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The Wolfen
The savage killing of two New York City policemen leads two detectives, a man and a woman bound together by a strange, tough passion, to hunt down the wolfen, called werewolves in former days
252 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
171 people are currently reading
5497 people want to read
About the author
Whitley Strieber
152 books1,260 followersAmerican writer best known for his novels The Wolfen,The Hunger and Warday and for Communion, a non-fiction description of his experiences with apparent alien contact. He has recently made significant advances in understanding this phenomenon, and has published his new discoveries in Solving the Communion Enigma.
Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the blockbuster film about sudden climate change, The Day After Tomorrow.
His book The Afterlife Revolution written with his deceased wife Anne, is a record of what is considered to be one of the most powerful instances of afterlife communication ever recorded.
Strieber also co-authored The Coming Global Superstorm with Art Bell, which inspired the blockbuster film about sudden climate change, The Day After Tomorrow.
His book The Afterlife Revolution written with his deceased wife Anne, is a record of what is considered to be one of the most powerful instances of afterlife communication ever recorded.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 384 reviews
October 15, 2016
”The paw. He turned it in his hands, looking at its supple efficiency for the hundredth time. He placed it on the desk, then picked it up again and ran its claws along his cheek. It would do its job well, this paw. The long toes with their extra joints. The broad, sensitive pads. The needle-sharp claws. Almost...what a human being might have if people had claws. It had the same functional beauty as a hand, a lethal one.”
I first became aware of Whitley Strieber in 1987 when he published his first “non-fiction” work titled Communion. In the same year Budd Hopkins published his book titled Intruders. Both were about alien abduction, and the fact that they both came out in the same year created a synergy of dread and doubt. We were selling out of these books so fast and furious at the bookstore that I finally decided to take them home and read them. Spooky damn stuff.
I didn’t know what to believe, but let's just say uncertainty had purchased a townhouse in my mind.
In 1985 I had skipped school to drive my buddy around to several dealerships in neighboring towns to try and find him a good used pickup. It was late when we were coming back home. He fell asleep leaving me with the soft sound of the radio and with heavy eyes peering into the inky black night of the middle of nowhere. We were North of Hill City when a flash of bright light illuminated the ditch beside my Pontiac. It was so bright; it was as if it were lighting the grass on fire, and to look at it left bright red spots in my eyes. The light followed along in the ditch with the car. I turned off the radio and rolled down the window (Yes, to those youngster out there we actually used to have to physically roll down windows on vehicles.). I leaned out of the window as far as I could and looked upward trying to spot a helicopter.
There was nothing, no sound. Just stars and darkness.
The light continued to follow alongside of my vehicle. I tried to wake Oren up. I shook him. I grabbed his jacket and gave it a good yank. He slept on.
The light came over and landed on the car for probably a half a second, but it felt like longer. The road disappeared as my eyes were overwhelmed with too much brightness. I couldn’t see a thing. The car shimmed to the left and back to the right due to the death grip my hands had on the wheel that was causing me to oversteer. The light moved off my car across the road to the other ditch.
I hit the gas, pushing the car up to 90.
The light stayed parallel with my car.
After another three miles or so the light just disappeared.
As soon as it vanished, Oren woke up. He looked at his watch and looked over at me. “Did you pull over and take a nap?”
“No, I haven’t stopped.”
“Why we running so late?”
I shrugged and told him about the light. He fell back asleep before I even got to the good part.
Now I don’t know what it was, but I don’t remember no aliens or any probing, so with what I know the only logical explanation is that it was something terrestrial, maybe some flyboy from McConnell Air Force Base having a bit of fun making me piss my pants.
As far as the missing time, well hell, maybe we lost track of more time than we thought.
I digress.
While investigating the brutal evisceration of two beat cops, Wilson and Neff, the two investigating detectives, see something they don’t understand. It is kind of interesting that Strieber was exploring this concept with his first book in 1979. When we see something that doesn't make any sense, our minds go through a rolodex of images we’ve seen before until it hits on the most logical explanation.
The unexplained becomes...well...explainable.
As they investigate further, they start to understand that what they saw was not a dog or wolf, but something unknown. Something much more dangerous. The Wolfen have existed alongside human culture for thousands of years. They are trained to eat the weak, the homeless, the people who will be missed least which is why they live in the abandoned buildings next to the disintegrating tenements where people who have lost everything or never had anything have to live. To attack a healthy human goes against all of their instincts, but as Wilson and Neff close in on not only what they are, but where they live, they are forced to try and kill them before they find the means to eliminate the pack.
I found the story much more interesting because The Wolfen are a separate species, not humans turning into werewolves. ”Professors Slusser and Rabkin comment that Strieber makes the supernatural an "explainable part of the real universe" and undercuts the fantastic to give a more scientific explanation.” Strieber actually takes us into the minds of The Wolfen and explains how they think, what they believe, and why they do what they do. Knowing more about their motivations actually splits my loyalty between the cops trying to solve a crime and The Wolfen who were only trying to survive.
Strieber continues to ratchet up the tension as The Wolfen become more desperate to kill the humans who threaten their existence, and Neff and Wilson face the real terror of trying to fight something no one else will believe exists.
We are so skeptical of things we deem supernatural, whether it be ghosts, the devil, aliens, Donald Trump’s hair (so if I’m projecting an image of the closest thing his hair can be compared to...then what does it really look like? *shudder*), or a creature like The Wolfen. We have a hard time believing things that we have not seen ourselves, and even when we do see something that doesn’t make sense, we convince ourselves that it was something else.
I remember one time I was working in the backroom of the bookstore in Tucson with another man I’ll call Justin. We were sorting books and talking. Suddenly, I felt this force push me back against a wall of boxes of books. Justin was pushed further into a cubical away from me as this unidentifiable shape went between us. As quickly as it was there, it was gone. Now Justin and I are both well over six feet, fit individuals, and it moved us as easily as if were made of straw. There was the usual HOLY SHIT WHAT WAS THAT conversation, but we never did come to any conclusions that made any sense. Ultimately, whatever it was didn’t hurt us, and probably a team of scientists could have come up with a plausible explanation regarding trapped air and this door opening and that door closing at the right time.
Sometimes in the dark or even moving among us in broad daylight, there are things we can not explain. I’m alright with that.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
I first became aware of Whitley Strieber in 1987 when he published his first “non-fiction” work titled Communion. In the same year Budd Hopkins published his book titled Intruders. Both were about alien abduction, and the fact that they both came out in the same year created a synergy of dread and doubt. We were selling out of these books so fast and furious at the bookstore that I finally decided to take them home and read them. Spooky damn stuff.
I didn’t know what to believe, but let's just say uncertainty had purchased a townhouse in my mind.
In 1985 I had skipped school to drive my buddy around to several dealerships in neighboring towns to try and find him a good used pickup. It was late when we were coming back home. He fell asleep leaving me with the soft sound of the radio and with heavy eyes peering into the inky black night of the middle of nowhere. We were North of Hill City when a flash of bright light illuminated the ditch beside my Pontiac. It was so bright; it was as if it were lighting the grass on fire, and to look at it left bright red spots in my eyes. The light followed along in the ditch with the car. I turned off the radio and rolled down the window (Yes, to those youngster out there we actually used to have to physically roll down windows on vehicles.). I leaned out of the window as far as I could and looked upward trying to spot a helicopter.
There was nothing, no sound. Just stars and darkness.
The light continued to follow alongside of my vehicle. I tried to wake Oren up. I shook him. I grabbed his jacket and gave it a good yank. He slept on.
