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Firekeeper Saga #8
Wolf's Soul
Firekeeper has always believed that her heart is a wolf’s heart.Now the time has come for her to prove it.Blind Seer’s search for a teacher of the magical arts brought him and Firekeeper to Rhinadei, a land rich in magical lore, but intolerant of those who would rebel against its core precepts. Now, eager to aid Wythcombe, his new teacher, Blind Seer agrees to lend his keen senses to the hunt for Kabot—Wythcombe’s childhood rival and leader of a band of fanatical blood mages.In this hunt, Firekeeper runs as ever at Blind Seer’s side. Rounding out their pack are Laria and Ranz, two young humans with potent magical gifts of their own; Farborn, a yarimaimalom falcon; Wythcombe himself, and the ever enigmatical Meddler.Yet, despite the versatility of this pack, Kabot’s blood mages miraculously elude them, leaving behind the tantalizing scent of more power than they should possess. Suspicion builds that Kabot has acquired a new ally: an ally who may be one of their own pack turned traitor.
A beautiful and complex book.” Publisher’s Weekly on Through Wolf’s Eyes
“Thrilling.” Publisher’s Weekly on Wolf Hunting
“Intricately plotted, A thought-provoking tale of magic and politics, enlivened by Firekeeper’s wry and wolfish point-of-view.” Publisher’s Weekly on Wolf’s Blood
A beautiful and complex book.” Publisher’s Weekly on Through Wolf’s Eyes
“Thrilling.” Publisher’s Weekly on Wolf Hunting
“Intricately plotted, A thought-provoking tale of magic and politics, enlivened by Firekeeper’s wry and wolfish point-of-view.” Publisher’s Weekly on Wolf’s Blood
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2020
20 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Jane Lindskold
128 books654 followersJane Lindskold is the author of more than twenty published novels, including the eight volume Firekeeper Saga (beginning with Through Wolf’s Eyes), Child of a Rainless Year (a contemporary fantasy set in Las Vegas, New Mexico), and The Buried Pyramid (an archeological adventure fantasy set in 1880's Egypt).
Lindskold is also the author of the “Breaking the Wall” series, which begins with Thirteen Orphans, then continues in Nine Gates and Five Odd Honors. Her most recent series begins with Artemis Awakening, released in May of 2014. Lindskold has also had published over sixty short stories and numerous works of non-fiction, including a critical biography of Roger Zelazny, and articles on Yeats and Synge.
She has collaborated with several other SF/F writers, including Roger Zelazny, for whom, at his request, she posthumously finished his novels Donnerjack and Lord Demon. She has also collaborated with David Weber, writing several novellas and two YA novels set in his popular ”Honorverse.” She wrote the short story “Servant of Death” with Fred Saberhagen.
Charles de Lint, reviewing Changer, praised "Lindskold's ability to tell a fast-paced, contemporary story that still carries the weight and style of old mythological story cycles."[1] Terri Windling called Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls "a complex, utterly original work of speculative fiction." DeLint has also stated that “Jane Lindskold is one of those hidden treasures of American letters; a true gem of a writer who simply gets better with each book.”
Lindskold was born in 1962 at the Columbia Hospital for Women, the first of four siblings and grew up in Washington, D.C. and Chesapeake Bay. Lindskold's father was head of the Land and Natural Resources Division, Western Division of the United States Justice Department and her mother was also an attorney. She studied at Fordham, where she received a Ph. D. in English, concentrating on Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern British Literature; she successfully defended her Ph.D. on her 26th birthday.
Lindskold lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband, archaeologist Jim Moore.
Lindskold is also the author of the “Breaking the Wall” series, which begins with Thirteen Orphans, then continues in Nine Gates and Five Odd Honors. Her most recent series begins with Artemis Awakening, released in May of 2014. Lindskold has also had published over sixty short stories and numerous works of non-fiction, including a critical biography of Roger Zelazny, and articles on Yeats and Synge.
She has collaborated with several other SF/F writers, including Roger Zelazny, for whom, at his request, she posthumously finished his novels Donnerjack and Lord Demon. She has also collaborated with David Weber, writing several novellas and two YA novels set in his popular ”Honorverse.” She wrote the short story “Servant of Death” with Fred Saberhagen.
Charles de Lint, reviewing Changer, praised "Lindskold's ability to tell a fast-paced, contemporary story that still carries the weight and style of old mythological story cycles."[1] Terri Windling called Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls "a complex, utterly original work of speculative fiction." DeLint has also stated that “Jane Lindskold is one of those hidden treasures of American letters; a true gem of a writer who simply gets better with each book.”
Lindskold was born in 1962 at the Columbia Hospital for Women, the first of four siblings and grew up in Washington, D.C. and Chesapeake Bay. Lindskold's father was head of the Land and Natural Resources Division, Western Division of the United States Justice Department and her mother was also an attorney. She studied at Fordham, where she received a Ph. D. in English, concentrating on Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern British Literature; she successfully defended her Ph.D. on her 26th birthday.
Lindskold lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband, archaeologist Jim Moore.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 15, 2022
4.5/5. Im taking half a a star off because we didn’t get almost anytime of them as wolves../ it didn’t even end with them running off as wolves into the night🥲also would have preferred to see blind seer as human too- so both of them.. bc the buildup in the last book made it seem that was the direction it was going in. but Jane if you write another book I’ll cry, spend my money, move this review to a 5 and rate that one a 5 immediately. Pls.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2021
While it was good to see Firekeeper and Blind Seer again, I didn't like these books nearly as much as the originals. I don't like Lydia at all and don't really understand why Firekeeper does.
My biggest issues with this book, however, was the question of motivation. Why on earth did Firekeeper want to chase Kabot in the beginning? He's a blood mage true, but he went to the old world, and they accept blood mages so who cares? The stakes did not feel nearly high enough when she began the chase. It could have made more sense if they were merely following Wythcomb and he was actively and actually teaching Blind Seer, but at one point even Wythcomb mentions he doesn't understand her motivations. To raise the stakes, they also could have gotten wind of the new meddler or the dangerous artifacts sooner.
To make it worse... Kabot's cabal. Some things ought not to rhyme--the name of the villain(s) being one. Can you imagine taking any villain seriously with a rhyming name? How about Dader Vader? That turn of phrase showed up multiple times and even in Kabot's own POV. It made the group feel juvenile to me.
There were times in both of the new books that just fell flat. I know Lindskold is a great writer and this hasn't been an issue in the past so I wonder if it's a problem with her critique group/editors. There are times that the tension is just not where it should be or the characters are not believable.
I wished the end, with all of the buildup, had more of a cost or consequence.
And the covers... while beautiful, are instant spoilers for the Climaxes of the books. I don't like spoiliers, so I don't read blurbs, but I can't unsee a cover. Picking up Wolf's Soul, I knew Blind Seer succeeds and that he turns Firekeeper rather than himself. (And there went that tension.) I didn't know who the third wolf could be, but my money was on the Meddler and I wasn't too far off.
My biggest issues with this book, however, was the question of motivation. Why on earth did Firekeeper want to chase Kabot in the beginning? He's a blood mage true, but he went to the old world, and they accept blood mages so who cares? The stakes did not feel nearly high enough when she began the chase. It could have made more sense if they were merely following Wythcomb and he was actively and actually teaching Blind Seer, but at one point even Wythcomb mentions he doesn't understand her motivations. To raise the stakes, they also could have gotten wind of the new meddler or the dangerous artifacts sooner.
To make it worse... Kabot's cabal. Some things ought not to rhyme--the name of the villain(s) being one. Can you imagine taking any villain seriously with a rhyming name? How about Dader Vader? That turn of phrase showed up multiple times and even in Kabot's own POV. It made the group feel juvenile to me.
There were times in both of the new books that just fell flat. I know Lindskold is a great writer and this hasn't been an issue in the past so I wonder if it's a problem with her critique group/editors. There are times that the tension is just not where it should be or the characters are not believable.
I wished the end, with all of the buildup, had more of a cost or consequence.
And the covers... while beautiful, are instant spoilers for the Climaxes of the books. I don't like spoiliers, so I don't read blurbs, but I can't unsee a cover. Picking up Wolf's Soul, I knew Blind Seer succeeds and that he turns Firekeeper rather than himself. (And there went that tension.) I didn't know who the third wolf could be, but my money was on the Meddler and I wasn't too far off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2020
My favorite part of this book is the cover. Firekeeper has ALWAYS wished that she were a wolf, instead of just a two-legs human.
In this book, Blind Seer finds that he can perform a spell to temporarily turn Firekeeper into a fellow wolf. Of course, both love this but the spell doesn't last very long. The only good part is that both now know that Blind Seer can do this spell as often as they wish in the future, no matter that the spell is not long-lasting.
Anyway, Blind Seer found his teacher Wythcombe in the last book. Blind Seer asked specifically to be given actual tasks, not just empty exercises, to learn how to use his magic.
So Blind Seer has been learning indeed in this quest as he assists Wythcombe and the others in tracking down the rebel blood magic mages.
The other part which I particularly enjoyed is that Blind Seer is Wythcombe's second apprentice. The original apprentice is Ranz, whose talent is to work with snow and ice. Laria and Ranz are young adults just learning their gifts. (Blind Seer, of course, is fully adult.)
Anyway, I really enjoy how author Jane Lindskold fully fleshes out all of her characters (whether the good guys OR the bad guys)!
Highly recommended for fantasy lovers and especially for longtime Firekeeper series readers!
In this book, Blind Seer finds that he can perform a spell to temporarily turn Firekeeper into a fellow wolf. Of course, both love this but the spell doesn't last very long. The only good part is that both now know that Blind Seer can do this spell as often as they wish in the future, no matter that the spell is not long-lasting.
