Way of the Wolf (The Vampire Earth)

ANNOTATION

This chilling debut novel introduces David Valentine, a young soldier in an uphill struggle to rid the Earth of vampiric conquerors.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Louisiana, 2065. A lot has changed in the 43rd year of the Kurian Order. Possessed of an unnatural hunger, the bloodthirsty Reapers have come to Earth to establish a New Order built on the harvesting of human souls. They rule the planet. And if it is night, as sure as darkness, they will come.

But on this pitiless world, the indomitable spirit of man still breathes in Lieutenant David Valentine. And his mission is to win back Earth...

FROM THE CRITICS

Fred Saberhagen

The Way of the Wolf is a winner. If you're going to read only one more post-apocalyptic novel, make it this one.

Ronald Fraser - atFantasy.com

To begin with, The Way of the Wolf isn't exactly fantasy, it isn't exactly science fiction and it isn't exactly horror. To be honest, that's one of its strengths. It uses the tropes of each of these genres to full affect, the whole of the work greater than the sum of those parts. There are even, as the author readily admits, cinematic elements and elements of American literature insinuated into the story. To say that there is a little bit for everyone may be an overgeneralization, but I feel safe to say (it)... for fantasy, science-fiction and horror readers at large.

"Though information about the setting is slowly revealed, the setting itself has depth. This is a real place, if only on the pages of this novel (and hopefully more novels set in the same setting that will come). There is no trickery, the author has visited this world. He has laid it forth for us in the novel, so we can travel there too. I will not compare this to some of the giants of the industry, past or present, because that would be hardly fair, this being a first novel, but I must say that the worldbuilding, as evidenced in the writing, is evocative and believable.

"Is this an instant classic? I'm sorry, but no. Is this an excellent first novel which offers us a glimpse at an emerging talent? Absolutely. E. E. Knight has offered up a novel that is at least the equal to anything out there now, and surpasses many other works.

David Valentine will stay in my mind for weeks to come.This is a book about his education, his initiation as a warrior. In spite of his toughness, his mercilessness with his enemies, there is a saint-like naivete about him that makes him irresistible.