The light came over and landed on the car for probably a half a second, but it felt like longer. The road disappeared as my eyes were overwhelmed with too much brightness. I couldn’t see a thing. The car shimmed to the left and back to the right due to the death grip my hands had on the wheel that was causing me to oversteer. The light moved off my car across the road to the other ditch.
I hit the gas, pushing the car up to 90.
The light stayed parallel with my car.
After another three miles or so the light just disappeared.
As soon as it vanished, Oren woke up. He looked at his watch and looked over at me. “Did you pull over and take a nap?”
“No, I haven’t stopped.”
“Why we running so late?”
I shrugged and told him about the light. He fell back asleep before I even got to the good part.
Now I don’t know what it was, but I don’t remember no aliens or any probing, so with what I know the only logical explanation is that it was something terrestrial, maybe some flyboy from McConnell Air Force Base having a bit of fun making me piss my pants.
As far as the missing time, well hell, maybe we lost track of more time than we thought.
I digress.
While investigating the brutal evisceration of two beat cops, Wilson and Neff, the two investigating detectives, see something they don’t understand. It is kind of interesting that Strieber was exploring this concept with his first book in 1979. When we see something that doesn't make any sense, our minds go through a rolodex of images we’ve seen before until it hits on the most logical explanation.
The unexplained becomes...well...explainable.
As they investigate further, they start to understand that what they saw was not a dog or wolf, but something unknown. Something much more dangerous. The Wolfen have existed alongside human culture for thousands of years. They are trained to eat the weak, the homeless, the people who will be missed least which is why they live in the abandoned buildings next to the disintegrating tenements where people who have lost everything or never had anything have to live. To attack a healthy human goes against all of their instincts, but as Wilson and Neff close in on not only what they are, but where they live, they are forced to try and kill them before they find the means to eliminate the pack.
I found the story much more interesting because The Wolfen are a separate species, not humans turning into werewolves. ”Professors Slusser and Rabkin comment that Strieber makes the supernatural an "explainable part of the real universe" and undercuts the fantastic to give a more scientific explanation.” Strieber actually takes us into the minds of The Wolfen and explains how they think, what they believe, and why they do what they do. Knowing more about their motivations actually splits my loyalty between the cops trying to solve a crime and The Wolfen who were only trying to survive.
Strieber continues to ratchet up the tension as The Wolfen become more desperate to kill the humans who threaten their existence, and Neff and Wilson face the real terror of trying to fight something no one else will believe exists.
We are so skeptical of things we deem supernatural, whether it be ghosts, the devil, aliens, Donald Trump’s hair (so if I’m projecting an image of the closest thing his hair can be compared to...then what does it really look like? *shudder*), or a creature like The Wolfen. We have a hard time believing things that we have not seen ourselves, and even when we do see something that doesn’t make sense, we convince ourselves that it was something else.
I remember one time I was working in the backroom of the bookstore in Tucson with another man I’ll call Justin. We were sorting books and talking. Suddenly, I felt this force push me back against a wall of boxes of books. Justin was pushed further into a cubical away from me as this unidentifiable shape went between us. As quickly as it was there, it was gone. Now Justin and I are both well over six feet, fit individuals, and it moved us as easily as if were made of straw. There was the usual HOLY SHIT WHAT WAS THAT conversation, but we never did come to any conclusions that made any sense. Ultimately, whatever it was didn’t hurt us, and probably a team of scientists could have come up with a plausible explanation regarding trapped air and this door opening and that door closing at the right time.
Sometimes in the dark or even moving among us in broad daylight, there are things we can not explain. I’m alright with that.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
September 19, 2020
Something strong, wild and fast kills people in New York City. When two policemen are murdered in a gruesome way Becky Neff and her partner George Wilson start the inquiries. The found incredible insight who or better what the perps are... this book gives a new background dimension to all the werewolf novels and stories I read so far. It was fast paced, compelling, gory, eerie at some past and gives you perspectives into the minds of werewolves opposed to humans for thousands of years. This was quite unique and unread before! Set in the late 70s this book is an absolute classic in horror literature. It's intriguing and written like a good old horror flic. Plausible characters, nasty and planning werewolves, a great ending. This book is absolutely worth it, even if you're not into werewolves. The author did a superb job here Highly recommended!
August 5, 2011
The first time that I ever heard of this book was when I was nine years old. I was at a boy scout camp and one of the other children took great pleasure in telling me about this book and how it was about werewolves ripping children apart at a scout camp. I was scared to the point that in the middle of the night, I packed my gear and walked ten miles home through country lanes.
It wasn’t until I found the courage to actually read the book, two years later, that I found out that the kid had been full of it and the book had nothing to do with children or boy scout camps at all. In many respects, the book was even scarier than that. Reading it as an eleven year old, it terrified me into having many sleepless nights.
In many respects, this book (and the bullshit story that I was told as a nine year old) sparked a lifelong interest in werewolves that turned into the novel that I am a few short chapters away from completing (And yes, the scene with the boy scout camp and the werewolf is in there ).
So, when I came across an old, tattered copy of the book in a second hand shop, almost thirty years later, I figured it was as good a time as any to revisit the story that had scared me so much as a child.
Now, some of you reading this might remember the movie adaption with Albert Finney, from 1981. Forget all about it. Its one of those classic examples of a movie missing the entire point of its source material. The movie lifts a couple of scenes and some of the core concept from the book, but glosses over or ignores what makes this novel as good as it is. I’ll get to that in a second.
The central characters in the novel are two police officers, George Wilson and Becky Neff who share a complex love / hate relationship as partners in the NYPD. When the partially devoured corpses of two police officers are discovered in a scrap yard, the two detectives find themselves hunted by a foe that is stronger, faster and smarter than they are.
That is the plot in a nutshell. Nothing too complex at first glance, I will admit. There are quite a few things that make this book really stand out from the crowd though.
Firstly, the gradual build up of tension in this book is rivetting. Once the two protagonists realise that they are being hunted, and more importantly, what they are being hunted by, the book really takes off. They escape their fates by the narrowest margins and you can feel the abject terror that threatens to take control of their actions. Nowhere is safe and as the novel progresses, their chances of survival look bleaker and bleaker.
Secondly, the portrayal of the monsterous Wolfen is handled exceptionally well. These are not your average antagonists. Rather than being supernatural in origin, they are a branch of the canine family tree that broke away millenia ago. Their paws are more like hands, allowing them to, for example, climb the sides of buildings and open doors. Their senses are so accute that they can track a vehicle by the scent of its tires across New York City. They are fast, savage and are highly intelligent. The sort of intelligence that allows them to understand cause and effect. The sort of intelligence that allow them to form strategies and lay complex, subtle traps for the humans that know their secret.
Streiber portrays his creatures as almost sympathetic characters. A significant amount of time is spent in the packs point of view, showing their reasoning, the social dynamic within the pack, even to the extent of showing their love for one another and their fear of discovery. At times, you almost sympathise with them. You feel their loss, their excitement at the hunt and their fear of what will become of their race should mankind gain definitive proof of their existence.
When the attacks occur, they are brutal, uncomfortable reads. Streiber certainly is not scared of dishing out the gore. The devastation that the creatures cause to their prey stays with you, and plays on the human protagonist’s mind. Wilson especially finds himself musing on what it would feel like to be torn apart and eaten by the creatures.
As with any 1970′s novel, it has dated a little, although not as much as I would have expected. The most noticable thing is the misogynistic attitudes of Wilson and the other male police officers to Becky Neff, Wilson’s partner. It’s nothing like as bad as something like Robert Heinlen’s “Stranger in a Strange Land”, however, and didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story, although it might offend someone more sensitive to that kind of thing.
If you are a fan of horror stories, and werewolves in particular, you owe it to yourself to hunt this book down. Forget about the naff movie adaption, as it has very little in common with what is without a doubt one of the best werewolf novels ever written.
It wasn’t until I found the courage to actually read the book, two years later, that I found out that the kid had been full of it and the book had nothing to do with children or boy scout camps at all. In many respects, the book was even scarier than that. Reading it as an eleven year old, it terrified me into having many sleepless nights.
In many respects, this book (and the bullshit story that I was told as a nine year old) sparked a lifelong interest in werewolves that turned into the novel that I am a few short chapters away from completing (And yes, the scene with the boy scout camp and the werewolf is in there ).
So, when I came across an old, tattered copy of the book in a second hand shop, almost thirty years later, I figured it was as good a time as any to revisit the story that had scared me so much as a child.
Now, some of you reading this might remember the movie adaption with Albert Finney, from 1981. Forget all about it. Its one of those classic examples of a movie missing the entire point of its source material. The movie lifts a couple of scenes and some of the core concept from the book, but glosses over or ignores what makes this novel as good as it is. I’ll get to that in a second.
The central characters in the novel are two police officers, George Wilson and Becky Neff who share a complex love / hate relationship as partners in the NYPD. When the partially devoured corpses of two police officers are discovered in a scrap yard, the two detectives find themselves hunted by a foe that is stronger, faster and smarter than they are.
That is the plot in a nutshell. Nothing too complex at first glance, I will admit. There are quite a few things that make this book really stand out from the crowd though.
Firstly, the gradual build up of tension in this book is rivetting. Once the two protagonists realise that they are being hunted, and more importantly, what they are being hunted by, the book really takes off. They escape their fates by the narrowest margins and you can feel the abject terror that threatens to take control of their actions. Nowhere is safe and as the novel progresses, their chances of survival look bleaker and bleaker.
Secondly, the portrayal of the monsterous Wolfen is handled exceptionally well. These are not your average antagonists. Rather than being supernatural in origin, they are a branch of the canine family tree that broke away millenia ago. Their paws are more like hands, allowing them to, for example, climb the sides of buildings and open doors. Their senses are so accute that they can track a vehicle by the scent of its tires across New York City. They are fast, savage and are highly intelligent. The sort of intelligence that allows them to understand cause and effect. The sort of intelligence that allow them to form strategies and lay complex, subtle traps for the humans that know their secret.
Streiber portrays his creatures as almost sympathetic characters. A significant amount of time is spent in the packs point of view, showing their reasoning, the social dynamic within the pack, even to the extent of showing their love for one another and their fear of discovery. At times, you almost sympathise with them. You feel their loss, their excitement at the hunt and their fear of what will become of their race should mankind gain definitive proof of their existence.
When the attacks occur, they are brutal, uncomfortable reads. Streiber certainly is not scared of dishing out the gore. The devastation that the creatures cause to their prey stays with you, and plays on the human protagonist’s mind. Wilson especially finds himself musing on what it would feel like to be torn apart and eaten by the creatures.
As with any 1970′s novel, it has dated a little, although not as much as I would have expected. The most noticable thing is the misogynistic attitudes of Wilson and the other male police officers to Becky Neff, Wilson’s partner. It’s nothing like as bad as something like Robert Heinlen’s “Stranger in a Strange Land”, however, and didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story, although it might offend someone more sensitive to that kind of thing.
If you are a fan of horror stories, and werewolves in particular, you owe it to yourself to hunt this book down. Forget about the naff movie adaption, as it has very little in common with what is without a doubt one of the best werewolf novels ever written.
April 18, 2022
Wolf Pack Attack!
Backstory:
Two detectives (Becky Neff and George Wilson) are on the hunt for whoever killed two policemen, but when they find out that it is not a "who" they are looking for but a "what" is when things become interesting.
Neff and Wilson find out that something with paw prints were all over the two dead policemen and they begin to wonder what kind of animals would have killed the officers. They soon learn though that what killed the officers cannot be real as it can only be a myth - has to be because what they believe to have killed the officers couldn't possibly exist or could it?
The two detectives find out quickly that something is amiss when another killing happens and what they believed to really be non-existent does indeed lean toward really being true, so they will do whatever it takes to stop the killings even if it means creating silver bullets to put a stop toward the myth of the werewolf.
Thoughts:
This was a great story and it has been literally years since I read anything by Whitley Strieber so when one of my friends wanted to buddy read this book I jumped at the chance. The story starts out right away with some blood/gore action but then drops back down to a slow pace in the story with suspense build up.
I would consider this book to be quiet horror as there is not a lot of blood/gore action. There is tons of mystery and suspense along with the main characters trying to figure out what is stalking and hunting humans.
When the werewolf myth comes up and the detective characters, Neff and Wilson start going in search of what is happening the story kicks up a notch as the suspense is driven to a fever high.
I ended up reading the last 40% of the book within 12 hours as the story became unputdownable! The story seemed to end like maybe there could be another book in the wings, but not sure as it is hard to tell with horror as sometimes the author will just end it with no other book coming. Otherwise will be looking for more books by this author as he seems to have quite a few out there. Giving this book four "Wicked Werewolf" stars!
Backstory:
Two detectives (Becky Neff and George Wilson) are on the hunt for whoever killed two policemen, but when they find out that it is not a "who" they are looking for but a "what" is when things become interesting.
Neff and Wilson find out that something with paw prints were all over the two dead policemen and they begin to wonder what kind of animals would have killed the officers. They soon learn though that what killed the officers cannot be real as it can only be a myth - has to be because what they believe to have killed the officers couldn't possibly exist or could it?
The two detectives find out quickly that something is amiss when another killing happens and what they believed to really be non-existent does indeed lean toward really being true, so they will do whatever it takes to stop the killings even if it means creating silver bullets to put a stop toward the myth of the werewolf.
Thoughts:
This was a great story and it has been literally years since I read anything by Whitley Strieber so when one of my friends wanted to buddy read this book I jumped at the chance. The story starts out right away with some blood/gore action but then drops back down to a slow pace in the story with suspense build up.
I would consider this book to be quiet horror as there is not a lot of blood/gore action. There is tons of mystery and suspense along with the main characters trying to figure out what is stalking and hunting humans.
When the werewolf myth comes up and the detective characters, Neff and Wilson start going in search of what is happening the story kicks up a notch as the suspense is driven to a fever high.
I ended up reading the last 40% of the book within 12 hours as the story became unputdownable! The story seemed to end like maybe there could be another book in the wings, but not sure as it is hard to tell with horror as sometimes the author will just end it with no other book coming. Otherwise will be looking for more books by this author as he seems to have quite a few out there. Giving this book four "Wicked Werewolf" stars!
April 5, 2022
Pretty easy to see why this is a classic horror novel, and one I believe was even made into a movie. First published in 1978, Srieber's novel holds up very well thank you. This is obviously a monster story, but it takes form as a police procedural in NYC. Our main protagonist, Becky, is a cop in homicide, and after a nasty prologue where two cops get offed in a junkyard, she and her partner come to the scene. The two cops are basically shredded, throats ripped out and major organs missing. The only clue seems to be some paw prints around the bodies. After telling their boss that the attack was done by wild dogs or something, the boss has a fit (dogs do not kill armed cops!) and Becky and company are in the dog house so to speak at the department. A few weeks later, however, some more bodies turn up and they are shredded the same way. Something fishy, or rather, doggie, is going on!
I really liked the sparse prose Strieber employs here; it does the job in a workman-like way and helps build the tension throughout. Becky and Wilson (her partner) are still working on the case of the two dead cops, albeit on the professional sly, when they realize they are being stalked. What the hell killed the cops and the others? Why are they stalking the detectives? Toss in a few animal experts, some reporters and some police department politics and we have a novel that keeps a tidy pace, albeit with a few side tangents along the way (this really did not need the romance between Becky and Wilson!). A short book-- today it may be considered a novella-- but one that still sucks the reader in. I know Strieber went a little nuts long the way and started writing about his own alien abduction, but his early horror works are still lots of fun. 4 toothy stars!
I really liked the sparse prose Strieber employs here; it does the job in a workman-like way and helps build the tension throughout. Becky and Wilson (her partner) are still working on the case of the two dead cops, albeit on the professional sly, when they realize they are being stalked. What the hell killed the cops and the others? Why are they stalking the detectives? Toss in a few animal experts, some reporters and some police department politics and we have a novel that keeps a tidy pace, albeit with a few side tangents along the way (this really did not need the romance between Becky and Wilson!). A short book-- today it may be considered a novella-- but one that still sucks the reader in. I know Strieber went a little nuts long the way and started writing about his own alien abduction, but his early horror works are still lots of fun. 4 toothy stars!
May 14, 2023
Any book that is able to give me an uncomfortable feeling when I am walking my Bordeaux dog after dark is always going to impress me. Halfway through the book and the dog had to go. All the noises around me in fields and trees made me get nervous, which is just good storytelling.
Anyhow this is the first novel of this writer and I have read this one and The Hunger, about a female vampire, long ago when I was a wee lad. I know I have seen both movies with Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie in the vampire movie more easily remembered of course.
Two policemen get killed at an autodump and two detectives in charge are baffled by the strangeness of the killing, and when they start looking into the affair they find themselves looking at a species of Uberwolfs who have evolved alongside human civilisation and have gradually dissappeared from human consciousness. These Wolfen are not happy about policemen looking into their affairs and both detectives are marked for the hunt.
This is an intelligent yet Gothic tale with a different take on the werewolf lore in which humans and Wolfen are both intelligent species of which one is the hunter and the other one the hunted. Humans are not the hunter.
A very thrilling novel that could have easily spawned some sequels and surprisingly hasn't. An exciting tale of horror with the story told from both sides.
The book is an old book release but we'll worth the time looking for it and then reading the book.
Anyhow this is the first novel of this writer and I have read this one and The Hunger, about a female vampire, long ago when I was a wee lad. I know I have seen both movies with Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie in the vampire movie more easily remembered of course.
Two policemen get killed at an autodump and two detectives in charge are baffled by the strangeness of the killing, and when they start looking into the affair they find themselves looking at a species of Uberwolfs who have evolved alongside human civilisation and have gradually dissappeared from human consciousness. These Wolfen are not happy about policemen looking into their affairs and both detectives are marked for the hunt.
This is an intelligent yet Gothic tale with a different take on the werewolf lore in which humans and Wolfen are both intelligent species of which one is the hunter and the other one the hunted. Humans are not the hunter.
A very thrilling novel that could have easily spawned some sequels and surprisingly hasn't. An exciting tale of horror with the story told from both sides.
The book is an old book release but we'll worth the time looking for it and then reading the book.
November 13, 2014
uuugghhhhhhhh
This book was not good. It was recommended to me as one of the scariest books that person had ever read, which, lol. It had enjoyable moments--in the beginning, it seemed like it was going to be a fast-paced supernatural thriller, grounded in the reality of two cops just doing their jobs--but it quickly became very, very boring. Sluggish. Ill-paced. The pacing really was its most damnable trait (though far from its only one). The narrative was bogged down by perspectives from literally every character--the protagonists, their friends, their spouses, their superiors, random cops on the street, pedestrians, murder victims only present for a page and a half, those victims' relatives, this is not an exaggeration--as well as telling the same sequences over and over again. First you'd hear it from Becky's POV with jumps into the heads of people around her; then you'd get the same sequence narrated by the werewolves; then maybe you'd get it again from a third party, ruminating on it; then maybe you'd get it again from Becky as she thought about it for a second time. The story was bloated with unnecessary characters and diversions, subplots that never came to fruition, hysterically misplaced romantic tension, pages upon pages of characters calmly pondering that romantic tension while literally in fear for their lives, throwaway characterizations that served no purpose but to demonize the people you weren't meant to sympathize with or uplift the ones you were, and oh my god, the wolves! The utterly ridiculous, noble savage wolves!
The concept was interesting: rather than a supernatural creature, part man, part wolf~, the wolfen are evolutionary marvels, offshoots of actual wolves some millennia ago that then developed into perfectly engineered apex predators. That's a good take on werewolves I haven't seen before, and one that neatly eliminates the tiresome trope of the pained, cursed man beneath the wolf skin, or the struggle in those hunted of killing another human being. But boy, that did not make up for everything else that was wrong with this book. The two protagonists were just dreadful, two-dimensional, deeply uninteresting cops who never seem to make mistakes, at least by reputation, which is really all we have to go on with everything from their police record to their interpersonal relationships. Apparently Becky and Wilson are the greatest cops on the force, possibly in the entire world; apparently Becky and her husband are happy and satisfied until her partner confesses his sudden and inexplicable obsession with her (that isn't then met with shock and disgust that the gross old man who has literally been treating her like a secretary and chauffeur has been doing so because he really just loves her so very much). But do we ever see that on the page? Nope. Becky and Wilson fuck up and lose their standing in the force almost immediately when they latch onto the werewolf case. Becky and Dick only interact a few times and are cool at best, except the one time they have really vigorous sex for some?? reason??? The entire thread of political corruption and sweeping things under the rug gets dropped about two-thirds of the way through; the Dick-Becky-Wilson love triangle exists almost entirely in Becky's and Wilsons thoughts about the Dick-Becky-Wilson love triangle.
But more than anything else, this book was just flat out boring. The prose was staid and stiff, prosaic and about as interesting to plod through as plain, soggy oatmeal. Constant telling rather than showing. Instead of seeing two characters interact with the tension between them, we are treated to 8 or 12 paragraphs of inner dialogue of them ruminating on the tension between them. Over and over and over again. For a book of less than 300 pages, it would not end, and though a lot seemed to be happening, none of it jumped off the page, none of it grabbed you and held on. Not even the climax, which, I guess, was supposed to be exciting? But was mostly our intrepid heroes standing in the cold, and the werewolves being noble and angry and sad. And then more standing, and then a shootout that didn't make much sense, ended abruptly, and--the book was over. What???
This book was not good. It was recommended to me as one of the scariest books that person had ever read, which, lol. It had enjoyable moments--in the beginning, it seemed like it was going to be a fast-paced supernatural thriller, grounded in the reality of two cops just doing their jobs--but it quickly became very, very boring. Sluggish. Ill-paced. The pacing really was its most damnable trait (though far from its only one). The narrative was bogged down by perspectives from literally every character--the protagonists, their friends, their spouses, their superiors, random cops on the street, pedestrians, murder victims only present for a page and a half, those victims' relatives, this is not an exaggeration--as well as telling the same sequences over and over again. First you'd hear it from Becky's POV with jumps into the heads of people around her; then you'd get the same sequence narrated by the werewolves; then maybe you'd get it again from a third party, ruminating on it; then maybe you'd get it again from Becky as she thought about it for a second time. The story was bloated with unnecessary characters and diversions, subplots that never came to fruition, hysterically misplaced romantic tension, pages upon pages of characters calmly pondering that romantic tension while literally in fear for their lives, throwaway characterizations that served no purpose but to demonize the people you weren't meant to sympathize with or uplift the ones you were, and oh my god, the wolves! The utterly ridiculous, noble savage wolves!
The concept was interesting: rather than a supernatural creature, part man, part wolf~, the wolfen are evolutionary marvels, offshoots of actual wolves some millennia ago that then developed into perfectly engineered apex predators. That's a good take on werewolves I haven't seen before, and one that neatly eliminates the tiresome trope of the pained, cursed man beneath the wolf skin, or the struggle in those hunted of killing another human being. But boy, that did not make up for everything else that was wrong with this book. The two protagonists were just dreadful, two-dimensional, deeply uninteresting cops who never seem to make mistakes, at least by reputation, which is really all we have to go on with everything from their police record to their interpersonal relationships. Apparently Becky and Wilson are the greatest cops on the force, possibly in the entire world; apparently Becky and her husband are happy and satisfied until her partner confesses his sudden and inexplicable obsession with her (that isn't then met with shock and disgust that the gross old man who has literally been treating her like a secretary and chauffeur has been doing so because he really just loves her so very much). But do we ever see that on the page? Nope. Becky and Wilson fuck up and lose their standing in the force almost immediately when they latch onto the werewolf case. Becky and Dick only interact a few times and are cool at best, except the one time they have really vigorous sex for some?? reason??? The entire thread of political corruption and sweeping things under the rug gets dropped about two-thirds of the way through; the Dick-Becky-Wilson love triangle exists almost entirely in Becky's and Wilsons thoughts about the Dick-Becky-Wilson love triangle.
But more than anything else, this book was just flat out boring. The prose was staid and stiff, prosaic and about as interesting to plod through as plain, soggy oatmeal. Constant telling rather than showing. Instead of seeing two characters interact with the tension between them, we are treated to 8 or 12 paragraphs of inner dialogue of them ruminating on the tension between them. Over and over and over again. For a book of less than 300 pages, it would not end, and though a lot seemed to be happening, none of it jumped off the page, none of it grabbed you and held on. Not even the climax, which, I guess, was supposed to be exciting? But was mostly our intrepid heroes standing in the cold, and the werewolves being noble and angry and sad. And then more standing, and then a shootout that didn't make much sense, ended abruptly, and--the book was over. What???
July 8, 2020
WOLFEN takes the werewolf myth and reimagines it in some clever ways. While these intelligent pack hunters aren't exactly like the Lon Chaney sort, they are still the stuff of nightmares. Streiber does a great job of turning New York City into an urban hunting ground for the monsters of the title, and the reader quickly realizes that sudden death may be lurking under every car, behind every shadow, around every corner. The author establishes a sort of Neo-Gothic atmosphere that works perfectly for the dark and dangerous narrative. Our main characters, a pair of detectives named Wilson (the guy) and Neff (the girl) are excellent protagonists--not always likable, but believable and easy to empathize with even with their various personal flaws. Pacing is fast and driven by an urgent suspense. In short, WOLFEN is a well-crafted thriller that delivers all the fun of a traditional werewolf tale even as it puts a delightful new spin on things. Recommended for all horror fans.
January 9, 2022
This was such a fur-tastic book!
I’m glad I chose to listen to the audiobook for this one.
There was a lot of action in this book, and could hear the anxiousness in the narrators voice during those fast-paced and intense scenes. It really made the whole listening experience so much fun. It was a howling good time!
I’m not surprised, though. It’s a Crossroads Press production. Their audiobooks are TOP NOTCH!
I’m glad I chose to listen to the audiobook for this one.
There was a lot of action in this book, and could hear the anxiousness in the narrators voice during those fast-paced and intense scenes. It really made the whole listening experience so much fun. It was a howling good time!
I’m not surprised, though. It’s a Crossroads Press production. Their audiobooks are TOP NOTCH!
April 14, 2023
This book was a pleasant surprise. I've never seen the movie, so I didn't really have an inkling as to what the story was. While reading it, I expected the werewolves to be typical in their shape-shifting ways. Instead, I got something far more interesting. I'd love to see a sequel to this exploring the lore or even a prequel dating back to when man and beast communicated.
It follows two cops Wilson and Neff. One is old and harder than woodpecker lips. The other is young but smart and driven. Even though the older of the two is more experienced, it is often the younger who takes the lead in this yarn. Both tend to bite at one another, but there's an underlying respect that makes them a good team. When some brutal murders take place, these two are the only ones willing to believe the impossible in order to stop the murders. But while they are investigating, they become the hunted, and their investigation becomes a struggle for survival.
Now, the plot armor in this is heavier than an asteroid, but it's still a blast. The characters are decent to follow, and for the most part, they're intelligent, except when the plot demands and they become stupid. The kills were gory, and the wolves were awesome. It ends in a fairly tidy manner, but I'd like to see more. I highly recommend this one to anyone who wants a different take on werewolves with a police procedural.
There it is and there you have it.
It follows two cops Wilson and Neff. One is old and harder than woodpecker lips. The other is young but smart and driven. Even though the older of the two is more experienced, it is often the younger who takes the lead in this yarn. Both tend to bite at one another, but there's an underlying respect that makes them a good team. When some brutal murders take place, these two are the only ones willing to believe the impossible in order to stop the murders. But while they are investigating, they become the hunted, and their investigation becomes a struggle for survival.
Now, the plot armor in this is heavier than an asteroid, but it's still a blast. The characters are decent to follow, and for the most part, they're intelligent, except when the plot demands and they become stupid. The kills were gory, and the wolves were awesome. It ends in a fairly tidy manner, but I'd like to see more. I highly recommend this one to anyone who wants a different take on werewolves with a police procedural.
There it is and there you have it.
March 16, 2024
Don't you just hate it when you think Werewolves are a myth but they turn out to be real?
First of all........This is brilliant...
We start with two cops who get mutilated. Entrails pulled out and organs swallowed. Nice.
We then meet two homicide detectives who soon realize that maybe some sort of animal was responsible and when they ask an expert if a Werewolf could have done the whole entrails organs thing, he takes the question quite seriously, as though giving it real deep thought -- which is of course quite disturbing...
And then comes the best chunks of the novel, where we actually read the story through the perspective of the Wolves themselves. How they plan the attacks and how they have been getting away with it for so many years....
But unfortunately for the two cops, the Wolves know who they are!
Super cool horror read.
First of all........This is brilliant...
We start with two cops who get mutilated. Entrails pulled out and organs swallowed. Nice.
We then meet two homicide detectives who soon realize that maybe some sort of animal was responsible and when they ask an expert if a Werewolf could have done the whole entrails organs thing, he takes the question quite seriously, as though giving it real deep thought -- which is of course quite disturbing...
And then comes the best chunks of the novel, where we actually read the story through the perspective of the Wolves themselves. How they plan the attacks and how they have been getting away with it for so many years....
But unfortunately for the two cops, the Wolves know who they are!
Super cool horror read.
August 3, 2017
The Wolfen features two New York City detectives (one male, one female) who are investigating the killing of two cops. Their investigation leads them into unknown territory as it becomes clear that the two cops were not killed by humans. So who did kill them? The Wolfen.
Strieber has created a new take on the werewolf genre. The Wolfen are not werewolves as such. They are not humans who turn into wolves but more of a crossbreed between humans and wolves. They show characteristics of both species. The book presents an interesting history of The Wolfen, how the pack lives together and how they hide amongst human society.
The book moves along at a good pace with tension building as no one believes the two detectives. The Wolfen attacks are gory as they seek to keep their existence secret. The book did drag during the middle but this is probably because I am such a slow reader. Everyone else would probably read it in one sitting and find no slowing down of the story.
There is a simmering sexual tension between the two detectives whose arguments and comments can not hide their lust for one another (ok, maybe not that strong feelings) but my imagination went wild that this was going to be the original supernatural sexy romance story that inspires so many books with photoshop covers featuring a six pack hunk with a slim pretty lady draped over him. I mean, two cops denying their feelings for each other with wolf shifters involved as well. Move over Twilight!
Not that I have read Twilight or any supernatural romance book. Not my cup of tea (although I only drink coffee) as us English like to say.
The Wolfen is nothing like Twilight etc. It is a great horror read and an excellent original expansion of the werewolf genre.
Strieber has created a new take on the werewolf genre. The Wolfen are not werewolves as such. They are not humans who turn into wolves but more of a crossbreed between humans and wolves. They show characteristics of both species. The book presents an interesting history of The Wolfen, how the pack lives together and how they hide amongst human society.
The book moves along at a good pace with tension building as no one believes the two detectives. The Wolfen attacks are gory as they seek to keep their existence secret. The book did drag during the middle but this is probably because I am such a slow reader. Everyone else would probably read it in one sitting and find no slowing down of the story.
There is a simmering sexual tension between the two detectives whose arguments and comments can not hide their lust for one another (ok, maybe not that strong feelings) but my imagination went wild that this was going to be the original supernatural sexy romance story that inspires so many books with photoshop covers featuring a six pack hunk with a slim pretty lady draped over him. I mean, two cops denying their feelings for each other with wolf shifters involved as well. Move over Twilight!
Not that I have read Twilight or any supernatural romance book. Not my cup of tea (although I only drink coffee) as us English like to say.
The Wolfen is nothing like Twilight etc. It is a great horror read and an excellent original expansion of the werewolf genre.
November 22, 2021
Been meaning to reread this ever since I accidentally bought another copy of this book (to my defense it had a different cover). I gave it 5 stars the first time and was a little weary that I wouldn't love it as much but luckily O did. One of the better werewolf books I've read and it had me intrigued to try to find more werewolf's books out there. But I usually just come across paranormal romance, which is nice sometimes but I want other more thrilling reads as well
October 3, 2024
A fun, different take on the werewolf genre! Not at all what I expected and that's a good thing.
December 19, 2017
This short book took a while to read because I had to read it twice. The book starts out wonderfully. It's super-fast paced. We're locked into the main characters, and looking forward to seeing how they survive their gruesome situation when all of a sudden at the halfway point we get hit with digression after digression. Starting at page 139 we get all this background and folklore we really don't need or care about. When that finally ends, in comes new characters (a reporter and a photographer) I care nothing about. We've all but left the protagonists' story. By page 209, I realized I was reading words between characters whom I had no idea why they were in the story or who they were. So, back I went to page one to read the whole thing again only this time faster, keeping a character chart as I went.
That worked better. Pages 139-233 are pretty much disposable. When Strieber picks up his main story again starting at page 235, the magic is back all the way through to an exciting conclusion 40 pages later. Okay, Strieber made some rookie mistakes on the pacing in this novel, his first. Thirty pages in to the book I couldn't believe how much of the story he had already told. I wondered then how in the world he was going to fill 240 more pages. It felt like we were already up to the middle.
Pacing problems aside, this is still one hell of a good werewolf story. There is much to like about the book. First, Strieber breaks new ground. Never before 1978, I believe, do we see werewolves portrayed as a hidden, intelligent society living by and preying on man. Second, the characters and situation are presented in a gritty, realistic vein. One has to remember that Frank Miller was at this time revolutionizing noir-style comics with his Daredevil work. Strieber is revolutionizing the werewolf story the same way. It's brutal and frightening stuff Strieber writes. It works well because the protagonists are so flawed: This makes them real people to us.
The deaths which take place aren't described gratuitously as say Stephen King can sometimes get, but rather in a matter-of-fact way that serves to heighten the horror by understatement. Much of the book plays out in my mind like a horrifying movie. It really needs a faithful-to-the-book film remake in our time. It would do well at the box office.
Most of the other reviewers who give this book five stars give it that because they like Strieber already for his cooky because serious "I encountered aliens on their spaceship" books, or they are kids titillated by the gruesomeness of the horror presented. Okay, that's cool if either of those do it for you. What I appreciate most about the book is its gritty Hill Street Blues like reality and its very fast-paced and exciting beginning and finish.
That worked better. Pages 139-233 are pretty much disposable. When Strieber picks up his main story again starting at page 235, the magic is back all the way through to an exciting conclusion 40 pages later. Okay, Strieber made some rookie mistakes on the pacing in this novel, his first. Thirty pages in to the book I couldn't believe how much of the story he had already told. I wondered then how in the world he was going to fill 240 more pages. It felt like we were already up to the middle.
Pacing problems aside, this is still one hell of a good werewolf story. There is much to like about the book. First, Strieber breaks new ground. Never before 1978, I believe, do we see werewolves portrayed as a hidden, intelligent society living by and preying on man. Second, the characters and situation are presented in a gritty, realistic vein. One has to remember that Frank Miller was at this time revolutionizing noir-style comics with his Daredevil work. Strieber is revolutionizing the werewolf story the same way. It's brutal and frightening stuff Strieber writes. It works well because the protagonists are so flawed: This makes them real people to us.
The deaths which take place aren't described gratuitously as say Stephen King can sometimes get, but rather in a matter-of-fact way that serves to heighten the horror by understatement. Much of the book plays out in my mind like a horrifying movie. It really needs a faithful-to-the-book film remake in our time. It would do well at the box office.
Most of the other reviewers who give this book five stars give it that because they like Strieber already for his cooky because serious "I encountered aliens on their spaceship" books, or they are kids titillated by the gruesomeness of the horror presented. Okay, that's cool if either of those do it for you. What I appreciate most about the book is its gritty Hill Street Blues like reality and its very fast-paced and exciting beginning and finish.
October 25, 2018
Libro entretenido, que encaja mejor dentro del género de novela negra más que de terror. Ágil, buenas descripciones y ritmo.
Recomendable.
Recomendable.
August 18, 2024
I was halfway through this when I realized this is what the 1980's werewolf movie Wolfen was based on! The story follows two detectives who find themselves in peril while investigating the murder of two cops. Said murder was described by Whitley very well and made for a great opening. The story doesn't overstay its welcome and managed to be pretty entertaining throughout. There's nothing crazy memorable about this but it's fun for the most part. Fans of werewolf stuff should check this out, but don't go in with crazy high expectations.
October 29, 2015
Great suspenseful fun....engaging....hard to put down.....I loved how the author told much of the story from the Wolfens' points of view...as if in their head, listening to their thoughts....great read for the Halloween season...if you haven't read it, get a copy,and save it back for Oct. 2016!
December 24, 2021
This is a brilliant non-werewolf book--one of the first--that ties spirituality into the monstrosity. Brilliant!
May 8, 2022
3.5 stars out of 5.
January 15, 2025
A Classic
Originally published in 1978 “The Wolfen” by Whitley Strieber still stands up today as a classic werewolf novel. Not too heavy on the blood and guts, it’s more of a mystery/suspense. We follow two New York detectives as they try to solve some grisly murders, only to come to the conclusion that they might be up against something unnatural. Unfortunately by the time they come to that realization they have already become the hunted. If you’re a werewolf fan check this one out.
Originally published in 1978 “The Wolfen” by Whitley Strieber still stands up today as a classic werewolf novel. Not too heavy on the blood and guts, it’s more of a mystery/suspense. We follow two New York detectives as they try to solve some grisly murders, only to come to the conclusion that they might be up against something unnatural. Unfortunately by the time they come to that realization they have already become the hunted. If you’re a werewolf fan check this one out.
November 1, 2020
Nah, nuh, no way, nohow.
October 20, 2018
En la cafetería de Audrey
Otoño en la isla perdida (II)
Búnker/Licántropos
“Estamos siendo perseguidos por algo que tiene garras. Ellos existen, no lo olviden. Han existido por miles de años. Nosotros señores, los hemos visto. Y son horribles. También son muy veloces y muy, muy inteligentes. La gente antiguamente los llamaba Licántropos. Ahora nadie los llama de ninguna manera, pues han desarrollado una gran habilidad para borrar las huellas de su paso. Y por lo tanto ni siquiera hay una leyenda. Pero ellos están aquí. No les quepa ninguna duda...”
Interesante novela de Licántropos donde el autor nos muestra un punto de vista de los hombres lobo alejado de los tópicos de fiera sanguinaria sin cerebro, aquí los buenos no son tan honestos, ni los malos devoran porque sí. Como aporte existe una versión cinematográfica de los 80 de este libro, bastante interesante también “Lobos humanos”
Otoño en la isla perdida (II)
Búnker/Licántropos
“Estamos siendo perseguidos por algo que tiene garras. Ellos existen, no lo olviden. Han existido por miles de años. Nosotros señores, los hemos visto. Y son horribles. También son muy veloces y muy, muy inteligentes. La gente antiguamente los llamaba Licántropos. Ahora nadie los llama de ninguna manera, pues han desarrollado una gran habilidad para borrar las huellas de su paso. Y por lo tanto ni siquiera hay una leyenda. Pero ellos están aquí. No les quepa ninguna duda...”
Interesante novela de Licántropos donde el autor nos muestra un punto de vista de los hombres lobo alejado de los tópicos de fiera sanguinaria sin cerebro, aquí los buenos no son tan honestos, ni los malos devoran porque sí. Como aporte existe una versión cinematográfica de los 80 de este libro, bastante interesante también “Lobos humanos”
February 9, 2016
Some time ago I made a comment on an online forum that I felt annoyed and depressed at the complete lack of intelligent and readily available horror reading material. Recently I have been pleasantly surprised to discover such gems as “The Concrete Grove” by Gary McMahon and the ultimate werewolf tail (little play on words !) High Moor by Graeme Reynolds a new and rising star in this genre…so belief and a smile are slowly returning to my face.
After some difficulty I was successful in securing a copy of “The Wolfen” by Whitley Strieber and am so pleased that I did. In essence The Wolfen is a story of man and Canis Lupus Sapiens or more commonly referred to as the Werewolf trying to eke out a living and cohabit in an overcrowded world and a world that refuses to acknowledge it’s existence. Two policemen are murdered whilst carrying out routine duties at a car pound in a district of New York, and the investigating officers Rebecca Neff and George Wilson are tasked with bringing the perpetrators to justice. Wilson and Neff soon discover that this is not a simple case and suspicion soon falls on the Werewolf, The Wolfen as named in the book. The story evolves with a great list of characters and a cracking storyline that never relaxes. It soon becomes clear that The Wolfen pack are themselves hunting Wilson and Neff, as the knowledge these two officers now possess concerning the existence of The Wolfen, threatens the werewolf community and way of life….the hunters have become the hunted!! The chief of police Underwood is only interested in his promotion to Commissionaire and refuses to accept that a pack of Werewolves are living and running amok in his city, and are responsible for the death of two of his officers. Carl Ferguson the curator of the Natural History Museum is haunted by the possibility of an imminent Werewolf attack and in one particularly tense scene he is walking the museum late at night and is deeply troubled and frightened by every sound the building exudes. This tension and fear prevailing throughout the book draws the reader in and creates a great sense of unease. The Wolfen is a silent predator who can destroy his prey efficiently and with clockwork precision. To understand the mind of The Wolfen it must be appreciated they only really attack to satisfy their hunger and they view man as a means to exist and a good source of nourishment. They are also selective in their choice of victim,(the murder of the two policemen was a mistake) and choose to kill only those who they see as weak and who live in the fringes. They kill with ruthless and silent efficiency and it is this ability that totally immerses the reader in a nightmare reading experience! The brutal strength and beauty of The Wolfen is best described in one memorable scene from the book……
“Now she was down, she was pushing her nose past cloth, slick hot flesh, feeling the vibration of subvocal response in the man, feeling his muscles stiffening as his body reacted to her standing on it, then opening her mouth against the flesh, feeling her teeth scrape back and down, pressing her tongue against the deliciously salty skin and ripping with all the strength in her jaws and neck and chest, and jumping back to the wall with the bloody throat in her mouth. The body on the bench barely rustled as its dying blood poured out….Now her job was over,she dropped behind the wall and ate her trophy. It was rich and sweet with blood. Around her the pack was very happy as it worked….Then the pack ate in rank order. The mother took the brain. The father took a thigh and buttock. The first mated pair ate the clean organs. When they returned from their duty the second mated pair took the rest. And then they pulled apart the remains and took them piece by piece and dropped them in the nearby lake…When this was done, they went to a place they had been earlier, a great meadow full of the beautiful new snow that had been falling. They ran and danced in the snow, feeling the pleasure of their bodies, the joy or facing headlong across the wide expanse, and because they knew that no human was in earshot they had a joyous howl full of the pulsing rhythm they liked best after a hunt…..
Neff has a difficult home life and a complicated working relationship with Wilson, however they must lay aside these differences to keep focused and avoid being consumed by The Wolfen. The chase becomes a game of cat and mouse and a marvellous experience for the reader as the tension never relaxes and we rush towards a bloody conclusion. This is not merely a horror story but the portrayal of a misunderstood group trying to exist and survive in the shadows of the city and avoid the wrath of man….I strongly recommend....
After some difficulty I was successful in securing a copy of “The Wolfen” by Whitley Strieber and am so pleased that I did. In essence The Wolfen is a story of man and Canis Lupus Sapiens or more commonly referred to as the Werewolf trying to eke out a living and cohabit in an overcrowded world and a world that refuses to acknowledge it’s existence. Two policemen are murdered whilst carrying out routine duties at a car pound in a district of New York, and the investigating officers Rebecca Neff and George Wilson are tasked with bringing the perpetrators to justice. Wilson and Neff soon discover that this is not a simple case and suspicion soon falls on the Werewolf, The Wolfen as named in the book. The story evolves with a great list of characters and a cracking storyline that never relaxes. It soon becomes clear that The Wolfen pack are themselves hunting Wilson and Neff, as the knowledge these two officers now possess concerning the existence of The Wolfen, threatens the werewolf community and way of life….the hunters have become the hunted!! The chief of police Underwood is only interested in his promotion to Commissionaire and refuses to accept that a pack of Werewolves are living and running amok in his city, and are responsible for the death of two of his officers. Carl Ferguson the curator of the Natural History Museum is haunted by the possibility of an imminent Werewolf attack and in one particularly tense scene he is walking the museum late at night and is deeply troubled and frightened by every sound the building exudes. This tension and fear prevailing throughout the book draws the reader in and creates a great sense of unease. The Wolfen is a silent predator who can destroy his prey efficiently and with clockwork precision. To understand the mind of The Wolfen it must be appreciated they only really attack to satisfy their hunger and they view man as a means to exist and a good source of nourishment. They are also selective in their choice of victim,(the murder of the two policemen was a mistake) and choose to kill only those who they see as weak and who live in the fringes. They kill with ruthless and silent efficiency and it is this ability that totally immerses the reader in a nightmare reading experience! The brutal strength and beauty of The Wolfen is best described in one memorable scene from the book……
“Now she was down, she was pushing her nose past cloth, slick hot flesh, feeling the vibration of subvocal response in the man, feeling his muscles stiffening as his body reacted to her standing on it, then opening her mouth against the flesh, feeling her teeth scrape back and down, pressing her tongue against the deliciously salty skin and ripping with all the strength in her jaws and neck and chest, and jumping back to the wall with the bloody throat in her mouth. The body on the bench barely rustled as its dying blood poured out….Now her job was over,she dropped behind the wall and ate her trophy. It was rich and sweet with blood. Around her the pack was very happy as it worked….Then the pack ate in rank order. The mother took the brain. The father took a thigh and buttock. The first mated pair ate the clean organs. When they returned from their duty the second mated pair took the rest. And then they pulled apart the remains and took them piece by piece and dropped them in the nearby lake…When this was done, they went to a place they had been earlier, a great meadow full of the beautiful new snow that had been falling. They ran and danced in the snow, feeling the pleasure of their bodies, the joy or facing headlong across the wide expanse, and because they knew that no human was in earshot they had a joyous howl full of the pulsing rhythm they liked best after a hunt…..
Neff has a difficult home life and a complicated working relationship with Wilson, however they must lay aside these differences to keep focused and avoid being consumed by The Wolfen. The chase becomes a game of cat and mouse and a marvellous experience for the reader as the tension never relaxes and we rush towards a bloody conclusion. This is not merely a horror story but the portrayal of a misunderstood group trying to exist and survive in the shadows of the city and avoid the wrath of man….I strongly recommend....
September 16, 2015
I'm not sure what it is about 70s horror novels, but many of them have a certain feel that I just love; Carrie, The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, The Omen all great. Now I can add The Wolfen to that list.
This book starts out with a couple of policemen being killed in an automobile pound, under very strange circumstances. This puts a couple of very smart, determined detectives on the trail of the killers, which turn out to be werewolves. These are not your normal werewolves however. They are not people that change into monsters during a full moon, they do not stand upright, nor do they go around killing everything in sight. They are more like huge dogs, with almost human faces, very strong and very smart.
Strieber has done a fantastic job with the characters. I love the descriptions of the werewolf pack. They live in the slums of the city, feasting on the homeless. These werewolves are capable of setting traps to lure victims, cover up the evidence of their kills, and track prey relentlessly. They are vicious killing machines and yet, I didn't hate them. I found myself empathizing with them. They do what they have to do to survive. There is a certain nobility in the pack, treating the members with respect and caring for each other. I loved the characters of Becky and Wilson, and even Dick Neff. The ultimate showdown at the end was unusual in the fact that I did't want the detectives to die, but if they didn't, the existence of the pack would become public knowledge and put these creatures in danger. A real catch 22. Strieber pulls it all together and creates an ending that satisfied my conflicted emotions.
A strong 4 stars.
This book starts out with a couple of policemen being killed in an automobile pound, under very strange circumstances. This puts a couple of very smart, determined detectives on the trail of the killers, which turn out to be werewolves. These are not your normal werewolves however. They are not people that change into monsters during a full moon, they do not stand upright, nor do they go around killing everything in sight. They are more like huge dogs, with almost human faces, very strong and very smart.
Strieber has done a fantastic job with the characters. I love the descriptions of the werewolf pack. They live in the slums of the city, feasting on the homeless. These werewolves are capable of setting traps to lure victims, cover up the evidence of their kills, and track prey relentlessly. They are vicious killing machines and yet, I didn't hate them. I found myself empathizing with them. They do what they have to do to survive. There is a certain nobility in the pack, treating the members with respect and caring for each other. I loved the characters of Becky and Wilson, and even Dick Neff. The ultimate showdown at the end was unusual in the fact that I did't want the detectives to die, but if they didn't, the existence of the pack would become public knowledge and put these creatures in danger. A real catch 22. Strieber pulls it all together and creates an ending that satisfied my conflicted emotions.
A strong 4 stars.
January 15, 2016
This book was loaned to me by one of the guys at the Nightmare Factory book club. I believe he said something like, this isn't a good book, but its great fun, and he was right. This is the same Whitley Strieber who has sunk into making self-aggrandizing claims about aliens, and launched a completely bullshit-filled career, but before that, he wrote a couple decent trashy horror novels, this being one. It's not literary in any sense, but the plot is good, and the gore is nasty, and the viewpoints from the perspective of the Wolfen are entertaining. The human characters are almost all shitbags, or perhaps if I want to phrase that in a less extreme way, they are almost all unlikable. George Wilson is a sexist, brutish, asshole, but of course he has a soft spot, cause that's the easy thing to do with that kind of character. Becky Neff is the best character, but then Strieber has her falling for her cop partner Wilson, despite his condescending attitude toward her. Underwood is just a pathetic, manipulative asshole.
But fuck all that. This book was like riding an out-of-control four-wheeler through the mud, and for that it gets four stars. I was entertained. Guts get ripped out and eaten, hands gets sheared off by claws, brains get splattered by bullets, what more could a gore hound want. I wanted everybody to die in the end, and they didn't, but I guess I can forgive that.
But fuck all that. This book was like riding an out-of-control four-wheeler through the mud, and for that it gets four stars. I was entertained. Guts get ripped out and eaten, hands gets sheared off by claws, brains get splattered by bullets, what more could a gore hound want. I wanted everybody to die in the end, and they didn't, but I guess I can forgive that.
October 29, 2018
Libro entretenido, sobre todo por que la historia es original e interesante, pero que está muy mal escrito, o quizás sea un problema de la traducción ochentera.
Diálogos absurdos, relaciones personales entre personajes un poco sonrojantes y narrativa un poco atropellada.
Tiene algo de literatura Pulp y las dos estrellas se las lleva por la premisa y el punto de vista nuevo sobre los hombres-lobo y es que una lástima que esta historia no tuviera un mejor desarrollo.
Diálogos absurdos, relaciones personales entre personajes un poco sonrojantes y narrativa un poco atropellada.
Tiene algo de literatura Pulp y las dos estrellas se las lleva por la premisa y el punto de vista nuevo sobre los hombres-lobo y es que una lástima que esta historia no tuviera un mejor desarrollo.
March 17, 2010
Don't be suprised when you find yourself looking over your shoulder and into shadowed areas while the hairs on your neck are sticking straight out. "They now have three minutes to live..."
Beware the film - it totally misses the mark and the story - it sucked.
Beware the film - it totally misses the mark and the story - it sucked.
March 26, 2019
Tenía mis dudas al iniciar la lectura de si se trataba de una historia de fantasía y licántropos, pero me ha sorprendido encontrar una novela policiaca bastante entretenida y con ritmo rápido de lectura.
September 21, 2015
That Strieber's 1978 debut novel was a success is no surprise. Great take on the werewolf legend and very suspenseful.
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