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Becoming The Wolf
Who is JD Ward?
A farm boy with combat experience as an Army combat tracker.
A rookie city cop, burdened to solve a cold case that’s plagued him since childhood.
And a reluctant vigilante known as The White Wolf. A fierce guardian of justice who uses Cincinnati’s forgotten underground—abandoned since the 1920’s—to wreak havoc on the city's most violent criminals.
Now the predators have become his prey...
As The White Wolf, JD Ward is pulled back into a world every bit as deadly as the one he'd left behind in the military. He finds himself hunted by a homicidal clan, a street gang, and a federal task force, forcing him to step out of the shadows to save Cincinnati from a cunning plan of revenge and total devastation. And the conspiracy turns out to be more treacherous than JD could have imagined, and more savage than he may be able to survive.
- GenresThriller
396 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2016
83 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
R.H. Neil
1 book15 followersI’m an Ohio country boy who joined the Army infantry to escape farm work. I admit, it wasn’t a well thought out plan. I eventually became a police officer, starting out part-time in Jamestown, Ohio. I moved on to the City of St. Bernard, which is surrounded by Cincinnati, and finally retired from Huber Heights.
I served as a patrol officer, detective, field training officer, crime scene investigator, and school resource officer. I was forced to retire from law enforcement after a police injury left me with four neurostimulator implants in my back, which inspired some of the tech in the novel. But I can assure you that my implants are nowhere near as cool as anything you will read about in Becoming The Wolf. Mine are more like a taser going off in your spinal cord, kind of thing...
I live on the same farm in southwestern Ohio that I ran away from with my wife, Gloria, and a Belgian Malinois that rarely listens to anything I tell her. We have two children, both of which graduated from The Ohio State University - Go Buckeyes. Our daughter, Nadia, is a behavioral therapist for children in Columbus, Ohio. She was my first and most crucial editor for Becoming The Wolf, and I could not have done it without her. Our son, Richard Jr., is an Army veteran, a cancer survivor, and police officer in San Antonio, Texas. As you can see, I am a blessed husband and father.
If nothing is falling apart on our farmhouse - which was built in 1814, so something is always falling apart - I spend most of my time locked away in my Narnia room, writing about The White Wolf.
I served as a patrol officer, detective, field training officer, crime scene investigator, and school resource officer. I was forced to retire from law enforcement after a police injury left me with four neurostimulator implants in my back, which inspired some of the tech in the novel. But I can assure you that my implants are nowhere near as cool as anything you will read about in Becoming The Wolf. Mine are more like a taser going off in your spinal cord, kind of thing...
I live on the same farm in southwestern Ohio that I ran away from with my wife, Gloria, and a Belgian Malinois that rarely listens to anything I tell her. We have two children, both of which graduated from The Ohio State University - Go Buckeyes. Our daughter, Nadia, is a behavioral therapist for children in Columbus, Ohio. She was my first and most crucial editor for Becoming The Wolf, and I could not have done it without her. Our son, Richard Jr., is an Army veteran, a cancer survivor, and police officer in San Antonio, Texas. As you can see, I am a blessed husband and father.
If nothing is falling apart on our farmhouse - which was built in 1814, so something is always falling apart - I spend most of my time locked away in my Narnia room, writing about The White Wolf.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 21, 2021
A young cop is on the beat in Cincinnati, OH. He's a family man, too.
While on the beat, he has an encounter with some outlaw bikers. The bikers wind up dead. To protect his family, the department frames a fictional vigilante known as The White Wolf.
The vigilante becomes real when the bikers start to assault the city.
Not bad. A few too many coincidences for my taste. A pretty good cross between a super hero novel and a Men's Adventure novel.
While on the beat, he has an encounter with some outlaw bikers. The bikers wind up dead. To protect his family, the department frames a fictional vigilante known as The White Wolf.
The vigilante becomes real when the bikers start to assault the city.
Not bad. A few too many coincidences for my taste. A pretty good cross between a super hero novel and a Men's Adventure novel.
March 29, 2017
When I first picked up this book, even after reading the summary, I wasn’t quite sure what I was in for as I hadn’t read very many vigilante justice thrillers. But, being that this is a part of one of my favorite genres, Thriller/Suspense, I went for it.
