The Pack (The Pack, #1)

Apr 16, 2012 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: werewolf aficionados

Shelves: bbb-review, urban-fantasy, werewolf, daddy-hero, owned-copy, read-by-may-2012, beta-hero, laughed-myself-silly-while-reading, set-in-new-york-city, yearly-reading-challenge, 2012-sky-s-the-limit-club, lad-lit, dangerous-hero-2012-general-reading

Review in thirty words:

Are you a happily married man in his thirties suffering from a testosterone deficiency? Why not become a werewolf? It's great fun, except when it's not!

Entertaining read!

Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.

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Apr 24, 2012 Lou rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: other-beings, supernatural, arc

If you happen to notice anyone become suddenly very active a fast runner and have a large appetite and delicacy for meat not well done you would not think twice about it. If his meat is served on a plate with nothing else, no vegetables, just one grand slab of bloody steak sitting on plate you should have some concern and then there is a noticeable hair growth and the lack of need of Viagra all hours going ons you better really be concerned. The persons hearing will greatly be increased, somethi...more If you happen to notice anyone become suddenly very active a fast runner and have a large appetite and delicacy for meat not well done you would not think twice about it. If his meat is served on a plate with nothing else, no vegetables, just one grand slab of bloody steak sitting on plate you should have some concern and then there is a noticeable hair growth and the lack of need of Viagra all hours going ons you better really be concerned. The persons hearing will greatly be increased, something you say in another room in a low voice would be known by the recently gifted one.

The main protagonist in this story a father of one boy and wife to a business woman is about to feel the pinch and be in a situation where he loses his job. He becomes a home alone dad for his kid while his wife earns the money. There are many fathers who would love to be in his shoes. He finds it hard and a chore at first but one stroll to a park he discovers other men babysitting also. Now group of guys relating to each others situation is all fine and dandy but when you get invited back for a guys evening meal with only steaks on a plate take it as a warning you about to be part of a pack.
In history people have found the need to part of something a group a gang a tribe or clan.
There are always leaders of these groups chieftains, captains of football teams and armies.
There is one leader of the pack who bent on recruiting new blood an this group you are about to learn of may well be thee most powerful and high libido orientated pack you are about to partake in by way of this story that Jason Starr has created.

The main protagonist Simon is about to feel and enjoy things in ways he has never thought possible with deadly and bloody consequences. Jason Starr has penned mysteries and thrillers previously and has done well here with something different. His own angle on the urban fantasy story of other becomings and beings with writing that really hooks you in and thoroughly entertaining and hypnotic. In the meantime I am watching out for any extra hair growth, until the next time Jason Starr takes me eagerly back again to The Pack in his sequel.

Also review @ < a href="http://more2read.com/review/the-pack-...(less)

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Dec 03, 2012 Josh rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, own, read_2012, favorites

The Pack is an infusion of urban domesticated bliss turned on its head by raw and uninhabited pit bull violence. Conforming to his expected lofty standards, Starr's New York inhabitants are almost too human - even those that aren't, as the reader feels each trial and tribulation these characters face.

The place setting is classic Starr; modern New York, always the peripheral accomplice to protagonist and antagonist alike. The urban sprawl locales evoke a vivid imagery through scaled description...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Angela Raby rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love that Jason Starr has flipped the roles of the husband and wife and did something a bit more non-traditional in relationships. She is the one with the stable job and is more of an aggressive, confident person in her career. She is a matter-of-fact person but is pretty unrealistic when it comes to her marriage. I find myself very frustrated by her. There are many times in the book I kept saying that Simon should just leave her butt because she is unfair to him and can't seem to make her min...more I love that Jason Starr has flipped the roles of the husband and wife and did something a bit more non-traditional in relationships. She is the one with the stable job and is more of an aggressive, confident person in her career. She is a matter-of-fact person but is pretty unrealistic when it comes to her marriage. I find myself very frustrated by her. There are many times in the book I kept saying that Simon should just leave her butt because she is unfair to him and can't seem to make her mind up about anything and stick to it. One minute she accepts where they are at with his losing his job and even presents that he should be the stay-at-home dad. Next, she is pissed off at him and resents that she isn't staying at home...again.

