S. Andrew Swann

Wolfbreed — (2009-2010) As. S.A. Swann. Publisher: When a monk uncovers a lair of werewolf young, he unleashes a power unseen in demons or men. The Teutonic Order — the most powerful military organization in Christendom — has clandestinely raised these ferocious beasts to serve as instruments of God. Known as wolfbreed, the lupine creatures are able to cloak themselves in human form. Trained to slip into villages unnoticed before commencing their slaughter, they are all but unstoppable. Only one, called Lilly, has cunningly fled her brutal master… Young Uldolf doesn’t remember the massacre eight years earlier that claimed his village, his arm, and his kin, leaving him to be raised by his uncle’s kind family. But he knows the pain of loneliness, and when he sees what he believes is a beautiful young girl, injured and cowering in the woods, he runs to her aid and carries her home. Uldolf and his family will do anything to protect the terrified girl… but the danger they face is greater than they can possibly imagine. For death is the only lifeyoung Lilly has ever known. Can their care pierce the darkness she harbors in her soul? Or will her secret cause her to lose everything she has to gain… An innovative mix of historical fiction, romance, and the paranormal, here is a riveting tale of loyalty, love — and what it truly means to be human.

Wolfbreed

Lilly is one of a litter of werewolf children being raised by the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 13th century Prusa (later Prussia). The wolfbreed, as they are called, are subjected to horrifying abuses and trained to become brutal weapons of war. Their purpose: to help the Order massacre Prussia's remaining pagan strongholds.

A theological debate rages between the Order and the Church regarding the nature of the wolfbreed. Are they simply animals, soulless but trainable and possibly useful? Or, are they minions of Satan? The one possibility no one considers: human.

When Lilly escapes from her master in the town of Johnsburg, she is taken in by a farm family and treated as an ordinary young woman. Their kindness breaches Lilly's defenses, and she begins to look at herself through new eyes and to question her upbringing. Her peaceful time with them, however, is not to last. The Church and the Order are hunting her. The horrors within Lilly's mind may be even harder to escape. Can she forgive herself for the violence in her past, and would those who love her be able to forgive her if they knew everything she'd done?

This is a gritty, violent novel, yet there are themes of love and redemption that are often absent from the grittier sort of fantasy. S.A. Swann shows us the worst that humanity can do, but also the best. The surrounding horrors make the moments of beauty all the more effective.

The story is told through several alternating third-person points of view. The different point-of-view sections often overlap in time, allowing the reader to see the same event from different perspectives. This device works well in Wolfbreed, and all of the point-of-view characters have distinct voices.

I highly recommend this moving and tightly-plotted historical fantasy. It won't be for everyone; the gore, rape, and child abuse may be off-putting to some. I should also mention that many of the Christian characters are pretty unsavory, which also might not sit well with some readers. These aspects of the story didn't bother me personally — I felt that they were realistic in the gritty medieval setting — but your mileage may vary. As for me, I loved Wolfbreed. As soon as I finished it, I found myself recommending it to friends, and I'd say that's a pretty good sign! —Kelly   Comments

Wolf’s Cross

The Teutonic Order, under the sadistic Brother Semyon, once trained wolfbreed (werewolves) as holy war machines. But when the Order lost control of the wolfbreed, they changed focus. Now, a century after the events of Wolfbreed, the Order believes the werewolves are Satanic and are dedicated to exterminating them.

In Wolf’s Cross, a group of Order knights chases a werewolf onto Polish land. After a disastrous battle, the bloodied and tattered knights seek shelter at the castle of Polish leader Wojewoda Boleslaw. Two intertwined plot lines emerge. One focuses on the conflict between the Order and the Polish nobility. The other revolves around Maria, a young woman employed at the castle. She learns a devastating secret about herself and is torn between two men: an injured Order knight, and a charismatic stranger she meets in the woods. Along the way, she develops from subservient peasant girl to strong woman.

S.A. Swann’s writing style keeps the story moving quickly. The prose is descriptive but not so much that it gets bogged down, and the pace is fast. I often found that I’d just read 75 pages without even noticing. The action is frequent and exciting, and the novel also touches on some deeper themes, such as prejudice and the idea that one can have a traumatic past without letting it turn one into a monster.

I didn’t like Wolf’s Cross quite as much as I did Wolfbreed. Part of the reason is that I loved the romantic plotline in Wolfbreed. Lilly and Uldolf’s story felt really fresh, with its question of whether these two characters could overcome the horrific way their paths first crossed. Maria’s choice between the “knight in shining armor” and the “bad boy” feels like more well-trodden ground. I also don’t recall Wolfbreed dwelling so much on the sexual aspects of lycanthropy. Sure, I know animals mate, but from this and other books I’ve learned that I don’t enjoy reading about it from inside the animal’s mind. It makes me feel icky. Then again, Wolfbreed and Wolf’s Cross are not for the squeamish in general. Besides the sex, there are plenty of disembowelments, dismemberments, and so on.

I did really love Hanna, Maria’s stepmother, and would eagerly read a prequel about her life if S.A. Swann were to write it.

I recommend Wolf’s Cross to people who like their werewolves visceral and their novels gritty but with a philosophical moment here and there. —Kelly   Comments