And I was glad I did.
JD Ward, a police officer and former military man also known as The White Wolf who makes violent predators his prey, is a deeply human and conflicted man.
He cares about the world around him, loves his family and friends wholeheartedly, and yet performs violent acts to protect that world and those loved ones.
But his acts don’t come without consequence to his psyche and personal peace.
JD himself also struggles with the job he has to do as a man of the law.
I personally know many men and woman just like him; police officers who have to do a job, struggle with the demands of said job, and, yet, go out of their way to ensure the safety of every single citizen.
It’s not an easy job and Neil makes that clear through not only the character development of JD but also his wife Lucy and their two children who, I might add, were too adorable for words.
JD’s fights don’t just stop in the mental or familial arena.
When you do what he does, of course, you’ll have enemies on all sides.
And, boy, what enemies…
This story was gritty. I had to stop and take a break a few times through the reading because I got so invested with this that my heart was hurting and pounding with each twist and turn.
It was brutal and so real.
The author truly left elements of his own life as an officer, husband, and father within this story.
So, readers, if you enjoy an awesome realistic suspense, pick this up.
You will be heavily invested and not at all sorry.
I know I’m not.
5 out of 5 stars!
And I was glad I did.
JD Ward, a police officer and former military man also known as The White Wolf who makes violent predators his prey, is a deeply human and conflicted man.
He cares about the world around him, loves his family and friends wholeheartedly, and yet performs violent acts to protect that world and those loved ones.
But his acts don’t come without consequence to his psyche and personal peace.
JD himself also struggles with the job he has to do as a man of the law.
I personally know many men and woman just like him; police officers who have to do a job, struggle with the demands of said job, and, yet, go out of their way to ensure the safety of every single citizen.
It’s not an easy job and Neil makes that clear through not only the character development of JD but also his wife Lucy and their two children who, I might add, were too adorable for words.
JD’s fights don’t just stop in the mental or familial arena.
When you do what he does, of course, you’ll have enemies on all sides.
And, boy, what enemies…
This story was gritty. I had to stop and take a break a few times through the reading because I got so invested with this that my heart was hurting and pounding with each twist and turn.
It was brutal and so real.
The author truly left elements of his own life as an officer, husband, and father within this story.
So, readers, if you enjoy an awesome realistic suspense, pick this up.
You will be heavily invested and not at all sorry.
I know I’m not.
5 out of 5 stars!
April 23, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this riveting tale of justice on the streets of Cincinnati. It was a first novel page-turner, made possible by the bravery of JD Ward, a vigilante known as the White Wolf.
The author is to be commended for doing what publishers always recommend - writing a story about a subject which they are very familiar with. The author has years of experience in different facets of law enforcement. The other thing I appreciated was the fact that he didn't feel the need to infuse flowery, but rarely used, words into his smooth-flowing story. Some authors get so caught up in it that one must keep a dictionary next to the novel they're reading.
But there's one slight drawback, which I'll mention. The average reader is not fully knowledgeable about weapons. They know a little, but usually just the basics. My pages were turning slightly slower as I read about the shootout in the courtyard. That was because some of the weaponry written about in this scene (and a couple other scenes) I'd never even heard about. It's probably best for an author to gear his writing to the average reader. In addition, the author should feel free to use even more contractions in his dialogue, to allow an even smoother read.
I anticipate the White Wolf series to follow may involve protesters, street riots, politicians, and visiting dignitaries in Cincinnati. The abandoned subway system in that city is the perfect backdrop for the White Wolf to seek justice.
The author is to be commended for doing what publishers always recommend - writing a story about a subject which they are very familiar with. The author has years of experience in different facets of law enforcement. The other thing I appreciated was the fact that he didn't feel the need to infuse flowery, but rarely used, words into his smooth-flowing story. Some authors get so caught up in it that one must keep a dictionary next to the novel they're reading.
But there's one slight drawback, which I'll mention. The average reader is not fully knowledgeable about weapons. They know a little, but usually just the basics. My pages were turning slightly slower as I read about the shootout in the courtyard. That was because some of the weaponry written about in this scene (and a couple other scenes) I'd never even heard about. It's probably best for an author to gear his writing to the average reader. In addition, the author should feel free to use even more contractions in his dialogue, to allow an even smoother read.
