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The Wild
When Bob Duke turns into a wolf and begins to roam the streets of Manhattan, his wife and son vow to find him and restore his humanity. By the author of The Wolfen and Communion.
Reissue.
Reissue.
378 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
About the author
Whitley Strieber
127 books1,150 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 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 27, 2016
The First thing that should be noted, gotten out of the way first, is to emphasize this is no ordinary werewolf novel.
Nope, you don’t have furry man-beasts sniffing out human flesh here, folks. You also don’t have a constantly shifting creature raging against his inner impulses; there’s no moon watching here, no silver bullets to be dodged, and no strange herbs to devour to fend off any curses. The plot may not even sound that horrorish - see, I can invent new words =) It reads out more of a drama, the horror being the forcefulness of the situation Bob Duke finds himself in, the uncertainty, and his rebelliousness against the change attacking his body.
Bob Duke becomes a wolf one night at a hotel on a business trip. The next day he briefly wonders if he imagined the whole thing. The signs are hard to ignore, but the man does his best when he gets home to wifey and son. Awaiting him is a pile of mounting bills, unpaid debts, eviction notices, marital pressure, possible homelessness, therapy, his young son reading Kafka like it’s a guide, and, oh, yeah, dreams of becoming a wolf. Just the ideal American life, eh?
Unfortunately for him at the time, one night he completely changes – in front of family and therapist friend. Since Bob isn’t the most rational sort of being, who clearly doesn’t think things through all the way and acts on impulse at times, he ends up in a heap of worse trouble when he bites a visiting, gossipy neighbor who insists on insulting his ‘tail-wagging’ capabilities. Hauled off to the pound, experiencing the fear other doggies do awaiting the dreaded ‘room’, all chaos ensues from there.
Bob the man, and Bob the wolf, go through many changes in the novel, roaming from different horrible locations, trapped inside the body of a wolf. His mind is still human and although slowly wolf instincts take over, he rebels against the change in his being and vows to save the day by becoming human again. His wife and young son, knowing what has happened, enlist in the aide of an old Indian, determined to save their loved one before either his life is snuffed out…or his sanity.
Bob Duke is an interesting character because he, as a protagonist, isn’t the usual strong-willed type you read about. His strength is in other areas, but on the outside he’s a man not able to provide for his family, make much money at his job, handle the billing in a reasonable manner, or gather up much motivation to change. He also is kind-hearted and a bit too nice and naïve, as is made clear from chapter one. He is a natural poet by heart, and this is a constant regret to him. Instead of walking around weaving a pad with a pencil in his ear and stars in his eyes, reciting off verses on love, flowers, and the universe, he curses this ‘gift’ and feels as if he must write poetry because it’s a part of him, not because he wants to.
His wife (her name escapes me at the moment and I don’t have the book in front of me as I’m doing this review) is stronger-willed, but hasn’t worked much in her life. She’s a hard worker when it comes down to it, but her personality would be better suited to a position where she called all the shots. She always stood by her husband, although he let her down at times, ignoring some of the facts until they swerved around and bit her in the behind, but is determined to make things right again. Something one has to admire.
The son (same situation with me and not remember names to save my life) is an adorable young adolescent who buries his nose in serious works such as Kafka, discusses theories and such at the dinner table, and being the typical intellectual, loner kid.
The pacing of the novel is strong enough to keep all the words flowing. It begins with Bobs recaps about life and a time at the zoo, from there progressing to the change and then, finally, the end result.
Strieber writes with a heavy hand at times, spinning out colorful phrases. His wording is intriguing, his style serious. He does inject humor in the story when it’s needed, a type of irony, but does so in a way that seems to come naturally. At first his style was a bit hard for me to get into, but pretty soon I was wrapped up and began looking forward to it.
The wild, not your typical horror novel, one that devotes itself mainly to change, human nature, and acceptance, reads like a dark drama. It’s not a werewolf story per se, so don’t go in expecting this to be unleashed, but it’s a satisfying one nonetheless. For a change we needed a different bite of wolf in our horror; this may be what some have been waiting for.
The beginning caught my interest and put me inside Bob’s head, making light of the desperation he felt in life. After this is it was time to ponder theories on why he changed (psychological reasons as implied by the therapist? Hypnosis by the wolf at the zoo? Old Indian legends?) , followed by ways for him to avoid the ‘doggy room’, the bullets, the crazed town citizens, other wild animals in the area, and finally how he would escape from it all and still manage to have a happy ending.
The middle of the novel was strong, with many varying locations and action filled scenes. The wolf Bobs thoughts were interesting and I felt myself drawn to him as a character. The ending surprised me a bit, and left me one happy camper.
*Strieber is also the author of the best selling novel, WOLFEN, another very different sort of wolf story. His works on the wild seem to rely as much on commentary as they do horror; about how nature is evolving and ruined, the old Indian ways, the natural spirits of the animals crushed under advancing change in a busy, modern world, and about man being forced to wake up through violence and freakish change.
Nope, you don’t have furry man-beasts sniffing out human flesh here, folks. You also don’t have a constantly shifting creature raging against his inner impulses; there’s no moon watching here, no silver bullets to be dodged, and no strange herbs to devour to fend off any curses. The plot may not even sound that horrorish - see, I can invent new words =) It reads out more of a drama, the horror being the forcefulness of the situation Bob Duke finds himself in, the uncertainty, and his rebelliousness against the change attacking his body.
Bob Duke becomes a wolf one night at a hotel on a business trip. The next day he briefly wonders if he imagined the whole thing. The signs are hard to ignore, but the man does his best when he gets home to wifey and son. Awaiting him is a pile of mounting bills, unpaid debts, eviction notices, marital pressure, possible homelessness, therapy, his young son reading Kafka like it’s a guide, and, oh, yeah, dreams of becoming a wolf. Just the ideal American life, eh?
Unfortunately for him at the time, one night he completely changes – in front of family and therapist friend. Since Bob isn’t the most rational sort of being, who clearly doesn’t think things through all the way and acts on impulse at times, he ends up in a heap of worse trouble when he bites a visiting, gossipy neighbor who insists on insulting his ‘tail-wagging’ capabilities. Hauled off to the pound, experiencing the fear other doggies do awaiting the dreaded ‘room’, all chaos ensues from there.
Bob the man, and Bob the wolf, go through many changes in the novel, roaming from different horrible locations, trapped inside the body of a wolf. His mind is still human and although slowly wolf instincts take over, he rebels against the change in his being and vows to save the day by becoming human again. His wife and young son, knowing what has happened, enlist in the aide of an old Indian, determined to save their loved one before either his life is snuffed out…or his sanity.
Bob Duke is an interesting character because he, as a protagonist, isn’t the usual strong-willed type you read about. His strength is in other areas, but on the outside he’s a man not able to provide for his family, make much money at his job, handle the billing in a reasonable manner, or gather up much motivation to change. He also is kind-hearted and a bit too nice and naïve, as is made clear from chapter one. He is a natural poet by heart, and this is a constant regret to him. Instead of walking around weaving a pad with a pencil in his ear and stars in his eyes, reciting off verses on love, flowers, and the universe, he curses this ‘gift’ and feels as if he must write poetry because it’s a part of him, not because he wants to.
His wife (her name escapes me at the moment and I don’t have the book in front of me as I’m doing this review) is stronger-willed, but hasn’t worked much in her life. She’s a hard worker when it comes down to it, but her personality would be better suited to a position where she called all the shots. She always stood by her husband, although he let her down at times, ignoring some of the facts until they swerved around and bit her in the behind, but is determined to make things right again. Something one has to admire.
The son (same situation with me and not remember names to save my life) is an adorable young adolescent who buries his nose in serious works such as Kafka, discusses theories and such at the dinner table, and being the typical intellectual, loner kid.
The pacing of the novel is strong enough to keep all the words flowing. It begins with Bobs recaps about life and a time at the zoo, from there progressing to the change and then, finally, the end result.
Strieber writes with a heavy hand at times, spinning out colorful phrases. His wording is intriguing, his style serious. He does inject humor in the story when it’s needed, a type of irony, but does so in a way that seems to come naturally. At first his style was a bit hard for me to get into, but pretty soon I was wrapped up and began looking forward to it.
The wild, not your typical horror novel, one that devotes itself mainly to change, human nature, and acceptance, reads like a dark drama. It’s not a werewolf story per se, so don’t go in expecting this to be unleashed, but it’s a satisfying one nonetheless. For a change we needed a different bite of wolf in our horror; this may be what some have been waiting for.
The beginning caught my interest and put me inside Bob’s head, making light of the desperation he felt in life. After this is it was time to ponder theories on why he changed (psychological reasons as implied by the therapist? Hypnosis by the wolf at the zoo? Old Indian legends?) , followed by ways for him to avoid the ‘doggy room’, the bullets, the crazed town citizens, other wild animals in the area, and finally how he would escape from it all and still manage to have a happy ending.
The middle of the novel was strong, with many varying locations and action filled scenes. The wolf Bobs thoughts were interesting and I felt myself drawn to him as a character. The ending surprised me a bit, and left me one happy camper.
*Strieber is also the author of the best selling novel, WOLFEN, another very different sort of wolf story. His works on the wild seem to rely as much on commentary as they do horror; about how nature is evolving and ruined, the old Indian ways, the natural spirits of the animals crushed under advancing change in a busy, modern world, and about man being forced to wake up through violence and freakish change.
June 20, 2018
Meh.
April 27, 2014
Cindy and Robert Duke were in their 15th year of marriage, with a 12 yr old son when someone unusual occurred. While at the zoo, Bob caught the intense and intimate stare of a wolf. This stare lasted for over an hour and, to everyone's surprise, Bob accomplished a miraculous hypnagogic transformation--that is, he *became* a wolf with the mind of a man. Tracked down by the police and hounded by hunters, Bob finds himself drawn north, toward Canada, where he knows other wolves would be. And that was all he wanted. He missed his son and wife, but the life of a wolf was so much richer, fuller... it was all he wanted to be.
What follows is the chase between Cindy and their son, along with a Native American who heard of the occurrence and had longed to see such an experience, and Bob fighting his way northward to find his "real family"--the wolves.
Although there are some inconsistencies in the book: ie wolves don't bark and the wolf biologist is DAVE Mech, not DAN Mech, it is obvious that Strieber did do some research on wolf behavior and hierarchy.
At the end, you find yourself routing for Bob--should he stay wolf or does he return to human form? Only by reading this will you find out. A definite to-read for wolf and werewolf enthusiasts.
What follows is the chase between Cindy and their son, along with a Native American who heard of the occurrence and had longed to see such an experience, and Bob fighting his way northward to find his "real family"--the wolves.
Although there are some inconsistencies in the book: ie wolves don't bark and the wolf biologist is DAVE Mech, not DAN Mech, it is obvious that Strieber did do some research on wolf behavior and hierarchy.
At the end, you find yourself routing for Bob--should he stay wolf or does he return to human form? Only by reading this will you find out. A definite to-read for wolf and werewolf enthusiasts.
November 22, 2010
Robert Duke realizes early in this tale that he loves wolves. His love becomes obsession and ultimately his obsession becomes reality. Bob becomes a wolf. No, this isn’t your father’s werewolf tale; this man actually becomes a wolf. Part allegory, part poetic prose and part social commentary this is a truly amazing story. In the beginning the reader feels convinced he is witnessing a psychotic break. The pain and anguish is palatable but then as others witness the same events the madness becomes comical and then hysterically funny. Ultimately the story brings us full circle to an examination of modern man and his culture as a society that is so far removed from its origins that it has forgotten that all creatures are part a balanced “whole” that is completely out of balance.
January 17, 2019
I bought this book at a second hand book fair hoping for something a bit silly, scary, and fun - like Stephen King or many of the 1930s-1950s sci fis I've read. The last two thirds of the book were just what I expected, guy trapped inside a wolf's body going on an adventure. This was fun and contained a few underlying themes to keep it interesting.
If only the entire book was like this!
The first third was hands down, the absolute worst (part of a) book I've ever read in my life. The only reason I kept reading was that it was so bad it was funny! Full of confusing, existential drivel so poorly written you'd have thought the proof reader or editor missed it out. It was as if he'd written the last two thirds and thought that it wasn't meaningful or serious enough, or had to come up with some rubbish awful backstory to keep the publisher happy or increase the word count.
In the first part of the book, Bob, the main character, is at the zoo with his wife and 12-13 year old son Kevin, because Kevin wants to visit the zoo to draw the animals. Bob sees a wolf which looks into his eyes and "looks horrible" then Bob freaks out. Bob then starts getting scared of a plane and the plane and wolf both make him throw a tantrum and demand they leave the zoo. Why is there a wolf in a cage in a zoo? (I've never seen a wolf in a zoo, I'm Australian though so maybe it's different in America) and why would a 12 year old kid want his parents to take him to the zoo so he can sketch animals?
This is a conversation Bob and his wife are having at the zoo. Bob is looking up at the sky because a plane has flown overhead.
'Don't keep tilting your head back like that.'
'I want to look at the sky.'
'The pigeons are aiming for your mouth.'
'You hope. But the statistics are on my side.'
'Come on, sit like an adult. I don't want people to think I'm married to an overgrown child.'
'You are.'
'You're going to hurt your neck.'
'Pain is good for me. Pain means something.'
Has the author ever had a real conversation in their whole life? Nobody talks like that.
As they're leaving the zoo, Bob's wife asks Kevin if he'd like a hamburger. Bob doesn't want hamburgers though, but the author lets you know exactly what he wants. Bob wants to eat "finger sandwiches," enormous slices of cake, drink strong black coffee and a champagne cocktail at the Palm Court (were finger sandwiches a thing in 1980s America?). The rest of the paragraph then goes on and on about how Bob actually wants to float up above the stars, past "galaxies with names like NC-2376." They eventually head to Palm Court after this tirade of useless rubbish to eat a banquet containing goose with fresh snow peas.
This is just within the first 20 pages!
Bob gets on a plane to go to a conference and you are forced to read him remembering a plane crash he was on. The crash is so ludicrous it verges on comedy. The sound of an airliner crashing into a beach is described as a "dull thud," and "there was a soft rush of sound as fuel under one section ignited." Some passengers just walk off the burning wreck and others dance with their handbags while on fire! "there were terrible screams coming from the part that was on fire." Really? Screaming in the fire? Wow. Oh, and this plane crash and the plane ride to Atlanta has nothing to do with the plot.
Other highlights of the book before Bob actually gets inside the wolf for good:
- Bob goes to a councilor and has "strong feelings of lust" towards her, and tells her. Councilor responds by asking him to kiss her. No councilor does this! The author also goes into great detail about the councilor giving her secretary a goodbye kiss. Who kisses their workmates goodbye!
-Bob returns to his hotel room after momentarily turning into a wolf and turning back again. He gets into the jacuzzi, drinks one bottle of cognac (I'm assuming minibar size?) puts a second one in the jacuzzi to warm up. Then suddenly, he needs to have sex really badly, but he also wants food. He orders room service at midnight - a sandwich delivered on a platter covered by a silver dome - and then asks the woman to have sex with him. The only reason she doesn't is because she "might lose her job." Has the author ever stayed at a hotel before? Who puts minibar bottles of cognac in a spa? What hotel has cognac and sandwiches on silver platters?
-Kevin is a 12 year old who reads Kafka, drinks Stolichnaya, and has had 4 sexual partners even though "his sex life hadn't started in earnest." What?
-Bob's wife and councilor break into the pound "using sex" to get past the guards. OK lie, this was in the second third of the book.
Oh and check out this prose. "as a girl Cindy had thought of herself as too large. Loving her was a big job, there being acres of pale flesh to kiss, and a mouth she had imagined able to swallow the heads of most boys. She had wanted for lovers, too proud to call the boys, waiting in her room, her imagination soaring in the steamy nights, when the breeze seemed to penetrate every crack in her body with warm, touching fingers. The trees tossed and there were words of magic in the air." I mean, seriously?
I joined Goodreads after seeing the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this book. If you want to read this book, start half way through, you'll be glad you did.
If only the entire book was like this!
The first third was hands down, the absolute worst (part of a) book I've ever read in my life. The only reason I kept reading was that it was so bad it was funny! Full of confusing, existential drivel so poorly written you'd have thought the proof reader or editor missed it out. It was as if he'd written the last two thirds and thought that it wasn't meaningful or serious enough, or had to come up with some rubbish awful backstory to keep the publisher happy or increase the word count.
In the first part of the book, Bob, the main character, is at the zoo with his wife and 12-13 year old son Kevin, because Kevin wants to visit the zoo to draw the animals. Bob sees a wolf which looks into his eyes and "looks horrible" then Bob freaks out. Bob then starts getting scared of a plane and the plane and wolf both make him throw a tantrum and demand they leave the zoo. Why is there a wolf in a cage in a zoo? (I've never seen a wolf in a zoo, I'm Australian though so maybe it's different in America) and why would a 12 year old kid want his parents to take him to the zoo so he can sketch animals?
This is a conversation Bob and his wife are having at the zoo. Bob is looking up at the sky because a plane has flown overhead.
'Don't keep tilting your head back like that.'
'I want to look at the sky.'
'The pigeons are aiming for your mouth.'
'You hope. But the statistics are on my side.'
'Come on, sit like an adult. I don't want people to think I'm married to an overgrown child.'
'You are.'
'You're going to hurt your neck.'
'Pain is good for me. Pain means something.'
Has the author ever had a real conversation in their whole life? Nobody talks like that.
As they're leaving the zoo, Bob's wife asks Kevin if he'd like a hamburger. Bob doesn't want hamburgers though, but the author lets you know exactly what he wants. Bob wants to eat "finger sandwiches," enormous slices of cake, drink strong black coffee and a champagne cocktail at the Palm Court (were finger sandwiches a thing in 1980s America?). The rest of the paragraph then goes on and on about how Bob actually wants to float up above the stars, past "galaxies with names like NC-2376." They eventually head to Palm Court after this tirade of useless rubbish to eat a banquet containing goose with fresh snow peas.
This is just within the first 20 pages!
Bob gets on a plane to go to a conference and you are forced to read him remembering a plane crash he was on. The crash is so ludicrous it verges on comedy. The sound of an airliner crashing into a beach is described as a "dull thud," and "there was a soft rush of sound as fuel under one section ignited." Some passengers just walk off the burning wreck and others dance with their handbags while on fire! "there were terrible screams coming from the part that was on fire." Really? Screaming in the fire? Wow. Oh, and this plane crash and the plane ride to Atlanta has nothing to do with the plot.
Other highlights of the book before Bob actually gets inside the wolf for good:
- Bob goes to a councilor and has "strong feelings of lust" towards her, and tells her. Councilor responds by asking him to kiss her. No councilor does this! The author also goes into great detail about the councilor giving her secretary a goodbye kiss. Who kisses their workmates goodbye!
-Bob returns to his hotel room after momentarily turning into a wolf and turning back again. He gets into the jacuzzi, drinks one bottle of cognac (I'm assuming minibar size?) puts a second one in the jacuzzi to warm up. Then suddenly, he needs to have sex really badly, but he also wants food. He orders room service at midnight - a sandwich delivered on a platter covered by a silver dome - and then asks the woman to have sex with him. The only reason she doesn't is because she "might lose her job." Has the author ever stayed at a hotel before? Who puts minibar bottles of cognac in a spa? What hotel has cognac and sandwiches on silver platters?
-Kevin is a 12 year old who reads Kafka, drinks Stolichnaya, and has had 4 sexual partners even though "his sex life hadn't started in earnest." What?
-Bob's wife and councilor break into the pound "using sex" to get past the guards. OK lie, this was in the second third of the book.
Oh and check out this prose. "as a girl Cindy had thought of herself as too large. Loving her was a big job, there being acres of pale flesh to kiss, and a mouth she had imagined able to swallow the heads of most boys. She had wanted for lovers, too proud to call the boys, waiting in her room, her imagination soaring in the steamy nights, when the breeze seemed to penetrate every crack in her body with warm, touching fingers. The trees tossed and there were words of magic in the air." I mean, seriously?
I joined Goodreads after seeing the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this book. If you want to read this book, start half way through, you'll be glad you did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2015
A needle in a haystack, Strieber's The Wild proves that one can still write an imaginative and engaging story about a man who turns into a wolf. Very much recommended.
Full review at:
http://susimetsa.blogspot.fi/2015/12/...
Full review at:
http://susimetsa.blogspot.fi/2015/12/...
December 6, 2018
This is not so much a review as a sequel to a review. I don't think I could top what I said on Amazon or on my little "Wild" webpage:
http://www.fantasyworldproject.com/wi...
I went fifteen years between re-readings of The Wild, and my first reaction on finishing the story again is, "Those fifteen years sucked deeply, and now I know why." My second is, "How did I survive that long without The Wild?" Honestly, this tale of the tribulations of a man changing into a wolf, becoming literally a wolf living in the wilderness, yet still staying himself inside, has been my obsession since March of 1991. Any time I see a historical reference, my first thought is whether that was before or after reading the book. My enjoyment of any novel, film, or non-fiction work increases a little if I can somehow relate it to Strieber's tale. For instance, I like any story set in New York City just a little more than I might have otherwise, solely because The Wild was set there.
I've read many hundreds of books over the decades; I own more than anyone I've ever met. I hope to read many hundreds more during the course of my life. My recent long-time-coming re-read, however, has convinced me of something: I am 100% certain Whitley Strieber's Wild has been/ is now/ and always will remain my favorite book.
I am facing a new task in life: I'm now going to try to last a year WITHOUT re-reading this lupine masterpiece. Wish me luck.
http://www.fantasyworldproject.com/wi...
I went fifteen years between re-readings of The Wild, and my first reaction on finishing the story again is, "Those fifteen years sucked deeply, and now I know why." My second is, "How did I survive that long without The Wild?" Honestly, this tale of the tribulations of a man changing into a wolf, becoming literally a wolf living in the wilderness, yet still staying himself inside, has been my obsession since March of 1991. Any time I see a historical reference, my first thought is whether that was before or after reading the book. My enjoyment of any novel, film, or non-fiction work increases a little if I can somehow relate it to Strieber's tale. For instance, I like any story set in New York City just a little more than I might have otherwise, solely because The Wild was set there.
I've read many hundreds of books over the decades; I own more than anyone I've ever met. I hope to read many hundreds more during the course of my life. My recent long-time-coming re-read, however, has convinced me of something: I am 100% certain Whitley Strieber's Wild has been/ is now/ and always will remain my favorite book.
I am facing a new task in life: I'm now going to try to last a year WITHOUT re-reading this lupine masterpiece. Wish me luck.
March 12, 2019
This was a really strange book, but I enjoyed it. It was certainly not a werewolf story; it was about a man who became a wolf. Some parts of it seemed really absurd- of course, because you can't just turn into a wolf. It had a lot of humor in it because a human trying to be a wolf would have some problems! I have to say that I had a lot of fun reading this book and I think that the author has a great imagination! I would like to read more like this. It was interesting to imagine humans as animals with both human intellect and the lost instincts of an animal. I want more, though. I want to read about an imaginary future of a world with this kind of creature in it. All in all, I enjoyed it.
May 5, 2024
‘The Wild’ is the story of Bob Duke, a man who suddenly transforms into a wolf after a trip to the zoo. It’s an interesting premise, but the execution is something of a let-down. The book desperately wants to be deep, but instead comes across as pretentious and, frankly, boring. The first third or so is a real chore to plough through, with endless pseudo-intellectual waffle and unnecessary (and often unpleasant) back-story.
It does improve later on, but there are some factual errors regarding wolves, and the ending feels rushed and contrived. There are also a couple of spelling mistakes, such as “puss” instead of “pus” and “shiatzu” instead of “Shih Tzu.” On the whole, I was disappointed with this book, especially as I enjoyed ‘The Wolfen’ by the same author.
It does improve later on, but there are some factual errors regarding wolves, and the ending feels rushed and contrived. There are also a couple of spelling mistakes, such as “puss” instead of “pus” and “shiatzu” instead of “Shih Tzu.” On the whole, I was disappointed with this book, especially as I enjoyed ‘The Wolfen’ by the same author.
March 1, 2024
Ohne erkennbaren Grund verwandelt sich Bob in einen Wolf. Er wurde nicht gebissen oder ähnliches. Es scheint sein inneres, unbewusstes Bedürfnis zu sein.
Am Anfang habe ich mich etwas schwer getan in die Geschichte einzutauchen. Aber nachdem Bob sich endgültig verwandelt hat und ein Kampf der Gefühle in ihm brodelt wird es wirklich interessant. Wer hat sich nicht mal gewünscht ein Tier zu sein und die Freiheit zu geniessen. Aber ist das wirklich Freiheit?
Wer es wissen will wie es sich anfühlt ein Tier mit menschlicher Intelligenz zu sein, sollte das hier nachlesen.
Es ist wirklich fesselnd. Und soviel sei verraten, es gibt ein Happy End.
Am Anfang habe ich mich etwas schwer getan in die Geschichte einzutauchen. Aber nachdem Bob sich endgültig verwandelt hat und ein Kampf der Gefühle in ihm brodelt wird es wirklich interessant. Wer hat sich nicht mal gewünscht ein Tier zu sein und die Freiheit zu geniessen. Aber ist das wirklich Freiheit?
Wer es wissen will wie es sich anfühlt ein Tier mit menschlicher Intelligenz zu sein, sollte das hier nachlesen.
Es ist wirklich fesselnd. Und soviel sei verraten, es gibt ein Happy End.
July 18, 2018
I loved this classic novel and didn't even realize till the end of the story this book was published in my home city.
I think there could have been a better name for the main character, as it's funny reading about some guy named Bob who embarks on a journey of wolves and Native American legend.
But character names aside, the story is truly amazing. From the themes of animal instinction to survival from the horrors of man kind killing nature, this is a story that can put into perspective the life of the wild vs. Human nature.
I think there could have been a better name for the main character, as it's funny reading about some guy named Bob who embarks on a journey of wolves and Native American legend.
But character names aside, the story is truly amazing. From the themes of animal instinction to survival from the horrors of man kind killing nature, this is a story that can put into perspective the life of the wild vs. Human nature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2023
Rounded up from a 3.5
If you've read much of Whitley Strieber's post Communion career, you know disappointment. There's a lot more miss than hit, plot holes, long pointless rants, etc. For the first 70 pages, you find yourself saying "Here we go again." Then suddenly he veers away from the poor Kafka imitation he'd been doing and decides to write a coherent book. I think he saw it wasn't working and changed course, it would have been a solid 4 if he's gone back and fixed the beginning, but it is what it is.
If you've read much of Whitley Strieber's post Communion career, you know disappointment. There's a lot more miss than hit, plot holes, long pointless rants, etc. For the first 70 pages, you find yourself saying "Here we go again." Then suddenly he veers away from the poor Kafka imitation he'd been doing and decides to write a coherent book. I think he saw it wasn't working and changed course, it would have been a solid 4 if he's gone back and fixed the beginning, but it is what it is.
June 29, 2019
I didn’t really care for this book. Some of it was alright, but there was some graphic depiction of wolf hunting and some horrible deaths, especially toward the end. I liked the concept, but the execution could've been better. This is not a book I’ll be re-reading or even keeping. The writing was clear with few, if any, typos. That and the fact that it did catch my attention with its premise is what gives my rating.
July 25, 2024
Bizarre, beautiful, and ... hideously racist. It was honestly compelling until Strieber introduced an unnecessary "American Indian shapeshifter" trope that was dehumanising, scattered slurs throughout Chapter 13, and even implied the old, alcoholic, "last of the Mohicans" who had offered nothing but compassion for the Duke family's bizarre situation was secretly trying to rape a white woman. Just a gross inclusion that really undermined the story.
July 8, 2019
I liked The Wolfen, but Strieber really lost me with this one. What is the point of having a twelve-year-old character be into orgies? I wanted to finish but I dreaded to see how far he would take it.
February 12, 2024
Starts poor, becomes great at the end
This contains some of Strieber’s most beautiful writing. The beginning to middle is not great but then it starts to become great around the ending of the dog pound sequence. Ending is quite emotional.
This contains some of Strieber’s most beautiful writing. The beginning to middle is not great but then it starts to become great around the ending of the dog pound sequence. Ending is quite emotional.
April 5, 2020
Good reading!
January 3, 2021
Read in 1991. Fantasy novel.
November 21, 2015
This...had potential. The beginning was really interesting.
The rest of it, not so much. Good premise (or concept, maybe), bad execution. I'm not really sure what, exactly, his message was, since I'm pretty sure 'turn into wolves and breed smarter wolves' is not something people can actually do. If it's just a general pro-wildlife message, then other books have done it a lot better.
The rest of it, not so much. Good premise (or concept, maybe), bad execution. I'm not really sure what, exactly, his message was, since I'm pretty sure 'turn into wolves and breed smarter wolves' is not something people can actually do. If it's just a general pro-wildlife message, then other books have done it a lot better.
September 19, 2013
Another exceptional story by Whitley Strieber. The Wild opens with a tone of poetry and intellectualism, morphs into an incredible adventure, and by the end evolves into a unique, beautiful voice of raw emotion and strength. The plot points are impossible to guess ahead of time. Jaw-dropping, great novel.
December 14, 2008
While I wasn't completely *wild* over the book it was written in a magical realism style that was really engrossing. I look at it as a modern day fairy tale and it really had some excellent moments.
March 21, 2014
Love this book. Unique with a carefully crafted and beautiful tone. Strieber is under-appreciated as a writer
September 17, 2012
Not my cup of tea, decided not to finish it.
December 4, 2013
Was ok to turn your mind off too, but was very obvious with its plot. Not my cup of tea tHough. It was well written but nothing much else going for it.
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