However, that is pretty much how most people feel when they go through some of the toughest changes in their life. You negotiate your happiness and acceptance of a given event or situation. You grieve and get angry...you accept a little more...get angry some more...accept some more. So I think my frustration was with the fact that I have felt that way and experienced it in my own marriage but for different events. So, in that case, well done Jason Starr. :)

The presentation of Simon bothers me some because while he is also negotiating his acceptance of a new role, losing his job, being a good dad, trying to save his marriage...he tries too hard to be a pleaser. I just wanted him to say, once, "Shut the **** up and let me figure out where I fit now, thank you. It isn't all about you and your happiness."

Finding the Dad-only play group and making new friends is a great segway into the werewolf world. The way Simon is brought into that world himself is fairly believable. The way Starr describes the changes Simon undergoes is impacting to the reader. I found myself resonating with Simon and even feeling more energy and the need to execute on decisions and act.

So, even as I write this, I am asking why I would only give the book 3 stars. There's my immense frustration with Simon and his wife. However, there is something about the writing...the way the story unfolds. I would skip through reading sections that I could tell were more pertinent to the story. I always go back and read from where I left off originally as my rule is to always read a book all the way through. However, I find that I didn't miss a lot in what I skipped. The story just isn't that tight. I even noticed sentence structures and the double use of words. I rarely ever notice things like that. It was distracting for me.

Overall, it's a pretty good book. Enough for me to get the second one and read it. Not sure I will buy the 3rd when it comes out though.(less)

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Apr 24, 2012 ReadingDiva rated it 3 of 5 stars

~~** Originally posted @ ReadingDiva's Blog Rating 3.5 of 5**~~

Review by Vicky: Normally when I write up a review I have a clear idea of how I feel about the book but with The Pack that isn’t the case. I know it may sound strange but even though I couldn’t put it down I’m still not sure that I really enjoyed it. I have mixed feelings as on some occasions I found I was questioning the sanity of the characters and at others I was really happy that things were working out for them.

When we first me...more ~~** Originally posted @ ReadingDiva's Blog Rating 3.5 of 5**~~

Review by Vicky: Normally when I write up a review I have a clear idea of how I feel about the book but with The Pack that isn’t the case. I know it may sound strange but even though I couldn’t put it down I’m still not sure that I really enjoyed it. I have mixed feelings as on some occasions I found I was questioning the sanity of the characters and at others I was really happy that things were working out for them.

When we first meet Simon he isn’t having the best time of it. He’s just been fired from his job and his relationship with his wife is on the rocks. He is lonely and a depressed and is struggling with his new role as a stay-at-home dad. His relationship with his wife seems very genuine and was written in such a way that you could understand the situation from both his and his wife’s perspective.

Simon is so angry over the way he has been treated by someone he thought of as a friend that not only is he trying to deal with losing his job he is also coming to terms with how lonely he feels. He is craving the companionship and understanding that seems to be missing from his life. When Simon meets Ramon, Charlie and Michael he feels a connection to them as they appear to be in a similar situation to him and the friendship he develops with them gives him the confidence that he has been missing in his life.

Charlie and Ramon appear to be nice people but it is obvious early on that they are easily manipulated by Michael. Michael seems like a stuck up arsehole that can’t be bothered to talk to people with respect and acts like he believes he’s a superior being. When he meets Olivia I was shocked that this supposedly strong woman was letting this person, who she had only just met, treat her so disdainfully. I presume the reason behind everyone’s reaction to Michael is some sort of animal magnetism that he supposedly has – I can’t think of any other reason that these people would let someone talk to them like fools.

It was the subtleties throughout the story that saved it for me. And they seemed to out shine the obvious throughout the whole story. The world building is understated with us only finding out the reality of what is happening near the end of the book. The slight changes to Simon’s appearance take a back seat to the other changes he experiences which kept me guessing and considering alternatives to the reasons that were being hinted at. The ending came as a shock as I was not expecting the direction that it took and I am wondering where this is now going to go.

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Apr 16, 2012 Theresa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Simon Burns is your typical beta male. He goes to work but can't climb the corporate ladder because he lacks the requisite ambition and willingness to resort to cut-throat office politics, yet he still shocked when he is unexpectedly fired. A bad economy soon forces Simon into making an unconventional decision and he ends up as a stay-at-home dad to his three-year-old son Jeremy. It's a tough adjustment and when Simon runs into another group of dads at the playground he's relieved to find a grou...more Simon Burns is your typical beta male. He goes to work but can't climb the corporate ladder because he lacks the requisite ambition and willingness to resort to cut-throat office politics, yet he still shocked when he is unexpectedly fired. A bad economy soon forces Simon into making an unconventional decision and he ends up as a stay-at-home dad to his three-year-old son Jeremy. It's a tough adjustment and when Simon runs into another group of dads at the playground he's relieved to find a group of guys who seem to understand his situation.

His new friends are a close-knit group that possess an eerie physicality, but Simon brushes off their oddness in his desire to find a comfortable niche in his new life. He soon progresses from playdates at the park to nights out with the guys- but when Simon wakes up in the middle of the woods with no memory of the previous night, blood on his clothes and a sudden strange craving for meat, he begins to realize that his new friends aren't exactly what they seem to be.

When I was first offered "The Pack" for review I was drawn to the differences in the concept of the werewolf story. Who wants the same old thing with all the were-themed fiction out there? But the promise of flip-flopped gender roles and the pull of a charismatic pack leader ended up being only a small part of the narrative as the execution gets bogged down in mundane repetition and discombobulated characterizations.

The difficulty I had in reading "The Pack" primarily came from a feeling that nothing had a natural flow to it. When we're confronted with strange situations most people have a native wariness. We might talk ourselves out of paying attention to our gut reactions, but not until we've run through some rationalizations first. But the characters in "The Pack" have a shared tendency to disregard frightening circumstances and leap into things when they should run in the other direction. To explain this behavior we're told that the would-be leader of The Pack, Michael, is an unusually charismatic guy. That he has the ability to overwhelm with his presence and make people trust him. The problem with that description is that he is never written in a way that makes this believable. Michael really just comes off as odd and I could never suspend disbelief enough to go along with the idea that people would do what he wants so easily.

And the disjointed feeling carries over into the most pedestrian aspects of the story. Simon doesn't have to go through any kind of initiation into the pack-- he's basically accepted on sight and brought into the fold for no other reason than he's a stay-at-home dad. His odd behavior does cause his wife some alarm, but her reactions are all over the place. She runs an emotional obstacle course that goes from accusing Simon of having an affair to being gay and even fears Simon will hurt Jeremy at one point. But when it becomes convenient to the narrative for her and Simon to be together, she goes through a massive change of demeanor and decides everything is fine. I couldn't decide if the author thought all women were that wishy-washy, or if that was particular to this story. But the only other female characters aren't given more credit for being perceptive- or sane- so I didn't love the way women were treated in the book.

Not to nit-pick this book to death, but I also have to mention that for a thriller "The Pack" spends a lot of time on not-so-thrilling minutia. Much of Simon's day, after being essentially turned into a werewolf, revolves around eating meat, running laps and doing push-ups to burn off his new-found energy or taking his son to the park. There are a few glimmers of what the book could be when Simon interacts with his former co-workers but it never finds its potential. It feels like more time is spent describing the changes in Simon's eating habits than showing the fear and anger that should accompany such a life-altering situation.

I wanted to like "The Pack" because I think it has such a good premise. Starr touches on the idea that women like passive men on an intellectual level, but respond to the alpha male on an instinctive level. The conundrum of having Simon being financially passive while physically aggressive is something I wish had been explored more. I also think Michael could have been developed in a much more convincing manner and I was disappointed that *the pack* that is the central idea of the book was more of a concept that a well fleshed-out part of the story. In the end I felt like "The Pack" was a collection of good ideas that needed a lot of refining. (less)

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Oct 12, 2011 Ashley Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Simon Burns’ life is just not going well at all. He exists from day to day, but he is shocked when his boss calls him into his office and fires him with no explanation. He has never been overly confident, not confrontational in the least, and his marriage is not on the best footing. Now, he is reeling emotionally from this latest blow and he finds himself a stay-at-home dad. Frustrated with life and how it is turning out, Simon spends his time taking care of his three-year-old son.
They get into...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Alecia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have read a few books by Jason Starr, and will continue to read more. Some are better than others. Despite the fact that this one has a fantasy/werewolf theme (that is not my "thing"), this is one of his better novels. Starr always does a good job with the characterizations of his protagonists. They seem to always be flawed young men, who hit some kind of downward spiral when the stories begin. This one is no different.

Simon Burns thinks he is on the fast track in his advertising agency job,...more

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Jul 27, 2011 Julie H. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, paranormal-fiction

The Pack is more suspense novel than horror story, despite the fact that it contains werewolves. When advertising account manager Simon Burns is unexpectedly fired, his already tenuous grasp on his finances, marriage, and self-confidence slips. His self-centered wife, Alison, vacillates between demanding that he become a stay-at-home dad so that they can save on childcare and being angry that he gets to spend days with their three-year-old son. The couple is in therapy, his wife's intense mood s...more

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Jun 19, 2011 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense, horror, couldn-t-put-down, summerrding11

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 08, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Pack is a Novel of Fiction by Jason Starr from ACE.

Book Blurb:

Simon Burns is not the only man this has happened to. Fired from his job without warning, he takes on the role of stay-at-home dad for his three-year-old son, but his obvious reluctance pushes his already-strained marriage to the limit. And while making his way through the shady streets and nestled playgrounds of the Upper West Side, Simon harbors a simmering rage at his boss’s betrayal.

Things take a turn when he meets a tight-kni...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Lainy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Time Taken To Read - 1.5 days

Blurb From Amazon

When Simon Burns is fired from his job without warning, he takes on the role of stay-at-home dad for his three-year-old son. But his reluctance pushes his already strained marriage to the limit. In the nestled playgrounds of the Upper West Side, Simon harbors a simmering rage at his boss's betrayal.

Things take a turn when he meets a tight-knit trio of dads at the playground. They are different from other men Simon has met, stronger and more confident...more Time Taken To Read - 1.5 days

Blurb From Amazon

When Simon Burns is fired from his job without warning, he takes on the role of stay-at-home dad for his three-year-old son. But his reluctance pushes his already strained marriage to the limit. In the nestled playgrounds of the Upper West Side, Simon harbors a simmering rage at his boss's betrayal.

Things take a turn when he meets a tight-knit trio of dads at the playground. They are different from other men Simon has met, stronger and more confident, more at ease with the darker side of life- and soon Simon is lured into their mix. But after a guys' night out gets frighteningly out of hand, Simon feels himself sliding into a new nightmarish reality.

As he experiences disturbing changes in his body and his perceptions, he starts to suspect that when the guys welcomed him to their "pack," they were talking about much more than male bonding. And as he falls prey to his basest instincts, Simon must accept that werewolves exist if he is to turn the tides of his fortune...

My Review

Meet Simon Burns, possibly the most unfortunate guy of the week in terms of work. He thinks he is getting a big promotion after working for the same company for over 7 years only to be fired rather humiliatingly and without a second thought. Going from a high powered job to a stay at home dad is life changing and challenging. But after a play date with his son at the park he meets some grown up friends and on their first "night out" his life changes and here in starts a new and terrifying chapter.

I loved this book, it is easy to read - a story that you just fall into and can't put down (well nosey folks like myself can't). We follow Simon going through an emotional journey through stresses with his job and financial situation, not to mention his marital issues which all stem from his journey after being flung into the life of a werewolf. I think I liked it so much because you get to follow pretty much every aspect of this normal guy going through a lot of struggles you can identify with(especially with today's economy). Also how the journey of the "change" happens and how it affects him both emotionally and physically.

There is a fair bit of violence and sex in this book (it is all wrapped up in the beast and the changes that take place) but it doesn't detract or take anything away from the story. It has been a long time since I read a werewolf book and I love how this one has been done, it isn't all about the horror and gore (although there is enough of it to keep fans happy). I have been left with a few questions which I hate but as there is going to be another book I am hoping they get answered there, also you are left with a cliff hanger and the omg no you can't end it here!! Book two is out in the US now and for everyone in the UK we need to wait til October. 4/5 for me and now going to see if I can get book two whilst on vacation.(less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Lady Book Voodoo & Hoodoo Review rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-then-review

Lady Zombie Journal Review

Simon is a main charater in the book ,in the begining his luck was horrible. Here this poor guy had a wife and a son and the perfect job in NYC. Simon is this happy guy who loved his life and his job abd of course his family. One day Simon's luck began to take a turn for the worst. He goes to work like any other day and get's canned after dedicating so much, so long. Like so many of us do. Simon begans to go threw the notions of loosing his job . He trys not to becom...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Cookie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was so easy to read. I'd pick it up intending to read a chapter and it seemed to just fly by and before I knew it I'd read 3 or 7. I loved that aspect of it.

It's pretty obvious that this book is about werewolves, unless you just can't see the cover or read the back of the book, in which case.. what are you doing here? It's fun to read what he's like at the beginning and how he changes after he receives the wolf's blood.

The only thing I don't like is the way he writes the women in the...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Fitzgerald rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle

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Jul 08, 2011 Robert Brase rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: werewolf

This was heading into the four star category until I started to reach the end. Read the blurb about the book and you will get the idea of the book. I could not really tell you more about the contents because I would be giving something away, and I do not like to do that. Now lets talk mashed potatoes. Ever had a nice pile of mashed taters on your plate, covered in your favorite gravy of course. You just cannot see it, because the gravy is covering it, but once you bite into it, you have those li...more

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May 06, 2011 Pete rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, crime

Jason Starr is one of my favorite crime authors. Along with Ken Bruen, his Max novels for Hard Case Crime are some of the most fun and funny crime books I have read. So when I was selected to receive an advanced copy of his new novel "The Pack" from the First Reads program, I was stoked. In "The Pack", Starr enters the urban fantasy genre with a story of Simon, a normal husband and father, who finds himself out of a job and talked into being a stay-at-home parent. After meeting some other Dads a...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Wendy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I won this book through Good Reads – First Read’s.

Simon Burns is anything but a man’s man. Besides having a shaky marriage (and who said that women are the one’s who are never in the mood?), he is an account manager for an advertising agency, and is in the running for a promotion to senior account’s manager. He doesn’t like sports (actually doesn’t even ‘get the concept’ about sports/team playing) and is probably one of the most least competitive people ever. Called to meet with the boss in the...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Mieneke rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, fantasy

The Pack was a very enjoyable read, though I had a bit of a problem with the ending. The first bit read more like a contemporary fiction book than an urban fantasy novel, but the kind that comes after the 'boy meets girl'-part, the one that deals with 'we're in a relationship, now what do we do?' This was actually kind of pleasant and it read away at a great clip. I was quickly drawn into Simon's life and cares. The scenes with his son are adorable and at times very relatable, but then they woul...more The Pack was a very enjoyable read, though I had a bit of a problem with the ending. The first bit read more like a contemporary fiction book than an urban fantasy novel, but the kind that comes after the 'boy meets girl'-part, the one that deals with 'we're in a relationship, now what do we do?' This was actually kind of pleasant and it read away at a great clip. I was quickly drawn into Simon's life and cares. The scenes with his son are adorable and at times very relatable, but then they would be to most parents, even if you don't live in Upper East Side New York.

From the start it was clear to me that this is a book with werewolves in it, thanks to the title and some of the quotes on the press pack. To my surprise however, the actual word werewolf doesn't get mentioned until the last third of the book. Instead, a lot of the book covers Simon's discovery of his new found abilities, his reactions to them and his search to find answers to the how and why of these changes. As such, the book was a far more psychological thriller kind of book, than an action-based one; only in the climax of the novel does the action ramp up. I found this an interesting approach, though at times it was rather frustrating as the clues are all there in the text from the beginning and it takes Simon quite a while to connect the dots. Once he does though, I really liked his reaction: from initial disbelief to anger at being tricked into the situation he finds himself in. Because make no mistake: the book is set in contemporary New York City and the supernatural is very much not a feature of this town. In fact, apart from the pack, there doesn't seem to be any other form of supernaturalism going on. This is one urban fantasy book that is very light on fantasy elements. Starr takes one fantastical element and builds his novel around this, an approach that works singularly well.

So The Pack isn't heavy on the world building – even if Starr draws us a lovely, vibrant view of his home town, New York – and fantasy elements, instead it relies on its characters to draw the reader in. And it does so in style. Simon as the protagonist is a likeable fellow, the reader can easily identify with him and his situation. From being laid off – something many people fear in the current economy – via his struggles to reconnect with his wife emotionally to his difficulties parenting an energetic three-year-old – okay, so my toddler is two, but currently her favourite word is no, so I feel his pain – his problems are something any of us might encounter in our lives. That is until he meets Michael, Ramon and Charlie. When Simon starts changing, his character became more fascinating to me. I liked the way Starr shows Simon's confusion and his both being attracted and repulsed by his new abilities. This internal battle is powerful as it's not just about himself, but also about his marriage and it forces him to really take a close look at himself and become a better person, regardless of his physical enhancements. Simon's wife Alison at first seems a little harsh in her reaction to Simon, but once we get passages from her point of view, she gets more reasonable, which I liked, though at times I wanted to shake her, especially when she started to listen to her sister.

One character that I didn't like was Michael. I didn't like his vibe and the way he ordered everyone around. The reason for his behaviour is quite clear and as such he was well-written, as it seems that the reader isn't meant to like him, but he got on my nerves, both as a character and the way he was written. I wonder whether this will change in future books in the series. In the same vein, I really disliked Olivia as well. She made me want to scream, both in her Carrie Bradshaw-like desire for a man and later on in her wilful blindness to the weirdness of her relationship with Michael. She felt a little cliché, especially as she'd fit into a contemporary fiction novel with shoes on the pink cover seamlessly, but again this may have been exactly what the author was aiming for, making fun of the meat market that is the New York dating scene, but she didn't really do it for me.

While The Pack ends on an action-filled note, there is no actual resolution to the story. It feels as if we exit the book during a five minute break at a film-watching marathon when everyone gets to take a breather and can go and refill their drink and get snacks. The story hits pause, not the end, something which made me feel let down a bit; I like at least some closure at the end of a novel. On the other hand, it has left me looking forward to the next instalment as I really want to know what happens now. Luckily The Craving, book two, has been already handed in to the publisher and is expected later this year.

If you like your urban fantasy a little different, without tramp stamps, vampires and leather-clad heroes – well, actually Simon does wear a leather jacket at one point, but only the once – or you like psychological thrillers with a twist, The Pack is a good book to pick up. I had a great time with this story and it even had me sneaking in one more chapter after feeding the baby in the middle of the night, which has to say it all about how captivating the book is. The Pack will be out from Penguin's new SFF imprint Berkley UK on April 26th as both a paperback and an eBook.

This book was sent to me for review by the publisher.(less)

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May 23, 2011 Ravwrin rated it 3 of 5 stars

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May 20, 2012 Ann Davis rated it 3 of 5 stars

I bet there's loads of people who love this book but not me. Silliest book I've read, but strangely I read it all. I should have been alerted by the title "The Pack" but I bought this book not knowing what to expect. Having been made redundant, Simon finds himself as a stay at home dad to his little boy Jeremy. I enjoyed the description of Simon taking his little darling for a meal which turns into a nightmare. He eventually meets a group of men in the park who are in the same situation as him a...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Michael Jenkins rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE!

Shelves: best-mystery-thriller

Simon Burns is married to his beautiful wife Allison, they have a wonderful three year old son, Jeremy together. Although they are devoted to taking care of this son, it is hard by them both working full time, causing the intimacy to deflate in their marriage. Hiring a baby sister to take care of Jeremy seemed like a good idea in the beginning but when he bonds more with the babysitter, then his parents, they reconsider the idea all together. Jeremy is on a verge of a promotion, when he gets tha...more

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May 26, 2012 Christa (More Than Just Magic) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc, genre-paranormal-supernatural, publisher-penguin, sent-for-review

This review originally posted at Hooked on Books

At the beginning of this novel Simon has it all. A good job, loving wife, adorable kid, nice apartment. But then he suddenly loses his job and everything changes. He becomes a stay at home dad, money gets tight. There's a lot of adjustments to be made. The later werewolf craziness aside, I really liked this part. I really liked the way it stretched Simon as a character and the way he was forced to comfort certain negative aspects about himself. Goo...more This review originally posted at Hooked on Books

At the beginning of this novel Simon has it all. A good job, loving wife, adorable kid, nice apartment. But then he suddenly loses his job and everything changes. He becomes a stay at home dad, money gets tight. There's a lot of adjustments to be made. The later werewolf craziness aside, I really liked this part. I really liked the way it stretched Simon as a character and the way he was forced to comfort certain negative aspects about himself. Good character development, especially when it comes at a price, is always a positive in my personal ledger.

Then we get into the crazy werewolf stuff. What sets The Pack apart from some other werewolf novels, is that Simon is not transforming/changing in isolation. There are a whole group of guys just like him, and more importantly there is a pack leader. Also the transformation is much more subtle, it's not simply a case of being bitten. It becomes a bit more nuanced then just an animalistic act, and because of that the whole process takes a lot longer. This means the reader gets to spend a lot more time examining the different stages of the transformation, instead of simply being pushed through a whirlwind of action. Some people may not care for this more drawn out approach, but I really appreciated it.

However, I can't review this book without mentioning the women. To put it simply, they were really poorly written. There are only a few women that play any sort of role in this story, and for the most part I found them one dimensional and overly irrational. More often than not, their actions just didn't make sense. I am easily frustrated when their are no female characters the reader can respect.

Overall, I have some mixed feeling about this novel. I enjoyed reading, but I was distracted and bothered by the female characters. If I have ratings I would probably put this around a 3/5.

Final recommendation: A good thriller, and a new and interesting take on the werewolf novel. There are some problems with the characterization but if you're willing to overlook them, you'll find this an entertaining read.(less)

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Sep 15, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to win this book from a giveaway on Feeling Fictional.

I really like the cover, it has a dark and dangerous feel to it. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the book itself and whilst reading I had mixed feelings about it – there were some parts that I enjoyed very much but others that just didn’t hold my interest enough.

When Simon lost his job and began looking after his son Jeremy it set off a chain of events that changed his life forever. I enjoyed reading about his first day a...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Roger rated it 2 of 5 stars

OK, I didn't realize this book was about werewolves until I was about halfway through, and if I had known that, I wouldn't have even started it. That said, it was an interesting plot, not entirely implausible (if you buy the werewolf thing!). But the characters are so unsympathetic it was hard to get engaged with any of them. The supposed "hero" Simon is a self-centered, pompous, effeminate wuss. His wife, Allison, is shallow, selfish and snooty. The kid, Jeremy, is hell on wheels who throws a f...more

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Jun 27, 2011 MARILYN rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-stars, june-2011, kindle

The Pack by Jason Starr

This is Stepford Wives meets werewolves and not in a good way. This is a poorly written book with little character development and unlikable characters. The protagonist Simon is naive and self centered, his wife needs some bipolar meds and their 3 year old needs to be in permanent time out. This could have been a really good story in someone elses hands but we are treated to Simon running, eating meat and erections, none of which are interesting. We know nothing about the...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Tori smexys_sidekick rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, review-for-smexybooks

Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/06/rev...

When Simon Burns loses his job, he loses more then his income. He finds himself thrust in the role of stay-at home dad for his three year old son which puts a strain on his already rocky marriage. Floundering to try and make sense of why he was fired for no reason, he begins to try and find some balance in his life. He meets a group of single dads at a park he takes his son to. Happy to find some comradely, he immediately joins their t...more Originally posted at http://www.smexybooks.com/2011/06/rev...

When Simon Burns loses his job, he loses more then his income. He finds himself thrust in the role of stay-at home dad for his three year old son which puts a strain on his already rocky marriage. Floundering to try and make sense of why he was fired for no reason, he begins to try and find some balance in his life. He meets a group of single dads at a park he takes his son to. Happy to find some comradely, he immediately joins their tight knit group. Michael, Charlie, and Ramon are different then what Simon is used to. Confident, stronger, and more at ease with themselves. After Simon wakes up disoriented from a night out with them, he begins to notice changes in himself. Stronger, hungrier, and an increased sense of smell and hearing, Simon fears he is going insane. When his former boss is found brutally murdered, appearing to have been mauled by a wolf, Simon fears something much worse is happening to him. He fears he becoming a werewolf. And Simon only has one chance to stop the transformation before he to becomes part of the pack.

This is my first reading of Jason Starr’s work. The Pack is an mix of Urban Fantasy and criminal mystery. The beginning pace was smooth and well defined. You get an instant feeling for what Simon is going through; experiencing with him his anger at his company’s betrayal and his feelings of inadequacy when it comes to dealing with his wife and child. When he meets the dads at the park, you see gradual changes come over him. He’s happier and more in control. He and his wife start communicating again.

Mr. Starr does a great job with Simon. Well fleshed out, Simon comes across very believable and realistic. I enjoyed his inner monologues and observations concerning his family and friends. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the rest of the cast. Michael was the only one who comes across as developed as Simon. He is well portrayed as an animal in human skin. He acts on instinct-taking what he wants with no thought to the consequences. Learning his background, you can almost understand why he is doing what he is. The rest of the supporting characters though just comes across as strange. One dimensional and boring. Ramon with his endless talk of sex and while Charlie gives off a supporting vibe, we even realize it doesn’t ring true. I found the dialogue between all of them to be uninspiring.

Once Simon realizes what is happening to him, the rest of story seems to lose focus and just becomes a series of random events. Simon races around, gathering information but not really accomplishing anything. The ending starts off with the possibility of saving the story with an action packed conclusion but random characters tossed in at the end just confuse the matter. We are left on the edge, not knowing what happened or where we go from here. All in all a very confused story that got lost and never made it back.

Rating: D(less)

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May 23, 2012 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-chick-city-reviews-2012

Reviewed for Book Chick City
http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/05/...

‘The Pack’ by Jason Starr is an interesting novel that cleverly intertwines the supernatural with realism, creating an intriguing plot that fits neatly into the crime genre as well as the paranormal.

Protagonist, Simon Burns, is unexpectedly fired from his job as an advertising executive, throwing his family life into disarray as they are now reliant upon the wages of his wife, Allison. His unemployment means that they can no lo...more Reviewed for Book Chick City
http://www.bookchickcity.com/2012/05/...

‘The Pack’ by Jason Starr is an interesting novel that cleverly intertwines the supernatural with realism, creating an intriguing plot that fits neatly into the crime genre as well as the paranormal.

Protagonist, Simon Burns, is unexpectedly fired from his job as an advertising executive, throwing his family life into disarray as they are now reliant upon the wages of his wife, Allison. His unemployment means that they can no longer afford a nanny for their son, Jeremy, forcing Simon to become a stay-at-home dad. At first he struggles to adapt to his new life, having an almost comical first few days trying to cope with the trials and tribulations of a three year old.

This all changes when Simon and Jeremy meet three single dads at the park, with Jeremy striking up an instant friendship with the other children. Simon also finds it easy to talk to the parents, Michael, Charlie and Ramon, finding his first friends since his departure from work. Ramon and Charlie are easier for Simon to talk to, with Michael forming the epitome of mysteriousness, but he still feels a calming ease around them. They can all run exceptionally fast, and all have an eerie way of knowing when their sons need attention, particularly nappy changes.

Simon becomes more optimistic after meeting the other dads, but after meeting them for a beer, his life will never be the same again. His senses of hearing and smell are heightened, as is his sex drive, with him wanting to sleep with his wife at every opportunity. However, when his ex-boss is found murdered by an animal attack Simon begins to suspect himself, not understanding his new circumstances. His marital difficulties may appear to be solved, but at what cost?

Simon is a very well-developed main character, with the reader thrown straight into his emotional turmoil at being fired, despite seven years good service to his company. The author does a brilliant job of portraying all of his emotions, as well as giving the reader an insight into the emotions of other characters in the novel, such as Simon’s wife, Allison, which gives a sense of realism to the situation. It could be argued that realism is unnecessary in a paranormal novel, but most of the time the plot can become so entwined with the supernatural that all ‘normal’ human elements are lost, but Starr captures human emotion perfectly.

The narrative is told from a third person perspective, focusing on the mysterious Michael as well as Simon, although we never find out too much information about the other single fathers. I would suppose that more information may be revealed in future novels, but this was a downside of the book for me, that a lot of the mysteries are left unsolved. However, a lot of character development centred on Simon and Allison, detailing their marital difficulties, which I did really like, and felt that the novel could still have been a good read without the werewolf element.

In terms of the plot, it does take a while for the supernatural to happen, with not a lot occurring other than the protagonist’s struggle to come to terms with what has happened to him. There is a lot of potential for future books after the novel’s conclusion, although I did feel that the ending of the book was rushed. However, I did enjoy the ending, with there being a nice bloody battle to end everything on a violent high.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but what let it down for me was the fact that it felt a little sex obsessed. The werewolves are turned on constantly, with a lot of the chapters focused on their sex lives, and they have a very derogatory way of speaking to women. They order them around, using blunt commands that I didn’t like and like to discuss their many ‘conquests’. It was a good read despite this, with mysteries left to unravel in future books.
(less)

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Aug 07, 2012 Kirsty rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: free-amazon-vine-books, horror, werewolves-shifters

The book is quite slow to start off with, and does take quite a bit of time to find momentum and flow. It picks up drastically in the middle, but then peters out to an unsatisfying fizzle at the end. The author clearly built up the tension and plot, only to back right off at the end and drag the story into a sequel.

The Pack is the most urban and realistic werewolf book I have read, and I found myself missing the normal things we expect from a shifter book. There is no howling at the moon, no hun...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Life was not going well for Simon Burns, marriage undergoing therapy, suddenly fired from his job and has no choice but to become a full time stay at home dad to his 3 year old son. After a rough beginning things start falling into a routine with his son, until he encounters a group of dads that seemed to be in his same position. After a get together with his new friends, he wakes up in the middle of the woods in New Jersey, with no clothes, can't remember how he got there and has the strangest...more

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