I anticipate the White Wolf series to follow may involve protesters, street riots, politicians, and visiting dignitaries in Cincinnati. The abandoned subway system in that city is the perfect backdrop for the White Wolf to seek justice.
February 16, 2017
A very intense thriller. I read in one sitting as I did not want to put it down. I won this book through Goodreads.
March 11, 2017
My take on this book
It was really great reading for a first book.can not hardly wait for the next Book. PS. Don't give up on writing.
It was really great reading for a first book.can not hardly wait for the next Book. PS. Don't give up on writing.
February 4, 2017
JD Ward is ex-military, currently working as a police officer in the outskirts of Cincinnati. With a chief who respects him enough to assign him the nasty cases, a partner who gives him hell on a regular basis, and a young family, JD’s time is pretty much fully spoken for, and that’s before the local motorcycle gang starts gunning for him. After that, it’s going to take all the tricks JD knows to keep himself alive and his family safe...especially with the military reaching out to reclaim their own.
Becoming the Wolf: A White Wolf Justice Thriller is an interesting take on the crime thriller genre, where the lines between upholding the law and applying military training and tactics to dispense summary justice on the streets become increasingly blurred. JD starts out as a clean-cut young officer trying to make something of his career in a small-town department, but he quickly escalates to sawn-off shotguns and execution killings in the sewers and schools of his town. The argument for whether upholding the letter of the law, or enforcing what an individual perceives as its intent with force, is one of the primary threads of this novel.
Unfortunately, while the ethical points being raised are well worth the read, the writing style of the book as a whole didn’t draw me in. There’s definitely a strong argument for dialect in dialogue, but the incidence of American slang usage in the narrative kept pulling my attention off the storyline, and a certain tendency to tell rather than show in some areas didn’t really help. However, the dialogue often came to the rescue, well-written and frequently entertaining.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
Becoming the Wolf: A White Wolf Justice Thriller is an interesting take on the crime thriller genre, where the lines between upholding the law and applying military training and tactics to dispense summary justice on the streets become increasingly blurred. JD starts out as a clean-cut young officer trying to make something of his career in a small-town department, but he quickly escalates to sawn-off shotguns and execution killings in the sewers and schools of his town. The argument for whether upholding the letter of the law, or enforcing what an individual perceives as its intent with force, is one of the primary threads of this novel.
Unfortunately, while the ethical points being raised are well worth the read, the writing style of the book as a whole didn’t draw me in. There’s definitely a strong argument for dialect in dialogue, but the incidence of American slang usage in the narrative kept pulling my attention off the storyline, and a certain tendency to tell rather than show in some areas didn’t really help. However, the dialogue often came to the rescue, well-written and frequently entertaining.
Reviewed for By Rite of Word.
August 15, 2017
Becoming the White Wolf is another of those books that demonstrate just how talented the indie author field is. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book.
The basic story is one of the police building a vigilante crime fighter hero by "bending" some of the facts of a criminal case. Author Neil does a masterful job of creating an almost anti-hero hero. The story is well crafted and kept me engaged through out.
Plenty of action, violence, suspense and terror to keep avid readers of the genre satisfied. The White Wolf is definitely the man you want on your side. If he is aligned against you, you might want to consider relocation (if not repentance).
The characters are well developed and presented. We dislike the bad guys, and they are BAD GUYS, but they are not cartoonish or comic book bad guys. Given this type of story I would think it easy for an author to fall into that type of depiction. So kudos to the author for avoiding that pitfall. There are technologies that I didn't know about presented, but they sound plausible enough to be real, so again not a comic book fantasy.
Becoming the White Wolf by R. H. Neil is a well rounded, action packed crime thriller with enough punch to satisfy the most jaded action reader. I recommend you check this one out, you won't be disappointed. Enjoy!
Mike
The basic story is one of the police building a vigilante crime fighter hero by "bending" some of the facts of a criminal case. Author Neil does a masterful job of creating an almost anti-hero hero. The story is well crafted and kept me engaged through out.
Plenty of action, violence, suspense and terror to keep avid readers of the genre satisfied. The White Wolf is definitely the man you want on your side. If he is aligned against you, you might want to consider relocation (if not repentance).
The characters are well developed and presented. We dislike the bad guys, and they are BAD GUYS, but they are not cartoonish or comic book bad guys. Given this type of story I would think it easy for an author to fall into that type of depiction. So kudos to the author for avoiding that pitfall. There are technologies that I didn't know about presented, but they sound plausible enough to be real, so again not a comic book fantasy.
Becoming the White Wolf by R. H. Neil is a well rounded, action packed crime thriller with enough punch to satisfy the most jaded action reader. I recommend you check this one out, you won't be disappointed. Enjoy!
Mike
May 8, 2017
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. When I received it in the mail I was pleasantly surprised that R.H. Neil had added a personal note. It took me a while to get to the book as I was currently reading another. I loaned this book to my mother and then read it when she was finished. From the first few pages I was hooked. If you've ever wanted justice to balance things out in the world then you will enjoy following JD Ward as he tries his best to do just that. From underground tunnels and dragon wing body armor to drone type vehicles you can fly in this book will keep you interested. Looking forward to the next in what I hope will be a long series.
June 13, 2017
Great Story
The main character, JD, shows the human side of police officers. He has a family that he is devoted to and a sense of duty wanting to protect those that he serves. Having been a cop I know that many start the profession with such high ideals only to later be hardened by the job's reality. JD keeps his values while doing a tough job under extraordinary circumstances.
This book is great. I found it hard to put it down and would recommend it to anyone who likes action stores with a human side.
The main character, JD, shows the human side of police officers. He has a family that he is devoted to and a sense of duty wanting to protect those that he serves. Having been a cop I know that many start the profession with such high ideals only to later be hardened by the job's reality. JD keeps his values while doing a tough job under extraordinary circumstances.
This book is great. I found it hard to put it down and would recommend it to anyone who likes action stores with a human side.
January 14, 2018
Interesting first book
Strong characters and fast action. This was an enjoyable read. "Write about what you know" - that certainly comes through in this work. Frustration and pain and strength of character come through as each of the people in the story work through their challenges and problems. There is enough growth in the characters to make me want to read about them again . Looking forward to this author's next book.
Strong characters and fast action. This was an enjoyable read. "Write about what you know" - that certainly comes through in this work. Frustration and pain and strength of character come through as each of the people in the story work through their challenges and problems. There is enough growth in the characters to make me want to read about them again . Looking forward to this author's next book.
April 11, 2018
I'm glad I finished this one
About 1/6th into the book, I was tempted to put this one down without finishing. When I went back to read a little more, I got about 1/3rd through the book, and this time I was hooked. I liked JD's struggle to find his way as a policeman, partner, husband and father.
About 1/6th into the book, I was tempted to put this one down without finishing. When I went back to read a little more, I got about 1/3rd through the book, and this time I was hooked. I liked JD's struggle to find his way as a policeman, partner, husband and father.
December 17, 2020
Realistic events with unrealistic scenarios
I enjoyed the feel and the landscape of this book. The details of the characters and City were told from the point of view of someone who lived it. But imagining real gritty cops and street creatures not cursing at all made this novel feel disneyesque. That's where it fell flat for me.
I enjoyed the feel and the landscape of this book. The details of the characters and City were told from the point of view of someone who lived it. But imagining real gritty cops and street creatures not cursing at all made this novel feel disneyesque. That's where it fell flat for me.
June 9, 2018
Good story with a lot of in-site into police feelings and tactics
Story is full of authentic police methods and underlying personnel thoughts and actions. Look forward to future adventures of the white wolf. Should he be called the blue wolf?
Story is full of authentic police methods and underlying personnel thoughts and actions. Look forward to future adventures of the white wolf. Should he be called the blue wolf?
November 14, 2017
Excellent read.
Very well written and conceived. I look forward to the next White Wolf thriller. Do yourself a favor and read it.
Very well written and conceived. I look forward to the next White Wolf thriller. Do yourself a favor and read it.
March 23, 2018
Adrenaline overdose!!!
I loved the story!!! Top notch storytelling. Mr. Neil did a fine job on his first novel. Can hardly wait for future adventures of The White Wolf series.
I loved the story!!! Top notch storytelling. Mr. Neil did a fine job on his first novel. Can hardly wait for future adventures of The White Wolf series.
April 8, 2018
Looking forward to the next one.
Surprisingly well developed characters. The people move the story and make the story. Well done. Thanks for your work. Keep your new job.
Surprisingly well developed characters. The people move the story and make the story. Well done. Thanks for your work. Keep your new job.
April 10, 2018
Good read.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well-written, fast and exciting. I recommend this to anyone looking for a good adventure.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well-written, fast and exciting. I recommend this to anyone looking for a good adventure.
February 25, 2017
Title – Becoming the Wolf
Author – R.H. Neil
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
402 Amazon Pages
Rating 4 stars out of 5 Posted 2/25/2017
12 - 2017
The story is set in St. Jude, Ohio, near Cincinnati.
Becoming the Wolf doesn’t list Science Fiction as one of its genres but it plays a huge roll in the plot.
J. D. Ward is a farm boy who joined the military and then became a policeman. In a fight with two huge, tough assailants, he is severely injured and ends up in a secret government program where he become a present-day version of the bionic man.
J. D. s police partner is Tank, an older, experienced, large black officer. Together, they fight a hillbilly gang of vicious drug dealers from Kentucky.
J. D.s wife, Lucy plays a strong support role
The action is plentiful and the abuse J. D.s body absorbs via his encounters with the thugs is unbelievable. But it contributes to the tension and conflict throughout the story.
The emotional scenes between J. D. and several other characters are sure to pull you in and cause you to relate to the characters.
The editing, sentence structure and character development are top grade.
Research is evident in the usage of an abandoned section of underground subway tunnels actually abandoned in Cincinnati in the 1920s. Those and prohibition era smuggling tunnels provide a way for the White Wolf and the demented gang leader, Goliath Wholf to move about undetected under the city.
My main disappointment with the story is J.D.s obsessive introspection about the violent actions he inflicts on gang members trying to kill him. It went on far too long for my taste.
I can recommend the story for those who can endure the violence knowing the good guy will win and the diabolical low-lifes will be outwitted and out fought.
This is the first story in an ongoing series featuring the White Wolf.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – R.H. Neil
Genre – Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
402 Amazon Pages
Rating 4 stars out of 5 Posted 2/25/2017
12 - 2017
The story is set in St. Jude, Ohio, near Cincinnati.
Becoming the Wolf doesn’t list Science Fiction as one of its genres but it plays a huge roll in the plot.
J. D. Ward is a farm boy who joined the military and then became a policeman. In a fight with two huge, tough assailants, he is severely injured and ends up in a secret government program where he become a present-day version of the bionic man.
J. D. s police partner is Tank, an older, experienced, large black officer. Together, they fight a hillbilly gang of vicious drug dealers from Kentucky.
J. D.s wife, Lucy plays a strong support role
The action is plentiful and the abuse J. D.s body absorbs via his encounters with the thugs is unbelievable. But it contributes to the tension and conflict throughout the story.
The emotional scenes between J. D. and several other characters are sure to pull you in and cause you to relate to the characters.
The editing, sentence structure and character development are top grade.
Research is evident in the usage of an abandoned section of underground subway tunnels actually abandoned in Cincinnati in the 1920s. Those and prohibition era smuggling tunnels provide a way for the White Wolf and the demented gang leader, Goliath Wholf to move about undetected under the city.
My main disappointment with the story is J.D.s obsessive introspection about the violent actions he inflicts on gang members trying to kill him. It went on far too long for my taste.
I can recommend the story for those who can endure the violence knowing the good guy will win and the diabolical low-lifes will be outwitted and out fought.
This is the first story in an ongoing series featuring the White Wolf.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
February 18, 2017
Great book
January 14, 2018
Good read
I like JD, keep the wife liking the white wolf. The good guy doesn't always have to get hurt at the end but manage to pull through and save the day. Sometimes he can just do what he does with out getting hurt o having his equipment break.
I like JD, keep the wife liking the white wolf. The good guy doesn't always have to get hurt at the end but manage to pull through and save the day. Sometimes he can just do what he does with out getting hurt o having his equipment break.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews