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171st out of 333 books
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The Silver Wolf (Legends of the Wolf #1)
Into decadent Rome of the Dark Ages comes Regeane, an enigmatic young woman distantly related to Charlemagne. But the blood she has inherited from her murdered father makes her much more than a child of royalty. Regeane is a shapeshifter--woman and wolf, hunter and hunted--possessed of preternatural agility and strength, primal memories extending back thousands of years, a...more
Mass Market Paperback, 466 pages
Published
March 26th 2002
by Ballantine Books
(first published 1998)
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The offspring of human mother and werewolf father, Regeane displays the werewolf tendencies as she grows into adulthood.
I love werewolf novels but this one didn't do it for me. It fell flat, the characters did not come to life for me.
The sub-story is Regeane's love for Maeniel, who later is revealed to be a werewolf himself. Entirely to predictable for my liking. It had the potential to be a great novel but fell short of the mark.
I love werewolf novels but this one didn't do it for me. It fell flat, the characters did not come to life for me.
The sub-story is Regeane's love for Maeniel, who later is revealed to be a werewolf himself. Entirely to predictable for my liking. It had the potential to be a great novel but fell short of the mark.
Tessa
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Paranormal Romance Group
Recommended to Tessa by:
Lainey
Shelves:
fantasy
The Silver Wolf (Legends of the Wolves, Book #1) by Alice Borchardt was recommended to me by my friend Lainey as sort of a substitute for Anne Rice. Turns out that Alice Borchardt is actually Anne Rice's sister, or at least was Anne Rice's sister, as Wikipedia reports that Borchardt passed away in 2007.
Knowing that, there are some interesting similarities. Borchardt trends a bit voluptuous with her language, while still seeming to hold her characters at an arms length. Both sisters...more
Knowing that, there are some interesting similarities. Borchardt trends a bit voluptuous with her language, while still seeming to hold her characters at an arms length. Both sisters...more
What can I say about this book without coming across as mean-spirited and sarcastic? Uhm. It had good bones. It could have been a good book with a good editor behind it.
This book wandered around like a blind man. The story looped back over its self to little purpose. While I don't expect a high level of historical accuracy in a fantasy novel, the inaccuracies and liberties in this book really irritated.
I don't understand how this book is rated so highly by goodreads r...more
This book wandered around like a blind man. The story looped back over its self to little purpose. While I don't expect a high level of historical accuracy in a fantasy novel, the inaccuracies and liberties in this book really irritated.
I don't understand how this book is rated so highly by goodreads r...more
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I'm a sucker for historical fiction and for novels focused on protagonist character development, so I expected to enjoy this book. What surprised me was that Alice Borchardt went beyond introducing me to a time period I know little about (Rome in the time of Charlemagne) and to a heroine I could become attached to. Perhaps it is because she grew up telling stories in New Orleans with her sister (Anne Rice) - the dust jacket on my book seems to think so.
I am having a hard time collecting my thoughts for this review, so to the lists it is:
- Something just feels off when the highest praise for the book is from Anne Rice, then we find out Borchardt is her sister.
- I love historical fiction, because I love it when history is enlivened. I think it takes as much artistry to create new and believable characters when they live within a preordained world, and certain events are absolutely set to occur, as it does to create som...more
- Something just feels off when the highest praise for the book is from Anne Rice, then we find out Borchardt is her sister.
- I love historical fiction, because I love it when history is enlivened. I think it takes as much artistry to create new and believable characters when they live within a preordained world, and certain events are absolutely set to occur, as it does to create som...more
This is the first book in the Legends of the Wolves trilogy. Borchardt, the sister of vampire maven Anne Rice, spins an amazingly descriptive tale set in the waning years of the Roman Empire as Charles struggles to become Charlemagne and Hadrian struggles to remain pope. Regeane is a shape shifter, woman and wolf, cursed and blessed, hunter and hunted. Distantly related to Charlemagne she is betrothed to a barbarian chieftain she has never seen to secure a mountain pass needed to keep Charlemagn...more
"The Silver Wolf" by Alice Borchardt is a haunting story that follows Regeane, a young woman who has the ability to shapeshift into a wolf. Beyond such a fantastical theme as this, the settings and character interactions in the story bring it to a decadent level of sensory experience. The story is set in Rome during the Dark Ages, where Regeane lives with a dominating uncle and cousin who keep her locked up and control what wealth she has inherited from her deceased parents. Throughout...more
Regeane is a beautiful young woman with werewolf blood. Because of this, her nasty uncle has kept her captive and beaten and starved her. When she discovers that he plans to sell her to a wealthy barbarian she risks her life and escapes. The remainder of the book concentrates on Regeane's self-discovery and the other, often odd, sometimes depraved people she encounters. She's known she can shape-shift but she also learns that she has visions and can speak to the dead. Eventually she becomes embr...more
Alice Borchardt was Anne Rice's (older?) sister. She wrote a series of paranormal novels in the late 90s. This is the first of her first trilogy.
I've read this before at least once. And it has stood up to rereading it. There are no vampires in Borchardt's universe, only werewolves. And from this book all you can tell is that they all seem to have been born that way, and although the protagonist is a young girl, they also seem to have the ability to live a very long time.
O...more
I've read this before at least once. And it has stood up to rereading it. There are no vampires in Borchardt's universe, only werewolves. And from this book all you can tell is that they all seem to have been born that way, and although the protagonist is a young girl, they also seem to have the ability to live a very long time.
O...more
Set in the Rome of the Dark Ages, Regeane is a shape-shifter, a gift inherited from her father. After her mother's death she is raised by her uncle, a cruel man bent on using Regeane, who is distantly related to the great Charlemagne, to better his own station in life. She is betrothed to a barbarian lord she's never met and surrounded by enemies on all sides while she struggles to accept the wolf half of herself.
This book was filled with too much political intrigue for my taste. I'm...more
This book was filled with too much political intrigue for my taste. I'm...more
Beautifully written, descriptive without being boring, fascinating characters, and a good balance of magic and history. Quite a bit of poetic descriptions as well which I particularly loved.
We are introduced to Regan, a distant relation to a king who is locked way in a room, chained to a wall every night, imprisoned by her greedy uncle and sniveling coward of a cousin as they drink and whore her fortune away.
But Regan is no ordinary woman. She is a shape shifter who can chang...more
We are introduced to Regan, a distant relation to a king who is locked way in a room, chained to a wall every night, imprisoned by her greedy uncle and sniveling coward of a cousin as they drink and whore her fortune away.
But Regan is no ordinary woman. She is a shape shifter who can chang...more
Read this one on vacation in Colorado. I had picked it up because of the title (I love books with wolves in them.) and it was not what I had expected but it was still very good. The author seemed to have done some research on the time period (though don't ask me if she's right, history is not my forte) and the characters acted appropriatly for the setting. A little predictable with Regeane and Maeniel but that was okay.
This is the first in a trilogy about a female werewolf, set in 8the century Roman times. Synopsis: "Regeane is a fatherless royal relation who happens to be a werewolf. Her guardian, Gundabald, and his venal son Hugo plan to recoup their fortunes by marrying Regeane to a wealthy bridegroom, even though she might inadvertently make him into a bedtime snack. Gundabald forces her into apparent compliance by threatening to reveal her secret to the Church, which would burn her at the stake. As t...more
Susan
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Shelves:
animals,
coming-of-age,
dark-fantasy,
family-relationships,
fiction,
friendship,
gods-and-goddesses,
historical-fantasy,
historical-fiction,
history,
kings-and-queens,
library-books,
library-books-i-wish-i-owned,
nature,
paranormal,
read-in-2010,
remarkable-reads,
shapeshifters,
women,
young-women
I found Alice Borchardt's The Silver Wolf during a library search on NoveList - it was recommended to me based on other books I have read and enjoyed. I was expecting a light, paranormal romance type novel, easily read and enjoyed, and just as easily forgotten. What I got from reading The Silver Wolf however, was so much more...
Hidden within the pages of The Silver Wolf is an expertly crafted work of historical fiction. Borchardt has created a world of political intrigue and deadly s...more
Hidden within the pages of The Silver Wolf is an expertly crafted work of historical fiction. Borchardt has created a world of political intrigue and deadly s...more
M. Antoine Rouleau
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of good historical fiction and werewolf fantasy
I was very unsurprised to discover that Alice was the sister of Anne Rice. I've been a fan of Anne's work for as long as I can remember, and comparing the two authors' writing, it isn't hard to imagine that their creative ability stemmed from the same genetics. Both have the ability to craft words that paint such an illustrious picture that your mind can grab hold of to carry you away into their created worlds. Both have leanings toward the mystical and magical ideas in our imaginations, and bot...more
Wow, Anne Rice's sister can write just as fantastically as she can! This was nearly epic. The writing was superb and gripping. It is a hellish and brutal tale that doesn't leave the truth behind in it's romance.
Best Quotes from the Book:
"I have no doubt the crabs that cluster around her source of income are sufficiently large and numerous to march on a walled city."
----Lucilla
"Without love we are as ...more
Best Quotes from the Book:
"I have no doubt the crabs that cluster around her source of income are sufficiently large and numerous to march on a walled city."
----Lucilla
"Without love we are as ...more
I loved it! There were few places too immature... not any that I consider too immature now that I think about it.
1. An "innocent" heroine with a difficult upbringing - who is nevertheless intelligent and pragmatic (ex. no exclamations over her appearance or necessary measures for survival) - and kind...
2. Byzantine Rome - with espionage and political intrigue
3. A touch of the supernatural (Celtic wolf shape-shifters) that does not override the rest of the plot (re: "logical" spying, assassination, etc. that isn't resolved by some sudden supernatural activity or ...more
2. Byzantine Rome - with espionage and political intrigue
3. A touch of the supernatural (Celtic wolf shape-shifters) that does not override the rest of the plot (re: "logical" spying, assassination, etc. that isn't resolved by some sudden supernatural activity or ...more
3.5 stars. Fascinating, intriguing and kept me in suspense. Although, confusing and sometimes too in depth, I couldn't seem to put it down. I loved the characters, which were well developed, yet I'm not sure if I can endure another 500 pages of the next book in the series, with Borchardt's serious tone and detailed descriptions. I was fascinated by the time period and found myself looking up characters and information in my sons latin books. I'd like to read, Night of the Wolf, but I need a...more
I'm a sucker for both historical fantasy and werewolf stories, but this novel set in the declining days of the Rome just fails to ever generate a likeable, compelling story. Perhaps it's the dwelling on the depravity and licentiousness of Rome of the period--certainly, that's not ahistorical, but it gets tiresome; or maybe the lack of interesting characters, or the confused and rambling plot. There's some hints that Borchardt might improve as a writer in later books, but this first novel is a de...more
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The Storyline
Regeane is a half-Saxon and half-Frankish woman without a father; her mother, Gisela is the cause of his death. After Gisela discovers that Woflstan, Regeane’s father, is a shape shifter and is able to take the form of a wolf she is convinced by her brother Gundabald that he must be the devils child and must be killed. Gisela is thankful that her daughter doesn’t appear to have any of the traits of her father; however...more
The Storyline
Regeane is a half-Saxon and half-Frankish woman without a father; her mother, Gisela is the cause of his death. After Gisela discovers that Woflstan, Regeane’s father, is a shape shifter and is able to take the form of a wolf she is convinced by her brother Gundabald that he must be the devils child and must be killed. Gisela is thankful that her daughter doesn’t appear to have any of the traits of her father; however...more
My first warning should probably have been that the author is Anne Rice's sister, but despite that I still went ahead with the swap...
Our protagonist is Regeane, a woman from a noble family around the time of the fall of the Roman Empire - effectively held captive by her uncle and cousin, who both fear and hate her because she is a shapechanger (able to take the form of a wolf, if you hadn't guessed from the title), her only protection is the fact she has been promised in marriage to...more
Our protagonist is Regeane, a woman from a noble family around the time of the fall of the Roman Empire - effectively held captive by her uncle and cousin, who both fear and hate her because she is a shapechanger (able to take the form of a wolf, if you hadn't guessed from the title), her only protection is the fact she has been promised in marriage to...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Rachel
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fantasy-readers, werewolf-lovers and historians
Shelves:
fantasy
Do you ever have these authors that make you want to say, "She could be so great if she only applied herself"? Well, that's how I feel about Alice Borchardt, who is apparantly Anne Rice's sister (no resemblance in the writing, however, and may I be the first to say I don't find Rice's epics all that scintillating)?
Wishful thinking about the author aside, this book is arguably Borchardt's best to date (though I do find her Guinevere series compelling).
Set in t...more
Wishful thinking about the author aside, this book is arguably Borchardt's best to date (though I do find her Guinevere series compelling).
Set in t...more
The Silver Wolf was recommended to me by a friend from an online game I used to play, because she knew I love wolves. I bought this book soon after and it only took me about a week to read it, tops, which is quick for me.
It has become one of my favorite books of all time. Alice Borchardt writes a bit overly descriptive, which distracted me in the beginning, but I got used to her writing style. It's great historical fiction, about the fall of Rome, also a political thriller, not to m...more
It has become one of my favorite books of all time. Alice Borchardt writes a bit overly descriptive, which distracted me in the beginning, but I got used to her writing style. It's great historical fiction, about the fall of Rome, also a political thriller, not to m...more
I wasn't sure in what category to put this book, in the end I decided to put it in fiction only. There is a love story but it was not the major part of the whole novel. The novel is about the workings of Rome during the time that the Pope Hadrian was challenged by the Lombards. The story at times stretch, in others it was funny, and at times very interesting. I'm giving it 3 stars because of the times I felt it lagged too much with descriptions when it should have moved on.
The Silver Wolf was a really fun read. It has a strong protagonist, a bunch of interesting characters, and some entertaining political intrigue. The book might make sensitive readers feel a bit queasy, though. takes place in an ancient-Rome-like world full of nastiness, some sexual and some just plain gross. It's by no means a perfect novel, but I highly recommend it to fans of werewolves, romance, and fantasy, particularly those fans in possession of strong stomachs.
A good read. I've read some complaints about the style of the novel, but I find its depth in the Roman culture fascinating. It is NOT a story for the lighthearted though, as it contains some scenes and ideas that might disturb some people. I do recommend this to anyone who wants to read a mature novel, and advise that if they find the beginning too "boring" or "disgusting" to stick with it with the former, or return it if the latter is indeed the case.
Apparently Borchardt is Anne Rice's sister. Huh. It was a fun little novel, about a girl who turns into a wolf, but there were huge sections I ended up just skimming through because they were so heavy on unnecessary details and pointless conversations. There was also a lot of sexy werewolf sex promised and never delivered. I'd probably give it two stars, but I'd also read another by this author.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Alice Borchardt shared a childhood of storytelling with her sister, the bestselling novelist Anne Rice, in New Orleans. A professional nurse, she has also nurtured a profound interest in little-known periods of history. She published her debut novel, 'Devoted', in 1995.
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