changed) and/or also a lame attempt to heighten the ‘coolness’ factor. Give me a break. There are times when profanity serves its purpose and this is not the way to do it. If other figures of other religions were used in such a way, they would likely incite comments and strong feelings depending on individuals’ relation to the entity in question, as they well should. So why even go there? But what’s more—if insulting religious figures is not reason enough for it to be left alone—Jake constantly refers to “god being dead.” So why oh WHY use a figure which is obviously representative of God?! He shouldn’t be on your mind, he should be far far away… from your life, from your thoughts, and from your damn speech. I drive the point further by adding that this is even more pointless for those who happen to believe that mentioning something is a way of keeping it around (and I happen to be one of these people =)). Clearly, a major no-no in my book on several counts.

Now that that’s clarified…

I could be wrong, but I sensed a possible hint at a sequel. Minus some figures of speech, I hope. =)

Edit: Apparently there IS a sequel, and it's called Talulla Rising. Will check out in due time.(less)

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Mar 08, 2013 Christa (More Than Just Magic) marked it as dnf · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, genre-paranormal-supernatural, format-audiobook

I hate doing this, but I'm marking this one DNF

I gave it a fair shot. I was listening to the audio and was about 4 hours in. That's just over a third.

Here's my reasons:

1) Ridiculously slow pacing. I'm a third in. Something should have happened by now, even if its just the idea of what's too come.
2) The Women - The women in this book are ridiculous. They have no substance, no value. They are completely defined by their performance in bed. He says he loved his wife but other than how good she was...more

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May 09, 2011 Greg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can't wait for people to read this. Glen's about as smart as writers come (see A Day and a Night and a Day, Death of an Ordinary Man, or I, Lucifer) so leave it to him to take the werewolf genre and blow it wide open with a story that's razor-sharp smart, funny, sex-fueled, and not to mention engineered with the pace of a thriller. It's a thinking adult's werewolf novel.

One of my favorite passages is a conversation between Jake, our more-than-reluctant werewolf, and Jacqueline Delon, the myste...more

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Aug 14, 2011 potterican rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, ipad, read-in-2011, supernatural

What a great book! It starts really really slow but it gets very very good. To be specific it took me 131 pages to really get into it but once you do it's non-stop thrills. Jake Marlow is the last of his kind and he's being followed by an organization that hunts and kills supernatural beings. But something happens. Oh it got so good. The writing was spectacular too, the author is British and you can tell immediately by the use of certain words. It's an amazing book to quote from too, I can't rem...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Contrarius rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorite-recent-reads

Glen Duncan studied literature and philosophy in school, and it really shows in this book. If you enjoy heavy doses of erudition with your werewolves, then you're probably gonna love this. But if you're just looking for a popcorn read, look somewhere else. This is NOT your momma's werewolf story.

Duncan writes some wonderfully heavy, atmospheric prose in this book, with a lot of thought behind it. This isn't really a horror story at all. It's more of a philosophical treatise with werewolves. Sure...more

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Aug 10, 2011 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is not for everyone. The main character is not one of those good "monsters" with a conscience. He kills and eats people and has a lot of disgusting sex. So if you are the type of reader who likes to relate to the main character, especially when the book is written in the first person, you might not like this. However, if you can distance yourself, I thought it was quite an interesting read. It's a bit introspective - a lot about what the main character is thinking or trying to convince...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Debra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror-supernatural, best-horror-nominee-2011

This is probably the best werewolf book I've ever read. I loved Jake and felt his angst. The prose was beautiful and the scenes raw and visceral. The sex scenes were very real and erotic. Highly recommended page-turner!

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Jun 01, 2012 Tasha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: readers-summer-book-club, fantasy-sci-fi

Loved it, can't wait for Talulla Rising!

Updated: I loved this book. It surprised me. This book is a summer book group choice and I thought for sure I would not like it, I almost didn't read it. I loved the pacing, the surprises and the characters. It misses the 5 star mark for me because of some graphic sex scenes. I'm not opposed to these, I just don't get into them, but I totally understand the relevance of these to the story. The writing is fantastic. A completely awesome read.

I'm now a fan...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Chelsea rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

YUUUUCK. This book was intriguing at first. It is certainly more richly-written than the occult genre is these days, and I was happy at first that the book was adult and not "YA." But then it just got to be too gory for me - the whole sex-while-killing-eating-people-alive-then-being-excited-you-get-to-screw-your-werefolf-girlfriend-over-a-dead-person's-remains thing is just not up my alley. If Duncan would have taken about two steps back, I could have stomached it. I actually read about 80% of i...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, paranormal, 2012, favorites

Full Review at Foil the Plot

"Here is a powerful, definitive new version of the werewolf legend--mesmerising and incredibly sexy. In Jake, Glen Duncan has given us a werewolf for the twenty-first century--a man whose deeds can only be described as monstrous but who is in some magical way, deeply human." –Amazon.com

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Werewolves. They are stinky, vulgar and probably the most under-celebrated monster of the horr...more Full Review at Foil the Plot

"Here is a powerful, definitive new version of the werewolf legend--mesmerising and incredibly sexy. In Jake, Glen Duncan has given us a werewolf for the twenty-first century--a man whose deeds can only be described as monstrous but who is in some magical way, deeply human." –Amazon.com

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Werewolves. They are stinky, vulgar and probably the most under-celebrated monster of the horror world. Our poor perception of these mythical beasts tends to ride in tandem with our unadulterated love for their sexier, glamorized, undead foes. Well, Glen Duncan is here to change all that. Meet Jake Marlowe—he's the hero (and I say that in the loosest sense of the word) at the center of Duncan's novel, The Last Werewolf. Jake is a 200 year old werewolf with a voracious libido. He loves good scotch, chain-smoking and philosophical musings. He's also the last of his kind. When a secret paranormal organization seeks to exterminate him, he struggles to figure out his place in the world. Does he continue on with this violent, lonely existence or attempt to find some peace by giving up his life? Written in journal-format, we're given an insider's peek at Jake's moral dilemmas, random musings and darkest secrets.

The Last Werewolf is not what you'd expect for a book about werewolves. Just take a look at the author and I think it becomes clearly evident we've exited the realm of the ordinary. No, seriously. Look at the photo on the back of the book and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Now you see why this story has so much potential. And yes, I'm saying that I do judge a book by its cover, so to speak. But I digress. Duncan's crafted an interesting dichotomy where the fiction sits somewhere in between horror and idealism. Make no mistake, folks, cultured as he is, our protagonist Jake isn't a very nice guy. He has rampant sex with hookers and murders people in the most gruesome of ways. That is where the “horror” comes in to play. I mean, sure—a werewolf's gotta do what a werewolf's gotta do—but Jake's so much more than that. We're taken inside the mind of a man who's at the end of his rope. It's a story about the internal struggle to come to terms with the monster inside and make sense of how to keep on living when everything and everyone he loves is stripped away. It puts ethics to the test by asking, how does the human deal with moral accountability when the wolf comes out to play? In other words, it delves into some serious psychological stuff.

My first initial impressions of this book weren't all that great, if I'm being honest. I found the writing to be a bit tedious and wordy. But once I got past the blatant “oh-woe-is-me” monotony of the first few chapters, it transformed (much like Jake, himself) into something much more poignant and exciting, something not unlike a James Bond film, actually. It gets gritty, dark and in places, kind of campy. There are secret organizations, beautiful women, guns, cars and cliffhangers galore. But that's also what keeps it from being too bogged down with intensity. That and amusing quips like “Reader, I ate him.” You can't help but root for a guy like that, even if he is a "bad one." Character development isn't Duncan's only strength though. He holds our suspension of disbelief and brings the magic of transformation to life in his detailed descriptions of Jake's physical and mental change. This is a real-world example of the old writer's adage “show, don’t tell,” one that I've really come to appreciate. We're given a clear sense of Jake's world, both pre and post infection. Yep. There's even a bit of sci-fi sprinkled in there. Duncan flips the script on what we know about vampires, werewolves and the supernatural world and I have to say, it's a refreshing change for the horror genre.

I know it sounds like there's a lot going on and there is, but it's good stuff if you can just push through it. If you're looking for “light reading” then this definitely isn't the book for you, but for those enjoy a great piece of literature full of substance, you've found a sure winner. Duncan has done a superb job of creating an interesting albeit morally ambiguous protagonist. Jake Marlowe is someone I'd love chat with over a fancy dinner; ya know, provided there’s not a full moon that night. He's cultured, wry, morose and deeply jaded, and despite all his tragic set-backs, we come to see that he's still a man underneath all that monster. So I leave you with this, dear Reader: “In the meantime there's the Curse to get through. Tonight's the full moon, and the Hunger doesn't care what you've been through or what your fears are or where you'll be next week. There's a comfort in it, the purity of its demand, its imperviousness to reason or remorse. The hunger, in its vicious simplicity, teaches you how to be a werewolf.” And wouldn't you know--that's something I've always wanted to know.(less)

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Jul 07, 2012 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a really enjoyable and very cleverly written book which I really loved reading. The narrative style of our Last Werewolf works extremely well, given that Jake was born 200 years ago, he can both be as cutting edge as the most up to date modern man and also give us a slice of his Victorian existence and outlook which I really loved.

I found the plot clever as I assumed certain endings were coming along; they did this quicker than expected and then went off onto a new tangent which I did n...more

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May 02, 2012 Mish rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-friends-books, book-club, favourite, fiction, horror, paranormal, romance, thriller, 2011

This story it told by Jacob (Jake) Marlowe, a lonely and desperate man who endues an agonising transformation every full moon into a werewolf. For most of Jake’s 200 year existence, he’s been on the run from an organisation whose mission is to eliminate all werewolves. They have succeeded. He is the last existing werewolf standing. Jake knows that sooner or later the organisation will catch up to him. But does he have the will to live?

This would have to be the best werewolf book I’ve read and it...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Carl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I haven’t paid much attention to the current and surprisingly popular fascination with Vampires, altho I did see the Tom Cruise movie on TV. Since then, I’ve ignored the books, movies, TV series (and video games? comics? breakfast cereals??). Oh, and I did watch the original Night of the Living Dead in college in the early 70’s, and actually enjoyed Shawn of the Dead.
So, how did I end up reading this, as one might suspect the author is craftily cashing in on the whole phenomenon by creating a ne...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Don rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

The Last Werewolf is a taut, original ride into the man/monster genre. This is not paranormal romance. It is horror, a monster origin story, told with great wit and clever language. I read it with the same pleasure I first read Interview with a Vampire. This turns a genre on its head, while keeping enough wonderful clichéd elements to identify it as being from the same gene pool as all the werewolf movies that enthralled me growing up.

The language is colorful and dense. A joy to unpack. Duncan c...more

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May 13, 2011 Benjamin Thomas rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, advanced-reading-copy

I think I liked this book. That sounds weird, I know, but I'm just not really sure about it. Perhaps after a few days go by I will settle on an opinion.

Here's why I am so wishy-washy about this one: This is first, and foremost, a "literary" work. That means this is not one of the "tweenie" style books that are overflowing the bookstore shelves. Also, don't expect a novel like Stephen King or Brian Lumley would write, enjoyable stuff but mostly to be consumed by the masses. Mr Duncan can certain...more I think I liked this book. That sounds weird, I know, but I'm just not really sure about it. Perhaps after a few days go by I will settle on an opinion.

Here's why I am so wishy-washy about this one: This is first, and foremost, a "literary" work. That means this is not one of the "tweenie" style books that are overflowing the bookstore shelves. Also, don't expect a novel like Stephen King or Brian Lumley would write, enjoyable stuff but mostly to be consumed by the masses. Mr Duncan can certainly write very well and can clearly express large ideas (or large action, or major characters) in just a few words. I am humbled by his command of the English language. But it is "literary", make no mistake. I remember thinking to myself, "there's gotta be a chapter coming up that only consists of 4 or 5 words" and sure enough there it was (and a second one just to be certain). And how about a change in the POV character? Yep, it's in here. If literary fiction can demonstrate formulaic writing then these are examples of it. Not saying this is bad, just be aware of what you're getting before you make this purchase.

The plot was an original take on the standard horror monster genre, with our protagonist, Jake, being the last werewolf in existence. I found his character intriguing but I thought the supporting characters to be a bit flat, especially the antagonists, a common issue I find with 1st person POV stories. After all, the story teller can't really get inside their heads and must rely purely on showing their actions. There is a lot of sex in this book, or at least a lot of Jake thinking about it or remembering it. Often it is base, and crude (as a wolf would find it to be?) but I would hardly call it erotic as the cover blurb states.

POSSIBLE SPOILER: I did have an issue with the POV switch near the end, simply because it totally telegraphed the end of the story. There was just no surprise at all at the point I believe the author expected to be the major climactic scene.

So overall, I'm glad I read this book but am not super excited to seek out more of this author's work.(less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Janette Fleming rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

No apologies for nicking this review from New York Times .
It is perfect and written by Justin Cronin and he knows what he is talking about:)

A Melancholy Werewolf’s Existential Howl By JUSTIN CRONIN

It’s easy to see why werewolves might feel under-celebrated these days. While vampires and zombies have stormed the multiplexes and best-seller lists, and Dr. Frankenstein’s monster has completed its cultural infiltration by transforming into the ubiquitous information appliances of daily life (if my...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Dana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a filthy surprise! This book is wonderfully obscene. I think, though, that is loses something two-thirds of the way in. I'm not sure what. It's just as filthy, but there keep being these "twists" or something - you know, something sort of hackneyed. Too much plot and not enough filthy nihilist werewolf rumination, though of course he stops being a nihilist, and maybe that's the problem? Also, women are hilariously interchangeable. I think the protag has sex with 3 fully developed women char...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Michelle added it · review of another edition

In a world where many are looking for some method of living forever or staying young as long as possible, Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf explores the dark side of eternal life. Through Jake Marlowe's struggles for survival, the reader gets an idea of just how far one is willing to compromise his or her values to achieve such a life. Gritty, stark, blunt, and reverentially existential, this is not a typical werewolf novel and nor is it for teens.

In Duncan's world, there is nothing remotely sexy...more In a world where many are looking for some method of living forever or staying young as long as possible, Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf explores the dark side of eternal life. Through Jake Marlowe's struggles for survival, the reader gets an idea of just how far one is willing to compromise his or her values to achieve such a life. Gritty, stark, blunt, and reverentially existential, this is not a typical werewolf novel and nor is it for teens.

In Duncan's world, there is nothing remotely sexy or enticing about being a werewolf. Completely animalistic and necessarily cruel, these are the predatory half-man, half-wolf creatures of old. Designed to kill, their whole being revolves around the lunar cycle and the one night per month that the wolf can be unleashed in all its glory and horror. In spite of the gore and emotional trauma of what occurs each full month, what occurs when a werewolf is in human form is even more horrific. Duncan manages to make the human form one of pure torture and agony, surviving as best as possible until the next full moon. It is a rather effective image that does much to remove the romance around werewolves, as established by other paranormal novels.

Told in a journalistic narrative, the reader is taken through the gamut of Jake's emotions. From his disgust over his own actions performed in the name of survival to his wonder and astonishment at the turns life takes, even after 200 years, the reader is along for the ride. Jake's apathy oozes from each page, and his philosophical questions about existence and a desire to live make The Last Werewolf a difficult novel. However, the reader cannot help but savor each page, as Jake's malaise provides much food for thought.

Halfway through the novel, a plot twist occurs that with hindsight is not so surprising but manages to turn Jake's world upside-down, tumbling the reader into a reading frenzy. The action takes off at breakneck speed, and everything the reader previously knew about Jake changes as well. It is an intriguing turn of events that transforms this thoughtful novel into one of action and suspense. There still remains that thoughts on survival, but they take a backseat to what is actually occurring. The juxtaposition is extremely effective.

In spite of, or because of, the brutal and unapologetically feral aspects of being a werewolf, The Last Werewolf is a surprisingly human story of love and loss, survival and death, and friendship and loneliness. Similarly, Marlowe is extremely sympathetic as the last one of his species, and the reader cannot help but extrapolate what other animals have felt, if anything, as they faced extinction. Fans of the genre or myth will enjoy this very adult and more realistic view of werewolves.(less)

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May 19, 2013 Cait Gagnon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eloquently written and captivating. I have never gotten into werewolf books that much, but this book was beautifully done. Intelligent, exciting, and moving. One of my new favorite books!

*Edit*
After reading other reviews, I felt the need to add something more. This book is not your typical horror story. In fact, I would hesitate to call it horror at all. This is something more like existential fantasy with a fair amount of sex and violence. "Gritty" comes to mind. I loved the book because I enjo...more

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May 17, 2013 A.I. Pereira rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fair-tale

From website at: http://ammysspaceontheblogosphere.wor...

** Warning: One case of Swearing, because it’s a quote from the Book. Just thought I’d let you all know …**

The message is clear: By all means become an abomination — but only while unhinged by grief or wrath.

- The Last Werewolf, Glen Duncan pg.

Cover of my copy.

I am not sure what I expected from this book. I had read an early review, around about the time it first came out, that looked at it in terms of changing the werewolf world. A wor...more

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May 13, 2013 Mkooo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OK, this isn't gonna be the best review, simply cause of my English skills. 1st person narration, film noar(ish) feeling, written like a werewolf's personal confession or a diary as he says. Cliche, boring begging of a book, but soon things go up. Now the stuff your either like or not. I can't see a chance of being indifferent if your read it through the end. Lots of sex, violence, animal and primal feelings, rough book maybe...in same time lot's of philosophy, aesthetic, nihilism ... other bran...more

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May 10, 2013 Eric rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Glen Duncan's prose is a pleasure to read, and he keeps hammering you with insights into the human condition, sometimes stated so succinctly and eloquently that you'll want to quote the passage aloud to whoever is sitting nearby. And the bloody adventure story is unarguably a page-turner.

But somehow, for me, the book as a whole was something less than the sum of its parts. Duncan's narrator, the titular werewolf, is a nihilist of sorts, looking for a reason to go on living in (as he sees it) a...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Valerie Derbyshire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have never known Canongate Books to produce a bad book, and Glen Duncan's "The Last Werewolf" is no exception. This is a really smart, intelligent, witty, literary version of the werewolf story and I loved it. Jake Marlowe, The Last Werewolf of the title, is marvellously world-weary and just killing time until someone gets him with the silver bullet, until he discovers that he's not quite so alone as he first thought and suddenly has a reason for living. The action is fast-paced and exciting,...more I have never known Canongate Books to produce a bad book, and Glen Duncan's "The Last Werewolf" is no exception. This is a really smart, intelligent, witty, literary version of the werewolf story and I loved it. Jake Marlowe, The Last Werewolf of the title, is marvellously world-weary and just killing time until someone gets him with the silver bullet, until he discovers that he's not quite so alone as he first thought and suddenly has a reason for living. The action is fast-paced and exciting, with just the right amount of gore for the genre, and some really high quality writing. What I loved most about this book was the literariness of it. Duncan makes a really effective comparison between the craft of writing and the craft of "Wulf" finding "the where and the when and the who of the kill"; he consciously cites literary icon Susan Sontag's hypothesis that "something else is always going on" simultaneously with the main narrative voice and asks "the hell literature faces every day. It's a wonder anyone writes.)" and calls on other literary traditions (gently evoking Jane Eyre with his, "Reader, I ate him.") He pokes fun at his reader, asking if they're paying attention, hinting at current literary trends for a dark ending and accusing them of missing cues (You who consider yourself so well-read) (I may have misquoted that - I couldn't find the actual quote in the book, sorry). Jake as the narrator is refreshingly cynical, by turns offensive and lyrical, always having a neat turn of phrase to hand, crude and very well-read. I was less enamoured of the latter character of Tallula. She spoke too much in Jake's voice. In some parts I was left wondering if the narrative had flipped back to him again. I also don't like sequels - the last part of my Kindle edition was a preview of "Tallula Rising". I've got to say it put me off a bit - but that's just me. The Last Werewolf, in my opinion, should have been exactly that.

Final point - I loved the way Jake's last stand was in Beddgelert with a 4x4 driver called Llewellyn - practically the only thing Beddgelert is famous for is the grave of a large dog (Prince Llewellyn's if I'm not much mistaken). It was a neat way to end the story. (less)

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Mar 11, 2013 The_book_b!tch rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh Glen Duncan.....how you complete me. I'm berating myself for not having spotted this book sooner. It was a happy coincidence that put this tome in my hands & I am SOOOOO GLAD it happened. Turns out those "Book-A-Day" calendars really are worth the scratch! The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan was a recommendation for a day in February & though it took me a few days to get on with it & pick it up, the title stuck with me & I eventually did grab this.

Let me start by saying, THIS IS...more Oh Glen Duncan.....how you complete me. I'm berating myself for not having spotted this book sooner. It was a happy coincidence that put this tome in my hands & I am SOOOOO GLAD it happened. Turns out those "Book-A-Day" calendars really are worth the scratch! The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan was a recommendation for a day in February & though it took me a few days to get on with it & pick it up, the title stuck with me & I eventually did grab this.

Let me start by saying, THIS IS NOT A TWILIGHTISH BOOK. They vaguely share the same genre, supernatural, but other than that, nothing. This book has TEETH, no fluffy, fade to black, behind the scenes in your imagination action here. It all takes place right on the page.

As the title says, Jake Marlowe is literally The Last Werewolf. He has spent the last 200 years roaming the world, evading Hunters, feeding & being protected by his friend Harlowe, also known Harley by Jake. The story is a similar one, you've got the good guys & the bad, but Duncan does a REALLY good job at blurring those lines. Who IS the bad guy really? Jake, yes he is a werewolf, he feeds on people on the full moon but I didn't think of him as the bad guy.

Jake Marlowe was born in the 1800's & became infected as a young man, obviously he had no idea what was really happening to him until the next full moon. The Last Werewolf chronicles Jake's "life" as a werewolf, starting in modern day, moving back & forth where the reader learns more about Jake the werewolf AND Jake the MAN. All of these stories, past & present are seamlessly interwoven, easily followed without confusion.

When the story opens Jake is with his "handler", the handler being a human face for a werewolf, someone to procure documentation, i.e., passports, ID's, birth certificates & handle affairs in the human world, someone to look after Jake as it were & do the things he cannot. You see Jake doesn't age, AT ALL & people, they tend to notice this after a while. Harley (the handler) is telling Jake that he is the last werewolf in existence, the only other known to them having been killed days before. Jake is going through what is akin to a mid-life crisis where he's asking, "What does it all mean?". After 200 hundred years on earth Jake doesn't want to go on, he seems to have nothing to "go on" for. Harley is telling Jake, as most friends would, that of course he goes on....

All the normal werewolf lore is accurate here, present & accounted for, no turning myth/legend on its head like SOME author's, (YES, I'm looking at YOU, Stephenie Meyer) no its your typical fare. Werewolves are killed by silver, Vampires by wooden stakes or fire. It's the mysterious virus that's killing or killed rather, all chance of transmission of the werewolf virus that's lowered the numbers making Jake the last. The science of the virus isn't gone into detail with, it's more of a looming detail on the edge, not really explained, just there.

And if course if you have werewolves & vampires, you gotta have hunters. The WOCOP, "World Organisation for the Control of Occult Phenomena" are the "good guys" protecting humanity from the monsters as it were. But they've done almost too good of a job, what with Jake being the last werewolf & all. The WOCOP hunts vampires of course, but for reasons that didn't really make sense to me they don't do much hunting of anyone but Jake I'm the book.

I don't want to give anything away, and if I go farther I will. Suffice it to say that this is an excellent read, it's got hardship, some romance, lots of lust, a bit of gore, blood. And some betrayal. Like I said, this isn't your daughters supernatural book. This werewolf has sex, lots of it & he isn't shy about it either. No fade to black or happy conclusions in fight scenes either. This book peels back the veil to give you a no holds barred look at werewolves a la Glen Duncan.

I loved this book & am excited to receive & start the sequel, Talulla Rising when my mailman delivers it. (I WISH he'd hurry!) I'm not sure if that will be the 2nd & last book or if Duncan plans on making this a trilogy. This book is definitely for an older audience, I'm not sure it would capture a teens imagination or not. Fans of Anne Rice's vampire trilogy & Sookie Stackhouse's adventures will enjoy this.

* This review is also posted on amazon.com profile, jaded_gal05 *(less)

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Urban Fantasy Afi...: The Last Werewolf - Glen Duncan (No Spoilers)	8	50	Jun 25, 2012 09:29am
The Readers: Book #1; The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan	32	82	Jun 02, 2012 03:53am
Urban Fantasy Afi...: The Last Werewolf - Glen Duncan (Spoilers)	4	34	May 10, 2012 05:41pm

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