Anyway, Blind Seer found his teacher Wythcombe in the last book. Blind Seer asked specifically to be given actual tasks, not just empty exercises, to learn how to use his magic.
So Blind Seer has been learning indeed in this quest as he assists Wythcombe and the others in tracking down the rebel blood magic mages.
The other part which I particularly enjoyed is that Blind Seer is Wythcombe's second apprentice. The original apprentice is Ranz, whose talent is to work with snow and ice. Laria and Ranz are young adults just learning their gifts. (Blind Seer, of course, is fully adult.)
Anyway, I really enjoy how author Jane Lindskold fully fleshes out all of her characters (whether the good guys OR the bad guys)!
Highly recommended for fantasy lovers and especially for longtime Firekeeper series readers!
June 11, 2020
Another adventure successfully concluded
I have been cheering for Firekeeper and Blind Seer since I first met them. They always seem to find so much more than they go looking for. They have grown and changed and become Leaders of an ever-changing pack.
In Wolf's Soul Firekeep got to realize her lifelong dream, if only for a short time.
This story is an excellent continuation of all their adventures but is complete unto itself and can be enjoyed without reading the previous books. (Read them all, there's so much history behind the things they do)
I also owe them and their storyteller Ms Jane Lindskold a debt of gratitude for breaking through a months long readers block.
I can't reccomend this book and this entire series highly enough.
I'm sad to be saying farewell and not knowing when or IF I will see them again.
I have been cheering for Firekeeper and Blind Seer since I first met them. They always seem to find so much more than they go looking for. They have grown and changed and become Leaders of an ever-changing pack.
In Wolf's Soul Firekeep got to realize her lifelong dream, if only for a short time.
This story is an excellent continuation of all their adventures but is complete unto itself and can be enjoyed without reading the previous books. (Read them all, there's so much history behind the things they do)
I also owe them and their storyteller Ms Jane Lindskold a debt of gratitude for breaking through a months long readers block.
I can't reccomend this book and this entire series highly enough.
I'm sad to be saying farewell and not knowing when or IF I will see them again.
May 24, 2021
The Firekeeper Saga continues. This time the "wolf pack" of Firekeeper, Blind Seer and friends are in pursuit of a rogue blood magic user who is after powerful ancient artifacts that can unmake the world.
It took awhile to remember events of previous books, having last visited this world two years ago, but once I did it was easy to get into the chase. I did find the pacing of this story a bit slow, with less action until the very end. The ending made up for it, but I was left wanting a little bit more. My rating is actually 3.5, but my fondness for this series makes me round up.
Fortunately there is obviously more to come, and it looks like in the next book Firekeeper and Blind Seer will be off on a new adventure without most of their friends.
It took awhile to remember events of previous books, having last visited this world two years ago, but once I did it was easy to get into the chase. I did find the pacing of this story a bit slow, with less action until the very end. The ending made up for it, but I was left wanting a little bit more. My rating is actually 3.5, but my fondness for this series makes me round up.
Fortunately there is obviously more to come, and it looks like in the next book Firekeeper and Blind Seer will be off on a new adventure without most of their friends.
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June 18, 2023Unfortunately I can't star this. Too much conflicting bias...
I loved the ending and for a while there I wasn't sure if there was enough room to finish the story (there was). It didn't really get going until about the halfway mark. I still don't know where a character actually came from...at an extremely convenient time...it seems like the writing style is different from her earlier Firekeeper books and sometimes it feels more tell than normal luckily once it starts going it does well and is easier to get into the story.
I loved the ending and for a while there I wasn't sure if there was enough room to finish the story (there was). It didn't really get going until about the halfway mark. I still don't know where a character actually came from...at an extremely convenient time...it seems like the writing style is different from her earlier Firekeeper books and sometimes it feels more tell than normal luckily once it starts going it does well and is easier to get into the story.
May 9, 2021
I had set this book aside for when I needed a special treat. It did not disappoint me! Blind Seer and Firekeeper are special to me. In this book, Firekeeper is not so much a pup as an adult. Blind Seer explores his many wolf/spell caster abilities. It was an exciting plot chasing rogue magicians all over the world. I enjoy these books and recommend them to anyone who enjoys great fantasy.
September 11, 2020
Book 8 huge improvement over book 7
One wonders how Kessler Z. Will be defeated, will Blind Seer find another teacher? What happens next? How many books until readers reach the end of the story? Is there an end? When is book 9 coming out?
One wonders how Kessler Z. Will be defeated, will Blind Seer find another teacher? What happens next? How many books until readers reach the end of the story? Is there an end? When is book 9 coming out?
May 7, 2021
A weak and unsatisfying ending to an overlong, disappointing series.
January 14, 2023
This series has my heart entirely! I loved the story line and adventure, the new lands explored, and - as always - Firekeeper and Blind Seer's unbreakable bond 💜
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews