SOLVED. genre: sci-fi fantasy [s]

[David]

Story of a young orphan boy in old (12th century?) England who joins a small mysterious group travelling the land in a wagon. Main characters include the boy, a mature woman (the leader), a young woman (her daughter?), and a strong man who turns out to be a werebear. The woman eventually must pit her werebear against an old woman who is a werefox that has murdering people around the countryside. I think the book was written within the last 3 years.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Sounds more like a fantasy David. Who's pov is the story from--the boy's or third person or one of the others? Is the boy aware that the strong man is a shape-shifter?

[David]

I believe you're correct to call it Fantasy and not Sci-fi. When I first began to read it I thought it was historical fiction and only picked up on the fantasy aspect as the story began to unfold. The POV is from the boy who is new to the group and he is learning about the other characters as the story progresses. The woman was a healer who has taken the orphan boy under her wing when they stopped at village at the beginning of the story. As they travel their circuit he learns that they are well known and well liked and their visits are anticipated. I can't remember what the groups overt identity was but I don't think it was her healing. The boy did not learn of the strong man's shape shifting until the end of the story when the woman brings about his shape shifting in order to deal with the werefox. She apparently was inhibiting his shape shifting with homemade drugs.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

No idea what it is--but it will definitely be added to my TBR bookcase(s--5 of them so far--and that's not counting the already READ books. Sigh, so many books, so little time. If I could just figure out how to do without SLEEP. . . )

[caracal-eyes]

Something Red
Description: 'During the thirteenth century in northwest England, in one of the coldest winters in living memory, a formidable yet charming Irish healer, Molly, and the troupe she leads are driving their three wagons, hoping to cross the Pennine Mountains before the heavy snows set in.

Molly, her lover Jack, granddaughter Nemain, and young apprentice Hob become aware that they are being stalked by something terrible.... It is then that Hob discovers how much more there is to his adopted family than he had realized.'

Published 2010.

[David]

That's it!! I was wondering if a sequel was out yet and now I can see that there is. Thank you so much.